I am not satisfied?

[filter2700]

I was raised catholic and am becoming disturbed by the things of this world that I witness. In my young adulthood I have seen what I would call the corrupted culture of my youth. However I hear intellectuals like Richard Dawkins tell me everything is an evolutionary change with no real meaning, and that questions such as “why?” are senseless. I cant help but feel desperation in my soul, that this cannot possibly be. People are really behaving in ways to bring about pleasure over principle or reason. I am absolutely shocked with this insight into reality; has our humanity been reduced to a spontaneous burst of chance? Are we nothing more than these walking DNA creatures deciding our own fate? I know there are people almost numb in regards to morality. even my own peers. I have seen possible loves of my life give into whatever God it is they think they want. Attention, money, image, fame. This can’t be real, sometimes I don’t think I can cope. The fall of us is unbearable, I see lost souls, hollow shells of people who don’t know any better give into what all this world says is true. I want to tell them to wake up, but then I question even myself, how do I know anything? I must be crazy… How has this beauty become such a tragedy?

So I wonder why God, and where are you? Why is it so hard to find you, why is life such a struggle? What about it all is supposed to make the pain worth suffering?

 

[JRKH]

I was raised catholic and am becoming disturbed by the things of this world that I witness. In my young adulthood I have seen what I would call the corrupted culture of my youth. However I hear intellectuals like Richard Dawkins tell me everything is an evolutionary change with no real meaning, and that questions such as “why?” are senseless. I cant help but feel desperation in my soul, that this cannot possibly be. People are really behaving in ways to bring about pleasure over principle or reason. I am absolutely shocked with this insight into reality; has our humanity been reduced to a spontaneous burst of chance? Are we nothing more than these walking DNA creatures deciding our own fate? I know there are people almost numb in regards to morality. even my own peers. I have seen possible loves of my life give into whatever God it is they think they want. Attention, money, image, fame. This can’t be real, sometimes I don’t think I can cope. The fall of us is unbearable, I see lost souls, hollow shells of people who don’t know any better give into what all this world says is true. I want to tell them to wake up, but then I question even myself, how do I know anything? I must be crazy… How has this beauty become such a tragedy?

So I wonder why God, and where are you? Why is it so hard to find you, why is life such a struggle? What about it all is supposed to make the pain worth suffering?

God be with you this blessed Christmas season.

The Holy Spirit is strong in you as evidenced by your questions and your sorrow at what you see. Hold on to this and know that God is near.

I cannot answer your questions other than to offer my poor opinion and the small insights that God has offered me over the years.

So I wonder why God

Because God is the source of our being and we need him. You say above that you have seen people, “…give into whatever God it is they think they want. Attention, money, image, fame.” So it seems that we as humans must recognize a “god” - it’s just a matter of which one we choose.

and where are you?

Right next to you.

Why is it so hard to find you,

That which we attain too easily, we value to little (to paraphrase Thomas Paine )
Very often our struggles finding God are due to our own failures. But our God is both patient and understanding.

why is life such a struggle?

Often it is so because we try to “know” too much. We are restless and dissatisfied. We want more than is really good for us. We do not take the time to rest in the Lord and so we become worn out - physically and spiritually. At such times we are more susceptible to temptations of doubt.

What about it all is supposed to make the pain worth suffering?

Love - that is the core. All that we do, all that we are, and all that we suffer must be for, in, from, and because of Agape Love. Love is the perfection we are called to and the more we love, the more we will suffer at seeing the many who choose the wrong path.
Prayer is our means of salving that pain. Prayer and trust in God.

I fear the above is little solace to you right now, but know that God IS near and that His will for you is Joy in Him.

Peace
James

 

[GaryTaylor]

I was raised catholic and am becoming disturbed by the things of this world that I witness. In my young adulthood I have seen what I would call the corrupted culture of my youth. However I hear intellectuals like Richard Dawkins tell me everything is an evolutionary change with no real meaning, and that questions such as “why?” are senseless. I cant help but feel desperation in my soul, that this cannot possibly be. People are really behaving in ways to bring about pleasure over principle or reason. I am absolutely shocked with this insight into reality; has our humanity been reduced to a spontaneous burst of chance? Are we nothing more than these walking DNA creatures deciding our own fate? I know there are people almost numb in regards to morality. even my own peers. I have seen possible loves of my life give into whatever God it is they think they want. Attention, money, image, fame. This can’t be real, sometimes I don’t think I can cope. The fall of us is unbearable, I see lost souls, hollow shells of people who don’t know any better give into what all this world says is true. I want to tell them to wake up, but then I question even myself, how do I know anything? I must be crazy… How has this beauty become such a tragedy?

So I wonder why God, and where are you? Why is it so hard to find you, why is life such a struggle? What about it all is supposed to make the pain worth suffering?

Its a paradox of every generation, yours isn’t unique, perhaps an argument could be made of which is better/worse. Just saying, don’t add any guilt to yourself you don’t own to complicate your own state of mind.

Yes, we have a good deal of the numbed walking around. The views of morality/mortality certainly vary. And many don’t think about it I would imagine. These are questions people come to in time by necessity at some point. The question is in relation to the value of life. It doesn’t appear to be of much value, does it? But, wouldn’t most agree that regardless of the thinking of mortal-immortal, the value and sanctity of life should always be valued. But if you don’t think it has much value, or the dictator of the year determines what the value is today, how can we value the sanctity of life. It would certainly have no global meaning with morality.

