I slowly losing faith in the idea that an all powerful God exists. Part of me has accepted that God doesn't exist part of me doesn't want to. So I am looking for reasons to hold on to God.

No reason
Life is short , don't die with the god your parents introduced you to

TheSourcerer:
No reason
Life is short , don't die with the god your parents introduced you to

A part of me doesn't want to leave. Maybe it is because of the idea that there is someone out there that protects and loves me is actually hard to reject. Sometimes I ask myself questions about God the answers I give myself just deepens my disbelief in God. I try to tell myself I am biased with my answers but I can't ask others these questions because apart from telling me to read the Bible and blackmailing me emotionally there is nothing more they can give me. So I don't want to lose my relationship with the people close to me. So I decided to come here anonymously to ask my questions. Since I am not fully an atheist maybe they can still convert me.

I like your honesty. This sounded like me in 2012 when I was about to leave religion.
Atheism to me was not a choice because I had no other option. I tried to force myself to continue believing in God but I was like a child who had learnt how to walk but still forcing himself to walk. I had to let go.

This is one of the reason why I don't preach atheism to people. Over the years I have met people like you who are doubting their religion and I encouraged them to leave that it's okay. but I can't see myself telling convinced theists to leave their religion because it's something i wished I had at some point.

I have realized that atheism has benefited me in many ways but let me tell you it's major drawback. The biggest thing that you will lose by leaving religion is a sense of purpose. You will realize that this world is not a test to another world (heaven), it is the real deal. You have to create a purpose for yourself based on your experience and talents.

The greatest thing you will gain by leaving religion is that you will understand how the real world works by using only your experience and common sense. You will fear real threats and not imagined (superstitious) things. That will make religious people see you as intelligent even though you are only seeing what they could have seen if they had chosen to drop superstition from their life.

Beasts:
A part of me doesn't want to leave. Maybe it is because of the idea that there is someone out there that protects and loves me is actually hard to reject. Sometimes I ask myself questions about God the answers I give myself just deepens my disbelief in God. I try to tell myself I am biased with my answers but I can't ask others these questions because apart from telling me to read the Bible and blackmailing me emotionally there is nothing more they can give me. So I don't want to lose my relationship with the people close to me. So I decided to come here anonymously to ask my questions. Since I am not fully an atheist maybe they can still convert me.

they (Theists) have no prove than 'it says so in the Bible ' nothing else of Facts , you seem to be an interesting fellow , life is without meaning aside making way for our spawns to continue the process of our left behind life, there's absolutely no Sky Daddy , if you choose to be non religious , it would be overwhelming at first but the fact is , we still control these so called urge to act 'immoral'
It is said if man was brought without religion , those who would be bad would be bad ,those who would do good would do good ,If you need Religion to make you a good person, you never truly were .
Religion is really an Unnecessary Addition to our already complicated life

Beasts:
A part of me doesn't want to leave. Maybe it is because of the idea that there is someone out there that protects and loves me is actually hard to reject. Sometimes I ask myself questions about God the answers I give myself just deepens my disbelief in God. I try to tell myself I am biased with my answers but I can't ask others these questions because apart from telling me to read the Bible and blackmailing me emotionally there is nothing more they can give me. So I don't want to lose my relationship with the people close to me. So I decided to come here anonymously to ask my questions. Since I am not fully an atheist maybe they can still convert me.

You should research for yourself. There are many gods and many religions. You have to find the truth for yourself.

Your relationships with people shouldn't be based on what you believe- be it christianity or atheism. Therefore, you can still be friends with your religious friends. However, if you leave the religion be very discreet about it. Religious people are not really into apostasy.


I will advise you to read far more than the bible. Reas about arguments for the bible/religion and arguments against. Decide which one appeals to you more.

Beasts:
I slowly losing faith in the idea that an all powerful God exists. Part of me has accepted that God doesn't exist part of me doesn't want to. So I am looking for reasons to hold on to God.

`z

There is no way to hold onto something your not convinces of anymore, It seems you've already come to a logical conclusion.
Your relationship with people shouldn't be based on your mutual interests, it should be on how they treat you.
I would suggest you keep on questioning and doing more research, the more you learn, the more your understanding on how and why our reality operates like it does. Look at it as an exciting new quest.
You can only start to live life to the fullest when you realize how little we know about anything in reality!

If you have any questions, you can drop a private message.

