What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (Full Version)

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d4nnyb0y02 -> What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 9:53:04 AM)

There are many things to choose from... be it the messenger, the message, or the recipient. Sin, situation, misunderstanding?

I think on reason is due to people who claim to serve God, but are shutting the kingdom of God up before those who they witness to by making it so difficult to "get in" or to be right with God. It isn't difficult at all, nor does He require a lot of us. He simply asks that we love and trust Him. Christ has finished the work. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Then of course there is the many messages that are out there... the confusion, the hypocricy.

Then of course there is the fact that men and women are just plain old evil in their heart, and at enmity with God because of the lives we want to and choose to live... not wanting to give up their lives, not knowing that it will lead to REAL LIFE (Jesus said that if you lose your life you will find it).

What do you see as the reasons for why we and other's reject God? Why do we not just simply trust Him, love Him, and obey at all times? Why don't we always want to be with Him in everything we (I relate to all people) do?



phreddy -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 9:57:42 AM)

I think you will get many answers to this question, but they all come down to people would prefer to worship themselves.



Focusing -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 10:06:07 AM)

pride



TorchHeart -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 10:14:36 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: phreddy

I think you will get many answers to this question, but they all come down to people would prefer to worship themselves.


I wouldn't say that its simply because people would prefer to WORSHIP themselves. Its definitely not the reason in every case.



stellaluna -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 10:23:55 AM)

Selfishness is the polar opposite of Christianity. And that does boil down to worshiping "self." I don't know about you guys, but I struggle with it all the time. (I kind of figure we all do.) But yeah, in my dealings with unbelievers it does boil down to "I want to do what I want to do." Christianity is a giant rulebook to a lot of people and they just aren't down with giving up all the things they love. It can be really hard to explain things like relationship v. religion, freedom in Christ, living more abundantly, to someone who has bought into the "me me me" stuff. (Not impossible, but hard.)



SavedByGraceMD -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 11:04:56 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: stellaluna

Selfishness is the polar opposite of Christianity. And that does boil down to worshiping "self." I don't know about you guys, but I struggle with it all the time. (I kind of figure we all do.) But yeah, in my dealings with unbelievers it does boil down to "I want to do what I want to do." Christianity is a giant rulebook to a lot of people and they just aren't down with giving up all the things the love. It can be really hard to explain things like relationship v. religion, freedom in Christ, living more abundantly, to someone who has bought into the "me me me" stuff. (Not impossible, but hard.)

I agree. We are told in the bible that we have 3 enemies. Satan, the world, and the flesh.

How does the snake get us-he appeals to our self, tempts us, and tells us it is ok.

How does the world get us- it appeals to our self, tempts us, and tells us it is acceptable.

How does our flesh get us-it yearns and desires what it wants, what we want, me, me , me, I don't care who it hurts as long as I am happy.

So between the 3, what is the common denominator-our self. our wants. our control of our own life. ME with a capital M and a capital E.

Can other factors cause someone to reject God, yes. Like someone who rejects Christianity due to how a Christian acts. The problem with that is it is just used as an excuse to justify their own actions. But it is a problem none the less, but what they fail to see is that they(unbelievers) should not look at us as perfect, but look to the perfect one, Jesus. We all fall short, way short of the Glory of God, but luckily for us, we have Jesus.



stellaluna -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 11:18:37 AM)

Indeed, hypocrisy doesn't help.



earthless -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 11:25:02 AM)

Pride.



restinginHim -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 11:31:52 AM)

When i read the posts i thought of the Parable of the Sower.



RubySparkles -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 2:18:05 PM)

Because it takes a lot of effort. God may be silent or you may not get the answer you want. Some people expect a quick fix and instant, permanent happiness. They don't realise that smiling Christians have had to be patient and accept no for an answer. People expect God to come crashing into their lives with great fanfare and fireworks, and are not listening for the quiet but firm voice. People flee when the reality does not meet their expectations.



DuckTalk -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 2:52:36 PM)

Humanity.

