It is easier that way isn’t it? I did that once… Came back years later when I realized my character was not getting any better, but slowly worse… But, it might be different for you. I wish you the best. May God lead us all.
Well, I don’t believe because of things like science, biblical discrepancies, history, etc. It has nothing to do with anything being “easy”.
Sheesh.
Hey Andre,
I sympathise with where you were coming from. If you were tempted to go back at all to your previous desire to believe, i don’t know how easy it’d be, but focusing on sin and negativity is natural when you’re struggling under the weight of bad guilt-filled messages, and it can be hard to see any hope.
Maybe instead of studying things that trigger your negative feelings, you should stick to the stuff that doesn’t, until you are stronger and can deal with it more.
For example, i really struggle with sitting down and reading the Bible…have done for years. I keep expecting it to jump out at me and condemn me for being hopelessly wrong about everything. But slowly as i read what other braver souls have studied, my fear is starting to dissipate slowly, and maybe i’ll be able to start reading it properly again soon. the irony of course is that it was my study of the Bible that lead me to think the meta-narrative does not in any way support hopeless damnation, and that things like “sin” are far more complicated than a tick list of actions that are black and white, good or evil. I learned from Scripture that it’s God’s grace and love that saves me “while i’m a sinner”, and gives me the hope that one day i will know fully, even as i am fully known, that i will put away childish things (like pride and selfishness and fear, which are the foundation of sin). I know that God urges and requires good actions and obedience…but i also know He forgives my short comings, and that what He refers to as His burden is not knowledge of my wretched sinfullness…in fact it is knowledge that my wretched sinfullness is temporary and slowly falling away as He leads me on. It takes time, and i keep trying to put it on again, but God keeps leading me.
The road to God is difficult, but that’s just this bit on earth…really deep down we have already reached our destination, in that the work is Done already by Christ, whatever shape that takes that best gives you comfort.
If people around you keep banging on about sin…find new people to hang out with. If books don’t bring you the comfort you need, get some new ones that do. Let your hair down a bit! you’ll know deep down when an action is right or wrong, and though we all make mistakes, God forgives. The main commandment (after loving God) is to love others as you love yourself…so love yourself, love others, and though you’ll struggle with bad decisions as we all do, maybe you’ll start to see yourself as God does: a precious human being full of potential for good and happiness.
Hi, Andre’
It’s been a long time and I was pretty new here when you stopped posting, but I remember your name and a teensy bit about you. I hear you, concerning the biblical discrepancies. I think a huge number of people have a problem with this because of the church’s (very silly) insistence that God directly dictated every word of the bible. That’s just not sustainable. The bible seems to me to be the story of the Hebrews’ interaction with, and experience of God rather than a dictated letter to the 21st century world. The New Testament, likewise is a compilation of early Christian writings and varies between the different branches (EOx, RCC, Protestant, etc.) of the church. It is not (as we have most unwisely made it) a god, and we have forced it to lie by our insistence on a literal, face-value interpretation. These things were well-meant, but aren’t consistent with either Jewish or Christian historical understanding of the texts. I hope you’ll post about your misgivings and let some of the people here address them. The lion’s share of objections to the bible are founded in a Reformation era method of interpretation which is, I think, a disastrous way of reading scripture.
With regard to science, this has always puzzled me. Aside from the evolution debate (which isn’t a problem for me) I don’t see any reason for science to be considered a threat to faith – at all. Evolution isn’t a threat either, and I consider it a first-rate answer for the problem of suffering/evil/etc., but of course the perceived threat is again related back to that insistence on literal interpretation of the bible. If you’re willing to talk about it, and if you’d like to talk, I know the folks here have good things for you to consider regarding your questions/objections.
Love, Cindy
I want to revisit this because I’ve had some new thoughts lately.
I’m the kind of person who is easily spooked; I’m a negative thinker who sees a dark cloud over every silver lining. My previous readings of George MacDonald allowed this negativity to bubble up in my head. Although his words about how the traditional doctrine of hell is wrong and monstrous gave me great hope, his words concerning obedience layed me low. Here’s what I’ve come to conclude as of late.
A person can really only obey God from the heart if he or she can trust Him, that is, trust that they are in their persons* ultimately safe.* When a person doesn’t have some awareness of ultimate safety, he will do what he can to make himself feel safe, to shore up his own being, to be sustained. How a person does this depends on the person himself; some are more successful in life than others. Some may even get into a lifelong panic mode where the world and those in it are seen as competitors or even enemies. But when a person is aware that he is sustained by another, by a power greater than himself, the ultimate power even, he will be able to relax inside and be free to be good to others, to transcend his selfish tendencies.
So this is how I must read George MacDonald now; I must be careful not to divorce his statements about the need to obey Christ’s admonitions from his words about God’s true character. Only in the context of God’s ultimate goodness can one really obey from the heart. At least that’s how I see it.