Once upon a time I lived - a prisoner in the world of atheism. For as long as I have been living in this world, I have been told that there is no God. I studied at the best university, found a good job, made a solid career, got married - in general, like everyone else, I enjoy life. Material life. After all, this is what I achieved with my atheism.

One day, returning from work, I accidentally saw on a familiar bench two people I didn’t know, who were passionately talking about faith in God. I became interested and asked to listen to their conversation for a few minutes. One of them claimed that he was a believer and tried in every possible way to prove that he was right, while his interlocutor condemned everything that was said about faith in God. In general, he was my like-minded person. Before, somehow I didn’t have to argue about faith, since all the time my thoughts were occupied with work and home, and this dialogue became interesting to me primarily because I wanted to assert myself in my views on life.

I decided to join the dialogue. My first question was: “Why does a person need faith in God? Is faith a dream with which a person tries to fill the void? Our opponent was not at a loss, adequately parrying my statement. He replied: “Faith is a feeling that is embedded in a person’s consciousness. No matter how much he opposes it, he still believes in something.” I was a little surprised by this answer, and according to my views, I said: “I am a modern person! Why do I need faith? I have everything, I'm happy with life. Why should I waste time on something that does not benefit me?

I already thought that I would throw my interlocutor into a stupor, but he had no intention of backing down. His answer shocked me to the core. He said: “Do you, being a modern man, deny any signs of faith? This can't be! You, for example, believe in the laws of physics, chemistry or biology. There are many phenomena and things that you do not see, but you believe in their existence. Air, wind, sound waves, electric current - all this you recognize and believe in their existence. You believe it! You also believe in the existence of good and evil, justice and injustice. You deny faith because you do not want to improve your unique feelings that are in your consciousness. By denying faith in God, goodness and justice become a formality for you that you want to pass on to your children, but faith allows you to feel with all your soul how precious all these qualities are.”

His words made me flinch. There was a moment when I wanted to strangle him for his stubbornness, but inside myself I began to realize that I was stubborn, not he. And somehow spontaneously it burst out from me: “I don’t need life after death, neither in heaven nor in hell - I just live and don’t bother anyone.” Again, I had some kind of imaginary confidence that I would prevail over him. “Why is faith needed?” was spinning in my head. After all, I have always walked through life, rejoicing in my successes, and then some stranger makes me doubt my established views. It’s really annoying that I can’t adequately refute his answer.

To my statement, the believer also had an answer that was unexpected for me: “Do you deny heaven and hell (He smiled)? Heaven and hell you see and feel every day. You want to relax comfortably - this is heaven, someone oppresses or insults you - this is hell, no one wants this for themselves. A person’s faith allows him to see heaven and hell everywhere, considering this a great test in life. Just because you live and don't bother anyone doesn't mean you don't pass the test. The entire worldly life of a person is a test: today he may experience mental torment, tomorrow he will remain in grace, while thanking his Creator for the mercy shown. Death is just a transition from this world to the eternal world, where the best benefits that the human soul accepts will be rewarded.”

I somehow didn’t have to think about trials, although I related everything that happened in my life to fate. But still I decided not to retreat. My parents taught me to solve my problems myself without the help of God. Why am I worse than a believer? My like-minded person sat in silence: apparently he did not want to interfere with our conversation, since he was desperate to convince a believer. Having collected all my thoughts, I asked my interlocutor, perhaps, the main question: “Why does a person need faith? Why believe in God?

Before answering, my interlocutor ran his hand over his face. Then he directed his gaze somewhere to the side. What’s remarkable is that I didn’t notice any fatigue during the entire time of our conversation; I even, one might say, enjoyed it. But my head was racing with thoughts, looking for worthy arguments to refute. The answer to the last question surprised me. He said: “You know, if a person did not have faith in God, he would constantly fight with his own kind. I know that my arguments make you boil, and this boil is a short-term awakening of your faith, which God has placed in you. If there were no faith, then a person would not show such emotions and would treat everything with indifference. But your questions and interest in this issue and, as a result, the manifestation of emotions in search of a refutation is the same spiritual awakening that is inherent in every person, no matter how he views such a concept as faith. If a person does not seek the truth and meaning of life, then he sees himself as lost. But he may not feel this, because he considers this loss to be correct, showing an inclination towards material wealth.”

