Questions from a Doubting Christian

[didymus]

I commend you on your bravery. To even question these things is a huge step. I disagree with the writer who told you it is the dark one that will lead you to doubt. I believe your prayer and faith led you to doubt. As someone said, don't look for God in the Bible. The kingdom of God is within you. I have recently broken away also from christianity. Not broken away in the sense that I stopped believing but rather I do not allow myself to be dominated by that dogma/doctrine. Keep searching my friend. As Jesus supposedly said in the gospel of Thomas;"let him who seeks continue to seek until he finds, When he finds he will become troubled. when he becomes troubled he will be astonished and he will rule over the all."

I still believe in the power of the bible, i still believe there is power in the name of Jesus Christ. Search and do not stop my friend, true freedom lyes ahead.

[wil]

Originally Posted by Virtual_Cliff

Hey, who's squabbling? There's a difference between squabbling and learning from each other. God is just too big for any of us to understand completely. That's why this forum is so good - it enables us to understand in new ways.

Yes the bible will always be open to interpretation. The trouble is, its now so old that the vocabulary of concepts we use to model our world today is very different from the way in which Moses for example saw things. There is no easy translation. But that needn't lead to arguement....

Should we stone our children? I think not. Is that a loving way to behave? This is the question we should be asking. Our life is our responsibility. We can't blame the Bible for our mistakes, however convenient that may sometimes seem.

Great contemplations, and questions if we don't question how do we grow?

[Dondi]

Wow, this is proof of resurrection, wil. And this after two years. I'm a believer now.

[Francis king]

1. If God is omnipotent, then why did he decide that he didn’t like the way things were going and wipe out the whole earth with the Great Flood except for a couple of people and the animals?


...maybe God didnt do this... maybe it was just a natural disaster, and ppl attributed this great big disaster to God purely because it was so big and they had no other explanation for it...

a. What type of (loving) God would kill all his own people just because they were not following some moral code?

...a loving god wouldn't do these things...

b. If God is perfect, then he would not have had to do this...Earth and man would have been created, as he desired them the first time around.

...but, thats only if ur a Creationist... evolution suggests God didnt make the earth, so he can't be blamed for it turning out so crappy...

2. How come some places in the bible say you have to perform good works to get into heaven while other places in the bible say you only have to believe in Jesus as the Son of God?

...this is the result of the meeting of the old religion and the new one..

3. How come Jesus’ last words are contradicted in different scriptures?

...because it was 100's of years ago and the bible has been revised a lot

Why would they be “why have you forsaken me, my God? When he is dying why does he think he has been forsaken? That was his purpose, right?

...only some ppl say that... maybe jesus was gutted that God didnt come and save him, and God hadn't mentioned that he wanted jesus to die...

4. If God realized there was a problem that nobody was getting into heaven to be with him and sent his only Son to die for all of our sins - couldn’t he have figured out a better way?

...some ppl think that jesus' death was not gods plan to get us into heaven, and think jesus was short changed by God...

a. How does his death change us metaphysically so that we are accepted into heaven?

...it doesn't, unless jesus hangs around the ether...

i. Or if it is the perfect sacrifice (as I have read), what kind of father would sacrifice his “only” son for anything?

...jacob...

ii. What is the difference between God’s “son” Jesus and a normal human that makes Jesus a more acceptable sacrifice?

nothing...

b. If sending his only son was so important, then how come only those who believe are saved?

they might be making that part up?

i. About 3/4ths the world population will not make it into heaven. If God is all powerful, why not do something more effective?

becuase maybe God isn't like that, after all...

c. Why would God want to sacrifice his only Son to save people who broke his moral code so they could join him in heaven?

i. Why not just change his moral code?

why would an all powerful and always right god change?

• • • • What about all the people before Jesus? Did none of them make it into heaven?
      
      no, they didnt
      

5. If God is omnipotent, then why does he battle Satan (sin)? becuase lucifer was once seated on the left side of god, and was special, and God doesn't really want to see the end of him- god wants him to repent and come back into the fold...

a. If he gives us free will, but knows everything, then he knows our end before we began. He knows that some people will be cast into hell the moment they are born. Why create people to be born into hell?

becuase he's sick? or becuase the way we see god isnt the way god really is..?

6. If God created man in his image, why is man imperfect?

man is not imperfect...

a. Why is man tempted by sin and not God?

dont know about that one...

b. Why in some places in the bible does it say that God can be tempted by sin, and in other places that he isn’t?

7. How come none of the Gospels were written until at least 40 years after the death of Christ?

more like 100 years or so... and they were not written down becuase most xtians were poor and only kings and rich kids had schooling, and secondly because it was not cool to be xtian then...

. How come the Christian church tries to suppress the Gnostic gospels and any other documentation which could contradict the bible?

...becuase then the lines they had been giving u for years about the bible irrefutable word of god would be a lie, and the church would not have such a hold over the poor...


b. How come none of the other monotheistic religions believe Jesus is the Son of God?

...becuase they have their own sons

8. How come Christians had the Crusades and killed and persecuted those who did not believe?

..all religions have been used as an excuse for raping and pillaging... what make xtianity any different..?

9. How come Jesus lived the first 20 or 30 years of his life as a normal carpenter, never performing one miracle and then all of a sudden have these “mystical” powers? - but couldn't perform miracles in his hometown?

...when he had been consecrated by the holy spirit, he changed his view, and he received the gifts of the spirit... he maybe couldn't do it in his hometown becuase ppl wouldnt have believed him, and that would have weakened him, spiritually

10. Why did Christianity adopt things from other religions to help make conversion easier for people of other faiths?

...all religions do this, too... xtianity is no different..

