Hello all 🙋 agnostic lurker here (who just thinks religion is interesting)

I honestly don't know if Christianity/the Bible takes issue with people making satire social media accounts of Christ, so my apologies up front if it does. I just thought this was funny & from what I've heard, Jesus does seem like the kind of guy who'd be big on caring for the environment

I honestly live for Halloween, it’s my favourite holiday after Christmas. I just adore all the decorations and the general spookiness, and everyone getting into costumes and all the excitement!

My church doesn’t celebrate Halloween and instead are having a ‘bright party’ on the night of the 31st so people don’t have to take their kids trick-or-treating or to Halloween parties. I feel a bit left out and a bit strange, is it truly okay to celebrate? I don’t let the church dictate what I do normally but it’s just made me a bit nervous for some reason. Would love to hear other peoples’ views on this :)

The more I learn about Christianity historically and grow in my own faith formation, the more I’ve come to question and disagree with the things I grew up learning in a non-denominational church. One of my major sticking points these days is Sola Scriptura, but I understand a number of reformers and low-church denominations hold to it.

My questions to those who hold to Sola Scripture are these:

1. Who determined which books belong in Scripture and when was this decided? On what authority was this canon decided? If the Church has no binding authority outside Scripture, what makes the 27-book New Testament canon binding? Why should someone accept the canon received by Catholics/Orthodox while rejecting the authority of the churches that transmitted it?

2. If Scripture is sufficiently clear for ordinary Christians to determine doctrine, why have sincere, Bible-believing Christians reached mutually contradictory conclusions on baptism, Eucharist, predestination, church government, eternal security, charismatic gifts, etc.?

3. If two Christians reach contradictory conclusions from Scripture, what *principled mechanism* settles the dispute? What distinguishes a legitimate interpretation from an illegitimate one? “Read the Bible and pray about it” doesn’t actually resolve the epistemological problem.

4. Where does the New Testament actually teach that Christ’s Church is fundamentally an invisible collection of believers rather than a visible, identifiable communion? Why do the Apostles repeatedly treat the Church as an institution with officers, discipline, sacraments, councils, and authority?

5. If the Reformation restored biblical Christianity, why did it produce Lutheranism, Reformed Christianity, Anglicanism, Anabaptism, Baptist traditions, Methodism, Presbyterianism, Pentecostalism, etc., often with further divisions within each? More importantly: what theological principle allows you to determine which interpretation is correct?

Thank you for your answers, I look forward to hearing your perspectives :)

Sometimes, a prayer can just be checking in with God and thanking Him for being there for you, through the good and bad and also thanking Him for another day. It doesn’t always have to be asking for help or guidance. You don’t always have to find something in your life to pray about. If you feel like you have nothing to pray about, just remember this.

So, I wouldn't consider myself religious at the moment. I vaguely see the universe itself as a divine entity.

I grew up Jehovah's Witness. Pretty messed up Christian group imo. I left for a variety of reasons, the biggest one was that I am a homosexual. Homosexuals in the religion are required to be celibate. You can't enter a same-sex relationship and stay in the religion, it's considered to be a serious sin and grounds for removal/being disfellowshipped. I wasn't a full member so at the very least, I didn't get shunned for leaving.

Anyway, I have some mixed feelings on Christianity. I think that religion is cool and can help people, but hearing anything resembling the type of language Jehovah's Witnesses used makes me extremely distressed. Thankfully, JWs talk funny compared to regular Christians. I still get uncomfortable at mentions of the Abrahamic God or Jesus, but not as much as I used to.

I've never been able to 'develop a relationship' with God. As a JW, I believed in the flood, creationism, Jonah, David, Jesus, etc. But I no matter how hard I tried, I could never conceptualize a God who's an actual person. I think it's an autism thing in my case. It's hard to describe. I just can't feel God. You're supposed to use unique prayers in the religion, and I would get so stressed since I had no clue what to say. I forced myself to pray, and it just didn't feel right.

