Trying to Be Christian

[AllAmercian]

I was raised Southern Baptist, and remained so for most of my life. I am hard wired to be christian, its all I ever knew growing up. BUt I began struggling with it after a friend and I had a discussion on the subject.
Do you believe in that stuff Or Are you Just afraid not to? HE asked me... It was a long conversation but parts of it are burned in my memory... after all you've been told since you were a child that you wold burn in hell if you didnt believe what you were told.....so have you ever given it a fair and honest look. He went on to tell me he used to believe in his Religion until he realized he believed in it more because he wanted to, than because it was believeable. That he could never have been convinced to believe in any Religion he is aware of had he been presented with them as an adult. The guy wasn't trying to be rude or condecending it was just a matter of fact level kind of conversation in which we exchanged our viewpoints. IN fact I think he kind of envied me for being able to be a Christian.
Soon after that meeting I began to travel and meet people from different cultures mostly in Asia. I found that I looked at them as different not only because they were physically different but because they were not Christian as I am. I didnt like that, and my knowledge of history and the bible reminded me of how many had suffered unimaginable pain because they were not the right kind of Christian.
The question eats at me till this day, I cant say that I am a christian anymore, I would like to be but , I just cant at this point set aside and just forget the many flaws I see in the theology. A Parable just doesnt do the trick for me, I can't see any Divinity in the Bible, any Truth beyond the obvious, or Revelation that proves that this Religion is the true Path to God. OR that GOD chose this Religion above all the many others which claim to be the Way the ONLY WAY to the Creator.
I enjoy this life, and am thankful for it, If there comes a time when I am laying on my death bed knowing my life is over. I think I will be quite content to know that I have been a good man, a good husband father, that I contributed more than Itook. If ther is darkness after that then thats OK by me, streets of gold never were much of a enticement .. burning in pain forever would be a drag. But If the Bible is the truth, I am destined for that weather I pretend to believe in christianity or not, for he knows us and we cannot fool him.
Certainly many members have struggled with these same thoughts.. how do you overcome them and keep your faith in christianity?

[Gman]

You could have all the knowledge in the world, all the faith in the world, or all the riches in the world but have not love, then you are nothing.... That is all you need to understand about Christianity or God's place for you... It's that simple...

[Seraph]

I didnt like that, and my knowledge of history and the bible reminded me of how many had suffered unimaginable pain because they were not the right kind of Christian.

Keep in mind that people who suffered for not being the right kind of Christian were victims of corrupt men, not Christianity itself or it's theology. Also there are people who have suffered for just about all kinds of beliefs. People have died in the name of Christianity, Islam, Atheism, Communism, Democracy, Monarchies, etc but that alone doesn't make them wrong. It doesn't seem right to me to reject something based on foolish people who abused it centuries ago.

He went on to tell me he used to believe in his Religion until he realized he believed in it more because he wanted to, than because it was believeable.

Well, another alternative to this other than reject it is to explore it more and strengthen your belief in it.

OR that GOD chose this Religion above all the many others which claim to be the Way the ONLY WAY to the Creator.

God did not choose Christianity to be the only path to God, it is the message that God gave down to us in order for us to come to him. Different religions contradict each other on how to reach God and they can't all be right. If God exists, I personally would expect Him to have certain standards on how one can come to Him, not just let people try and invent ways to get to Him.

But If the Bible is the truth, I am destined for that weather I pretend to believe in christianity or not, for he knows us and we cannot fool him.
Certainly many members have struggled with these same thoughts.. how do you overcome them and keep your faith in christianity?

Having occasional doubts does not make one damned or not a Christian anymore. You are right, I myself have stuggled with these thoughts and questioned a lot of parts of my faith. However, this doesn't mean that I ended up rejecting Christianity altogether. Many times I questioned, and I eventually found answers. No belief system is perfectly plain and clear to us so no matter what one believes, there will be things about it that they question. CS Lewis said that when he was an atheist, he had days where Christianity appeared true to him and once he became Christian, there were still days were Atheism appeared true to him.

[B. W.]

Hi All American,

After reading you post you made me realize something. You see, I once was like your friend. I questioned the faith that people claimed to have and I am sure I caused doubt in a few too (which I so regret now wholeheartedly). I would approach people of faith in much the same way as your friend has you. I had it down good too. I was an atheist back then and took it upon myself to convert the religious of the error of their ways.

