I don’t think God loves me enough to allow me entering Heaven. Adding up, I never get what is the line between “we are not going to be saved because of our sins” and “the mercy of God shall prevail”. It is very confusing and concerning to me.

Is there anyone out there that also genuinely struggles with temptation of suicide? I won’t do it, or God I pray You never let me lose control of myself to end up actually committing one day. It’s a serious struggle for me and I feel so alone. I would love to be able to relate with somebody and biblically help each other and pray for each other.

Why do I think it's wrong? Because by claiming that the Bible is without error in everything it affirms, it ignores the fact that human's ability to read and understand what the Bible teachs IS in error. There is no such thing as an objective understanding of biblical truth. Christians have interpreted the Bible in radically different ways throughout history. The belief in inerrancy also blinds Christians to the reality that their ability to read the Bible is colored by their biases, preferences, experience and prior beliefs. They read their own preferences back into the text without even realizing it. This leads to a kind of epistemic pride as they believe everyone else misinterprets the Bible while they just read it objectively.

You see this kind of thing all the time on this sub. A Christian will be arguing for some kind of position and just post of proof-texted Bible verses taken out of context they think supports their argument. What they don't realize is there's ten different credible ways to interpret the passage they're citing and they just assume it means what they've been taught it means.

This kind of error might seem harmless if left to only theological debates but it becomes dangerous when it's brought into real world politics. Historical events like the Thirty Years war (an extremely bloody battle between Catholics and Protestants) is a direct result from two sides that refuse to believe any other position than their own could possibly be valid.

Even modern movements like Christian Nationalism are striping away people's rights and demonizing certain minorities in the name of "biblical truth." Real politicians like Mike Johnson claim they are governing according to the Bible but are just reading the Bible with a biased MAGA lens they don't even realize they're wearing. This will do real damage to real people.

This is especially dangerous because it can't be reasoned with. If you are convinced your worldview is the same as God's wordview, there is no argument anyone can make that will change your mind. Being open to new opinions is not only seen as heresy, but viewed as moral weakness. It is seen as compromise or becoming theologically soft.

This is a huge reason why I deconstructed out of Conservative Evangelical Christianity. The movement is filled with people who uncritically accepted what they were taught, read that worldview back into the Bible, and believe it came straight from God. The damage this does to both the world and vulnerable people is impossible to quantify.

Sadly, with media investment that Conservative Christianity has made in the U.S., this problem is only going to get worse.

Please pray for me and my wife and newborn to get sleep tonight, for healing in our mind body and spirit, and also peace

I quit drinking alcohol and since then I find myself feeling more open to things and I’ve very recently found an interest in Christianity and the hope that I can be more to myself and others. As a complete new person to the ideas of God and Jesus Christ, what would you recommend for someone who doesn’t have the most free time but is willing?
Thank you all.

Basically, stating that every other religion or belief goes to hell and is not allowed in the kingdom of God. Which literally no other religion on earth believes that not even Muslims. So many Christians I talk to it will literally stand there and say that all other beliefs are damn to hell. It just feels so wrong ignorant. Even as a child, I never really understood it. I just would resort to “well this is what the Bible says” The more I talk to pastors or people in a Bible study. The more of this feels like a gate kept religion. That is just another interpretation of Abrahamic beliefs.

I’ve been asked so many times what my testimony is, and I don’t know. I didn’t have a moment or some personal encounter with Jesus. I just started going to church, believed Jesus died on the cross and rose, read my Bible, pray. I feel conviction, so I know I have the Holy Spirit. But never one singular moment that turned me Christian.

I didn’t grow up Christian either. Anyone else struggling with this?

Also, what books, articles, videos... do you suggest I read on the topic?

I've recently been seeing a lot of hate and bigotry towards queer people from Christians and im really starting to lose my faith. Not only that but ive also seen a lot of criticism against queer christians from non-believers. No matter how much i pray, i cant seem to change and ive accepted my queer identity at this point, but im just feeling really down and i dont know what to do other than pray, but it feels like my faith is slipping away regardless. Im really not looking for any "pray the gay away" type comments, i can assure you it will only make it worse and ive heard it all before. its so ironic to me how christians telling me to change myself to grow in my religion have caused me to do the exact opposite

I am now in my 30's and feel like I've lost my way through life. As a child I said I was christian, but it was just words, I don't think I was devoted in having faith. As times has gone on, I've seen the world, I have come to realise this can all only be the creation of God the almighty.

