Does questioning Christianity lead to Atheism? (depends)

[St. SteVen]

We are the church.
Leave your questions at the door.
We are believers.
No questions allowed.

Those with doubts are unbelievers.
We have provided you with answers.
Questions are for unbelievers, or those in the new believers class.
The mature have already been corrected to proper thinking.
No questions remain.
We have provided you with the answers.

What's that?
You say you really do have questions?
Were we not clear with you?
Again, no questions are allowed.

What's that?
You question the Bible?
Only an Atheist would question the Bible.

What's that?
You question the creation account?
Only an Atheist would question the creation account.

What's that?
You question Baptism?
Only an Atheist would question Baptism.

What's that?
You question eternal conscious torment?
Only an Atheist would question eternal conscious torment.

We are the church.
We have graciously provided you with a God to believe in.
Do not bite the hand that feeds you with your impertinent questions.
We are the church.
You will respect our authority in matters of belief.

We are the church.
Leave your questions at the door.
We are believers.
No questions allowed.
Those with doubts are unbelievers.
Unbelievers are Atheists.

Leave by the door you entered.
Atheists are not welcome here.

 

[St. SteVen]

This debate was a real eye-opener.
Dan Barker, the atheist, was actually the hero in this debate.
Thomas Ross had to stoop to character assassination against Dan Barker in his failed attempt to win this debate.
By their fruit... ???

 

[St. SteVen]

There seems to be an assumption that God hates atheists.
Is that true?

 

[Windmillcharge]

We are the church.
Leave your questions at the door.
We are believers.
No questions allowed.

If 5hat is what your church says or practices, remind the pastor that we are to give a Reason for our beliefs and leave that church.

There is no sin in having doubts or questions.
There is sin in arrogantly rejecting questions and not helping people.e find answers.

What are courses like christianity explored and alpha, but opertu ities to ask questions about Christianity.

 

[St. SteVen]

If 5hat is what your church says or practices, remind the pastor that we are to give a Reason for our beliefs and leave that church.

There is no sin in having doubts or questions.
There is sin in arrogantly rejecting questions and not helping people.e find answers.

What are courses like christianity explored and alpha, but opertu ities to ask questions about Christianity.

Thanks for joining the discussion.

In my experience, even a church that allows questions, answers them with superficial apologetics.
I have found the church, for the most part, to be ignorant about where the Bible came from, for instance.
There is also a tendency toward projecting a political agenda onto their preaching.
And that can swing to the right, or to the left.

 

[NayborBear]

Is your original post slightly "paraphrased?"
As it's been my experience that they don't actually come out and say these things as bluntly as you have stated. But rather? Do not give the questioner/s like you or I (how can I say) much "air time" Or? should ya get a word in edgewise even inasmuch as striving to add a little history or a deeper Spiritual truth (embellishing) that which is being taught? It is quickly dismissed as not being pertinent to that which they are attempting to espouse.

Tis a very delicate yet very important (how can I say again) dance we do as to not forsake the assembling of believers while still holding fast to things which are Spiritually Discerned, that (again how can I say) "rank and file" Christianity cannot discern.

It MUST be because of "blindness" or "spirit of stupor", or "strong delusion" to which God is in control of to bring about the end of this current earth/heaven age as foretold us by God's servants the prophets, as well as the Disciples and Apostles of Christ pretty much as how it has been recorded. Which can be summed up pretty well in Isaiah 28:
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

And this here? Is where I found myself some 40 years ago a few weeks after I walked away from doing crack cocaine.
Isaiah 28:
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
21 For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

There are "some" that claim that verses 18-21 are just "those" wrestling with their demons. So? The only way to get around this? Is to implement verse 15.


The description of "his strange work" and "strange act" as recorded from verse 18, and something I've been going/growing through these past 40 some years has a "running title" of the "first resurrection."

I dunno where you are in your Spiritual journeying/s. But, it seems you are asking the right questions.
I understand where you're coming from I think: "If I see this?" "Why can't every believer?"
Some people just can't? Some people don't feel the need to? Some people know that they just don't wanna know any more. As it would mean being held to more of an accounting then they are comfortable with.
Then? There are those that are irreconcilable enemies to the Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Light.


I purport that many people fancying themselves as Priests of God and Christ Jesus in the 1,000 year reign, shall have somewhat a rude awakening when all of us shall be changed, and they find themselves as ones' being taught, rather then teaching for the 2nd resurrection, after satan has been released for a short season.

It may be of some help to you or others that not ALL the messengers of God are angels.
Some are Priests of God! (requires Spiritual discernment)

 

[Wick Stick]

We are the church.
Leave your questions at the door.
We are believers.
No questions allowed.

Those with doubts are unbelievers.
We have provided you with answers.
Questions are for unbelievers, or those in the new believers class.
The mature have already been corrected to proper thinking.
No questions remain.
We have provided you with the answers.

