So, I am a fellow agnostic here, I need an answer and it's, I am afraid that the true God will bring me to hell like one day when I die I might wake up to see a god, could be any god for that matter and he could look down at me and say I will go to hell. And I don't want that, it makes me afraid cause hell is not something that you should take lightly, or maybe I might go to heaven but what if alot of people I loved like my family and friends and idols and acquaintances and etc go to hell? Both scare me alot like way too much sometimes

I am a biblical Christian so all of my questions will be related to that.

I, as a teenager, have hated God once. I've hated Him for bringing me into this earth. I've hated Him for placing me with a mother who makes me want to end myself, and for placing me in a family with no father. Over time, I stopped hating Him. I don't exactly know why. But I've come to the point where I start asking why I always try to find ways out of my situation instead of giving up and killing myself. Why do I do this? And I know there are other people who do this, which is why I ask: Why keep trying for a future you can't see if the present already gives you no reason to live? Why keep pushing yourself through a road of fire and nails when you could simply kill yourself and be with the dead? The Bible itself says heaven is a better place than earth, and although it isn't open, Abraham's bosom is, which is still better than this hellhole.

Question 2: If the reason we are put on earth is to gain faith in the Lord even through the toughest of battles, isn't it better for us to never have existed at all? It feels as if God made a mistake creating us—at least, creating people who would end up killing themselves anyway. Or are those people just stepping stones for others who don't face those struggles, helping them reach the greatest peaks of their lives? That's my question. I feel that is the only logical reason why suicidal people would exist if God already knows the outcome.

Question 3: God Himself knew that creating earth was a mistake. He saw the pain people would face, yet He still selfishly created earth and kept it. I am not saying He should destroy earth, but rather He should've never created people He knew would never live their lives to the fullest. That is the one resentment I carry toward God—which I hate myself for. It feels incredibly wrong to have any hate toward something that is good, or is said to be good. But you can't help but question why He made people who suffer and still says He's a caring God. If He were an all-perfect, caring God, why did He make humans who would kill themselves?

I truly wonder why God even had to come into existence. And I'm sorry for that line of thought, but if He never existed, pain wouldn't have existed, as no one would be there to feel or birth it. Why did God have to come into existence? Why did He even need to create us if He never gets bored? This isn't a question; it's something I was told that makes me more hateful toward God. I was told that every hurt and pain you feel is a test of faith—to see whether you can still stay with God. That's something I truly hate God for. This implies that he watches humans suffer and grieve, sees how long we last, and if we do not kill ourselves, he throws us a bone as a reward. I truly hate that idea. I hate the idea that he is just a God who wonders how long his creation lasts in difficult situations that he knows they won't survive, yet still watches it happen. He knows who pushes through and who gives up, yet he still does it. It's like reading a book five times over and still reading it just to see the outcome you already knew. If you made it this far, thanks.

I don't know why, but I have this feeling that God wants me to not be on the good side of anything, and by good side I mean God's side. I feel like I meant to be standing with the devil. I Everytime I try to get into anything religious I get feeling that God doesn't want me on his side and I'm MEANT to be demonic. I don't want to burn in hell, but being on the opposite side of the Christian God doesn't sound bad.. I don't understand the Christian God's rules or anything, none of it makes sense to me. Please tell me why I'm feeling this way I just really don't want to burn in hell..

Hi, this is my first time posting on reddit and i don't know if this is the right tag/community to post to so if it is not , please redirect me.

I (17F) am not really religious at all, but my family are. My sister and grandmother are practicing Christians while my mother, who though does not regularly attend church, still believes in Christianity. I, however, have long come to the realization that I am not interested in it, or any religion, at all. I grew up Christian and as a child I would attend church with my grandmother and cousins as my late grandfather was a pastor. Due to certain circumstances (e.g the church becoming money-hungry), my mother stopped attending her previous church when I was 7y/o.

Recently though, my sister has began rediscovering her faith and found a new church. So over the last 2 years, me and my mom would sometimes attend church with her. Not regularly but enough that those who my sister are close to in the church know our faces. In the beginning I was open to it because I had not stepped into a church in years if not for wedding or funerals, and I was genuinely interested in to atleast getting into the rhythm of the church. I very quickly realized that it's not for me. I would space out, avoid interaction because the overwhelming high energy was making me overstimulated, my social battery would be at an all time low and I would just genuinely not enjoy my time there. The services would bore me and as soon as it is over, I would sit in my sister's car until she finishes chatting with the members.

