Originally Posted by larrivee7
To the OP, I can identify with what you mean. When you're in college, you for the most part shape who you are going to be for the rest of your life. You get pelted every day with all kinds of worldviews and ideas, and you are forced to respond one way or the other. I really think that if a person grew up in the church, they either move closer to God or farther away while they're in school (or during those years after high school). For many, the combination of being surrounded by so many other worldviews and being away from home/parents/everything you're used to -- leads to doubt in a lot of things they believe.
College campuses, by and large, are hostile towards God, especially towards the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is to be expected, as the Gospel is itself offensive. It is not meant to be heard and then forgotten or shrugged off. The Gospel forces you to examine yourself. People (especially young, opinionated, and empowered young people) react very strongly when they are told that God is completely Holy and perfect, and we are the exact opposite. That we can do nothing to please God or to have a relationship with Him on our own because we are separated from Him because of our sin. We don't like to be told that there is something wrong with us, or that we can't do something on our own, and that we need a SAVIOR. God created us to be with Him, but we can't be because we are all sinful. And our sin can only be atoned for (and WAS atoned for) through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are prideful, glory-seeking creatures who want to be self-sufficient and above all RIGHT. We want to be the god of our own life, and even when we realize that we're miserable in this state, we won't admit it. Basically, the Gospel is meant to be offensive and to bring about a strong reaction from those who hear it so that we examine ourself and see our need for Christ.
And you're right, professors and college in general strives to get you to think for yourself and question what you don't understand or what you are told (unless it's from them). That's what I did during school and I encourage you to do the same. When I did, I found that most people who are hostile towards God and Jesus Christ, are against it because they don't like what the Gospel and the Word of God says about them and how it makes them feel.
One thing that a lot of people struggle with is the idea that a loving God could send someone to hell. This doesn't seem fair to us, we try to be a "good person" and live a good life. How could He do that? The truth is, the only thing that isn't fair is that Jesus Christ died for us. He came, fully God and fully man, and lived a perfect life on this earth. He upheld ALL of the old testament law (and we think we're good for praying sometimes and going to church once in a while), he did nothing but good all His years, He was completely and utterly sinless. And He was persecuted and killed in the most gruesome and humiliating way possible. For us. He took on the sins of the world, and was crushed for our evil. THAT isn't fair. But the fact is, Jesus arose and conquered sin AND death. And He is alive today. And He has made a way for us to get to God, by simply admitting we're sinners and that we are broken and we need Him. This negates the question "how could God send someone to hell?" because the fact that sinful wretches like us have ANY chance to be in fellowship with a perfect and Holy God and spend eternity with Him is more grace than we could ever imagine. "Why do I deserve this grace?" is a more appropriate question.
I hope you seek out the truth for yourself. Get in the Word. Pray for God to help your unbelief and to make Himself and His truth real to you. You will not go unheard.
