- NEW!
by Sketchy Mess Jeoffory on November 27th, 2006
I don't want to sound biased, as I am an athiest, but the first thing that came to mind was, "Follow your instincts."
By no means am I saying to rebuke all religion now and forever. However, don't be afraid or ashamed to ask questions about your religion and not to settle for the "cookie-cutter" responses that many religious people will give you. (example: Where is God? Oh he is everywhere and nowhere...)
You are doing no harm by educating yourself. What would really be shameful is if you continued to go through life and just accepted everything you were told without allowing yourself to explore other possibilities as well.
by Ullyses on November 27th, 2006
I will start by saying that I am not religious.
If you are having a crisis of faith, then you should speak with someone who can explain your doubts and give the answers you need to win back your faith. The Father or his curate should be able to help you.
If you find that you don't want the reassurance of your religious minister, or that your questions are too wideranging to be answered so easily, then you could do worse than looking up the questions contained here and reading the answers, or even asking questions of your own. At the end of the day we all must decide for ourselves what we believe and how those beliefs will affect our lives. I don't say you should turn away from your church, but I also recommend that you ask what questions you need in rder t be comfortable with your beliefs. Some others answerers may incite you to turn your back on religion or to pray for forgiveness at your doubting, but you are the only one who can find the answers that make sense to you.
by Marguerite on June 15th, 2009
I am Catholic and have studied many other religions, but I am the happiest being a Catholic. Your problem is that you don't have good teachers. If they could explain the way the Bible is written, you would totally understand the message it brings, you wouldn't have these doubts. It seems you are older and smarter and ready to handle much more than the catecism. Find another Catholic school, or go to a public school to experience regular life. Then find a church who has some good teachers that can explain the faith. Remember, we walk by faith, and not by sight.
by the general on May 25th, 2007
i was in the same situation myself,there were just too many contradictions for my liking,so i did my own research to find the truth.why should you believe something just because other people tell you to?
do some unbiased research of your own and see what you end up with.
by Factotum on November 10th, 2009
Stick with the Catholic school, go through the motions. You don't have to believe everything you're taught - clearly you don't - but in all likelihood you are getting a really good education there. Don't waste that in some symbolic and fruitless gesture.
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If you want to talk to a priest about what he will consider a crisis in faith by all means do. If you don't want to, then don't.
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If you still believe in God just stick with that for now and get on with what you need to be doing.
by Theby on September 27th, 2009
Why do you call yourself a catholic when you don't believe catholic teachings? Don't call yourself a catholic just because you think you should. Follow your own heart. Just because your family is catholic that doesn't mean you have to be one. I suggest you look at other religions.
by Larry on June 17th, 2009
First you have to ask is there absolute truth?
When you look at the laws of nature,physics, what do you see. They are absolute and are always the same. IE. The law of gravity, It is a good thing if you obey it, but if you don't what happens. In the space program we have seen what happens. Every country that has a space program has to go by the same rules.
There are things that we don't know about all of these laws yet, but they are always the same. The evidence is overwhelming that there is a god. Some one with great Intelligence. There are far too many things that have to be just right for life to exist.
Please note this.
*** g75 3/22 pp. 22-23 How Much Chance in “Chance”? ***
Does Chance Favor Evolution?
Understanding the elementary concepts about probability that we have discussed helps us to appreciate the fallacy of believing that chance favors life starting by accident and then evolving into the diverse forms now covering the earth.
It might be asked, however: If all the chemical “ingredients” needed to form life by accident were mixed in enough different ways over a long period of time, would life not eventually occur? Well, to begin with, someone or something must do the mixing. But, for the sake of discussion, let us purposely overlook that necessary requirement and consider: In one cell there are thousands of tiny molecular and chemical actions going on. And, in a human there are trillions of cells, some of them performing extremely specialized functions. The chance that these processes started and evolved by a mindless mixing is fantastically remote.
Let us illustrate what we mean, using a deck of cards.
