Valoel wrote:In general, the people in this community are very familiar with scripture J-Pip. We don't tend to need a lot of quotes recited. You've posted similar advice elsewhere in the form of Bible quotes. We all have a copy of the Bible. What can you share from your experience and your personal journey of faith? Have you struggled with faith and found a way to recapture those feelings of the Spirit by seeing things from a different and new perspective? That is what really helps us here in our community -- that sharing.
What would you say to someone who struggles with the existence of God, or that it is important to have faith? Simply saying "try harder" or "just do it" doesn't really satisfy most concerns. Those answers are obvious to someone blessed with the spiritual gift of faith. They are irritating answers to people who are struggling. It ends up sounding like "you don't know 'cause you didn't try." When in fact many that come here have given their all for that experience of confirmation so often talked about in the Church.
I recently learned about faith from a different perspective. It stems from a common term, "God fearing". A non-LDS friend of mine and I were talking about faith and what makes people believe. The best reason we could think of is that we become afraid of the unknown life hereafter. Or lack thereof. With me, my faith probably really sparked when I realized I was mortal, that I would die someday. That is when I grasped the faith I was taught growing up. I then served an honorable mission of which I will never regret, even if it ends up the church isn’t true.
More recently though, I have been questioning faith and wether or not God really does exist. I want to believe that he does, more than anything. Because then I would know that I will continue to exist beyond this mortal state. Along this line of thought is where I realized my fresh view on faith. That a believing person, no matter what their religion, feels this fear. They realize this and according to how afraid they are of it, can be a measure of their faith.
Now I personally feel that if God were going to judge a person for which religion they chose, he would make it clear which religion is his one and true religion. Which is why I don’t believe a catholic perspective that if you don’t join their church in this life, your damned. As far as I have been taught the LDS believe that you still have a choice in the life to come about wether or not you want to continue to follow his plan and accept any temple work done for you. Leading me to believe that there is more to our eternal existence than we can fathom. Also that if you remain un-affiliated to any religion while in this life that he won’t judge you on that. What I feel we will be judged on is our works, our actions, and most importantly how we treat each other. Because the only thing we can take with us are our knowledge, our beliefs and our relationships with each other.
I’ve resolved that I want to continue to go to church despite my lack of faith in any religion. That going to church is good because it gets me out to socialize with my neighbors. And it’s fun to have theological discussions. But despite any theological discussions' conclusion, I can't help but feel listening to such discussions is like listening to children arguing over who's imaginary friend is right.