Why should I believe what they want me to?

Aw, dearie...everyone has to come to their own conclusions with belief. I'm no christian, but I gotta say..just what that one church does and says isn't what all churches do or say. The beauty of religion is, no one really knows anything for a hundred percent certain...that's why the concept of "faith" is in most religions. Faith is what it means to believe but have no solid proof. Most of us believe in whatever FEELS right to us. You're not an atheist for asking questions, many christians dear to my heart would agree. And all the men who think they're "better" are sexist and probably not real christians anyway...since Jesus didn't pick favorites, especially among genders. Believe whatever you want to, dearie. Whatever created us, created us with free will after all. You have a choice.

What? Jesus didnt write the bible, it was recorded by Gods faithful. That was the answer to ur first. 2: There are some unexplainable things going on, that couldnt be explained b science or logic, and moreover, all thses troubles and worlds disasters, people dying, whats the purpose of life? 3: Well some men do believ they r better than women, but thats human deficiencies, not that God ordered them to be that way, When jesus was on this earth, he treated women with equal dignity and respect, an example to be followed, 4: No, you should not listen to those pastors who say dont ask questions, you keep on asking and dont stop till you find the truth. I did and nobody ever say to me stop, dont ask anymore, and now i know my answers and am confident of my belief. Infact asking questions, improves a student academically and so also here,,this is lifes academics... 5: And when you find the answers, you'll know that when you sin, no one has any right to say that ur going to hell, actually there is no place called hell created by God for immoral minkind to suffer, so hel is outta question. WE r humans, with imperfections, i sin, u sin and so does every1, but not repeating that and showing values of repentance is required. And for all those who judge you, just show them this verse: " Thou shalt not judge any1, lest you be judged". Anything else feel free to question....

I refuse to answer those questions in order to make you a believer.....What you believe, dont believe etc is completely up to you! Your faith in whatever religion or spiritual path is YOUR CHOICE....I will say this though... 4)Why should I listen to Pastor's when they tell me that asking questions makes me Atheist? IMO you SHOULDNT listen to him...Question everything in life is a good thing! All it makes you is WISE So question away and once you have enough information to successfully make a decision FOR YOURSELF then go for it!...Bravo to you for questioning and not just being a mindless sheep

Good questions. And they should be asked! We don't really know any of these answers. If you do choose to go to church, it is because you have faith that these things are true and for no other reason. Possibly they help when a loved one passes? If so..feel free and go. Pastors don't really know any more than you do, frankly. Thye believe it what they say. But they don't know for sure. That's why it is called faith. You can have faith in other things and not attend a church. I have seen plenty of VERY devout people who choose not to attend. It's up to you. There are monks living in caves in the Himalayas and trust me..they are VERY holy. And they don't go the church. Frankly, I do not believe in Hell, so I cannot help you there? I can't help you believe something I don't. I feel this is just a way to make people contribute to giving them money to keep thier church buildings open? But I do not see the advantage to the person wanting to be closer to God. In my view..churches are places where males are dominant over females and so I do not go. I do read the Bible and I do have belief in God, etc..but I pray directly to God and don't use a "middle man." And I am at ease and comfortable with that. I am fully capable of reading the Bible and seeing what it says for my own self. Who says that you have to pay and put money in their basket every week to be a good person? And why do you have to go ask them about belief when yo have the book right there to read your own self? Just follow the 10 Commandments, believe in your own ability to be good, and try hard every day to be a good, loving and caring person. God is everywhere. You don't have to go to one building each week to find him. He's always with you..even at home!

It's in you ! You can believe what you want. It's called freedom and human rights . No one here or anywhere has the wright to make you believe in God if you do not. Religion is a medicine for the soul. When desperate we ask God, when we do not understand the "whys" and the "hows" of these world and our history , our future and our present we ask God. Asking these questions do not make an Atheist . If your religion does not provide you enough information or you think it does not help you at all...try another one. We have the right to chose what to believe in. If at the end of your searches you still can not believe in God then you involuntarily become an Atheist. I believe in God but though i came from an Orthodox Christian family i have a different theory than the one my religion promotes. No one condemns me for it not even my family. Search and find what you need. Best of luck

