I'm a Christian, but...

[elevation]

still think life is meaningless?

I'm a Christian, believe in God, believe in the resurrection, faith has a very, very important place in my life but I still think life is meaningless. Do you know of anyone who feels this way?

I really don't think life is worth living. I mean - life is absurd. You can always attempt to give it some sense of direction - but still it's meaningless.

I don't think I'm seeking for help. I'm just puzzled. How is it possible to be a Christian and still think life is meaningless and truly not worth living? I'm not suicidal as such but if I died - well, that's would just be fine with mine (not that I have anything to say afterwards . Am I not a Christian thinking this way?....

 

[pattip2000]

Hey Elevation, I only have a minute to post right now (I’m at work). I want to respond to what you’re saying, but I’d prefer to do it off the forum. My email address is pattip2000@hotmail.com, please email me, or leave yours for me to email you.

 

[elevation]

My e-mailadress is achzoop@gmail.com

 

[melon]

Despite all the hype, religion can't solve all of your problems. Its focus on the afterlife tends to forget that you have to live your life on Earth in the meantime.

It seems as if you are bored/unchallenged with your life, so shake things up a bit. You're the only one who can give your lifetime meaning. From personal experience, such overarching and generic complaints about life tends to tell me that you're merely covering up what's specifically bothering you. Focus on solving that specific.

Melon

 

[Carek1230]

Maybe it's just that you are not afraid of dying.

 

[coemgen]

Despite all the hype, religion can't solve all of your problems. Its focus on the afterlife tends to forget that you have to live your life on Earth in the meantime.

Melon

While I deeply respect Melon and his perspective, I have to disagree somewhat with this comment.

First off, let me say that having the feelings you have as a Christian aren't bad or wrong. To me, it just seems like you're at a spiritually dry point in your life. I go through those myself. These can be exciting times though.

To respond to Melon's comment, religion, at least in terms of the Christian faith, doesn't just focus on the afterlife. It's very much about how eternity is now. It doesn't begin when you die, it's already going on. What you do with that is up to you.
Melon is right in saying that religion isn't the answer, but as a Christian, your relationship with Christ is.
I don't know what your church is like or where you're at spiritually, but going through the motions at church isn't a faith. Your time in prayer -- both speaking and listening to God, as well as your time in the Scriptures and seeking and living out his will for your life is what Beck would say, "Where it's at."
If God is our creator, then the life he intended for us to live is probably the fullest option we have. I went through a period where I tried to live my life the way I thouhght was right or the way I wanted to and it was like buying a toaster and trying to vaccuum the carpet with it. It doesn't work that way. I finally started studying the owner's manual (the Scriptures, and I'm figuring it out. (That's not to say I've got it all figured out. Far from it . . . that's part of the adventure, too.)
Living life without a relationship with God and without his guidance is just plain difficult, too. For me, it was like playing pick-up sticks with my butt cheeks. I couldn't do it. With God, I realized I had hands. That's not to say life isn't challenging either, but at least I know God is with me then, too.

I may not be helping you at all, who knows. From what you're saying though, my heart goes out to you. I'll keep you in my prayers. If I could suggest some stuff that could help you, I'd go with Rick Warren's "The Purpose Driven Life;" Erwin Raphael McMannus' "The Barbarian Way," and "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. These guys are part of a movement in Christianity to really get back to what Christ was about, and to live an authentic, adventurous faith that lines up with God's will for our lives.

Honestly, if anything, your posting this shows you know you want more out of life and that you're searching. That's good. Keep us posted on what you discover.

God bless,

coemgen
coemgen17@hotmail.com

 

[melon]

I didn't mean for what I said to come across as an anti-theist polemic, although I can understand if you came to that conclusion based on what I wrote.

Now that I've had some time to think about my words more, religion is, by nature, focused on the "intangible." I've spent a good portion of my life having studied religion, and, no matter how deep my faith can be, it still doesn't change the fact that I also have to live and deal with the "material" world around me.

There's a saying that "God only helps those who help themselves," so perhaps that's what I'm really trying to say, in a very long-winded manner. I think it is very possible and natural to have a fulfilling spiritual life and still feel as if life is meaningless at times. It doesn't necessarily signal a crisis of faith, and perhaps that's where one needs to put some attention towards the concrete world for a little while.

Melon

 

[coemgen]

^Understood . Again, I didn't mean to criticize you earlier. This post clarifies it for me, too. I agree with you on this . . . and it further adds to my respect for your intellect on spiritual matters, too. You're the man.

