For some background, I was born and raised in the church. As I've gotten older, though, it's been increasingly hard for me to keep my faith. I hate the non-answers that you get whenever you ask people stuff.
Why are bad things happening to me?
>God is testing you
Oh wow something good happened!
>See, God is blessing you!
Why can't I hear an answer to my prayer? How come it seems like my prayers don't really have an effect one way or the other?
>God only does what he wants. He will speak to you if and when he wants to.
Hey one thing out of 100 that I prayed for came true!
You should be born in a hospital, not a church, user.
Sounds like your questions are more retarded than the answers to be honest. "How come bad stuff happens" is like 12 year old on redit meme tier theology criticism
Oliver White
>I want to be Christian but I'm so tired of BS answers to my questions Only a leaf would give an even shittier answer than the ones I've already posted.
Robert Reed
I answered your question perfectly. Your question is "why do I get bad answers" and the answer is "because you have bad questions"
Post a legitamite question you have about Christianity and I'll do my best to answer it for you OP, but "why does bad stuff happen" is truthfully a pretty dumb one with not much thought. The simple answer is because evil exists. We are not in heaven, we are not in paradise, evil exists and so we experience it
Grayson Carter
i don't understand, why is this challenging to your faith?
Juan Hill
Why are bad things happening to me? >niggers Oh wow something good happened! >Whites Why can't I hear an answer to my prayer? How come it seems like my prayers don't really have an effect one way or the other? >Jews did this Hey one thing out of 100 that I prayed for came true! >escaping the jew lies.
Ryan Young
I haven't been a Christian for years but I pretend to be because all atheists I've met are faggot pussies or edgelords who think unironically think modern Christian Americans are just as worse as Muslim Arabs and I don't ever want to be associated with them.
Nolan Hill
Yeah but why aren't we in heaven? If God can do anything couldn't we all be in heaven already? And don't tell me it's to test us. If God is truly all powerful then if he wanted to he could just make us all perfect to begin with.
Parker Watson
/thread
Parker Cruz
God gave us free will for a reason. The only time he will intervene will be in very indirect ways in very extreme circumstances. Otherwise, he wants us to go out and learn our own lessons. Asking for him to pay your electricity bills doesn't work obviously. He wants you to find your own solutions, but he gives you the tools and guidance to get there yourself.
Christian Barnes
you can't be christian. you are a nigger.
Jason Rivera
You're obviously not actually a christian if you don't know the story of the garden of eden.
We were in paradise and then we betrayed gods trust and became tainted by sin so we were banished from the garden of eden. We are redeemed through Jesus.
This is Christianity 101
Colton Martin
>tfw even my CRC church is poz'd
>Be youth group leader >Head leader thinks it's a good idea to visit a synagogue with all the kids >The jews are thier typical rationalizing selves >"You see you call yourselves reformed goyim, but we are reformING jews >Trying to get a straight answer from them is like pulling teeth >All of thier answers about thier faith were back handed insults >Get back >Wow what an amazing experience I hope you all have a deeper appreciation for our wonderful Jewish brothers >Quit later that week I wasn't even redpilled at the time, it just pissed me off that we had to suck thier dicks because they were Jewish
Nathan Lee
>I don't understand basic concepts of theology but somehow feel entitled on debating against it.
Because life isn't meant to be easy. There are meant to be trials and tribulations you overcome to grow as a human being. Being born in heaven would give you no sense of fulfilment. If everything was perfect, what do you work and strive towards?
Leo Sanchez
>"leader" in a reformed church >a higher up leader does something shitty >abandon ship instead of attempting to reform reformed church shameful tbh fam
Ryan Lee
That's pretty interesting. I find it hard to believe what /paul/ says about Jews as I don't think I have ever personally met one. How could I get to meet a Jew for myself?
Jack Clark
Your questions are pretty stupid desu.
Isaac Morales
Likely in university teaching any kind of social justice or feminism related class
Jordan Hernandez
OP you are imposing human morals on divinity.
