Doubt can be the beginning of a deeper faith. For Christians(and all faiths), discussing their beliefs and their foundations should always be a helpful experience. Choose a family member, church friend or someone in your faith you trust and have a good chat!

I agree with Mirage.. also.. look at what it is you are doubting and do more studying on it. A lot of times I have found that the things I had most difficulty supporting.. were basically a result of my wanting to live as I wanted and do what I wanted.. not a valid reasoning for choosing not to believe something - MOO

Yeah, it's pretty normal for a 14 year old. My advice is to do some critical thinking on the subject and work out for yourself what you believe. It may take years to do this but it is necessary. You may come back to the church, you may not, you may decide (like me) to read the Bible and discover its intentions for yourself without any outside filter. You should tell your family if you don't think they will do something drastic, but consider that it is sometimes best to do things for the sake of your family.

I had very strong and disturbing doubts about faith, my world view, and everything when I was 14. I thought that period of my life would never end. My faith was in a predictable spasm. I was asking new questions because I had entered a new developmental stage of life. I was becoming an adult. It is normal. You do not have to abandon faith, but you have to ask new questions. You will grow through this and come through it . You will not be the same, but you will still be you. For me, it was good to know looking back that God did not abandon me when I was doubting Him. You will be fine.

God would not have given you a brain if he didn't want you to use it.

Ah well, I'm answering this because all of you pretty much asked what I'm doubting. Quite franky, all of it. I don't go to church (which probably doesn't help) but the rest of my non-immediate family--didn't know how else to put that--does and is crazy religious. I'm just starting to feel it's all like a joke, or like some kind of a trick or something. How can someone rise from the dead? Are these tales of God just stories that got more interesting while being passed on like other ones? What is heaven? Can you reincarnate without a God picking what you should be? just so many things, really. I suppose I should talk about it with someone but I just feel so stupid when I do. Also, what do you mean my first post?

Tranny, It is indeed normal to doubt what you were taught about religion as a child. An adult's view of the topic is generally very different than a child's, and now that you're in that "middle ground" between child and adult you have to start making a lot of choices and looking at things from new perspectives in order to work out your relationship to religion. I have a somewhat unusual view toward religion: I don't like the idea of believing in things. I know that sounds strange to people -- what I mean by that is that as a Buddhist, I don't see any reason to hold views about things for which I have no personal experience. This is very much at odds with almost all religions in the world, which encourage the believer to have faith, where "faith" is defined as "believe in something for which the evidence is shaky -- keep believing even if you have doubts." From a Buddhist perspective, this doesn't make much sense. Having doubts is just your mind's way of saying "The situation has been studied, and it doesn't seem to add up". This is the mind's job: to assess the quality of what it learns and make judgment calls about what can be trusted and what is doubtful. To force oneself (using willpower) to believe something is to override the mind's natural functioning. There's another way to look at religion which doesn't require believing in unprovable things, though. To me, the essence of religion isn't about beliefs at all, it's about your relationship with yourself and the whole of life. Without some sort of religious or spiritual orientation, most people end up in the odd situation of seeing themselves as a separate "thing" in a large and uncaring universe, trying their best to avoid dying and be as happy as they can against the odds. The general mood of this is "something's wrong here...", as in something is wrong with me, or something is wrong with others, or something is wrong with life. This relationship to life makes it difficult to answer the big questions, like "who am I?", "what is the meaning of life?", or "what should I do with my life?". When we try to ask those questions from the standpoint of "me, myself, and I against the world", there don't seem to be any good answers. Religion is about reuniting the individual with the whole, so that person no longer has a sense of isolation and "brokenness". An individual who has a good relationship with the whole of life can do a good job answering the Big Questions for themselves. All major religions provide help with this problem. You can be a Christian and resolve your relationship with the whole that way. Christianity explains this differently: in Christianity it's common to talk about the redemption or restoration of the individual to God's love and care. God is considered "the whole". In Hinduism, there's a different way of expressing a similar concept, and so forth. However, I think these belief-based religions suffer from a shortcoming: because they ask you to adopt a fixed set of ideas which aren't provable, they have a strong tendency to divide the world up into "us vs. them", which is the basis of religious conflicts. The reason this happens is BECAUSE of the very doubt you're talking about. When we doubt what we believe, and are not willing to just be in doubt, we resist it. Part of resisting the doubt is to make a lot of noise about how important it is to have faith, and another part of resisting the doubt is to attack viewpoints which are contrary to our belief system. Any viewpoint which is different than what we believe is a potential threat, because it reactivates the hidden doubt which we're trying so hard to eliminate. To a Buddhist, this whole problem of doubt goes away, because when you're not clinging to any particular ideas, doubt is just doubt. It doesn't make you nervous or disturbed. I doubt what I doubt, and I'm certain about what I'm certain about. More importantly, my relationship to the whole of life isn't really dependent upon any holding any particular beliefs, so my religious views aren't threatened by the views of others and there's no need to defend them. This provides the basis for a harmonious religious PRACTICE, which is different than a religious BELIEF. Practice is about realizing and expressing this wholeness in daily life, and that's the part of religion that really transforms life. Belief is entirely optional. So that's my soapbox, sorry it's so long! Good luck with your quest.