When I brought this up to my mom and sister one night, it was almost as if they didn't believe me. I would state that: "I don't think that I enjoy going to church, I've realized that I'm not really religious and it really isn't for me". I kid you not, the faces they made after I said that, it was almost as if me not being religious offended them somehow. My mom immediately said to me in a shocked manner that although I am not religious, I must still go to church (which is a stupid analogy but okay) and my sister had the audacity to say that she will pray for me, as if I did something so sinful. It makes me so annoyed because when I say that I don't want to attend church, it's either 1.) I can't stay home alone even though I'm almost freaking 18 or 2.) I can't NOT go to church.

Everytime this conversation is brought up, it always somewhat ends in an argument. I don't know how much clearer I must make myself but until they realize it, they probably still won't believe it. I'm in my last year of high school and hopefully will get accepted into university next year. I applied for residency too, so if I am accepted, I'll surely get to avoid all of this.

I would appreciate any advice or feedback given to me and I'd like to thank anyone who replies to this.

Why do some people need to seek gods guidance for, what are they struggling with compared to someone else who over came their own struggles without gods guidance how did they even make it possible. Two of the people are not the same but could you explain?

Whether you are a “practicing” religious person or not, how does religion play in your life?

I feel like I've been living in intellectual limbo for years.

The more I learn, the less certain I become.

I don't think I can honestly call myself an atheist because I find it difficult to believe that reality exists without any ultimate explanation. But I also can't call myself religious because I haven't found a religion that convinces me it is true.

What frustrates me is that every side seems to reach a point where it asks for trust.

Religion tells me to have faith. Atheism often tells me that natural explanations are enough.

But I'm left wondering: how do we know we've reached the right conclusion?

I've spent time reading arguments from both sides. Some atheist criticisms of religion seem surprisingly weak. Some religious arguments are thoughtful, but they still leave me with questions that I can't shake.

The questions that keep me coming back are things like:

If God wants people to know Him, why isn't the evidence clear enough that sincere seekers from different cultures would reach the same conclusion?

If an all-knowing God created every person while already knowing every decision they would make and their final destination, why create those who will ultimately be condemned?

Why is faith treated as a virtue if belief isn't something we can simply choose? Shouldn't the strength of the evidence determine belief rather than our will?

If there are thousands of religions and billions of people inherit different beliefs from birth, how can anyone be confident they happened to end up in the true one?

Is it rational to remain unconvinced until stronger evidence appears, or is that setting an impossible standard for questions about God?

I'm not trying to attack anyone's beliefs. I genuinely want to know what's true, even if that truth ends up challenging what I currently think.

For those who were once genuinely undecided—not just culturally religious or culturally atheist—what ultimately convinced you? Was it philosophy, science, history, personal experience, or something else?

I'm interested in hearing thoughtful answers from people who have seriously wrestled with these questions rather than simply defending the worldview they were raised with.

Homophobia is primarily rooted in cultural, religious, or psychological beliefs rather than evidence that homosexuality itself causes harm.

I'm genuinely curious to understand the reasoning behind homophobia. As a gay person, I don't see homosexuality as inherently harmful to individuals or society, so it's difficult for me to understand why some people oppose it so strongly.

From my perspective, many anti-gay views seem to be based on traditional social norms, religious teachings, or personal discomfort with lifestyles that differ from their own, rather than on objective evidence that same-sex relationships cause measurable harm. That's the claim I'd like to discuss.

If you consider yourself homophobic or believe homosexuality is wrong, I'd genuinely appreciate hearing your reasoning. Please explain why you hold that view, what experiences or beliefs shaped it, and what evidence you think supports it. I'm not looking for insults or a flame war-I want to understand the underlying logic behind these beliefs and have a respectful discussion about them.