You should look to space and the chaos of planets and galaxies colliding. Divinity looks to human morals to understand and observe them, not the other way around.
Chase Lewis
"Wherever 2 or more are gathered, there I am" or something like that.
You are too egotistical. Your life is NOT about you. It´s about the people whose lifes you touch, and you, in that order.
Read: Happier Than God. Realize: Meme magic is the true magic and it IS "christian" or whatever else faith (Praise Kek) you wish to ascribe it. As it works by synchronizing the power of manifestation given to you by the ACTUAL POWER OF MANIFESTATION - ie the original Potential, the Source, God-before all things & after all things are done.
Praise Kek again, Shadilay
Jace Long
God set the world up as a thunderdome and created an imperfect humanity so that he could breed an army of spiritual ubermensch. We die and feed Him our souls so that He can grow stronger, and together we will conquer neighboring galaxies.
Landon Rogers
>Why are bad things happening to me? You're white >Oh wow something good happened! You stopped acting white >Why can't I hear an answer to my prayer? How come it seems like my prayers don't really have an effect one way or the other? God senses ulterior motives >Hey one thing out of 100 that I prayed for came true! God gave you $100 to fuck off
Jacob Nelson
Bad things happen because of the Curse. When Adam and Eve sinned evil was introduced into the world. Bad things are possible because of our rejection of God, but He doesn't directly cause them. Because of sin He gave us a way out. Someone had to pay the price, and He became a man and died on the cross. Now, if you accept the gift of Christ dying on the cross, your sins are forgiven. Once you are redeemed, you'll try to live a better life even though you'll mess up plenty. God didnt make you hit the ball or strike out or whatever, but he did know what would happen before it did. What's important is to praise God regardless of your circumstances and realize that at the end He will judge all of us and sin will be removed from Creation.
Blake Campbell
kek
Michael Sullivan
read the book of job, then the other 2 books in Wisdom. Then the New Testament. Gods word will speak to if you are in his book of life.
Cooper Carter
God only answers your prays if you show you love him through your faith and actions user it isnt that easy to get God favor ;)
Josiah Perry
>American faith For fuck sake, I thought that we ended this crap when Job was written. >Why are bad things happening to me? >Oh wow something good happened! For 99,9% of time shit happens becouse of a) your freewilled actions b) freewilled actions of others c) world works like this due the laws of nature
>Why can't I hear an answer to my prayer? How come it seems like my prayers don't really have an effect one way or the other? I could bet my dog if I had one that you pray to God like if he was some sort of dijn or othe wishmaker. Stop it.
Elijah Murphy
You sound like a stupid child that's only concerned with what God can do for you. Try to become a Christian again, when you're mature enough to be interested in serving God.
Nolan Allen
God is not going to do what you ask of him. He doesn't care, but that doesn't change the fact he exists.
Isaac Thomas
How would you know good if there weren't bad? Pain is just a reminder that you're still alive. Also, it sounds like you keep trying to find answers about you and yourself in Christinity. However, that's not how it works. When you read the Bible and seek answers look to learn more about HIM instead of YOU. hope that somewhat makes sense.
Joshua Torres
Youre mistaken, God will answer your prayers but one must show that he loves God to get his favor and through this favor the grace of the Spirit will be upon him.
Nathaniel Cruz
Just don't become a muzzie, fuck even Scientology is better than shitslam.
Ethan Nguyen
>everything that happens is according to God's plan unless it can be blamed on literally anyone in which case it's because of free will
How can I have free will if I'm laboruing under God's plan? How could God possibly have a plan if we keep making independent decisions?
Asher Nguyen
>he thinks god needs to be objectively proven >he's already completely missed the fundamental purpose of religion and faith
Autism.
Evan Clark
Why have an imaginary friend that doesn't do squat for you though ?
Joseph Sullivan
Have you ever made a friend before, faggot? Do you start by saying "Hmm, so pal whatcha got for me eh?"
Evan Parker
>theology is worth thinking about. Any argument you make is based on circular reasoning. "Because the bible said so". That doesn't cut it for rational people.
