Why doesn't my daughter believe in God anymore? She used to go to various churches and lots of?

Question

different bible schools as a kid and always to a Christian Baptist camp for several years. Now all of a sudden she says she doesn't believe at all. I didn't want to force religion down her throat like I was but I gave her a foundation in the basics while she was young. I don't go to church anymore (I have my reasons - the last minister was a total hypocrite.) and I have grown weary of going to church. She is 15 now but last year she was a volunteer worker at the Baptist camp.

Answer 1

Maybe she just realized that all this stuff about god cant be true.
and that the bible makes it out so it seems as if he's evil.
Come on.. he flooded the place and killed lots of people!
Isn't that murder?
And he punishes people for not doing what he says... geeze isn't that a lil mean!! When people do that know sometimes it's considered a crime. He'd kill people for not doing something. MURDERER!!!!
anyway I could go on and on.. but this whole Jesus/God thing is too stupid to talk about, why should I believe in it!

Answer 2

I went to Catholic school from pre-school through junior high. Initially I followed Catholicism, being that it was all I had ever known. When I was around your daughters age, I stopped believing-not in God as in a higher being-but in all I had learned about Catholicism. My mind had matured and I started to wonder what my belief system would be had I been born in some other country like India or China. I did not like the fact that I felt as though I had been conditioned to believe one certain religion when there are so many other variations out there. It was like I was believing what someone else wanted me to, and not something I had been drawn to on my own. I still believe in God, unlike your daughter, but I am still searching (12 years later) for a religion or practice I really agree with. I admire that you do not want to "force it down her throat", because that's not how a "belief" system works. Just give her time to develop her own feelings on the subject and see what happens. There are other ways for her to remain spiritual. Hope that helped some.

Answer 3

As the image of God changes from a person-like
icon, to the "forces" that govern genetics,
more and more of our young people will be getting
off the religious hayride.

Jesus touched on this sensitive subject 2006
years ago when he mentioned that God was
the Spirit Of Life, and that we humans can't even
control the color of our own eyes.

Nobody listened back then.
Today, these truths are coming to light.
It's becoming more and more evident that
we are a constant, and it's the time and space
that comes and goes.

It's not likely that God makes a heaven and hell.
God forms creation.
Mankind turns it into a haven or a hell.

Answer 4

One thing that I have seen happen many times to people I knew that were very involved with churches, church camps, religious organizations, ect. when they were around your daughter's age is that they would become very involved in the social aspects of these groups and start to build their entire identity around these things. All of their friends are affiliated with these activities. They and their friends take on the role of "the Christian kids" in much the same way that other kids at this age are "the preppy kids", "the punk kids", "the skater kids", "the nerdy kids" and so on. Often in these circles, I find that individuals involved have shared much less of a sincere communion with God and have instead competed with one another to see who in their little clique is "holier" and better at following arbitrary religious rules.

A number of things could have happened with your daughter. Perhaps she has realized that she (and no one else) can realistically be expected to live up to these random rules and therefore feels that since this is perhaps what her belief in God rested on before, she no longer believes in God. Perhaps she has grown disenchanted with this group of friends or the hipocrisy of many people affiliated with organized religion (which you touched on in your answer) and now feels disenchated with God.

I would sit down and have a talk with my daughter. I would explain to her that while you still loved God, you are not affiliated with any particular church and be honest with her about why you feel that way. Tell her that God is not arbitrary rules, a high school clique, or a pastor at a youth camp. God is her parent, her friend, and a greater force than she can even imagine. Tell her that even if she has fallen out of the "Christian scene" at her school or in her community, she still has God. And remember to pray about everything. Good luck. God bless you and your daughter.

Answer 5

there is not any afterlife which makes existence a lot extra valuable. you in hardship-free words stay once so be particular you're making it particularly the adventure! And certain, whatever number cases I say this, we will all purely proceed to spend some thing of our lives in the front of a video show. So yeah, do purely inspite of then die, get entombed, and decay continuously. No aspect in being positive. Plus, if you're particularly that scared about no longer being waiting to enter heaven if God's actual, purely imagine: ought to he particularly deliver you to Hell for no longer believing in him? I mean, if I were a god, i'd not be sooo indignant that you probably did not believe in me, i ought to deliver you to a pit of fireplace and provide help to burn for eternity. i imagine God has different issues to rigidity about, LOL.

Answer 6

The important thing is that she has a foundation. It is not up to you to force the issue. She's at an age where she can formulate her own opinions, make her own decisions. If she comes around, it will be her choice.
Just provide proper guidance, discuss the consequences of her behaviour, and, with or without religion, she'll be a good law-abiding citizen in the end.

Answer 7

i'm in the same situation. i use 2 beleive in catholic a lot but now i did some studies i jus lost interest and get confuse on what religion 2 choose so i jus don't pray and stop goin 2 church but i will search 4 the best religion that make sense 2 me.
jus give her time 2 figure things on her on jus remind her that their is a God. and she needs 2 get closer to God

Answer 8

It sounds like you are doing the right thing. You gave her some good ground work for her life, now she has to find her own way. Spirituality is such a personal thing, each person needs to look inside themselves and find out what they believe, what they feel is right. What a person feels is much more powerful then what they are preached at about.

Answer 9

Its probably just a phase I also went to a Christian School as a kid and around her age I started to have my doubts about if there is really a "God". You shouldn't worry she is growing up and is trying to find out what she wants to believe in.

Answer 10

You set her the example that she didn't need to go to church, but the real question do you and or her still believe that Jesus is your personal savior? the sad thing is that some pastors are hypocrites, but there are a lot of good Pastors out there, the secret is to find the good ones. you might try church hopping until you find one of the good ones that you agree with. and if she does believe in Jesus she need your support in going to a church that teaches good bible practices.