If I doubt the existence of God, does that make me a bad person? It scares me that I think this way.?

Question

I used to believe in God wholeheartedly long ago, but as the years go by and I look at the world, Im not so sure anymore. It scares me so much, but I cant help the way I feel.

Answer 1

First things first. You are wonderful. You are important. Doubt is natural and appropriate, and the people telling you that you're bad, or "unsaved" or whatever are being horrible, even if they mean well.

I'm an atheist, but I'm not about to try and convince you to believe or disbelieve in God. I'll only say that you should believe in yourself, and that whatever doubts and fears you're experiencing right now are a normal part of living a human experience. Don't rush to reconnect with Christ. Don't rush to read skeptical literature to confirm your doubts. There is time for both those things later.

Right now, just sit with your emotions. Ask yourself what your fears are. Are you afraid of dying? Being punished? Being unloved? Being left without a purpose to drive your life? Being ostracized by fellow believers? Do you imagine God to be more a nurturer or a disciplinarian (regardless of how you've been trained to think of Him)?

These are important questions to ask, and important feelings to explore. But simply having an emotion doesn't mean you have to act on it immediately (or ever).

I believe you can be a good, honorable person whether you believe in God with all your heart, reject the idea entirely, or spend your entire life not entirely sure what waits for you at the finish line.

Spiritual understanding is a life-long journey. Don't be afraid of where it takes you. In fact, be excited! You're about to grow as a person.

Answer 2

In my opinion, the Torah/Tanach/Koran/Bible, etc. are not complete truths. It's physically impossible to put the totality of my mind in a book. It is more so impossible to put the totality of the Infinite into a single book. All we can do is put enough points of that totality into a book so that with pondering, doing, studying, etc. we can fill in those spaces of totality we need that are missing. They each contain the portion of the absolute truth that applies to us as individuals. Once we see the Truth, the pointer no longer matters. Before we see the truth, only the pointer matters. At one time, Isaac Newton (according to the story) was very interested in why an apple fell from a tree. He derived all sorts of equations from that apple into what we call Newtonian Physics. Even these equations are not the "TRUTH." They tell us how the Truth of gravitational forces work. And momentum and all that stuff. But they aren't true at higher speeds. Does G-d exist? Ahh, that question is too big to answer. Personally, I have no doubt. G-d exists. I can state without doubt that my impression of G-d is different than yours. I can also state without doubt are both wrong. All we can do is bring the concept of G-d into our incomplete understanding of what is. But in the same way I don't have to know the essence of gravity to design brakes for a car, I don't have to understand the essence of G-d to design my life. I simply have to know how the equations work. The Jewish books do that. The Christian books do that. I'm not familiar with the other books enough to have an opinion. Does Santa Claus exist? To the extent that people behave as if Santa Claus exists, Santa Clause DOES exist. In the realities of the individual minds where Santa Claus exists. It's the same way with G-d. G-d exists (or is present) on this earth to the extent G-d exists in the individual minds of the people to influence their behavior. In either belief, if we are naughty, we get coal. If we are nice, we get presents. It's not an absolute, just the way things generally work.

Answer 3

I think it's pretty natural to doubt the existence of something you can't even see. It doesn't make you a bad person.

And you're right.. it is scary. I'm in it with you. I used to believe without question and slowly the faith has been chipped away at.. just by life and the types of questions that come up and "knowledge" you encounter along the way.

It scares me all the time. Some people like us maybe just require a little extra evidence... I think God understands that (I hope) so hopefully someday we will find what we're looking for.

*e-hug*

Answer 4

I have always doubted the existence of GOD
of course both of my parents were dis-belivers
Dad an Engeneer
& mom a management professional
believing in GOD is one possible path to elightenment aka
heaven.
Found another path called Landmark Education
15 years ago (I am 34c now)
much much quicker and quieter than a lifetime free of sin
A=I Am recommending this path not for any residual benefit
other than having made another life worth living on this lonely blue planet(expanding the galaxy at the speed of light
live well
ta
d

Answer 5

If you think you are a bad person, then you probably aren't because you clearly recognise good and bad things which you might do and are capable of doing good things as a result. I do not believe in God. In fact, I believe there isn't a God, and think that everything in existence is purely the result of natural phenomena. I do not consider myself to be a bad person because of this, and I'm reasonably sure I don't do many bad things very often.

Answer 6

Like many, the propaganda for the Christian version of God has saturated your past life. No one in Humankind really knows what entity created the mess of mass and energy and then let it evolve. There are many who believe they know, because it is a boost to their egos, not that they have studied or had actual contact--though some will say they have.

If you feel a need to know of a God or Gods, study everything you can and then make a decision you will be comfortable with believing.

Answer 7

Well, I can't tell anyone what to believe in.

I understand how you feel. Alot of people don't beleive in God because of the things that they've been through in their lives. This is why I don't bad mouth atheist, because at times, it is hard to believe in him when you're going through so much and don't get any help.

However, you have to think that you couldn't be here unless someone created you. Personally, I wouldn't stop believing if I were you, but I'm not you, so it's up to YOU.

The fact that you have fear tells me that deep down, you believe in him.

Answer 8

I not only doubt the existence of God, I outright believe he doesn't exist. I also try to be a decent, moral person, to the extent that I can in any given situation. Don't let the fundamentalists and close-minded lunatics get to you; the whole 'atheists have no morals' thing is about as invalid as arguments can get.

Answer 9

Whether you believe in God or not, it does not make you a bad person.

YOU make yourself a good person...a religious belief should not classify that.

The way you say how you're feeling scared makes me sad. People go around spreading tales of God, saying you'll go to hell if you do not open yourself to the arms of Christ and bull like that, and that makes me even sadder that their minds are so closed. Beliefs should not be about creating fear in people, or forcing them to believe in one thing.

I myself am more spiritual. I've told a lie, I don't believe in Heaven or Hell, yet I know I'll be just fine. But according to others, I will be going to 'Hell'?

Organized religion just wrecks everything.

Answer 10

I know what you mean, I still believe in God and everything, but it's really hard. I would say I'm more spiritual than religious because I can't let myself believe all the stuff they tell you in church. I don't think you are a bad person. Religion is hard, I think it has more with who you are as a person. I don't know, I hope I helped out a little.