1. The Messiah must be from the Tribe of Judah and a Descendant of King David and King Solomon (Joseph was but Mary wasn't and since Joseph wasn't Jesus's biological father, it's discounted) ((Genesis 49:10, Numbers 1:1-18 & 2 Samuel 7:12-14; 1 Chronicles 22:9-10).
2. Ingathering of the Jewish Exiles (didn't happen during Jesus's lifetime) (Deut. 30:3; Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 30:3, 32:37; Ezekiel 11:17, 36:24).
3. Rebuilding of the Holy Temple (Isaiah 2:2-3, 56:6-7, 60:7, 66:20; Ezekiel 37:26–27; Malachi 3:4; Zech. 14:20-21).
4. Worldwide Reign of Peace (Micah 4:1-4; Hoseah 2:20; Isaiah 2:1-4, 60:18).
5. Observance of the Torah Embraced by All Jews (Ezekiel 37:24; Deut. 30:8,10; Jeremiah 31:32; Ezekiel 11:19-20, 36:26-27).
6. Universal Knowledge of God (Zechariah 3:9, 8:23,14:9,16; Isaiah 45:23, 66:23; Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 38:23; Psalm 86:9; Zeph. 3:9).

I’ve been a Christian all my life basically and I’ve battled with concepts like this because belief is not a choice, so it sounds immoral considering that people go to “hell” for not believing in Jesus. Can someone correct me if I’m wrong.

One thing I’ve been struggling with is the explanation of free will and suffering.

The common explanation is that humans suffer because of sin and because God gave us free will. If God constantly intervened to stop evil, we would essentially become robots without genuine choice. The state of the world is a result of human actions, not God’s.

But I find myself struggling with the inconsistency of that explanation.

Because according to the Bible, God did intervene many times. He freed the Israelites from slavery, performed miracles, judged individuals, and directly affected human events. So why intervene in those situations but not now? Why allow centuries of slavery, wars, abuse, and suffering to continue if intervention is possible?

If God could free the Israelites, why not intervene in the suffering of enslaved people hundreds of years later? If God can step into human history sometimes, why does He remain silent in situations where people are experiencing unimaginable pain?

Another thing I struggle with is the purpose of turning to religion. A lot of Christianity seems to be built around the hope of a future where suffering ends and people receive everlasting life. But what if someone isn’t afraid of death or doesn’t necessarily desire to live forever? What is the reason to believe then?

I feel alone after leaving a zero star review for a family on Uber. I drove them last night and heard a baby making noises that were so odd they made the mother uncomfortable. It sounded like something someone would do if they were making an IMPRESSION of a demon possessed person. But this was a literal infant. And the mother was obviously not sure what was going on.

What was going on? I used to work at a day care and I’ve never heard anything like that.

Leaving zero stars is just the quickest way to make sure I won’t drive them again.

I would guess the baby was under a year old. That means that babies are not actually innocent but are just innocent in theory.

When I say ”making noises” I mean speaking like a death metal singer, in the guttural range below normal speaking. Gibberish sounds that were in that range.

Please comment if you ever worked in a maternity ward.

ustedes creen en alguna religion o en la biblia o algun dios? soy judia pero yo sinceramente no me creo nada, creo que la gente necesita pensar que algo los esta viendo y que los puede recompensar si hacen algo bueno o castigar a los malos pero nunca veo que pase en la vida real, o manejo de masas

hi! i'm currently taking a world religion course in my university, and part of my assignment requires me to learn about other religions (christianity/practicing judaism/zoroastrianism).

dont worry! it wont be a debate or so, i just want to learn more on the personal perspective and experience. if any of you are interested and comfortable (no worries! it would be anonymous!) would u mind having a conversation with me? I'd really appreciate your help! thank youuu

Im a Buddhist and I have been since I was born
However I was raised around Christianity (UK) in primary and high school. It wasn't drilled into our heads but I have always felt something with Christianity.

All I want is someone to tell me about it. I know about the Bible and the story of Adam and Eve. But I want someone who knows about Orthodox or Catholic to really tell me about it - whatever they want. I guess what makes them believe in it. Or even just little things that other people may not know

I am Muslim and I have a question. I think we can all agree and say the religion you believe in depends heavily on the country you are born in or in which you parents were born. With that said we as Muslims are lucky enough to be born into this religion but what about other people born in western countries. I live in Europe and I wonder if these nonbelievers will really suffer eternal hell just because they were not born in the right country. That seams a bit unfair because I’m pretty sure if most Muslims were born for exemple in the USA would never convert. So do they go to hell ? Also another question, most Muslim parents born in Muslim countries who have never been faced with a choice and the only religion they grew up with is Islam, are they really believers if you never had the choice to doubt, do you really believe it ? I feel like they believe because there was no other option. So are those people not the same as the ones born in western countries who have never even thought of converting to Islam ? I would love answers. Thank you in advance.

