Do you believe because you want to believe?

Question

i am beginning to realize that my belief in religion stems from the fact that I wish things were better, that death is not the end, and that life is not so harsh

But I have been sitting and seriously contemplating for a few months now, and I now realize that it is possible that I believe in my faith because I so desperately want to.

I have realized that I believed because I wanted to believe. My path of self discovery has been a smack in the face...that tells me that that's the way it is...that truth may not be so rosy...but it's still the truth...am utterly confused now, as I do not know what to believe, because I don't know if I believe because I want to or because I know 100% that it is true...

I wonder about you? Have you ever thought that you might believe because you want to believe?

Answer 1

It is God's Holy Spirit that comforts me. He is understanding.

We, believers, are chosen by God Himself. The thing is that anyone and everyone has this choice. To believe in Jesus Christ or not to believe. Some won't because they want to continue living for themselves, but the ones that do believe and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior die to themselves daily and live for Him.

I want to believe because I know that there is no other way to heaven. I know that Jesus Christ, my Lord, is the only way. His Word says that no one can go to the Father (God) except through Him. He is the way, the truth, and the light.

Answer 2

you basically gave a discription of this:

Mark 4:12-That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

Yes you're right,you're believing becuase you want to believe;this is true of anyone,they believe or dont believe becuase that's what they want.

If you're confused;I'm Christian,I dont mind answering questions and feel free to click on my avatar and email me.

Answer 3

When I started studying with Jehovah's Witnesses, I didn't want them to be right.  I tried every argument I could find.  I did research on what I was learning.  It took much study and arguments before I realized they were right.  I wish that you would give them a chance.  You will be pleasantly surprised.  I have faith in Jehovah.  I didn't before.  

Answer 4

Our faith is tested daily.  And faith is what it is -- you cannot know 100% because that would be knowledge.  If you live your entire life doing what you believe is correct, living your faith, following His words, and then die and it was all a lie, you've lived a good, moral life and have nothing to regret.  If you live your life as if there is nothing after this life, then die and find you were wrong, you've lost everything.

Hang in there...  steadfast.

Answer 5

no , i believe cuz i'm 100% sure it's true..

hope u'll be guided soon , and feel this great relief..

always love and peace brought by islam..

Answer 6

No, its what God lead me to based on my asking him.All the h**l I've had to go through since.Whoa! My family thinks I am nuts, it was one of the main causes of my divorce,etc.Believe me if I didn't think it was true, I'd run like I was on fire.

Answer 7

I didn't believe, and then I met God and now I do.  Intellectually I can still prove that God doesn't exist by the way

I think looking at all the random disasters is what I most struggle with because earthquakes and storms don't seem to have any reason behind then and God's supposed to be big and strong and in control.  He is... in heaven.  On Earth life is hard, we make our way through life that is part heaven and part h**l where good things happen and bad things happen.  

Anyway I'm getting preachy, those are just my thoughts, hope they help :-)

Answer 8

I used to be like you too. Then I realised it was all wishful thinking.

Answer 9

No  I believe  because I know  Jesus is alive  today and in my life.

Answer 10

Yes I have wondered.  My path was a smack in the face to and I had to learn that life is just the way it is...nothing is rosy...and it is the truth.  It feels like c**p but there is nothing I can do or say.  I was confused for a while, but what helped me is to stop listening to everyone tell me what to believe and truthfully ask myself what it was that I believed about life, people and God.  It took me a while but once I got everyone out of my head and kept listening to that voice in my head, my life started to change for the better.  I no longer believed because I wanted to believe "something"  I only believed what was real to me.  It made  a big difference in my life.  Not everyone was happy about the things I believe but that is their problem not mine.  You have to remember no matter how much you want someone to believe with you, it comes down to only you in the end...and so it is better to just shut everyone out and find yourself.

Answer 11

I believe in God.

Jesus said if you had faith the size of a mustard seed (very small) you then could command a mountain to move.

So I don't know what you were trying to believe.