I think that with some people, in everyday life & dealings, it is mere automatic reflex to immediately respond with human nature. In doing so, we neglect to stop & think.....forgive me for coining a stale, but very profound truth.....immediately think WWJD. Then, it becomes a choice of ongoing pride or relying on God for help.



galadriel2 -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 2:55:01 PM)

One reason people reject God is because the devil blinds their minds. 'But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.' (2 Cor. 4:3,4)

Another reason why people reject God is because they are drug away to temptation and sin by their own lusts: 'Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.' (Js. 1:13-15)

A third reason why people sin and reject God is because the darkness rules over them without any contest from them. They cannot get themselves out of the state of death and darkness that they dwell in: 'He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love' (Col. 1:13) The idea of power in this verse is the idea that it rules over men unchallenged in any way by men. God the Father has to come and deliver men and convey them 'into the kingdom of the Son of His love'.

God bless,
Galadriel2



deermousie -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 3:14:41 PM)

Because they are spiritually dead.

Ever talk to a dead person? They don't talk back. Punch or shake them, they don't respond (but you get booted out of the funeral home). [:D]

Look at Scripture - God saves us, makes us alive in Him, and then we respond. We accept Him, we confess our sins, and we toddle after Him, falling down and getting back up.

The spiritually dead person just sees themselves. They have a body, a thinking mind and a heart that feels, but the spirit part is dead. Like a TV that's not plugged in. So they worship themselves or chase power and pleasure, and die in their sins.

We don't know who is who, so we share our faith with everyone. God will make some alive, maybe at our words (or maybe we're a link in the chain and they'll be made alive later) or maybe from reading the Bible. It's not our job to make them believe, it's only our job to give them the facts: Jesus died to forgive sinners, and His blood washes us clean. God does the rest. We're just the messenger. [:)]



bob97 -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 3:18:27 PM)

Seems like most people still struggle with the concept that man through his own desire can save himself. When thinking in those terms it puts us in a real intellectual dilemma doesn't it?

Fear not...I don't intend to pursue this line of thinking, I just wanted to put it out as food for thought.

Bob



frankman -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 4:16:28 PM)

I wanted to give a one word answer to this question, but I see "Focusing" and "earthless" already beat me to it, and that word is PRIDE. So what are some reasons given from Scripture?

-PRIDE= Jer.49:16 "and the pride of your heart have deceived you."

-Satan has blinded their minds so they can not see. (2 Cor.4:3+4) verse already quoted in post above.

-unbelieve etc. etc. etc. = Rev.21:8= "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

-love of self= 3 John verses 9-11= "Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. ----- Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God."

-love of the world= 2 Tim.4:10= "for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica."

-False shepherds have mislead them into false beliefs= 2 Cor.11:14+15= "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

[sm=hammerhead.gif] 1 Cor.10:12= "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don`t fall!"



Dan94 -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 5:40:41 PM)

If I may, please let me throw in my 2 cents. One of the main reasons I get when I ask an unbeliever about faith in God is: The bible was written by men to control our lives. They have trouble accepting the bible as the VERY word of God. I realize any excuse will work and for some, this may be just an excuse that they heard someone else say...but it works for them in helping to shoot down any idea that they may need to change their life.
If that does not work they will bring up all the fallen pastors or priests that molest children or all the trouble and strife in the world. Another favorite is "how can I love a God who will let an innocent child be raped or murdered, or a host of other bad news articles. Another favorite excuse is "so and so claims to be a Christian and look at the way he acts".
It's no wonder that Jesus saved some His harshest words for hypocrites and gave them so many warnings. People today and in His day are just looking for an excuse and some of them seem valid on the surface. So if your going to witness be prayed up, poured out and under the direction of the Holy Spirit or you'll just sit there and stammer and be ineffective and Satan will have the "I FAILED AGAIN" club to beat you up with, to try to get you to stop trying.



NotDoneYet -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 9:09:25 PM)

I've read these responses, and the reason I choose to stay away from churches and that sort of thing is because OF the alleged followers of Christ.
Over the years, while I was a "practicing" Christian, I discovered that the cult of self was alive and well WITHIN the church...
Every time I've needed help, from financial to emotional, it was never the "brethren" who would come to my aid, but those who had no religious affiliation nor inclination.
In the bible, it says something about "by their fruits you will know them"...well, I saw the Christian fruit...it was stinking, rotten and maggot infested...