God bless,

coemgen

 

[pattip2000]

My e-mailadress is achzoop@gmail.com

Thanks so much for leaving your email!
You have mail.

 

[coemgen]

elevation, check out www.starvingjesus.com or www.myspace.com/starvingjesustour . This also is something special. It talks about how many of us Christians are "born again lazy." That hits me over the head, definitely. I'm not saying that's where you're at, but what these guys are about is exciting, too.

 

[joerags]

I don't thnk life is meaningless, but lately I feel like i don't want to live anymore. I am 33 and I think I have had enough of this life. I don't feel I have a future. I won't ever get married or have kids and a family of my own. Basically, I'm ready to die right now. I have had suicidal thoughts a lot, but I have never come close to killing myself. But sometimes I wished I had cancer or something and then end this life. But to me, life isn't meaningless. Life is about being happy, fulfilling your goals, falling in love and being with people you love.

 

[cell]

joe, if that is what being happy is to you, then i would start with the goals. fulfill your goals. one at a time. read my emails again. you have to start somewhere.

 

[elevation]

Well, why do I don't want to live anymore? It's not that I'm depressed or anything - it's just that life didn't turn out the way I expected. The thing is that I've basically lost faith in the future. I have don't have any dreams anymore. They're just gone. It's not that I'm thinking very irrationally - to me life is just meaningless... I rellay can't think of a reason why I have to get up in the morning so why on earth continue? My faith is very important to me, but God doesn't really give any hugs, does he? I have some close friends, but that's not enough. I need someone to love and somene to me - does it sound spoiled? Maybe, I just don't think you can live without love - can you?

 

[WilliamB]

I fail to see how religion should be able to give you a meaning in life, because it is your life, and your world. You make the choices you want to make, and no one else (I'm an atheïst, and I usually laugh at people who say "God" made choices for them, returned their wallet etc. ) I myself have battled depression (maybe I still am, but I got off the pills I had to take for it).

If life didn't turn out the way you expected, it's time for you to change it, in the direction you want it to. The only one who can give life meaning is you.

 

[TranceEnding]

Despite all the hype, religion can't solve all of your problems.

Too true. After all (IMO) religion is a perversion of faith. I read somewhere that Bono said that once, and I tend to agree.

And by faith, I mean anything you choose to believe in in this lifetime. If you peel off the layers of any religion, I think you find they are one and the same. Well, almost

I certainly don't have all the answers, but one of the great joys of life can be figuring it all out. Everyone sees the world through different eyes .. there is no right or wrong in anyone's perception of reality (as long as you harm noone of course )

I just try to live my life with as much positivity as possible. It can be hard occassionally ... but even the worst of times are just another opportunity to change things around. Everything that is given to us is a gift. It's up to us to choose what to do with it.

There's no shame in feeling that life is meaningless. I'm sure everyone of us has felt the same at some point. It's good to be honest about that and it shows humility.

But from what I've been through lately makes me truely believe that if you really do give out as much love as possible and live your life with an open heart, occassionally it is returned to you in bucketloads!!! It's moments like that when you remember that this world ain't so bad and no matter how distant we feel to it and each other, the real truth (IMO) is that we are so connected. You just need to open your eyes and heart a bit more and you can see it everywhere.

Hey But that's just me!

'Love is all we have, Love is all we need'

Good Luck!

 

[Angela Harlem]

I fail to see how religion should be able to give you a meaning in life, because it is your life, and your world. You make the choices you want to make, and no one else (I'm an atheïst, and I usually laugh at people who say "God" made choices for them, returned their wallet etc. ) I myself have battled depression (maybe I still am, but I got off the pills I had to take for it).

If life didn't turn out the way you expected, it's time for you to change it, in the direction you want it to. The only one who can give life meaning is you.

God gave me back my wallet the other day, too, but emptied my money out first.


Or did God ensure my licence and bankcards were left (small mercies, blah blah)?

I'm confused.

Either way, if you need God to truly feel fulfilled, then the rest of us are either to make a decision to follow something which seems (to me) rather ridiculous, or we are to accept a pitiful life with nothing worthwhile? I have two words to either solution. Perhaps the same is for you, elevation. There is no shame in being Godless.

 

[TranceEnding]

There is no shame in being Godless.

And by the same token, there is also no shame in having the Goddess in life