I'm becoming more comfortable with the notion that I've lost faith in many ways. It feels like a clearing out of the underbrush of my soul, a stripping away of the trivialities of my life. We're typically told in evangelical circles to gain faith. Oddly enough, I'm discovering how much I gain when my faith is downsized. Here's a partial list of what I don't believe anymore--in no particular order:
I don't believe in America.
I no longer believe Christians should have all the answers.
I no longer believe that television is redeemable.
I no longer believe that most Christians are good people and that most unbelievers are bad people.
I no longer believe in effective evangelism.
I no longer believe that dramatic conversions are normal.
I no longer believe that our souls are immortal.
I no longer believe that music should be comforting.
I no longer believe that big is better.
I no longer believe that new is improved.
I no longer believe that, deep down, all of us are the same.
I no longer believe that fame is good and obscurity is bad.
I no longer believe that life must be exciting.
I no longer believe that any of us can pass down our faith.
I no longer believe freedom is inherently good.
I no longer believe that hell is bad.
I no longer believe that sin is manageable.
I no longer believe that faith is always rewarding.
I no longer believe that most Christians read the Bible.
I don't believe in heroes.
How about you? In a desperate attempt to save our faith, how have you lost it?
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9 comments:
I no longer believe in one single answer to the way this whole faith thing is lived out.
(Thanks for teaching me the, seemingly obvious, fact that one church building/gathering could not possibly hold all believers--to learn from Paul about the beauty of our diversity and the refreshment of our unity.)
I am wondering if you could please unpack what these three mean(?):
"I no longer believe that our souls are immortal.
I no longer believe that hell is bad.
I no longer believe that faith is always rewarding."
JDTapp,
Regarding immortal souls, that's a Greek idea where God created souls that are inherently eternal, which of course would mean that we live forever. But, as I read the Bible, eternal life is a gift of God. We are created mortal.
I used to think Hell is a bad place. Yet, God created it. I believe hell is good because God created it to eradicate evil.
Believing in Christ is often the hardest thing I do. Faith leads to struggle, doubts, frustration, even loneliness. These are not very rewarding.
I am not sure what I believe about Hell. I was taught that it is a place for eternal punishment, but for some reason that doesn't sound like Jesus to me.
I am not sure what I believe about salvation. Jesus says that no one comes to the Father but through him and I believe that, but there is a part of me that hopes He didn't mean that in as exclusive a way as we say.
I no longer believe that America's choice of president will determine the decline or incline of morality, or that it will change much of anything, for that matter.
I no longer believe my American (Puritan?) sense of morality is very moral or sensible.
I no longer believe I can understand the Bible on my own very well.
I no longer believe I understand what will happen when I will die.
I no longer believe I should or can say who is out or in the kingdom.
I no longer believe what I believe makes any difference unless it changes what I do.
I no longer believe that tradition is bad.
I no longer believe that sex and sexual preference are good identity markers.
I no longer believe I'm an expert.
Thanks for unpacking. I believe God always rewards the faithfulness of His people, but not mostly in this life.
I echo and +1 Ian's comment above.
I no longer believe in being my husband's best friend. I want to be his wife! To just be his best friend is a step-down to being a wife. I want to be cherished, to be loved and cared for in the way that our God created marriage.
When I have fun with my husband, I want to have fun with him as his wife. If I engage in social activities with him, I want to do so as his wife.
I feel we are taking a title given to us by our Lord and down-playing the importance of it. To be a wife or a husband is a good thing. The title alone is worthy of honor, but yet we try to make it so casual. As a believer, I don't understand this.
I love my best friends, but they don't hold the regard in my eyes that my husband does. Again, husband or wife...either is a spiritually worthy title with a heavy, but rewarding weight.
I no longer believe that accepting God's will and getting your dreams comes without sacrifice.
I no longer believe that faith can grow apart from a body of believers.
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