I normally speak here as though I have Christianity all figured out. In reality, I have a lot of good theories which I believe fit with the bible and what I’ve heard from certain other followers of Christ. But I can’t vouch for everything from personal experience. I’ve heard debates on whether or not doubt is good or not. In either case, I have doubts and I thought it would be good to share them. So I came up with a list of things off the top of my head which challenge my faith:
- The fact that my prayers seem to make such little difference. I say that I believe God can do things, I just often don’t believe that he will, because he so often doesn’t seem to do anything.
- The fact that I don’t feel like I hear much from God or experience much of God.
- The fact that, though I’ve grown up with Christianity and have been wanting and trying to follow God all this time, I feel like I know a lot of theory but haven’t really experienced it being true. Many others similarly want to seek God but don’t find him. If God wants to be known, why does it seem so difficult to get to know him personally?
- The fact that the bible is difficult to understand.
- The fact that Christians say all kinds of things which someone thought up based loosely on the bible but which don’t seem to correspond to reality. (I’m guilty of this too.)
- The fact that it seems like so many things people attribute to God can be easily explained by other means. And it seems like some believe that Christianity is just believing it was God even when it doesn’t seem to be. In other words, it’s more like a mind trick—changing what you say you believe and/or your perspective—more than there actually being anything of substance to it.
- My friend who graduated with a degree in youth ministry but whom has only found about 18 months of part time employment in this field in over ten years of trying to find steady work in ministry.
- My friend who married later in life, whose wife divorced him after only about a year and a half.
- My friend who has been having serious health issues for over a year, as well as all my other friends with serious chronic health problems.
- The people who want to be married and/or have kids but aren’t/don’t.
- The fact that the bible seems to prohibit homosexuality, while it’s clear that most homosexuals can’t choose to change their orientation.
- The fact that so many people don’t believe.
- The fact that many people who aren’t following Christ are getting along okay in life, and even doing a lot of good for others and genuinely caring for them.
What about you?
