Those who believe that they believe in God, but without passion in their hearts, without anguish in mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, without an element of despair even in their consolation, believe in the God idea, not God himself. ~Miguel de Unamuno
"Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving."
— Frederick Buechner
Beginning August 21st in Trinity's Cappuccino and Christ Service, we will start a sermon series on "Questions for God." I'd love to hear what questions about God and faith you'd like to explore.
We'll select four questions to explore, but all questions will be helpful as we plan worship for the coming year.
Thank you!
8 comments:
It seems like I've always been blessed with good things - I didn't have to work my way through college, my kids have always been well behaved and have achieved great things in high school and college, and I've had a great, well-paying job for almost 30 years. I never did anything special to deserve this and I don't think I've worked particularly hard to achieve it. So many other folks work very hard and still don't get these things. Why have I had it so easy and other people have it so hard?
Why does God care? There are billions of people on this planet, yet we teach that God has a personal, caring relationship with each one. Why does God need or feel compelled to do this?
Other than faith, what proof do we have that God exists? Are we all just running around praising, worshipping, and loving an "idea" rather than an actual God? I agree, there would be choas without the morals and values that come with the Christian God, but truthfully, how do we know that the Christian God is the one that truly exists.
Why isn't the "magic" found in the bible present in this day, i.e. the healing, burning bushes, visions, etc. etc.
God, what were you thinking when you arranged for Jesus to live among us 2000 years ago? Was it your plan all along that Jesus' teachings would make people so angry that they would murder Him after preaching for only a few years? Or did you "hope" for Jesus to live longer, and that his teachings would be respected and well-received?
God, why did you pick that particular time in history, 2000 years ago, for Jesus to live? It would have been helpful to many of us who try to understand His message so long after his death if he had lived at a time when His every word, the sound of His voice, and the expression on his face, could have been recorded and broadcast to everyone on the planet, instead of just thousands in a small region.
God, do You play an active role in determining who among us suffers, and who does not? When an innocent child dies from an attack by a thoughtless thug; when a young missionary is killed by a stray bullet; when a drunk driver kills a young family on their way to church camp or a kills devout Amish farmers returning from a barn raising; when chronic disease causes suffering -- is Your hand at work in such apparent tragedies? If so, why? If not, why not, and are our prayers to You for continued life and health of any effect?
God, as you know, Christians say that Jesus "died for our sins". Do You see it that way? Could You please explain to me how that works? I'm an engineer, and my Myers Briggs Type Indicator is ISTJ, so it would be helpful if You explained it without abstract mumbo jumbo used by some of your spokespersons.
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