Why do people say that god shows himself to everyone? God has never shown himself to me... In fact, I used to be an avid Christian, I loved jesus and I had turned my life over to him. I told other people about the love jesus has for everyone. But my life DIDN'T GET ANY BETTER. Actually, you might say it got worse. As I began to doubt my faith, I asked god for a sign TONS of times. I have gone to church and prayed and cried and asked "GOD, ARE YOU REAL??" Nothing happened. I have prayed for my family, when my little sister was sick I asked god to help her survive and she died the shortly after. I have definintley TRIED to let god into my life.. but it appears there is no god at all. So... I wondering, does anyone feel like me? Are you athiest/Agnostic for this same reason I am? Because "god" has brought nothing to your life?
2007-02-15 04:19:00 · 23 answers · asked by maggielynn 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Agnostic here
Funny answer: God is powerful but also shy and insecure. He doesn't want to show himself unless he's sure we'll like him. Perhaps a case avoidant personality disorder.
Serious answer: I can relate to your experiences of being a christian, asking God to prove himself and help me with my problems, receiving no reply and becoming a non-believer. People say God will become apparent when you seek him. Well, I sought him. I tried every route: prayer, reading religious texts and books on theology, conversing with elders and preachers, meditation, asking for signs. But nothing worked, so I concluded that either God didn't exist or he simply isn't available and responsive to us. If the people who claim that God does hear and respond to them are right and not deluded as I think they are, then God must like them better than people like you and me.
2007-02-15 04:29:48 · answer #1 · answered by Subconsciousless 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You know, I believe Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani asked of God that He be spared his death; didn't happen. Most of the Saints received no signs from God, they made them. Everybody doubts; that's what having your faith tested is all about. If you're going to stop believing in God, have a better reason than that life sucks, because believe me, there are people with far more faith than you with far worse lives than you have. Remember also what Jesus said, and I'm paraphrasing, "I did not come to bring you peace, but a sword."
Once again, doubt God's existence all you like, but have a better reason than that he doesn't make your life a super happy fun time. His prophets were (and are) martyred and His own son tortured and crucified by those who shortly before were hailing him as a king.
Also don't forget that we know Jesus through our actions, not our knowledge. Remember the parable of the sheep and the goats, and also of the good Samaritan. A caring atheist can know Jesus better than a self-serving Christian.
2007-02-15 04:32:06 · answer #2 · answered by Jacob P 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maggie,
I am an agnostic for that exact reason, sounds like you have been through very similar experiences to me. You will get a bunch of Christian responses to this question, that will amount to "don't give up yet", "you have to try harder", "God is just testing you". Unfortunately, I am sure you have heard all these things a thousand times before. In the end they all end up sounding like Amway representatives, that tell you, that you can't stop selling their product because it is giving up. The product isn't selling because it is your fault.
The truth is, God could save millions of people from Hell, if he would show himself and express his will to everyone. Wars would stop, denominations and religious arguments would end, the world would be a way better place. He chooses not to, because, according to Christians, he wants to give us free will.
That doesn't hold water. I am a father, that reasoning would be the same as me watching my child open a bottle of floor cleaner, and not stop him from eating it, because I wanted to give him free will and learn from experience that eating poison was bad.
If God was truly loving, he would stop this mess from happening, right now. Other Christians will say that we are on display for the Angels and the Aliens to see that the wages of sin are death. Kinda stinks to be the human in that experiment, and you would think that maybe after the first few hundred years of death, disease, destruction, war, starvation, hatred and EMO music that the Angels and Aliens would get the point. But I guess God is intent on creating people that he knows are going to be going to Hell for a little longer?
Kinda tough words, I am sorry, but that is where I am at. Good luck in your search, I hope you find some answers that make sense.
2007-02-15 04:32:31 · answer #3 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maggielynn-
I would first like to say that I am very sorry that you are now with out you dear sister. I have no idea how it feels but I could imagine..if my little brother where to leave here...well....it would be horrible.....
God Is Real. I grew up n the church my Mom is a Sunday school teacher and day was a Preacher and a Drill sergeant for a time... (talk about tricked)... I received the gift of God's Holy Spirit when I was 7. My life then turn into a living hell. For almost 4 years I was always in trouble, in school at home....I could never seem to get anything right.... I went to church ever Sunday and I just couldn't get my life together...
When I was 16 and in the 11th grade...life finally started to get better.... I said to myself i have to get serious for God now because if I don't when I get to college I'll never be able to stand...well I stood for like a year and a half then I gave in to the parties and just acting out....when I graduated And came home I was a different person... I was only going to church because I was living in my mom's house....but there wasn't a connection...6 months after I got home I finally got it together and all was Right in my spiritual world. Now that doesn't mean that everything was perfect but I had joy.
The apostle Paul had a very rough life... After he accepted the Lord His life was CRAZY! he was running for his life for the rest of his life. I love Jesus because he loves me when I am stupid and when I am good, and when I am confused, he loves me....
