Losing my faith: help!

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Lucas3

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Hi there,

I’m struggling to maintain my faith, for the first time for decades. Lots of varied assaults on it, which are summarised below. Very happy for you to point me to previous threads, or to comment directly. I’m miserable about this situation, rather than happy!

1. Evolution. If evolution is true, there is no need for God. Progress occurs through random mutation. Beneficial mutations survive. This doesn’t have to contradict Newton’s 2nd law of thermodynamics.

2. When did the soul appear? If evolution occurred, then when was the soul created? There aren’t any proto-souls, so it must have been created and inserted by God. Were all ‘homo’ species provided with a soul, or only Homo sapiens? Does Adam and Eve work in the context of evolution?

3. Bible. I’ve become rather despondent when listening to homilies, as time and again, I’m told the Bible stories I’ve believed as fact are actually theologically rather than historically accurate. if so, how can I still believe in the biggies like the resurrection?

4. Resurrection. If this is both historically and theologically correct, then Jesus’ post-resurrection did things that are impossible for a normal human. So there’s more to it than a literal physical resurrection. (I’m aware of St Paul’s comments).

5. Other religions. If we begin to argue that the Bible is theologically rather than historically correct, then standing against other religions becomes much more difficult. I wonder if this is why Pope Francis is much keener on dialogue?

6. Miracles. Medicine is littered with stories of the power of the mind, and the placebo effect.

7. First cause. I struggle with the philosophical argument that everything that was created has a first cause. This doesn’t really work for me, because we’re still faced with God being eternal. (I know He’s not created, but that doesn’t really work for me).

I know I’ve been influenced by the highly atheistic Western culture. I know this culture is dying out, and will probably be gone within 2 generations. so maybe I’m being influenced by dying thinking. But I’m struggling.

Help!
 
It’s easy. We just believe. Anything contrary to God’s word or causes doubt is from the evil one. Ignore any thoughts that encourage doubt, as the only truth is the Truth of the Holy Catholic Church. Anything else is a pathetic lie from Satan.
 
If I may suggest two books for you.
  1. The Case for the Creator.
  2. The Case for Jesus Christ.
    I would also suggest looking into Biblical Archaeology.
 
There is a lot here. Is it fair to say that you agree that in the past you formulated your faith in Christ based on a very literal interpretation of the Bible? My guess is yes if you are rejecting things like evolution. God exceeds the limit of human comprehension, so does creation, the soul, the resurrection, miracles, evil, everything. The Bible is the inspired Word of God as interpreted by the Church; it is not a road map. It is full of gaps and contradictions. It is a collection of inspired writings assembled by the Church in the 3rd-4th centuries. And, yes, God is eternal; he exists outside time. He can act eternally and in the world as he sees fit.

God will not reveal himself to your mind, but your heart. Once your heart is transformed in Christ, your mind will follow. This could take years and years. It occurs by God’s grace. I would say let him do the work, not you. Anything you structure with your mind as your faith, you can deconstruct. Has to come from outside your will, intellect. From God.
 
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Lucas3 said:
  1. Evolution. If evolution is true, there is no need for God. Progress occurs through random mutation. Beneficial mutations survive. This doesn’t have to contradict Newton’s 2nd law of thermodynamics.
Click to expand...
Have you ever heard of Theistic Evolution? Evolution that is guided by God.
 
Lucas3 said:
  1. When did the soul appear?
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When God created Adam and Eve.
If evolution occurred, then when was the soul created? There aren’t any proto-souls, so it must have been created and inserted by God. Were all ‘homo’ species provided with a soul, or only Homo sapiens?
Click to expand...
Only homo sapiens.
Does Adam and Eve work in the context of evolution?
Click to expand...
Yes.
 
I wish I was finding it easy!

H L Mencken once said: “for every complex problem, there’s a simple solution. And it’s wrong!”
 
Lucas3 said:
  1. Resurrection. If this is both historically and theologically correct, then Jesus’ post-resurrection did things that are impossible for a normal human. So there’s more to it than a literal physical resurrection. (I’m aware of St Paul’s comments).
Click to expand...
All true. Is there an objection in there?
 
Lucas3 said:
  1. Other religions. If we begin to argue that the Bible is theologically rather than historically correct, then standing against other religions becomes much more difficult. I wonder if this is why Pope Francis is much keener on dialogue?
Click to expand...
The bible is both historically and theologically correct. Who says it isn’t?
 
I agree with this! A challenge is that I switched from being Evangelical to being Catholic several years ago. I don’t find the rote prayers (eg Rosary) helpful. I used to enjoy praying directly to God, reciting his promises. But if you stop being confident that the Bible is accurate, this becomes a challenge.
 
Lucas3 said:
  1. First cause. I struggle with the philosophical argument that everything that was created has a first cause. This doesn’t really work for me, because we’re still faced with God being eternal. (I know He’s not created, but that doesn’t really work for me).
I know I’ve been influenced by the highly atheistic Western culture. I know this culture is dying out, and will probably be gone within 2 generations. so maybe I’m being influenced by dying thinking. But I’m struggling.
Click to expand...
I struggled with that, as well. Actually, what helped me the most is a saying from economics.

Nothing from nothing is nothing.

It’s actually an incentive to invest money. If you don’t invest, you get nothing.

But, if you think of it theologically, you see that nothing could come into being unless something were already in existence.

Couple that with the Big Bang theory and you see that if the Big Bang theory were correct, Something had to always exist for the Big Bang to occur. That Something, is God.

I hope that helps!
 
Sometimes ordinary literature brings us back to God.
Cervantes, Shakespeare(the king of playwrights, who was a Solomonic wisdom) I like even Theodore Dreiser, who is not even a Christian writer, but in his works there are many inspiring things.
Conventional literature sometimes can be much more convincing than the arguments of classical apologists.
 
At some point in the history of evolution on this earth, God looked down and saw a creature with enough promise to give it conscious, sentient thought…US. Since there is no other example of our level of intelligence, it seems to allow for this line of reasoning to link natural evolution with divine intervention. Works for me…
 
  1. Evolution. If evolution is true, there is no need for God. Progress occurs through random mutation. Beneficial mutations survive. This doesn’t have to contradict Newton’s 2nd law of thermodynamics.
Click to expand...
Wait. Seriously? Besides the fact that the Catholic Church (i.e., institutional structures like the Popes and magisterium and theologians) is quite receptive to the findings of science and biological evolution, and has been for almost a century, there is absolutely no way evolution removes the need for God. Evolution does not remove the need for a First Cause and sustainer of all things – or even the built-in laws of the Universe (even multiverse) that allow for life and especially intelligent life (US) to exist in the first place
 
thank you. I’ve ordered the first. As a scientist, I’m very conscious that scientists can be filled with extraordinary hubris about their views of the world. So this should be a helpful read.
 
Thank you. some helpful ideas within here to meditate upon.

I’m planning to explore mysticism a bit. If being too literal is inappropriate, then having some uncertainty integral to one’s faith could be a good thing.
 
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