Do you ever feel as though you are living a lie?

Question

I have finished conducting an experiment. I had gone to Church for three months, practices their beliefs, prayed to their God. It took a lot more effort for me to try to have faith than it does not to. The reason I find it is harder to believe in God is because I had to lie to myself about everything I know. I had to make a reality that does not exist. After three months of the experiment I found that I had some faith in something, but at the same time I literally had to block out any thoughts that contradicted the God system. Through out the entire experiment I was unable to push myself to the limits that some of you are able to take.

With the above said I can not understand how a lot of you are able to block out the very obvious contradictions that the Bible holds. I can only imagine it takes a lot of work. I now understand the Satan/God system. Satan represents anything that separates you from God. Therefore any thoughts that would have you question your beliefs would

be considered to be from the source of Satan. The result of following these thoughts would be for you to be condemned in Hell.

Like I said I gave it a shot. I had to at least attempt to understand why you people are religious and I think I figured it out.

So my question. How to you remain faithful in a world that is not very compatible with your God?

Answer 1

Yes, and I hate it.

Answer 2

I've tried too, a couple times in my life. I went to a youth group when I was about 12 and then went to my Uncle's church for about 6 months or so a few years ago.

And I had to do the same thing you did. If I wanted to accept Christianity, I had to ignore all the questions I had because they could not be answered. All I would get is "That's God's plan," and "We will never know what He intended." It would just send me in circles. So if that religion couldn't provide my with answers, what makes it so great as opposed to all the others out there. And since then I've been researching other religions to see what answers they offer.

But I've basically came to the conclusion that no person on Earth could ever know for sure. The questions I have will never be answered truthfully until I'm dead...because if there's an afterlife, I'll know it was truth. If there's nothing, then I'll never know the difference.

Answer 3

i give you credit for your attempt..as feeble as it was..but one thing you mentioned kind of struck a nerve--it took a lot more effort to try and have faith than it does not to-- if we were talking face to face, i would have been interested in the lies you had to tell yourself and everything you know.. dont take this personally.. because my beliefs are quite different than most christians..and i really can understand that you have questions or there seem to be so many contradictions in the bible-- but i am always amazed at how arrogant you white ppl can be--how you truly believe you know all there is and in so many things you really dont have a clue .. that being said..there is a whole realm of things you cannot see for your own alledged knowledge... spirits.. demons, angels... why do you think God sits and worries about whether you believe in Him or not? You should always question.. you should always seek answers.. no problem in real christianity for that-- its expected you could say required... and im not going to preach.. but i believe not in religion or some malevolent God waiting to punish me for my sins... but a Father that loved me so much, He sent His son to die for me..I have FAITH in that because thats what FAITH is.. the promise of things not seen ..

Answer 4

Hi deazone,

i applaud you for your efforts- though i will say that seeking for the sake of an experiment is not the same as seeking with a sincere heart.

Your approach was also flawed in that most believers do not just block out anything that contradicts what they believe or have been taught. You study it yourself. As a believer i have studied the bible thoroughly and have found it to be truthful-- are there difficult passages (yes) can i answer every single question of the bible perfectly- no. But has God's word proven itself to be true (esp. when understood in its cultural context)? Yes!

It seems as if you entered the experiment with a lot of skepticism and an expectation that God had to prove Himself to you to be true.

In answering your question- the Bible does teach that the world and its beliefs does oppose God, and while i can not explain everything that the world does or think- the Bible also clearly teaches the value of faithfulness to God. I stay faithful because i love God and He has shown His love to me- through Jesus Christ. i know it sounds like a "bible-thumping" but the truth is that is the basis of our faith. Yes, the bible does have difficult passages and yet, i have yet to find a bible impossibility that proves God to be unfaithful to what He has revealed HImself to be: Love, faithful, and good!

Hope that helps. Sincerely,

Nickster

Answer 5

Faith is belief regardless of all else. Which also makes it quite a dangerous thing. (See: Middle East. Also see: cults.)

The Bible has many literal contradictions, but it all depends on what you take from it.

On a personal note, I stopped attending church back in high school :). And even as an extremely liberal Californian, I believe it provided me with some basic guidelines on how to live my life, and a belief in something larger than ourselves.

Answer 6

You ask a unique question! I applaud that!
Keep in mind two things.
One, RELIGION is very seductive, powerful and frightening because of the corrupt touch of PEOPLE and all the different receptionists who did the typing!
The other point is, there was a well known Monk in Tibet who was a book worm. He studied all forms of religion and was very admired.
He went completely insane because he truly retained these materials and he literally blew a micro-chip! Just two thoughts to throw out to you! Good Question!!

