I'm considering Atheism, after many years of being Agnostic. I was Christian before that. But I was a small child, and didn't fully understand christianity. After i learned more I started to have doubts. I became Agnostic around second grade. I still considered myself christian. I didn't even know Agnosticism existed. Hell in second grade the only religions I knew about where Christianity, and Judaism.
But in recent Monthes I have come to accept myself as an agnostic, and now, I am starting to see the idea that god might not be real a little more clearly. quite a few things are causing me to see it this way.
1.) God says in the bible that he will always answer our prayers, not just once but many times. But, if we stand in front of a pot of water, without flame under it, and pray for God to make it boil the water will not magically start boiling. Most christians rationalize this in many ways. Some of the rationalizations include "It is not his will." and "This request is trival." But god never once says do not pray to me about water.
2.) Christians recieve other religions stories, as pure fantasy, yet stories from their own religon are recived as truth. But, then again, members of the muslim faith reciave christian stories as illusion. Muslims are the only ones who believe in Mohammad. Mormons are the only ones who believe the stories of Joseph Smith, Buddhists are the only onst who believe in Buddah, and christians are the only ones who belive in Jesus. Which one is true? A christian would emmediatly say "The christian one". What is the proof that state, beyond a shadow of a doubt that the christian faith is the absoulute truth? Why, the Bible of course. But the muslims have the Koran, The Mormons have the book of Mormon. How are these any less credible than the Bible? "Well, the bible doesn't say anything about them." a Christian would argue, to which I would say "They don't say anything about the bible."
3.) A very wise friend of mine quoted this to me "If a man knows that he knows what he knows, and Knows that he doesn not know what he does not know. That man is truely wise." The whole system of faith, and belief is humanity treing to say that they know what they really dont have the slightest idea about.
So with all this floating around me how am I supposed to believe the christian faith, or any faith, is true. I can't. Still I can't help but shake this feeling I have I'll use an example.
I met my friend eric, at my old school. Then i went to a new school. in my second year at this school iw ent to erics house. there i met someone that eric knew, this person went by the name of Chris, and he went my school as well. soon i was hanging out with Chris at my new school. Are these events random, would i still have met Chris if i had not met Eric? I don't know. I'm pretty sure i would be asscoiating with a completely different group right now if one tiny thing had gone differently at my old school.
Lets say instead of becoming friends with Eric, i became his enemy. Chris is huge, very muscular. If i had become an enemy of Eric, maybe i would have become an enemy of Chris as well(I'm glad I didn't become Erics enemy because both Eric and Chris are super cool.) So what made it so that I became friends with Eric instead of enemies (While I hate to admit it there was a very brief period of time where there was friction between me and Eric.). Did this things happen just by coincidence? Or is there some higher force acting to make this happen. I am not saying that God is at work, but maybe it's nature, or some universla law. Maybe it is God. Maye God Really does exist.
Here is another peculiar tid bit about Eric and I. Erics mother almost sent Eric to my preschool, the school that i went ot for kindergarten, and to my elemntary school. but she did not because she did not think he would fit in there. Because of this I did not meet Eric until eighth grade. An atheist would say, "It's just because his mom thought he would fit in at the other schools, nothing more." A christian would say "God thought that it wasn't the right time for you and Eric to meet." Which one is right. I haven't a clue. I eed a sign, or some insight from somone who can help me. I need someone to show me the way, the right path. If anyone is out there that can help me I urge you to post a response to this in the comments section. Your input would be most appreciated.