Maybe its just a stage of life, maybe it'll pass and I'll outgrow it all..but lately, I find myself being skeptical about anything religious.. I mistakenly tune to a christian channel and I find the whole thing either extremely amusing or enormously annoying..

The clergy don't help matters at all, when they simply can not explain something, they tell you, you have to accept it by faith..or that the hidden things belong to God..

Now, those that claim to know how to make me lose my doubts, end up making statements and assumptions they can't use the scriptures to back up..

That is when you begin to hear stuff like, 'there was a gap between Gen 1:1 and 1:2', 'Adam MUST have given birth to other kids that Cain wz able to marry', 'God SEEMS to have created the other people that Cain said were going to kill him', 'the prophecy in Matt 26:9 was through Zachariah when it is clearly stated Jeremy'..etc

The Bible is infallible as we're led to believe..there however are unexplainable mistakes.. Should we live our lives based on a book that states that it is complete and accurate, I mean, something inspired by God couldn't be inaccurate now..

Why soo many different conflicting doctrines?? With proofs from the Bible to lend them credence, which is false and which should we believe? Is He that was made a little lower than the angels, He that doesn't know of when the rapture will take place, is He equal with God the Father? Is there a place called hell for all sinners? So many conflicts..

Lastly, if I was born into a muslim home, will I still believe that Jesus is the only way? The billions of people convinced that their own religious tenets are the truth, will they all die and burn eternally in hell? Someone will tell me about the time of Noah..but then shouldn't God give a physical sign, something very glaring..to tell everyone that this or that is the right way? You tell me the supernatural happens in christianity but they happen in every other religion and there are even many other religions that lead better, morally upright lives than christians..christians may even be the worst people on earth..

I still however believe that there is a God, The First Cause, The Creator of everything seen and unseen..

The carnal mind cannot understand spiritual things.

Haaahaaahaa

Tell God to proove to you that he exists tonight and he will do just that.Christianity is by faith and not only by works.

I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I believe that if you are really searching for God, he will reveal himself.

I am a Christian and I constantly examine my faith so do not think that you are alone in that camp.

Here's something to consider though. If you or I could fully understand God, would He then still be God to us? Secondly, I have observed that whenever people ask the questions you are asking, they are asking to understand God on a purely rational basis. Everything has to make sense. But the underlying theme of the Bible is that man draws closer to God by faith. The faith factor cannot be removed and man cannot know God on a completely rational basis.

Here is a good site that addresses some of the questions you asked: http://www.alwaysbeready.com/index.php/bible-evidence

The bible does not supply us with the entire historical record of man and many things must be understood within the context in which they were said or written.

Ultimately if you want to know whether the Judeo-Christian God is true, the process outlined cannot be changed: you must take a leap of faith. He will not let you fall.

Hold on.

JUNE12: Tell God to proove to you that he exists tonight and he will do just that.Christianity is by faith and not only by works.

Lol,He never does I've tried that bit

uaphorism:

I still however believe that there is a God, The First Cause, The Creator of everything seen and unseen..

THIS is really what you should hold on to. Forget about those things your limited mortal mind cannot comprehend.

Spend a month on the Religion section.

NativeBoy: I don't pretend to have all the answers, but I believe that if you are really searching for God, he will reveal himself.

I am a Christian and I constantly examine my faith so do not think that you are alone in that camp.

Here's something to consider though. If you or I could fully understand God, would He then still be God to us? Secondly, I have observed that whenever people ask the questions you are asking, they are asking to understand God on a purely rational basis. Everything has to make sense. But the underlying theme of the Bible is that man draws closer to God by faith. The faith factor cannot be removed and man cannot know God on a completely rational basis.

Here is a good site that addresses some of the questions you asked: http://www.alwaysbeready.com/index.php/bible-evidence

The bible does not supply us with the entire historical record of man and many things must be understood within the context in which they were said or written.

Ultimately if you want to know whether the Judeo-Christian God is true, the process outlined cannot be changed: you must take a leap of faith. He will not let you fall.

Hold on.

It is kind of silly what you are saying.

The Op's mind is agitating, his spirit is yearning for freedom from long expired dogmas.
And you are telling him to simply believe harder and to brainwash his brain more?.
You are asking him to suspend all rational thoughts and just plunge back into the ocean of ignorant bliss?

If religion belief is not rational , but only faith, then why do Christians come on NlL to make arguments with atheists?
As a matter of fact, why do preachers preach at all by trying to rationalize what you clearly think is irrational?

plaetton:

It is kind of silly what you are saying.