Suppose you are playing bridge. What are the chances of having all 13 spades in a 52-card deck dealt to you? The odds that on the first card drawn you will get a spade are, obviously, 13/52. Of the 51 cards left, 12 are spades, and so the odds become 12/51. And so on, 11/50, 10/49, right on down to 1/40 for the final card. Multiply all of these fractions together and you will find that the chance of being dealt all 13 spades is one in over 635,000,000,000.
And, remember, we are dealing with a mere 52-card deck.
Further, we are not asking the deck of cards to give us the spades in their correct numerical order. That requirement would compound the probability manyfold. Yes, the odds then become 1/52 to start with and not 13/52. If the right card is dealt the first time, the odds then become, not 12/51 but 1/51; then 1/50 (not 11/50), and so forth. The total probability of drawing all of the spades in order would be the result of multiplying all of these figures together: 1/52 x 1/51 x 1/50 x 1/49 x 1/48 x 1/47 x 1/46 x 1/45 x 1/44 x 1/43 x 1/42 x 1/41 x 1/40. What kind of odds does that give?
One in about 4,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.
That is for just thirteen “ingredients” lined up in the right order. Do not forget that each ingredient already exists, according to this argument, and, somehow, in just the right amount. In other words, we are saying the deck of cards exists before we start.
Another thing: two sexes would be required for advanced life to continue. So the same process must happen, not just once, but twice. What are the chances that you can draw thirteen spades in proper numerical order out of the deck of cards two times in a row? To find out, it would be necessary not just to add the above figure twice, but to square it, that is, multiply it by itself. That would be one in 16 followed by over forty zeros.
There are, of course, many, many more operations involved with a pair of living humans than the mere shuffling of thirteen ingredients. But does not this vividly illustrate how remote the chances are for life starting by accident and then following an evolutionary trail?
Actually, the chances are so dim that even avowed evolutionists acknowledge it is all but impossible to believe. Says Julian Huxley: “A little calculation demonstrates how incredibly improbable the results of natural selection can be when enough time is available.” He asks, What are the odds that a horse could be produced by chance alone? In his answer Huxley refers to “the fantastic odds against getting a number of favorable mutations in one strain through pure chance alone,” and then he adds: “A thousand to the millionth power [1,0001,000,000], when written out, becomes the figure 1 with three million noughts after it; and that would take three large volumes of about five hundred pages each, just to print! Actually this is a meaninglessly large figure, but it shows what a degree of improbability natural selection has to surmount . . . One with three million noughts after it is the measure of the unlikeliness of a horse—the odds against it happening at all. No one would bet on anything so improbable happening.”
Nevertheless, Huxley turns around and incredulously says: “Yet is has happened.” How consistent does that seem to you? If anyone wishes to believe odds of that nature, that is his foolish decision. But he cannot honestly say that the burden of evidence—the odds—rests with his case.
Or Does “Chance” Point to a Designer?
On the other hand, have you not always known life to come from other life? Surely. Your own experience, then, tells you that “chance” favors life as having been started by a living Creator. In this observation you are backed up by the whole concept of probability. Why do we say this?
Because probability indicates design. The laws of probability, which we have only partially examined, are the basis of virtually all scientific thought. Men thoroughly trust these inanimate laws. So constant are they that scientists say that we can put “faith” in them. Now, are we to believe that such laws exist purely by accident? Or, do not laws have lawmakers? Certainly the weight of data, the odds, point to a Designer behind mathematical laws. Further, if these laws and others of material creation are so constant, unchanging, then the Creator must be the same.
There is genuine pleasure in coming to understand the precision workings of laws like those of probability. But the truly discerning person wants more than that satisfaction. He wants to come to know the One who made such laws. Such an experience can be infinitely more pleasurable.
So having said all that, Would it not be reasonable that god would Be just as absolute in the matter of how we worship him? To find out why the world is so full of lies and confusion
ask For the book “What does the bible really teach? at www.watchtower.org. Or write to Jehovah’s Witnesses, 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483.You can do this with no oblations whatsoever. We want you to find answers. we are not after your money.
by Moongrim on June 15th, 2009
May I suggest a lobotomy?