So, believe as you will as to why some of us have rejected Christianity...but the truth is, some of us are turned off by the self-righteous, selfish attitudes found within that community.



deermousie -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 9:23:44 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: NotDoneYet

I've read these responses, and the reason I choose to stay away from churches and that sort of thing is because OF the alleged followers of Christ.
Over the years, while I was a "practicing" Christian, I discovered that the cult of self was alive and well WITHIN the church...
Every time I've needed help, from financial to emotional, it was never the "brethren" who would come to my aid, but those who had no religious affiliation nor inclination.
In the bible, it says something about "by their fruits you will know them"...well, I saw the Christian fruit...it was stinking, rotten and maggot infested...

So, believe as you will as to why some of us have rejected Christianity...but the truth is, some of us are turned off by the self-righteous, selfish attitudes found within that community.


Then you know something that some Christians haven't figured out yet: we are sinners. Rotten, selfish sinners. And that's why God had to die for us, because if we died we'd just be dead and separated from God forever. So He bacame a man, lived a perfect life (so He didn't deserve to die) and let Himself be tortured to death voluntarily so He could trade places with us. His righteousness for our sin, His perfection for our wretchedness. The greatest deal of the universe.

Because sin demands death to pay for it, when Jesus died while perfect, it totally satisfied the penalty and ended the need for payment. That's why sinners can go to heaven. Jesus rose from the dead to prove the power of death was dead. We all die in our bodies, but when we stand before God and the book gets read, all the crummy and nasty things we did, we see we are forgiven because the blood of Jesus washed us clean. Nothing we did. Or some refused the offer, and they are removed to hell. The second death. Their choice.

God tells us the door is open, inspite of the fact we are filthy. He says He forgave us. So walk through the door into life. Or stay out and die - separated from God forever. Frankly, I like life better. [:)] It's free for us; it cost God His life. Show those stupid Christians the real way.



SavedByGraceMD -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 9:26:24 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: NotDoneYet

I've read these responses, and the reason I choose to stay away from churches and that sort of thing is because OF the alleged followers of Christ.
Over the years, while I was a "practicing" Christian, I discovered that the cult of self was alive and well WITHIN the church...
Every time I've needed help, from financial to emotional, it was never the "brethren" who would come to my aid, but those who had no religious affiliation nor inclination.
In the bible, it says something about "by their fruits you will know them"...well, I saw the Christian fruit...it was stinking, rotten and maggot infested...

So, believe as you will as to why some of us have rejected Christianity...but the truth is, some of us are turned off by the self-righteous, selfish attitudes found within that community.

Thanks so much for your positive and edifying post. [8|]

I can see your point. If you had gone to your Christian brethren as you called them and they turned you away in your time of need, then yes that was not a Christian response. That does of course depend on the circumstances of your distress, but we should always be there to help a brother or sister in Christ, if we can.

That being said, we just because we are Christians, are not perfect. We do battle the self, for me, on a daily basis. We also have problems, and at times it can be difficult to help someone else when we are in trouble ourselves.

No excuses though. It would be nice to say every Christian everywhere, is absolutely living the Christian life; but that is just not true. So I apologize on behalf of the brethren you have spoken about.

May I just add, that if this is the reason you turned away from Christ, you can still turn back. Trust in Him, and rely on Him, not mere people.



NotDoneYet -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 9:36:42 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: SavedByGraceMD

quote:

ORIGINAL: NotDoneYet

I've read these responses, and the reason I choose to stay away from churches and that sort of thing is because OF the alleged followers of Christ.
Over the years, while I was a "practicing" Christian, I discovered that the cult of self was alive and well WITHIN the church...
Every time I've needed help, from financial to emotional, it was never the "brethren" who would come to my aid, but those who had no religious affiliation nor inclination.
In the bible, it says something about "by their fruits you will know them"...well, I saw the Christian fruit...it was stinking, rotten and maggot infested...