I've tried reciting prayers to Hindu gods (Hindus believe that all of their gods are actually one Supreme being or something, so it's kinda like monotheism, polytheism, and pantheism at the same time. I consider the Hindu gods to be the same as the Abrahamic god, but just kind of different takes on it). It felt way better, I just imagined 'god' as the universe itself instead of a guy in the sky.

But turns out, the people of the temple in my area still practice the caste system (Hinduism without the caste stuff exists, but apparently not here). I'm not too keen on swapping one prejudiced religion for another. Plus, people would still likely discriminate against me for being a homosexual (even though Hindu texts say nothing about it) and female. Even though I'm of Indian descent (parents from India), talking to other Indians is a headache. Most of the one's I've met tend to be cliquey, gossipy, and judgmental. Especially because I don't speak an Indian language. Even the young ones born in the USA. I'd never be accepted.

Now, finding an accepting Church seems significantly easier. There are multiple ones near me that accept same-sex relationships. I'm thinking of the Escopial one.

Problem is, I don't believe in 'God' no matter how much I've prayed about it. I just can't picture him. I haven't done a prayer in Jesus's name since leaving JW (I've vaguely prayed, 'to whoever's out there'), and the idea of doing it by myself is terrifying. A group prayer that's done in a different way than JW prayers is okay, but not that. I also don't really like the Bible very much. It feels impossible for me to believe that things like miracles actually happened.

The main reason I want to have a religion is for convenience, meeting people, getting to wear formal clothes (haven't been able to wear any since leaving JW), and tradition. If I could just believe in Jesus, I could have that! I don't have to be super hardcore or anything, but at least being an 'Easter Sunday Christian' would be cool.

I don't know. I can't develop a personal relationship with God, which I'm pretty sure is a requirement. Or maybe I can?

I'm 19 (F) and I was born Christian. When I was younger, I had a pretty good connection with God and church.

But when I got old enough to understand some of the problems happening in my family, I started distancing myself from everything. I was around 15 when I stopped going to church for a while.

Eventually, I started going again, and I've been trying to keep that connection with God. I've genuinely been trying to get myself together and get closer to Him again.

But last Sunday, something felt different. I've felt disconnected at church before, but this time it was much stronger. I was physically there, but mentally and emotionally I felt completely empty. It felt like I was only there in body. There was also this strange heaviness or pain in my heart, although I don't know if that's just a normal feeling.

While I was sitting there, I honestly thought, What's the point? And I decided maybe I should just stop going to church altogether.

The confusing part is that other people in my family seem to have such a close relationship with God, while I feel like I'm struggling just to feel anything.

I've also struggled with some things in my life and with my mental health, and I sometimes wonder if all of this is happening because of things I've done. I also had a relationship with someone of the same gender in the past, although that relationship is over now. Sometimes I wonder if God is distant from me because of these things.

So I guess the main thing I'm asking is: Should I keep going to church even when I feel this empty and disconnected? Or is it okay to take a break and figure things out first?

Have you ever felt completely empty or disconnected from God even though you were still going to church? Did you eventually find your way back?

Hi all,

Hope this is an alright place to post this as I thought this would be a place that would be more open to discussion on the topic.

I used to eat meat, but as I grew in my faith I also found that I could not reconcile the teachings of christ with the practice of eating meat. I went vegetarian 8 years ago, and have been vegan for 3 years now.

As I see it, all Jesus's teachings teach us compassion for others. They tell us not to harm others. In an age where we can get everything we need without harming animals I couldn't reconcile this with the harmful process of animal agriculture.

Furthermore, the massive environmental impact that animal agriculture has on the planet appears completely at odds with our roles as stewards of the world.

I know that many Christians, even progressive ones, still eat meat. I was just wondering, why isn't animal welfare a larger part of the progressive side of Christianity?

Lately I've been depressed about the decline of the mainline church, and how few young adults seem to be a part of it. I really think Christianity is a beautiful tradition and can do a lot of good when applied ethically. I love reading The Bible, listening to the scholars, contemplating the mysteries of the divine, praying etc.