Because nothing else will be quite as effective as keeping that overactive mind of yours in check.
And a questioning mind is often deemed as a great evil in any religion.
by fredhetz on November 27th, 2006
This isn't a terribly theological response but I do know that you have a lot of company out there whether the others admit it or not. And regardless of what comes of all of this, I think it's good to question your beliefs regardless of what they are. Great theologians and philosophers have struggled with these questions forever. Martin Luther and others got the Protestant reformation rolling because of questions and concerns pertaining to the Catholic church.
(Don't read that as a recommendation that you become Protestant. There's nothing wrong with doing it but I'm not necessarily advocating it.)
What you do is contingent on how strongly these questions are gnawing at you. It sounds like you're younger and have plenty of time to figure this stuff out, but it also sounds like you're not comfortable with it now.
Is there anyone connected to the church that you could talk to who might field these questions in a way that gives them their due as legitimate issues? I mean someone who won't respond by saying, "Dude, you're wrong for questioning."
I'd like to think you could bring this stuff up in classes but I know that might not be realistic.
But maybe the essential question is if you can be comfortable calling yourself "Catholic" or any other religion without necessarily accepting everything that comes with it as...well....gospel.
Don't know if that helps but there it is.
by Sandman on November 10th, 2009
Convert to some other religion or other denomination.
by Believer on June 17th, 2009
It seems strange to me with all of the evolutionist in the world, that none can take Dr. Hovind's $250,000.00.
Looks like one of you would have at least one piece of evidence. This is a legal contract, if you have just one piece of scientific proof, take him to court.
Check out the offer at the website below.
http://www.drdino.com/read-article.php?id=66
For those of you who want to convice someone to give up their faith in biblical principles, I would read the verses below.
Matthew
18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
18:7 Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!
Mark
9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Belief does not change reality.
Have a great day!
by HelpfulHelen on June 15th, 2009
When you are doubting your faith, that is when I believe that God wants you to grow in your faith. There is nothing wrong with having doubts - a matter of fact, it is good that you are. I mean, what would "faith" be, if we didn't doubt some of it to be true? That is what faith is all about. I'll be honest, my fiance went to Catholic school too, and this is nothing against Catholicism by any means, but because of the way his teachers in his school made him feel so incredibly guilty, he also turned from religeon. What I've introduced him to is a non-denominational church, which is not a religeon, but only believe that Christ died for you. Believing in the gospel is all that you need to do to get to heaven through Christianity. It's a lot different.... maybe something for you to explore on your own either now or at a different time in your life. Pray about it... and continue to research... God is good honey, and I wish you all of the best!
by LeopardGecko - ACS on November 30th, 2009
Don't let anybody else know that you feel this way, especially the one's at your school. I'm sure they will try to brain wash you even further to become a full Catholic. If you can leave the school you should. If you can't, just try to go through but take it as all fiction and hypothesis. When you graduate just make sure you don't go to a Catholic University. It might be a rough transition if you graduate from your current school as they won't teach you up to the standards of the regular public schools as far as science goes.
by Vaporeongirl on November 30th, 2009
Look, it's obvious that you aren't happy with your religion. I was raised in a catholic cult and it made me very bitter and angry. I'm glad that you're on the right path. Leave catholicism as soon as you're old enough to make your own decisions. I left when I was 16. The catholic church is nothing but a baby-worshiping, women-hating excuse for a religion. Most of the stuff they teach is crap and I'm so glad there's young people out there like you that can think for themselves. Keep going, girl!!!
by pugwashjw65 on September 27th, 2009
Ask any Jehovah's Witness for a publication..."What the Bible really teaches"...and be humble enough for a Bible study...
You will be surprised at the answers...