Jaxon Clark
that's wrong though
Brandon Myers
>Why can't I hear an answer to my prayer?
The lack of an answer is also an answer.
Thomas Peterson
This sounds like protestant heretic bullshit
Bad and good things happen because God gave us free will. Anyone who says they know God's intentions are commiting a sin (god spoke to me, god did it, etc)
Convert to Catholisicm and get uncucked
Josiah Gomez
everytime you will quote the bible or make an excuse. Its what happens. There are no answers, anyone trying to make a claim on the supernatural is wrong or lying.
Leo Robinson
Here is the red pill on the Bible
The point of life is to suffer, making it better makes you want to struggle to the point first world countries have the highest suicide rates. Nothing moral is happening anymore, Jesus left. Now just try not to forget how shit it is and be stronger than it
Austin Watson
what did theologians do before the bible was written?
Eli Bailey
And what part of floating on a giant circle rock in a black abyss of incomprehensible size is logical to you? The closest other star to us is of untraversable distance. It doesn't seem illogical to us because we have a normalcy bias. Reality is completely absurd if we look at it from a different perspective. What makes you think there isn't some sort of higher purpose to the universe?
Eli Morales
Just read Eeasonable Faith from Dr. William Lane Craig.
It will make you a good christian.
Jack Rodriguez
>God's plan
Calvanist heresy
Kayden Ramirez
I hope one day you can understand and experience faith, user. It will be a great day for you - please pass it on to others if you are able.
Asher Walker
You're asking for a simple answer about religion, but the reality is you're never going to get one, or you're never going to get a simple answer.
I'll try my best to simplify this for you, though: there is suffering because without free will we could not be truly happy. Gods main way to communicate to you is twofold: pain, anguish, and despair are his trumpets to rouse a death world. Joy and happiness are the reminders you are living through his word and will. I am hyper simplifying this for you. But this is the essentials of what God "is"
Isaiah James
protestantism is a fucking disease, and so is the papacy post vatican2 sedevacantist girls are also the least degenerate ever. Got twins on the way with a girl i met at a sedevacantist church and she's sweet and shy and modest and wants a fuckton of kids and to stay at home. she only wears skirts god damn i fucking love my wife
John Gray
Bunch of people here that have certainly been degenerates their entire life, and expect God to be ecstatic that your ass finally decided to show up. Typical entitlement from the youth. If you don't see the good in serving God, then it's irrelevant to you. You're not wanted or needed.
Grayson Howard
Speaking as an outsider, these non answers seem to stem from an overt belief in the NT God with unconscious hooks in the OT God.
No one wants to believe an all powerful diety can have careless abandon.
God's flood in the OT is like fumigating your house. Sure there were some insects you didn't mind, but did you really notice them in the process of eliminating the problem ones? Even if you were an entomophile, you'd probably understand the greater good of not wanting your house overrun by pestilence.
I don't think God is so much an arsehole as he is utilitarian. The omnibenevolence is absolute crap, strip that away and God makes a little more sense.
Ayden Allen
ah yes that is your problem entirely if your following christ rests entirely on words from fellow humans satisfying your mind/ego then you will never be a christian
Brayden Price
Read Lewis' "The Problem of Pain" and "A Grief Observed"
Jordan Torres
The problem is God could be a Lovecraftian indifferent, ambivalent, or malevolent monster, but that's not what Christians believe. Christians claim that God is a loving father and that God is love. Given this context, none of his questions are dumb or missing the point. Given what you claim about God, if you can't adequately address his questions, you are the ones missing the point.
Lucas Bennett
>Giving a shit about Satan's flock
Why is American Christianity so fucking wierd?
Henry Bailey
>Wants to be Christian >Doesn't read the Summa Theologica >Doesn't read the Philokalia
Your questions have been answered over 500 years ago. You're just too lazy to read. If your immortal soul isn't worth an afternoon of quiet study, then maybe you should just burn in hell.
