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Nickipod98

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My name is Nicolas I am 14 years old and I have been having doubts about gods existence
 
Nick,

Welcome.

check out this video: youtube.com/watch?v=fCQ5Uyjkat4&feature=plcp

Here is the link to all the series… Fra. Joseph Mary does an EXCELLENT job in these videos with breaking it down.

Here’s the link to all the videos… it’s 5 pages total and covers a large variety of subjects.

youtube.com/user/franciscanfriars/videos?query=No+Apologies

Keep in mind that feeling is not an indicator of existence.

I highly recommend everyone watch every single one of those videos. I’m making it my project to do so as well.
 
Nicki,

I do not know much about your life, so hopefully I can offer some encouraging thoughts that could help. I just want you to understand that even being a devout Christian does not guarantee that one will always feel God’s presence. Even though Mother Teresa served God with her whole heart and being by taking care of the poor, it was revealed after her death that she had not felt God’s presence for a great many years before her death. That did not stop her from serving, or loving God. Even Jesus Christ, who is God, hung on the cross and cried out to heaven “Lord, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus wondered where his Father was as he was dying on the cross. So, all that to say, if the founder of Christianity did not always feel God’s presence, then it is safe to assume that the followers of Christianity would experience such things also. That doesn’t mean we will never feel God’s presence, but just that there are times where our spirit feels dry, yet we must persevere and trust in God.

My question also was because even science points to the existence of God. One of the laws of thermodynamics (2nd?) is that something cannot come from nothing. So the universe cannot just bring itself into existence out of nothing. Something had to cause it, but what? It makes more sense that there is an intelligent being capable of bringing life into existence than by believing all this is by chance (have you seen that calculation!?).

Keep your chin up!
 
I guess so thank you and I will try to watch those videos as soon as I have free time
 
Nicolas,
WOW! You are a smart guy! I am sure you will come to realize God does exists, simply because you are searching in the right places. I think everyone has doubts at some point in our lives, you´re not the only one. But few at your age would search the internet for catholic forums, that indicates that you want true answers, not easy ones. And, our Lord did say, " I am the Way, the Truth and theLife" He is the TRUTH!!
The world`s a tough place to be right now, everything points in evry direction except to God… but YOU keep searching, read the New Testament, talk with a priest… and pray!
God Bless You!
 
Hello and welcome!!! I pray you find some answers to your questions here! :hug3:
 
Nickipod98 said:
Also it’s mainly because I just don’t feel his prescence
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Some of the greatest saints spent much or most of their lives feeling the absence of God’s presence. So don’t worry about that. :o At the end of the day, our feelings don’t really “count” so to speak.
 
Hello! Welcome to the forum - it’s great to meet you!

Without going into some deep theological thinking, maybe I can give a quick explination:

With Newton’s laws of physics, nothing moves unless it is acted upon. So, even if the big bang theory was true, someone would have to “pull the trigger.”
 
Welcome! Welcome!:clapping:
It’s great to have you here.
May God bless you and keep you. Amen.
jeannetherese
 
Nickipod98 said:
My name is Nicolas I am 14 years old and I have been having doubts about gods existence
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Sometimes doubts come as a test.

Sometimes doubts are a temptation.

Sometimes doubts can be the result of a sinful lifestyle. For example, a related effect of Lust is the denial of immortality and a necessary embrace of materialism.

I think something Fulton Sheen once wrote would be helpful:

The awful seriousness of the pagan centuries lay like a pall over mankind: All the genius of the Greek playwrights could not conceal the deep despair that filled the cramped hearts of those who found no greater meaning in the world than its own brittle beauty of color, line, and rhythmic harmony. Truth was the noblest master any pagan poet or philosospher had found to serve - but truth, when seen, appeared as loveless and impersonal.

The pagan’s sad despair heard, on the stillness of a winter breeze, the cry of the Babe. The great ones of the earth did not hear the cry, for they were occupied with the concerns of self. There were only two classes of people who heard that cry: shepherds and wise men. The shepherds represented those who know that they know nothing; and the wise men stood for those who know how little learning teaches us. The two kinds of simple-hearted pilgrims saw a Babe, and they saw It with a Divine sense of humor. They saw God through that human form. It was the Word, Who had become Emanuel, God with us.

And when the Babe grew in age and grace and wisdom, He went into the public lanes and marketplaces and began to teach a new doctrine: the doctrine of the Divine Sense of Humor. It could all be summed up in these words: “Nothing in this world is to be taken seriously - nothing except the salvation of a soul. The world, and the things that are in it, will one day be folded up like an Arab’s tent; you are not to live exclusively for this life.” It came as a shock to those who were taking the world seriously to hear Him, the God-Man, thunder out: “How is a man the better for it, if he gains the whole world at the cost of losing his own soul?”

