What do you do after Christianity?

Question

I've been a Christian all my life and felt called by God to go into the apologetics ministry, but the more I have tried to defend Christianity with science, philosophy and history, the more impossible it becomes for me to defend my faith!

If one honestly reviews the best of all evidences, one is forced to admit that Evolution is absolutely more valid than Creationism - The manuscript traditions of the Bible are, at best, unreliable and specious, and philosophy has shown fundamental ideas about God are indefensible and Psychology effectively explains the phenomenon of religious faith and the alleged "relationship" that Christians claim to have with Jesus!

I'm afraid that I cannnot continue in my faith because my faith has beem found to have no substance or merit. I find, for the first time in my life, I have only one rational choice: to abandon my precious Jesus and find meaning in life elsewhere.

ps. Muslims, this goes for you too! Your religion does not pass scrutiny.

Recon,
I know... I know...
It's hard to accept - it took literally seven months before I was completely convinced! But all your examples are easily disproven.

There is NO history record of most of the significant events in the Bible - There is NO Egyptian record of the Hebrew people at all, excepting a cursory remark.

There are NO original manuscripts and the ones that exist have been manipulated for political reasons, and are unreliable as evidences for the claims they make. The canonical selection was political - "We are creating a religion.." basically.

EVERY microbiologist worth his salt KNOWS that evolution is a fact. A fact. I've witnessed it myself in a lab. Yes, it's bonafide evolution.

Answer 1

I am an Orthodox Christian and a priest put it in prospective, "How can you age God's actions? God is eternal, only man insists on having a time line." If you take time out of the equation or realize time for God may be different than for mortal man......then evolution can be accommodated.

I am sorry you are lost, keep searching and you will find your way back.

I suggest authors: Peter E. Gillquist, Timothy Ware or Bishop Kallistos Ware and of course C.S. Lewis

Answer 2

Not sure if I believe you really think that...

For instance, I don't think its possible in philosophy to prove or disprove God...absence of proof doesn't mean its disproved. Philosophy is about logic in part, and I don't think any professional philosopher would be so dogmatic.

And the evolution v creationism thing is not an issue in many denominations, including the biggest, the Catholic church. They just don't think that there being an evolutionary process disproves God. Many people who are christians don't take the Adam and Eve account literally. Most of the Bible's revelation is not the Adam and Eve story, in fact only a few chapters, the figures are used metaphorically of course later. Theres loads of stuff in the bible showing God relating with men.

I grant you that its hard to prove the reliability of some of the Old Testament books, and the earliest ones weren't written down until much later.

The biggest proof that its true for me, has been that when I believed Christ's message, I did receive the Holy Spirit. God's presence was wonderful, and at times now I can be conscious of it. It was no illusion. It was like walking into a colour picture after a drab black and white life. There is no Holy Spirit spoken of in other religions, and He is given to believers as a verification that the gospel isn't a bunch of baloney.

There's also healing ministry in some places done in Jesus name. People get healed. There are even a few people who have done "creative" miracles in Jesus name. I don't think an atheist could explain an ear being created in 5 minutes, for instance, where one didn't exist before.

Answer 3

how does the factuality of evolution mean there can not be a god? Personally I am an agnostic and suspect there may not be a god, but evolution, the big bang etc in no way mean there can not possibly be a god, I don't see how you can see evolution and having faith in a god as an either/or proposition

it's like electricity, we know electricity is real and can observe the results of it, does this mean there must not be a god? no, the fact that electricity exists has no bearing on whether not there is a god, if you had faith you would conclude that electicity is the result of god setting the physicals lawsin motion to make electricity possible

Answer 4

You put forward some interesting thought but I think that you misunderstand a bunch of things.

First of all, just because someone has a plausible explanation, does not mean it is right. How many people are sent to prison because at the time all evidence pointed to that person being undoubtedly guilty only to find out later with new evidence that the same person was, without a doubt, innocent? It doesn't happen all the time, but it does happen.

The same things happen in science and even more so in philosophy and psychology.

I suspect that what has really happened to you is that you focused yourself so much on science and philosophy that you forgot to nourish your faith in Christ.

So many people put science at odds with religion. I have to ask myself why? Why can't science and religion reside side by side? You see, truth is revealed to man through many different ways. Of course, all truth ultimately comes from God. But where should we look for truth? Where does God reveal truth?

Spiritual truth is revealed through his servants, the prophets. Spiritual truth is also revealed through the Holy Ghost. Sometimes the truths that these sources reveal cross over to other areas of life, as well they should. But there are other sources of truth as they relate to the field that they cover. Scientific truth is discovered through study, observation, and experimentation. Occasionally, scientific truth will spill over into other areas of life.

Jesus Christ is literally the Only Begotten Son of God. He is real, God is real. Just as real as you and I.