Beasts:
I slowly losing faith in the idea that an all powerful God exists. Part of me has accepted that God doesn't exist part of me doesn't want to. So I am looking for reasons to hold on to God.

Oh, so you want to go and join those foolish atheist boys that go about insulting God on this forum like bad boys in the gang?

1Sharon:


Oh, so you want to go and join those foolish atheist boys that go about insulting God on this forum like bad boys in the gang?

It's this exact kind of mentality that makes people come online to confide in strangers about their doubts about God. Instead of lending an ear and listening to people, we can be to quick to dismiss their worries and judge there conclusions.
If your child comes to you to voice their doubts and concerns, i hope you'll be able to listen and be honest instead of being too quick to dismiss.

Your. assignment...

Beasts:
I slowly losing faith in the idea that an all powerful God exists. Part of me has accepted that God doesn't exist part of me doesn't want to. So I am looking for reasons to hold on to God.

Beasts:
A part of me doesn't want to leave. Maybe it is because of the idea that there is someone out there that protects and loves me is actually hard to reject. Sometimes I ask myself questions about God the answers I give myself just deepens my disbelief in God. I try to tell myself I am biased with my answers but I can't ask others these questions because apart from telling me to read the Bible and blackmailing me emotionally there is nothing more they can give me. So I don't want to lose my relationship with the people close to me. So I decided to come here anonymously to ask my questions. Since I am not fully an atheist maybe they can still convert me.

Hi there.

Maybe discuss your difficulties with the Bible with someone who is actually gifted and prepared to teach it?

I have actually grown a bit weary of answering threads like yours, because lots of people say what you say, but have no interest whatsoever in what the Bible actually teaches, so when I try to answer their questions, they just dismiss what they hear and proceed into blasphemy. But you may be different. You may really be willing to learn and understand what the Bible teaches. If you are, please go on and share your questions here and I will answer them to the best of my ability and with all seriousness and due respect.

If you prefer a private conversation, here is my email, for what it may be worth: ihedinobi3@gmail.com.

You have not been online since the 24th though, so you may be done with this inquiry or you are getting answers elsewhere. I'm just putting this out in case you are still interested in discussing this.

Beasts:
I slowly losing faith in the idea that an all powerful God exists. Part of me has accepted that God doesn't exist part of me doesn't want to. So I am looking for reasons to hold on to God.

You only need to think about nature itself and try talking to people on how everything came to be just perfectly fixed where they are. Genesis 1:1-31

Earth is the one and only planet having millions of species of living creatures, our atmosphere is well fixed to secure the surface of the earth from too much heat or cold, plants breathes out oxygen that animals need to survive while animals breaths out carbon dioxide that plants need, the water we drink now is in a perfect circle that it always return back for other generations yet unborn to drink, the earth repairs itself so no amount of living or dead animals can totally contaminate it, there is phytoplankton in the sea that cleans the dirt in the waters and scavengers like vultures that eat up rotten dead bodies on dry land.

If someone tells you that all these just happened by chance without an intelligent CREATOR, how would you feel knowing that there are other planets out there without a single life on them?

Well the Bible says God CREATED all things and see to it that everything was PERFECTLY fixed! Genesis 1:31

So the next thing you need is to speak with his WITNESSES whom he has taught to be fully competent and completely equipped to defend any case unbelievers have against him!

Thanks!

Ihedinobi3:


Hi there.

Maybe discuss your difficulties with the Bible with someone who is actually gifted and prepared to teach it?

I have actually grown a bit weary of answering threads like yours, because lots of people say what you say, but have no interest whatsoever in what the Bible actually teaches, so when I try to answer their questions, they just dismiss what they hear and proceed into blasphemy. But you may be different. You may really be willing to learn and understand what the Bible teaches. If you are, please go on and share your questions here and I will answer them to the best of my ability and with all seriousness and due respect.

If you prefer a private conversation, here is my email, for what it may be worth: ihedinobi3@gmail.com.

You have not been online since the 24th though, so you may be done with this inquiry or you are getting answers elsewhere. I'm just putting this out in case you are still interested in discussing this.

