H
hougtimo
Guest
Hi everyone.
I need to get this out there, and just get some, well, fellowship I guess. I'm sure there are people in the same position I'm in here.
I'm now 23 years old, I've been brought up in a Christian household and have considered myself to be a Christian. In 2009 I met a girl who was also a Christian (I actually prayed for fellowship, and for someone to help me 'understand' my faith (or lack of, at that point) - take from that what you will, I do think God 'put us in touch' as it were) and was active in her Church. Anyway, we've been an item for coming up to two years now. The trouble is, since this time, my faith has dwindled, not been bolstered. Don't get me wrong in that time I have had some amazing experiences and I believe I've felt the power of the Holy Spirit.
We haven't, however, really spoken much about out faiths, encouraged each other in faith etc... We've had various challenges that we've had to deal with through the last two years (financial, other tricky friendships...) which we have worked through but God was not at the centre of the decisions we made. Anyway, the point is, while our relationship is great, I don't think our relationship with God as a couple if good at all, nor what God intended.
I have found several things very recently have really been hampering my faith and making my question my faith. I'll make it quite clear that I think questioning your faith is good in general, for me it has lead to strengthening of my faith and a better understanding of things. But as I was saying, in the last few months it has led me to becoming almost atheist for a little while, I guess. Having had a few months to think about things and try to get things straight in my head I do believe in God, and I do believe in the Christian Faith, but I'm not sure at this moment in time God would consider me to be walking with Him.
One of my biggest stumbling blocks has been thinking who or what I am - what people are - what consciousness is. I absolutely do not dismiss science and respect it, learn from it, but realise that it is only based on observations. Scientists will be the first to admit that they "just don't know". I think outrightly denying science is just silly. Scientists openly admit that they don't know what consciousness is - whether it's the brain itself - or whether there is a 'soul'.
Is my personality literally formed by neurons firing off... Is the way I think governed by my physical earthly body? Or was I designed - was my personality forged to be me? Was my 'soul' designed to be in this body, in this place at this time? Perhaps my brain is an earthly representation of my 'soul'?
I really can't get my head around this.
To add further confusion to the mix, I have an acquaintance who is struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder. What's this? Doctors would have us believe it's an illness that affects someone's personality. That assumes that their personality is caused by physical phenomena inside their brain? But again, there is no bug or virus that causes these illness. There's nothing physical that causes them (as far as I'm aware). See how this could be an argument both FOR and AGAINST Christianity?
I hope this made a little bit of sense to someone, and I hope that I will gain a greater understanding of who I am, and what makes me, and ultimately helps me grow in faith.
I need to get this out there, and just get some, well, fellowship I guess. I'm sure there are people in the same position I'm in here.
I'm now 23 years old, I've been brought up in a Christian household and have considered myself to be a Christian. In 2009 I met a girl who was also a Christian (I actually prayed for fellowship, and for someone to help me 'understand' my faith (or lack of, at that point) - take from that what you will, I do think God 'put us in touch' as it were) and was active in her Church. Anyway, we've been an item for coming up to two years now. The trouble is, since this time, my faith has dwindled, not been bolstered. Don't get me wrong in that time I have had some amazing experiences and I believe I've felt the power of the Holy Spirit.
We haven't, however, really spoken much about out faiths, encouraged each other in faith etc... We've had various challenges that we've had to deal with through the last two years (financial, other tricky friendships...) which we have worked through but God was not at the centre of the decisions we made. Anyway, the point is, while our relationship is great, I don't think our relationship with God as a couple if good at all, nor what God intended.
I have found several things very recently have really been hampering my faith and making my question my faith. I'll make it quite clear that I think questioning your faith is good in general, for me it has lead to strengthening of my faith and a better understanding of things. But as I was saying, in the last few months it has led me to becoming almost atheist for a little while, I guess. Having had a few months to think about things and try to get things straight in my head I do believe in God, and I do believe in the Christian Faith, but I'm not sure at this moment in time God would consider me to be walking with Him.
One of my biggest stumbling blocks has been thinking who or what I am - what people are - what consciousness is. I absolutely do not dismiss science and respect it, learn from it, but realise that it is only based on observations. Scientists will be the first to admit that they "just don't know". I think outrightly denying science is just silly. Scientists openly admit that they don't know what consciousness is - whether it's the brain itself - or whether there is a 'soul'.
Is my personality literally formed by neurons firing off... Is the way I think governed by my physical earthly body? Or was I designed - was my personality forged to be me? Was my 'soul' designed to be in this body, in this place at this time? Perhaps my brain is an earthly representation of my 'soul'?
I really can't get my head around this.
To add further confusion to the mix, I have an acquaintance who is struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder. What's this? Doctors would have us believe it's an illness that affects someone's personality. That assumes that their personality is caused by physical phenomena inside their brain? But again, there is no bug or virus that causes these illness. There's nothing physical that causes them (as far as I'm aware). See how this could be an argument both FOR and AGAINST Christianity?
I hope this made a little bit of sense to someone, and I hope that I will gain a greater understanding of who I am, and what makes me, and ultimately helps me grow in faith.