Leo Martinez
His questions are dumb because answers are easy to reach, he could use his on brain to reach them if he wanted to.
Lucas Bell
you do not have god's knowledge every human is a potential sheep of christ
Caleb Phillips
>he is utilitarian. >The omnibenevolence is absolute crap seems contradictory, how would you define omnibenevolence?
Liam Butler
Christ literally dammed them and called them Satan's flock(paraphrasing is wonderful)
That is why the temple burned and the jews got forced out of their homeland about 2 millenia ago.
Daniel King
You have many paths in life. Many are right and many are wrong. As long as at the end of your final path is with god your saved.
Jaxon Brown
>Why are bad things happening to me? Maybe you're not in God's peace. Are you trespassing against people? Are you looking for trouble? Are you lying? Have you done something bad to someone before your trouble started?
>Oh wow something good happened! Depends on what you see as good. Care to elaborate?
>Why can't I hear an answer to my prayer? God rarely speaks directly.
John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
I heard His voice once and asked many times for Him to speak to me again so I could hear it. But nope. Sometimes it makes me feel like I'm unworthy or like I did something wrong, I don't know. But you don't need to hear His voice to know certain things. And also you were told the conditions of prayers being answered.
>don't ask for something lustful or against God's will >you won't get anything if you ask without believing >you are supposed to pray persistently and diligently
>Hey one thing out of 100 that I prayed for came true! But prayers do work.
Jordan Sanchez
and? then he opened the door to salvation for any human ever who might choose with his sacrifice
hello?
Leo Kelly
>then he opened the door to salvation for any human ever who might choose with his sacrifice
Which was another attack on the chosen people who defied god. Those whom they saw as inferior to them would reach salvation easier as they would not be stubborn mules.
Josiah Edwards
The way it is implied in modern Christianity is that God loves everybody no matter what and always listens to prayers. This doesn't match all the things considered abhorrent to the OT God.
Sure the sacrifice of Christ forgave us for our sins, but the forgiveness was permanent due to us still being able to sin in God's eyes.
Christ's sacrifice didn't quell the anger of the OT God.
Alexander Robinson
thanks for the heads up mate, i'll look for a sedevacantist church near me. hopefully there is one in arizona
Jordan Green
>"why does bad stuff happen" is truthfully a pretty dumb one with not much thought
Okay, let's get more specific. Why do infants die from diseases?
Is it a test of faith for the parents to see how they react?
Is it a punishment for the parents because of some sin that they or their ancestors committed?
Is it for the overall benefit for everyone, because maybe that kid would have been a burden to them when it grew up?
Or is it because God built a world with diseases in it and it was basic cause and effect- absolutely indistinguishable from a world without God that evolved creatures susceptible to diseases?
Jaxon Brooks
Faith takes work.It's not "belief," it's something you have to work toward.
Using lube helps.
Xavier Hill
OP, I’ll take your questions seriously.
Christianity is not that simple. If you’re not content to stick with the basic Sunday School answers (and good for you for thinking it through), you’re going to have to do some reading and research. said it in a cruel way, but he’s right. All the answers are out there. Heck, just Google “The Bible on [My Question here}” or “Summa Theologica [my question here]”. If you want a starting point even before the Bible, read pic related’s “Mere Christianity”
Your faith has to be maintained through practice. It’s like exercise. Are you reading Scripture or other theological works often?
>Why are bad things happening to me? We live in a fallen world. Some of the bad things that happen to you are a result of other sinful people doing bad things. Others are the result of natural processes (disease, natural disasters, imperfections in your body). Both are the result of Sin It is true God uses trials to test us. The Book of Job is the best example of how far he’ll go in letting awful things happen, and what he has to say to those who complain about the apparent injustice of it all.
>Oh wow something good happened! Since God is ultimately the source of all good things, it’s not innacurate to say so.
>Why can't I hear an answer to my prayer? How come it seems like my prayers don't really have an effect one way or the other? >God only does what he wants. He will speak to you if and when he wants to. This is true, but incomplete. He wants nothing more than to speak with you. But the best, clearest transmission in the world isn’t going to be heard if the radio is off. He will never force himself on you. He loves you too much to do something like that. You have to open yourself up to him.
