Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 20:52     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:I am asking this question after reading a previous post about people being depressed because they don't have religion in their lives. I am an atheist in my 40s, although I considered myself Christian until my early 20's. However with life and experience I find it impossible to believe in a 'God' and especially anything written in the Bible. It all seems totally unbelievable to me and I hate the way it has given people reasons to discriminate against LGBTQ communities.

I struggle on and off with depression and sometimes I wished I did have a faith to comfort me. It is very easy for people to say you should turn to Jesus etc, but to me it is like believing in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny.


OP, have you ever found anything in your life?
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 20:51     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:fake it until you make it. find a church and keep going. a lot of non-believers seem to like unitarians. or find a good catholic or protestant church. church shop for a while until you find a place you can deal with.


This is not very intelligent approach and not going to help op in any way.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 16:49     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
fake it until you make it. find a church and keep going. a lot of non-believers seem to like unitarians. or find a good catholic or protestant church. church shop for a while until you find a place you can deal with.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 14:31     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
To deal with my depression, I read though the Psalms. It's not always a match between my mood and what I read, but I know there is a lot of stuff there that can pick me up. Otherwise, I like to turn to some of the old testament stories like David and Goliath or Daniel in the lion's den or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego or other stories.

I even listen to some Christian hymns like everything to God in prayer or what a friend we have in Jesus. Negro spirituals are full of hopeful songs as they were literally living through some horrible conditions and tried to inspire each other.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 14:25     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op seems to be speaking of the God of the Bible.


OP here - I mean any version of 'God' doesn't have to are the one in the Bible.


Ok, op. You aren’t open to any God existing. You don’t believe the Bible can be true at all. But you would like the comfort of faith because you struggle with depression.

What makes you depressed?


Lots of people who don't believe in the Bible are religious, they are just not Christians.


From the OP's post, they don't try to find religion. They are in search of God. Two different things.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 11:23     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op seems to be speaking of the God of the Bible.


OP here - I mean any version of 'God' doesn't have to are the one in the Bible.


Ok, op. You aren’t open to any God existing. You don’t believe the Bible can be true at all. But you would like the comfort of faith because you struggle with depression.

What makes you depressed?


Lots of people who don't believe in the Bible are religious, they are just not Christians.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 11:20     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:Your problem OP is that you don't care about the truth. You already have a preconceived notion about how things 'should be'. Someone like you wouldn't find God even if He was in front of your nose.


OP's problem, as stated, is that they are thinking that religion might help with their depression. Maybe it will, but comments like the above are not helpful, unless what pp is trying to demonstrate is that Christians can be mean to people who don't believe the way a particular Christian thinks they should believe.

Hopefully, the above "christian" is just a troll.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 11:19     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:Your problem OP is that you don't care about the truth. You already have a preconceived notion about how things 'should be'. Someone like you wouldn't find God even if He was in front of your nose.


Interesting take.

Maybe the opposite is true? People are so attached to the concept of truth that they think they mistake their own projection for God.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 10:55     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Your problem OP is that you don't care about the truth. You already have a preconceived notion about how things 'should be'. Someone like you wouldn't find God even if He was in front of your nose.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 10:53     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op seems to be speaking of the God of the Bible.


OP here - I mean any version of 'God' doesn't have to are the one in the Bible.


There is only one true God. If you start your research, you will find him.


I am assuming that you are referring to the one in the Christian bible? Is this the same 'God' that muslims and jewish people believe in? .
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 09:47     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op seems to be speaking of the God of the Bible.


OP here - I mean any version of 'God' doesn't have to are the one in the Bible.


There is only one true God. If you start your research, you will find him.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 09:40     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:The fact that you’re asking this question shows your heart is at least a little open to God. Follow your instinct on this. If you Think faith will help you (and I would agree), then just pray a little and see what happens. Maybe there’s a church or something out there for you


+1
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 08:35     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op seems to be speaking of the God of the Bible.


OP here - I mean any version of 'God' doesn't have to are the one in the Bible.


Ok, op. You aren’t open to any God existing. You don’t believe the Bible can be true at all. But you would like the comfort of faith because you struggle with depression.

What makes you depressed?
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 08:30     Subject: Re:How do you find God if you don't believe?
^ I wanted to add: read his words. It does not matter if you understand them, just start reading.
Anonymous
Post 02/27/2023 08:29     Subject: How do you find God if you don't believe?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Op seems to be speaking of the God of the Bible.


OP here - I mean any version of 'God' doesn't have to are the one in the Bible.


OP, God is around you, weather you believe in him or not. And he is listening to you and watching after you. Start with the prayer, and ask him to help you to find him. And then look for the signs around you. You will find him. I don't know how this is going to happen. You might meet the right person who will lead you there, you might have some life changing experience, you might end up traveling to the place where all pieces of puzzle fit together. But anyone who is willing to find the God will find him. I pray for your journey.