Losing faith: when you stopped believing in God did you go through agnosticism to atheism or ...?

Question

are you now agnostic. Or did you find God again?

Answer 1

why do you need to label what and who you are?

Answer 2

I went through intellectualism: believing that I could reason all this out. I became a philosophy major in college, studied the great thinkers (or at least a few of them), and eventually found myself with a belief in enlightened self-interest as a moral value. Problem is, this seemed to imply an obligation to seek enlightenment.

After spending some significant time trying to define enlightenment, I started looking for it. I'm pretty sure I found something which qualifies, but how can I say that without hubris? By the use of symbols and metaphors, rituals and chants, and the realization that, as a human, I cannot simply crawl up my own navel and disappear into another dimension, the way the Vacuum Cleaner Monster did in "Yellow Submarine." I have to live in this world of the material, and I need material representations of that which is actually far more esoteric. So, I found not merely one god, but a whole pantheon.

Answer 3

i did go through a time when i had lost faith, but i now realise it had more to do with the people than anything else. i hated going to church where it seemed as though everyone was there to gossip or see who was wearing what etc. and then there were the ones who claimed to be all holy, gods right hand, and should have burst into flames setting foot inside. i researched different religions, even the history of religion trying to find...something.
heres my take on it... i believe there is alot of evidence pointing to "something after". i believe there are way too many religions to say which one is "the one". it's my opinion that as long as you live well, do your best to be a decent person, and believe in "something" you'll do just fine. religion is like the spokes of a wheel, they all lead to the center.

Answer 4

When you stop believing in God, you have reason. Try to find the reason.

Maybe it is your own concept about "WHO" is your God in your opinion that make you lost your belief/faith ,
Maybe it is your own expectation what God should be done, that make you stop believing.
So I suggest, before yoy turn to anything else, searsh your own desire, study about yourself first, and ......make your "own God" .

Then, once you find your own God, you may need a religion, ; find a religion which have the same description God as yours; otherwise stay with your own.

It is nice to think that I have a Superpower Who See all what I am doing, and can Lead me to the the place I want to. Of course, everything back to me, I have to decide what I want.

Believing in God, and keep believing and then eventually have faith, is a long journey, is an on going process. Lots of people this days think in an instant method, or quantum even.

To me is just like relationship with my boyfriend whom then become my husband ,nurturing our love and life and family, until 2 years ago he died of heart attacked which both of us never ever thought that he had heart problem, neither our children. It is an on going dedication, lots of patience, lots of perseverance, lots of hopes, lots of works, and we have faith between us that we like and we love each other so much.

If with our spouse we can do it, in my opinion why can't I have same attitude with my Creator. I strongly belief in God, in a Superpower . Through the God of my own description, I choose to be a muslim. I am happy with it, but I really2 do search, even through the esoterical ways.

That is my experience, dont ever run away, in any thing before you search, dont jump to conclution emotionally. Research can be done any where, not only in labs, but in any aspect of life, and in our own private life.

Answer 5

I have questioned God's motives, reasons and existence and seldom got compelling answers. However, I find it hard to write Him off completely or to subsribe to agnosticism - possibly because I have minimal technical knowledge about my faith. As such, I have decided to find out more and see how that fits.

Answer 6

Actually I still bounce between Anarchy and druidic belief structures, but I ponder the question of a ultimate God for lack of a better description!

Answer 7

I've never stopped believing in GOD, but I have come to realize that god is not involved in what goes on in the here and now.

Answer 8

I just realised the idea of a god was ridiculous and haven't believed since.

Answer 9

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Answer 10

it didn't just happen for me...i was a card carrying catholic...proud of my religion...felt full in it...then one day in youth group (i was almost 18) they took us on an outing...this outing happened to be at an abortion clinic...the clinic was not specific to abortions...just a clinic where abortions were performed...we were instructed to form a line and yell out bible verses condeming people walking in for their decision to kill a baby...this was not something i was in agreement with to start with...but i thought if i stood there and prayed for peace...maybe people would see that everyone makes decisions good or bad for the reasons they do and like christ we have to forgive and move on...but no...it turned very ugly very fast...one girl was walking in and crying hysterically...she kept trying to get past my "friends" who were continually blocking her path yelling damnation to her...i could take it no longer...i walked up...put my arm around her and pushed through my "friends" to get her in the clinic...turns out she had been viciously raped and had just found out she had VD due to the rape (she had been a virgin)...the doctors had told her to abort the baby because of the deformities it would have and it was tearing her apart...that was the day i started questioning my faith...the god i followed...and the religion as a whole...

Answer 11

I am my own god, I make the change in my life... If not, who will? Nature may effect me negatively if I do not dance with Her... She will try to get me to dance (as She always does), and if I refuse... She will drive her heels into my eyes and gouge out my heart.