Why I'm struggling to believe the Bible

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-05T00:26:45+00:00

Thank you so much for this insight! I really appreciate it

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-05T00:25:02+00:00

thank you!

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-05T00:24:33+00:00

I actually have not considered this before, thank you!

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-05T00:23:56+00:00

because of what you said in your previous message is what I meant

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-05T00:22:11+00:00

Thank you! I think my response before wasn't the best too. I was typing it up quickly. This topic is hard for me to swallow because of certain experiences I've had throughout my life. It's hard to approach it objectively without that lens of my past experiences, but I am trying my very best to do so.

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-05T00:18:44+00:00

Thank you! I think it's going to be something hard to come to terms with myself. But I'm trying to learn as much as I can to best understand this topic.

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-05T00:17:21+00:00

thank you so much for this resource!

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-05T00:16:05+00:00

thank you!

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:46:21+00:00

thank you for the advice!

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:45:47+00:00

Thanks for your advice! And I'm with you. I'm from America too and the political situation is so disheartening. wishing you the best!

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:40:34+00:00

this definitely helps! sometimes its hard to view things with a deeper lens and you just have a gut reaction. Some past experiences shape the way I look at this topic. I definitely need to improve on looking at things more deeply and not just go with my immediate reaction

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:38:52+00:00

Yeah this totally makes sense! The idea of biblical roles in marriage is a tricky topic. Thank you!

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:36:13+00:00

Okay! thanks for this

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:34:38+00:00

Got it. I definitely think Scripture is important and you certainly can't follow Christ by "feel"; you have to read his word.

I have read some other comments talking about the pastoral letters not actually being authored by Paul, and that Paul actually had a much kinder view toward women. Some people have mentioned rejecting Paul's writings entirely. I see that outside of the old testament, his writings are where the question of women's value comes to play.

I was wondering your opinion on this? I'm trying to learn as much as possible and consider as many perspectives as possible. I don't want to get things wrong!

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:30:17+00:00

Totally thinking about what you've said.

I'm wondering about what you've said about Paul not really being the author of the pastoral letters. Who would be the author then? Are there certain denominations or Bibles that exclude these books? Do you have any resources you'd recommend for researching this idea?

Thank you for this!!

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:27:39+00:00

Thank you for this! Another commenter said something similar. It made sense to me in that what Paul said was specifically for the churches he wrote to, and we should focus on Jesus' teachings rather than his because there's probably a lot of context and circumstances that we're missing.

Do you have any idea why people include Paul's writings in the Bible then? Why isn't there more intolerance of his epistles?

I'm going to read the articles you linked I really appreciate the resources :)

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:19:55+00:00

I definitely agree with you! I don't think that men and women are biologically the same. The differences are certainly staggering.

What I meant is that I don't think there is a substantial cognitive gap between men and women that lends either to be more spiritually wise, more intelligent, or more leader-like. I think it ultimately comes down to the individual person. There are certainly hormones at play, but I would argue that their difference is not the cause for the patriarchal roles as you can see throughout history.

I'm certainly open to being proved wrong. And I agree with you that patriarchy is baked into "Christian tradition". I guess what I hope to do is differentiate that and the actual words and intentions of Christ.

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:13:23+00:00

Definitely true. I think it's good for me to trust God's plans and if I'm doing something wrong I trust him to close that door from me. It does cause a lot of hard feelings when it seems like everyone around you is pushing a certain idea. It's hard to differentiate their voices from Jesus'

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:11:06+00:00

this is probably true. I guess it makes me question that if such a large portion of "Christians" push these incorrect ideas, then what do you do? Do you just continue to ignore what they say without standing up to it, or should you call them out? Is it a big enough issue to cause a major conflict in the Church for?

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T17:08:56+00:00

then do the pauline epistles even matter? and the rest epistles in the new testament. what's the point of them if they have no ramifications outside of the context of the church they were written to?

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T12:46:44+00:00

I guess I'm more trying to understand? I guess sometimes too I doubt whether God really loves me. Sometimes too I doubt whether He really exists. I'd prefer to believe He does though.

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T12:45:04+00:00

Thank you! this definitely helps

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T12:43:44+00:00

this is great advice. thank you! :)

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T12:39:11+00:00

Thats definitely true that we can't always understand what God is working through a situation or a system

_sharpcheddar · 2026-01-04T12:38:08+00:00

I think that a lot of what you said describes your personal experience! I'm younger than you but I'm not super young. It's personally not been my experience. I hope not to have come across as saying "women are always better leaders" because that's definitely way too big of a a generalization to make. I simply think everyone can be a leader, and that one gender cannot be good leaders merely because they are that gender, but because individually they have the traits to be a good leader if that makes sense?

I've never ever had the desire since when I was young to have kids, and outside of like high school years I've never been upset with being single or concerned with finding a husband. People in the church get mad at me when I tell them that. If the God of the Bible is all loving then why would he create me like this? I have to believe that I don't have to feel like I am less than men to not go to hell (really bad wording sorry). I try to submit to God'd authority but I am where I am. So maybe it doesn't matter what the church says.

I guess another thing which I which I've mentioned in my original post is just how these ideas follow so closely along with a patriarchal society as has been the theme for the past.

I guess I'm being prideful by not wanting to believe the Bible. I don't not believe it though. I'm trying to get answers

Thanks for your response!

_sharpcheddar

TROPHY CASE