>Hey one thing out of 100 that I prayed for came true! C.S. Lewis’ “Miracles” has a great section on prayer. I recommend it for understanding it more fully.
Luke Wilson
OOSH You got me there
Blake Reed
I mean if there was nothing bad in the world how would we recognise any good? also doesn't the bible say satan is the master of the material realm? just focus on being a good person instead of trying to find reasons for why God doesn't exist
Austin Morris
>Why do infants die from diseases? Because their immune system is weak.
Are you trying to blame God?
Also there are curses involved, from abominable things people did, and they pass it to their offspring. It's supposed to serve as a warning to people, yet too many people just go around totally clueless about what's happening.
John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
There was some kid born without a brain, just the stem, and he was given hours or days to live, but his parents loved the kid so much he lived to like 2 or 3 years old I don't remember.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Owen Miller
So basically the Christian experience can be summarized as ritualized self-hypnosis and confirmation bias.
Bentley Williams
>confirmation bias If you heard God's literal voice, I think it would confirm a Christian belief in you too.
Colton Long
No. You could be hallucinating. You can't based your entire life on a one-off chemical cascade in your brain.
Gabriel Sanders
BAD GOY DONT QUESTION RELIGION BE A DOCILE LITTLE CHRISTKEK
Hudson Barnes
>Hey one thing out of 100 that I prayed for came true!
Your prayers SHOULDN'T be a christmas list. I usually pray for my family and friends to be healthy and prosper and at the end ask for the wisdom and strength to do the right things and be righteous.
Samuel Jones
>Ritualized self-hypnosis and confirmation bias
Easton Campbell
you raise an interesting point, can you elaborate a bit?
Xavier Flores
>confirmation bias Faith kiddo.
Luis Garcia
this plz
Levi Lopez
Show me the verse in scripture which says Jews are God's chosen people?
Anyone who rejects Christ was exposed as a liar and that they will be cast in to the lake of fire.
Why would the bible be given to "goyim" as a blue pill distraction if it contained the truth and exposed (((them))) in it?
Would (((they))) write about how whites are animals in the talmud and then give the talmud to whites to read it?
Your post is retarded.
Brandon Allen
And what, pray tell, is bad about that? You spend your whole life being righteous, helping others, being at peace with the world and yourself, and in the end you fade into nothing with no reward... is that a bad thing?
You had a fulfilling life and everybody you leave behind remembers you fondly. Religion is a path to such a life.
Elijah Barnes
Thats like when a lib asks why dont rich Pepole give them money
Carter Powell
Having a similar existential crisis
If people have free will and god doesn't control them, how can praying about something regarding another person have any effect?
Many 'spiritual' activities such as speaking tongues fit the criteria of a group hallucination (brain tricking you into doing something because you believe it will happen), how do I know it's not? I come from a church where people occasionally pray in tongues in small pre-church meetings and they all seem to be repeating a lot of the same syllables over and over (reminds me of how dilbertman says previous lives recollected under hypnosis are often similar to movie plots and unoriginal)
How am I meant to justify believing in anything without proof while reasonable doubt exists?
Charles Kelly
>Why are bad things happening to me?
Zeus gives two jars to each person. He fills one with good, one with bad. Some people get more good, others, more bad.
>Oh wow something good happened! Same as above.
>Why can't I hear an answer to my prayer? How come it seems like my prayers don't really have an effect one way or the other? >Hey one thing out of 100 that I prayed for came true!
Prayer is meditation and mental focus. Prayer is not like a request box. The Christian concept of prayer is ridiculous and doesn't work. The Gods said in the Iliad that they will not interfere with humans anymore. Perhaps a God can inspire you - but they are not going to help you. Don't be like some superstitious peasant and ask for things and hope it will happen.
Nicholas Watson
>ritualized self-hypnosis >implying study is hypnosis Then a regular workout routine is ritualized self-harm.
