If you didn't think God existed and had questions

[Laurie4b]

But why the premise that the OP should seek the Christian god? Are there no other gods to consider if you're considering believing in a higher power?

 

Good luck in your search OP. :)

 

She inclines that way if you look at her later posts, especially.

[Momling]

"Who Needs God" by Harold Kushner was really interesting and helpful to me as a teenager with lots of religion issues. I remember at the time, I found books written from an evangelical Christian perspective to be too heavy on the proselytizing and too light on the real questions I had. Because the author is a Jewish rabbi, the book looks at God and religion from a wider perspective than those books that seemed to focus on proving why evangelical Christianity is the "one right way" to approach God. You might want to keep this in mind as you explore...

[OLG]

Another vote for Mere Christianity followed up with Scott Hahn.

[mcconnellboys]

I agree with Lewis and he has many, many books that address various aspects of Christianity. He can be difficult to read. He is very, very deep....

[ktgrok]

I found Lewis's Mere Christianity really easy to read. It's actually a collection of radio spots, not scholarly essays. It just is so logical that I can't imagine reading it and NOT having a more solid understanding of God.

[dancer67]

All of you ladies have been wonderful. I have been doing some research at Amazon and really like what has been recommended.

 

I am taking a trip to the bookstore tomorrow and actually look at them personally.

 

I also have a few calls in to some different churches, and am hoping I can find one where I can ask questions, and form relationships with current members of the Church. I am hopeful that next weekend we can try out a new Church as well.

 

I will update.........:grouphug:

[Joanne]

It's ok to read books, it's ok to read the Bible, but if you rely on the Bible as the key to your relationship with God himself (He's God!!), you're in a relationship with a book, not a being.

 

Jana,

 

I have been pondering and bothered by your posts in this thread all weekend.

 

The OP asked for some books to assist in her spiritual journey. She was fairly specific that she is considering a Christian journey. I imagine you'd encourage that.

 

I do not understand the *dis*couragement and even judgement you've offered in this thread. Loving and knowing God is a journey of the heart and mind. This poster asked for books. Let her read. If you believe in the triune God, trust that the Holy Spirit - her personal Helper - will speak to her through the books.

 

I don't love and "relationship" with my 3 children in the same way. We communicate and "be" in various ways according to ages, stages and personality.

 

In addition, learning style and preferences are important.

 

OP, I wish you joy, peace and loving-kindness on your journey, whereever that journey may take you. It's my personal experience that God will reveal Himself to you if you make an honest effort to seek Him (paraphrased from the AA Big Book).

 

Abundant blessings!

[annandatje]

Oh my, so many books to look into. Any one consensus of which one you would choose for, let's say, to turn a non-believer into a Believer?

 

How can you control what you believe?

 

You'll find a plethora of books to reassure you that gods, specifically the god of your choice, exists. On the flipside are books that argue that there is insufficient objectively verifiable evidence for the existence of deities.

 

Doesn't it ultimately boil down to a matter of faith?

[farmwife]

I have greatly benefited from the radio program of Ravi Zacharias. He tackles the hard questions that people have regarding faith, God, and religion.

 

He has also written a book called, Jesus Among Other Gods:

 

 

I pray that your journey of faith will direct you in the area that will bring fulfillment and joy in your life.

Edited July 12, 2010 by farmwife
Fixed link

[ma23peas]

Please check out George MacDonald's, "Knowing the Heart of God" and I would also recommend Dr. Paul Brand's "The Gift of Pain"....and as elementary as it may sound, when I read Catherine Vos' "A Child's Story Bible" to my children (a chronological narrative version of the Bible) it brought so much to life and gave me a perspective of God I had never had although I had personally received Christ at an early age..and I truly without a doubt believe that if you are seeking Him, He will lead you...many of these posts here are great starts.. don't be surprised by conversations you have this week, people you meet on the street, and/or happenings that occur when He knows you need Him.

 

He will never forsake you or leave you...

 

 

 

 

George MacDonald... ""Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it."

[Jugglin'5]

I have greatly benefited from the radio program of Ravi Zacharias. He tackles the hard questions that people have regarding faith, God, and religion.

