I am currently not sure what I believe spiritually, but I was raised in a Christian family. Starting from my teenage years, I have questioned my family's strong Christian beliefs. I really am unsure what to believe spiritually, but I know that I reject their beliefs and am in favor of crafting my own morals in life suited to what I believe to be wrong or right. Coincidentally, I developed mental illness in my late teens/early adulthood. I am plauged with unwanted intrusive thoughts of harming others which have gotten worse each year (now 23). I am also terrified of molesting children and fear I may be a pedophile. They constantly tell me this is because I have rejected God. They also mention that I will not be happy without him, and need to stop questioning the Bible & return to my former faith, or continue to suffer being lost without him. I am not so sure I want to do this, as it goes against everything I believe and the past knowledge I have acquired over the last decade or so of my life. I just needed to hear some opinions from people outside of my family.
Is God punishing me?
- Thread starter frogger
- Start date
Qbmaster
Well-known member
I know many people who don't believe in God but are still happy. You don't need the Bible to be happy. According to Wikipedia, about a quarter to a third of the world's population is Christian. Does this mean that two thirds to three quarters of the population suffers? Of course not. Christians keep saying that God is good but if he is, why would he be so keen on punishing anyone who doubts him? And the thing is: If you don't believe, you can't return to your former faith. How would that happen? You could start going to church, you could start praying but if you don't believe, these activities will not make you believe. If God is good, he will accept you the way you are. If he is not good, why bother believing in him?
coyote
Well-known member
From the Huffington Post / AP First Posted: 03-24-10 09:24 PM:
"As a cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI and other Vatican officials did not punish or even hold a trial within the Catholic church for a Wisconsin priest who may have molested as many as 200 deaf boys, according to The New York Times.
The Times reports that despite warnings from "several" bishops to then-Cardinal Ratzinger about Father Lawrence Murphy, a priest at the St. John's School For The Deaf in St. Francis, WI, the Vatican chose not to act and ultimately allowed Murphy to go unpunished before his death in 1998...."
"As a cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI and other Vatican officials did not punish or even hold a trial within the Catholic church for a Wisconsin priest who may have molested as many as 200 deaf boys, according to The New York Times.
The Times reports that despite warnings from "several" bishops to then-Cardinal Ratzinger about Father Lawrence Murphy, a priest at the St. John's School For The Deaf in St. Francis, WI, the Vatican chose not to act and ultimately allowed Murphy to go unpunished before his death in 1998...."
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Hellhound
Super Moderator
Your problems have nothing to do with a God, i'm pretty sure. Please, try not to listen to those people. Humans are flawed, ignorant and close minded, most of them. If God existed, he would not make you suffer just because you don't follow him. That's just some crap some fanatic people tell you when they want to force their religion on others. Other times is used to escape responsability, to blame you for your problems instead of whatever it caused them. Your family, instead of trying to brainwash you with all that God BS, they should be more supportive with you, be there for you if you need them... not try to scare you by telling you that you will suffer if you don't cling to some old book and imaginary entity. If God truly existed, he would want you to live your life and be happy, do what you wish to do as long as you don't hurt yourself or anyone else, help and support others and be at peace.
I'm sorry if I seem agressive with my post. I've just had plenty of abuse thanks to some delusional religious people, and whenenver I hear some story like this, I get a bit upset. I'm sorry...
I'm sorry if I seem agressive with my post. I've just had plenty of abuse thanks to some delusional religious people, and whenenver I hear some story like this, I get a bit upset. I'm sorry...
da_illest101
Well-known member
god doesn't exist, whatever problem your getting into would have happened tha tu believe or not
You're parents are being naive of course to just assume that's the cause of your problem, but don't just blame God in general just because your parents insert their own humanly bias into it.
Most people I've known that became Christians didn't do it because their life was miserable and thought they were being punished. There's a little more to spirituality than that
Plenty of non-believers live affluently, of course.
Hopefully this doesn't just turn into some general, de facto 'f*** Christianity' thread.
Most people I've known that became Christians didn't do it because their life was miserable and thought they were being punished. There's a little more to spirituality than that
Plenty of non-believers live affluently, of course.Hopefully this doesn't just turn into some general, de facto 'f*** Christianity' thread.
Thanks for the replies. My therapist also said I should disregard anything like this my parents tell me. She made a good point by saying, "Wouldn't it make more sense to sort out your spiritual beliefs when you don't have this illness in the way?" (later down the road when I recover, hopefully)
redski
1
Believing in God is one thing but if you have no faith in it or belief then you cannot force yourself to believe in something.
Most religions or people will tell you that God is love.
Then ask yourself a question.
Can you force yourself to love something or is it something that just happens?
That is how I see it, but I am still learning
Most religions or people will tell you that God is love.
Then ask yourself a question.
Can you force yourself to love something or is it something that just happens?
That is how I see it, but I am still learning
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You have OCD, or Pure O, and God doesnt punish, humans punish eachother and themseleves.
If you do a google search or talk to people on hear with OCD you'll find that a lot of them have the same exact thoughts as you do.
Don't link religion and the OCD together because there is no connection, the religion part is being thrown in your face, when it shouldnt be.
If you do a google search or talk to people on hear with OCD you'll find that a lot of them have the same exact thoughts as you do.
Don't link religion and the OCD together because there is no connection, the religion part is being thrown in your face, when it shouldnt be.
dead24
Well-known member
me too, currently I dont know if I should believe these Christian beliefs or not. When i was younger i simply believed in them but right now i just dont understand the point of all this. I just dont get the point of existence; to love our neighbor? to sacrifice for others? to forgive others? If nothing existed in the first place then nothing would happen.