11. If God gave us brains and the ability to think and question, why tell us to have “faith” (believe in absence of truth).

maybe god does not say this- maybe this is something for the priests to speak of...

maybe instead of seeing God as Christ, and maybe instead of seeing God as an all powerful being, we should maybe instead think of God as being like the holy spirit, something that only works through the faithful, something which can only work through man, and then maybe what God and jesus are/were, becomes more meaningful and intelligible...

[Faithfulservant]

Doubting Christian = Oxymoron?

[wil]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

Doubting Christian = Oxymoron?

or desciple? Or is the requirement to say we don't know him, deny him three times?

[Silas]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

Doubting Christian = Oxymoron?

No fair! I was just going to say that!!

[Faithfulservant]

Originally Posted by wil

or desciple? Or is the requirement to say we don't know him, deny him three times?

Wil I know this is going to come out badly but I have to say it.. the more you post the more I am convinced you have no clue what a real Christian is. Our whole belief is faith. Faith in God Faith in all 3 of the Godhead. Faith in the bible Faith in our redemption. Faith in the second coming.. God chose His people because of Faith.. Faith is accounted them for Righteousness.. OUR faith is accounted us for righteousness. That means that because of our faith we are righteous. period end of story. Hate it if you want

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

Doubting Christian = Oxymoron?

Not really. Part of the faith process is confronting and overcoming doubt. Thomas is a good example, as is Peter, and Saul/Paul, and everyone of us who in a moment of anger or sorrow or uncertainty ask "WHY"...

afterall, none is perfect...not even in their faith.

v/r

Joshua

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

Wil I know this is going to come out badly but I have to say it.. the more you post the more I am convinced you have no clue what a real Christian is. Our whole belief is faith. Faith in God Faith in all 3 of the Godhead. Faith in the bible Faith in our redemption. Faith in the second coming.. God chose His people because of Faith.. Faith is accounted them for Righteousness.. OUR faith is accounted us for righteousness. That means that because of our faith we are righteous. period end of story. Hate it if you want

God chose people, and faith is the gift He gave them. That is right from the bible. For man can do nothing by faith without that gift in them. The faithful are not righteous or lucky. They are full of grace given by God.

v/r

Joshua

[wil]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

Wil I know this is going to come out badly but I have to say it.. the more you post the more I am convinced you have no clue what a real Christian is. Our whole belief is faith. Faith in God Faith in all 3 of the Godhead. Faith in the bible Faith in our redemption. Faith in the second coming.. God chose His people because of Faith.. Faith is accounted them for Righteousness.. OUR faith is accounted us for righteousness. That means that because of our faith we are righteous. period end of story. Hate it if you want

hmmm Peter...rock...faith....denied three times before the rooster crows...I'm sure you didn't miss my reference...

And I do believe you are right, I do find it is hard to determine who the real Christians are...you go along thinking someone is quite righteous until they end up on the front page of the newspaper...and funny how their congregation splits...either making excuses or leaving in droves...their faith either blinds them or leaves them... (not that I have had any personal contact with any of these...just watching the national scene) But when I have been invited to some real bible based churches by some of my bible thumpin friends (and I appreciate them) what I see outside the church in arguments and discussions doesn't seem all that Christian to me...tis why I found a more liberal home I suppose...I'm sure I would appreciate your church congregation a lot more....

[Silas]

Originally Posted by wil

hmmm Peter...rock...faith....denied three times before the rooster crows...I'm sure you didn't miss my reference...

And I do believe you are right, I do find it is hard to determine who the real Christians are...you go along thinking someone is quite righteous until they end up on the front page of the newspaper...and funny how their congregation splits...either making excuses or leaving in droves...their faith either blinds them or leaves them... (not that I have had any personal contact with any of these...just watching the national scene) But when I have been invited to some real bible based churches by some of my bible thumpin friends (and I appreciate them) what I see outside the church in arguments and discussions doesn't seem all that Christian to me...tis why I found a more liberal home I suppose...I'm sure I would appreciate your church congregation a lot more....

Peter denied Christ before he had the Holy Spirit. Christians do not live in a state of doubt because it would be impossible to please God without faith. And, a Christian without faith is not a Christian at all.

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by Silas

Peter denied Christ before he had the Holy Spirit. Christians do not live in a state of doubt because it would be impossible to please God without faith. And, a Christian without faith is not a Christian at all.

Thank God some people aren't judges...

[Saltmeister]

Originally Posted by Bandit

When did Jesus say it is dead and created by man?
Or like the world just make it all up as you go along.

I will stand up for it as written word of God and not man and that it is alive and well. I find God in everything, not just in my heart. Everything and everywhere.

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

Yeah Im curious as to when Jesus said scripture was dead..

Isn't Scripture supposed to be "dead"? Otherwise, why would we seek Christ?

If Scripture was "alive," they would be no point in seeking Christ and no purpose for Christianity. Christianity would be a Text-driven religion just like Judaism and Islam. But if that was the case, one would prefer to be a Jew or Muslim than to be a Christian. Christianity would be redundant and unnecessary.

Scripture "comes to life" when one discovers Christ, but is otherwise dead. The purpose of Scripture is to lead us to Christ, thereby also leading us to God.

Out of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Scripture is least important in Christianity. Christianity puts more emphasis on a Person that we believe will lead us to God. Christianity is supposed to be independent of Scripture. The purpose of the New Testament is to remind people of what the early Christians believed.

Ideally, we wouldn't need Scripture at all. Christ alone should be sufficient.

Scripture is for novices. But then again, most of us are still drinking milk and not ready for solid food.

[Prober]

Originally Posted by Saltmeister

Ideally, we wouldn't need Scripture at all. Christ alone should be sufficient.

Scripture is for novices. But then again, most of us are still drinking milk and not ready for solid food.

I disagree.

"Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." John 4:34

The "will of him that sent me" and "his work" is explained in the scriptures.