I wish that I had a Faith

God is always near us. A little exploration, reading, internet, Youtube may help. Research and education or meeting with others who have faith will help. You wouldn’t understand a new language without studying and practicing and you won’t find God and faith on your own. You sound curious so at the start of a journey of exploration that will lead you to find God. Talk to Him. He is always listening. We are all flawed. Nobody is perfect. Everyday offer all you do, say, think to God. If you remember he sees and hears you always. We all have flaws and bad days but thank him daily for your life and all that comes your way. We have such a beautiful life to be thankful for. We exist, we breath, we have nature, animals. Nurture positive thoughts where you will find God. This may be in quiet contemplation or walking in the park. The wind, the sun, the rain. Bird chatter. Read books that explore faith. You can find them online. Speak to priest/minister to support you. Let go of materialism and negativity. You will find Him and grow in faith.

Gosh. I'm not sure how to word this, bless you. The first church or understanding, may not be your church, like a first time at a therapist, he may not be your therapist but another therapist may help and support you, so you know how to change your life and then you realise your best is yet to come.
For me and I mean no offense and certainly not preaching, it took a few churches and lots of choices with consequences before I got it and understood it.
It starts with asking Jesus in to your life, he doesn't need you to get him yet and he doesn't want you to straighten your life out first, he loves you for you, faults in all .
There's no special way to say the initial prayer, that's your way, some simply say sorry for all I've done wrong Lord and I do want a life with you from this day forward, please help me do that, Amen.
I found, "when the pupil is ready the tutor will come " and suddenly little things will happen.
I attended a Hillsong church for some years and slowly surrounded myself with people I knew were from God and popped some healthy boundaries in my life.
It doesn't mean everything is going to be ok, it just for me meant when I really am struggling and only see one set of footprints, it's then he's carrying me.
I talk to him, especially on a dog walk .
I still try and do things myself sometimes and then think why didn't I pray first and then I wouldn't be in this tiswas.
I guess what I'm trying to say as someone wrote I think I saw ..seek and ye will find..
Just be you, don't think your not worthy or compare yourself to someone else ( that for sure is not from God ) .
I hope I haven't offended you in anyway

Franbern How I agree with you. I'm sorry about your dear son. We were brought up as staunch Catholics. Nothing was ever questioned. We were bullied and terrorised by nuns and priests. We are all lapsed Catholics now. I too took responsibility for myself. None of it helped me in horrible, difficult times.
Like you, my brother lost his son. My lovely nephew was 16. Someone said to my brother 'I'll have a mass said for you.' My brother would tell them not to bother.

Like Whitewavemarket I am a Humanist.

Been an atheist for the greater majority of my life and never missed - in any way - the reliance on a faith in some sort of higher being.

When my 25 hyear old son died, suddenly, tragically, could not believe the number of people saying to me and his siblings, 'Wouldn't you find it easier if you believed in an afterlife?'. None of us did and wished to do so. Sounded horrible to us. We celebrated then, and continue to do so, his life, and have wonderful memories of him which we share with the next generation so keep him alive for us.

When I grew up I took responsibility for myself. Do not need to feel that someone/something out there can help me if I beg them, etc.

I must admit that I often find it a little embarrassing when someone I think of as an intelligent adult starts to talk about god, or such like - to me it is the same as them telling me they believe in Father Christmas or the Easter Bunny or the toothfairy, etc.

Sadly most of Darwin's theories are now proving to be wrong, he just didn't have all the information in those days. we are humans and always have been. He was a leader of his time, but now mostly wrong.

Hi Sparkling I have just read your comments and agree all the way with what you have said. I hope more people will start to think and believe this way. It makes so much sense.

To have a faith must be wonderfully satisfying, I was brought up as a Catholic and by the age of 15 realised how hypocritical the nuns and priests we were taught by. I left school and didn't enter a church again until I was an Adult. I discovered organised religions didn't work for me. I have always took a deep interest in wild life and nature. Growing seeds in the greenhouse and watching that seed turn into a beautiful flower or a vegetable, was so miraculous how could that come from that. This made me become more aware of the energy around us, and in us, which makes us all grow and gives us life. Being taught as a child that God is everywhere and God is in us all. Every living thing on the planet even microbes we cant see, has been created for a purpose we are all linked with Cosmic energy. As humans our minds are limited, the greatest scientists all put together on the planet can't truly explain, despite there theories. But we have all the evidence around us and ourselves as humans to know there is something so much greater than we could possibly imagine.

I believe that there's nothing new, that there is a god force for good and there are evil forces, which hopefully most of us resist, we should do what we can work towards making the world a better place, doing as we would be done by. You needn't be a Christian to respect that the bible speaks a lot of truths regarding the ten commandments, the sermon on the mount still hold true today, rules for living. Nothing in nature is wasted, so why would we be? Everything recycled in some form. I am grateful to be part of creation and evolution and although I will never remember being here when I'm gone, my life will have mattered and I am sure will continue in some form. Love going into churches, particularly abroad and witnessing the faith of the churchgoers.

Watched it. "Are we evolved from koalas?" "Do you believe?"

Oh dear. Never mind, we'll agree to differ.

Ok, lovely talking to you, and I will pray for you?