Am I really a lost man? Emotions overwhelmed me because I could not think in a way that could logically refute everything he said. I wanted to run away from here, but where? Even after this conversation, his words never left me. I may never meet him again, but he gave me the opportunity to rethink some of my principles. I’ll have to think about it, since GOD gave me such an ability as a person.

Veravere discord

Faith can be both creative and destructive. It all depends on how exactly a person believes. For example, there is certainly nothing good in fanatical faith. A fanatical believer is divorced from reality. He lives in a completely different world, which bears little resemblance to the real one. In his world, faith is the most basic, the most important. Everyone who disagrees with him automatically becomes enemies. It is these people who incite religious wars, commit violence and murder in the name of their faith. If we talk about such faith, then yes, indeed, it is better to be an unbeliever than to do terrible things under the name of God. Fortunately, people who are far from being all believers are exactly like that.

There is another faith when a person simply sincerely believes in higher powers and tries to live in such a way as not to disappoint these powers. Although such faith also has its pitfalls, but there are fewer of them. For example, a person may try to comply with all biblical laws and therefore deny himself many of the joys of life: from food to sex. True believers take these issues very seriously. They have their own principles and morals that society cannot break. No matter how much you tell a believer that he is wrong and such behavior does not bring any benefit to anyone, and deprives him of many of the joys of life, he will still find reasons to continue to hold on to his faith and will consider this form of behavior to be the most correct. Such faith in God does not harm anyone, but still, from time to time, it can negatively affect the believer’s loved ones, since he begins to prohibit something for them or because of his prohibitions for himself, those around him indirectly suffer. For example, a believer may prohibit eating meat during Lent and his family members will have to come to terms with this, or a believer will refuse sex before marriage, even if they have been dating a girl for several years. Accordingly, such a belief is also not absolutely positive. Although believing people consider it the only true one and do not understand those who simply believe it.

Those who really just believe in God have their own view of religion. They do not consider it necessary to fast, go to church, and so on. Such people are confident that God, if he exists, is such an omnipotent and wise being that he can hear you wherever you want and regardless of how exactly you express your thoughts. That is, it is not necessary to turn to him in prayer. You can simply ask for something, the main thing is that the desire is really good. Such people also believe that God will not punish for smoking, sex, and so on, as long as we do not harm anyone by doing so. Such believers, one might say, live in accordance with the saying: “Trust in God and don’t make a mistake yourself.” Naturally, they can ask God for help, but at the same time they themselves try to create the conditions that will be the most favorable and convenient for fulfilling the request. Such people are aware of the Ten Commandments and actually try to act in accordance with them. That is, a person is confident that if he really does something bad towards other people, then God will punish him. But as long as he tries to be kind and fair, there will be no complaints against him. We can say that such faith is the most adequate. It is impossible for even atheists to cling to it, since it cannot slow down human development. Rather, on the contrary, it gives faith in their strengths and people try to reveal their capabilities, believing that someone from above is helping them. Such faith is creative, since a person who believes in God always tries to remain good and help loved ones so that they also do not do stupid things. Such people never impose their opinion on religion and faith, they generally try to touch less on any confessions and sects, and they will catch a cold so that they are not ashamed of aimlessly and incorrectly spent years.

So, is faith necessary?

No one can answer this question unequivocally, except those who are one hundred percent sure that God exists, that is, true believers. But whether their faith is necessary is still worth arguing about. But if we talk about ordinary faith, without any special prohibitions and excesses, then, probably, a person still needs it. Each of us needs hope that everything will be fine, that the black streak will end and the white streak will begin. And also, since childhood, we believed in miracles. And if this faith is completely taken away, then disappointment comes to the soul, and it is disappointment that becomes the reason for people’s anger, their deep resentment towards life. A person who suddenly stops believing in miracles may become withdrawn and depressed. Looking at this world, he understands that there is nothing special, nothing miraculous in it, and because of this, interest in life disappears, and faith gives us the opportunity to believe that there is still something special, albeit invisible to our eyes, that when life ends , another, magical world awaits us, but not emptiness and darkness. In addition, the realization that you have an invisible helper, your guardian angel, who will not leave you in difficult times, will guide you on the right path and at some point will create a small miracle to help you. But people who believe in higher powers really notice such miracles and this makes their souls feel better.

