I just can't believe in god

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not all of us are at the same place in our faith.

for some of us, it doesn’t take too much to cause a setback.

the important thing to remember is to shake it off and get back in the game again.

the devil wants to keep us down and confused and without faith and despairing.

i like to pray to st. michael and i also like the 91st psalm.

when you feel down curtis, read the psalms, pray to st. michael, read about a particular saint and how they suffered and the trials they went through in our lifetime.

remember, God is on YOUR side!!
 
Curtis~
The very fact that you are on this forum tells me that you are on a spiritual journey and that is wonderful. Even our greatest saints had moments of doubt about the existence of God.
" Faith reflection leads one deeper into the sacred space within where answers must find peace with the soul’s reality."
Code: 
 Someone once said that many people miss heaven by 12 inches - the approximate distance between your head and your heart.  Faith resides in one's heart; not one's intellect.

Perhaps the best prayer we can say is:  Lord, help my unbelief.
I will keep you in my prayers.

Chloe
 
nuntym said:
sigh It really gets tiring to hear atheists or agnostics, or even Christians, say that Christians think to have a “monopoly on decency” or a “monopoly on morals” or a “monopoly on ethics.” We don’t.
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nuntym:

I know you don’t need to hear it, but my ability to live a moral life was brought into question by someone else.

I therefore had to set the record straight. Thanks for your post by the way. Very thoughtful.

Best,

Tor
 
Curtis,

There are three books that you might find helpful in your quest. These are the titles I would propose:

Antony Flew, “There is a god: How the world’s most notorious atheist changed his mind”(2007) which contains an interesting appendix “The ‘New Atheism’: A Critical appraisal of Dawkins, Dennett, Wolpert, Harris, and Strenger.” Flew was a professor of philosophy in England. In 1950 he presented a paper to the Socratic Club at Oxford University in which he set the parameters for the debate about atheism for the next fifty years. He consistently maintained his atheistic stance throughout his career. Recently, based on new scientific evidence, he changed his mind! His god is similar to Aristotle’s in The Metaphysics.

John Polkinghorne, “Belief in God in an Age of Science” (1998). Polkinghorne is a mathematical physicist who is also an ordained minister of the Church of England. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society. He teaches at Cambridge University.

Keith Ward, “God: A guide for the Perplexed”(2008). Professor Ward teaches at Oxford University. His book covers all the bases, including St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. He also discusses Hegel, Feuerbach, Marx, Nietzsche, Heidegger and Kiergaard, Wittgenstein and Paul Tillich. This is a demanding book but it is written in non-technical language and is quite funny in places. I recommend it!

Hope these may be of some use to you.

bconverse@sympatico.ca
 
curtishouse29 said:
I have tried so hard over the past ten years to believe in god; specifically the christian god but I just can’t. To believe in something, I need to be able to verify it with at least one of the five senses that god supposedly blessed us with and/or indisputable archeological/historical evidence.

I can’t just believe in something because everybody around me does; I am just not wired that way. I would love to believe and have faith in god but no evidence points in that direction.

I have looked at previous answers here on the boards so please don’t use the “how do you know that you exist?” argument. I guess if blind faith is what it takes to be saved and the christian god exists, I’ll just be outta luck. There, however, is no proof that I have ever seen for the existance of god, satan, heaven, hell, or anything else of that nature.

Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence and that is completely lacking in my opinion. I hope not too many people jump all over at once for this post. Take care.

-Curtis
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I think your wanting to believe in God, even though you feel like you know he doesn’t exist, is evidence in and of itself of God. You’re finding yourself at the edge, but the truth is, you’d still want to search for Him (or at least, that’s what I think you’d do.) Just ask yourself why you’d do that, as only you and God absolutely know why.
 
