A question to any religion

[llama5000]

I’m 16 years old. A few years ago, my parents got divorced and slowly since then religion has been fading from my life. The more and more religion left me, the more I noticed other things in my life spiraling downwards too (my relationship with my father is now damaged beyond repair, my grades have fallen dramatically, and thoughts of homosexuality). I want to be religious, but I just have a really hard time finding a reason to be. So basically, my question is what makes you wake up every day and believe in what you do?

 

[Tietjen]

I’m 16 years old. A few years ago, my parents got divorced and slowly since then religion has been fading from my life. The more and more religion left me, the more I noticed other things in my life spiraling downwards too (my relationship with my father is now damaged beyond repair, my grades have fallen dramatically, and thoughts of homosexuality). I want to be religious, but I just have a really hard time finding a reason to be. So basically, my question is what makes you wake up every day and believe in what you do?

First welcome to the forums!
For me, it is no more difficult than waking up believing that my car will start or that the sun will set that evening. I see the evidence of God in everything. What is the alternative; believing luck and/or chance happened to piece together every single aspect of the universe and everything in it? That is far harder for me to believe than maintaining my belief that God is in control and created it all. Now, if I have established that there must be a God, then it makes sense (in my mind) that a God who created me is not beyond wanting to interact with His creations. Why else would He create us if His intentions were to simply ignore us? That would not make much sense to me. Therefore, I know can fathom that there is a God and that God created all things and that God interacts with His creations. From there, it is a small step (for me) to embrace Christianity and which of the Christian Churches was first on the scene??? The Catholic Church.

That is my personal and much abbreviated synopsis as to how I come to believe in God and His Church. God bless.

 

[DoctorFunk]

Convert from atheism here who is coming into full communion with the Catholic Church this Easter Vigil. I suffered from the same doubts that you have for similar reasons: with so much evil in this world can there be an all-loving God?

I struggled for years with that question, lapsing into atheism from the Lutheran faith I was (somewhat) raised into. Eventually I met and fell in love with the most wonderful Catholic woman who opened my eyes to the value of faith in one’s life. I still fought against the idea of a God, but read broadly about spirituality. I even practiced Theravada Buddhism for a time.

I attended mass with my wife for about two years before my own conversion. I can still remember the day it happened–it was one of my first days in the hospital on a pediatric intensive care unit as a medical student. My first patient ever assigned to me was a 6 month old infant female ravaged by a congenital infection that left her severely brain damaged and barely able to breath on her own. She was definitely unaware of her surroundings and barely surviving, but I was overwhelmed immediately by the immense value of her human life even in that state. I knew that even if she was struggling in this world that eventually she would find a place of happiness.

I went home that night and cried, replaying the events for my wife. That planted a seed in my soul that we were all created for a purpose with inherent worth and dignity by a God who has never been disproved by science. I read about Catholicism voraciously and found the intellectual underpinnings of the faith to be far greater than I ever imagined. Since then I’ve been on a journey into the church that has lasted about 9 months and will finally culminate in Confirmation and First Eucharist next month!

I hope that you find the support and answers that you seek here amongst friends and my prayers will go out for you.

 

[justinthemartyr]

My heart goes out to you. My parents were not divorced, but it was as if they were. They were workaoholics and were never home. I was sent to a boys home by the courts after getting in trouble while not being watched as a child and then they paid to leave me there for the rest of my schooling.

I was molested by my neighbor and shown pornography, and that along with little relationship with my father brought about homosexual thoughts etc. I needed an outlet because there was no true ntimacy in my life. You see, the lack of good intimacy and comradery from a father figure, will place a mark on a child forever, and cause them to do disordered things in order to try to find that intimacy they are lacking.
But there is hope! After much, drinking, drugging and stealing and almsot two years in jail, trying to find the next high, from relationshios, drugs, sex, alcohol etc, i came to know Jesus personally, and He saved my life. he removed the desire for homosexuality and drinking and drugs in the blink of an eye, not to mention the desire to steal. God is faithful to draw close to you, when you draw close to Him. I am now married with three children and have a new life in Christ and came home to the church he established upon peter!