 

He has also written a book called, Jesus Among Other Gods:

 

 

I pray that your journey of faith will direct you in the area that will bring fulfillment and joy in your life.

 

We like Ravi in our house too! One of my daughters is reading one of his books right now and really enjoying it.

[Avila]

What brought me back to faith from having no faith was Catherine Marshall's book "Beyond Ourselves." Later, as I kept reading, I continued on my journey and became Catholic. But Catherine was a wonderful starting place for me. She was just what I needed at that time, and I think maybe you would like her.

[Food4Thought]

 

I'd like to cast another vote for Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. It brought me back to seeing what was truly important when I was bogged down by religion and losing my faith.

 

I asked DH, and he highly recommends Blue Like Jazz as an easy-to-read modern overview of the major issues.

 

And then, when you really want to wrap your brain around some hard-thinking science/philosophy/theology that will definitely leave you baffled but will help you see all the issues (including eternality, God's omnipresence and existence outside of time, our ability to understand absolute Truth, etc), try The Fire in the Equations: Science, Religion and the Search for God. It will give you headaches, but it's an incredible book if you really want to think about God.

 

 

[FO4UR]

:iagree: with Lee Strobel and CS Lewis

 

Hearing your posts, I recommend reading the actual Bible along with. The Greenleaf Guide to the OT (written for HSers LOL) is a fantastic way to get a good solid overview of the OT which is VITAL to understanding the NT!

 

Most of all, *listen* to several preachers...in churches, on radio, on TV...and QUESTION what they are saying with the Bible. Does the main thought (of the sermon or book) align with the God presented in the Bible? Is the main thought dependent upon a controversial interpretation of scripture (Did I hear another preacher say the exact opposite last week?....who is right and how do I know?)? Can the main thought be found throughout the Bible or is it a one verse argument (for man's agenda)?

 

Ultimately, I do think there is truth in the statement that a book isn't going to make you believe. A book can cause you to question, which will help the process though. Questioning is a good thing. Never take anyone's word for what the Bible says...read it, read the context of the whole chapter, book and the entirety of the Bible. Lots of verses are misused b/c they are taken out of the context written, and lots of people base their faith on this kind of faulty theology.

 

Keep questioning! It's a healthy thing!:001_smile:

[gerontologee]

And then, when you really want to wrap your brain around some hard-thinking science/philosophy/theology that will definitely leave you baffled but will help you see all the issues (including eternality, God's omnipresence and existence outside of time, our ability to understand absolute Truth, etc), try

The Fire in the Equations: Science, Religion and the Search for God. It will give you headaches, but it's an incredible book if you really want to think about God.

 

 

 

 

 

Who is the author of this book? I'm interested in reading it.

 

Thanks. :001_smile:

[Heidi7Sue]

I think this is the problem - looking for evidence of God in a book. Why does this society always need a book? God is meant to be felt and experienced through us, not merely by reading about someone else's account of who He is. You could ask 100 people and get 100 different perceptions and answers about who/what God is and expects. If someone has no clue about God, he/she is not searching from within. God is God - he's spiritual and how does he continually get reduced down to words on a page? Was that really His only way to communicate with us? Books have not been around for very long in comparison to man. How did all the people who preceded the level of communcation we have today come to understand or experience God?

 

Books are really useful for finding out what other people have felt or thought, and especially for finding out that you're not alone in your struggles, even it you don't personally know anyone who has a clue what you're talking about (been there, done that, got really frustrated by it).

 

The Reason for God by Tim Keller is a great book. But I also second the recommendation to read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. If you're impatient, start with Lewis. His is the skinniest book that I know of on the subject, while still being at least as profound as the others. He's also the best author of any of them, imho, so he's easy to read in the sense of making difficult things easy.

Edited July 12, 2010 by Heidi7Sue
It's late and therefore I'm an idiot.

[Heidi7Sue]

This may be true for some, and that is grieving to me.

 

Like a PP, I'm very curious as to why. (Original quote: "Perhaps a better way to phrase it, is that for many, a book as been the means used by God to bring about belief in Him.") My head is full of thoughts fighting each other, so I'm going to number them to make them behave.