This is my first time doing these “threads” and I’m not sure I understand what it is I’m doing - I’m in a dark place right now; having difficulty believing that God loves me - I’ve had people and family who were in my life walk away over the last few months because of misunderstandings; I can’t see that difference of their love versus God’s love. I’ve tried to hard to ‘get’ people to love me and all it did was hurt. I lost my parents when I was young; I’m 55 today and that pain still feels just as bad today as it did then. I once was in love with Jesus and believed in my faith, but it has waned and I’m just lost.
 
There are no two people in this world on the same spiritual level, we are all at different stages of it.
 
justarmy - are you in the military? do you have a religious background?

God definitely loves you, you can believe that!!
 
deborahaz said:
justarmy - are you in the military? do you have a religious background?

God definitely loves you, you can believe that!!
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Deborahaz, I spent 30 years with the military, I’ve retired but still work as a civilian for the miltary. I’ve suffered from post traumatic stress from the working condition (never deployed, but provided support from U.S.) Our office coordinates funerals for soldiers killed in action from our state. I grew up catholic, left it for a few decades, re-entered when I had a breakdown a few years ago and have fallen away again. just feel lost.
 
it sounds like you have had a life of struggle. may i ask what brought you back to your faith?

i lost my parents when i was young also and did not go to church for many years. i didn’t stop believing in God, i was just living my life.

i recently converted to the Catholic faith and i am trying to rely on God more now than in the past.
 
deborahaz said:
it sounds like you have had a life of struggle. may i ask what brought you back to your faith?

i lost my parents when i was young also and did not go to church for many years. i didn’t stop believing in God, i was just living my life.

i recently converted to the Catholic faith and i am trying to rely on God more now than in the past.
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When I had a breakdown at work, I was out of work for a month and a half; a friend suggested I go back to the church and I did, made a full confession (after being away for 30+ years); upon return, I was on an upswing for a couple of years and have collapsed again. I just can’t seem to hang in there, follow through with commitment; I had committed 30 years of my life to the military, provided 24/7 support to my last boss who was fired for indescretions. The old boss was just horrible; I had no life except the job; i’m pulling away and feel my feet are up in the air. want to pray, don’t want to pray; want to be still, don’t want to be still.
 
first of all, thank you so much for you sacrifice of 30 years to the military.

that is some accomplishment!!!

your last job must have been difficult working with the funeral for the soldiers killed in action.

my faith is probably not where it should be, but i don’t expect to be 100% all of the time. i have my peaks and valleys too.

do you pray to st. michael or read any of the psalms?

do they have any VA counseling where you are located?
 
deborahaz said:
first of all, thank you so much for you sacrifice of 30 years to the military.

that is some accomplishment!!!

your last job must have been difficult working with the funeral for the soldiers killed in action.

my faith is probably not where it should be, but i don’t expect to be 100% all of the time. i have my peaks and valleys too.

do you pray to st. michael or read any of the psalms?

do they have any VA counseling where you are located?
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Thank you for your kind words; my old boss was instrumental in pushing my records through for retirement and I got processed out. He had my retirement awards and never gave them to me. My new boss found them in one of the closets. So I’ve allowed that situation to sour me on a 30 year career. Just feels like it meant nothing.
This war is taking a toll on many, so many lives affected; but this is my job, I’m not a soldier anymore, but this is my job. Each death we handled just made me push away from wanting to feel anything anymore.
I have the St. Michael prayer on my desk, a crucifix and I wear a cross.
I’m trying to find out if I can get VA assistance. I think I scared my pastor at the church I used to go to; because I told him like it is with me; he sees it black and white “God loves you, what don’t you understand about it”. I see things in grey.
I believed, I’m afraid I’m headed for another breakdown.
 
well, if it helps, i know where you are coming from as i have been through many rough roads myself. i envy people where there faith seems so cut and dry to them. it makes me feel insecure, like i am doing something wrong that i can’t depend on my belief in God like they do.

i think faith is not the same for everyone unfortunately. for some people it comes easier than for others.

i like psalm 91 and a lot of the psalms are comforting.

you sound like you have post traumatic stress syndrome which i also suffer from, not because i was in the military, but from other things.

so it is not your fault that you are feeling this way. don’t blame yourself.
 