So, believe as you will as to why some of us have rejected Christianity...but the truth is, some of us are turned off by the self-righteous, selfish attitudes found within that community.

Thanks so much for your positive and edifying post. [8|]

I can see your point. If you had gone to your Christian brethren as you called them and they turned you away in your time of need, then yes that was not a Christian response. That does of course depend on the circumstances of your distress, but we should always be there to help a brother or sister in Christ, if we can.

That being said, we just because we are Christians, are not perfect. We do battle the self, for me, on a daily basis. We also have problems, and at times it can be difficult to help someone else when we are in trouble ourselves.

No excuses though. It would be nice to say every Christian everywhere, is absolutely living the Christian life; but that is just not true. So I apologize on behalf of the brethren you have spoken about.

May I just add, that if this is the reason you turned away from Christ, you can still turn back. Trust in Him, and rely on Him, not mere people.


Thank You Deer and Dr Grace for your gracious replies...
There were many times I was burned...I won't go into it all...however, none of it involved what Christians would call "sin".
I prefer to take what makes sense from Christianity...especially "The Golden Rule", and attempt to live that way...and raise my children to live that way, outward-focused instead of inward-focused.
I really no longer feel a need for religion or faith...nor any belief in an afterlife...
I'm good right here...



SonInMe1 -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 9:36:58 PM)

If you know God its hard to reject Him. The problem is, people do not know Him.

They know religion...and rules....and legalism. They certainly know sin. Its all they hear. Sin. Sin. Sin.

Hypocracy. There is no hypocracy in a humble servent of God who is not God. We ALL mess up and we ALL sin as christians. What we do not do is, give up or not repent/apologise. If someone turns from God because he sees imperfection in christians then...they are not looking for God but an excuse.

People inhabit churches. Christians are people. Yes, their standard is perfection and they all fall short of that. I cannot imagine asking for help in a church and not getting it. It hasn't been my experience.

I am sorry my brethern were not there for you NotDoneYet. Not every christian is a mature one. Not every church that calls itself christian is one. Please do not give up on God because His servents, or those who call themselves His servents, made mistakes.



SavedByGraceMD -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 9:47:06 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: NotDoneYet

quote:

ORIGINAL: SavedByGraceMD

quote:

ORIGINAL: NotDoneYet

I've read these responses, and the reason I choose to stay away from churches and that sort of thing is because OF the alleged followers of Christ.
Over the years, while I was a "practicing" Christian, I discovered that the cult of self was alive and well WITHIN the church...
Every time I've needed help, from financial to emotional, it was never the "brethren" who would come to my aid, but those who had no religious affiliation nor inclination.
In the bible, it says something about "by their fruits you will know them"...well, I saw the Christian fruit...it was stinking, rotten and maggot infested...

So, believe as you will as to why some of us have rejected Christianity...but the truth is, some of us are turned off by the self-righteous, selfish attitudes found within that community.

Thanks so much for your positive and edifying post. [8|]

I can see your point. If you had gone to your Christian brethren as you called them and they turned you away in your time of need, then yes that was not a Christian response. That does of course depend on the circumstances of your distress, but we should always be there to help a brother or sister in Christ, if we can.

That being said, we just because we are Christians, are not perfect. We do battle the self, for me, on a daily basis. We also have problems, and at times it can be difficult to help someone else when we are in trouble ourselves.

No excuses though. It would be nice to say every Christian everywhere, is absolutely living the Christian life; but that is just not true. So I apologize on behalf of the brethren you have spoken about.

May I just add, that if this is the reason you turned away from Christ, you can still turn back. Trust in Him, and rely on Him, not mere people.


Thank You Deer and Dr Grace for your gracious replies...
There were many times I was burned...I won't go into it all...however, none of it involved what Christians would call "sin".
I prefer to take what makes sense from Christianity...especially "The Golden Rule", and attempt to live that way...and raise my children to live that way, outward-focused instead of inward-focused.
I really no longer feel a need for religion or faith...nor any belief in an afterlife...
I'm good right here...