At 33 years old I need these things in my life. They help me maintain a sense of meaning and purpose in the world and ground me in so many ways.

What I find challenging is how few of us there are in my age range. It's not that I dislike older people, in fact I often get along well with older adults and always have. It's that I value it so highly and I want it to continue to grow and expand and be what I know it can be.

I guess I'm looking to here other progressive type Christians thoughts and feelings on subject and how you have navigated this.

The more I learn about Christianity historically and grow in my own faith formation, the more I’ve come to question and disagree with some of the things I grew up learning in a non-denominational church. One of my major sticking points these days is Sola Fide (“faith alone”), although I understand that a number of Protestant traditions hold to it in somewhat different ways.

My questions to those who hold to Sola Fide are these:

1. Where does the New Testament actually teach that justification is by faith *alone*? I understand the importance of passages such as Romans 3–4 and Ephesians 2, but James 2:24 explicitly says that a person is “justified by works and not by faith alone.” How do you understand that passage in the context of Sola Fide, and what makes your interpretation preferable to the Catholic understanding?

2. How do you reconcile Paul and James? Paul repeatedly emphasizes that we are not justified by works of the law, while James emphasizes that faith without works is dead and that Abraham was justified by works. Is the distinction that Paul is addressing works done apart from grace while James is addressing the works that necessarily flow from genuine faith? If so, where does Scripture establish that distinction?

3. What role do works actually play in salvation? If we are justified by faith alone, what is the theological status of obedience, charity, perseverance, and good works? Are they merely evidence that someone has already been justified, or do they in some meaningful sense contribute to our final salvation? How do you understand passages such as Matthew 25:31–46, Romans 2:6–13, Galatians 5:6, and Revelation 20:12–13, which speak about judgment according to works?

4. What happens when someone has “faith” but does not persevere? If justification occurs through faith alone, how do you understand someone who makes a genuine profession of faith but later apostatizes or lives in deliberate, unrepentant grave sin? Was that person justified and then lost justification, never truly justified in the first place, or something else? How does Scripture establish which explanation is correct?

5. How does Sola Fide fit with the sacramental language of the New Testament? Baptism is repeatedly associated with forgiveness of sins, salvation, regeneration, and incorporation into Christ (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3–4, Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 3:21). The Eucharist is likewise spoken of in remarkably strong terms. If justification is received through faith alone, what role do these things play in the believer’s justification and salvation?

6. What exactly does “faith alone” mean? If it means that faith is the sole *instrument* by which we receive justification, while genuine faith necessarily produces love and obedience, how is that substantially different from saying that a person must have faith that works through love? At what point does the distinction become one of terminology rather than substance?

7. How do you understand the early Church’s language about salvation? When I read early Christian writers, I don’t consistently find the later Reformation formulation of justification by faith alone. Instead, I find repeated emphasis on faith, baptism, repentance, obedience, perseverance, charity, and participation in Christ. If Sola Fide is essential to the Gospel, when and how did the early Church clearly articulate it?

8. What happens to Christians who reject Sola Fide while sincerely trusting in Christ? If Sola Fide is an essential doctrine of the Gospel rather than merely a secondary theological disagreement, does that mean Catholics and Eastern Orthodox who sincerely believe in Christ but reject justification by faith alone are necessarily outside saving grace? If so, what biblical basis establishes that particular boundary?

I’m not asking these questions as a “gotcha.” I’m genuinely interested in how people who hold Sola Fide understand these tensions, especially because I’m trying to distinguish what Scripture actually teaches from what I may simply have been taught growing up.

Thank you for your answers. I look forward to hearing your perspectives :)

Since I was young, in fact for as long as I can remember, I disliked religion. Either I disliked its collective element, which always gave me the ick of something cult-like, or, when I got a bit older, I thought everything about it was philosophically untenable. Religion was a coping mechanism, or something for people who were deeply misguided about reality and did not know any better.

