faith and religion?

Question

someone very close to be has...i dont want to say lost faith in god, but he just flat out doesnt believe a word of the bible. he thinks too much into it. baisically he says that the bible is bull and that i can go on believing in some fairy tale if thats what helps me live mylife. i still believe and have faith in god. but what would i say to something like that.

only answer this if you have serious input and are on my side.

Answer 1

How do you expect to find the truth if you only want to hear from people who agree with
you.

We all make errors in judgment at times, what if you are mistaken. Would it not be better to know if you were mistaken.

Notice that your question was about faith and religion, not about truth. Is truth not a more important goal?

You ask what would I say to something like that. Why do you feel that you need to say anything. Do you assume that God does not have a plan for the salvation of the person you are speaking of that is going to work?

Is this what you call faith?

Love and blessings Don

Answer 2

Sorry, but I can't take your side. I've read the Bible all the way through and the God in there is not a God that I can love and believe in. In the Bible, He is cruel. Why else would he order whole cities and villages destroyed, including women and children who were innocent of any wrong-doing? Also, he destroyed all of the animals. They were not guilty of anything that He supposedly did not create them to do.

The pat answer, when asked why God allows bad thing to happen, that "It's all in His big plan. We're not supposed to know what that plan is." I'm sorry, but you'd have to be stupid to buy that.

In the Garden of Eden, if God made Adam and Eve in his own image, did He not KNOW that they would give in to temptation? Afterall, He's supposed to be omniscient, right?

A God that I believe in and love does not let little children suffer horribly and die. He also does not allow Man - supposedly His BEST creation - torture and murder so many of His other species of animals in the name of food or science. A loving God loves all of his creatures and would be horrified by Man's factory farms, hunting for "sport", and using His creations for testing beauty products and things to make Man well.

I believe there is a higher power, and that power is LOVE. Plain and simple. Love does not allow cruelty, selfishness, self-centeredness or murder of fellow creatures.

Answer 3

i'm a Hindu and there are 2 issues that i like approximately my faith that are unique: the 1st is the size of Hinduism - the size of its content cloth. in terms of its teachings, ideals, liturgy (books and literature), hymns etc it particularly is in all possibility greater advantageous than all the different religions mixed. the 2d is its impact on different religions. It has immediately given delivery to Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism, it has no longer immediately infuenced many different thought structures consisting of Taoism, confucianism, feng Shui, martial arts etc. No different faith has come on the ingredient to getting such an impact on different religions. Hinduism can mentioned to even have been the progenitor of sufism as many sufi saints intentionally tried to produce a Hindu friendly form of Islam to attempt and catch Hindus to Islam and as a consequence they borrowed plenty from Hinduism.

Answer 4

do you need him to believe to help you keep your "faith"?

believe what speaks to your heart, and let him do the same.

questioning things and using discernment is neccesary to grow and learn. it helps you to determin whether or not something is true for you, or the truth of another. only your heart knows the answer.

some people see the bible as literal truth. some as metaphor and guidlines with some truth. others don't believe it at all. the beauty of free will is for you to make this determination for yourself. but why not look into all the worlds holy scripture and spiritual text before making an under-educated decision?

Answer 5

Only answer this if it is on your side?!!!!!!

Oh you are one of those - just want reassurance that your ego is intact!!!!!

What a shallow faith you have. Your friend is at least honest where you appear not to want to hear anything but your opinion.

Yet another damaging question for Christianity to put up with and yet more ammunition for people to fire at extremist Christians.

Answer 6

Well if they lost their faith they rejected the gift given to them. Sometimes they are doing this to test you or they are angry because nothing is going their way.

We can't make people believe, we pray that they can return to faith, that some event makes them realize that it is Truth.

The only thing you can do is keep studying about your faith and hold on, its pretty bumpy out there right now. A lot of people find the path easier not believing and try to delude those that do.

Answer 7

A friend of mine went through the same thing. I prayed for her, but I didn't know what else to do. She is a Christian, but she didn't believe that the entire Bible is true. I talked to her trying to answer her questions about it, then I had her talk to my dad, who is a pastor. I guess that worked because she believes now.

Answer 8

I may not be on "your side," but I can tell you this- if he's pushing his beliefs on you, its just as bad as you pushing yours on him. Don't return the favor, but instead say "that's your thing- I have mine. Though I disagree with you, I respect your opinion, and you have the right to have one."

Then never talk about religion with him again- its that simple, and both people walk away without an argument.

Answer 9

You are a believer in the Oneness of God? and your friend is not, well remember on the Day of Judgment his deeds will count for him, and your deeds for you, so as for some guidance.

[003:062] Verily, this is the true narrative [about the story of 'Îsâ (Jesus)], and Lâ ilâha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but God, the One and the Only True God, Who has neither a wife nor a son). And indeed, God is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

[003:063] And if they turn away (and do not accept these true proofs and evidences), then surely, God is All-Aware of those who do mischief.

[003:064] Say (O Muhammad [Peace Be Upon Him]): "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but God (Alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides God." Then, if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims."

[003:065] O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you dispute about Ibrâhîm (Abraham), while the Taurât (Torah) and the Injîl (Gospel) were not revealed till after him? Have you then no sense?

[003:066] Verily, you are those who have disputed about that of which you have knowledge. Why do you then dispute concerning that of which you have no knowledge? It is God Who knows, and you know not.

[003:067] Ibrâhîm (Abraham) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanîfa (Islâmic Monotheism – to worship none but God Alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikûn (See V.2:105).

[003:068] Verily, among mankind who have the best claim to Ibrâhîm (Abraham) are those who followed him, and this Prophet (Muhammad [Peace Be Upon Him]) and those who have believed (Muslims). And God is the Walî (Protector and Helper) of the believers.

[003:069] A party of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) wish to lead you astray. But they shall not lead astray anyone except themselves, and they perceive not.

[003:070] "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you disbelieve in the Ayât of God, [the Verses about Prophet Muhammad [Peace Be Upon Him] present in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injîl (Gospel)] while you (yourselves) bear witness (to their truth)."

Answer 10

Well, I'm not "on your side" but I do have serious input for you.

It is up to each and every person to choose what they want to believe as none of us really know for sure what lies beyond this life. I would recommend that you respect your friend enough to let him choose his own path, just as he has respected you enough to not try to change the way you believe.

Blessed be. )O(