There is only one place in Sacred Scripture where God is said to laugh: “He Who Dwells in Heaven is laughing at their threats, the Lord makes light of them” (Psalm 2:4). So when the materialist or atheist sets himself up as God, denying any dependence on a Creator, repudiating his need of a Savior to forgive his faults and sins, then he becomes so ridiculous as to provoke the laughter of God Himself…But while God laughs at the atheists, the saints and those who have a Divine sense of humor laugh at themselves. Their faith has taught them that this life is only a vestibule to the next and that everything in it is a kind of sacramental, leading the soul to God. They envisage the world as a scaffolding, up which sould climb to the Kingdom of God. When the last soul shall have climbed up it, the saffolding wil be torn down and burnt with fervent fire - not because it is base, but because it will have done its work of bringing us back again to God.

It may well be that on the Last Day, when the Good Lord comes to judge the living and the dead, He will give a very special gift to those who have not taken the world too seriously but have made every material thing in it a steppingstone to Heaven. To those who have not taken either themselves or the world too seriously - to those who have a Divine sense of humor - He will show His smile.
 
Nickipod98 said:
My name is Nicolas I am 14 years old and I have been having doubts about gods existence
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Nicolas,

God put in each of our hearts a deep desire to know Him. That’s why we even start looking for Him in the first place, because He placed that knowledge of Him in us. We all have it, it is something that sets us apart from animals and all of God’s wondrous creation. We are his ultimate creation, so to speak, which says a lot about us and a lot about God. We’re worth more than we realize.

God created us with the ability to communicate with Him but most times we have to figure it out. God, for instance, speaks to us in impressions or thoughts which are not related to what we’re thinking about at that moment. Suppose you’re thinking about hanging with your friends after school and all of a sudden you get a thought about something totally unrelated thing like obeying your parents for something you didn’t want to earlier. God might be trying to get you back on track in this case but sometimes He does it so quietly that it’s hard to take notice.

God speaks to us in music too, especially songs about Him. You can listen to secular songs and they might sound good, but sometimes listening to songs about God (catholic or christian) brings Him into the picture and it’s when a song touches you or you get those goose bumps kind of feeling that it’s God (the Holy Spirit) reaching out to you.

But mostly God wants to have a special relationship with you–the kind that you have with your close friends. Some people call it prayer but you can call it anything you want. All you have to do is start talking to Him–in your head, out loud, from your heart–He’s able to hear you whichever way you choose to go.

Jesus His son said to “seek the kingdom of God first” and that we would find God there. You need to go after God the way you might go after a subject you like in school or a sports activiity you’re into–it all works the same way. Keep searching, keep looking and you will find Him and the experience of God you are looking for.
 
Nickipod98 said:
Explain this nairaland.com/588437/wow-bible-god-killed-more

Also it’s mainly because I just don’t feel his prescence
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Welcome here…Nickipod…You cannot challenge God…and He will not bow down to you.

Consider this…if you asked for courage…will He instantly zap you and have courage…Or will God give the opportunity to develop and display courage and give you the chance to act courageously?

Likewise…if you asked to feel His presence…will He instantly let His presence be felt?

Or will God give you the opportunity to feel His presence…and give you the opportunity to have faith and believe in Him…in ways you may not be aware of?

First and foremost…we need to be humble…submit to Him and his Divine providence…and He will answer us, in His time and way…not in the way we want.
 
Nicholas, welcome–I hope you find things helpful here.

Just last night at our parish mission, the priest, Fr. Richard Gielow, C.M., spoke to this question.

When it snows, and you see sets of spots in the snow, you may never see what made those spots, but you know they are tracks of animals. And you can tell, with some experience, what kind of animal made the tracks–mice, rabbits, cats, dogs, and so on.

Well then, do you have parents that love you, that provide what you need, including guidance and rules in life? Do you have teachers that care for you, help you when they can? Do you have friends who appreciate you?

More, do you find in your heart the desire to care about others, to do good things for them?

All of these are the tracks of God, who cares enough to make and sustain you in being, to provide for your life, to train you and shape you into a good person. You may never see God, but you might–and it is far easier to see and note the tracks that God has left in your life.
 
Nicolas,

Welcome to the forums. I really like the following article for answering your question from a scientific viewpoint: magisreasonfaith.org/pdf/Magis_FactSheet.pdf

Beyond that, I would recommend getting hold of Kreeft and Tacelli’s Handbook of Christian Apologetics and read chapter three which is on the arguments for and against the existence of God. One of the interesting things revealed in that chapter is the fact that every single argument used by those that do not believe in God has some logical failing. In contrast, at least some arguments in favor of the existence of God meet every test of logic.

Needless to say, none of the arguments offered are absolute “proofs” of God’s existence. There is still a need for faith which is part of the divine plan. Nevertheless, the evidence and arguments are extraordinarily persuasive which cannot be said for the arguments against the existence of God.

I will say a prayer for you in your search.

God bless.
 
**Holy Mother, please intercede for us.
Aid the helpless, strengthen the fearful,
hold the sorrowful, help those sick, in pain or suffering,
comfort those needing peace, console the lonely,
assist the lost or hopeless, guard the unborn,
protect those in danger, guide us from evil,
pray for those who are dying or who have died;
may all who keep your sacred
commemoration experience the might of your assistance.
Amen. **
 
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