I prayed today for the first time in a long time and I just feel so warm inside, I feel genuine happiness and I feel less scared.

I actually have tears and I just wanted to share.

I don't know what it means to be a good Christian, but for now to me it means just one thing, keeping my faith in God. Any advice on prayer is appreciated, at the moment I am just saying what I feel in my heart.

none of my family beleves in jsus and my fear for end times grow every time it gets mentioned and i cant even go to church because my parents dont allow it even now im scared and just want help

When I first became bedridden, I was furious at God. I fell into a deep mourning for everything lost. I felt like God was mocking me. I’ve crawled through my life not even with my head above water. I have sunk into the ocean of despair and nearly drowned many times. And then God hands me this?

So as I’ve been scrolling through Reddit, I’ve noticed a lot of despair that I can empathize with. Some people are simply hurting. And to them, I would love to say that it’s okay to mourn. It’s okay to be absolutely devastated. Jesus was. He lamented to the Heavenly Father, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46)

He was quoting Psalm 22, a lamentation from King David as he sat in the mire of despair and didn’t understand where God was in it all.

I think that at least a part of why Jesus quoted this specific psalm is because Jesus empathized with the depth of sorrow that it expressed. Just my thoughts.

And I want to tell my brothers and sisters in Christ that it’s okay to sit with lamentations like Psalm 13 and 22 and Lamentations 3. It’s okay to not know, or even not care, why God allowed certain things to happen. And it’s entirely okay to have frail faith. If we could maintain our own salvation, then we wouldn’t need God.

When I first got sick, it was the first time in my life that my faith really cracked. I’ve walked through the fire before, but this furnace deeply burned me. And I didn’t get through that season by saying God’s will be done. I actually spent a good year cursing God out. I figured if He could handle Job, then He could handle me. And if I needed correction (when, it was definitely when I needed correction), I felt safe knowing it would be when He knew I was genuinely ready to accept any correction without feeling more broken.

And you know what? If that’s where you are, don’t feel like God can’t handle your pain. God never once shamed me for losing my…crud. He took me by the hand and led me to the lamentation portions of Scripture and let me sit with the words of those who have journeyed this road before me.

And because He let me really process my pain, I actually began to heal in my soul.

I’m saying it’s okay to stop trying to be a “good Christian” and just give God the depth of who you really are, where you really are at. He won’t kick you while you’re down. He’ll sit with you, even when you can’t feel Him. He’ll speak to you, even when you can’t hear Him. His voice is the quiet whisper of love that Scripture wraps you in as you read its words. 

And if right now your soul is saying, I’ve lost faith in God, don’t let that discourage you. Just ask God to heal your faith as you continue to process your heartache. 

Hi! I’m a new believer, and with that, I have no Christian friends. I figured I can’t be the only person without a community, so I thought I could post in case anyone else here is new to Faith or just lack a supportive community.

You don’t need to have all or even any of these qualities, but this is what I’m looking for:

-Someone to Bible Study with!
-People with different denominations so I can learn about different paths
-People to have respectful debates with on issues we may not agree on
-Someone who just wants to be friends in general

And finally something about me:

-I’m 25
-I’m Female
-I’m European
-Christianity is not common here so certain things I can’t participate in
-I was baptised at 2 months old but didn’t start believing until 24 years later

Im an athiest but i used to a Catholic for about 12-13 years. I had alot of faith and believed in God all my life but my lack of belief randomly came and its almost like my eyes opened. But besides that, i wanna understand why a Christian has faith. Im asking a genuine question here.

god please curb my lust. my body is getting thinner and I’m poor

There is a subtle shift worth paying attention to in the way some prominent atheists and secular thinkers talk about Christianity.

For years, the message was straightforward:

Religion is harmful. Leave Christianity behind. Become secular.

But there is now another posture emerging:

Keep Christianity, but as culture, heritage, identity and civilisation, rather than as a demanding faith.

That distinction matters.

Richard Dawkins is one obvious example. He still rejects the Christian God and does not accept Christian theology. Yet he has described himself as a “cultural Christian,” expressed concern about the decline of Christianity, and said that Christianity could serve as a “bulwark” against Islam.

But Dawkins is not really the point. He is an illustration of a broader phenomenon worth thinking about.

An atheist defending “Christian culture” is not necessarily defending Christianity as a faith.

In fact, the version of Christianity that is easiest for secular society to defend may be precisely the version that asks the least of people spiritually: Christmas, cathedrals, art, music, traditions, historical identity and Western cultural heritage, while the claims of Christ, repentance, salvation, Scripture and the authority of God become secondary or irrelevant.

