would losing a loved one suddenly cause you to lose your faith/beliefs?
966734
I sure hope that I will keep true to my faith, but I cannot say. My mom died nine years ago, but that was before I was a Christian, and all did feel hopeless. \n\nI dunno and hopefully I won't have to find out.
680399
My condolences on you loss.  I believe that you have a great attitude concerning waiting for God's timing.  I have a feeling (and I get these every so often and have seldom been wrong) that someone who can connect with you will enter your life unexpectedly and you won't have to do a thing except keep your eyes and heart open.\n\nGod bless you.
583983
Anyone who refuses to allow themselves to love someone because of their spiritual beliefs has some major issues.  DO you really think God would tell you that a person from a different church didn't deserve to be loved?  I've been on the "dumnped" end of that situation more than once, and I can tell you that it hurts pretty bad.  As long as you're honest with the person you love and respect their right to have their own beliefs, it shouldn't matter what those beliefs are.
768629
No, it wasn't God. I am truly sorry for your losses and pain. I would definitely be angry at him too. But it wasn't the work of the devil either. You and your family were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was nothing personal. If he wanted your family dead, he would strike them all dead. Most accidents have a cause, and what makes it an accident is lack of intent. As for your house, that kinda stuff happens everyday. You cannot predict that either. Have faith that there are bigger, better things for you. Do not wallow in your grief. Stand strong and everything will be okay.
633714
yes you should. Why? when a person dies the family is going through so many emotions and everything is a fog.  They are so hurt and sad and at times don't remember who all came to see them and it's not because they are being rude, they are just so consumed with not having the loved one there anymore.  So, yes you are doing the right thing and they will be very happy to know you care.
742325
Hi, good question...I have just recently gone through some difficult times at my "former" church, and though I did not lose my faith, I did take a break from church, "organized religion".  A very difficult time since worshipping God has alot to do with serving God and it's hard to serve Him if you aren't going somewhere.  I honestly did struggle WITH my faith, but never stopped having my faith.  Once you have that salvation through Jesus Christ, you can't lose it.  I've always heard that if you're not close to God anymore, then you're the one that moved, not Him.   what I did, I clung to Him, prayed to Him and let Him do His work in me.  When I was ready, He was waiting.  He is a patient, loving God.
365275
I wish i could answer this question for you but i dont think any of us will ever know this until we too reach the end of our particular journey in life. Just believe that in your heart he will be with you always and remember to hold onto all the good memories he surely will have given to you. I have a friend who had cancer and he has only just died last wednesday due to septacaemia. He was only 35 and i know that for as long as i live i will truly believe that he is watching over me be it in heaven or just another dimension that we may travel into. God bless you and your family. I am sorry i do not have the answer you are looking for but dont let other people fool you with their spiritualistic views, none of us know where we are going until that day arrives!!
575788
When people begin to lose their belief they become untrustable ,in this century you find someone with belief and avoidance from bad acts ,with great difficulty.Never trust someone who doesn't fear from God.Be aware of humans.
220165
Faith, Honey, faith. I am so sorry for your loss, but she does hear you as does God. Whenever you are out, do ever see something out of the blue that she liked? Sometimes they let us know in very subtle ways. It can be in the smallest things that we take for granted every day. You can see her in the innocent beauty of a childs smile or a picture of a snow-white dove. A rainbow or a picture of a rainbow. Whenever I need to know that God is hearing me, I ask to see a rainbow or a dove and lo and behold, I will see one even if I'm not looking for it. Look for her in everyday things that make you feel warm and happy and you will find her. She is watching you from above. Also, being as you have found Yahoo Answers, even if it was before your daughter passed away, you were brought here for a reason. God knows that you need friends now and you have found friendship and hopefully comfort here. We are like a family here on YA and we do our best to support each other. If God was not listening, you would not have found your way here or to any other means of comfort and support. The people here on YA are the best and some of the most forgiving, caring and loving people I've ever had the pleasure and the honor to meet. Keep your faith and know that your daughter is in the arms of Jesus now and he feels your pain as we do as well. You are in my prayers and if you need to talk, you may send me a message. I'm a mother too and I know how strong a mother's love is. Don't worry, God is in control and you will meet with your daughter again. Just look around. She is in every flower, gentle breeze, every act of kindness, in every beautiful sunrise and sunset but most of all, she is in your heart forever. God bless, sweetie. I'll pray for you, we all will.