The Op's mind is agitating, his spirit is yearning for freedom from long expired dogmas.
And you are telling him to simply believe harder and to brainwash his brain more?.
You are asking him to suspend all rational thoughts and just plunge back into the ocean of ignorant bliss?

If religion belief is not rational , but only faith, then why do Christians come on NlL to make arguments with atheists?
As a matter of fact, why do preachers preach at all by trying to rationalize what you clearly think is irrational?

Please point to where I stated that the OP suspend rational thought or where I stated that one could not make rational arguments for their belief. In fact I provided the OP a resource that address the points raised.

@OP,

I have been in your shoes and I know very well it takes one who is curious and very sincere with him or herself to ask some fundamental questions about his/her belief systems. One cannot doubt the fact that most of us are supposedly 'christians' because of our roots (parents/guardians are equally same). So this is perhaps the link between religion and tradition which in tandem sums up our present 'cast-in-stone' beliefs.

Methinks, traditions and fears have made most of us not to query our belief systems. To me it pays to ask questions albeit one is most likely to get answers when one develops the 'art' of curiosity.
After all, using Prophet Moses as our case study, he did ask God some fundamental questions about who God truly is(was) and the most High God did give him(Moses) profound answers to all his questions.

In summary, it is not unnatural for a curious mind to doubt his/her beliefs in the most High God but it is rather expedient for you to not ONLY study the Bible but also ask from JEHOVAH through a sincere 'heart-felt' prayer which should come through the mediator(our Lord Jesus Christ)for a revelation about his existence or not and other questions as well.

Also, kindly pay rapt attention to the post of NativeBoy and please do not be dissuaded in your pursuit of truth in God but rather submit yourself in humility to the most High God and address all your questions to the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit of God would address all your 'questions/worries/supposedly doubts'.

I, myself,have a lot of unanswered questions but most importantly I have learnt to exercise more of faith in God and continous study/reading of not only the Bible but also other relevant materials as well as trying as much as I could to abide by the words of YHWH and equally living a 'pragmatic loveable life' with my fellow (wo)man.

BTW: As regards doctrinal differences, please do well to visit an existing thread on this in this forum. My own take on this is that over time, men have mixed their own traditions with christianity.Hence, the difference but please do well to visit the thread as I had earlier stated.

Pax Vobiscum!

uaphorism:
Maybe its just a stage of life, maybe it'll pass and I'll outgrow it all..but lately, I find myself being skeptical about anything religious.. I mistakenly tune to a christian channel and I find the whole thing either extremely amusing or enormously annoying..

The clergy don't help matters at all, when they simply can not explain something, they tell you, you have to accept it by faith..or that the hidden things belong to God..

Now, those that claim to know how to make me lose my doubts, end up making statements and assumptions they can't use the scriptures to back up..

That is when you begin to hear stuff like, 'there was a gap between Gen 1:1 and 1:2', 'Adam MUST have given birth to other kids that Cain wz able to marry', 'God SEEMS to have created the other people that Cain said were going to kill him', 'the prophecy in Matt 26:9 was through Zachariah when it is clearly stated Jeremy'..etc

The Bible is infallible as we're led to believe..there however are unexplainable mistakes.. Should we live our lives based on a book that states that it is complete and accurate, I mean, something inspired by God couldn't be inaccurate now..

Why soo many different conflicting doctrines?? With proofs from the Bible to lend them credence, which is false and which should we believe? Is He that was made a little lower than the angels, He that doesn't know of when the rapture will take place, is He equal with God the Father? Is there a place called hell for all sinners? So many conflicts..

Lastly, if I was born into a muslim home, will I still believe that Jesus is the only way? The billions of people convinced that their own religious tenets are the truth, will they all die and burn eternally in hell? Someone will tell me about the time of Noah..but then shouldn't God give a physical sign, something very glaring..to tell everyone that this or that is the right way? You tell me the supernatural happens in christianity but they happen in every other religion and there are even many other religions that lead better, morally upright lives than christians..christians may even be the worst people on earth..

I still however believe that there is a God, The First Cause, The Creator of everything seen and unseen..

somebody sang "There ar mor questions than answers".