 

1) Do you think it is at all useful to find out what other people's experiences are in their own search for truth?

 

2) God can use any means He want to use, right? What's wrong with books?

 

3) I'm not used to homeschoolers being allergic to books, and I'm wondering what's up with that.

 

4) I wonder if your objection to searching for spiritual truth in books comes from the fact that some books (and some people who read them) are very dry, impersonal, or even cold. I agree with you that having a relationship with a book is a poor substitute for having a relationship with God.

[Heidi7Sue]

Yes. Isn't there other God's that people believe in? Is there only "one" God?

 

I really do not want to cause a religious debate. Honestly;)

 

Everyone here has been so helpful. Thank you:grouphug:

 

Overview of the choices as I understand them:

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all say that there is one God. Christianity says that the one God exists as three distinct persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Trying to explain this can turn your brain into a pretzel, so I'm just going to leave it at that.) Jesus is God the Son, and is also fully human, as of A.D.4 or so. The deity of Jesus is the sticking point for both Jews and Muslims, who think that the existence of "one God" means that Jesus can't possibly be God.

 

There are various religions that say there are many gods, and while they are all far more powerful than humans, none of them is like the "one God" that the above religions teach. It sounds to me like they have different jurisdictions or something, whereas the one God of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is everywhere, knows everything, is all-powerful, and is usually assumed to have made the entire universe. I think Hinduism is one of these.

 

Other religions teach that god is not a being per se, or we are/can be part of god (God?). I'm much more fuzzy on this subject, and trying to explain what I think I know makes it all confused in my head. Buddhism fits in here somehow. Someone else who knows what they're talking about is going to have to explain this one.

 

Okay everyone, have I left out any major religions? I was trying to avoid going into the different flavors of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, to avoid complicating things. Does Hinduism even come in different flavors?

 

Disclaimer: I'm a Christian, so the less like Christianity it is, the greater the chance that I've gotten it wrong. Please correct if I did.

 

P.S. I made it sound like the God of Christianity = Allah = the God of Judaism (whose name is not to be spoken, so I won't type it either). Opinions vary greatly on that subject, and I'm still figuring out what I think. The way I presented it here has mostly to do with ease of explanation.

[Heidi7Sue]

Maybe you need to ask individuals about their God or deity equivalent and the path they took to get there. That would give you a broad survey of personal stories which would provide context for their recommended resources. People who think the way you do can't bypass their heads and leave their heart only to do the searching, as other people find best. With faith, though, heads only aren't enough. I think the personal stories would provide what your heart needs and the resources recommended by those you survey will provide what your head needs. When they are satisfied, they will hash it out and inform you at their leisure :)

 

Rosie

:iagree:

Short story of my experience: I was an agnostic. I started to be dissatisfied with not knowing. I read Mere Christianity around the same time that I began to pray to this God who (I thought) may or may not exist, and He convinced me that He does indeed exist.

 

So I recommend a combination of praying, reading, and talking to people.

 

You also want to avoid cults (my definition: any group that seeks a ridiculous amount of control over its members, and may not allow members to leave easily). People who won't allow you to disagree with them or who won't give a calm and reasoned answer to an honest question are sometimes cultists and usually just close-minded, but life is easier if you just avoid them, whatever their reason for being that way.

[lovemyboys]

Who is the author of this book? I'm interested in reading it.

 

Thanks. :001_smile:

 

Amy's post is a link to the book. I just clicked on the (blue) title of the book and it linked me to the Amazon page for this book.

[susankenny]

I think this is the problem - looking for evidence of God in a book. Why does this society always need a book? God is meant to be felt and experienced through us, not merely by reading about someone else's account of who He is. You could ask 100 people and get 100 different perceptions and answers about who/what God is and expects. If someone has no clue about God, he/she is not searching from within. God is God - he's spiritual and how does he continually get reduced down to words on a page? Was that really His only way to communicate with us? Books have not been around for very long in comparison to man. How did all the people who preceded the level of communcation we have today come to understand or experience God?

