RE: I want to believe. Can you help?
I don't know that I could convince you with words, or stories from my own experience, or the stories I've heard from others. It would all be hearsay, just as you have experienced in your life so far. The best suggestion I could give you is to ask the question to the Universe at large, outside you, or inside you, to give you proof that you can understand and believe.
My favorite story in the Bible is that of Gideon. (The Book of Judges, chapters 6 - 8) The cool part of Gideon's story is that he doubted God. God told him to defeat His enemies. Gideon says I think You have the wrong guy. He asked God to prove Himself, and the Lord did, several times, and still Gideon wasn't all that sold on the idea.
We are allowed to question! We're allowed to ask for evidence! If you ask you will be answered - to your satisfaction, not to anyone else's.
Thanks, I really appreciate the input. You inspired me to read the story of Gideon which I found interesting. Stories written a long time ago about god appearing to people, I'm just wondering if these were passed down a few generations before they were written down. I'm just wondering if it really happened. I don't want to be a naysayer, I just wish that god would appear today infront of like a church congregation or a crowd and tell us what he really thinks about things rather than trusting anonymous authors from millenia ago or people that say god spoke to them and told them to do it. I do like stories in the bible too, like the good samaritan. I think parts of the bible can be used to teach morality, like jesus was a pretty cool guy and told us to love each other.
The old Bible stories are interesting, and sometimes terrifying! Some people make a distinction between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament, tempered by the teachings of Jesus.
I'm a skeptic like you and I also wish God would show Himself and say this part is true and this part is BS and what I really want from you is thus and so!
As to whether any of the Bible stories are true - well a lot of people think so but I'm not one of them, at least not literally true. I like to read them though. I brought up Gideon's story because to me it says it's okay to question God and ask to be convinced. At least someone who put it in the Bible thought it was an acceptable message to hand down over the thousands of years since!
But like I say, having a personal experience is the way to go. And if God can't muster up enough evidence to convince you, then I say stay skeptical!