Crisis of Faith? HELP!

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Walterross

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I know ya’ll have probably read through a ton of these but I would appreciate if you’d stop to read mine. I am not feeling God’s presence at all, really. I attend university and it’s commonly accepted that we got here through evolution. My local church recently did a seminar about how we’re supposed to take Genesis as fact. I struggle with the two sides because obviously the church is going to be biased and so are the scientists. The idea of creation has puzzled me as well. If I accept that Adam and Eve were actual beings, that were the common ancestors of all, how did the human race expand when scientifically, populations need to be a lot bigger in order to expand (I think around 60,000 is the number but I may be completely wrong). Also, even if expansion was possible, wouldn’t it be incest? Obviously adam and eve would need a lot of children and if they were to expand further, there would be inter-family sexual interactions. If we are to take Genesis as fact, don’t we take into account the outcomes of incest such as mental disabilities or birth defects? I’ve also noticed that catholicism and christianity has a lot of “cop-outs”. Let me explain. For example, if God is silent, “it’s probably something we’re doing. We may be pushing him away.” Or why God allows evil to exist, is “because of our free will.” Or when questions are asked about why we should believe in God, how do we know the church isn’t trying to convince us of his existence to maintain power/control? With all of this confusion I’ve prayed and prayed that God would at least, if not reveal his existence, let me feel his presence. I’ve been disappointed a lot. I wonder if he’s being silent like in the book of Job but then it seems like many people are Job. I WANT to believe so much. I want to know that we’re living for something and that we’re not here by mistake or chance. I wonder if the big bang theory is true as many respected scholars believe. Why would that just occur? Out of nowhere? This makes me think God caused it but wouldn’t that theory contradict the story of creation and Adam and Eve? I don’t want to lose my faith but I feel like catholicism wants me to “blind-faith” my way through God’s everlasting silence and it hurts because I sacrifice many things for God and I don’t even feel him by my side…
 
Also, I do realize that I will receive many catholic biased answers here but I just want someone to be real with me. I don’t mean to attack the faith by any means, but I want it to make sense. Please… thoughts anyone?
 
Have you ever read the catechism and studied what the Church actually teaches on these topics?
 
Try not to base your belief on feelings. Feelings can be fleeting and deceptive. God exists whether you feel His presence or not.
This Catholic Answers article on Adam, Eve, & Evolution is a good place to start learning about what the Church teaches about evolution.
 
I’m in a similar boat my friend I’ve been struggling with evolution or literal genesis and to be honest I don’t know.I really desperately want to by i simply don’t know.But what i do know is that God is true and his church is real.Ive struggled with horrible sin that I hated but no matter what I did I couldn’t escape it but when I went to confession a weight was lifted and I was finally free.Temptation is constant but so is Gods mercy and I can attest to that truth which is God is real.Feeligs come and go but God is truth.He never said my people perish for lack of feeling or sensing his presence but that my people perish for lack of knowledge so when our feelings come and go we can hold onto that truth which is Jesus Christ and his Holy Catholic Church.Ive learned a lot in the single year of being a serious catholic and I while I struggle with this problem I can have trust that God will not abandon me and that he loves me and that it’s true.I may not figure out which one is right but I know that God is real and that is he isn’t then nothing not even science makes sense because science cannot explain the gap between man and animal and science cannot explain the immaterial and that without God science doesn’t make sense or at least why everything has an order and that everything is in tune with everything else except man in his fallen nature.
 
To be honest, I don’t know where to find the catechism. I’ve seen many books for sale but I don’t know if they differ in any way. I’ve also seen that there’s a website, but is that the actual source? Sorry if these are stupid questions.
 
See same here. But I find it hard to keep on believing just “knowing” that God exists even though he doesn’t even seem to do anything anymore. I don’t know.
 
I will check this out. I’m expecting bias but I will read it regardless. Thank you a bunch!
 
God is getting ready and even if it doesn’t look like He’s doing anything remember Noah and how it appeared God would do nothing and then the flood had occurred.He does everyday when a sinner converts and only a miracle from God had converted me from a extremely lukewarm and sinful life and the changes I’ve made in my life is proof of God for me.Ive had my own doubts but when I know in my heart of hearts that God exists.Keep pushing and keep going remember the persecuted before and how hard it could have been for them to believe as their brothers and sisters were slaughtered and even their children were slaughtered for their faith and though it seemed like God did nothing God was always there for them consoling they in their pain and strengthening them.Sometimes we need to relax and to turn off the phones and the tv and simply rest.Resting in God is what helps me through those periods of doubt and give me strength.
 
I must say your faith is somewhat reassuring. But I guess I’m still pretty skeptical. I guess I don’t look to the bible for much inspiration anymore because I don’t know if the book is really true in its historical context.
 
According to textual criticism I believe it’s called, the Bible or more specifically the New Testament is one of the most historically accurate documents of the ancient world.The apostles lived with Jesus for three years.Would you trust your best friend of three years to write a book about how you two loved together in those three years even if it’s several years after the fact.Even then there are 500 witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus which is not in the Bible.A Roman historian also accounts of people saying Jesus resurrected from the dead or the story of Paul’s conversion or any of the saints throughout history.Sometimes it feels like God only cared in the first couple thousand years but if you look at the Saints you see God working throughout history even up to the present and is still working today.Dont lose hope and look to the saints for inspiration in your time of doubt and know that all Catholics and non Catholics have gone through the same thing.
 
I understand the proofs you’re using. I used to use them too but I’ve wondered, how do we know there are that many witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection? Is there any evidence of his miracles at all? I know there’s a lot of evidence for Jesus’ existence and many historians say his existence is undeniable, but are his miracles? And how exactly is HE the one doing anything if it’s the Saints who seem to be doing all the work? I can go and assume inspiration, I suppose but it seems like another “cop-out” for God’s silence (or non-existence). I will try my best to do some more research on this and keep praying even though I’m unsure if I’m even heard. Thank you so much for your help.
 
Good evening Walter. While reading your post two things came to my mind. I’m not sure if they will be helpful but I will share anyway.
The first think that popped into my head was how intelligent some people are and I am not one of them. I’m just a cradle catholic who loves Jesus. I must admit though, the questions you have were years ago also my questions but, I guess for me anyway that’s where faith comes in. Sometimes I take the bible literally and sometimes I don’t but I do know for sure that God hears every beating of your heart and He knows all the questions you have.
The second thing that grabbed hold of this aging brain is to share with you a profound prayer I was led to about a year ago.
Here is the link:


I will keep you in my prayers tonight. I wish you God’s peace.
 
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