I have to stay away from porn, from other triggers that can cause any type of moral relapse in my life. It is hard sometimes, but possible. confession has been a great gift in my life, amazing.

peace to you, Justin

 

[Skavau]

Tietjen:

For me, it is no more difficult than waking up believing that my car will start or that the sun will set that evening. I see the evidence of God in everything. What is the alternative; believing luck and/or chance happened to piece together every single aspect of the universe and everything in it?

If your understanding insists that the alternative to presuming God designed the universe is presuming that everything happens happened by luck - then your understanding betrays you.

Not a single credible Atheist or Scientist will ever insist that the universe (with or without the hand of a God/s) came about through ‘chance’ or 'luck.

That’s all.

And the sincere answer as to why anyone believes what they do is ultimately conviction. For whatever reason.

 

[NaturalEnquirer]

The more and more religion left me, the more I noticed other things in my life spiraling downwards too

I want to be religious, but I just have a really hard time finding a reason to be.

From what you’ve posted, I think the first sentence above could be a sufficient reason. If life without religion is not to your liking, better get religion!

So basically, my question is what makes you wake up every day and believe in what you do?

For me, it’s:

1. Miracles in my own life
2. Answered prayers that defy coincidence
3. Historical evidence
4. Philosophical arguments
5. Personal calling to the church

But really, I think it all comes down to how you want to live. You’ve gotten tastes of life with and without religion, and you seem to prefer with. So let me turn your question around – what is holding you back from faith?

God bless!

 

[tmango]

llama - Bless you child of God. Bless you for first of all recognizing God in your life, evening though you now have problems and a crisis of faith. I feel so grateful for others here that have shared their stories of conversion and coming back to God and feel strengthened by their successes.

Our children today have a very hard road. They are continually bombarded with the noise of sin. Temptation is all around, and in many places the wrong is made to appear right, confusing our young people even more. Divorce, abortion, same sex marriages, violence in the streets, drugs, immoral role models. I understand your troubles, as many of us here recognize your difficulties. You are not alone. You have our support, through prayer and conversations such as this, but most of all, you have our Lord, Jesus Christ, chasing after you. His love for you canot be measured, and His mercy is beyond measure.

llama - perhaps you should consult with a priest or pastor. Fight for your faith. It is not easy to stay on the striaght and narrow path, but it is worth the fight…an eternity with a most loving God. Prayer is powerful…I know…I was away from my faith for over 20 years. Jesus chased me down and got my attention in a not so unusual way. It is a personal story for me, but a story like so many others. One has to experience this spiritual event to believe in its power, but I am sure there are many others out there that have been touched in a personal way by the hand of Jesus.

I will pray for clarity for you, and you pray as well. Pray for perseverance, strength, and an understanding of what Jesus wills for you. He does have a plan for you, but you must be open to receiving His graces so that you may understand His will.

I place you into the Garden of Our Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Heart for guidance and protection. May She take your prayers, and ours for you, to Her Son, cleansed and purified. May He receive them and breathe upon you all the graces you need to overcome your doubts.

O Mother most pure, guide me in dangers, enlighten me in doubts, strengthen me in temptation, and help me to bear the crosses of life in union with your Son, so that one day, with you, I might share His glory. Amen.

 

[joeybaggz]

So basically, my question is what makes you wake up every day and believe in what you do?

Because I believe in myself and the God in whose image I am wonderfully made. I am made by my God to be intelligent, creative, compassionate, just, merciful, and loving. And I am made to experience joy. That’s the image I’m made in, and you are too.

Here’s a slightly different thought. The confusion life is placing in front of you now is offering you choices and options that many people don’t face until later in life. And that may be a blessing in disguise. The old saying, “tough times don’t last, tough people do” may be operative for you. If you reach down inside and find all the good that you possess, you can make those choices to become educated, to become a person of value with solid personally chosen moral values, to become creative, productive, and loving. Your situation right now may be offering you an opportunity to become far more mature than others your age because you have had to deal with lousy situations that others don’t contend with because life is “rosy”. See in yourself a reflection of that loving and creative God who made you; then pick a religion that allows you to best express that relationship with Him.

All of us are human, and that means we don’t have instincts, we must live by understanding our situation and our alternatives, and make choices. Make good ones.