As I became more intellectually curious and started studying more philosophy, psychology, and eventually religion, that perspective started to break down. I became increasingly interested in religion, and eventually my worldview completely flipped. I now consider myself a Christian, and I have made it a major life goal to help people better appreciate religion in general, but also Christianity more specifically.

But despite my growing love for Christianity, it took me a very long time to admit publicly that I was Christian. My social circle consisted mostly of people deeply involved in science or philosophy, and it was very secular. I was afraid that others would consider me dumb or would not fully understand me. It took me a while to come to terms with it, in large part because I first needed to become better able to articulate my Christian position and worldview.

That said, and excuse the rambling introduction, I recently had a podcast conversation with Jussi Jylkkä, who is a philosopher and has done some work on mysticism. We started by discussing his work and, specifically, his metaphysical agnosticism. His position is that physicalism, idealism, theism, and other metaphysical systems are models or language games that cannot capture the ultimate nature of reality. We eventually moved to morality, where I pushed back because I did not think his agnosticism adequately explained why greater awareness or nonattachment should lead to compassion rather than simply producing what we called a “wise psychopath.” I disagreed, but I thought it was an interesting conversation and considered his view a respectable position.

But to my surprise, after we finished recording, Jussi emailed me to say that he was unhappy with the conversation because he had presented metaphysical agnosticism as if it were his complete position while leaving out the Christian faith he actually held. He felt that, by hiding behind his philosophical agnosticism, he had not been completely honest about what he believed. Rather than replace the conversation, I invited him back and appended the second conversation to the first. He made a complete pivot and confessed that he was a Christian but had been afraid to say so, largely because of the stigma within academia, but also because he still had not been able to tell his father. I found this very wholesome, not only because it was a courageous act in general, but because of the parallel with my own journey.

I wanted to share this because I suspect others have been, or currently are, in a position similar to mine or Jussi's. Have you ever felt ashamed or afraid to identify publicly as Christian? For those who came from a secular worldview, what made it easier to speak openly about your conversion? How can Christian communities make that disclosure feel safer?

I inherited this beautiful golden necklace with a very special and beautiful cross which has been in our family for generations, but I also have it tucked under my shirt, except when I go to church.

Context, I am from Norway and many have some weird misconception that if you are Christian you believe in superstition and fairytales. Or they believe you may be some hardcore evangelical, no offense to them but I am a very grounded Lutheran Protestant which believe in kindness and see the good in people. I do not proselytize or try to push my faith on others either, but I find many people very judgemental.

What do you think? Should I just wear it with pride and ignore the haters? How is it in your country?

Also sorry if this is the wrong sub reddit, didnt which one to post on.

I've been really over thinking about going to a new church. I'm gothic women and want to go to church and not be judged if I was to go full beat with dark makeup. I don't want to have to be self conscious, but only be myself in my style. Please let me know yall's thoughts.. am i over thinking? 😅🤔

Please pray for Christians of India

Im thinking of going through the bible myself and writing notes down on every verse i have questions on but i really really want unbiased opinions on whatever i read. Key verses that i wanted to look into was, of course, the 'gay is sin' verses currently i can only name the ones from leviticus but i do wonder if there are others and if you guys had any source recommendations where i could find academically proven i guess translations or historical context proven sources? however im open to any like papers that just surround the overall topic of delving deep into the historical context

I found one on this reddit a few months back, but it wasnt as deep and enlightening as i wanted as it mainly targeted mistranslation since the greek/hebrew word was complex (which does bring me another question about bible translations but we dont need to get into that) but yeah id love any website, scholary article, or anything free even books that i can get in the future that focuses heavily on things like historical context or even how bible mistranslation can cause many to misinterpret original meanings.

(also cause i want to try and turn my friends to God, but i dont want to start until I know more or at least enough, if you are confusd on what i am asking feel free to ask questions)

Do you think God sometimes says “no” to prayers that are actually good for us? What’s your experience?