How do you guys reconcile your faith with . .

[Mhkc]

I respect the dilemma. I too “came back tl catholic faith”. To me,I go, pluralism - the idea many ways less one way to God, doesn’t feed me anymore. In fact, if you just read that statement it’s almost an oxymoron? One of the most difficult things I’ve had about Catholic faith formation is the sense of Conformity and lack of individuality I seem to have experienced… But that was an arrogance Pride issue come to find out… And I admit that even though I’m a work on the virtues now and pursue the sacraments and definitely please send with the great fear of God… I’m still left with the awesome respect that God’s will Ken Trump all human will… Even if one is supposedly living highly Sanctified and Grace… I consider the fact that Jesus Christ the only begotten son was sent and then crucified? In other words if innocence and Truth itself can be subject to the absurdity of false witness in the crucifixion… Who am I to everything that sanctifying Grace means I will not suffer? And perhaps suffer grave grave grave Injustice? That’s just my personal reference for the fear of God

 

[tonyh12]

Might help some:

 

[gama232]

Source? 9 characters

 

[fhansen]

There’s really no reason to believe as you do, other than the fact that we all begin with doubt for all practical purposes, and are prone to look for excuses to continue to do so. Why, alternatively, can’t the Christian faith be based on divine revelation, with man gradually coming to understand as he’s ready and as it’s been unfolded to him?

 

[silentwitness]

Reason only takes man so far and the more you examine reason the more you understand it needs a framework.

In the absence of “all knowledge and understanding” that framework will be a construction based on faith whether that faith is based on God, materialism or something else.

 

[Maximus1]

I think you should develope some idea of what Catholics identify as God. Because if you begin with what it means that God is simple, unknowable, ineffable, unseen, and the other, you can appreciate better the history of mans attempts and evolution toward an understanding of metaphysical questions and phenomena they encountered. Working towards an understanding of what is.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

just honestly wondering how the people on this forum (many of whom seem to be pretty well educated) grapple with this point

I’m “well educated” and yet “well educated” has nothing to do with faith or belief and can even be a stumbling block if one’s education or intellectual prowess fosters pride and the turning away from God.

Jesus said we need to become like little children in order to reach the kingdom of God. He didn’t make an exception for highly educated people. Brain power or knowledge is a gift from God to be used to bring about good in the world. It can also be a cross from God if someone struggles with belief because they can’t get past their logical reasoning skills or their pride in realizing that they with their PhD may be spiritually behind somebody with basic literacy skills.

I was taught about God since I was very little. I constantly strive to approach God in the same way now that I’m old with an education. Apologetics gets you only so far. At some point you have to make a leap of faith, with God’s grace, to get you the rest of the way across the chasm. Prayer helps.

 

[sudy]

Will Jesus eventually be revealed to just be “another stage” on the way to a more refined understanding of the ultimate reality?

No. Jesus is the fulfillment of everything Scripture is leading us to. Jesus is God incarnate. People with free will can be wayward and it takes time to get to know God and become obedient to Him. Besides guidance and instruction of how to worship God, the Old Testament contains a series of foreshadowings and prophecies all pointing to Christ.

Scripture is about revealing truths rather than a list of historical events.

 

[gama232]

Catholics understand God to the extent humans can understand God. Jesus Christ became flesh and lived among us and taught us. God has no evolution, and no shade of changing. James 1:17

 

[EndTimes]

Regarding the historical record specifically here, how do you address it? I ask as a skeptic who wants to believe.

Thing is… FAITH as used by Jesus - is indeed something you should Seek…!

Why? It’s the Key which opens the Door into the Spiritual Realm.

I suggest you get to know Jesus via The Gospels to the best of your ability

Check this out: But Never in a mindset of Skepticism

Rather . Adopt the positive Assumptive… which may take a bit to understand …
as in: God? If you are real? Then Yes … You can hear me…

And Jump In - as if your are a Believer…

_

 

[silentwitness]

Personally I see the rise of biblical criticism coming out of 19th century Germany with a partisan anti Catholic bias taken up by 20th century socialists.

I do not find it a co-incidence that the National Socialists rose to power 2 to 3 generations later.

When comments are made about incorporated storm God’s by theologians I think about what politics they have as well as asking for very good evidence to assess their claims. Often the evidence is not very good but is meant to build a scaffold from which their politics can be pushed.

In short, I don’t trust theologians to be apolitical and unbiased without good evidence to the contrary.

 

[Maximus1]

Two different things God changing vs us evolving in understanding. I referenced the latter.

 

[Gorgias]

I find it difficult to believe Yahweh was originally a Caananite god.

Right. The OP’s objections fail (IMHO) because he’s conflating two distinct notions:

“Yahweh was originally a Canaanite storm and war god”
and
“The ancient Semites’ understanding of Yahweh was originally their conception of Him as a Canaanite storm and war god”.

Two very different concepts.

Conflating them leads to invalid conclusions.

 

[EndTimes]

In short, I don’t trust theologians to be apolitical and unbiased without good evidence to the contrary

Given that Today - not just a few Theologians / Theologies - are at each other’s throats,

one has to finally realize that some so-called theology has absolutely no agreement with Theo / God
_

 

[adamhovey1988]

I’m skeptical of the reasons you call yourself a skeptic. A skeptic would by definition have to hold an agnostic position on anything, not just God’s existence. You know, the sun might not really exist, scientists might be lying to you about that giant star you see during the day. There are people that believe the Moon is a hologram, it doesn’t make them right.