The problem is I don't really trust the Bible. Since most of the stuff written is either false or largely exaggerated.
An example is the first five books of the Bible that are largely false and were written generations after the supposed Story happened. Most of my understanding of God come from those books if those books are false it is hard to find evidence of God without using biblical understanding of God.
There might be a God but I don't think It is the Jewish God

I was driving a Professor Atheist Friend of mine when our Car suddenly ran into a Ditch. Before I could exclaim anyhow, The Professor shouted J E S U S! I turned surprisingly to look at him and he immediately exclaimed, "I DON'T JOKE WITH JESUS"!!!


From Orisa37:

Beasts:

The problem is I don't really trust the Bible. Since most of the stuff written is either false or largely exaggerated.
An example is the first five books of the Bible that are largely false and were written generations after the supposed Story happened. Most of my understanding of God come from those books if those books are false it is hard to find evidence of God without using biblical understanding of God.
There might be a God but I don't think It is the Jewish God

That is certainly a problem.

I also wonder if you notice that you have just made a truth claim. When you say that "most of the stuff written is either false or largely exaggerated," there is a question how you know that to be true. Have you worked out how you know that to be true and why you believe it?

The holy bible from genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22: 21 has one interpretation *Jesus Christ Crucified* as the Son of God and God is who took human nature and died on the Cross of Calvary in order to restore *creation; things in heaven, earth and under-world both what can be seen and those that cannot be seen* to the original purpose of God-head (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) after the sabotage of *Lucifer in heaven* and the disobedience of man on earth.

If you *believe in Jesus Christ Crucified on the Cross of Calvary* to save mankind and the whole of creation from the wrath of God then His Spirit can lead into a sound understanding of his written word in the holy bible thus "Jesus Christ opened their eyes to understand the scriptures..." (Luke 24:45)

"The Holy Spirit opened the heart of Lydia to listen/understand the gospel..." (Acts 16:14)

God the Father opened the mind of Peter towards the revelation of who Jesus is truly....the Messiah/Christ/Anointed of God who is to come and save the whole creation (Matthew 16:17)

There may be so many irregularities from your own perception of the Holy Bible however if you are *sincere and willing to discover God*, He will reveal himself to you through sound teachers of the gospel, your dreams, visions, personal daily experience e.t.c thus "if you search for me diligently, you will find me" (Jeremiah 29:13)

I pray that the Father through His Holy Spirit will open the eyes of your mind to the revelation of Jesus Christ Crucified in this critical point of your life as well as the grace to recognise and accept His revelations/truth immediately before it is too late in Jesus Name. Amen.

If you care, this is my WhatsApp number 08034220713, ochibuogwu5@gmail.com.

Ihedinobi3:

That is certainly a problem.

I also wonder if you notice that you have just made a truth claim. When you say that "most of the stuff written is either false or largely exaggerated," there is a question how you know that to be true. Have you worked out how you know that to be true and why you believe it?

In This link en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh shows another origin of Yahweh different from the one in the Bible tells. And the story of Yahweh in the Bible doesn't follow historical evidence.
That is why I said it is largely false

You can search for history of the Jews on Wikipedia and see a story different from the Bible's own.

Beasts:
In This link en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh shows another origin of Yahweh different from the one in the Bible tells. And the story of Yahweh in the Bible doesn't follow historical evidence.
That is why I said it is largely false

Beasts:
You can search for history of the Jews on Wikipedia and see a story different from the Bible's own.

Is there some reason why Wikipedia is more reliable than the Bible?

Why do you believe that the story of Yahweh in the Bible is not itself historical evidence?

Beasts:

The problem is I don't really trust the Bible. Since most of the stuff written is either false or largely exaggerated.
An example is the first five books of the Bible that are largely false and were written generations after the supposed Story happened. Most of my understanding of God come from those books if those books are false it is hard to find evidence of God without using biblical understanding of God.
There might be a God but I don't think It is the Jewish God

I don't actually comment on threads such as this, because most times the owners of such threads are merely looking for attention.
And who has that kind of time!

However, your comment above attracted my attention, hence my reaction.

This is not an attempt to dissuade you from walking away from your believes, after all, you have already insulted the set-apart Scriptures.

There is no compulsion. Heavenly race is an individual one. I stand upon the following Scriptures:

John 6:43-45 Yahushua answered, "Stop grumbling among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him to me; and I will raise him to life on the last day. The prophets wrote, 'Everyone will be taught by YHVH.' Anyone who hears the Father and learns from him comes to me."

Acts 2:39 For YHVH's promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away -- all whom YHVH our God calls to himself.

You see, there is no compulsion.