The bible is obviously a summarised book-if it contained every trivial fact and answer a curious mind required it wouldnt b portable.
Questions like these ar often asked by people with one foot out of d door. Many questions cannot b answered categorically because there's no direct answer from scriptures but does that qualify for a leap to debunking the bible!? No.
Just like they ar many questions in d sciences man cant answer yet he hasnt stopped believe in science.
As a side note to those chanting rationality, the very foundations of scientific knowledge rests on some glaring irrationalities and ambiguities. Scientists hav to accept certain things in faith! Until
actual verifiable proof are obtained.
As a matter of fact lives and philosophies ar built on beliefs. A belief doesnt require verifiable proof to be.
But they are many many cases in scripture where God is clearly inviting Him to take Him on.
Sometimes a prayer isnt answered, and we so desperately believed God wouldnt fail us - yet the expectation,the prayer didnt work, if prayer isnt reliable then we cant count on God to help us all d time right?
Many people sweep such cases under d carpet-and hush up on it.
I think we shud seek to know why and continue investigating why there was failure, otherwise the confidence to take God at his word just wont b there.
If u keep an open mind and do ur research, u'll discover many answers 4 urself.answers wont fall on you. Some scientific discoveries took man centuries to discover ,e.g calculus - d greeks wrestled with d concept but failed until the 18th century, did that make the idea false because they cudnt understand it? It takes pride to think so. Simple they didnt know.
Same with u. U dont know. But put in ur share of work.like d greeks did. Som answers,like calculus, are to weighty to b discovered by lazy grippers.

uaphorism: Maybe its just a stage of life, maybe it'll pass and I'll outgrow it all..but lately, I find myself being skeptical about anything religious.. I mistakenly tune to a christian channel and I find the whole thing either extremely amusing or enormously annoying..

The clergy don't help matters at all, when they simply can not explain something, they tell you, you have to accept it by faith..or that the hidden things belong to God..

Now, those that claim to know how to make me lose my doubts, end up making statements and assumptions they can't use the scriptures to back up..

That is when you begin to hear stuff like, 'there was a gap between Gen 1:1 and 1:2', 'Adam MUST have given birth to other kids that Cain wz able to marry', 'God SEEMS to have created the other people that Cain said were going to kill him', 'the prophecy in Matt 26:9 was through Zachariah when it is clearly stated Jeremy'..etc

The Bible is infallible as we're led to believe..there however are unexplainable mistakes.. Should we live our lives based on a book that states that it is complete and accurate, I mean, something inspired by God couldn't be inaccurate now..

Why soo many different conflicting doctrines?? With proofs from the Bible to lend them credence, which is false and which should we believe? Is He that was made a little lower than the angels, He that doesn't know of when the rapture will take place, is He equal with God the Father? Is there a place called hell for all sinners? So many conflicts..

Lastly, if I was born into a muslim home, will I still believe that Jesus is the only way? The billions of people convinced that their own religious tenets are the truth, will they all die and burn eternally in hell? Someone will tell me about the time of Noah..but then shouldn't God give a physical sign, something very glaring..to tell everyone that this or that is the right way? You tell me the supernatural happens in christianity but they happen in every other religion and there are even many other religions that lead better, morally upright lives than christians..christians may even be the worst people on earth..

I still however believe that there is a God, The First Cause, The Creator of everything seen and unseen..

Mr dear I was once like u until I heard d voice for the seventh trump and all my questions were answerd,
Come into the ark and know the truth,

[quote authour]
Sometimes a prayer isnt answered, and we so desperately believed God wouldnt fail us - yet the expectation,the prayer didnt work, if prayer isnt reliable then we cant count on God to help us all d time right?
Many people sweep such cases under d carpet-and hush up on it.
I think we shud seek to know why and continue investigating why there was failure, otherwise the confidence to take God at his word just wont b there.


Well God truly ans prayers buh ur mistakes and sins hinders them to be answered read isaiah 59 vs 1- 3 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Which do you prefer op, scifi or fantasy? Don't worry, it's relevant

kambo:

somebody sang "There ar mor questions than answers".

The bible is obviously a summarised book-if it contained every trivial fact and answer a curious mind required it wouldnt b portable.
Questions like these ar often asked by people with one foot out of d door. Many questions cannot b answered categorically because there's no direct answer from scriptures but does that qualify for a leap to debunking the bible!? No.
Just like they ar many questions in d sciences man cant answer yet he hasnt stopped believe in science.
As a side note to those chanting rationality, the very foundations of scientific knowledge rests on some glaring irrationalities and ambiguities. Scientists hav to accept certain things in faith! Until
actual verifiable proof are obtained.
As a matter of fact lives and philosophies ar built on beliefs. A belief doesnt require verifiable proof to be.
But they are many many cases in scripture where God is clearly inviting Him to take Him on.
Sometimes a prayer isnt answered, and we so desperately believed God wouldnt fail us - yet the expectation,the prayer didnt work, if prayer isnt reliable then we cant count on God to help us all d time right?
Many people sweep such cases under d carpet-and hush up on it.
I think we shud seek to know why and continue investigating why there was failure, otherwise the confidence to take God at his word just wont b there.
If u keep an open mind and do ur research, u'll discover many answers 4 urself.answers wont fall on you. Some scientific discoveries took man centuries to discover ,e.g calculus - d greeks wrestled with d concept but failed until the 18th century, did that make the idea false because they cudnt understand it? It takes pride to think so. Simple they didnt know.
Same with u. U dont know. But put in ur share of work.like d greeks did. Som answers,like calculus, are to weighty to b discovered by lazy grippers.

