Anonymous wrote:I've been a Christian for pretty much all my life too however the older I get the more I feel like I'm left alone and why would God want to punish me and make me suffer so much? I struggle with this every.second.of.the.day I'm still praying but feel abandoned by everyone.

A few thoughts for you:

1. Suffering is real, but it is not of infinite consequence. Either there is no God, in which case suffering is arbitrary and unimportant, or God is real, in which case He is greater than it. In other words, while you contend with whatever is making you suffer, try to keep in mind that no coherent understanding of the unverse can make suffering so important as to make it a suitable heuristic for determining the existence of God.

2. If you believe in God-- and I'd suggest to you that God is real and there will come a day when we see it was absurd to have contemplated otherwise-- keep in mind that He will not be surprised to learn suffering exists; we humans are limited in our capacity to understand, but He is not. So, trite though you might find it in your despair, embrace the hypothesis that God has a bigger plan.

3. If you are a Christian, and it sounds like you are, you should have an extra oomph of confidence in believing my second point. By His wounds we have been healed (Isaiah). We are strong in our weakness (2 Corinthians). The last will be first (Matthew).

4. As humans, we are limited in what we can experience. Our eyes don't see certain colors. Our ears don't hear certain sounds. Surely, there are sufferings God has shielded you from that haven't even occurred to you or perhaps that you could not comprehend. Be sure to know that there are blessings you would count if you knew you'd been given them.

God bless you and hang tough!

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Anonymous wrote:It’s a lie embellished over the centuries by those in power to control the masses. It discourages curiosity and personal growth in favor of blind faith. Eg., all the simpleton bible thumpers in America.

Religion has been mostly detrimental to humankind: in addition to keeping the masses dumb and delusional, it’s caused too many wars. Just look at Gaza.

+1. It’s like, “don’t worry that you’re poor, miserable, destitute and pay a lot of what you earn in taxes to us; a better life awaits you after death.” No, it does not.

You seem so very certain of that. I guess you’d better hope you’re right.

Every other living thing dies, but humans don't?? because we are smart enough to make up stuff and right it down?

We're also smart enough for some of us to become doctors and scientists and to be able to extend our lifespan through better knowledge, medical procedures and equipment. Centuries ago they bled people to help them live. Can you imagine?? draining the Blood out of you to help you live??

That’s correct. No other living beings have souls. Man and woman were uniquely created in the image of God.

Science teaches us the evolution of the human brain and our connection to other animals in how it developed. At some point those connections are going to become very clear. Brain research has taken off these past 20 years and now we are dealing with computers that act like human brains.

PP again. I don’t dispute that humanity did and continues to evolve. That does not mean that God did not create humans, seaplane apart from the animal kingdom.

But we know that isn't true. We know that we evolved just like other animals. We know that we are creating "souls" even now with machines.

We don’t “know” that at all. But even ans we do evolve as humans, there still had to be a starting point. That point is God.

And man cannot create a soul.

What soul? That's just another religious word that hasnt been proven.

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Anonymous wrote:It’s a lie embellished over the centuries by those in power to control the masses. It discourages curiosity and personal growth in favor of blind faith. Eg., all the simpleton bible thumpers in America.

Religion has been mostly detrimental to humankind: in addition to keeping the masses dumb and delusional, it’s caused too many wars. Just look at Gaza.

+1. It’s like, “don’t worry that you’re poor, miserable, destitute and pay a lot of what you earn in taxes to us; a better life awaits you after death.” No, it does not.

You seem so very certain of that. I guess you’d better hope you’re right.

Every other living thing dies, but humans don't?? because we are smart enough to make up stuff and right it down?

We're also smart enough for some of us to become doctors and scientists and to be able to extend our lifespan through better knowledge, medical procedures and equipment. Centuries ago they bled people to help them live. Can you imagine?? draining the Blood out of you to help you live??

That’s correct. No other living beings have souls. Man and woman were uniquely created in the image of God.

Science teaches us the evolution of the human brain and our connection to other animals in how it developed. At some point those connections are going to become very clear. Brain research has taken off these past 20 years and now we are dealing with computers that act like human brains.

PP again. I don’t dispute that humanity did and continues to evolve. That does not mean that God did not create humans, seaplane apart from the animal kingdom.

But we know that isn't true. We know that we evolved just like other animals. We know that we are creating "souls" even now with machines.

We don’t “know” that at all. But even ans we do evolve as humans, there still had to be a starting point. That point is God.

And man cannot create a soul.

Anonymous wrote:I've been a Christian for pretty much all my life, but as I've gotten older, the more I've come to just really believe that it's just, well, true.

God bless, DCUM, and best wishes on your faith journey.

Please elaborate. How did you reach to this conclusion?

And years ago men thought they were superior in mind to women and white people thought they were superior in mind to blacks. All of this is not true or at least not true in the way they thought. Education naturally strengthens the mind.

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Anonymous wrote:It’s a lie embellished over the centuries by those in power to control the masses. It discourages curiosity and personal growth in favor of blind faith. Eg., all the simpleton bible thumpers in America.

Religion has been mostly detrimental to humankind: in addition to keeping the masses dumb and delusional, it’s caused too many wars. Just look at Gaza.

+1. It’s like, “don’t worry that you’re poor, miserable, destitute and pay a lot of what you earn in taxes to us; a better life awaits you after death.” No, it does not.

You seem so very certain of that. I guess you’d better hope you’re right.

Every other living thing dies, but humans don't?? because we are smart enough to make up stuff and right it down?

We're also smart enough for some of us to become doctors and scientists and to be able to extend our lifespan through better knowledge, medical procedures and equipment. Centuries ago they bled people to help them live. Can you imagine?? draining the Blood out of you to help you live??