And there is no pressure for you to immediately change anything...this takes time...you might even go back to your priest with some questions...
by Thriftymaid on September 24th, 2009
My guess is that a very small percentage of your day is in religious study. Study hard and do well in school. Learn all that you can. Your questioning shows that you have a strong intellect. Don't close your mind to anything as it will keep you from absorbing information and that's not to your advantage. You may never agree with much of what school teaches you as truth. But as a mature person later in your life you can then make a determination about faith. Faith in God does not require that you accept everything you are told. Many people of strong faith do not accept the Bible in a literal way. Until you can explore more than you have up to this point in your life, I hope you do not shut out any possibilties.
by LeopardGecko - ACS on September 23rd, 2009
Be proud, be very proud.
by MasterS on September 20th, 2009
Ask yourself this, is it easier to believe that all this that you see was created by a being that existed forever, or is it easier to believe that, this reality existed forever and its just a big super accident that everything works so well together, i for one cannot understand anything that has existed forever, but its easier to believe in a single being that made this, then it is for me to believe in all this being around forever and being a big accident.
Also ask yourself have you seen anything just pop into existence, your car didnt make itself, neither did your house, your lawn mower, the list goes on, someone made these things.
by Twisted Taco on June 17th, 2009
You've answered your own question already: you don't believe all of that hogwash. Pat yourself on the back, you've awaken from the stupor!
by Nasiswand on June 17th, 2009
There's a happy middle ground on this one. I don't believe in any god at all, but I enjoy church and think it teaches valuable lessons. Make up your own mind about what you think is true, and learn (using your own common sense of course) whatever they are willing to teach you. If nothing else, it will help you see things from many different points of view.
by HoboJoe on June 15th, 2009
I grew up Catholic. In high school, I lost my father in an accident and the priest was telling my mother that god was testing our faith. How can god even think for a second that my mother wasn't faithful? She spends her Sundays and Wednesdays in church hearing mass and "novena". And she goes to pray at least once everyday. She faithfully takes communion and gives what little extra money she can afford to church. She is as close to a nun as possible without being one. Testing our faith? Like a SAT test? Come on. That is just my experience. Probably not even a good example. Try evaluating your church and faith yourself. It is your life.
by DudeLer 2 on June 15th, 2009
You should talk to a Sister and explain your difficulties with understanding. She obviously believes and She will suggest something good. I suggest reading the Gospel of John, like it was written just for you. And in a way it was written especially just for you at this time in your life. you can read it several times. it will help.
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oh well the old question trap. the girl is probably married with children by now.
by Anonymous on December 26th, 2007
God created the world and everything in it, including you. And before you was born, he already knew the path that you are choosing, and that is, either the productive life or the unproductive way of life. If only, you can be very observant what's going on around you, you can learn a lot of things. Take it to the heart what you see that it is good,what you read that it is good, people's experienced that it is good, and learn from them. I also would like to suggest that, find an easy read and easy to understand New Testament bible, because, all the answer to your questions are in there. I hope this help.
by jp2123 on November 30th, 2009
In my opinion, you havn't yet met Jesus Christ. I was Catholic once upon a time, and I can relate to a couple of the things you might be going through. But, by faith we believe that God created the world and that it didn't come from nothing. (That's in the Bible.) But my opinion, is to get out of all the "religious" stuff. And read the Bible , repent of your sins and open your heart and surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Ask God to reveal Himself to you because you are doubting and that you need Him. Do this with all your heart. And if you are God will answer you. There might be many evidence against "God's Creation" but I believe because God chose to reveal Himself to me. The miracles that He has done in my life out weights any evidence that ANY atheist might give me to show me that God doesn't exist. Because just as He is supernatural He has reveal himself to me in supernatural ways that no one can explain, unless they come to their own interpretation trying to make everything seem "natural." Again, don't depart from your faith but surrender your life to Him and repent (look up definition) and God Himself will reveal Himself to you.
by d-tox on November 30th, 2009
all i have to she is look at all the 1000s of books that the catholic church has hidden away and banned because it will make ppl think go with your heart not what some one tells you
by Dmitri on November 30th, 2009
Start using your heart instead of your mind. Religion is for the mind to fortify and preserve the faith. Faith is for the heart to quicken the religion.
by pugwashjw65 on November 30th, 2009
Go back to the Bible and ask if the RCC is doing these things...