In fact, belief in something special, bright and beautiful has never harmed anyone. On the contrary, it always gave strength and confidence in the future. Therefore, if a person believes this way, and does not try to enslave, destroy, incite a war, and so on, with the help of faith, then people need such faith. It is thanks to such faith that we are not completely disappointed in our world and in the people who surround us. When something bad starts happening around us, those who believe ask their guardian angel for help, and often, things really start to work out better for them. But those who don’t believe more often give up, are more often disappointed and feel unhappy. They can be very smart, confirming that atheism helped them develop their mental capabilities. But none of them can be called truly happy, because they are disappointed in the world around them and do not believe in anything good. Therefore, if we talk about whether people need faith in God, the answer will be more positive than negative, because, no matter what we say, each of us really needs faith in a miracle.

Even to long-time church-going believers (and what can we say about others!) sometimes it seems that many of the most important events in life happen as if by chance and spontaneously, and it is often almost impossible to identify the reason for this or that accomplishment. But the more you study the examples of other people, the more you begin to feel that there is still some kind of pattern and nothing happens by chance. And Woland’s famous question immediately becomes extremely relevant: “... who, one might ask, controls human life and the entire order on earth in general?” And Ivanushkin’s uncertain answer: “The man himself controls” - not only does not cause disagreement, but simply passes by somewhere. And from this moment begins the only important and most valuable thing we have in life - our faith.

Faith is a great power!

A person cannot live without faith at all, no matter how much he convinces himself of his lack of faith. Here is how Archbishop John (Shakhovskoy) writes about this: “The path of high faith is the direction given to all people... Even those who do not believe in God, without understanding it themselves and not wanting to admit it, live by faith in their lives. They believe the testimony of others ; they trust others both in their historical and personal lives. So we, people, have no doubt that our mother is precisely our mother, although our confidence does not rest on the experience of our own knowledge, but rests on faith, on trust in close people. .."
Faith is a great power! If you don’t mix everyday logic into it (and how can that even happen?), then it’s almost impossible to shake it. A noteworthy example is the Apostle Peter, who walked with faith on the waves (Matthew 14:30), but as soon as logic intervened, he began to drown. Sin, especially mortal sin, also greatly harms faith, since it is essentially a wound on the “body” of the soul. He deprives us of the grace of God, and without it, faith fades and may even die. If you take a closer look at life, there are many women around us who have lost faith after their first abortion.

Salvation or damnation?

But faith, as you know, can be different. Faith can be in the salvation and transformation of the soul, or it can be in the condemnation and death of a person. It’s good if she inspires, teaches you to live correctly and for her sake feats are performed. But it also happens that it literally blurs the eyes and leads a person to terrible actions. Let us remember only pagan sacrifices - for example, the Canaanite practice of burning babies or the “evening sacrifice of eight young and strong” of the Asthmatian tribe who lived in New Guinea. It was not out of cruelty that people made such terrible sacrifices - rather out of despair. God is too far - the “gods” are too close. And their character is too fickle: today they help, tomorrow they mock. And, as if expressing their last hope, people killed each other in the face of the “gods”: maybe at least this will make you more merciful?..

All this causes a feeling of disgust and horror in a normal person, less often - pity, but in our time there are enough cases when, for the sake of faith, incomprehensible and sometimes tragic actions are committed.

Just a few days ago, the Vremya program on Channel One broadcast a story about a terminally ill three-year-old boy who needed an urgent blood transfusion. The child was being ravaged by a terrible brain tumor, and the only thing that could give him a chance of salvation was this procedure. He was brought to Moscow from Saratov in critical condition; the count was not just days, but hours. But the boy’s father, a militant Jehovah’s Witness, did not give his consent to the transfusion, citing the fact that it contradicted the dogmas of the doctrine and his religious beliefs. The doctors, who spent half a day trying to convince the half-insane parent, eventually went to court, having every right to do so, since it was a matter of saving a person’s life. The judge, given the exceptionality of the case, made a decision within a few minutes - and, of course, in favor of the doctors. Half an hour after the announcement of the verdict, the necessary medical operation began without the permission of the child’s father; It was successful, and now the boy, although he is in intensive care, is in much better condition. The most interesting thing is that his dad, after the results of the procedure, said: he was not at all against the transfusion, the doctors just “understood him wrong”...