However, I did meet a few Christians who knew how to throw it back at me, and I am grateful they did! I too was raised in a Southern Baptist home. Later in life rejected it mostly out of selfish ignorance and what I learned in school. I grew up in a very ethnic area between Falls Church and Fairfax Virginia where I grew up fast and mean. Seen people die of overdoses and for just saying something back to another driving by. All this turned me away from the Lord way back then before becoming a Christian.

So I knew enough of Christianity to trap certain Christians into doubting their faith. I even worked on a seminary student who in turn was trying to witness to me. If we went out to a place to eat to talk — I order lots of beer — just to irk him. He was never irked. He dish it right back at me. I now appreciate that. If he by chance reads this - we played an Avlon Hill Board game called Gettysburg at my parent's old home (Side Note: which I played well lit! Yes it me — Bryan! Please send me a Privet Message — Last I heard of you years ago was that you went to Fredericksburg VA for a pastorate. I want to thank you and let you know you did have an impact on my life!). Now back on topic:

I can't see any Divinity in the Bible, any Truth beyond the obvious, or Revelation that proves that this Religion is the true Path to God. OR that GOD chose this Religion above all the many others which claim to be the Way the ONLY WAY to the Creator.

I used to use this same argument to trip people into doubt. Maybe, in some way, I can right the wrongs I myself created in many. Do all paths or roads, or ways all lead to the creator?

If you went to the doctor and he discovered you had a certain type cancer that only could be cured only by talking one certain pill called Xoplziniodium. Would you tell him, “No — I'll take Advil instead because all medicines lead to healing!” Would you be healed by taking Advil? - It is your choice. The doctor cannot force you to take the medicine.

If I invited you over to my home and gave you directions to turn north off the Highway and you chose to go south instead. You would not reach my house. All roads do not lead to the same end empirically. Why should they spiritually? In fact, in the USA travel east or west will cause you to run into an ocean where these road ends.

What would not be fair is this: if God just let us all drift aimlessly along without direction or course. Instead he pleads and warns and tells us of the dangers that lay ahead desiring us to take the right road and the right medicine in order to preserve our lives. His love grants us a choice. When someone loves you, they'll tell you when you are screwing up, not to heap guilt and shame upon you but to keep you from harm. It is not pleasant to hear this and far easier to ignore this with platitudes that lets us to continue screwing up.

It is not my intent to sound harsh but please realize that just because you were raised in a Christian environment does not make you a Christian. You sound like me in a way, years ago, having enough knowledge of the bible but never encountering the author of the bible. It is obvious to me that the Lord is speaking to you in order to restore your soul. You may even be going through some time of pain but only the Lord and you know that. I say this mostly due to the tone of your letter, you can correct me if I am wrong.

So, what is it that has caused you so much doubt about the Lord and the Bible? Are you willing to converse on this a bit more? There are many wonderful people here on this forum who just may have answers to your doubts.

One last thing, there is more to this Christian thing than, 'streets of Gold or eternal fiery darkness' and it involves a living relationship with the Creator — so very real. Head knowledge can only take us all so far but to become part of the Adopted is another matter all together.

God Bless you and - May the Lord grab hold of you and never let you go — Amen!
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[enfuego]

Here is where the problem lies, the name of your thread is "Trying to be Christian". We can't try to be Christian, we either are or we aren't. My advice to you is to pray diligently to God to show you the truth. Run to the foot of the cross of Jesus, and give it all to him, every single doubt, every single question, every single issue, every single thing that stands between you and our Lord and Savior. Let every bit of it go, and he will give you an answer.
The Lord bless you and keep you

[rodyshusband]

Here's a copy of notes I took from a presentation by Michael Ramsden:


"Michael Ramsden (17 minutes, 43 seconds)
Topic: The Question of Identity: How Do We Understand Who We Really Are?

Using humor and personal experience, Ramsden points out that all of us are searching for meaning in our lives through establishing an identity, using our own resources.
Usually, we are not happy with who we are and desire to become someone else.

Ramsden then goes on to define how different worldviews and religions establish their own identity. They are grounded in one or more of the following: what you think, what you feel and what you do. However, there is nothing you can think, feel or do to become a Christian. Being a Christian is based on a person, Jesus Christ, who did not come to tell us what to think, what to feel or what to do. He came as God.

Once you understand who Jesus Christ is, you come to understand who you are in the face of Him. You become a new person first and that will change what you think, what you feel and what you do. It is not a matter of being perfect, rather, a matter of being forgiven. Being forgiven is what makes the changes."