Tell me one thing in science accepted by faith just one.

I was really enjoying your post till I read and I quote, 'Scientists hav to accept certain things in faith! Until
actual verifiable proof are obtained'.

If u want to move further...and have ur mind at rest,u can contact me.....I can still give u answers@Op......I understand ur struggles!!!

More grease to your elbows because thinking outside the religious box requires some level of mental fortitude. Trust me atheists are not just suffer their unbeliefs as seen by Christians who would rather not marry an atheist of god character, they suffer religious fanaticism. Since it seems you are deist don't stop rhere qyestion further to be a tad more sure of the ground on which you stand.

GeneralShepherd:

Tell me one thing in science accepted by faith just one.

I was really enjoying your post till I read and I quote, 'Scientists hav to accept certain things in faith! Until
actual verifiable proof are obtained'.

1. The big bang theory or any origin of the universe theory.
2. The wormhole theory
3. The multiverse theory
4. Einstein's relativity theory, particularly the part about the speed of light being the threshold speed.
5. The space-time continuum theory to explain gravity
6. The macro-evolution theory. No evidence for the "primordial soup" yet.

Make I continue? If you knew anything about science you would know why these are called theories and not laws.

uaphorism: Maybe its just a stage of life, maybe it'll pass and I'll outgrow i all..but lately, I find myself being skeptical about anything religious.. I mistakenly tune to a christian channel and I find the whole thing either extremely amusing or enormously annoying..

The clergy don't help matters at all, when they simply can not explain something, they tell you, you have to accept it by faith..or that the hidden things belong to God..

Now, those that claim to know how to make me lose my doubts, end up making statements and assumptions they can't use the scriptures to back up..

That is when you begin to hear stuff like, 'there was a gap between Gen 1:1 and 1:2', 'Adam MUST have given birth to other kids that Cain wz able to marry', 'God SEEMS to have created the other people that Cain said were going to kill him', 'the prophecy in Matt 26:9 was through Zachariah when it is clearly stated Jeremy'..etc

The Bible is infallible as we're led to believe..there however are unexplainable mistakes.. Should we live our lives based on a book that states that it is complete and accurate, I mean, something inspired by God couldn't be inaccurate now..

Why soo many different conflicting doctrines?? With proofs from the Bible to lend them credence, which is false and which should we believe? Is He that was made a little lower than the angels, He that doesn't know of when the rapture will take place, is He equal with God the Father? Is there a place called hell for all sinners? So many conflicts..

Lastly, if I was born into a muslim home, will I still believe that Jesus is the only way? The billions of people convinced that their own religious tenets are the truth, will they all die and burn eternally in hell? Someone will tell me about the time of Noah..but then shouldn't God give a physical sign, something very glaring..to tell everyone that this or that is the right way? You tell me the supernatural happens in christianity but they happen in every other religion and there are even many other religions that lead better, morally upright lives than christians..christians may even be the worst people on earth..

I still however believe that there is a God, The First Cause, The Creator of everything seen and unseen..

Most people that have ever questioned their faith either end up lose it or add to it.
Most who might've closed it stop at a certain point while those who might've added to it do extral personal research.

Sit down quietly and ask yourself this simple question; is everyone believing in God are deluded/cannot reason outside the box?
Any answer you get might determine the next step either you will completely lose it or add more.

Bible really supports one to acquire more knowledge.

Shalom!

rapture_ready:

1. The big bang theory or any origin of the universe theory.
2. The wormhole theory
3. The multiverse theory
4. Einstein's relativity theory, particularly the part about the speed of light being the threshold speed.
5. The space-time continuum theory to explain gravity
6. The macro-evolution theory. No evidence for the "primordial soup" yet.

Make I continue? If you knew anything about science you would know why these are called theories and not laws.

This is extremely ignorant.
First, if all the above were accepted on faith, they would not be called theories.
A theory means that the entire body of science has endorsed a notion that has been either mathematically deduced, or experimentally infered.
An idea can be accepted as a prevailing theory when a proof of concept is mathematically proven or or by putting together what is already known.

