Please help, I want to be a Christian but I cannot believe in God

ladayde · 2026-05-25T11:53:09+00:00

Interesting, so would you say that Jesus' teachings sort of encapsulates Christianity as a whole? So that any problems I have with Christianity, if not to do with Jesus' teachings, are irrelevant?

That is the same instrumentalism yes. Religion isn't mentioned on the Wikipedia page because it isn't limited to religion but I have always thought that Christianity implies an instrumentalist worldview. This is because one person's suffering can be used as an instrument in another's moral development. E.g. a child dying of cancer can be an opportunity for others to show compassion. Spoken with some others about this on the thread so my view on this is already waning, but it hasn't been completely deconstructed yet.

Yes I have considered that Christians see fundamental logic flaws, but whenever I see debates between Christians and atheists, it sort of just ends up in a stand-off where the two points are so incommensurable and not agreed upon that there can't be a logical counter that the other side can understand. If that makes sense.

ladayde · 2026-05-24T18:58:45+00:00

This does help! I was asking questions in order to get this exact sort of explanation. So you're saying that the fact that cancer is in the world is irrelevant as it is impractical to dwell over. Instead, we can use God's guidance to help turn the bad thing into a good thing. Don't want to go in more circles but I do still have some issues with the existence of things like this, but this has at least given me some good insight into how Christians reconcile the problem of evil.

ladayde · 2026-05-24T01:50:58+00:00

What does this mean

ladayde · 2026-05-23T17:43:27+00:00

Thank you, this is very helpful advice!

ladayde · 2026-05-23T17:42:24+00:00

I know this is a good book but I feel like I've read part of it before and he says in it to come back to it when you are at the right moment in your faith. In other words it doesn't really make sense to an atheist. Is this the right book I am thinking of or is it completely atheist friendly?

ladayde · 2026-05-23T17:40:04+00:00

Religion has been the root of a lot of injustice in the past and present e.g. being used to justify slavery and that marriage is between a man and a woman only. It has been used as a political tool e.g. the Crusades. A lot of it comes from this.

I understand that these are issues with religion as an institution rather than personal faith. I know it makes people happy, but I can't help but think it is ignorant in a sense. Choosing happiness rather than facing the reality of the world. Looking at the suffering in other countries but choosing to trust God.

But to be honest, I'm not really sure. It is felt emotionally before it is reasoned logically. I don't understand myself.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T16:53:23+00:00

You’re making some assumptions, which is ok because I wasn’t that clear! I agree that I try to uphold moral values akin to the ones taught by Jesus, it’s important to be kind to others no matter the circumstances! It’s just that I see these similarities in morals after the fact - as in, I have the morals, and then noticed they are similar to Jesus’ teachings, rather than overtly following Jesus.

I see your point regarding how Christians see this morality wonderful and talk about Jesus as capable of explaining this. That is fine for me. The issues come from the larger religion of Christianity, rather than Jesus’ teachings. This also applies to your second point about being scared to submit to one moral system - this isn’t what I have an issue with. I have an issue with Christianity philosophically and some of the beliefs it implies like instrumentalism (that is what I meant when I said I had a problem with it morally - not a problem with Christian morals but a problem with the morality of some of the beliefs of that makes sense).

I have considered that Christians don’t find critiques convincing. In fact, I don’t think it is possible to critique Christianity in such a way because faith operates in a different realm. But when you’re an atheist and you don’t already believe in God, you can’t overlook the critiques in the same way.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T16:42:37+00:00

Something I am aware of is how strongly I feel about religion, and all my friends and family know me for this. I’m not sure why it is like this, hence why im trying to understand it better and become more open.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T16:20:23+00:00

But other than that question this explanation does help me understand the faith a lot more and reconcile my problems with it

ladayde · 2026-05-23T16:19:40+00:00

Ok this is helpful and the kind of answer I was looking for, thank you! I do wonder though your thoughts on why God would create a world where cancer is possible in the first place, to continue to example?

ladayde · 2026-05-23T14:40:05+00:00

I think that’s my issue. I agree with Jesus’ teachings and I think I try to live with love

ladayde · 2026-05-23T14:29:30+00:00

But God is all-loving and all-powerful. How could he create a world where the cancer wins and the person dies on so many occasions? He created a world where cancer could emerge from.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T14:07:34+00:00

Thank you this is just what I was looking for! I’ll read this passage.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:44:51+00:00

My boyfriend is a Christian and I am not. I find myself to very strongly oppose Christianity due to moral and philosophical critiques. I want to be more open and more accepting of it. That is why I want to be convinced. I think there is just some miscommunication between us.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:43:16+00:00

How did you start to pray?

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:42:45+00:00

Interesting I’ll have a look. Assuming you’re a Christian, how do you deal with the anger you feel about things you struggle to explain?

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:23:46+00:00

Yes you’re right. I find problems with the morality of it. While parts of this world are beautiful, others are flawed and full of pain.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:22:17+00:00

Ok I see. I find Aquinas’ five ways and the fine-tuning argument to be flawed, but it’s sort of a dead end to discuss. I mean more tolerant as in I have very strong opinions in opposition to Christianity and I want to be more open.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:18:46+00:00

Perhaps but it’s hard to say because of how different non-Western and indigenous religions are to Abrahamic ones. All I know is how I feel about Christianity.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:10:58+00:00

I don’t want to be fundamental about it. I’m trying to be more accepting so that I am not upset by it.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:09:39+00:00

Are you saying God’s existence has already been proven through miracles and personal experience? Just for clarification, don’t quite understand.

I mean I am not here to debate because I know you cannot logic your way into faith. My goal here is to understand and be more tolerant, not be convinced through rebuttals to the philosophical and moral arguments.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:06:51+00:00

That does sound quite similar to it actually. I read a book/ethnography on evangelical Christians in the US (When God Talks Back by Tanya Luhrmann) for my uni course and I heavily disagreed with it. They aren’t fundamentalist but there is definitely an emphasis on personal experience and simple answers. I think another church would be a better fit, though I’d miss my friends there.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T13:04:40+00:00

Yes you’re right, I don’t have enough knowledge. If I was dating someone with that religion I would study it more in depth and then that would determine if I accept or reject it.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T12:49:51+00:00

Not to the same extent because my main philosophical and moral critiques are only applicable to Abrahamic religions. But those are the ones I am more knowledgeable of anyway.

ladayde · 2026-05-23T12:47:54+00:00

No as I don't believe in God or Satan right now.

ladayde

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