I don't mean to prod, but is that really the way you want your children to be raised. There is so much more than the now. Would it be so bad to raise your children the way you would have liked those other Christians to have acted, like Christ. We should not be outward focused or inward focused, we should be Christ focused.

I know it is hard when you get burned by people. You think they should act one way, and they act another.

But God is forever the same, never changing, and will always be what He is. Reliable, merciful, forgiving, loving, and caring, and He will always be right there.

Please think about it some more. I know you have probably already thought about it, but for the sake of your children, think about it some more, pray about it, seek out a new church, and ask God to reveal Himself to you all over again. See what happens, you may very well be surprised.

Take care for now, and I will pray for you.



ladyichigo -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 9:57:33 PM)

I often read that people reject the notion of God's existence because:

1) They feel that they live a better and more full-filling life without the belief in God, because they no longer have to deal with the "guilt" that they are sinning. To them, the belief in Something/Someone they cannot see, keeping them accountable was bondage.
2) They believe that the Bible is just a book of fables and myths, and stuff to keep people living in fear.
3) Through scientific theories, they have concluded in their minds that there is no proof that God exists.
4) There is no physical proof of Jesus Christ's resurrection, and they believe that the eye witness accounts written in the Bible are not reliable since the accounts were written years after Jesus' death. [8|]
5) They believed in God at one point, but during a very hard-time when they needed God's help, they feel they didn't get it. They asked for God to personally reveal Himself to them and, He did not.

There were actually threads on here by some folks that posted several months back on "Why" or "What" caused them to reject God.



LoyalGypsy -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 10:35:48 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: d4nnyb0y02

There are many things to choose from... be it the messenger, the message, or the recipient. Sin, situation, misunderstanding?

I think on reason is due to people who claim to serve God, but are shutting the kingdom of God up before those who they witness to by making it so difficult to "get in" or to be right with God. It isn't difficult at all, nor does He require a lot of us. He simply asks that we love and trust Him. Christ has finished the work. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Then of course there is the many messages that are out there... the confusion, the hypocricy.

Then of course there is the fact that men and women are just plain old evil in their heart, and at enmity with God because of the lives we want to and choose to live... not wanting to give up their lives, not knowing that it will lead to REAL LIFE (Jesus said that if you lose your life you will find it).

What do you see as the reasons for why we and other's reject God? Why do we not just simply trust Him, love Him, and obey at all times? Why don't we always want to be with Him in everything we (I relate to all people) do?



Greetings,


quote:

What do you see as the reasons for why we and other's reject God?

You already nailed it right here..

quote:

There are many things to choose from... be it the messenger, the message, or the recipient. Sin, situation, misunderstanding?

quote:

What do you see as the reasons
I don’t see anything, but I can offer what was given.

A certian symbolism can be found in principal; which has a couple of views and meanings spread between the 2 books of the Gospel in both Mark 5 and in Luke 8
It is called Legion …who are many? = confusion

The "many" means many voices, “many voices”… is what caused that man who was possessed by the Legion. “not” to be …"in his right mind"

The symbolism of Jesus giving Legion permission was because it was not yet the time to send it out of the country (symbolic of the world)...
...

If one was read the Bible further ...being drown in the sea…
...the sea symbolically pans out to be the world or gentile nations,
What should be drowning out the many voices in the sea…. is the Gospel, and the Gospel or the HS is called the restrainer ...in 2 Thess 2.

You already have your answer in bold in the above quote.


Legion = many voices

His Church = 1 voice

John
14:8
Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."
14:9
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
14:10
Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

John 10:30
I and My Father are one." = 1(Voice)

Most of the church... (not His Church).... is suffering because it has “too many voices”… ….because it is the time. [;)]

Think of it as the falling away written in 2 Thess 2.



LG



bob97 -> RE: What are the causes for people rejecting "God" so much? (9/30/2008 11:25:35 PM)

1 Corinthians 2:14 ( ASV ) 14Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.


The words of the Spirit are as unintelligible to the natural man as a foreign language without an interpreter. The only way to understand God’s word is for His Spirit to open our minds to comprehension.

Bob



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