It is important to believe correctly!

Of course, this example, in addition to indignation at the “impenetrability” of the father, also causes surprise: what kind of octopus with long raking tentacles are all these sects... And how terribly the souls and religious feelings are distorted by modern sectarians, who, as we know, are excellent psychologists! Of course, their web does not threaten correctly believing people, but as for the unchurched, who are just making their choice... They will entwine them with an invisible but strong net, drag them into their lair - and sometimes the person does not have time to come to his senses, does not understand how this happened, after all, no one seemed to put pressure on him, they said something incomprehensible about God... But it seems so only at first glance.

"Faith is a free choice. The essence of faith and religious life is not in forced evidence, but in effort and choice. Faith is the path to God, an experience that always succeeds. The righteous strove for heaven, and it accepted them. "Come closer to God , and God will draw near to you" (James 4:8). It is absolutely impossible to convince anyone of the existence of God, since everything that can be said in words about faith cannot in any degree convey what is generally inexpressible and what is the main thing in it. The arguments of faith are not against reason, but in addition to it. Those who want proof for their faith are on the wrong path. Where there is even a desire for proof hidden even from oneself, there is no faith. Signs of Epiphany are not necessary to accept as “confirmation” - by this we reduce and cross out the feat of faith,” writes priest Alexander Elchaninov, and this statement nullifies many of the efforts of sectarians. Maybe you should think twice before you even start talking to them on the street?..

Faith is the spring of life

Of course, all these sad examples of faith “in condemnation” are worth nothing in comparison with the bright positive examples of real Faith, which brings so much joy into our lives, is a source of strength and inspiration, which works miracles, because it is the greatest gift to man from Gentlemen.

My mother-in-law practically does not drink any medicine, except holy water. At 73 years old, she manages her garden almost independently and still manages to help me at home and with the children. I have never seen her despondent, although I know that her legs and heart often hurt. It can easily endure two liturgies in one day - both early and late. Our grandmother's face is illuminated with faith! And all her actions too. Even when her beloved eldest son was killed 28 years ago, and then her husband died of a heart attack, her shoulders, they say, sagged only for a short time. She never complains, although we often give reasons for this. And in the good things that happen to us in life, her fervent prayer for us plays a huge role. Sometimes, looking for examples of ascetics in the modern world, I remind myself that an important example is before my eyes.

"You are three times a mother..."

In any situation, even the most dubious, faith helps you make the right choice. When difficult events occur in our lives, the loss of a loved one, separation from loved ones, when we are completely overwhelmed by hopelessness or we hear a terrible diagnosis - only faith becomes a consolation, and if we trust in the Lord, then everything will be as it should and what is best for us. But you just need to think about yourself last or not think at all, hide your selfish “I” as deeply as possible in order to give room to the Divine ray, which will break through, will definitely break through if a person really strives for it. This is what my father told me when, having fallen ill one day and misperceiving my illness, I came to him with a feeling of incredible fear that next time I might get even sicker - but I have three children, what will happen to them if will something happen to me? “You are a mother three times, and if the Lord Himself gave you children, then won’t He really take care of them? Trust Him, don’t waste yourself on useless throwing and think about yourself as little as possible. We are nothing in this life without God.”

Believing - truly trusting God

There is such a good phrase: “A person will not lift even a spoon without the knowledge of the Almighty.” I didn’t even write this article until I took my father’s blessing, and before that I couldn’t put my thoughts together... And our daughter stopped getting sick often, not after the next course of antibiotics, but after we she went to Moscow, to the Pokrovsky Monastery, where they venerated the relics of Saint Matronushka...