Now, what falsehood have you found in the Torah that elicited such brazen insult from you?

Ihedinobi3:


Is there some reason why Wikipedia is more reliable than the Bible?

Why do you believe that the story of Yahweh in the Bible is not itself historical evidence?

Articles on Wikipedia are not just written they are written with references. At the end of the article you will see where they put the citations and bibliography, you can verify it if you have the time. The problem is I can't find proof of the God outside the Bible

elated177:


I don't actually comment on threads such as this, because most times the owners of such threads are merely looking for attention.
And who has that kind of time!

However, your comment above attracted my attention, hence my reaction.

This is not an attempt to dissuade you from walking away from your believes, after all, you have already insulted the set-apart Scriptures.

There is no compulsion. Heavenly race is an individual one. I stand upon the following Scriptures:

John 6:43-45 Yahushua answered, "Stop grumbling among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him to me; and I will raise him to life on the last day. The prophets wrote, 'Everyone will be taught by YHVH.' Anyone who hears the Father and learns from him comes to me."

Acts 2:39 For YHVH's promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away -- all whom YHVH our God calls to himself.

You see, there is no compulsion.

Now, what falsehood have you found in the Torah that elicited such brazen insult from you?

I read my post and I can't find any insult in it. But I apologize for any insult unintended

Beasts:
Articles on Wikipedia are not just written they are written with references. At the end of the article you will see where they put the citations and bibliography, you can verify it if you have the time. The problem is I can't find proof of the God outside the Bible

I think you may be missing the point. You may find references at the end of a Wikipedia article that lead you to other literature that apparently verify what you read on Wikipedia, but what validates those references themselves?

One thing that you might consider is that even if you were that way when you were still a Christian or a churchgoer or whatever you were, not everybody is a Christian by default (in fact, no one truly is). Some of us actually chose to become Christians deliberately, so we actually know these things that you seem to think that we don't.

I didn't start doing research today. When I was in the university, we were taught to write research papers, so I know something about references and bibliographies. What I don't know about them is that their existence in a paper or article automatically means that everything that the article says is true. I've never heard that before. We use references and bibliographies to provide sources and literature to readers to tell them where we got the information we just provided them and where they can find more information on the matter. Whether the information is true or not is another matter altogether.

The Bible is an ultimate authority, on the other hand. That is, it does not derive legitimacy or validation from anything outside itself. That is the nature of a final authority. It is not an unusual or a bad thing at all. We all go to dictionaries expecting to get authoritative definitions of words that we don't need to confirm from any other source. In that sense, a dictionary, by definition, is a final authority. Likewise, the Bible presents itself as a final authority on Who God is and what His Plan for us is. It gives this information on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.

However, there is a witness that can tell you that listening to the Bible is an excellent idea. That witness is Creation around and within you.

The very existence of Creation means that a God exists. The way that this Creation exists tells us something about the Power and Nature of this God. Our own conscience and the undeniable reality of Death tell us about His Character. So, we have plenty of information on the basis of which to start our questioning about Who this God is and what His Plan for us is. In my experience, the Bible explains and elaborates all the hints that creation provides about God. I find very little in any other philosophy that actually synchronizes with what exists in the world around and within us, and I have checked some, just for the knowledge.

So, I'm not sure that you have actually given this matter as much thought as you should have to get to the point that you have already.

Beasts:

The problem is I don't really trust the Bible. Since most of the stuff written is either false or largely exaggerated.
An example is the first five books of the Bible that are largely false and were written generations after the supposed Story happened. Most of my understanding of God come from those books if those books are false it is hard to find evidence of God without using biblical understanding of God.
There might be a God but I don't think It is the Jewish God

Read this again.

Ihedinobi3:

I think you may be missing the point. You may find references at the end of a Wikipedia article that lead you to other literature that apparently verify what you read on Wikipedia, but what validates those references themselves?



The Bible is an ultimate authority, on the other hand. That is, it does not derive legitimacy or validation from anything outside itself. That is the nature of a final authority. It is not an unusual or a bad thing at all. We all go to dictionaries expecting to get authoritative definitions of words that we don't need to confirm from any other source. In that sense, a dictionary, by definition, is a final authority. Likewise, the Bible presents itself as a final authority on Who God is and what His Plan for us is. It gives this information on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.

At the bold,

The same is actually claimed by the Quran and Torah. The jews believe Torah to be the final authority while the muslims believe the Quran to be so.


