If God truly loves me, then ...?

Question

why won't He meet me half-way?

I have been an atheist for as long as I can remember. About two years ago I gave religion an honest chance. I read and studied the Bible. I "talked" to God and asked for some kind of sign. I said that if He was there, that I was open and ready to accept him, and that I would like to believe in Him.

That was over two years ago. Today I am a stronger, more active atheist than I was then. I simply couldn't force myself to believe in something that I just don't believe in.

Why do so many people think that people could believe in God if they only tried? Have you ever considered the fact that we atheists are unable to feel any differently?

Papaof - so according to you, if I decide to have faith then I will have faith? How does one have faith in something they don't believe? Seems you have missed the whole point.

Philo - I'm very happy as an atheist. I just want people to know that for me atheism isn't some I can decide to change. It's who and what I am.

Lisa - I may be wrong, but I doubt you could choose to feel any differently.

James - I don't recall asking about scientists who believe in God, but thanks anyway.

Answer 1

I have considered how you feel and that is fine with me. I am a Christian but respect your feelings. The same way that you just can't believe, I just cannot avoid believing. It would be hard for me to explain why I believe. I think it would be easier for you to explain to me why you do not believe. However, you won't change my mind and I won't change yours. And why should we try?

We won't know which of us is right until after we are dead. Too late for either of us to say, "TOLD YOU SO!" then. lol

Answer 2

I am an Atheist, and if I chose to believe in this stuff, I could start believing it tomorrow. But I don't want to. It's about choices. You can choose to believe or not believe anything. We are not mindless creatures, if we want to believe something, we can.

You are right that it would be very hard work to believe something even if you don't really know whether or not it's true. I guess that is "faith". I could do that, but I won't, because it flies in the face of everything I am, and everything I stand for.

Yes, I could choose to feel differently. What is forgiveness but choosing to feel differently? What is religious conversion, but choosing to feel differently? We are not enslaved by our beliefs, we have free will to decide what we will and will not believe.

Answer 3

So you want Proof? Or will a good shot of evidence do? If you have proof there would be no need to have faith, you would know. God didn't leave us to hold blind faith however. 900 years before Jesus walk the earth there was a King. His name was David. This man was more than a king he was also a prophet. One of his prophecies tell about what Jesus would go thur on the cross for our sins. Like I said he wrote of this 900 years before it happened. I quote just a few passages. You can read it all if you want to..
Psalms:22:16-18
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Is this Proof.. Nope.. But it should give you something to think over... Jim

Answer 4

No one can come to God, unless he first calls you. Maybe he is calling you, but you want to come to him on your own terms. God isn't in the business of giving "signs", he wants us to have faith and come to him because of who he is, not because of what spectacular act he can perform. In the Bible, even when Jesus raised dead people from the grave, they still didn't believe! So signs are of no use.
I don't actually think you are happy as an atheist, otherwise you wouldn't be posting this kind of question. Anyway, don't worry, I'm not going to try and convert you, I can't, only God can do that and in his own time. Until then, carry on with your atheism....

Answer 5

I completely understand. I understand exactly where you are coming from. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get an answer to my questions to God. But sometimes, no answer is the answer. Sometimes, that is the sign. I've also found out after several instances that the answer was right in front of me I just didn't want it that way, or want it all. Gods answers are usually not our answers. Gods way typically is not the easy or best way.

Question? Did you truly pray to God and ask him into your heart and life? Did you ask him to direct your life? Did or would you have given him totla control? Did you confess your sins and ask for forgiveness. This is the prayer to begin your journey. Then you must be honest and true in your heart to let him drive and not sit in the passenger seat. Truly receive his salvation.

After that, study and pray upon the Bible. Ask your questions of God. Be angry if you need to. Ask questions of Christian friends. Surround yourself with Christians. Join some studies and groups and fellowship with those who believe. But...

Keep in mind your learning. There are questions. Get them answered by God, pastors, etc.. Its up to you to begin...

Answer 6

Kathryn

personally, I think He would, ... (meet you half-way)

but because He has given us a parallel story (of the Prodigal Son) to be our guide.... such that, the Father (as God) was waiting earnestly for the Son to come back... & not for the Father running halfway from where He is to... (anytown), USA, or wherever the son ended up in.

to believe in God, you just have to do it on your own and not to rely on other people to do it for you, (I was once a religious person, then I was an agnostic, then for a time I was an atheist, currently I believe in God--the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob).

all of us are in a journey, but religion is not the answer...for religion was made by humans to reach God. (although all along God's plan was to reach down to us & for us to respond & come back to Him)

what you need (to use a phrase so often misused) is to believe that there is a God & to have a trust in Him as being the Creator of all things... (the next steps, you can email me, so I can elaborate)

one more thing, you asked for the statistics for scientists who were believing in God (i'll try what i can find, but it's been so long, i have to retrace my old research steps

But there is this one article in the Wall Street Journal on Dec. 24. 1997 that you might be interested in reading.

But because it's in their archives you need to purchase it to see it in its entirety but a preview of the article can be seen at this link:


http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/wsj/access/24083398.html?dids=24083398:24083398&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Dec+24%2C+1997&author=By+Jim+Holt&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&edition=Eastern+edition&startpage=1&type=91_1996&desc=Science+Resurrects+God


i hope that works...
otherwise go Wall Street Journal Online & search for the title of the
article: Science Resurrects God...

happy seeking!

Answer 7

The only way to find God is to be born again and the only way to be born again is to repent of your sins, and the only way one will repent of their sins is if they agree with God that they are a sinner. So unless you see your need for salvation you will never find God.

Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God

Answer 8

For one thing, God isn't stupid. He knows you better than you know yourself. If you really read the bible and studied it, then you would not be athiest anymore. You would have truely opened your heart up and got the answers you were looking for. God doesn't respond because you say so, you respond because God says so.

Answer 9

Most of us Atheists have similair searching stories, it's too band the believers don't understand that.

Answer 10

simple it is by faith that i believe in Christ, but you will make the choices that you make and have to live with them