1. Preaching...Matthew 28; 19,20
2. preaching the KINGDOM...Matthew 24;14
3. Are they using God's NAME...and not just his TITLE of God or LORD...
(Exodus 6:3) And I used to appear to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty, but as respects my name Jehovah I did not make myself known to them.
See the separation? NAME AND TITLE...
And what about this...
(Exodus 20:4-5) “You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. 5 You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation, in the case of those who hate me;
The RCC DOES have carved images...when the scriptures say NOT TO...
by Mary Maguire on November 30th, 2009
Search for the answer. It's out there. Don't be too quick to throw your faith away. Don't worry so much that you're doubting, as long as you are truly open to the truth. That's the biggest thing. You must be sure that you are searching for the truth, and not merely trying to rebel.
by mrrw on November 30th, 2009
Question everything.
by HoboJoe on November 30th, 2009
Just go through the motions like I did. I was raised Catholic and I wanted to please my parents.
by CaptainHarley adores his life penguin on November 30th, 2009
Wait.
by philosopher-saint on November 30th, 2009
I dunno. Get used to it?!
;-)
by Coexist on November 30th, 2009
Follow where the evidence takes you.
by Blessed Dreamer is a girl on June 17th, 2009
It's ok to have questions, everyone has had at least once lack of faith in there lives, if not many times. You should read the book by Beth Moore "Believing God" it's about faith, God calls us to love but how can we obey without fait? Good luck and don't get down on yourself, you are young, you will figure things out.
by bagicide stayed 10 months too long on June 17th, 2009
Try reading the Bible and thinking on it at more than a surface level and see it that makes you see things any differently. The Bible is not a novel. You need to do some real study to understand it. Some of it is history, some of it is law, some of it is prophecy, some of it is a hymnal, some of it is Gospel. You need to understand at least those basics to have any clue as to what you are reading. You have to understand the Bible to have any clue what you say you believe.
My own experience with the Catholic Church is that they aren't very big on teaching the Bible. You may have to do some study on your own. You can look at Christian book stores or even on Amazon for resources. Once you understand what it is that Christians believe, then you can decide whether you believe it or not. But when you haven't dug into it very deeply, you really don't even know what it is you are rejecting. Someone on here said that you should learn to think for yourself independently. I would agree with that, but maybe not in the way that person intended. I would say that before you reject your faith, you should dig into it deeply enough to make an independent decision as to what you believe or don't believe, without just following the herd.
by Rabid Octopus wears a COAT of life on June 17th, 2009
You're having trouble believing because you are becoming more independent and less ignorant, don't let it bring you down. Embrace it, find a new religion that you believe, or be an Atheist, it up to you.
by LadyAguja on June 17th, 2009
I think you shouldn't beat yourself up over it. Don't think you're a bad person for questioning things. It just means that you take your faith seriously - seriously enough to force yourself to look at things objectively, even if it would be easier to just go along with what others say, or just reject it all without batting an eye. I also think that you should never give up finding out more information and questioning things. Faith is a lifelong quest for truth. You might think your church doesn't hold all the answers, but don't fall into the trap of thinking that YOU hold all the answers.
by Simply Salsa... on June 17th, 2009
Dont be pressured into something you dont believe in.
by keithcain on June 17th, 2009
If you don't believe God created the world then who or how do you think it happened. Also what other stuff don't you believe?
by Leah on June 17th, 2009
Sunday schools are much better than Catholic Schools, I learned and understood more about Catholicism then I did with the one sided teachers they hired that I found wrong on some things they said about Church belifes.
Here are some things that the church teaches the schools do not:
1. We belive in evoluion, God does not live on earth their for it is not a 24 hr. day.
2. Other forms of christanty are our brothers and sisters. Not that they didn't teach it they just never brought it up.
3. When we support life it means the death penalty is just as wrong as abortion.
4. You don't have to place faith in poltics. The teachers told me I did, but the preist at the Sunday school told me I didn't.
