have you questioned your faith? did it make you more resolute?

Question

or did it make you walk away?

what made you question? what conclusions did you come too? and why?

all answer welcome

Answer 1

I was raised Catholic and took a hard look at my faith and beliefs when I went through my confirmation when I was in high school. I realized most of my classmates were just there for social reasons and they just blindly accepted everything that was shoved down their throats. For the next 7 years I studied every thing I could about Christianity and other religions. The more I learned, the more jaded I became. I eventually left Christianity for good and learned to listen to what I knew was truly right in my heart.

Answer 2

I question my faith all the time. My family and I were practicing Roman Catholics up until the 2004 Presidential Election when pro-life and anti-stem cell beliefs were being shoved down our throats. We support pro-choice ideals and stem cell research so we left the church. I feel more at peace with myself now that I do not feel like I am lying anymore. I don't feel the need to define myself with a particular religion. Some days I doubt that I am even Christian anymore, but that doesn't make me a heathen or a delinquent. I still have the same values I did before just without all of this Jesus mumbo-jumbo to worry about.

I have also been in the position to question my faith after the death of some very close family members and friends. First my grandma when I was 11, then a family friend who was 2 years younger than me when I was 16, and then this year, at 18 years old, my mother passed away. I wonder why a "god" would take these people out of my life. I am sure that they still had value in this world, lessons to teach me and things to experience. I think life is confusing enough without having to worry if you are appeasing a higher power.

Answer 3

Absolutely I have had to ask questions, but I have not turned away from my faith. When stuff is troubling you, who you put the questions to makes a big difference. If you ask a newcomer, for example, you are likely to be way more confused in the end than if you went to an elder in the church who has been around a lot longer and can interpret things for you ina way that you can understand.

When I have had questions, I went to the elders. Sometimes the answers made sense but at times they didn't and I questioned them more. If it seems that I'm not getting anywhere, I'll leave it for a while. Pray on it, do more research and revisit it later on. But it usually happens that I will learn something new that resolves any questions I had in the first place. That's a good feeling.

Answer 4

the faith I follow has been handed on to me since 2000 yrs ago,and with reason and belief there is no other that has the fully revealed truth. Many faiths have an element of truth in them and those who follow and want to believe, will no doubt get there in the end
Studied theology as a degree and found so much more which added and complimented what I already believed and knew. So don't have any problems. Life throws up the problems not God. We live in a fallen world which will be restored in the 'end times' All 'evil' is not from God and he allows free will. This only makes sense if you believe in him in the first instance

Answer 5

I think we all question it at some point, just most people don't want to admit it. I grew up with a blanket of religion on top of me. There came a point in my life where I realized that I wanted to know WHY I believe what I believe. I didn't want to believe because my parents, grandparents, pastor or anyone else told me to. So I started a "soul search". I liked what I found and I'm a lot strong spiritually than I was before. I don't know if any of this makes sense or helps but to answer your question yes I have questioned and I came to the conclusion that I am very comfortable with the religion I have chosen.

Answer 6

I'm an atheist - I've questioned my non-faith since I first heard of the invisible man concept when I was seven; luckily I was brought up in a non-theist family so I was never really infected by the theist virus.

For years, I thought I was weird that I couldn't envision this imaginary critter let alone 'hear his voice'.
I searched through lotsa religions - their literature and their practices - for the elusive 'god' essence.

My search was long and I know that it was with the best of desires and intentions; if there'd been a 'god' he would have revealed himself; he didn't, therefore I am and remain an atheist … thank god. *grin*

Answer 7

I think at some point, everyone does. You're rasied to believe in one thing, and then later in life, you start to see the holes in the story. Some can blindly follow thier religion despite their questions, and some cannot. I could not. I began studying many other religions, and eventually discovered that I could most closely relate to Paganism. For those of you who read this and decide me a witch, so be it. It is your own personal ignorance that is intolerant of anything other than your own faith anyhow.

Answer 8

"put all things to the test"

I believe all my questions have led me to become wiser, intelligent, more knowledgeable and more sincere about my faith. It is not a bad thing to question for questioning leads to the truth. In questioning, I have been lead to Apologetics, Philosophy, History, Science, Logic, etc. All of these things have only strengthened my faith and understanding.

However, I do not believe reason alone is able to reach God. If this were so only the intellectual elite would be saved. We are not only intellects floating around in need of salvation but souls, entire beings, in need of salvation. With humility one must also realize that even the very wise cannot know everything. Faith is necessary and its language is written in hope. A hope which reaches out to touch the very face of God the source of all Goodness, Truth and Beauty. The truth of christianity speaks to the very heart and soul of man. Resonates in the very deepest places of one's being. The intellect cannot but partake in this but the entirety of a person: intellect, will, emotion, body, all that we have must turn to face Him.

"Ten thousand difficulties do not make a single doubt" - Cardinal John Henry Newman

Answer 9

God tests everyones faith and how you come out of it determines how strong willed you are and the courage you have to preservere when obstacles come and put your faith into question. I have been through many tests and it only makes me more resolute and believing that truth is discovering something for yourself. It may not me an established truth or an absolute truth but it's my truth and what I believe to be real.

Answer 10

I don't think I ever had faith. I went through the motions of attending church and trying to behave like a 'good christian' solely to please my mother, but even at a young age I was deeply worried by the inherent stupidity of some of the things was asked to believe, and by the detestable morality of the bible and it's vicious, bloodthirsty idiot of a god. As soon as I found the strength to stand up to my family, I disassociated myself.

Faith is a terrible thing. It is believing in things for which there is no foundation, and once people start doing that, much evil can follow.