i fear i'm becoming an atheist?

Question

i used to (still do?) believe in God but the more I look at life I see only this. People can be disgustingly mean and lead great lives at the expense of someone else's suffering. what makes them succeed in this? their willpower, obviously. and then you have the religious people who are constantly struggling and so forth...so, from what I see, it's the willpower that helps you instead of...i don't like the way I think and I do want to believe but I can't ignore what i see.

i know my philosophy's not very deep but i want to hear your thoughts on this.

thanks

if you're still reading me; why do I feel so unhappy about it

Answer 1

You are starting to see through the lies of your religion. Life isn't fair, and as an atheist, you will take comfort in this fact. It makes life a lot less miserable when you realize that things don't just happen to people because they "Deserve" it.

Answer 2

Well, it sounds as if you are looking at things with common sense, but what you see doesn't mesh with what you've been taught/told. It's common among those of us who have "lost the faith". There is nothing to fear though. It is tough to let go a previously held beliefs, especially when so many still hold them. Perhaps you just have a problem with religion and not god. Maybe you should look at all the options for spirituality and see what else there is that might fit your outlook, whether thats atheism or something else.

(psst - atheists aren't the devil ya know?)

Answer 3

You are not becoming an artiest. If anything, you are headed for Christianity and an awakening. The fact that you see all of this corruption around you and that it disturbs you is a good sign---it means that you have a sense of morality and that you are spiritually sensitive. You still believe in God. Have a conversation with God. Find a good Bible-believing church and go to the services. Talk to a sensitive Pastor about your observations and feelings. Jesus is the only way. Embrace him and his love and the problems of the world will vanish. Live life as God intended it for you. God bless you and may the peace of God fill you for all eternity.

Answer 4

I'm a Christian... and as a teen I'm just now being exposed to all the questions ppl have abt my religion - the criticisms, the claims of flaws, the "why does this happen if God is so good" stuff... I'm kind of dealing with the same thing as you but I'm not to the point of atheism.
I understand what you're saying. But I think we should hold on to God.. because I've got a feeling He's real. Think back to the time you really loved Him, really believed in Him. Ask yourself why?
For me, it's b/c He spoke to my heart in a powerful way.. and then He changed my life. My advice: read the Bible & pray. That's supposed to ensure a closer walk with God. Lean on Him for guidance, and I pray we'll both make it through :)

Answer 5

The ugly realities of life are making themselves known to you. This is a difficult period in the spiritual journey but once you get through this realization phase, that evil does sometimes triumph, then you can move on to the acceptance phase. Life really is good in spite of the ugliness. If I could be so bold, could I suggest a little reading for you?--

Answer 6

hey lemme jsut say our not becoming an athiest first off and here is your enlighenment

as a proud Athiest with strong feelings against all that is religious(christian buddhist taoist shinto islam ect)i can just say that you seem to be more agnostic. i dont know the exact name for your case because im not a theoligist. But it sounds to me like you are realizing the flaws in the "god is great" theme that seems to dictate peoples lives. I believe that people worship as an excuse to blame their problems on someone else instead of taking the hard times as they come and enjoying the good times they earned. they blame the bad ones on god and say the rewarded them with good ones(although they earned no reward). You just are seeing that people dont need god anymore to live and that humans can be self sufficiant and make their own choices because we know what we can and cant do. Back in colonial america and before people didnt understand nature and the nature of all sorts of things but now people see that they can change things on their own and dont need an idol to blame it all upon. you are just a step in the evolutainry process of though my friend and id consider that a good thing. it happens a lot in history just look at the fall of the roamn empire and the cathloic reformation those are both exampls of people like you. You could be the next big part of history. Make something of it

Answer 7

Fear only leads to an extreme (either extreme atheism or extreme theism...both are insipid and horrible).

You need to confront what you are dealing with and search for what is right. At the same time you need to be sure of what you are doing...

In the end only you can choose your path, but I sincerely hope that whatever you choose, you'll look back in the end and have no regrets.

Answer 8

Wow, it is so fantastic that you expressed yourself. Good for you.

Don't ignore what you see because it matters. You are right, the ugliness is everywhere, even in the church. That's because the prince of the air - satan - is adding corruption to the pot daily and weak humans (Christians and otherwise) are falling into the traps of it.

I get what you are saying about the ones succeeding by some force other than faith, like their will power. But don't let that fool you. Whether it be will power or faith, it's the measure of drive each person has. If the successful athiest had faith, He would be driven like crazy to preach the good news. These people are just fire balls and hopefully put their massive energies and strengths to good use for the Lord. Unfortunately, not all do.

But again, every person is different with different measures of drive - whether its in the form of will power or faith is not the point.

Stop looking so much at life and all its corruption.... Zero in on Jesus and His Holiness, Love, and Majesty. Let His joy become your strength. Let it take you over. Then let Him guide you to whatever successes He has planned for you.

Answer 9

I struggled with questions like this. You are not alone!

Jeremiah asked the same question to God:

Jeremiah 12:1 Jeremiah 12:1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

Do you see their true rewards? Are you accounting for success by measuring material wealth? What is their personal life like? What about their health? Do they have peace and all that a relationship with God will bring you?

The wicked prosper if you take the short view, they suffer if you take the long view!

The 37th Psalm has the answer to this for the children of God's Kingdom: "Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be cut down, like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

If you have questions on the injustice in the world read the books that helped me become a Christian. Ecclesiastes, Job and Proverbs. Read Ecclesiastes first. It will share some of the greatest wisdom of the world with you. Greater than any other book of mans wisdom. I say mans wisdom because it was written from mans point of view "Under the sun".

You are in a place where I was about 2 years ago. I would like to continue this conversation. If you want I can send you more information and share some of my testimony with you. Write me an email if you want to.

In the meantime, checkout this website. It may contain some answers to your questions as well.

http://www.ex-atheist.com/from-skepticism-to-worship.html

I will keep you in my prayers.

Answer 10

God only watches us as we live our lives. The trials are there not because God planned them to happen but because It is just there. The people who suceed do not necessarily succed in the expense of other people's lives. They just plainly suceed by coincidence. I believe that willpower does give you the power to choose. Your problem is that you think of God as the God who plans everything to happen from the beginning. I believe that there is no such thing as God's plan because if one's life was predetermined it would be a life not worth living. It is in the people to choose which path they take. In those paths they take it is their willpower that takes them there good or evil the power of will takes you to your dreams. So the things that you said ago was merely proof that willpowe is the driving to sucess. Evil are not the only ones who suceed and live great lives. Everyone can suceed by their own time and effort(just don't blame God for the success of those you call Evil).