>confirmation bias We spent thousands of years hammering out ideas about God through reason and revelation directly from Him. Once you have accepted something as true, you don’t drop all your assumptions about reality when confronted with evidence that seems “off” at first. You see if there is more too it.
When I see something that doesn’t look like it adheres to a principle I’m certain of, I interpret the data in the context of my belief set.
Here’s an example. >See pic related >I believe that all objects with mass attract each other (law of gravitation). >despite the fact that this magnet appears to be breaking this law, there is probably something else to this >perhaps there is a force being exerted upwards that perfectly offsets that of gravity? >yep, seems to be. I’m going with that.
You wouldn’t accuse me of confirmation bias if I continued to believe in gravity upon seeing a floating magnet. Why is it confirmation bias to fit new data into a Christian worldview?
Leo Davis
Kanye just broke MKUltra mind control!
This is a day to celebrate God's gifts!
Isaiah Thompson
it's great, they have the mass in latin and do all the old rite shit that they did away with in the 50s thanks to the frankfurt school. the sermons are incredibly redpilled
David Richardson
You pray about things you can't control. If a close friend gets cancer you will quickly be overwhelmed trying to figure out how you could possibly fix them. You pray to God that they get better and it helps you cope with the situation.
Joshua Thompson
You're looking for things wrong. You are looking for things that support what you desire, which is for Christianity to be real. Do you really seek to delude yourself?
Brandon Roberts
i think the short answer is that you are assuming that because we were "made in gods image" we are a lot like god and think like he does. your question "why does bad stuff happen?" is miguided for that reason. god is indifferent to our ideas of what is good and bad, god is like a force of nature. if your home is destroyed in a tsunami you aren't mad at the ocean. so it is with god and faith.
Isaac Miller
>Why are bad things happening to you? Because you're a fuckwit and you need to be taught a lesson of some sort. Literally.
I mean jesus fucking christ, so many people who think "oh well god is testing me" is actually bogus. It's insane how many people are fucking sightless to the things around them that they forget about compassion and just being a nice person and helping someone out somehow.
And then if you completely fuck things up and are just scum of the earth, it's not like God can't just zap your kidneys into paste.
>Oh wow, something good happened!
See, this can go two ways. The first is karma. This is ludicrous because it's practically universal to fucking everything. God treats it as a reward, not a blessing, for being a good Samaritan.
>Why can't I hear an answer to my prayer? How come it seems like my prayers don't really have an effect one way or another?
The response OP used is bogus and whoever said it isn't Christian. God "responds" in weird ways. It's going to break the meta and you'll never see it until you SEE it. It's whether you choose to act on what he's shown you.
For example, you desperately need a job, alright? Now you're just out on the town, doing some random shopping. On ALL the places that you go to, they say "Hiring Now! Inquire inside" or something of the like. That's basically the sign. He isn't going to actually speak with you, because that would be retarded having to explain to over 100 million apes praying at the same time for different reasons.
>Hey one thing out of 100 that I prayed for came true!
If you prayed for wealth, fame, fortune, etc, God isn't going to do shit for you. This basically follows the former explanation above, so I'm not going to get in-depth with it, because God can only show you the way, and it's up to you to act on it.
Honestly, anyone who says God is a mystical force on our lives are morons because of their blind faith.
Jaxson Young
...
Aiden Evans
>I come from a church where people occasionally pray in tongues
The people who did this are lunatics. The gift of tongues is the ability to understand or speak any language or have the meaning of your words be conveyed to another through the power of the Spirit. It has nothing to do with speaking gibberish.
Isaiah Brooks
So basically you are advocating devoting yourself completely to something that may not be true just because of muh feels. Your religion may be fulfilling for you but it's not fulfilling for everyone.
Easton Hall
Maybe, but what's the downside? You don't get to live a life of degeneracy?
Jackson Evans
>Your religion may be fulfilling for you but it's not fulfilling for everyone
So what? In the end it's your own happiness that matters.