15 Reasons I Have Found It So Hard To Believe In God.

[soor]

These are just some of the questions that don't line up with with belief in God and what the bible says

 

1-Never hearing from God.

 

2-Why be so secretive? Why not make himself more known? Doesn’t he want to save all people? (Jesus said he wishes no one to perish).

 

3-Why allow Muslims and others to go to other religions?

 

4-Why not put it in pagan’s hearts that he is who he is?

 

5-Really identifying himself to people so they know for sure he is there instead of not knowing if it is just your feelings?

 

6-Mass confusion in the Bible? Why so many riddles and parables instead of just being straightforward?

 

7-If God is not the author of confusion and the Bible is his book then why is it so confusing? Why not open peoples minds to understand it?

 

8-How can so many people in different denominations claim to have the Holy Spirit and they come to teach different teachings and interpretations then others? Does

God not want his people united?

 

9-Why treat women as lessors?

 

10-Contradictions. Romans 1:18 says Gods qualities and divinity are instinctively known, why do so many non-Christians including Christians not know them.

 

11-Why don’t we see demon-possessed people having their demons cast out nowadays? This seemed to happen almost daily in biblical times, why has it stopped?

 

12-All the Gospels don’t line up together but only 4 of the many were hand picked by men to be cannonized. The Gnostics were not accepted because they were considered written later but all of them were written Considerably later then Jesus death.

 

13-If the word of God brings peace why does it drive so many Christians to depression and insanity?

 

14-the very close comparisons of ancient religions and myths like Horus.

 

15-Where has God been for 2000 years to show us he is really there?

 

It is difficult to refute these.

[Ouroboros]

Very good points Soor.

 

I must say I admire how straightforward you are about your doubts. It's one of the hardest things you can do, to admit that you are not sure about something you were sure about before. It takes courage to dare asking the questions.

 

If you don't mind, I'd like to add one to your list:

 

- If people only can be moral if they have God and the Bible, how come atheists and non-Christians act as good and moral people? And if it is that everyone is moral because God planted it into the human, then why do we need God and the Bible to be moral?

[Piprus]

It is difficult to refute these.

Indeed it is. But of course, the hardcore believers don't ask such questions. And when they do, they rely on apologists to give them answers that reinforce them, fallacious though they may be.

[Ouroboros]

When it comes to science and rational thought, you're not allowed to cheat (even if some people try now and then), but mostly, it's not approved of and not easy to do.

 

When it comes to apologetics it's easy to cheat, and no one scrutinize or even consider that people are willing to lie and make up claims or explanations.

 

Basically, the system is unfair, and the game staged. Science has to prove things. Religion only needs to believe things, and people believe things willingly.

[ShackledNoMore]

It is difficult to refute these.

Indeed it is. But of course, the hardcore believers don't ask such questions. And when they do, they rely on apologists to give them answers that reinforce them, fallacious though they may be.

I know. I did not find satisfying answers to questions such as these from apologists.

[Brother Jeff]

Good points, but hey, I'll play the role of a Christian apologist here and answer as they would just for fun:

 

1. God always answers the prayers of true Christians - those who have a personal relationship with Jesus! Sometimes He says "Yes". Sometimes He says "no". Sometimes He says "not right now". And sometimes He answers our prayers in wonderful and unexpected ways that we would have never thought of ourselves! Hallelujah!

 

2. God isn't secretive. His existence is obvious. He has revealed Himself through the beauty and glorious divine design in nature, and because we were created by Him, everybody instinctively knows that He exists. They may suppress that knowledge due to sinfulness, but deep down they still know that He exists. God has also revealed Himself through His Word, the Bible, which is His Love Letter to us.

 

3. Other religions are deceptions of Satan. God gave us free will, and we can choose to serve Him or not serve Him. Christianity stands out as a Beacon of Truth compared to other religions, which are obviously either just the creations of man or of demons or both. All other religions teach that man can reach God through his own efforts. Christianity stands alone in teaching that man is utterly incapable of reaching God through his own efforts and therefore God reached down to mankind in Jesus Christ. Praise God! Thank you, Jesus!

 

4. He has! The pagan is just suppressing his instinctive knowledge of who God is due to his sinfulness.

 

5. God has made His identity clear in the Bible and through His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

6. There is no confusion in the Bible. The unsaved man cannot understand the things of God. Once you accept Christ as your Savior and are born again and in a right relationship with God, the Bible becomes clear as the Holy Spirit teaches you all things and reveals the Truth to you.

 

7. See answer number 6.

 

8. God does want His people to be united, but sinful man allows his opinions and prejudices to be more important than obedience to what the Word of God clearly teaches.

 

9. Because Eve listened to Satan and disobeyed God. She is the Original Sinner. Also, Eve was created as Adam's helpmate, not as his equal.

 

10. There are no meaningful contradictions in the Bible. Those that do exist are minor textual variants due to copyist errors and they don't affect major Bible doctrines. God has protected His Word down through the ages! Hallelujah!

 

11. It hasn't stopped! People are still possessed by demons today through Rock music and drug use and through involvement in the occult and Satanism. These unfortunate people are frequently delivered from their demonic bondage in Charismatic/Pentecostal churches all over the world! Glory to God!

 

12. All of the Gospels agree on the major points. Disagreements are minor and can be explained by the fact that different details are seen as important to different people. Not everyone reports exactly the same things at the scene of a car wreck, for example, but everyone agrees that the wreck did happen! The Gnostic gospels were rejected because they were historically and factually and theologically inaccurate. God guided the process of the selection of gospels to be included in His Word, and He ensured that only the best and most accurate of the gospels were selected for inclusion.