God Bless

 

[SaintNobody]

I am religious because I want to be happy. God created me and he wants me to be happy and he knows what it takes to do that. Therefore, I do what God tells me because I know that he cares about me and wants me to be happy. It’s true that every life has suffering in it. God transforms that suffering to make it something beautiful, so that even in pain, there is always a silver lining, a glint of hope.

If you’re life is spiraling downward, you are following the wrong pattern (well, duh, I’m sure you know that). Being religious is like following a different pattern. It takes you away from all the garbage that leads to personal dysfunction: selfishness, drunkenness, drugs, sex, instant gratification, etc. Faith challenges you to not just be a “decent” human being (which anyone can be) to a HOLY human being. That holiness, that sense of wonder at the beauty and immense love of God is what drives people. It’s what makes them happy in dark times. You get away from all the junk in your life so that you don’t lose that sense of beauty and love. We all desire that spark of divinity in our souls, even if we don’t call it by that.

 

[llama5000]

From what you’ve posted, I think the first sentence above could be a sufficient reason. If life without religion is not to your liking, better get religion!

For me, it’s:

1. Miracles in my own life
2. Answered prayers that defy coincidence
3. Historical evidence
4. Philosophical arguments
5. Personal calling to the church

But really, I think it all comes down to how you want to live. You’ve gotten tastes of life with and without religion, and you seem to prefer with. So let me turn your question around – what is holding you back from faith?

God bless!

As I said in the first post, just a lack of motivation to believe. It bothers me how God is so direct in some peoples lives (or so they claim), but I feel like my prayers go unawnsered.

Either way, I thank everyone who has replied here.

 

[NaturalEnquirer]

As I said in the first post, just a lack of motivation to believe. It bothers me how God is so direct in some peoples lives (or so they claim), but I feel like my prayers go unawnsered.

Either way, I thank everyone who has replied here.

God reveals himself very differently to different people. Some people feel a very close level of communication with Him, some don’t.

May I ask, what religion were you a part of, before it started fading?

 

[Tietjen]

If your understanding insists that the alternative to presuming God designed the universe is presuming that everything happens happened by luck - then your understanding betrays you.

Betrays me in what way? LOL My understanding is either that the universe was created/designed by the hand of God or that it was simply chance. I choose to believe that God created the universe, as the only other alternative is simply too ridiculous to believe.

Not a single credible Atheist or Scientist will ever insist that the universe (with or without the hand of a God/s) came about through ‘chance’ or 'luck.

Then pray tell how do “credible” atheists believe that the universe (and everything within and outside) came into being? How does an atheist logically explain matter simply “coming into existence” from nothing? How do atheists logically explain ALL the delicate and intrical processes that work in order to sustain life (plant and animal)? How does an atheist explain thoughts, ideas, imaginations - what they are & where they come from? You appear to be suggesting that there is yet another option beyond the two that I gave (God or chance). Please, enlighten me as to this third option and how it makes sense answering the questions I asked above.

That’s all.

What’s all?

And the sincere answer as to why anyone believes what they do is ultimately conviction. For whatever reason.

Conviction brought about by grace. God bless you.

 

[Skavau]

Tietjen:

Betrays me in what way? LOL My understanding is either that the universe was created/designed by the hand of God or that it was simply chance.

Betrays you in that it is false. There is an almost infinitude of possibilities for the origin of the universe.

Tietjen:

Then pray tell how do “credible” atheists believe that the universe (and everything within and outside) came into being?

A lot do not insist that the universe came into being at all. I am one of those.

Tietjen:

How does an atheist logically explain matter simply “coming into existence” from nothing?

An Atheist doesn’t because more often than not, a lot of Atheists do not defy ex nihilo, nihil fit.

Tietjen:

How do atheists logically explain ALL the delicate and intrical processes that work in order to sustain life (plant and animal)?

Atheists per se don’t. Scientists (who may or may not be Atheists) do, and are doing a very good job at it.

Your explanation is equivalent to simply making up an answer.

Tietjen:

How does an atheist explain thoughts, ideas, imaginations - what they are & where they come from?

Us.

Tietjen:

You appear to be suggesting that there is yet another option beyond the two that I gave (God or chance). Please, enlighten me as to this third option and how it makes sense answering the questions I asked above.