We use finite human measurements to determine the presence of an infinite being, usually based on how we "feel."

Faith (belief in the impossible) is a paradoxical mystery that presents itself when needed.

So sometimes, we (or I ) cannot feel the presence of God, but that doesn't mean that God or the Holy Spirit is not there.

Jesus explained about the nature of God. (i.e. Mt in NT.)

Sorry about your situation.

God love you!

Answer 12

When I was first confronted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I thought it was stupid. But someone challenged me to read the Bible, so I read the entire New Testament in one night. When I was done, I didn't think it was so stupid. A few days later I committed my life to Jesus, and I have NEVER been sorry.  

Answer 13

Wow. I had a very similar experience to the one you had. What happened is that I thought about why I was following my religion. Then I took a step back and saw what I was really following. I felt like someone had slapped me in the face and said "You followed something that you had never taken the time to question or research!?!?!" I felt like such an idiot.

In the end of my "self descovery" I became an agnostic and I'm totally happy with my decision.

Of course mankind wanted to make something that would make them feel like they have purpose for living. Thats what religeon is. It's a security blanket.

And congrats, most people dont have the guts to do what you did.

Good luck! :)

Answer 14

>Do you believe because you want to believe?

I'm an atheist, so I don't believe in any sort of supernatural authority. The beliefs I do hold are, in a sense, based on me wanting to hold them, but it is important to note that the relationship is not direct: What I really want is to know the truth, to believe that which is true, to make my beliefs match the real world. For example, I want to believe that 1+1 equals whatever it does in the real world, and I think it equals 2, so in that sense I want to believe that 1+1 equals 2, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be willing to change that belief if some other answer was supported with more evidence and reasoning (although that's hardly likely to happen).

>that truth may not be so rosy...but it's still the truth

Well, that's the important thing. At least for me...and hopefully for you as well. Lies can be comforting on a temporary basis, but if we are permitted to continue existing, eventually every lie will reach a point where it starts doing more harm than good. The world around us doesn't become better or worse depending on what we believe, but we can nevertheless MAKE it better or worse applying our intelligence to it, and it is always easier to make positive changes when one fully recognizes what the current situation is.

>I do not know what to believe, because I don't know if I believe because I want to or because I know 100% that it is true...

According to logic, it is impossible to be 100% certain of anything in the real world. Or perhaps more accurately, it is impossible to be 100% certain of anything seen through a subjective viewpoint. This is because the real world has no axioms. We CAN have 100% certainty about conditional statements, statements along the lines of 'if A and B, then C', but we can never be absolutely sure that A and B are correct in the real world.

However, this does NOT mean that all beliefs are arbitrary or that belief should be based merely on what we want. It is still entirely possible to come up with theories that have a very high probability of being true in the real world, and that probability can come very close to 1, but to our knowledge it can never actually reach 1. So logically, we can't be 100% sure that God exists, or 100% sure that he doesn't exist, but we can make a good case one way or the other based on the available evidence. And that's what logic is for.

Answer 15

You want to believe because you do believe. You believe because you are compelled to believe in the reality.

Answer 16

I believe because I know the word of God is true and that God is real.

Answer 17

Yes they do.

They believe because they can't face reality, they want to have themselves believe they're going to Paradise after death.. cheers them up.

Answer 18

I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking. Carl Sagan

Pretty much sums it up for me.

Answer 19

True, life is not so harsh when you have Jesus in your heart.  No, death is not the end but the beginning!

If your faith includes the fact that "God gave his only begotten son..."(John3:16), then you may be on the right path. However, do not let those paths get in the way of finding TRUE inner self.

Do not let yourself get confused. Pray to God to help you.

One has to have desire more so than need for faith to really work in you!

Answer 20

I love Him because He first loved me.

I chose Him because He first chose me.

I have faith because He gave it to me.

I am close to Him because He saw me from afar.

I believe because He is The Way the Truth and The Life, Christ Jesus, Son of the living God.

The path of "self" discovery can only lead to disappointment. Seek to discover the truth in Jesus, it "will set you free".