What's that?
You say you really do have questions?
Were we not clear with you?
Again, no questions are allowed.

What's that?
You question the Bible?
Only an Atheist would question the Bible.

What's that?
You question the creation account?
Only an Atheist would question the creation account.

What's that?
You question Baptism?
Only an Atheist would question Baptism.

What's that?
You question eternal conscious torment?
Only an Atheist would question eternal conscious torment.

We are the church.
We have graciously provided you with a God to believe in.
Do not bite the hand that feeds you with your impertinent questions.
We are the church.
You will respect our authority in matters of belief.

We are the church.
Leave your questions at the door.
We are believers.
No questions allowed.
Those with doubts are unbelievers.
Unbelievers are Atheists.

Leave by the door you entered.
Atheists are not welcome here.

I take your point, but...

There is a real need for every church to define it's core doctrines. If this is not done, the church runs directly into heresy in a hurry. Even the earliest churches created CREEDs and insisted on orthodoxy in the points included in their creeds.

Creeds don't just define essential doctrine; they also define non-essential doctrines. In areas where doctrine is not essential to the faith, churches can and should allow for some heterodoxy from their members in their theological positions. Having a creed lets your membership know where they can intellectually wander.. without endangering themselves.

And none of that should preclude questions. Don't put your pastor on the spot by standing up in the middle of Sunday service and grilling them like you're Perry Mason, but... competent, educated pastors welcome questions in informal settings. If your pastor WON'T answer questions, or CAN'T answer questions, I would question his competency as a teacher.

Even that... isn't necessarily a deal-breaker. Teaching is NOT the primary function of a church. If your shepherd can get the sheep moving the right directions, acting together to do good works... he's probably ok with me. Deeds trump words, every day that ends in Y.

 

[St. SteVen]

I take your point, but...

Is there a connection between questioning and unbelief?

Some seem to see questions as having a fatal trajectory. (or vice versa)

Questioning> Unbelief> Eternal consequences (hell)

No questioning> Belief> Eternal benefits (heaven)

There is a real need for every church to define it's core doctrines. If this is not done, the church runs directly into heresy in a hurry. Even the earliest churches created CREEDs and insisted on orthodoxy in the points included in their creeds.

Creeds don't just define essential doctrine; they also define non-essential doctrines. In areas where doctrine is not essential to the faith, churches can and should allow for some heterodoxy from their members in their theological positions. Having a creed lets your membership know where they can intellectually wander.. without endangering themselves.

Agree.

And none of that should preclude questions. Don't put your pastor on the spot by standing up in the middle of Sunday service and grilling them like you're Perry Mason, but... competent, educated pastors welcome questions in informal settings. If your pastor WON'T answer questions, or CAN'T answer questions, I would question his competency as a teacher.

Even that... isn't necessarily a deal-breaker. Teaching is NOT the primary function of a church. If your shepherd can get the sheep moving the right directions, acting together to do good works... he's probably ok with me. Deeds trump words, every day that ends in Y.

Agree.

/

 

[Wick Stick]

Is there a connection between questioning and unbelief?

Maybe? It could be that unbelief causes them to ask questions.

That isn't the only reason someone might ask questions, though. Maybe they're struggling internally to reconcile what they've been taught with their convictions. Maybe they just feel a need to know how everything works.

Some seem to see questions as having a fatal trajectory. (or vice versa)

Questioning> Unbelief> Eternal consequences (hell)

No questioning> Belief> Eternal benefits (heaven)

I think some might need to ask themselves, "are these questions sincere?"

If they are, then there is no reason to label anyone as unbelieving or damned. But perhaps some have entertained too many insincere questions - traps of rhetoric set by others seeking to undermine faith. Some are a little thin-skinned and slow to trust, it seems.

Some of us.

 

[O'Darby]

As pretty much every entry in my obscure blog emphasizes, I believe that questioning everything leads to a deeper, richer faith. It surely does lead away from simple-minded literalist inerrantist bibliolatry because that sort of faith can be sustained only by locking oneself in a protective cocoon where questions are not allowed. As for atheists, many are closer to God than their Christian counterparts. They are at least hot or cold and not lukewarm and afraid. A sincere exploration of atheism is one route to God.

 

[St. SteVen]

As for atheists, many are closer to God than their Christian counterparts. They are at least hot or cold and not lukewarm and afraid. A sincere exploration of atheism is one route to God.

OMGoodness!
I had a revelation while reading your post. (something you already know) Thanks.
That "lukewarm" passage states that God (Jesus) prefers EITHER hot or cold to lukewarm.
I had always assumed HOT was God's preference. He left room for COLD.

Revelation 3:15-17 NIV
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’
But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

/