 

13. The Word of God itself doesn't bring peace. One of God's gifts to His people is peace that passes all understanding, and that peace comes through having a right relationship with God and spending time with Him in prayer and worship and through obeying His Word. Those unfortunate Christians who find themselves driven to depression and insanity are victims of Satan and victims of false teachers and teachings. Remember that Satan knows the Word of God too, and he will twist it and distort it in order to deceive us and destroy us.

 

14. Those comparisons are superficial only, and they fall apart when deeper comparisons are attempted. Even so, Satan is the Great Counterfeiter and he attempted to make cheap, false imitations of the Truth of Christianity for thousands of years before the time of Christ.

 

15. God makes Himself known to those who believe in Him every day through miracles and answers to prayer! Glory to God!

 

See, these points aren't difficult to refute at all! You just needed some good, knowledgeable Christian answers, and I praise God that He chose to use me to help you today! Praise the Lord!

 

 

 

[Piprus]

See, these points aren't difficult to refute at all! You just needed some good, knowledgeable Christian answers, and I praise God that He chose to use me to help you today! Praise the Lord!

 

Preach it, Brother Jeff...

[Grandpa Harley]

Jeff nearly managed to get me to tear my eyes out one by one... well done... you bastard.

[soor]

name='Brother Jeff' date='Jun 9 2007, 02:24 PM' post=

Good points, but hey, I'll play the role of a Christian apologist here and answer as they would just for fun:

 

1. God always answers the prayers of true Christians - those who have a personal relationship with Jesus! Sometimes He says "Yes". Sometimes He says "no". Sometimes He says "not right now". !

I have been on my knees for 25 years and have humbled myself, would there be any reason he would not even want me to know he's there? seek and you shall find? I haven't found.

[Brother Jeff]

name='Brother Jeff' date='Jun 9 2007, 02:24 PM' post=

Good points, but hey, I'll play the role of a Christian apologist here and answer as they would just for fun:

 

1. God always answers the prayers of true Christians - those who have a personal relationship with Jesus! Sometimes He says "Yes". Sometimes He says "no". Sometimes He says "not right now". !

I have been on my knees for 25 years and have humbled myself, would there be any reason he would not even want me to know he's there? seek and you shall find? I haven't found.

Are you sure that you are really saved? Have you repented of your sins and asked Christ to forgive you? Have you accepted Him into your heart and your life? God only hears the prayers of true Christians, except for when an unsaved person is praying for salvation. You know that He is there instinctively! Stand on the Promises of God! Stand upon the firm foundation of His Word! Don't be led by fickle emotions, but rather be guided by your faith! If you are not sure that you are really saved, ask Christ to save you again just to be sure, and this time make sure that you really mean it! Maybe you just haven't had enough faith over the last 25 years. If not, then that's not God's fault. Put your sinful doubts aside and just BELIEVE, Brother! God is waiting for you with Open Arms! Embrace the Savior with joy and thanksgiving in your heart and start living in His Love and Power every day! You can do it! Glory to God!

[Euthyphro's Thorn]

12. All of the Gospels agree on the major points. Disagreements are minor and can be explained by the fact that different details are seen as important to different people. Not everyone reports exactly the same things at the scene of a car wreck, for example, but everyone agrees that the wreck did happen! The Gnostic gospels were rejected because they were historically and factually and theologically inaccurate. God guided the process of the selection of gospels to be included in His Word, and He ensured that only the best and most accurate of the gospels were selected for inclusion.

*Raises hand* Brother Jeff, were any of the gospels God-breathed, or did that only happen with scripture?

[sparkyone]

Brother Jeff,

That is really too, too much. It sounds so much like what I've heard most of my life, it's almost creepy. I couldn't even laugh because it's so impossible to try to reason with this kind of belief. There's always another loophole to make it almost sound logical and believable. Not enough faith..not sincere in praying for salvation (or the H.S. wasn't actually calling you at that moment)...too much emotion and reliance on feelings (yet isn't that exactly what the pastor means when he says God is leading him--that he has a feeling about it?) Maybe. Keep up the good work, and Soor, I'm so glad you're asking these questions. It helps reconfirm for myself just what I don't believe and why. I'm still working on the "what I do believe" part.

 

Sparkyone

[soor]

Brother Jeff,

That is really too, too much. It sounds so much like what I've heard most of my life, it's almost creepy. I couldn't even laugh because it's so impossible to try to reason with this kind of belief. There's always another loophole to make it almost sound logical and believable. Not enough faith..not sincere in praying for salvation

 

Sparkyone

 

At first reading his post I thought he was serious until I looked at his profile. You are right, we hear what he wrote alot

[XtianChris]

Brother Jeff,

That is really too, too much. It sounds so much like what I've heard most of my life, it's almost creepy. I couldn't even laugh because it's so impossible to try to reason with this kind of belief. There's always another loophole to make it almost sound logical and believable. Not enough faith..not sincere in praying for salvation

 

Sparkyone

 

At first reading his post I thought he was serious until I looked at his profile. You are right, we hear what he wrote alot

 

This is similar to what happened to me when I first read the skeptic's annotated bible. I followed the links for apologetics' responses, read through them, and said "Okay, maybe I can accept that as a possible excuse." Almost every flaw pointed out in the bible had a response that was somewhat convincing. At the end of it I just had to accept that the bible will never be refuted to those who want to believe that it's from their god. For me, it's just too damned inconsistent, imperfect, and hateful. It's obvious that it's written by man, and to date only man defends it. No god has never stepped in to correct any of its errors.