That’s correct. No other living beings have souls. Man and woman were uniquely created in the image of God.

Science teaches us the evolution of the human brain and our connection to other animals in how it developed. At some point those connections are going to become very clear. Brain research has taken off these past 20 years and now we are dealing with computers that act like human brains.

PP again. I don’t dispute that humanity did and continues to evolve. That does not mean that God did not create humans, seaplane apart from the animal kingdom.

But we know that isn't true. We know that we evolved just like other animals. We know that we are creating "souls" even now with machines.

Separate is the word above

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Anonymous wrote:It’s a lie embellished over the centuries by those in power to control the masses. It discourages curiosity and personal growth in favor of blind faith. Eg., all the simpleton bible thumpers in America.

Religion has been mostly detrimental to humankind: in addition to keeping the masses dumb and delusional, it’s caused too many wars. Just look at Gaza.

+1. It’s like, “don’t worry that you’re poor, miserable, destitute and pay a lot of what you earn in taxes to us; a better life awaits you after death.” No, it does not.

You seem so very certain of that. I guess you’d better hope you’re right.

Every other living thing dies, but humans don't?? because we are smart enough to make up stuff and right it down?

We're also smart enough for some of us to become doctors and scientists and to be able to extend our lifespan through better knowledge, medical procedures and equipment. Centuries ago they bled people to help them live. Can you imagine?? draining the Blood out of you to help you live??

That’s correct. No other living beings have souls. Man and woman were uniquely created in the image of God.

Science teaches us the evolution of the human brain and our connection to other animals in how it developed. At some point those connections are going to become very clear. Brain research has taken off these past 20 years and now we are dealing with computers that act like human brains.

PP again. I don’t dispute that humanity did and continues to evolve. That does not mean that God did not create humans, seaplane apart from the animal kingdom.

Anonymous wrote:I've been a Christian for pretty much all my life too however the older I get the more I feel like I'm left alone and why would God want to punish me and make me suffer so much? I struggle with this every.second.of.the.day I'm still praying but feel abandoned by everyone.

Are you involved in a church? Do you have a community of believers around you? If not, or if your church isn't supportive, keep looking. God shows himself to us as caring through the church, so often. While he can use other means, this is often his means of choice.

So sorry you are struggling. I've got a lot of suffering in my life, and God is all that gets me through.

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Anonymous wrote:It’s a lie embellished over the centuries by those in power to control the masses. It discourages curiosity and personal growth in favor of blind faith. Eg., all the simpleton bible thumpers in America.

Religion has been mostly detrimental to humankind: in addition to keeping the masses dumb and delusional, it’s caused too many wars. Just look at Gaza.

+1. It’s like, “don’t worry that you’re poor, miserable, destitute and pay a lot of what you earn in taxes to us; a better life awaits you after death.” No, it does not.

You seem so very certain of that. I guess you’d better hope you’re right.

Every other living thing dies, but humans don't?? because we are smart enough to make up stuff and right it down?

We're also smart enough for some of us to become doctors and scientists and to be able to extend our lifespan through better knowledge, medical procedures and equipment. Centuries ago they bled people to help them live. Can you imagine?? draining the Blood out of you to help you live??

That’s correct. No other living beings have souls. Man and woman were uniquely created in the image of God.

Science teaches us the evolution of the human brain and our connection to other animals in how it developed. At some point those connections are going to become very clear. Brain research has taken off these past 20 years and now we are dealing with computers that act like human brains.

Anonymous wrote:I've been a Christian for pretty much all my life too however the older I get the more I feel like I'm left alone and why would God want to punish me and make me suffer so much? I struggle with this every.second.of.the.day I'm still praying but feel abandoned by everyone.

I was raised in a fundamentalist church, and it's been helpful for me to question what I was taught about God. I reject the idea that God punishes people, including the doctrines of an eternal hell and penal substitutionary atonement. I highly recommend the book A More Christlike God by Bradley Jersak.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s a lie embellished over the centuries by those in power to control the masses. It discourages curiosity and personal growth in favor of blind faith. Eg., all the simpleton bible thumpers in America.

Religion has been mostly detrimental to humankind: in addition to keeping the masses dumb and delusional, it’s caused too many wars. Just look at Gaza.

+1. It’s like, “don’t worry that you’re poor, miserable, destitute and pay a lot of what you earn in taxes to us; a better life awaits you after death.” No, it does not.

You seem so very certain of that. I guess you’d better hope you’re right.

Every other living thing dies, but humans don't?? because we are smart enough to make up stuff and right it down?

We're also smart enough for some of us to become doctors and scientists and to be able to extend our lifespan through better knowledge, medical procedures and equipment. Centuries ago they bled people to help them live. Can you imagine?? draining the Blood out of you to help you live??

That’s correct. No other living beings have souls. Man and woman were uniquely created in the image of God.

Anonymous wrote:I've been a Christian for pretty much all my life too however the older I get the more I feel like I'm left alone and why would God want to punish me and make me suffer so much? I struggle with this every.second.of.the.day I'm still praying but feel abandoned by everyone.

PP have you reached out to your church community to talk about this?

“Sounds like you don’t understand how faith works”


That’s a judgement on someone’s understanding of faith.

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Anonymous wrote:I've been a Christian for pretty much all my life, but as I've gotten older, the more I've come to just really believe that it's just, well, true.

God bless, DCUM, and best wishes on your faith journey.

Sounds like you don't understand how faith works.

Also, which version of Christianity is the true version? Catholic? Protestant? Orthodox?
Calvinist? Presbyterian? Methodist?

Who are you to judge OP’s understanding of faith?

It's not judging. It's a different perspective on religious faith. There are many different perspectives out there and many different religious faiths.