 

[ClearWater]

I was raised catholic and am becoming disturbed by the things of this world that I witness. In my young adulthood I have seen what I would call the corrupted culture of my youth. However I hear intellectuals like Richard Dawkins tell me everything is an evolutionary change with no real meaning, and that questions such as “why?” are senseless. I cant help but feel desperation in my soul, that this cannot possibly be. People are really behaving in ways to bring about pleasure over principle or reason. I am absolutely shocked with this insight into reality; has our humanity been reduced to a spontaneous burst of chance? Are we nothing more than these walking DNA creatures deciding our own fate? I know there are people almost numb in regards to morality. even my own peers. I have seen possible loves of my life give into whatever God it is they think they want. Attention, money, image, fame. This can’t be real, sometimes I don’t think I can cope. The fall of us is unbearable, I see lost souls, hollow shells of people who don’t know any better give into what all this world says is true. I want to tell them to wake up, but then I question even myself, how do I know anything? I must be crazy… How has this beauty become such a tragedy?

So I wonder why God, and where are you? Why is it so hard to find you, why is life such a struggle? What about it all is supposed to make the pain worth suffering?

Excellent question! :clapping:

It seems that, for some reason, the suffering was absolutely necessary. The Creator of the universe knows more than we, bits of dust in the wind, on this. Although, to us, it seems inconceivable, there must be a reason, though it may go beyond our limited understanding.

Now, I try to trust that there is an explanation for all of this, and I try to accept that.

 

[ClearWater]

It seems that, in order to MANIFEST goodness, there had to exist evil.

Well, it’s just that good and evil are relative. Without evil, how can one express goodness?

How can one know light if one has never known the darkness?

How can one truly know joy if one has never known sorrow?

Pain and sadness, darkness, were necessary.

 

[ClearWater]

One time, Disney did a day honoring VILLAINS. It basically argued that, without a villain, you wouldn´t even have a story!

 

[JRKH]

One time, Disney did a day honoring VILLAINS. It basically argued that, without a villain, you wouldn´t even have a story!

That is most certainly a false argument…it presumes that one must have conflict in order to have a story…I do not hold to that idea.

Peace
James

 

[Sk217]

So I wonder why God, and where are you? Why is it so hard to find you, why is life such a struggle? What about it all is supposed to make the pain worth suffering?

Agree with JRKH, He is right next to you It’s just a lot of time we are blinded and deafen by our own understanding. Try to listen, try to see. Remember that it is God’s will be done, not ours.

Do you think you’ll learn something or you will be a better person when there’s no struggle?

Jesus told us to follow him we must take up our own cross. He never promised an easy life for us who follow him.

Hebrews 12:11-13
“Of course, any punishment is most painful at the time, and far from pleasant: but later, in those on whom it has been used, it bears fruit in peace and goodness. So hold up your limp arms and steady your trembling knees and smooth out the path you tread; then the injured limb will not be wrenched it, it will go strong again”

James 1:12
“Blessed is anyone who preserve when trials come. Such a person is of proven worth and will win the prize of life, the crown the Lord has promised to those who love Him”

The goal is eternal life!

 

[ClearWater]

That is most certainly a false argument…it presumes that one must have conflict in order to have a story…I do not hold to that idea.

Peace
James

Name one story that doesn´t have some kind of conflict…be it illness, something!

In story writing, don´t you need a “conflict” to have a story?

Name ONE story without a conflict.

 

[ClearWater]

In the Bible, when one man was blind, people asked why it was happening, whose fault it was. Christ said it wasn´t his fault, or his parents’ fault, but was happening in order to manifest God’s glory.

 

[ClearWater]

In story writing, no conflict…no story.

 

[JRKH]

Name one story that doesn´t have some kind of conflict…be it illness, something!

In story writing, don´t you need a “conflict” to have a story?

Name ONE story without a conflict.

Sure - the creation story. God created the world in seven days. Wonderfully orderly and no conflict. At the end of each of the seven “chapters” the conclusion is that it is good.

Also - just for the record…I would not classify “illness” as a conflict.

Peace
James

 

[ClearWater]

Sure - the creation story. God created the world in seven days. Wonderfully orderly and no conflict. At the end of each of the seven “chapters” the conclusion is that it is good.

Also - just for the record…I would not classify “illness” as a conflict.

Peace
James

I would.

 

[ClearWater]

Yes, touché, but without evil, there are certain qualities you can have, but be unable to manifest.

For example…how can you manifest light…without the possibility of darkness?

How can you manifest healing…without illness?

That´s what I was referring to.

Christ, through his suffering, manifested a kind of love that, without suffering, he probably wouldn´t have been able to manifest…at least not in that way.

How can you manifest goodness without the possibility of evil?

 

[ClearWater]

You can know you are goodness, light, joy, and the rest but, without the possibility of darknessness, sadness, evil, be unable to manifest it. Why? Because all these things are relative. In the absence of their opposites, in the past, or somewhere, they cease to exist.

 

[JRKH]

Clearwater -

What you say is true - I do not deny it. I simply object to the idea stated in the Disney reference that you cannot have a story without a villain. I once read a story about the building of the world trade center. Many challenges - but no villains. Great story - but no villains.

Just a thought…

Peace
James