I want to know how much you would have to suffer to give up your faith in god and embrace nothingness? Oh and no "there is no god" answers this time people. I want to hear from those that have faith in god!
2006-07-04 17:58:51 · 33 answers · asked by Almont00 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
How much pain would it take you to believe?
2006-07-04 18:00:22 · answer #1 · answered by rednecklady17 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I have been through a lot of pain which has brought me to my faith in God. With that faith, I have had my life change for the better. This has allowed me better opportunities to help others. My faith cannot, and will not be taken from me. If that means suffering and/or dying, so be it. Lack of faith, nothingness, means living life with nothing to provide hope. In the darkest day, having nothing is probably the most painful times. Having faith in God really does mean being able to see the lighthouse in the fiercest of storms. Give a person who is completely down hope through faith, and you WILL see a person who will become stronger then they could have ever imagined, because of God. You cannot get that from brainwashing.
2006-07-04 18:22:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes a varied amount of personal pain to detach one from one's faith. It depends greatly upon the individual and the level of their personal beliefs. An individual may find the strength to endure vast amounts of personal discomfort, as has been demonstrated by martyrs throughout time or a person may fold at the slightest hint of discomfort.
I myself temporarily shed my faith when I was diagnosed with mental illness. Having battled this condition in ignorance for the better part of two decades, I found the dianosis to be a betrayal by a supposedly beneficient creator. In that moment, I embfraced a cold universe devoid of the comfort or requirements of God.
I found my faith restored after embarking on a personal philosophical quest reminiscent of Renee Descartes. I stripped away every physical and spiritual thing that I could doubt. I eventually arrived at the conclusion that my own mind was all that was left. Left in this condition, I discovered that I could not simply embrace having the core of my existence be the result of random chance. If I was not a mistake of the universe then that left me with the ultimate truth that God existed.
As to how far I would resist personal pain? My path is set but my faith is a cerebral experience rather than an emotive one. I still have to reexperience the fire of an emotional trauma again to definitively know how well I will resist abandoning my faith again.
2006-07-04 18:15:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe that suffering would cause one of true faith to give up their belief. They may wonder and not understand why God would allow the suffering, but true faith means that they believe through tribulations, and that there is a greater purpose to their lives, and that some lessons can only be learned through difficulties. The truth for those who believe is that though pain may be experienced from the sins of man, belief in spite of that pain is an important expression of faith towards a goal of eternal salvation.
2006-07-04 18:14:24 · answer #4 · answered by Jon B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's not possible to answer because I have not experienced this situation. I know that believing in God is for eternity and that any pain I was given no matter how long could not equal the eternity that God has for me. So even if you could offer nothingness, I would prefer to suffer than take a chance on what the alternative is Biblically for those who reject God. Because in my belief the afterlife is for eternity, and no matter how long a person punishes me it will NOT be for eternity.
2006-07-04 18:07:44 · answer #5 · answered by Searcher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is an answer to this question that can be answered by Catholic priests. During the time of the inquisitions, that is exactly what the Catholic church did, they would try to torture believers until they would give up there faith, and if they would not give up their faith, they were killed for their faith.
There are records somewhere of how much a person can tolerate before he breaks.
2006-07-04 18:29:05 · answer #6 · answered by Marty 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Moderate pain would probably do it for most people, including me. It would only take the power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to make it bearable.
The eastern Orthodox faith is full of Christian martyrs who suffered seemingly terrible torture and death. One even exclaimed while burning on a spit "Turn me over, I'm done on that side". For real. This is not that person talking, and it's well documented. It's the Holy Spirit.
We can do nothing good on our own. We can only do good with the efforts of the Holy Spirit.
2006-07-04 18:06:11 · answer #7 · answered by Jmurr 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I see people who have gone through devastating experiences, I wonder how they got through them without God. To me, there is no comfort in "nothingness." And when I think I've had a bad day, I think about what Jesus went through to save me from my sins (see The Passion of the Christ), and even the worst things become minute in comparison.
I also think that blaming God for things that go wrong in your life is kinda like blaming your mom when you stubbed your toe! No, you GO TO her for comfort! Why do we not go to God?! He's not some heavenly genie, waiting for every opportunity to make your life perfect! If life were perfect, we wouldn't want Him!
Jesus said that in this life there would be trouble, but to take heart because He has overcome the world!!!
But to finally answer your question, I think that pain drives people TO God & abundance takes them away!
2006-07-04 18:16:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no answer to your question because each person is different in faith and resolve. Add to that different pain thresholds, and there is simply no way to determine. In the days following the crucifixion of Jesus, many people were tortured beyond our imagination and never gave up their faith in Him. Picture someone burning at the stake with the name of Christ on their lips. How much? I don't know. Best wishes in your search.
2006-07-04 18:09:08 · answer #9 · answered by Frances L 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well...faith is just the door...when you enter in you begin to know, and it's no longer just faith. Now, if you try to strip away something that is real and known, that's another story. Some may buckle under pain, but I think the majority of real christians would rather die than renounce what is very real and deep to them...and God usually grants the grace to bear whatever comes.
2006-07-04 18:06:25 · answer #10 · answered by novalee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is a good question. But one that has been answered many times over by many martyrs. It is a individual thing and there may be some who would at the smallest degree of pain and others who would die with the Word of God on their lips. I don't know myself. I certainly would want to stick by my God but I am human and so I hope that if I am ever asked to carry my Cross that I do so with dignity and honestly and with the Word of God on my lips.
2006-07-04 18:12:52 · answer #11 · answered by melissa s 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