Most significant things do not happen and pass us by precisely because of uncertainty and doubt about the outcome of the event. Sometimes it’s for the better, because it protects you from a bunch of undesirable consequences, but often a person misses very important turns in his life’s path, new roads that could radically change his life and strengthen his faith. And at such moments it is very important that there is a person nearby - one of us, Orthodox Christians, who will give good advice and will worry and pray for the sufferer. As a rule, such a person most often turns out to be a priest, but maybe someone else, someone close. Or, conversely, a complete stranger who suddenly turns out to be the closest person. But even if this does not happen, we can help ourselves, we just need to learn to accept with childish joy and heartfelt gratitude what the Lord sends us.

http://www.ubrus.org/newspaper-spas-article/?id=457

One philosopher once said: “God died a long time ago, people just don’t know about it.”
Religion has always walked alongside man. No matter what ancient civilizations archaeologists find, there is always evidence that people believed in deities. Why? Why can't people live without God?

What is “God”?

God is a supernatural supreme being, a mythological entity who is an object of veneration. Of course, hundreds of years ago everything inexplicable seemed fantastic and aroused awe. But why would modern man worship a mythical creature?

Modern science is making giant strides forward every day, explaining what were once considered miracles. We interpreted the origin of the Universe, the Earth, water, air - life. And they did not arise in seven days. Once upon a time, people explained all disasters as the wrath of God. Now we understand that an earthquake is a consequence of the movement of the earth's crust, and a hurricane is a consequence of air flows. Today, scientists are finding clues in biblical cataclysms that are not so difficult to interpret. Why didn't people look for an explanation for this many years ago?

Religion - salvation or opium for the people?

Religion played a huge role here. As you know, the Bible was written by people, and it was also edited by people. I think that in the original writings and in the modern book that everyone has in their home, we would find many differences. You need to understand that religion and faith are slightly different things.

The Church has always brought fear to people. And the church is not only Christian. In every faith there is a semblance of heaven and hell. People have always been afraid of punishment. It is known that the church had enormous power over society. Just doubting the existence of the Almighty could lead to being burned at the stake. Religion was used as a means of intimidation and control of the masses. Over the years, the church has lost trust among people. Consider the Inquisition, which killed thousands of people throughout Europe. In Rus', for example, those who missed services on Sunday were publicly caned on Monday. During the Stalinist repressions, priests violated the sacrament of confession by passing on information to the KGB. The Church struggled with “heretics” - dissident people who could ask uncomfortable questions.

Even now there are many religious movements that simply zombify people using trust and various psychological techniques. For example, “White Brotherhood”, very popular in the early 90s. How many people were left without apartments, savings and families. It seems, well, how can a sane person believe in salvation from a dubious subject. It turned out - maybe. But, unfortunately, people are not taught these stories. As before, various religious movements “brainwash” gullible citizens. And the people believe them, even if tomorrow they tell you to drink poison in the name of God. What kind of God needs these meaningless sacrifices?
In our modern times, we can safely discuss any topic. Many theologians have made arguments for the existence of God, just as many atheists have refuted them. But there is no clear evidence of the existence of God, just as there is no evidence that he does not exist. Everyone makes their own choice of what to believe and who to pray to.

What does prayer give us and why should we believe?

Prayer is petition. Ask and it will be given to you. But don’t we shift responsibility onto God for our laziness when we ask for what we can achieve ourselves: a house, a car, a job. If it doesn’t work out, you can answer simply - God doesn’t give. If we cannot arrange our personal life, the easiest way is to answer that God decided so, rather than look at ourselves from the outside and start doing something about our shortcomings.

It has been proven that human thought is material. What we think, wish, dream and ask for can come true. Our word is magic. We ourselves sometimes don’t know how we can hurt or inspire a person. Perhaps words together with thoughts have great power. What is this: the influence of God or the unexplored capabilities of the human brain?

During true prayer, a person seems to be transported to another dimension, where time slows down. Maybe in this way we become a little closer to God?

I remember one episode from House, when the patient’s husband, an atheist, prays for his wife. When House asked why pray if you don’t believe in God, he replied: “I promised my wife that I would do everything for her recovery. If I don’t pray, it won’t be all.”

