Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I firmly believe that it is necessary to question, or maybe a better term would to examine, our faith, for two reasons:
1.) As we go through life and it changes all around us, what was adequate faith before may no longer be. Either we've grown towards or away - unfortunately more likely away - from where we were.
2.) The devil loves to throw trials our way, which is usually the impetus for "questioning" our faith. At these times we feel a distance from God, and wonder where he is. For me, I get busy with my life, and my faith sometimes becomes a sub-conscious, or "automatic" thing, and not close and personal. I find that those times of trial are what make me examine my faith which in turn brings it back to my consciousness, bringing it back to a closer, more personal experience.
Dear Hoosier Guy, I have to tell you, and everyone reading these post, what happened to me on the first night I met Jesus. It was in my bedroom
In January, 1984, on my knees and I was crying. I asked God "Have you forgotten me?" Just then I opened the Bible that was beside me and this is what God said to me Isaiah 49:15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she had borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you" His words came alive and jumped off the pages and went right into my heart. He has never forgotten me all these years. So be encouraged. That was the night of my salvation, and I have never looked back!
I've questioned my faith so many times over the past 19 years it's unbelievable. I've sometimes wondered if God was really there. If He was really listening to MY prayers. Did He care about me. No really, did HE care about ME?
I started questioning my faith about a year beforehand after leaving the mission field. I wasn't sure I was really cut out for missions or for that matter, being a Christian. I'd seen too much hypocrisy and I just wanted to enjoy life. It slowly began with questions in my head about "why isnt' it okay to be gay and a Christian?" And it progressed. I questioned God's existence. I questioned the Bible's validity. I questioned Him so much I am amazed He didn't just zap me! If I were him I sure would've zapped me. Enough of the whining would've been my comment to me.
Do you think it's okay to question your faith, no matter what religious affiliation you hold? If you question your faith, how far is too far? Or is there no limit to how far we can question our faith? Is this wise to do? Or should we just simply accept it at face value and move on?
Your questions with ME and MY are certainly on the right track. We absolutely must find out if what we believe is personal or just something we heard from someone else. We must search our hearts and find out. Really what do we believe?
We need to be careful, because if we don't watch where our thoughts take us, we can end up in a place of complete confusion, discontent, and total dispair, believing lies and untruths straight from the enemy. One thought can take root and literally become action and that can become a habit, which in turn can become an addiction. Our minds and hearts are being attacked daily, and we must at some point, say enough! I believe what I believe and will hang on to what I do know, until the Lord shows me otherwise, or until more truth is revealed and my understanding deepened. But, at the same time, taking actions to further your knowledge of what you believe by prayer, attending church/biblestudy, worship, fellowship, reading the Word, etc.
As for a limit, I think that God's grace is more than enough to save us from ourselves. He knows your heart and knows it's motives. If you're honestly and humbly seeking the truth, I think God's Spirit will lead you there. Now, if you find you are constantly questioning what you know the Lord just revealed to you, then you may need to pray off that spirit of confusion.
As for simply accepting something for face value... I wouldn't! That is dangerous and not of God. The Word says to test Him and prove Him, and see if He is good. The Lord is fine with us needing confirmation and I think warns us of just taking what anyone says as truth. We must always take it back to Him and let Him be the final Word on it. But, then again, the process of walking with Christ does take Faith. We're not meant to know it all or try to figure it all out in this life. Our human brains would never be able to understand the awesome mysteries of God.
One thing I know is that, He knows each of us, and is more than enough - for each of us. He'll always be with you and His Holy Spirit will guide you. Get real with Him and He'll get real with you.
You may be just trying to analyze it all to much. And,
I've recently started reading a great book called "Did Adam and Eve have a belly button?" It's a book filled with questions asked by teenagers and answers given to the questions. I must warn that it is a book written based on the Catholic faith (as I am Catholic). I think that questioning one's Faith is completely natural. Good luck to all of you in your Faith journey.
Of course it's ok to question your faith. Hopefully after searching for answers your faith becomes stronger. If God didn't want us to question things in our lives, including faith, He either wouldn't have given us the ability to think or he would have left proof positive of his existence. So I'm pretty sure He he knew we would have questions and seek answers. He designed us that way.
BTW - Corona is much better with lime and rum shots...
Maybe you and all the other atheists are being brainwashed NOT to believe.
Whatevah!!
I'll try to express my point of view a little differently than the one you responded to. One thing I've never done is question my atheism and that's because it was a logical process that lead me to the conclusion that God does not exist so there's really nothing to question. I've always felt that people who are religious are going to have a conflict between their rational thinking and their faith because they surely must contradict each other. You don't question something when you know it's true. That's the bottom line of the argument. I really mean this in a non offensive way in the spirit of debate. When a religious belief just doesn't pass the common sense test there's going to be a problem. I find my atheist philosophy based on humanism and rational thought to be a very fullfilling way of life. What I try to do is remove the stigma that the word atheist has and get people to open up to the possibility that maybe God doesn't exist and that might not be such a bad thing afterall. I think there are many conflicted Christians who would find the philosophy of atheism and humanism to be very uplifting and positive. I know I do.
I never question my faith, (if you mean my beliefs) I am comfortable with my beliefs and according to MY interpretation Gods word , He is pleased. I don't question anyones faith, unless it is to learn from them.
I've questioned my faith so many times over the past 19 years it's unbelievable. I've sometimes wondered if God was really there. If He was really listening to MY prayers. Did He care about me. No really, did HE care about ME?
I remember driving down a deserted Indiana road late at night after drinking Corona mixed with top shelf vodka. I had been questioning God for many weeks and things had come to a head. I remember yelling at God that He had forgotten about me. I began beating the steering wheel while driving down this road. With tears streaming down my face and the warm summer night air brushing them away, I was angry that God had forgotten me.
I started questioning my faith about a year beforehand after leaving the mission field. I wasn't sure I was really cut out for missions or for that matter, being a Christian. I'd seen too much hypocrisy and I just wanted to enjoy life. It slowly began with questions in my head about "why isnt' it okay to be gay and a Christian?" And it progressed. I questioned God's existence. I questioned the Bible's validity. I questioned Him so much I am amazed He didn't just zap me! If I were him I sure would've zapped me. Enough of the whining would've been my comment to me.
Do you think it's okay to question your faith, no matter what religious affiliation you hold? If you question your faith, how far is too far? Or is there no limit to how far we can question our faith? Is this wise to do? Or should we just simply accept it at face value and move on?
Dear Hoosier Guy,
God does love you silly!!! Let's take things 1 step at a time and break down what happened to you. First of all, it sounds like you are a Christian. If you are (accepted Jesus as your personal Savior), and are out of fellowship with God (this just means committed a sin without confessing it to Him), your prayers won't get farther than the top of your head. Secondly, you were drunk. Booze is poison. So of course nothing is going to make sense to someone who is under the influence of a poison. Remember booze is killing your brain. What church were you on "missions" for? God gave us the entire Bible to answer ALL of our questions - so of course it's okay to question him - ALOT. But the thing is.......all the answers are there. Look at how many times Jesus had to repeat or reword things when he was trying to explain things. God wants you to have a happy, joyful, peaceful life!
Last edited by misswoodlandpark; 05-08-2007 at 11:33 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
this is a bit late, but here goes..
God Does Love You Silly!!!