Answer 7

I think you have only looked at one religeon within the christianity realm of religeon's. I dont believe that I live in a world that contradicts the bible. In fact I believe that the bible actually backs up what is going on in the world today. As much as it is hard to live up to what god wants from you it is possible. There are no contradictions in the bible if they are explained properly - unfortunately most religeons are wanting bums on seats as opposed to explaining the truth within the bible - try a different form of christianity with the same experiment and see what you get.

Answer 8

Hello!! :o) You can't 'practice someones beliefs'. You can only [at best] mimic their rituals. You also can't put God onto a petri dish and exam HIM to see if HE is worthy of YOUR consideration. God doesn't exist for man's convenience. We exist for His. That said... The nature of man resists submitting to anything or anyone. But to be accepted BY God - one must TRY to put aside what comes naturally to them. They must TRY to ignore their ego and [what they preceive to be] their intellect. You said, "The reason I find it harder to believe in God is because I had to lie to myself about everything I know." Everything you KNOW?! What does that amount to? Not very much - I assure you. And that could be said of EVERY MAN. [So don't think I'm insulting you] We often misuse the word 'know' when we actually mean 'believe'. A very simple example of this would be that the earth is round and not flat. I don't KNOW for SURE [based on any personal experience] that the world is round - but I believe it is. [Do you see what I mean?] Faith already plays a HUGE part in people's lives. We have faith that we will wake up tomorrow and when we do - there will be AIR for us to breath. [And so on] As for the obvious contradictions in the Bible - I don't block them out. But I also don't use them to keep me from having a relationship with God. This is where putting aside my ego comes into it. I don't want to be distant from God simply because my EGO wants to KNOW everything. [And to be able to make sense out of everything] I don't know how my computer works. Or WHY it works. But that doesn't keep me from appreciating what it does and turning the thing on each and every day. One of the most difficult hurdles to overcome is the idea that God [AND the Bible] must make sense to us - FIRST - BEFORE we will move on with our faith. But that's not how it works. God reveals things to us [I believe - based on my own personal experiences] at a time when we are most able to comprehend. Right now - in your life - it wouldn't surprise me if God were allowing you the time you need to become more willing to let go of your SELF. God really can't do much in YOUR life - if YOU refuse to step aside and let Him take over. Craig!! :o)

Answer 9

the thing is that most religious ppl were brought up in the religion they practice from the time they were VERY young. so to them it's like breathing...just part of their existence, routine. i don't think they question it (usually) because it's so BRANDED in their minds.
i liken it to zombies.

i was brought up in a religion *so all you theists snickering at my comment can pick a spot and kiss my butt*, i know what it's like to get into that "routine", but all my life, from the earliest memories i questioned religion. two and two just DON'T equal four in religion...but i watched as my friends around me bought the myth, bought the excuses, gave in to the madness.

i questioned my time in the church all my young life..it wasn't until i was an adult that i felt i could leave without disappointing my parents..which is the ONLY reason i stayed in the church as long as i did. i never truly believed....how could i, i knew it was all a lie.
many people go through that. most theists think we had to have something traumatic happen, something horrible. but i didn't, i had a happy childhood, and so did most of my atheist/agnostic friends.
your upbringing plays a major part in that...some are lead easily, while others lead. even the church makes reference to the shepard watching over his flock....a mataphor yes, but it proves the point well. wanting to belong is the ultimate for humans. being part of something "bigger" make them feel special, they feel they are singled out, and take pride in that.

ehh, i don't buy it. never have. but that's just me.

Answer 10

No, I am not living a lie.

Perhaps I am fortunate enough to see the work of God in my life and to see lives of people around me transformed.

Are you looking for Him sincerely or are you looking something else?

May you understand the faith we have in Him sometime soon, God Bless!

Answer 11

heres a question for u. Do u feel as if a lie is living u. what i mean is have u lied so much that its become a part of u. religion is nothing more than a cover up of answerless questions. no one really knows wat happens when we die. people will swear up and down that they do know but come on people say all kinds of things like they were abducted by aliens then sexually molested.doesn't mean they were. so we made up god and all other religions to make up our own answers to questions like how did we get here and y. so i know this really has nothing to do with anything i just got bored and wanted to express myself. but people r stupid for covering those obvious contradictions when they have no proof have they seen god i think not. people do daydream. i swear i seen pamela anderson naked doesnt mean i have. also how the hell did noah get all them animals on one little boat. and if god made adam and eve then they made cain and abel and no daughters how did they repopulate. must have been some fudge packin.