Wednesday 25 February 2009

All the questions in the world

I recently was asked to write down a list of all the questions that were going round in my head. Here's what I came up with in the first 20 mins...

Is there a God?
Is it possible to know if there's a God? How sure can you be?
How can you know if there's a God?
How come some very clever atheists don't believe in God?
How come some very clever Christians believe in God?

Does it even matter?
What could life be about if it's not about pursuing God?
Does there have to be a purpose?

Is my belief in right & wrong just a product of my upbringing?
If it is, does that mean it's untrue?
Can I even ask that question without believing in right & wrong?

Is it really the case that Jesus can only be mad, bad or God?

Is it possible to know anything for sure?
How?
How much is enough?
Even if I'm sure, is that enough?
What about people that disagree?

Is it possible to know anything for sure?
If not, is everything based on emotion really rather than thought?
If not, is everything based on faith... and how can I be sure that faith isn't misplaced?

If Christianity is true, why:
- didn't I see my life changing more?
- don't I see more supernatural stuff?

Is believing in God just a convenient way of reassuring yourself that something with more control than you is looking out for you?
Can church be good whilst not being true?
Can it be bad whilst being true?
Is worship enjoyable because it's psychologically good to take the focus off yourself sometimes?
Even if that's true, does it diminish it?

Isn't it a bit convenient that to believe in God you have to have faith? What else is that really true about? Love?

Why could prayer be more than just "believing in the positive and it will come to you"?
What if prayer is actually a way of doing that?
What if they're both ways to help you notice the positives when you get what you want and ignore the negatives when you don't get what you want?
Why would God care what we want?
Why would we be able to change his mind on stuff?
If so, do we somehow control him?
If not, does he control us?
Is prayer a way of trying to get what we want? Like a child nags it's parent (or Lizzy nags her husband)?

Is my process and emotional or intellectual one?
If I understand and know enough - would I believe more?

Are my doubts centred truly around God's existence or more my own self-belief in being able to "do it"?
What if I choose to be a crap Christian and not try hard at anything, but just believe something?
Is that even possible?
Would that really be belief or just fire insurance?
Am I just lazy?

Is it possible to answer these questions?
How?

What if life is just about asking lots of questions and never knowing the answers?
What if that's what the rest of my life will be?
Is that sustainable?
Should Christians be open to alternative views? How open?
Is learning stock answers to questions enough?
Should they let it challenge them to the core or protect themselves with something?

It seems convenient to outsource your conscience.

I think I have too many questions in proportion to answers!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Myth matters not, but reality does. That is the only thing that connects us all.

Your god(s) is(are) personal, and can only exist inside of you, since we cannot project the gods essence into our reality in any physical form that can be shared experiences.

This world is hurting, so I suggest you let whatever god(s) your spirituality conjurs up, will shine in your work in the betterment of yourself and for all mankind.

Thought Walks said...

@Skymt: Says who? Where does your philosophy / values / beliefs / truth come from and what is it based on?