JustArmy said:
Thank you for your kind words; my old boss was instrumental in pushing my records through for retirement and I got processed out. He had my retirement awards and never gave them to me. My new boss found them in one of the closets. So I’ve allowed that situation to sour me on a 30 year career. Just feels like it meant nothing.
This war is taking a toll on many, so many lives affected; but this is my job, I’m not a soldier anymore, but this is my job. Each death we handled just made me push away from wanting to feel anything anymore.
I have the St. Michael prayer on my desk, a crucifix and I wear a cross.
I’m trying to find out if I can get VA assistance. I think I scared my pastor at the church I used to go to; because I told him like it is with me; he sees it black and white “God loves you, what don’t you understand about it”. I see things in grey.
I believed, I’m afraid I’m headed for another breakdown.
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Fight that breakdown, dont let it happen, I know its hard, I been thru it too. Sometime the world seems really really dark, & it is, sometimes it is very hard to go on. You are young yet man,have a ways to go , dont let darkness consume U, I myself have grabbed on to Christ very strong & that is what is helping me make it. This is a world where it seems like nobody cares. Do Yu attend Church, if not, do!there are some beautiful inspirational people in church, by their example , they may help you
 
deborahaz said:
well, if it helps, i know where you are coming from as i have been through many rough roads myself. i envy people where there faith seems so cut and dry to them. it makes me feel insecure, like i am doing something wrong that i can’t depend on my belief in God like they do.

i think faith is not the same for everyone unfortunately. for some people it comes easier than for others.

i like psalm 91 and a lot of the psalms are comforting.

you sound like you have post traumatic stress syndrome which i also suffer from, not because i was in the military, but from other things.

so it is not your fault that you are feeling this way. don’t blame yourself.
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You can just see love and peace in those that are close to God; it’s SO evident. I know that I have to do the work - to make time to pray - to make time to be still; I just don’t want to do it. For many years I was a victim, and that’s comfortable; being strong is not one of my best strengths right now. I gave so much, emotionally, physically, and all that effort was ripped out from under me. I am the one holding me back. But where I am may be safe because I know it, but it hurts like heck.
 
Methodi said:
Fight that breakdown, dont let it happen, I know its hard, I been thru it too. Sometime the world seems really really dark, & it is, sometimes it is very hard to go on. You are young yet man,have a ways to go , dont let darkness consume U, I myself have grabbed on to Christ very strong & that is what is helping me make it. This is a world where it seems like nobody cares. Do Yu attend Church, if not, do!there are some beautiful inspirational people in church, by their example , they may help you
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I don’t have the fight left in me and it’s obvious that I need to reach out to the Lord for help. But what do you do if you held on because you knew it was the only way to get through life, and then you slowly slip away. I stopped going to church in July. Made a new habit of staying away. There’s things inside me I know I have to do, but I just don’t want to do them anymore. I’m tired of trying to figure this out.
 
yes, unfortunately, i am finding that the older i get, the harder it is to bounce back from life’s setbacks.

i have been on a 7 year setback that has been pretty devastating. trying to get back on your feet is very hard.

i have to leave for a little bit, so if i don’t get back on here for an hour or so, you will know why.

hang in there!!
 
deborahaz said:
yes, unfortunately, i am finding that the older i get, the harder it is to bounce back from life’s setbacks.

i have been on a 7 year setback that has been pretty devastating. trying to get back on your feet is very hard.

i have to leave for a little bit, so if i don’t get back on here for an hour or so, you will know why.

hang in there!!
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Deborahaz - thank you for your time, maybe we can talk tomorrow; I would look forward to it; maybe we can get through this with each other’s help. I need to get some sleep.
Blessings to you
 
blessings to you also. yes, sleep is important when you are going through tough times!!!

you can try to PM me if you like tomorrow.
 
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