The third option (my) standpoint is that the universe is infinite. It was never created and it has always been.

Tietjen:

What’s all?

That is all I had to say.

 

[rciadan]

As I said in the first post, just a lack of motivation to believe. It bothers me how God is so direct in some peoples lives (or so they claim), but I feel like my prayers go unawnsered.

Either way, I thank everyone who has replied here.

St. John of the Cross felt the same way for a long time. He called it “the dark night of the soul”. Mother Theresa’s memiors betray the same, that there were long periods when she did not fell God’s immediate presence. You are in good company. You are feeling a lot of pain right now, and just as Jesus Christ Himself cried out on the cross and said, “My God, why hast thou forsaken me!?”, so are there times when we must share that pain.
There is good reason for it and it will become apparent in time. Faith is not “feeling Him”. Faith is deciding to believe HIm and acting accordingly. This is the faith that was counted to Abraham as righteousness.
No, it is not easy. Yes it hurts. I wish I could make it not so. Trust the God that sent His only begotten Son. Work with Him and allow time for Him to heal the wounds you have been forced to suffer. He can and will do so, and you will be stronger and better for it in the end.
Remember that God has great things in store for those who “persevere to the end”! Also remember that, on these forums, you have a “cloud of witnesses” coming to your aid in the form of prayer and intercession. I think I can speak for all when I say we love you in the name of Jesus Christ, Savior of the World.

 

[Tietjen]

Betrays you in that it is false. There is an almost infinitude of possibilities for the origin of the universe.

And yet you neglect to name even one.

A lot do not insist that the universe came into being at all. I am one of those.

Then you also oppose science. So, let me get this straight. You neither believe in God, nor do you believe in science. All your knowledge on this issue then comes from where exactly.

Atheists per se don’t. Scientists (who may or may not be Atheists) do, and are doing a very good job at it.

No a Scientist stalls the ultimate answer to the question. For example a scientist when asked what causes a heart to beat, might answer, "an electrical impulse produced in the brain. This leaves the questioner asking what causes the electrical impulse? to which the scientist will simply answer with another single layer reply. However, when you strip away all those layers, a scientist cannot explain the overall cause.

Your explanation is equivalent to simply making up an answer.

LOL - Let us examine that. I believe that there is a God who has designed an ordered universe. I believe that God maintains His creations. You on the other hand have said you do not believe in this God. Additionally, you do not even share the views of science (concerning the creation of the universe). You form your opinion based on??? Apple Sauce? Stale bread? What exactly? And then you say that MY “explanation is equivalent to simply making up an answer?” LOL okay.

Us.

Okay stay with me here… yes I acknowledge that we “have” thoughts, ideas, imaginations. But where did they come from? What causes tiny electric impulses in the brain to convert energy into a non-physical substance such as a thought? How can something so vastly complicated as this (which we rarely even think about as we go through our day) happen so many thousands of times a day without there being a God who designed and maintains it?

The third option (my) standpoint is that the universe is infinite. It was never created and it has always been.

Again, science does not even say this. How did you come to this particular conclusion?

 

[Skavau]

Tietjen:

And yet you neglect to name even one.

Here we go. Thor created the universe.

It is exactly the same as declaring God created the universe.

Tietjen:

Then you also oppose science. So, let me get this straight. You neither believe in God, nor do you believe in science. All your knowledge on this issue then comes from where exactly.

Ex nihilo, nihil fit.

And where does science oppose what I said?

Tietjen:

No a Scientist stalls the ultimate answer to the question. For example a scientist when asked what causes a heart to beat, might answer, "an electrical impulse produced in the brain. This leaves the questioner asking what causes the electrical impulse? to which the scientist will simply answer with another single layer reply. However, when you strip away all those layers, a scientist cannot explain the overall cause.

Neither can everyone. You can go back an infinitude and ask “What caused the conditions for abiogenesis?” or “What caused the causes of abiogenesis?” Ultimately, you will receive no explanation.

Everything ultimately is arbitrary.

Tietjen:

LOL - Let us examine that. I believe that there is a God who has designed an ordered universe. I believe that God maintains His creations.

Yes. You believe in that. There is no evidence for this supposition.