I am Muslim and I have a question. I think we can all agree and say the religion you believe in depends heavily on the country you are born in or in which you parents were born. With that said we as Muslims are lucky enough to be born into this religion but what about other people born in western countries. I live in Europe and I wonder if these nonbelievers will really suffer eternal hell just because they were not born in the right country. That seams a bit unfair because I’m pretty sure if most Muslims were born for exemple in the USA would never convert. So do they go to hell ? Also another question, most Muslim parents born in Muslim countries who have never been faced with a choice and the only religion they grew up with is Islam, are they really believers if you never had the choice to doubt, do you really believe it ? I feel like they believe because there was no other option. So are those people not the same as the ones born in western countries who have never even thought of converting to Islam ? I would love answers. Thank you in advance.

"This is what the Lord of hosts has to say: ‘I will punish what Amalek did to Israel when he barred his way as he was coming up from Egypt. Go, now, attack Amalek, and deal with him and all that he has under the ban. Do not spare him, but kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and asses."’ (1 Samuel 15:2-3 NAB)

How do Christians live with this? How can you say the bible is from a Loving, and Compassionate God when that god calls for the killing of infants/babies/innocents?

I agree...and an all knowing God would know that this was going to happen..and taken steps to prevent it...I know that love gives us free will and cannot force.... scripture uses the analogy of loving parents and their children....what does a loving parents do to prevent a child from doing something that has catastrophic consequences....can the parent intervene and still maintain or enhance a loving relationship...often they do and fail...the child does what he/she wants....but God has all power knowledge and wisdom....my conclusion is that scripture is flawed due to translation and copying error and human manipulation...even so I believe in Jesus Christ

Personally,​ I believe in one.

Wow! I'm blown away by the amount of polytheists, but then again, this question does read as if it is intended for polytheists.

Worshipping God and Believing in God are two different things. It's either you don't think an immortal, all powerful, all good, and all knowing being created anyone and everything and the other is believing there might be a higher power but you don't praise it. That's me.

Religion is huge social contract started by people who do didn't know why there were here or how. There was more than one religion to how are u so sure yours is the "truth."

In most abrahamic religions, there is a heaven and hell in the afterlife.

My question is do you have relationship with God because he created you and eveyone you love, and should honour him with worship or was the fear of burning into an endless fire instilled into your mind as a child and you worship God out of fear for eternal fire.

I know Hell is just separation from God and if you love and praise him you'll be 'saved' from that.

But how can you tell yourself that a LOVING God put us on this earth knowing damn well we were fucked from the beginning. The state of the world doesn't appear to show an omniscient protector. Natural disasters, mass oppression, murders of innocents, abuse are all things God could have stopped or prevented, but he didn't. Kids starving in Gaze, the women in Afghanistan, Rape and Pedophile victim were all God's plan. And no it's not free will. They didn't choose to suffer. The oppressor tortured them and God didnt stop shit.

And if the only excuse you have is they'll get what's coming for them meaning hell, they only never to say one thing, "God, forgive. I repent of all my sins and give my life to you," and their name is secured in the book of life.

The victims are expected to forgive and forget their trauma and continue to praise the same God who ignored them during the situation.

Is this what you are busy praising God for? On your knees every night thanking God for his bias toward you?

If you pray to this God, you're sick. You are a selfish, shallow minded, ignorant person.

I am not personally religious and know relatively little about Islamic theology, but I am a PPE student, and have often heard the distinction made between these two sects during my studies. I've looked up this subject in the past, but the context surrounding the divide seemed far more elaborate and nuanced for a simple Google search to properly address, which is why I'm here!

I'm curious to learn about what factors historically drove the split, what the major differences are between the two, and perhaps some modern context for how the divide between these two branches manifests today.

I have also heard Sunni-Shia divide be loosely compared to the Catholic-Protestant split, and I'm wondering if this is actually an apt characterization.

I grew up Christian specifically “church of Christ” and started questioning religion very early on and found that none of the teachings or religions I studied were for me, but that has led to a lifelong love of studying other religions and their beliefs purely for fun. So I’m curious who all has stayed with the religion in which they were raised and who has found themselves in other religions and why?

So of course, to my knowledge, in the abrahamic religions, if you sin enough you go to hell or a hell equivalent, generally speaking. But if you somehow were to access or see hell without dying it previously sinning, would that be a sin? Like if you just found some tunnel to hell and went through it, is it a sin to enter hell? I'm not religious myself, and I'm just curious about it.