Christians, do you feel there is ever an acceptable reason for not believing in

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   peeplesposted 12 years ago

   Christians, do you feel there is ever an acceptable reason for not believing in God?
   
   Do true Christians accept any reason as a legitimate reason for not having faith in God?

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   Catzgendronposted 12 years ago

   I can understand that some who have experienced loss and hardships may not believe or may have a hard time believing in God.  I don't feel that anyone has the right to make judgement because they have their questions about the reality of God. We don't know what these individuals may have gone through and we may never find out. Only God has the right to judge them. All we can do is pray that one day they realize that God has always been there for them with his unconditional love and will never leave them.

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   Highvoltagewriterposted 12 years ago

   Speaking from my own experience I would have to say that I allowed my view of Christians to get in the way of believing in the word of God. Satan does his best to keep people from finding and having a relationship with God by accenting the faults of Christians. Until I quite judging other so severely was I able to believe in God!

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   Attikosposted 12 years ago

   I'm not sure what you mean when you say an acceptable reason. Everyone believes that his beliefs are true. That's a simple matter of definition. Should one not believe his professed principles, then they wouldn't be beliefs at all. A corollary of that is that everyone else has to accept the beliefs of others.
   
   On the other hand, if by acceptable you mean convincing, then you have to realize that people move in and out of faith all the time. Therefore, there are convincing reasons for people, both deist and atheist, to change their minds.
   
   Neither am I sure what you might mean when you say "true" Christians. What are "true" believers, of any faith, including those faiths that deny faith? Who gets to define who is true and who is untrue?
   
   Frankly, this strikes me as a hostile and rather deliberately offensive question, with elements in it that have little relation to what I see as reality. Please forgive me if I'm wrong.

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   peeplesposted 12 years ago

   To clear up my question so others don't feel the same as Attikos I will explain, when I say acceptable I more mean understandable. Are there times when a Christian is able to fully understand why someone else has a lack of faith. When I say true Christians I mean just that someone who follows the bible in a christian manner. Many claim christianity while some just aren't (serial killer, rapist, and so on as example). I am genuinely curious as to how many christians can look at a situation of an abused child, victim of war in third world country etc. and understand the lack of belief or faith that person may have.

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   Dubuquedogtrainerposted 12 years ago

   Well, that is a confusing question because no real Christian would answer 'yes.' If you asked if a Christian can understand why someone would not believe in God, the answer would also be 'yes.' 
   
   People don't believe for various reasons. Some of them are a lack of perceived need, a lack of understanding about Who God is, a way of life that keeps God out, anger at God for a perceived lack of intervention by God or for things that have happened to the non-believer or others in their lives, the behavior of believers, inconvenience and preference for a "religion" that offers more flexibility and more of a self-centered approach to life.
   
   Now, there are some people who believe in God that don't believe in Jesus Christ as the only way to Him. I can't speak for what they would say about believing or not believing in God.
   
   I think God has given us a heart for Him, even if some cultures and some young people do not yet know Him.
   
   He has said in His Word, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)
   
   I don't know how God will judge those who have never had the opportunity to hear His word or read the Bible. I do know that God is absolutely just and loving and that whatever He does, it will be fair.
   
   As for those who hear and don't believe, there will be judgement. Unfortunately for those people, the judgement is eternal separation from God in hell. But hell wasn't made for mankind, it was made for Satan.
   
   "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us and not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2Peter 3:9)
   
   When you know God through His son, Jesus Christ it is unimaginable to believe that He doesn't exist and so it is unimaginable to believe that there is an "acceptable reason for not believing in God." However I can certainly understand why some choose not to believe.

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   DeanCashposted 12 years ago

   If you in many ways have not attained any goals or anything that makes you feel strong you will always conclude that their is no God. I don't feel that way but I can say that some of us invented religion to a level that it cannot be considered sacred anymore. I do not seek to believe that their is no God but I believe that their a God that make me strong.

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   ptosisposted 12 years ago

   
   
   I think the questioner means fundamentalist believers as opposed to a sophisticated believer.

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