In summary, you are not saying much.

Ihedinobi3:

I think you may be missing the point. You may find references at the end of a Wikipedia article that lead you to other literature that apparently verify what you read on Wikipedia, but what validates those references themselves?

One thing that you might consider is that even if you were that way when you were still a Christian or a churchgoer or whatever you were, not everybody is a Christian by default. Some of us actually chose to become Christians deliberately, so we actually know these things that you seem to think that we don't.

I didn't start doing research today. When I was in the university, we were taught to write research papers, so I know something about references and bibliographies. What I don't know about them is that their existence in a paper or article automatically means that everything that the article says is true. I've never heard that before. We use references and bibliographies to provide sources and literature to readers to tell them where we got the information we just provided them and where they can find more information on the matter. Whether the information is true or not is another matter altogether.

The Bible is an ultimate authority, on the other hand. That is, it does not derive legitimacy or validation from anything outside itself. That is the nature of a final authority. It is not an unusual or a bad thing at all. We all go to dictionaries expecting to get authoritative definitions of words that we don't need to confirm from any other source. In that sense, a dictionary, by definition, is a final authority. Likewise, the Bible presents itself as a final authority on Who God is and what His Plan for us is. It gives this information on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.

However, there is a witness that can tell you that listening to the Bible is an excellent idea. That witness is Creation around and within you.

The very existence of Creation means that a God exists. The way that this Creation exists tells us something about the Power and Nature of this God. Our own conscience and the undeniable reality of Death tell us about His Character. So, we have plenty of information on the basis of which to start our questioning about Who this God is and what His Plan for us is. In my experience, the Bible explains and elaborates all the hints that creation provides about God. I find very little in any other philosophy that actually synchronizes with what exists in the world around and within us, and I have checked some, just for the knowledge.

So, I'm not sure that you have actually given this matter as much thought as you should have to get to the point that you have already.

Ok so what makes the Bible final authority.

Beasts:

Ok so what makes the Bible final authority.

I already told you. It explains creation, including us, perfectly.

I should remind you at this point that my intent was to answer any difficulties that you have regarding understanding the Bible. There are limits to my ability to help you. If a student were to ask an English teacher to defend the authority of the English dictionary, that student would never be able to learn the English language. We have to take some things for granted.

The Bible is the dictionary for existence, as far as the human being still living in mortal flesh in this world is concerned. If you do not accept that, there is nothing more to be said. You will have to find a dictionary that you are willing to accept. If it gives you wrong definitions and leads you to speak incomprehensibly, then that is what you choose. Many have chosen that way, for reasons of their own choosing.

If you have any questions regarding things that the Bible actually says, and you are willing to entertain my answers reasonably, I would be very happy to help you. If not, you have every right to reject the testimony of the Bible in favor of anything you please. When the Lord returns or you die, you will settle affairs with Him as you best can.

Ihedinobi3:


Is there some reason why Wikipedia is more reliable than the Bible?

Why do you believe that the story of Yahweh in the Bible is znot itself historical evidence?

Because it is stated in number 23:19 that God is not a man or human being... God is the divine consciousness personified... So all the stories are allegorical or metaphorical...

Ihedinobi3:

I already told you. It explains creation, including us, perfectly.

I should remind you at this point that my intent was to answer any difficulties that you have regarding understanding the Bible. There are limits to my ability to help you. If a student were to ask an English teacher to defend the authority of the English dictionary, that student would never be able to learn the English language. We have to take some things for granted.

The Bible is the dictionary for existence, as far as the human being still living in mortal flesh in this world is concerned. If you do not accept that, there is nothing more to be said. You will have to find a dictionary that you are willing to accept. If it gives you wrong definitions and leads you to speak incomprehensibly, then that is what you choose. Many have chosen that way, for reasons of their own choosing.

If you have any questions regarding things that the Bible actually says, and you are willing to entertain my answers reasonably, I would be very happy to help you. If not, you have every right to reject the testimony of the Bible in favor of anything you please. When the Lord returns or you die, you will settle affairs with Him as you best can.

Ok I am not sure you can help me but thanks for trying

Beasts:

Ok I am not sure you can help me but thanks for trying

I know that what people tend to struggle with is the notion of faith. Human beings are not trusting by nature. That is actually why we are sinners by nature. Sin is rebellion. Rebels are people who don't trust authority. We prefer to be our own authority individually. That is why faith is so hard for us.

