I've never posted in this forum before, but I've been in other totse forums for awhile.

Anyway, my question is the topic title: why can't I have faith? For about... a year and a half, I've been trying to believe in God and all of that religious shit and it just isn't working. I've gone to church ever since I was a kid, and pretty regularly at that (at least twice a month on Sundays). I want to be religious very badly, to have a God to talk to when I need him, and something to fall back on when it seems the world has abandoned me. But I just can't. All that happens is I fall into a depressed state because I end up feeling like there is no God, and he's not helping me out. I try my hardest in school, and I fail classes, leading to fights with parents and overall bad situations. I try to be a good person, I try to do shit right, but everything keeps getting more and more fucked. My grades keep declining, my family gets poorer by the day, and there's really not shit I can do about it. I realize this has been sort of a bitch and moan post, but I've looked to a lot of sources for guidance and I haven't used an online community like this, full of (seemingly :P) educated people. If anyone has anything to say that could help me out, that would be awesome. And to anyone who wants to flame, fuck you.

I think you should step back and really consider the possibility that only you and those around you control your life, and that there's no supreme being watching over you. Ideally, that would be the case, it's always nice to think that you're being watched and protected by an all-knowing, all-loving being... but it doesn't look like that's what's goin on. If you're waiting for a hand of God to pull you through your current situation and help you out, don't hold your breath. Instead, take it upon yourself to pull through and come out on top. I suggest you find the strength and courage from within yourself, because only then will you feel true accomplishment, and in essence much better than you feel now. It may seem like you cannot do this all by yourself.. and if that is the case, look to those around you for guidance. Doing this will get you an immediate response, and you cannot get that from God while praying every night. People will answer your prayers, God won't.

However, I know you do have the power to help yourself, and to find this power you have to have faith in yourself. Believe in yourself. Grasp this situation by the throat, and look it dead in the eyes; make it work out the way you want to. You do have the power. Only you can find it amongst yourself and use it to it's fullest potential.

While "finding Jesus" (and like experiences) do seem to make many people very happy and "solve" their problems, I think most of it is a mask. Honestly, I don't think "finding god" rids you of problems, whether you've truly found god or whether you just want to. It may give you something to look forward to and/or something to blame your misfortune on, but other than that, I don't really think it does anything but cause a sort of "god high".

I don't discourage your quest for faith and from what you've said it sounds like you naturally sort of believe in god only you've been disappointed in his treatment of neglect. I think this is where your problem lies. If god exists he doesn't owe you anything, god might even look at us as if we were cockroaches - there's no sense in trying to communicate with a cockroach, now is there?

I think you should try to stop personafying god and stop expecting things from him, even help.

If you're really down about it, there's one thing I always say:

"The only obstacle god throws you that you can't jump is death."

Cheers,

Lost

if you really want to believe in God, keep trying. if, on the other hand, you want to see the truth, close your eyes.

Thanks for the replies, they're great. Keep em comin!

I, personally, believe in God, and I believe that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. Different events have happened in my life that just make me believe so deeply. People can't just have "arrived". I believe in most of what science says. I believe that science justifies God, and if it doesn't, it's wrong. The only piece of science that I have EVER disagreed with in my ENTIRE life is the big bang theory and the evolution theory. Little known fact: Darwin revoked all his theory's at the end of his life and became Christian http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif). Think about it. Anyway, if you wanna grow spiritually, first I suggest reading the Book of John, and then all the numbered books of the Bible (ex: First Corinthians, Second Corinthians, First John, Second John, etc etc.) as those are very good books to read and can help you grow spiritually. Seems to me like this forum is full of nothing but atheist, but it could just be me.

PS: I love to rave about Christianity. If I can convert someone that I don't even know, then yay for me, and if not, I'll pray for ya.

[This message has been edited by Discipulus (edited 04-26-2004).]

LoveMetal: I agree with Lovley and would like to add that if something is true, you shouldn't have to force yourself to believe it.

quote:Originally posted by Discipulus:

Little known fact: Darwin revoked all his theory's at the end of his life and became Christian

That's not true; even Answers in Genesis (http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/1315.asp) (a Creationist organization) says that "It therefore appears that Darwin did not recant". Besides, Darwin's opinion of the theory is unrelated to its truth.

[This message has been edited by Craftian (edited 04-27-2004).]

Go meditate the true meaning of life on a mountain top. It works better. Probably due to the oxygen deprivation.

quote:Originally posted by Discipulus:

I, personally, believe in God, and I believe that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. Different events have happened in my life that just make me believe so deeply. People can't just have "arrived". I believe in most of what science says. I believe that science justifies God, and if it doesn't, it's wrong. The only piece of science that I have EVER disagreed with in my ENTIRE life is the big bang theory and the evolution theory. Little known fact: Darwin revoked all his theory's at the end of his life and became Christian http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif). Think about it. Anyway, if you wanna grow spiritually, first I suggest reading the Book of John, and then all the numbered books of the Bible (ex: First Corinthians, Second Corinthians, First John, Second John, etc etc.) as those are very good books to read and can help you grow spiritually. Seems to me like this forum is full of nothing but atheist, but it could just be me.

PS: I love to rave about Christianity. If I can convert someone that I don't even know, then yay for me, and if not, I'll pray for ya.

[This message has been edited by Discipulus (edited 04-26-2004).]

Thanks yo, that helps. And go ahead and pray for me all you want, I need all the help I can get :/

There's a bit in a book by Tony Campolo (Following Jesus without embrassing God... maybe) where he talks about a guy in a similar situation. He was "trying to find God" but no matter what he did, God didn't appear to be intrestred or even there. So he gave up. Years later something happened and all of a sudded, there was God.

"Know the truth, and the truth will set you free"

Look for the truth, not just for a religion or some notion of God or whatever.

Edit: "Test everything. Hold onto the good. Avoid every kind of evil" - 1 Thes. 5:21,22

[This message has been edited by inquisitor_11 (edited 04-29-2004).]

Shop around a little. You seem determined to be a christian, take a look at a couple of other religions. Ask yourself what you want out of your religion. If one isn't working for you dont be afraid to look into others. I'm atheist myself, and a happy one at that, but i've looked around at my options, and learnt about them. Atheism works for me, who knows what will work for you.

child abuse works for me... should i stick with it?

Uhm, dude, did you like try the bible? I heard it comes in handy in your kinda situations.

I don't know just where to read... Cos I never really read myself... But the new testament, like try one of pauls letters to one of those churces or something... Oh and the proverbs are always fun!

Would you like to talk via e-mail? I'd be more than happy to discuss relgion.

E l i j a h J M c N e i s h AT hotmail DOT com