85536
FIRST, I WANT TO SAY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, TO LOSE SOMEONE IN SUCH A TRAGIC WAY AS URSELF, IT IS EXTREMEMLY DIFFICULT FOR ALL THOSE CLOSE TO UR BROTHER\ni feel that it could be for 2 reasons...\n(1) youre having a very difficult time with his death , as anyone would, and it may help to talk to a family member or close friend about ur brother and see if that stops the dream, or...\n(2) which i feel more stronger about...i know most people dont believe this stuff, but your brother may be trying to tell you something. my guess is if someone in the family, close to you ...or you yourself, may not be feeling well,  he may be telling you  to get checked out by a dr. IVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE...ive also lost someone close to my in a mva, and she gave me a "spiritual message" and i wound up being very ill..i am not a religous person, and i dont go to church on sunday, however i am very sprirital.
155825
Well, I would have to say that the grieving process is different for everybody and while I agree that you should pray for the dead, they understand that you cry because you're saddened at the loss of a person you loved. I see it as an expression of love, that someone cared about me enough to cry over my passing.
846417
Great question...Sadly enough there's not much. As a preacher- I can only tell the person that God will help them through this time of suffering. When a Christian dies, it's almost a celebration 'cause we know we'll miss them-but God is with them. A non-believer...we can only pray for the family during these times. I've know lots of people who tried to reach out to lost family members and have seen them die. It's difficult-but the reality stays the same. You can only try and comfort them.
749737
Sorry, I too am an atheist.  I can't help you with your faith but I am sorry that you and your friend are going through this.  There is so much pain in the world.  In Africa a child dies due to diseases from unclean drinking water every two minutes.\n\nWhat I try to do, to ease the pain, is to volunteer.  To ease the pain of another and help where I can.  Because sometimes there is nothing I can do to ease the pain of one I love.\n\nI can't help restore your faith in god.  {hugs}
854737
Aparently something because this happened to me.\n\nSeveral years ago I had an unusual experience concerning an uncle, a distant relative who lived over a thousand miles away. \n\nWhile driving my car I suddenly felt the unmistakable presence of this relative that I hardly even knew. He was more like someone I had heard about than someone I knew. It was very strange; it felt as though I was momentarily lifted right out of my physical body. I seemed to be suspended somehow beyond space and time, bathed in a love so intense It felt like I could have just disappear into it at any moment if It would have let me. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it seemed to last forever at the same time. I realize how crazy this must sound. The experience was so strong that at first I was afraid I was loosing my grip on reality. I finally managed to chalk it up to an over active imagination.\n\nThree days later I got a call from my aunt telling me that this uncle we are talking about had gone into a coma and died the day I had the experience. It felt like ice water had been poured down my back when she told me this. I had lost any real ideas of God or faith and had become somewhat of an atheist. Needless to say this experience caused me to rethink some of the conclusions I had come to. \n\nI feel blessed to now understand that even in our darkest confusion something loves us so much that it went out of its way to assist me and bring me back to a state of absolute certainty about Gods love for us.\nDuring the experience it seemed like there was a vast amount of information that I was somehow allowed access to. One thing that I came away from this experience understanding beyond any shadow of a doubt was that any Idea that God is unhappy with us or would judge or allow us to be punished for any reason is simply impossible. \n\nI can’t explain the love I felt with words. They simply don’t make words big enough or complete enough to do this. The only way I can begin to convey this love to you is to say that there was simply nothing else there. Nothing but love. No hint of judgment, no displeasure of any sort. It is as though God sees us as being as perfect as we were the day we were created. It is only in our confused idea of ourselves that we seem to have changed.\n\n I hope this is of some help to you. Good luck. Love and blessings. \n\nYour brother don
1026528
my mom passed away six years ago too. i have finally been able to put it behind me... instead of crying all the time and thinking of what i actually lost, i celebrate the life that she did have. i think about all the good times i had when she was alive. i'm not a religious person but i do believe that she is watching over me. \ntry talking to a counselor.. it helped me
784979
Im sorry for your loss.  Be there for them by listening to what they have to say, crying with them and remembering memories and good times that you have had.  You of course are going to lose it at some point and do not try not to.  That's really all you can do at this point.  Pray wtih them also.  You will get thru this.
176498
You know I was thinking the same thing a couple weeks ago. My father is Catholic and he disagrees with just about every other religion. I told him that he better be careful or else he may look pretty stupid if he dies and god turns out to be Alluh. I try to keep an open mind about religion, I mean they were all made by humans and humans make mistakes. So I would be shocked a little, but not completely surprised.