Does your faith rely on what other people say or claim?

Question

I've summarized a comment left on one of my recent questions:

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Answer:

I've read your posts and you are a hateful person who is attemping to make other people's lives miserable by your questions.

Stop trying to tear down other people's beliefs (with your words).
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I am an atheist and there is no question, answer, comment or remark that will influence that "belief" (or non-belief).

How can people claim to have divine power or inspiration if their faith is so weak it can be affected by someone else's words?

This is a serious question.

My intention is rarely to insult, disparage or hurt anyone's feelings. My comments & questions are generally the truth as I know it to be.

There are some exceptions, depending on the tone or intent of the "questions" others ask.

Hate is not the topic, the topic is faith. The most sure way to make someone angry (or "hate"), is to tell an unwanted truth. Obviously, people hate to hear the truth if they do not want to hear it. And, hate the person telling the truth.

Suzanne, it is a summary, it is not a quotation, or it would be in quote marks.

Perhaps you should re-read it.

What you claim I did not say is exactly what I said:

"Stop trying to tear down other people's beliefs (with your words)."

Answer 1

JT...I have a lot of respect for your enthusiasm regarding your beliefs.

I agree 100% that you should not be afraid of any question, that shows weakness in your (supposed) faith. However this is on both sides of the religion topic and it has to do with the fact that people are just going along with the flow of what they want/need to be truth. Most people on this site do not seem very educated in fact's.

I personally am very comfortable in my beliefs and love getting the tough question because I want and seek the truth, not because I am following what accomodates my situation at the time!

I have Faith in my foundation and enjoy logical questions and statements supporting and questioning my Faith. This helps me grow as a Christian! Others should look at it the same way and learn from it not be afraid of it!

Answer 2

If you read GOd's word the bible you would find the answers to this question. Look in Hebrews 11:1 - Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld.
3 By Faith we percieve that the system of things were put in order by God's word, so that what is beheld has come to be out of things that do no appear.
James 2:26 Indeed, as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Simply put, this world that we live in,was created by God's active force(spirit), it didn't just happen on its own. Our planet is at the right distance from the Sun, on the exact rotation to make gravity, the moon is in the right place to affect the tides on earth. These things have universal laws which men have been studying and using for centuries. Read in the book of Job 38:4- Where did you happen to be when I founded the Earth? Tell (me, if you do know understanding,
5 Who set its measurements, in case you know, or who stretched out upon it the measuring line. This book was written by Moses in 1473 BCE, 3479 years ago, and if you read it and understand it, it tell that the Earth is a sphere and is held by gravity. Until Columbus came along, it was believed by the educated elite class, that the Earth was flat. You can see the divine nature of this world every day, just take the time to notice it. Can anyone a perfect sunrise or sunset? There is beauty everywhere on this earth and you really have to think about its origin to understand that everything has a purpose. That purpose was to support life to Humankind in a paridise setting for ever. However things went wrong in the Garden of Eden, an Angel assigned to help Adam care for it became Satan when he challenged God's authority and soveriegnty. They were put out of the Garden forever and had been given the sentence of pain, sorrow, and death. We Inherited that sin, but God produced a Ransom, Aperfect Son, Jesus, for a perfect Son, Adam. Thank you Jehovah for that ransom!

Answer 3

No, it doesn't.

But I imagine that you're going to get a lot of answers that state something similar to that. Some will be truthful, some will be just going along with the crowd. The problem with this quesion is that it requires us to dig down inside and face things we have buried under layers and layers of denial. Do we really answer how we truly feel? Do we tow the party line? Or do we throw out a biblical rant to avoid saying anything meaningful at all?

For me, the honest answer is "no", but not for the standard reasons. It's "no" because I don't have any and I don't need any. And as strange as this may sound to some of you, I am not an atheist either. Atheism also requires a type of faith.

I've wasted a large portion of my life searching for faith, God and truth and relying on others to provide it or at least show a glimpse of it to me. "Who has it?", "How do I get it?", "What book will teach it to me?", "Which church should I go to?" Guess what? None of you had any real answers, and it cost me a fortune to find that out. Ironically, I found out the truth was within me all along. I just couldn't see it because I kept looking outside.

Now that I've come to an awareness of truth, I've found that it's very similar to breathing or thinking. It's an internal process and much like thinking and breathing, it requires no outside claims or validation to function. It also requires no faith, because truth just "is" and will be true no matter whether you or I decide to have faith in it or not.

And before anyone jumps to any conclusions about me, I do not have all of the answers. I do not claim to possess the "one truth". I just have my answers, you'll have to get your own. I'm not being selfish, it's just the way it is. You wouldn't want to wear my truth any more than you'd want to wear my underwear.

Answer 4

No my faith doesn't rely on what anyone says but if you put hate out that's what you will receive, if you are asking Q's that are upsetting to people , why would you put out Q's that would get this response from people it must be that it serves you in some way. I guess you must see the world as black and white but unfortunately for you there is a million shades of grey, anyone with divine powers or inspiration from there faith will only bring good into the world.

Answer 5

I am atheist. My beliefs in general are not popular. I work as a critical care/ emergency room nurse. People will say' " I know by your actions you're a Christian. What church do you go." I tell them I'm atheist. They pause, and treat me like I have a third eye growing out of my head. Some try to save me. If someone could give me an explanation of a loving god with a perfection of philosophy in his teachings I may reconsider.
I always feel comfortable going against the side of popular belief. Consider the credulity of the average American and realize half of them are even more gullible.

Answer 6

As a former atheist myself, I'm not at all insulted by an atheist's comments, whether they are rude or thought provoking. But know this: just because an atheist's question or comment insults me or makes me think, my faith is not shaken.

Having written that, I must point out that your question does not accurately reflect the answerer's statement you've quoted. He or she said, "stop TRYING to tear down" our beliefs. He or she DID NOT say, "stop TEARING down my beliefs." There is quite a difference between the two: you can TRY to tear our faith to shreds, but you will NEVER succeed.

I pray you someday realize how deceived you have become.

Peace and love in Jesus.

Answer 7

My faith can not be affected by someone else's words. We are all free 'agents' where God and Jesus are concerned. We all have a choice to accept and believe or deny and go our own way. We have a choice to do good or evil with our lives. We only have a short time on this earth and an eternity to contemplate the things we said and did here. It comforts me to know that when this life passes away I will have a better place to go to spiritually where all is peace and love.

Answer 8

No human being can have divine power or inspiration unless they get it from God, and he gave those to Prophets(peace be upon them all) not to average humans. Now I know you don't believe in God, I am just stating my opinion. But people can have a way with words, or they can tell you the word of God and that can move you. But no we should not be moved as you say by the average Joe Smoe preaching his own word or opinion.

Answer 9

My faith only needs validation from me.

Everyone else's relationship with God is between the 2 of you.

Go ahead and take lava enemas up the wazoo for eternity-it's your rectum!

God Bless,

Me

Answer 10

SO WHAT? what are you trying to say? i took a look at your questions. all of them are trying to deny religion. but you are so weak to change the belief of the others. I dont know if you know everyone's belief is respectful and you are not allowded to ruin them. even if their belive is wrong. bring your own reasons instead of trying to attack others reasons.
what would be solved if someone's religion rely on others claim or not? ha?