What does faith give us? Faith inspires a person and makes him confident in his abilities. But we believe in God helping us, and not in our own strength. There are many stories about how faith saved people from cancer, drugs, alcohol... But maybe this power was already in these people? Maybe faith in God simply provoked some special hormone in a person?

There is a lot of information to think about... But for some reason we pray and believe when nothing else can be done.

Anatomy of the soul

Well, what about the irrefutable evidence of the existence of an afterlife? Let's think about the soul. Back in the 19th century, there were attempts to weigh the human soul. And the American doctor succeeded. As a result of many experiments, he established that the change in the weight of a living and dead person becomes slightly more than 20 grams, regardless of the initial body weight.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, research continued, but the theory of the existence of the soul was only confirmed. It was even possible to film her exiting her body. It is worth taking into account the experience of people who have experienced clinical death. Absolute strangers cannot tell the same stories.

Why can't I give up my belief in God?

I am a modern thinking person who is used to doubting everything and looking for evidence. But I cannot give up faith in God. Faith gives me peace of mind, confidence that in difficult times help will come. I remember the film “What Dreams May Come”, where after death a man and his children go to their own paradise. The husband - in the pictures of his wife, and the son and daughter - in the country in which they believed in childhood. And it was faith that helped pull my wife out of hell, who ended up there after committing suicide. And I want to have my own paradise. After all, according to our faith it will be given to us.

Well, there are more questions left than answers... Modern man is accustomed to relying on medicine, science, technical progress, but cannot give up faith, hope, love and, in fact, God.

I dug through the documents and this is what I found. It looks like I wrote it.

Does modern man need faith?

Humanity is designed in such a way that it must believe in something or someone. I thought a lot about why and for what purpose people believe, but I never found the exact answer to this question... For myself, I don’t yet know why I believe. I think a lot: why am I here, and what will happen to humanity in a few hundred or thousand years. In all my thoughts I haven’t achieved anything yet. Lately I've been thinking so much that I'm starting to get a headache and I'm completely confused.

Everyone thinks differently about faith. Some people believe for show: they go to churches as if they were going to a museum, they worship as if paying tribute to fashion—they believe “artificially.” Others doubt faith, try to understand and accept it with their souls. This did not bypass me either. The idea of ​​God came in childhood. Question: "Why?" - did not give rest, and thoughts of faith in the Supreme Mind came of their own accord. Faith helps us not to become callous, to believe in people, to believe in goodness. Faith helps in loneliness: you know that He is always with you. Faith for me is like healing the soul when things get bad.
I believe that faith does not come immediately. To do this, you need to suffer, survive the shock. It is after this that you look at many things differently, you rethink everything. It doesn’t matter what faith you belong to - whether you are a Christian, a Muslim or someone else - if you truly believe, then this faith is deep in you, in your very heart. It (faith) warms the soul and prevents it from being cold and angry.
I think that obeying the scriptures, living according to them, going to divine temples is not the main thing if you do not accept them with your soul. Although I know people who came to real faith this way.
Faith is not an unambiguous belief in God, it is also a belief in people, in goodness, in the best. It's like a ray of sunshine in the dark. When a person believes in God, He appears to him in everything. And in the sun, and in a cloud, and in a tree, and in any grain of sand. In any of us - after all, we are all creatures of God. This is exactly how a person wants to see his faith.
But religion is something else. It infringes on a person’s freedom and forces him to live according to the patterns imposed in the scriptures. But it is precisely these patterns that do not make faith too convenient. Of course, each person has HIS OWN GOD, that is, they understand him differently, but they believe according to the scriptures, that is, they adhere to the templates, if they do not disgust him. I would like and am trying, striving for real faith. And I think that I will definitely come to her.

In the temple, I always feel some kind of strong energy field and a feeling of peace. But there is a feeling that I am still a guest, not at home - something is holding me back. I often examine the decoration of the temple out of some incomprehensible research interest and feel as if I am on the outside.

There are believers who call themselves that only because they were born into Christian families, but do not fulfill anything that faith or religion implies. Such people are the majority in modern society. At best, they appear in church on holidays. At worst, they don’t appear at all, and sometimes people are even afraid of churches, no matter what they are: Orthodox or Catholic.

You need to believe in God, and not make mistakes yourself.