Christians help me out here?

One glaring fault you have is to criticize in the Bible what you would never criticize anywhere else. The world is violent and the Bible is true to the world. Churchill said that the bloodiest century in all history is the 20th Century.

What the Bible reports it does NOT necessarily approve. And the greatest minds in Christianity have surpassed yours in recoiling at the violence without thereby missing the sacred character.

Reading the Bible with the Dead: What You Can Learn from the History of Exegesis that You Can't Learn from Exegesis Alone Paperback

by John L. Thompson (Author)

"Thompson gives a brief overview of how commentators from the early church through the Reformation made sense of such troubling stories and teachings as the sacrifice of Jephthah's daughter, the imprecatory psalms"

And your attitude of only curiosity of course blocks you from grasping as it always will. You cannot expect God to think you are doing HIM a favor by giving HIM a chance to convince you !!

Here is what I have learned from both sides of the fence. The universe is about 14.5 billion years old. While God did create it, he also used science to seed life here and watch it develop. He provided some spiritual direction in as much as he inspired some holy men to write things down that we now call a Bible. Sadly many have corrupted the Bible which has led to Atheism. Also religion and its leaders have led many away from their spiritual side instead of seeing the bigger picture. The flood was only in the area of Mesopotamia where man resided. There is a God and he truly is a God of love. He has lovingly given us free will so we may learn, develop and grow as a species. Everyone wants to blame him when they suffer problems from their own bad decisions. They forget to thank him for all he has done when things go right. He is so very forgiving and really wants the best for all of us. But if he rescues us from our problems we will not learn to solve them on our own. He will help you if you ask him for help but because so many do not believe him they do not see it when he helps them. He wants all the souls to return to him, the source of our life. The only way to do that is by showing unconditional love to one another.

Well.. I go through the exact same sometimes I doubt god. I'm not gonna lie I do get pushed down from the devil but we need to get right back up and dust it off.. And your doubiting.. When your in doubt pray it out, have faith in god and trust in him with all your heart commit your life to him meditate on his word. Build a relationship with him. And experience his awesome power, gifts, peace, love, happiness, and joy! P.s the bible ain't gonna comfort us with lies and sugarcoat it.. ITS for our own good! I rather be hurt with the truth then be comforted with lies any time of day. Romans 8:18 “there may be pain it the night but nothing can compare to the joy that comes in the morning" so hang in there! He's listens to your prayers! He knows what we meed, and when we need it, trust his plan and you'll be victorious god bless you

You don't have problems understanding news reports in newspapers or on TV, do you? You are being told about things going on in the world, important things usually and - just occasionally - you hear of wonderful things kind or brave people do. Well, try viewing the Bible as a collection of news reports over a span of centuries, showing you what went on back then.

Like today, many important events are politically and religiously motivated, and they can have drastic consequences on swathes of people - whole nations, even. Much of the Old Testament is telling us what happened back then, politically and religiously, and how individuals and whole nations were affected. We are not spared gory details. Why should we? If we are to learn the lessons of mistakes in times past, we need to have truth, not cover-ups. The Bible tells it like it is. And, from God's point of view. That is what makes all the difference. If we wish to know what God thinks to our dealings, we consult the Bible. Of course, if you don't think God exists, you will completely miss that dimension and so miss the whole point of the Bible.

It is telling us how to get right (and to stay right) with God. The OT shows the constant sin of people trying to stay right with God and failing, due to disobeying God and allowing pagan nations to influence them. The NT shows how God, in Christ, came down to us, utterly identifying Himself with us and dying as a perfect sacrifice for sin so that the punishment we deserve for our rebellion against God was borne by Jesus. All this to open up the way back to God, to be forgiven and brought into God's family.

Now, if you dismiss that last paragraph, you will never grasp what the Bible is out to teach us. Or, if you try to use the Bible for your own advantage, that just won't work. Only when the Bible gets you down on your knees, in confession that you are a sinner who needs Jesus, will it begin to 'work'. Was there ever a day when your heart was moved to reach out to God through Christ? Or, if you did but nothing happened, were your expectations wrong - that God would begin to speak to you, personally, and improve your life? The Bible is all about exposing the motivations of our heart, how corrupt our hearts are, how our heart deceives us, and how we need God to give us a new heart - one that beats for Him. I hope this helps you.

In order for God to work in someone I think you have to believe with all your heart and give him everything and confess sins. Sometimes God tests patience on some people but faith should be unbreakable, and sometimes God speaks to us but some of us don't understand when the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us something sometimes he speaks to us by our conscience, by using signs, and people and many other ways

You must just read what violence God does and never read why.

For example: you read where God kills all the Egyptian's first born. You never read where the Pharaoh ordered the Hebrew babies to be killed.

This world is full of sin and that is why all of the violence. God is just trying to protect what is his. If you don't like God killing people, you need to watch out. It's his way of getting rid of the trash.

Inspiration.

Matthew 9:29

King James Bible

Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.