There are many scientists who would disagree with your conclusion about evolution being "absolutely" more valid than creation. In fact, many of them believe that the more likely answer is that the truth of the whole thing is somewhere in between. They can neither be absolute about evolution as it is popularly taught and they can neither be absolute about creation as it is taught.

So, what if there is some middle ground that is more accurate, closer to the truth? Why is that so hard to accept by people on both sides of the issue?

No, there should be no "after Christianity." But instead, there should be more of a review of both sides and see where they cross over. See if there isn't some common ground that can lead you to a more complete picture.

Answer 5

Faith is just that believing in some thing no matter what others may say. Have you thought that god may be testing your faith right now? The fact is that god gave you free will so that you could question things and even him. your faith and belief is not ties to a building or an object it is in you and you carrier it where ever you go. There will always be people who challenge what you believe and to them you do not have to defend but just be steadfast in what you know is true in your heart as for the bible and other things they have been rewritten many times to suet a religious doctrine or so suet a man purpose If you are truly reevaluating your faith remember god gave you free will and when you make a choice and feel that god has abandoned you that is also part of free will.

Answer 6

"The manuscript traditions of the Bible are, at best, unreliable and specious, and philosophy has shown fundamental ideas about God are indefensible and Psychology effectively explains the phenomenon of religious faith and the alleged "relationship" that Christians claim to have with Jesus!"

1. Do whatever you want.
2. Do not let philosophy, especially secular humanism or naturalism corrupt your study of science (or religion for that manner). Read Chuck Colson's book "How Now Shall We Live."
3. How are the manuscripts unreliable? I have studied them too & have found them 100% reliable. Plus, the manuscripts that have been found are the same as the manuscripts we have today...talk about preservation!
4. I have yet to see archaeology DISPROVE what the Bible claims regarding geographical locations, coinage, etc... Actually archaeology, etc... supports biblical claims!
5. Psychology-made by man to understand himself. Yes, we are designed, by God, to have a relationship with Him...it is in our makeup/spirit/ whathaveyou.
6. Evolution/Creation- both are hypothesis. The Bible & science both support micro-evolution: The Bible & science both go against the thought of macro-evolution. Remember that.
7. Sounds to me like you are getting some corrupted info. & it is corrupting you. SEEK THE TRUTH! And make sure that you aren't letting anyone's philosophy of life (atheist, naturalist, humanist, spiritist, religous person, etc).
8. Ask God for assistance.
9. You gotta cut through the crap and get back to the resurrection of Jesus. That is THE crux of the issue!

Answer 7

if the Bible is read literally then it does not say that evolution is wrong. The Bible says
Ge 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, herbs yielding seed, ...
Ge 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

and more scriptures. about the rest of it.
But the Bible clearly says that the earth brought forth, God just said let it do. God made science, and it does what He wants. God also said
1corinthians 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the WISDOM of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the WISDOM of this world?
1corinthians 1:21 For after that in the WISDOM of God the world by WISDOM knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Don't let wordly wisdom destroy your faith, it's not worth the end result.

Answer 8

What do you advise by technique of precise? The literal components are remarkably precise. relatively, extra so than the different text cloth of this era, by technique of a element of roughly one thousand. whether, components are actually not literal in any respect. how are you able to look into the accuracy of something like that? E.g., a made up tale that teaches a factor? Or, a music? Or, a love tale? And, there is likewise "delusion," which in Theological words is a narrative approximately certainty, yet, for which the info could no longer be. So, the info could be horribly misguided, yet, the story will nevertheless be useful for direction. And, different thoughts (like the Apocalypses) are written in symbolic language, so, the words are genuinely a "code" for something else fullyyt. The Bible may be a extraordinarily complicated set of books! extraordinarily for a newbie.

Answer 9

Here is how you must test your faith:

Pray something in the name of Jesus Christ, God will answer your prayer...

Note: Be specific

"Gerneral Prayers get answered Generally, specific prayers get answered specifically."

Also, if you are trying to line up science with the bible, it's not a good idea because scolars will be able to shoot it down. The best defence is to learn the history of the scriptures and why they were actaully written. For example. The creation story is most likely a reaction to other 1500 BC religions and there stance of Man being unimporatant, and not an actual story of creation. Try reading the notes in the Oxford standard translation of the bible, there is much history in these subscriptes.

Answer 10

Dear One,

Oh Bravo! you've reached the edge of the cliff and can't go back....so now faith is this....in stepping off the edge of the cliff, you will either land safely on solid ground, or, you will be taught how to fly.....it seems in today's age, many are trying desperately to " make it real" and "make it tangible"...Bones of Jesus, secret DeVinci codes, Mary Magdaline, possible lover and wife of Christ, many try to fit God into an earthly box of PROOF of this and PROOF of that....it's sooooooo very comforting to know that even though you have chosen to "abandon" your "precious" Jesus....He has not, and never will abandon you....I was once where you are now.....perhaps even more so...believe me, and what happened to resurrect my heart? you'll see...

Love,
Me