I am a christian too, and I've doubted before, but not anymore. I mean I am assuming that your 14 I think I read someone else say up top, but at 14 you will kind of question it. I mean there is so much peer pressure and everything from other kids who aren't your faith. I wouldn't give up on what you believe right now. I say talk to a family member (tell your parents especially or the people that you live with that believe as you do) or a church friend who is the same faith as you or even your pastor, but find someone that you can trust and that's going to direct you on the right path because I'm sure that there is someone near you or that you know that has gone through the same thing that you are going through right now, but if that doesn't work then you can always try Jesus because he will always give you the right answer and he will never guide you wrong, HE IS REAL, and I pray that you will never doubt that, he will talk back to you, just trust him and believe that he will. I would also say to read the bible and find and research the answers that you are looking for that is causing you to doubt. Always pray because it's the key to fixing any problem that you have, that's what I do if it even seems like I'm about doubt something, I pray because God will help me, he always has. If you don't fix the problem now then the devil will keep attacking you in that area until he makes you change your faith and give up on God, but I tell you to hold on. This is a test, but use it as a stepping stone because temptations come to make us strong. The trying of our faith worketh patience. You gotta believe that God is real and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. I hope that helps, and God Bless You!!

How old are you? I'd say its normal for anyone to question the beliefs they've been raised with. I doubted my Christian upbringing as well, mostly because I thought my parents were sometimes cheesy and pushy, I didn't have a concept of what faith actually meant to me, and church was boring. It wasn't until I got out on my own and actually became interested in it and investigated it for myself that it became real to me. No one is expected to be an ideologue (someone who just blindly accepts things). I would bet your parents have had moments of doubt too, you could probably ask them about it...depending on how open you are in your relationship with them.

I know how you feel. As I stated here before my Dad was Jewish and my Mom Irish Catholic. We were raised both. But as I got older I had serious issues and questions when it came to Catholicism. The nuns and Priests scared us to death, with the fire and devil etc. They also taught us, that if we sinned in anyway, we would go to Hell with this red devil and pitchfork, constant hot fire for eternity. Now as an adult I stay spiritual and pray, but I would never go back to the Catholic Church. Temple is much nicer, more liberal and not scary

It is not a disease. You should just get informed from different sources then you decide your beliefs. If you are not sure you have the right to be it don't let anyone force you to choose. Just try to know why should you believe in something. And why do people believe it. I also have doubted Christianity and now I'm an atheist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism

I went to church from age 3, and was very sincere about it. I never stopped believing in God, but did begin to question things. Age 18, in college, I was beginning to seek for Truth in earnest, though mostly attending church out of duty not because of especially wanting to. I met up with Christians who seemed to have something "extra" about their faith and I wanted it! One of them gave me a book that showed historical and other evidence that Jesus really did rise from the dead. That book helped because it showed that belief in the Resurrection was intellectually respectable - I didn't just believe because of being taught it. Before finishing that book I finally opened my heart to God, (it meant choosing to follow Him instead of someone else)and He came into my life for real. Before that He was just "up there somewhere". I knew He was looking after me, and sometimes even answered prayer, but that was about all. That was nearly 40 years ago and He is more precious to me now than at the beginning. I don't just believe in the Resurrection intellectually, I KNOW Jesus is alive! Hope that helps

It is perfectly normal to doubt what you have been taught. We can only truly know our own beliefs when we study and investigate for ourselves. We can't just take someone's word for it. There has been a few times in my life when I had to dig deep into the Bible, (and other reference books), to learn more about what I had been taught and what I believed. But, I personnally, always ended up coming back to my original beliefs. But, yes, I did investigate and learn for myself. You may not like what you find out and change your beliefs. That is your right. But, go by what your heart tells you. Most of us have a feeling, deep down, that usually ends up being right.

I think it's healthy to regularly ask yourself WHY you believe WHAT you believe? Doubt is normal. Relax and let life give you ALL the gifts it has for you.

Do you feel comfortable speaking about this to your parents? how will they react? It is best to say somthing to them. They are responsible for you. You are responsible for your own relationship with God though. Jesus said "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need”. Humans are wired by birth for spirituality. We all though have serious questions that must be answered. Why do we grow old and die? When will wickedness and injustice end? Why are we here? Those kind of things. I recommend that you start a personal prgram of Bible reading, starting in the Book of Matthew. Read about the Christ and see the way that he dealt with people. Indeed, "Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you".

That happens at times, but we have to remember who created us, and why we are here. Who are you in Christ. Don't forget where you came from, and cherish your christian values because they are life to you. The bible says, "The easy way is very wide, but the way to heaven is narrow". God does not want us to doubt His word, because it is truth. You have been taught the right way, hold onto that. When you stray away, God speaks to your gently, and says come back to me. So either way, He's got you in the palm of his hand, and you will always know the Truth.

This is evidence of your subconscious trying to break free from the oppression of made-up religions and theories passed off as truth and facts and which obscure the reality of life. By thinking freely and independently, without religious bigotry, BS, double-speak and fables as obscuring devices, you will naturally come to a clear view about the earth, its history, humans and what you are all about - the last part is probably the hardest to learn but its well worth it and the greatest thing you will ever achieve, in my view.

Exactly what are you doubting about it? I teach kids your age in confrimation classes and I'll answer any questions you have. I'd recommend praying if you feel like you are losing your connection to God then seek harder.

Yes, this is normal. Being forced to practice any religion when it was not your own choice or system of beliefs, will cause you to doubt it and begin to find flaws with it.I have been going through the exact same problem in my household, and its merely a matter of finding your own religion and beliefs. May I suggest Unitarianism? It has no specific belief system or practices, and essentially lets you chose bits and pieces from other religions to conform to your own beliefs.

You are a different person from your family members with a different opinion...i cant tell you what to decide, because you should do that for yourself....its your choice do do what you choose.......it wont "pass" if it you dont believe in something.....keep thinking about it and eventually you will make a decision.

It's normal for someone your age to start having a mind of your own and think for yourself instead of being feed ideas without coherent evidence.

You cannot base your beliefs in Christianity on other people and their beliefs and actions. People fail, make mistakes, can be fake and all sin. It may help you to research who Jesus is. Does He live up to the claims that He makes in the Bible? I think you will find, as I have that Jesus never fails, never makes mistakes, is never fake, and never sins. He is exactly who He says He is and does exactly what He says He will do. You can put your trust in Him, not "religion" or being religious. Search Scripture. You'll find your answers there. Also, Yes talk to your parents about it. Parents aren't as dumb as we think they are when we are teenagers! If they are Christians they want nothing more for you than for you to have your own relationship with Jesus Christ. That is my biggest prayer for my own children.