Still, I assure you that even with all our rebellion, it is impossible to live this life without trusting some authority. You, for example, reject the Bible, but you prefer Wikipedia and Internet articles in place of it. If that is so, you are still doing what a Christian is doing, except for the fact that you are doing it in the opposite and far less safe direction.

That is to say, even rebels still choose a leader. You are preferring to follow something else, not because it is a worthy leader, but because you don't like the other leader. Consider that you find fault with the Bible not because you know what is wrong with anything it says but because you just want to believe something else. That is how every unbeliever who rejects the Gospel does so.

In short, there is nothing at all wrong with the Bible. If you think there is, then what is it? For those of us who believe, we choose to believe because we can see that the Bible is true. Anyone with an open mind can see that. But something is deeply wrong with human nature today, so it is difficult for many of us to accept the Truth when we think that it prevents us from having what we want out of life. But what do we want out of life and is it good for us? Faith in the Lord Jesus grants us a chance at getting through the meaninglessness of this life with a sense of real purpose that transcends our own selves and win rewards that will not fade with the passage of time or fall out of our grasp because of death.

The hope that Christians have - and it is a confident hope, a more solid thing than even the concrete walls of a solidly built home - is of a new unending life in a new incorruptible and indestructible body in a perfect incorruptible and indestructible new universe filled with everything good where we can live in peace with God and with each other forever. That is what Christians are fighting through this life for. What could be more desirable than that?

In this world, everything you touch is bound to fall to pieces with time. If it does not diminish completely before you die, once you die, it is lost to you forever. You struggle and fight for money. You make loads of it and for a few years you can buy almost anything you want. But if a typhoon sweeps through Japan, it could wipe out half your wealth. If a bank loan goes bad in the US, it could take out the rest. If none of these things happen, you may live to a good old age enjoying all the money you've made, but still you'll die, and it'll all be gone from you forever. If that was all that happened, the question is whether it is worth it to go to so much trouble for something that will just vanish with the next puff of breath.

Still it isn't all. A God does exist. No one can truly argue against that. We all know that He does, even if some of us pretend that He doesn't. He is extremely powerful. The vast expanse and complexity of the Universe is undeniable proof of His Power. He also is "extremely smart." Just look at the incredible complexity of your own self and of the world around you for proof. So, we know that He'll probably be impossible to fool. In fact, if we are being honest, we know that He is impossible to fool, since we don't even know the half of the Universe that He invented out of nothing. We know that He is not part of this Universe too, because that is what it means to be God. If He is part of this Universe, then this Creation is itself God, but that is ridiculous since this Universe does not self-exist. He is separate from it. As such, we know that He is waiting for us outside of the material confines of this life.

We know too that we are bad people. The very best of us is still pretty much a terrible person.

Given all of this knowledge that we have just by looking at our own selves and the world around us, we can't have anything good to look forward to after we die, unless something happens to prepare us to meet the God that made us.

That is what the Bible addresses. Wikipedia etc might encourage you to pretend that none of this is true or that it doesn't matter, but even a four-year-old knows these things. Other religions might pretend to know ways to prepare for meeting this God after our test here on earth, just like all manner of people can pretend to know how a student should prepare for an exam other than actually studying and practicing their lessons, but when we stand before God we would be best served to have made the very best preparation we could have here on Earth. The Bible is how we can do that.

How can you know that it is the true final authority? Test it and see. Take your questions to the Bible and see how it handles them. Give it the same benefit of the doubt that you extend to Wikipedia. That is all there is to it. If you are able to give an Internet encyclopedia compiled by pretty much every Tom, Dick, and Harry with a smartphone or a laptop the benefit of the doubt, it isn't hard for you to do the same with the Bible. Pretend, if you will, that the Bible could have good answers for your questions. Read it. Ask qualified pastor-teachers questions about what you read. If it doesn't still prove itself, then move on to whatever else you think you can trust. At least you can have an argument to present to the Lord when you see Him: you can tell Him that you tried the Bible and it failed you.

But all that is something that even believers today tend not to do, which is why so few of us even know what the Bible says, so it is not surprising that unbelievers care even less to do it.

I do wish you well in your search, and I really do hope that you choose to go with the Bible, since I am confident that that is where eternal safety and prosperity is. But it is all your choice really. Choose wisely.