If your asking me what to do, drop out of Catholic School and attend the Pairsh Sunday School instead. Because all they care about is tuiation.
by Mrs.mezzo is a Wagnerian soprano on June 17th, 2009
Become an Episcopalian.
Per Robin Williams the top ten reasons to do so are:
10. No snake handling.
9. You can believe in dinosaurs.
8. Male and female God created them; male and female we ordain them.
7. You don't have to check your brains at the door.
6. Pew aerobics.
5. Church year is color-coded.
4. Free wine on Sunday.
3. All of the pageantry - none of the guilt.
2. You don't have to know how to swim to get baptized.
And the Number One reason to be an Episcopalian:
1. No matter what you believe, there's bound to be at least one other Episcopalian who agrees with you.
by Byakuya-sama on June 15th, 2009
You need to prove the truth to yourself. No one can do that for you.
Is your religion in harmony with what the bible teaches?
Check it out and find out for yourself.
I think you should also check out this site~ http://www.watchtower.org/e/200803/article_03.htm
I found it very interesting and helpful ^_^
by Lucy in the sky on March 3rd, 2010
Read The Holy bible. Join a church that teaches ONLY from The Holy Bible.
by Catholic Convert on June 17th, 2009
You've had some great advice here. Don't rush things, just take your time and do some research for yourself. Maybe talk to your family if you're happy with that or possibly even your Priest although you'll probably get a rather biased response from Him but hopefully he'd be sympathetic and understanding [or at least he should be]. You're not the first to feel this way ~ we all have doubt about our faith as we go through life, it's perfectly natural.
I wish you all the best ~ remember though there's no rush, just take your time and live a little. Faith will wait for you xx
CC x
by subtlesledgehammer on June 17th, 2009
Seek alternatives that resonate with a more enlightened way of seeing the Universe! Here are some links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agape_International_Spiritual_Center
http://www.agapelive.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Miguel_Ruiz
by Reapz on June 17th, 2009
Congratulations! You are acquiring a trait known as independent thought, otherwise known as intelligence. Believe what you personally choose to believe. Don't let others persuade you into their beliefs. I went to a Christian School when I was young, I know how bad it sucks to be around people constantly trying to brainwash you. Just be stronger then that. Do you know what a lemming is? People that conform to other's will and believe everything that they are told, without any real proof, are basically the same thing as a lemming. Good luck!
by Blue Tiger. on June 17th, 2009
Listen to what they say. Apply to it in real life (love people around you etc) as much as you can. Watch discovery channel for rational knowledge.
by Spirit of the Nomad on June 17th, 2009
Faith as we know it is completely man made...even the bible was written by men so there is no way to know whats true or not. You are not bad or doing anything wrong by questioning your faith. You need to do what feels right to you. Good luck!
by princess_lydiax on June 17th, 2009
I would consdier looking up the following site: dundeebaptistchurch.com
by puzzled on September 26th, 2009
Much depends upon which part of your religion you are having difficulty believing.
That we do not know how matter came into being is likely to remain a fact into the forseeable future. It being created by some super intelligence is even today as good an explanation as any, although it leaves open who or what created that intelligence.
The writings in the Bible have involved human touch throughout history and are restricted by, and to, the knowledge available at the time.
Try to interpret them as such, see within the basic context of christianity if you can decide what they were trying to say.
Always remember intelligence has hardly advanced, it is knowledge which has developed. Those ancients whose writings the bible contained had intelligences equal to the best today.
The christian religion when it preaches responsibility, compassion, love, tolerance, humility provides a basis upon which to live our lives.
Much is historically factual, but much is an interpretation.
The scripture is a guide for life and not a straightjacket, the church a fellowship not a prison.
Enjoy.
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You're reading I am having troubly believing my religeon. i am catholic but i dont believe that God created the world and a bunch of other stuff. I also go to a Catholic school and don't really believe everything we learn in class. What should i do?
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Comments
Nicely put.
by fredhetz on November 27th, 2006
Absolutely love the way this was put too.
by september_90 on November 19th, 2009