 

I really agree. I had a dear friend that was searching for answers and God's existence. Now this person was more interested in debating (but also seeking for answers I believe). He really wanted to argue the existence of a Creator & expected me to prove "my religion". I just encouraged him to get alone and talk to God & share His heart and come to the Lord with an open dialogue. God will not ignore those that seek Him.

 

I love books (lots of books!), but in searching for Gods existence, I'm not sure there is a specific one that you need. God can use a book to speak to someone's heart of course (He can talk through a donkey, lol), so giving one certainly won't hurt... I just don't think it' necessary :)

Susan

[laughing lioness]

Reasons to Believe by Dr. Hugh Ross and seconding Mere Christianity by C.S.Lewis

[sleepymommy]

I, too, don't believe that one should change from non-believer to believer from just a book or a dozen books.

 

One can make a sound, rational judgement in their own mind as to whether there is a possibility that God does exist, but this does not necessarily make one a 'believer'.

 

Prayer, quietness of the mind, and inward reflection are the best ways to able your body and mind to 'hear' and 'feel' God.

 

That said, if you would like to add other books from a non-Christian view to your list, I highly recommend the following

 

The Bhagawad Geeta

 

http://www.chinmayapublications.org/detail.php?id=106&prodid=AG01

 

Kindle Life

http://www.chinmayapublications.org/search.php

 

And

 

This is also a great free resource to read through

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/hbh/

[OnTheBrink]

I have greatly benefited from the radio program of Ravi Zacharias. He tackles the hard questions that people have regarding faith, God, and religion.

 

He has also written a book called, Jesus Among Other Gods:

 

 

I pray that your journey of faith will direct you in the area that will bring fulfillment and joy in your life.

 

Ravi Zacharias is wonderful! He came and spoke at my church several years ago. I got cd's of all her sermons.

 

 

 

And, I think it's rather presumptuous to say a book will never help anyone with their faith. That's like saying no one should ever talk about God or their faith because they should only read the Bible. God can use the words of another to plant a seed, spark an interest, introduce a new idea the reader had never considered. I don't equate "books" with Scripture, but I do think they can be an excellent tool in someone's desire to find their faith.

[MrsMe]

I second Mere Christianity but also like The Case for a Creator and the other "Case" books by Lee Strobel.

 

ditto...Case for a Creator and Case for Faith. Excellent!

[gerontologee]

Thank you! :D

[Guest ToGMom]

...The Case for a Creator and the other "Case" books by Lee Strobel.

 

:iagree:

[sassenach]

You have had a lot of thick, heady books mentioned, but I just want to throw a very simple book out there. Dinner with a Perfect Stranger is a thin book that could be read in an hour. It is a short story that explains much about Christianity in a conversational tone. Hth,

[TerriMI]

This may be true for some, and that is grieving to me.

 

Christians believe that God not only is eminent (close, personal, covenantal) but also preeminent (outside us, different than us.) Because of sin the eminence is not as it should be. He must now reach out to us from His preeminence to draw us as close to Him as we can be, closer than we can be by ourselves, with our own figuring-out or feeling.

[Marylou]

If you want knowledge and information read lots of books (the ones mentioned are fine).

 

If you're wanting to receive the gift of faith, read the Bible (even if you don't know the main characters).

 

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" Romans 10:17

[ktgrok]

The scriptures were never meant to be read without a context to them. This context would have either been a fellowhip of believers, or at least a live person to discuss them with. In lieu of that I think a book is excellent. One needs to know WHY to believe the Bible, otherwise it's just a book of myths.

[BlsdMama]

Got ten minutes? :)

 

Go watch Voddie on YouTube.

 

Why I Choose to Believe in the Bible:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPNraxxxRO8

[RegGuheert]

as to whether or not He existed, what book would you recommend?(other then the Bible).

 

Let's say you have NO clue about God/Jesus, the story of how it all began, who wrote the Bible, and you wanted someone to convince you that God really does exist.

 

I am looking for this type of book.

 

An easy read, and maybe a book on different perspectives from different people.

 

Suggestions?

 

Thank you

Me, The Professor, Fuzzy, and the Meaning of Life is, by far, my favorite book on this subject. I would say it meets ALL of your criteria above.

 

Enjoy,

 

Reg