Tietjen:

You on the other hand have said you do not believe in this God. Additionally, you do not even share the views of science (concerning the creation of the universe).

What are you talking about? Science does not say the universe was created.

Tietjen:

Okay stay with me here… yes I acknowledge that we “have” thoughts, ideas, imaginations. But where did they come from?

Us. Again.

Tietjen:

What causes tiny electric impulses in the brain to convert energy into a non-physical substance such as a thought? How can something so vastly complicated as this (which we rarely even think about as we go through our day) happen so many thousands of times a day without there being a God who designed and maintains it?

I’m not a biologist. Why do you not just ask a biologist? I am sure they can answer a large sum (if not all) of the above.

Tietjen:

Again, science does not even say this. How did you come to this particular conclusion?

Something cannot come from nothing.

 

[NaturalEnquirer]

Everything ultimately is arbitrary.

Unless, of course, there is an objective reality underlying our universe.

What are you talking about? Science does not say the universe was created.

Of course it does. Space and time came into existence in a singularity, some billions of years ago (I forget the exact time – 20 billion? 30 billion? Something like that). Spacetime started expanding very rapidly. Last I knew, there was insufficient mass in the universe to stop and reverse that expansion, which clobbers the idea of a Big Bang/Big Crunch cycle.

So where did the singularity come from? Obviously this is stepping a bit beyond science into speculation, since no experimentation is possible. The only guess I’ve heard is vacuum fluctuations, which begs the question – where did the framework contaning the vacuum come from?

**Tietjen: **

What causes tiny electric impulses in the brain to convert energy into a non-physical substance such as a thought? How can something so vastly complicated as this (which we rarely even think about as we go through our day) happen so many thousands of times a day without there being a God who designed and maintains it?

Skavau:

I’m not a biologist. Why do you not just ask a biologist? I am sure they can answer a large sum (if not all) of the above.

This isn’t really a biological question, but a philosophical one. If our brains are nothing but very complex physical objects, there is nothing driving them except physics – in other words, non-rational processes.
A chain of thought can only reach a valid conclusion if every preceding link in the chain is rational.
If the first link in the thought process is no more rational than “5 meV jumped from neuron A to neuron B”, then how can our thoughts be rational?
Since the entire discussion presupposes that our thoughts are, indeed, rational, there must be something besides non-rational processes at the root of our thoughts.

This is an abbreviated version of CS Lewis’s argument from reason, in Miracles. Excellent book - he does a good job on Hume, who you referred to in an earlier thread. You might want to skim through it some time.

Something cannot come from nothing.

Not quite true, but pretty close.

 

[rciadan]

I think that the last few posts belong in a different forum.

 

[NaturalEnquirer]

I think that the last few posts belong in a different forum.

Why? Which forum?

 

[mark_a]

Convert from atheism here who is coming into full communion with the Catholic Church this Easter Vigil. I suffered from the same doubts that you have for similar reasons: with so much evil in this world can there be an all-loving God?

I struggled for years with that question, lapsing into atheism from the Lutheran faith I was (somewhat) raised into. Eventually I met and fell in love with the most wonderful Catholic woman who opened my eyes to the value of faith in one’s life. I still fought against the idea of a God, but read broadly about spirituality. I even practiced Theravada Buddhism for a time.

I attended mass with my wife for about two years before my own conversion. I can still remember the day it happened–it was one of my first days in the hospital on a pediatric intensive care unit as a medical student. My first patient ever assigned to me was a 6 month old infant female ravaged by a congenital infection that left her severely brain damaged and barely able to breath on her own. She was definitely unaware of her surroundings and barely surviving, but I was overwhelmed immediately by the immense value of her human life even in that state. I knew that even if she was struggling in this world that eventually she would find a place of happiness.

I went home that night and cried, replaying the events for my wife. That planted a seed in my soul that we were all created for a purpose with inherent worth and dignity by a God who has never been disproved by science. I read about Catholicism voraciously and found the intellectual underpinnings of the faith to be far greater than I ever imagined. Since then I’ve been on a journey into the church that has lasted about 9 months and will finally culminate in Confirmation and First Eucharist next month!

I hope that you find the support and answers that you seek here amongst friends and my prayers will go out for you.

Thanks for posting your story.