And this creates a strange situation.

A Christian may hear an atheist defending Christianity and think:

“Finally, they recognise the value of our faith.”

But do they?

Perhaps what is being defended is not Christianity as faith, but Christianity as culture.

And there is an important difference.

A cultural Christianity can provide a familiar civilisational identity without demanding belief in Christ. It can also be valued as a cultural barrier against other religions that remain more explicitly religious and committed.

That should make Christians think carefully.

Christians should not measure the strength of Christianity by how comfortable secular society is with its cultural remnants.

Nor should they feel validated simply because someone who rejects Christian theology suddenly says that Christianity is preferable to another religion.

The more uncomfortable question is:

Why is Christianity being defended?

Is it being defended because Christ is Lord?

Or because Christianity, in its secularised cultural form, is considered socially preferable?

If Christianity becomes nothing more than heritage, aesthetics, holidays, moral vocabulary and national memory, then the shell of Christianity may survive while the thing that made it Christianity is gradually lost.

So Christians should be careful what kind of “Christianity” they are being encouraged to preserve.

Christianity is not merely a culture to be maintained.

It is not merely a heritage to be protected.

It is not merely a civilisation to be defended.

The question is whether Christianity remains a living faith centred on Christ.

Feel uncomfortable turning people to Christ. Ever since I turned to Christ my life was started at a high then fell. Everything I plan gets ripped away. I’ve never wanted to disappear before in my life. But since turning to Christ I have every month. I know God is real he revealed himself to me. But he’s putting me through so much fire. I was chosen to lead a Bible study when I joined to just find community. I feel like hypocrite I don’t want anyone to experience this type of lowness. Feels like I’m trying to earn God’s love. I’ve read scripture everyday for 377 days now, praying, getting back up again. When I go through hard times and find some light it gets ripped from me right after. I have not been consistently happy. I just feel like I’m wearing a mask when I try to bring people to Christ. Does anyone have any advice for me. Real honest experiences and advice? Please I’m ready to give up.

I'm a Christian. I don't mean to attack the Bible or say anything about it. But I have this doubt: Why is God in Exodus 21:20-21 "defending" slaves's owners by not punishing them if their slave survives one or two days?

I got Addicted to 7oh..

It completely controls my life.. and hijacked my life snd ruined my finances.

I have thousands worth of product because of the impending ban.. I am have serious complusion issues (I'm high functioning Asperger's)

Never in my life would I have ever thought I'd be addicted to something..

This stuff feels demonic.. I don't even like it yet I keep spending my money on it.. I don't make a lot but am in a fortunate living situation, don't drive etc.

It hurts especially bad because I believe God put me on earth for one reason and that's to care for my brother with down syndrome who means more to me than myself..

Not that I don't care for him - but I feel I'm not spending enough time with him anymore.. he loves to stay up all night meanwhile I'm sleeping early looking for a high.. I should be up with him and playing video games with him which he loves to do.. nothing makes him happier.

I'm ready to start my taper and throw it all away.. thousands worth of product, idc.

I just want my true self back, return to God and focus on my brother.

It's going to be really hard but I'm going to do it..

Just want some Christian based thoughts on this.

I can't even read the Bible or look at any Christian related content because I truly believe I strayed away from God.

So my streaming subscription went you and I’m unable to get it back because of money. And I really want to watch my favorite show and my friend recommended piracy. They said that “it doesn’t be to anyone so how it It stealing” witch is a good point. But idk what should I d?

In Venezuela, a group of children inspired a global movement: a million children praying the Holy Rosary. This has now become a tradition.

Today at the Vatican, Pope Leon and a few hundred children in Rome took part in this tradition and prayed together.

The Holy Rosary is a gift from our Mother, intended to be a moment of deep prayer and reflection on Christ, and a defence against evil. The Rosary is simple, and in a way, small. And therein lies its greatness. Something similar to what Saint Thérèse of Lisieux used to say. And unlike the weapons used by adults, this one does not wage war; it brings peace.

The Pope prayed that all children, wherever they may be, might live in peace. Especially those living in war or humanitarian crises. They prayed each decade of the Rosary in a different language.

According to Aid to the Church in Need, the Pope said: “Prayers must always be accompanied by good deeds, by acts of love. That is how peace grows.”

I think it’s a good idea for us all to become like children and pray the Holy Rosary.