Why do you think any one need to make you a believer by answering your questions? What is troubling you to know whether god is there or not? Forget about men believeing they are better. why are you worried what others believe? Why you want to become something because people say? Why are you worried now about the hell after life when you want to become a believer, but with justification? What is it that you want us to say? "There is God. Men are not better than women. Ask more questions that makes you Atheist. Want people to know that you will not go to hell if you sin also if you become believer" Forget about it if so. Trusting God is real when you continue to trust him when you dont find answers for many questions in your life. Happiness comes or goes from happenings. But joy is in trusting God. Knowing that there is a God to take care of us even by sacrificing his life towards us. Bearing our sins onto his head. 1madhu23

1.You can't know for sure that Jesus wrote the New Testament.It is His story looked at from 4 different views, but did He write it? who really knows. 2.You either believe there is a G-d or you don't. There isn't anything that a person can say to make you believe in something you don't/ 3.My best guess is the belief in the Eden story. That Eve brought down Adam and was to blame for them both being kicked out of paradise.And that parents teach their sons that they are better than girls. 4.I don't believe just by asking questions you are an atheist.You should question everything and you can do that And still have your faith stay in tact. 5.Everyone assumes that you are going to hell? I think some but not everyone.I always thought that you needed a vice to give up to get to heaven, but I could be wrong. Here are my answers to your questions and guess what? You still don't have to believe . It should be up to you if you believe or not.I hope you do what ever you can live with and be happy.

Maybe you're talking to the wrong pastor. Not all men believe we are better than women. We are better at driving, basketball, that's about it. Other than that I believe men and women are equal in abilities. If committing one sin is guaranteed to take you to hell, then everyone is going to hell! Because all of us are sinners, one way or another. I believe if you are a good person, live a good life, loved your neighbors, helped those in need, you deserve to go to Heaven.

1. Christians don't claim that Jesus wrote the Bible, but I know what you mean. It is on pure faith (a.k.a. it's assumed) that the Bible is God's word. 2. They don't know--they've assumed it, mostly because that's what their parents told them, and partly because it's a comforting thought (of course, just because something's comforting doesn't mean it's true). 3. Those two things don't truly contradict each other, so I'll skip that question. 4. You shouldn't. Even in the Bible, Christians are told to be ready and willing to defend their faith at any moment. Anyone who says something like that to you is trying to intimidate you into sacrificing your critical thinking and logic in favor of blind loyalty. 5. I'm sure not everyone does that, but people do that because they want to feel superior--that's why they invented a place called Hell where they believe anyone who doesn't belong to 'the club' will end up, being punished forever even if the only thing they did 'wrong' was not join 'the club'. I answered your questions, but not to try and make you a believer. You're using your head--keep it up. "The truth cannot be found between clasped hands." --me :)

Number 1 has been answered already. I shall start from your second question. Nobody knows there is a god. Those who believe in God, feel his presence. Those who do not believe in god , do not feel him. A lot of Atheists have been known to convert into theists by social pressure, family pressure, sometimes by insecurity that without god , noone is watching over them. A lot of theists turn into atheists when they start believing in established science and logic. Why men think they are better than women ? I believe it happened because the moderators of most religions have succesfully established by their reachings that women are inferior to men, or have subjected women to be confined to the duty of motherhood. Many religions have classified women as the vessels for child bringing.I am surprised to find that a lot of women actually follow these man made commandmends as the preachings of god, in the belief that they will have a better life in the heavens. Personally, I respect women not just as mothers, sisters, wives or girlfriends, but as human beings. All religions try to prevent people from asking questions, because they do not have all the answers,which they claim to have. About hell, I believe that heaven and hell exist in the earth.If you do a sin, not a sin as defined by religion (like asking a question), but something that you, or the modern society feels as wrong, you will be punished either by the society, or by your guilty conscience. If you try to hide a sin, the guilt only multiplies. I do not ask you to be a believer. a lot of atheists in the world are working for the welfare of mankind, while a lot of devout followers of religions are corrupting out beloved world. If you are a good person, you do not need a religion to tell you what is right or wrong. If you are thinking of converting to another religion, Don't. Because no religion has anything better to offer.If you study them long enough( not just hear about them from friends and preachers), you will find that inside, they are all the same.

If you don't feel it in your heart, nothing anyone can say can make you believe it. I myself have had many of the same questions and I choose not to believe everything any particular religion tells me. Instead I believe what is in my heart. I do believe in God, but there are mny other things, including some of the questions you brought up, that I do not believe in. I think it is only natural for us to have questions, and that doesn't make you athiest. You may want to begin exploring other religions, as it sounds like you have a problem with christianity.