The Lost Faith?

Question

God.....he's a big influence on a lot of ppl ain't he. As was he to me for most of my life. But Faith isn't what it was before, at least to me. I recently lost my faith in my God. But not in the all so dramatic "God hates me, my life suks" kind of way. But after a while I started to feel the way I would when confronted with religions that weren't my own. It wasn't truth to me and I wasn't going to believe it. "Have faith and just believe", but that feels like giving up and deny what you feel is right. Being ingorant for the sake of salvation. I can't/won't believe in something that doesn't feel real. But yet I am the one who is lost?? Because I'm thinking about this logically? So here's my question to you. Though I don't believe, yet live a good/happ life, a good moral life, perhaps even better than most catholics; will your God still condemn me to the fiery gates of this supposed Hell? Perhaps use Hell to as a tool of fear?? What makes my life nothing and yours more?....IN YOUR EYES

Answer 1

I'm with you, all the way. Ignore the religious types -- they know not what they do. But you do; carry on!

Answer 2

Just because you feel you've lost your faith doesn't mean it's going to be a permanent condition.

Faith ebbs and flows, come and goes.

You might stilll have some faith you don't even know about ... and if you need some more later, God will most certainly provide it.

How can you be sure that your idea of faith (or the lack of it) is even correct?

Like they say, "It ain't over 'til it's over."

Keep looking around and you might just run into God someday, and then you won't need quite as much faith as you thought.

So far as judgment to hell is concerned, only God makes those decisions, and I doubt he's eager to waste any soul that's not hopelessly beyond redemption, no matter what.

Just one more thing ... one of the purposes of faith is to acknowledge who we are vs. who God is, just so we don't get too puffed up with ourselves.

Pride was the first sin, and it's still the most common one.

If pride is what's keeping you from God, you can bet he's going to hold you responsible for it, just like he does everybody else (even Catholics).

Answer 3

You mention the Catholic faith. If that is where you faith was, I don't blame you. As you live your "good" moral life, keep in mind that it isn't "good"enough for God. You don't believe in Heaven and Hell, fine. I do, I know I'm going to Heaven, and I won't see you there. Have a nice life!
later

Answer 4

Lots of the answers above will answer your question. Yes they use hell as a tool of fear. And whatever it is that makes you nothing "in their eyes" is not as important as the fact that they see you that way. If you are nothing to them, then they forget what their own bible said about the good shepherd and the prodigal son.

Answer 5

I agree with you that you should think about things logically. One of the biggest misconceptions, even among Christians, is that we are required to abandon logic and reason. This is absolutely not true! One of the greatest commandments is to "love God with all your mind." How in the world are we supposed to do that if our reasoning is shut off or our minds are not fully engaged? For a Christian to avoid answering a legitimate question from another by simply spouting, "just have faith and believe" is not only lazy, but it encourages one to have a "blind faith."

Authentic faith is not blind faith; it is not trying to force yourself to believe what you know is not true. God is not "put off" by our doubts or questions. The Bible is full of people of faith questioning God and God answering them. These questions and doubts, when answered, serve to strengthen our faith.

"If in Christian life we cannot express our doubts, our faith will be half-hearted. If we cannot shed tears over loss and waste, our laughter will be hollow. If we cannot express our outrage against injustice, our commitment to God's reign will be lukewarm. If we cannot argue with God, we cannot be brought to deeper understanding."

From looking at your other questions, I read that you sometimes welcome a melancholy frame of mind and that sometimes during this state you like to express yourself creatively? The next time you are in the midst of this depression, why not offer up a prayer to God - not one of praise or thanksgiving, but a Prayer of Lament? Psalms is full of these: "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?"

Rather than abandon God, try bringing your questions and doubts to him. I believe He is moved by heartfelt prayers of anguish such as these.

EDIT: (Also, you mentioned Catholics in your post. The Catholic church is full of heresies that cause confusion. I would suggest reading the Bible for yourself and discarding the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is full of inconsisencies with scripture.)

Answer 6

Your story sounds a lot like mine. I turned away from religion when I couldn't get any straight answer from my pastors. I currently believe in being a good person. If that doesn't get me into heaven (if there is one), then I don't need to be with a shallow, unloving, and choosy God.

Answer 7

I doubt it . As most different faiths and their associated Sept's. All say that the CREATOR of ALL THINGS MADE THE SOULS OF ALL THAT WAS AND WILL BE FROM ITS OWN BODY.You may have to go through the school of hard knocks before you become worthy of entering one of the several levels of Heaven.

Answer 8

If you don't believe.... then why do you care?
I'm always amazed at how many atheists, agnostic,,... whatever.... get so upset because a "Christian" thinks they might go to hell. If you don't believe in God and you don't believe in hell....then why does it matter?
Would it make you feel better if a "Christian" told you that you weren't going to be sent to a place you don't believe in by a Creator that (supposedly) didn't make you?

Answer 9

Dear Ikarus
You are on the right path.
Instead of taking over some premade belief-system - you are starting to question things-
searching for the TRUTH.
which you will not find in any religion.
feel free to contact me.

Answer 10

God will destroy you. Absolutely. Why? Because He said so, and presumably because He wants to.

If you are feeling that your church is wrong, it is probably because it IS. There are many pretenders out there, but the true people are few.