There is such thing as faith in science.

plaetton:

This is extremely ignorant.
First, if all the above were accepted on faith, they would not be called theories.
A theory means that the entire body of science has endorsed a notion that has been either mathematically deduced, or experimentally infered.
An idea can be accepted as a prevailing theory when a proof of concept is mathematically proven or or by putting together what is already known.

There is such thing as faith in science.

Oh yes,there is,if not doctors won't be giving their patients a PLACEBO.

uaphorism: Maybe its just a stage of life, maybe it'll pass and I'll outgrow it all..but lately, I find myself being skeptical about anything religious.. I mistakenly tune to a christian channel and I find the whole thing either extremely amusing or enormously annoying..

First off, are u born again? The carnal mind will always struggle to understand the things of the spirit. There are things which only the Holy Spirit can give you understanding about. That's what he's here for.

The clergy don't help matters at all, when they simply can not explain something, they tell you, you have to accept it by faith..or that the hidden things belong to God..

Now, those that claim to know how to make me lose my doubts, end up making statements and assumptions they can't use the scriptures to back up..

That is when you begin to hear stuff like, 'there was a gap between Gen 1:1 and 1:2', 'Adam MUST have given birth to other kids that Cain wz able to marry', 'God SEEMS to have created the other people that Cain said were going to kill him', 'the prophecy in Matt 26:9 was through Zachariah when it is clearly stated Jeremy'..etc

The Bible is infallible as we're led to believe..there however are unexplainable mistakes.. Should we live our lives based on a book that states that it is complete and accurate, I mean, something inspired by God couldn't be inaccurate now..

The bible is infallible because it was inspired of God, however God still used men to pen it down.
Just like when book authors write a disclaimer about other books referenced in their book; "mistakes are mine, not theirs", maybe God should have made bible authors write a disclaimer! Lol.

Still, it is incredible that a book written by several authors over several centuries can have such a high level of accuracy. These "unexplaible mistakes" you refer to are usually typographical errors.

As regards to the gap theory and other mysterious things in the book of Genesis, note that it was written by Moses not as a detailed scientific description of the origin of life, but as a concise narrative. In the fella's defence how does he describe the creation in detail, he wasn't there now, was he?

Why soo many different conflicting doctrines??

You ever hear of the personality called Satan? Look at what the bible says;

Matt 13:24 ... his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat...

The diversity of doctrine is simply the devil doing what he does best; polluting something pure for his own end.
The bible even predicted this;

2 Tim 4:3 ...for the time will come when they will no longer endure sound doctrine...

With proofs from the Bible to lend them credence, which is false and which should we believe? Is He that was made a little lower than the angels

The bible is referring to mankind here, not Jesus

He that doesn't know of when the rapture will take place

He said so himself. Matt 24:36

is He equal with God the Father?

He and his father are one! Jn 10:30

Is there a place called hell for all sinners? So many conflicts..

YES!!! This is mentioned so many times in the bible that it defies understanding why some denominations deny this. Just read mark 9:43-48 and take heed to yourself.

Lastly, if I was born into a muslim home, will I still believe that Jesus is the only way?

People do convert from one religion to another, so maybe.

The billions of people convinced that their own religious tenets are the truth, will they all die and burn eternally in hell?

Unfortunately, YES. According to the word of God. Rev 20:15

Someone will tell me about the time of Noah..but then shouldn't God give a physical sign, something very glaring..to tell everyone that this or that is the right way?

Look at what Jesus said, when people asked him THIS SAME QUESTION!;
"An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, and none shall be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet"
He sent his son, Jesus did several things to prove his divinity, they believed, but then realised he hadn't come to save them from the romans but from their sins, they changed their minds. Whatever can God do that is more "glaring" than sending his own son!
My dear I tell you, even if God where to appear in the sky now to reach out to people, folks will be like "OMG, a UFO!" or "Bunch of aliens come to push their goody-goody moral standards on us all, pls leave our planet alone!"

You tell me the supernatural happens in christianity but they happen in every other religion

The devil is also good at faking it, he is a master of illusions! But he can never do it like it happens in christianity.

and there are even many other religions that lead better, morally upright lives than christians..christians may even be the worst people on earth..

Not everyone who professes to be a christian, is a christian. The bible tells us that by their fruits we shall know them. Anyone who is not bearing fruits of righteousness in NOT a christian!

I still however believe that there is a God, The First Cause, The Creator of everything seen and unseen..

My dear, please hold on. He is your father in heaven. Read heb 11:6 esp. the later part.

GeneralShepherd:

Lol,He never does I've tried that bit

Oga,I've experienced ds same thing but God doesn't have to do somethin because U want Him to,He does it becos He wants to.My advice is befriend ur bible,n you'l feel his love for U.