Does faith really come from hearing and reading the bible or is it brain washing?

Question

I am sorry to say that I wanted to believe so much in the bible story of Christ ect., but the more I read and studied and looked into it the less I believed.
I feel real bad because I think there is no real answer to find in any religion. Does anyone have the same feeling as me?

Answer 1

Faith comes through prayer and true understanding of God and Christ. You have to experience a change of heart, when you do you will just know it. God loves you and wants you to believe in him, he will help you if you just ask and endure to the end.

Answer 2

The same thing happened to me. The more one studies it, and I mean REALLY study it, the less one believes. Unless one is just a gullible dolt. Personally I think one has to have some brains in order to see through religion.

Try reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. That spoke volumes to me and put everything I'd ever noticed about religion into perspective.

I know that some believe because there is a lot of evidence for places and people from the Bible but there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever for the really absurd stories in the Bible. How can there be evidence of a 'virgin birth'? or a Resurrection? It's all hearsay and anecdotal and that's not valid evidence. There certainly is no archaeological evidence of Heaven, Hell, or a Judgment of any kind. How could there be? It's all nonsense. Took me a long time to get to this point but I don't see how its reconcilable with reality.

Answer 3

It might help you use an Archaeological Study Bible, it is filled with study material that will assist you in learning the archaeological, historical, and cultural contexts of the stories you read and the people you meet in Scripture.

This Bible helped me so much, I understand what the Bible is trying to tell me now. Faith does come from hearing/reading and studying the Bible. Moreover: pray for God to guide you through the reading.

God Bless

Answer 4

Faith is not just abelief it is RELYING on God for everything...even belief. Christ alone is our instructor (teacher) so if you want to believe ask the teacher for it.

If I had listened to religion I would have never believed what they taught and do is the truth...the Bible however and more importantly God Himself isn't that type of "religion". You know what is right to do..don't you??? Go do it and realize that even by doing these things you can't earn your way into heaven...it's the gift of God alone to get a ticket to heaven.

You are not the only one with this dilemna I used to have it myself..years ago before I accepted the truth of the Christ.
others in scripture have had the same problem...

Mar 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Mat 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

I suspect that you are an honest person and not easily swayed from what you believe is the truth...I also, am that way. I used to have people try to force me into "religion" and into "faith" the truth was that i wasn't denying Christ..I was just too young and ignorant (regarding scripture) and had much more to learn..it wasn't that I rejected Christ i just wasn't ready..yet...at that time.

I'll pray the Lord give you wisdom, if He's willing..AMEN

Answer 5

Faith comes from a hearing - a hearing of faith.
Speaking of the Israelites who failed to enter into the Promised Land, it says: 'For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard."
(Hebrews 4:2)
There are many reasons people fail to believe.
I will suggest simply one:
"How can you believe, when you receive praise from one another, and you do not seek the praise that is from the one and only God?" (John 5:44)

Answer 6

I am a mature, educated adult. I am not brainwashed! My faith comes from my personal relationship with Christ. I too was raised in church...strict baptist. I grew up and now have my own ideas about things. While I dont agree with everything I was taught as a child. I know that I am a Christian. I know that Jesus was a real man, not a 'mythical being'. I know right from wrong, because the bible teaches me so. I know that when I die, I will go to Heaven....

Answer 7

Romans 10:17 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

"Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world."

Did you not hear t or read the Wotd. Why do you doubt?
Do you not believe this is the anointed Word of GOD?

Answer 8

I feel that belief in the concepts depicted in the bible cannot be achieved without continuous exposure (brainwashing) especially in children. If one were to experience life without such exposure, I think there is no way that person would believe in a right and just God in this world. All you have to do is read a newspaper to deduce that an omnipresent, all-knowing, loving God does not exist. There is far too much suffering to even consider this to be the case.

Answer 9

I truly think REAL faith comes by your own walk and relationship with God or your faith whatever it is.

I grew up in a Christian Baptist home and have over the years had to find my own "faith" and relationship with God myself and what it personally means to ME. No one else. I was honesly brainwashed as a kid and scared...my parents removed me from that situation, however, it takes a long time to unprogram yourself. Seriously. I still find myself searching for truth from time to time. However, my faith in God doesn't waiver - I know he is real.

A "human man" cannot tell me anything God can't himself, if it is real - I will never step foot into a church again. I won't trust a man to tell me what I can read and think about on my own.

Answer 10

I am very sorry that you feel the way you do.....Romans 1:17 "This good news tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the scriptures says, it is through faith that a righteous person has life."