DD1975 I appreciate that you aren't going to change your mind, but I hope a disinterested viewer will look at this and take the following into consideration:

The whole 11 1/2 minutes are about Darwin's work and what we have learnt from it and added to it in the last century and a bit, not just the discussion about finches and lizards. I especially like the section explaining how the ancestors of whales used to walk on dry land, and how the shared ankle bones show that they also share distant ancestors with pigs. Whales and pigs. Different species. Same ancestor. Evolution.

I haven't watched your video yet, but I will. Lunch first.

Alegrias1

DiscoDancer1975

I’d just love to see one piece....of evidence. Perhaps you could send it privately.

If you're looking for a picture of a crocodile turning into an elephant you're going to be disappointed.

This is good, although I found it by accident. "Why evolution is a thing". 9 minutes in, new species of finch. And why a species that only lives about 100 years has difficulty with long evolutionary timescales.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3GagfbA2vo

First of all, my apologies Alegrias. I asked for evidence, which you sent thank you, and I then forgot to respond.

I looked at it, and as I thought, the young man was talking about adaptation....not Darwinian evolution. Of course we believe in adaptation. It’s happened around us, even in our life times. He talked about all our DNA and such being similar. Of course.....we all had the same creator! He used the same building blocks.

The Finches and lizards were the only references he made to Darwin’s work. They are still finches and lizards. Humans have also adapted many times. Taking the stance of the young man in the video, does that mean then, that there are different species of people, ie black and white. I would understand this is adaptation. We’re all human.

I have a video for you, but I’m signing out. Jesus tells us to tell people about Him...but not push it, which I’m becoming in danger of doing.

I wish you well, and God bless.


youtube.com/watch?v=a3NQ0wg3iVU&feature=share

Evolution by natural selection is inconsistent with evolution by God's intention.

Natural selection: random mutation+ struggle for existence= evolution.

God: God consciously intended and created evolution of species.

Have faith in yourself trust and believe in yourself in your own inner guidance.

At the moment, with churches closed, it's not as if you can visit a service anywhere as a taster . There are many services being held via zoom or YouTube etc. Maybe start off with your local church and if you don't feel comfortable, try somewhere else!

This is very good advice as it enables you to try out different types of worship without any commitment. Hopefully you will find something that suits you. If so keep at it for a while and see what happens.

The best way to engender faith is to practice it. Find a church, or other religious community, that suits your personality and keep attending for long enough for it become meaningful.

I can't agree that faith will come without community. It might be possible to continue in one's long established faith without the sustenance of others but to begin with you need the encouragement of other like-minded people.

Going back to the concept of providence and the idea that God created the earth and stepped back and left things to run itself versus the thought that God is involved in every minute detail of existence.
Algerias you said you thought the latter was what creationists believe and some do.
What I believe is that God created the world and has stepped back but he also is quite capable of intervening when we need it. Hence the virgin birth and miracles. Most christians I know would believe something similar.
Genetics is a fascinating subject it seems that they change quite easily in relation to predispositions. Maybe proof of evolution within species.

I have seen a twin study that shows you actually CAN genetically be predisposed to be religious. I think that the more that is discovered about the human genome the more we will see how our behaviour is influenced by genes, but environment and nurture must also play a crucial part.

Sincere apologies Jaylucy, I realise that I did use the word 'gene'. I meant it metaphorically, but please accept my apologies!
It seems ages since I started this thread and I've forgotten what I said

Jaylucy I didn't say that 'having a faith is genetic' at all, I've not even considered that.
I wouldn't go to church either, as I said in my opening post.

I'm afraid that this thread is becoming an Argument Thread.

Can we just try to have a nice chat please?

I agree with the OP,though I am not looking for a faith.I feel with highly religious cultures,there is a very fine line between their religion and pure evil,intolerance,outcasting,the list goes on.Add in all the churches atrocities over the centuries and I feel horror.I was brought up Catholic and do attend church when I have to.I believe in being a good ,honest person,helping others,doing my bit for the planet and to be respectful of others beliefs etc but do not wish to have it forced upon me.Id like to think there is something after death.But while I'm alive I have no strong feelings of faith or God and I'm ok with that.

Wikipedia: ‘A [...] 2010 YouGov poll on the origin of humans found that 9% opted for creationism, 12% intelligent design, 65% evolutionary theory and 13% did not know.’

Creationism is a niche view, I think, and this article seems to support that: www.forbes.com/sites/johnfarrell/2015/01/27/new-survey-finds-creationism-in-britain-has-been-overstated/

Given that 20% of U.K. adults believe the conspiracy theory that humanity has made secret contact with aliens (lots more here: yougov.co.uk/topics/international/articles-reports/2021/01/18/global-where-believe-conspiracy-theories-true) I think the relative risk to common sense from young-earth creationism is somewhat limited.

Having a faith is not genetic at all .
You may have been brought up to follow a particular faith, but then sometimes something happens and you get diverted and wander away from that faith. Doesn't mean it is forever.
The fact that you wish you had some sort of faith means that you need to decide for yourself whether to return to Methodism or find something that possibly may be better just for you.
At the moment, with churches closed, it's not as if you can visit a service anywhere as a taster . There are many services being held via zoom or YouTube etc. Maybe start off with your local church and if you don't feel comfortable, try somewhere else!

I've always believed in evolution and always will, as have my family who have a faith.
I don't see the two as mutually exclusive.
I always thought that the creation story was incredibly clever in that it describes evolution in very simple terms, even before we understood it.

Anyway, I hope that the two threads don't become similar because I really don't want this to become an Argument Thread at all please.

I wish we could join both threads, it’s difficult following diverse similar discussions.