"I have respect for your religion but those who don't believe I hate?"?

Question

I would really appreciate your opinions to this, Religious and Non.

I was a devout Christian for MANY years!! As I started getting older, my belief's started to diminish little by little until I realized that "I" didn't believe in a higher being. I continued to go to church every Sunday and Wednesday, hoping for a kickstart.

It wasn't there. I kept hearing, service after service, that God would "accept" us only if our hearts truly accepted Jesus Christ and so forth...

I thought to myself, "well, I'm screwed!"

After many years of "Trying," I just couldn't do it.
"It wasn't Logical." I stopped going to service but I am more "Christian like" then most people I know. I volunteer, I give to charities, I can't even download free music!

Why do I still get criticized by many that I am a "SAVAGE" who has no moral values because I don't believe in the bible or any other religion?

"IF" I am wrong and God does exist, being a roll model HUMAN will still send me to hell?

Answer 1

Your going or not going to hell is between you and God.

But that should not concern you because as you say, you have no belief in God.

I was a Protestant for many years, and felt some of those same feelings. It sounds like Religion has helped form your moral system and there is a good chance that you live a better life than many Christians, but we are not to judge that.

I looked into Islam, Buddhism, Atheism, but could not get past or deny the divinity of Jesus, or that there is a God.

I ended up staying a Christian but went back to the start of Christianity, and became Catholic.

It is working for me!

Good Luck, I think you still have faith, but might need to find a new direction.

But it is an individual decision that only you can make.

Peace!

Answer 2

Good works alone do not get you into Heaven. Have you ever lied? Ever Stolen anything, even something small? Ever Looked upon a woman with Lust? What about using Gods name as a curse word. Gods moral law is the 10 commandments. God tells us that we have sin nature. It is not possible for us to be morally good. So, even though you may do nice things. God still sees your sin. A good deed doesn't stop God from seeing your sin. Only the blood of Christ does that. Why do you think God told the Pharises that they were luke warm? That they were neither hot nor cold and He would spew them from his mouth? They believed by living by Gods law they could get into Heaven, but He tells us in the Bible that they could not, that it was only by belief on Jesus because all men have sinned and have come short of the glory of God and that no amount of good works will save you. Consider this. If you are wrong. And God and the Bible are real and what God says about sinners is real. Where does that put you when you are faced with Him on Judgement day?

Answer 3

I hear you and struggle with this also ... You obviously also know the pat Christian answers ...
1) it's not by works but what you believe
2) yes, you're going to hell because the bible says.

Here's something I found that may answer your question;

Can a Christian lose his salvation? Can a person once saved, having received God's free gift of eternal life and having been born into the family of God, again return exactly and completely to the position of being a lost and guilty sinner in the eyes of God? Of course not! The very nature of the spiritual life that has been received - eternal - and the Divine Source and Agent of that life - God - forbid drawing the conclusion that a saved person can ever again be lost.

"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand."
-John 10:28 (NKJV)

Answer 4

In order to be saved you have to believe and accept Jesus as your personal savior.

I suggest reading a book called The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Written by Josh McDowell.
Josh was a non-believer determined to prove God did not exist. It's really a very educational book. Hope you will check it out.

Answer 5

...you cannot do it of your own accord. you need to pray and repent...The Spirit will lead you from there. Sometimes people become angry with God for whatever the reason. Maybe He did not act in a manner you thought He should have, never stopping to think He was protectinv you from something. Maybe you lost a loved one...where cheated in some way. Sounds like you are discouraged...may people have been there and not attend church for a while. Renew your strength in Christ.

Answer 6

Oh! If it is hard for you to believe don't force yourself. God knows our hearts and i do respect the ones who say they don't know rather than fake like they have something in their heart. If it doesn't sound logical, just pray that God will reveal himself to you. And i know how you feel about certain Christains and feeling like your more kinder than they are. I am a Christain, but I am hurt to see other Christians put down others instead of just being patient with them. God made us all different and we should be accepting of that. Just ask him to reveal himself to you. You have to know him for yourself and not for others to find out that you really know him. However, in order to be with God you have to believe in him. You can't be with someone you don't believe in so you have to end up hell, Sorry. It is just that the typical "human" is what God did not intend to happen. All of us are sinners and we need a Savior. Giving to charities really don't mean anything.

Answer 7

In response to your opening statement and speaking as a "born again" believer in Christ, I'd say that one ought to have a respect for others, but it need not extend to having a respect for their religion.

Further I'd say that to hate someone for being a non-believer is fundementally un-Christlike. Followers of Christ are to love others not hate them, but similarly it need not extend to loving their sin and unbelief.

We are all sinner's and if we judge others for their sin then we are assuming Jesus's role and will be judged as we judge others. As for sin, Jesus has already condemed it and so should we.

As for your relationship with Christ, I'd like to offer a little food for thought. You seem to be focusing on doing stuff, you have mentioned how you have been "trying" and have mentioned also the things that you have done, i.e. volunteering and giving to charities.

Your relationship with God however depends not upon "your DOing", but upon "Jesus's DONE". The key point here is that there is nothing that we can DO well enough to earn our salvation and thank God we don't have to because He has already DONE it all for us in Jesus sacrifice on the cross.

When we make Jesus Lord of our lives, we do so by God's grace and in our faith, trusting that His sacrifice was more than sufficient. We believe in Jesus and we believe also in Him crucified for our sins and because of this, we repent of the sin that placed Him there. God is not willing that any man should perish.

Joh 3:16-17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (KJV)

Answer 8

The faith that leads to salvation is a gift from God, and can not be conjoured up in one's own heart or head, regardless of how hard one tries. All you can do is ask God, IF he truly exists (if you wish to make that caveat), to reveal Himself to you. Keep your heart and mind open; many skeptical people, and people who have tried to be saved, but ended up frustrated with Christianity, because it didn't seem to work for them, have done this, and God has revealed Himself to them. [Just try it. It can't hurt, can it?]

You can "believe" all you like, but if God, Himself, is not (supernaturally) involved in giving you faith, you will not be able to believe in a way that gives you salvation, and then you will fall away from your religiosity.

Answer 9

Doing good deeds and being a great person will not get you into heaven, you have to believe in God and accept Him...maybe you were not getting what you needed spiritually from that church..you should not give up..you should keep searching until you find the perfect church for you where your soul is fed and you can learn more.

Answer 10

many people relate religion with morals and ethics, and many people are sorely wrong. i would just laugh at them because they are the savages still stuck in the stone age thought process.

but i ask you .. have you researched all the religions to actually say you don't believe in any of them?