If you really want God to show himself to you.....Look for him...He is not a magician.. He doesn't have to prove anything to us... He already showed us his love when he died for our wretched selves....He loves you... but you have to go beyond the material and the physical to see him...
2007-02-15 06:20:29 · answer #4 · answered by Marilyn Denise Y 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A) What kind of test of faith would that be?
B) If all you ever do is talk and read, and don't pay attention to life, yeah, you're not going to get much more. When youask for a sign and your life "gets worse", that's a sign. The "worseness" indicates that you have not given your life up to God, that you are still judging the things that happen to you by your old scale of what pleases YOU. When you actually invite Jesus into your heart and into control over your whole life, you become happy regardless of what does or does not happen to you or around you. That life became more challenging immediately is an amazing blessing that you overlooked and did not get the point of immediately. That you wanted your little sister to survive more than you wanted her to go to heaven indicates an amazing selfishness. It is clear to me that if you did invite Him in, you kicked Him back out almost immediately.
Do....or Do Not....there is no Try.
What you get is what you have chosen, and even that proves that there is a God who supports your choices even when you do not choose Him!
But, hey, whatever kind of life you want to choose!!!
2007-02-15 04:47:35 · answer #5 · answered by raxivar 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It sounds as if you were taught that Jesus will make your life perfect, simply because you believe. However, the promises made to believers under the New Covenant aren't like those under the Mosaic Covenant.
Under the Mosaic Covenant, God told the Jews: "If you follow my laws and statutes, you will be My people and I will be your God. If you don't follow my laws and statutes I will curse you until you repent." Yet, even when the people were at their most blessed, they didn't have God living within them.
Under the New Covenant, we are PROMISED that the world will hate us, because it hated Jesus first; we are told that we must endure scorn and hatred; we are commanded to love our enemies and pray for those who hate us. In return, we have God living within us. This life of enduring the evils of this world -- including the death of loved ones -- is the price we pay for being so beloved by God. Although these things deeply affect us, we are promised evil will no longer control us.
Jesus said that a person who demands a sign from God (such as the signs you demanded) will never receive one (Matt. 12:38-42). I can GUARANTEE you that, had you asked out of love for Him that He reveal Himself to you, He would have done it. I know, because He's done it for me and many others.
He will not reveal Himself to a person who refuses to give themself to Him completely.
2007-02-15 04:37:19 · answer #6 · answered by Suzanne: YPA 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God does exist. He loves you very much. Perhaps you should stop "trying" to let God into your life and actually let Him into your heart. He will bless you in ways that you never dreamed possible and He wants to bless you.
You see, the Old Testament describes a people going through the same things you are going through right now. The children of Israel. They confessed to having a passion for God but their hearts were far from Him. It took a few "beatings" for them to understand that God was real and would protect them if they were truly repentant in their hearts. He made the conquering kings allow the nation of Israel to rebuild the city if Jerusalem. His mercy endures forever.
Jesus preached daily the love of God to all people and look what happened to Him. He never once asked if God was real and never turned His back on God.
I wish I could explain the way He does things, but I cannot. All I know is that He has a special purpose for you and wants nothing more than for you to come back to Him.
2007-02-15 04:35:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am sorry for your loss but you are mistaken. By your own words God has brought beautiful things into your life. Sounds to me like you had an amazing sister that you loved very much and that you still miss. I understand some of what you feel because I lost my brother. The difference is you and I see things differently. Everyone has a time to die. Would it make it any less easier if we were allowed to chose the time of earthly depearture instead of God?
If you did truly have God in your heart at one time in your life then you are sealed forever. God will bring you through this even if you reject Him now.
2007-02-15 04:25:34 · answer #8 · answered by gtahvfaith 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
properly that's recorded interior the bible that God as quickly as revealed himself, and all and sundry who observed him dropped lifeless immediatley. Moses observed the back of God's foot and his hair grew to become white and he shown for 3 days. additionally the different cases God exhibits up their are a lot of lifeless human beings and a lot of destruction. you may disagree and say that it incredibly is untrue. properly, the subject is God famous himself via our surroundings. the challenge is many don't p.c. to locate God so they forget related to the indications. additionally, if God does exists, is all powerfull, and is as remarkable via fact the bible describes him, then why could he do what us trouble-free people command him too. it is basically no longer logical. you may disagree, yet those are a number of the justifications God does not reveal himself to us. a minimum of from a Christian viewpoint
2016-10-02 04:36:33 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its the old "Cant see the forrest for the tree's syndrome."
God has reveled himself to mankind for centuries through the pages
of the Bible.He tells us what he expects of us,what we can look
forward to in regards to his pourposes and the promises he
has made to mankind.All we have to do is diligently keep seeking
accurate knowledge.It Is'nt easy,it takes effort,but does'nt life
forever on a paradise earth make that effort worthwhile?
For more on this..www.watchtower.org-------
2007-02-15 04:37:59 · answer #10 · answered by OldGeezer 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