Shoud I become religous?

[Goat Whisperer]

I used to be religious for all the wrong reasons. My friends were all Mormon, I wanted to fit it. But, I did not believe in any of it. As I grew older, and finally turned 8, and was asked to become baptized. I realized that I didn't believe in anything they had said, I didn't feel god was close to me. I quit I stopped going to church, I stopped reading the bible, I refused baptism. My friends parents hated me. They wouldn't allow me in their homes. My friends abandoned me, they shunned me. They avoided me at recess, I ate lunch alone. They walked ahead of me when we went home, and wouldn't even look at me.

It seemed that ever Mormon person pushed me out until I would allow god back into my life. But i didn't want it, I didn't belive it. My christian friends, though not in my school, didn't mind me not being religous.... and I have always been interested in christianism, but, after all that I went through in my child hood and part of my adoleacent life, I've lost faith, and I know that I have. I don't want to be associated with people who feel that men should control, I don't want to be friends to those that will not be friends to me for not embracing their religous belives. I know that not all religous people are like this.... I just don't think I can trust them again, religous people and friends.

If I try to embrace being a christian and befriend those in that religion and decide it isn't for me; and those people refuse to be friends with me, I'm not sure how I'd handle it. I don't want to go through losing that many friends again... it's just a fear I have, a mistrust. I don't trust any of my friends except one single one. All others I think could be making fun of me behind my back, I just have a hard time trusting thoughs close to me. As so many of my friends have turned out not to be friends, and god allowed this even when I was an active mormon.

I can't trust again. Not friends, not religous figures, not god. Even though I want to, I'm not sure if I should try.... to be religous. Should I?

 

[ssl]

For me to answer that question, I would have to be who you are.

The truth is what we make it; if you believe a certain set of religious beliefs, then what you believe true is true to you. No one can change that fact.

Being raised through the Christian faith, I found, to me, certain inconsistencies to which I ask many questions, and Grace has helped me realize some of these things; but if you were to believe how most Christians do, the end matters not but between you and God.

I personally do not believe in anything, although it may seem I lean towards something related to science. This is not true, I do not mind using science against inconsistencies of itself, like I do for Christianity.

Like I said above, only you can find the true answer to your question above. Personally, I think nonetheless of anyone who has or has not any belief. I may seem like an asshole towards some, but that is because some questions' answers from them seem circular in nature, and no real answer was given. But I am working on that attribute of me, and have lessened the frequency of that outcome.

If someone of a faith refused your friendship because of their belief and you not believing, then they are a poor example for that faith. Tolerance is preached by many, if not all, religions, because they understand that other people may not believe in these things, and therefore must accept that fact that not everyone will be a part of that faith. However, certain groups have taken the tolerance factor and turned it into a negative message, whether in history as the Crusades, or in the future times of the Islamic extremists. That part you cannot control, to an extent. The important thing is to find people who can accept your non-belief, such as Grace, and ask many many questions. Who knows, you might just find out that you agree with most, if not all, of the ideals presented, and choose that religion.

Oh, and one thing: it is not "being religious." That is absolute bullshit hypocrisy. People who truly follow a religious set of beliefs think not of their actions as "being religious," but more of living out their faith in the real world. You may offend people if you think of it this way, as if you are just trying to fit in, as you did before.

 

[Peter Parka]

Sounds very similar to what I went through with the Jehovahs Witnesses!
At the end of the day this is a personal choice which only you can make. Just dont let anyone pressure you into in and dont feel pressured to accept something which dosen't seem right.

 

[GraceAbounds]

For me to answer that question, I would have to be who you are.

The truth is what we make it; if you believe a certain set of religious beliefs, then what you believe true is true to you. No one can change that fact.

Being raised through the Christian faith, I found, to me, certain inconsistencies to which I ask many questions, and Grace has helped me realize some of these things; but if you were to believe how most Christians do, the end matters not but between you and God.

I personally do not believe in anything, although it may seem I lean towards something related to science. This is not true, I do not mind using science against inconsistencies of itself, like I do for Christianity.

Like I said above, only you can find the true answer to your question above. Personally, I think nonetheless of anyone who has or has not any belief. I may seem like an asshole towards some, but that is because some questions' answers from them seem circular in nature, and no real answer was given. But I am working on that attribute of me, and have lessened the frequency of that outcome.

If someone of a faith refused your friendship because of their belief and you not believing, then they are a poor example for that faith. Tolerance is preached by many, if not all, religions, because they understand that other people may not believe in these things, and therefore must accept that fact that not everyone will be a part of that faith. However, certain groups have taken the tolerance factor and turned it into a negative message, whether in history as the Crusades, or in the future times of the Islamic extremists. That part you cannot control, to an extent. The important thing is to find people who can accept your non-belief, such as Grace, and ask many many questions. Who knows, you might just find out that you agree with most, if not all, of the ideals presented, and choose that religion.

Oh, and one thing: it is not "being religious." That is absolute bullshit hypocrisy. People who truly follow a religious set of beliefs think not of their actions as "being religious," but more of living out their faith in the real world. You may offend people if you think of it this way, as if you are just trying to fit in, as you did before.

Ditto.

I can't put it any better than that.

 

[sharpies]

Do you believe that a supernatural event/being shaped & created the cosmos or that it happened slowly over time as described by science?

I think it breaks down into this - are you superstitious or not? If you are then you have faith (in something), if not then you don't.

Allan

 

[DaveM]

It's not so much to become religious, religion is a frame of mind to, it sounds to me like you want it for your friends, you have to want it for yourself to, if someone isn't willing to be a friend on grounds of faith, are you sure you want them as a friend at all?

 

[All Else Failed]

No, you shouldn't.

 

[Zorak]

I grapped with much the same sort of things you talk about.
Less so with alienation and ostrication, because I wasn't a popular kid to begin with and any friends I did have certainly weren't religious.

But I believe Christianity to be not your communication to God, or Jesus, or anyone else. It is a method, if looked in the right way, to communicate with yourself.

I am a Christian, but I don't go to any church, for logistical reasons and spiritual reasons. I don't believe in the sacrosanctity of The Bible for starters, I feel religion - any religion, should be relative to not just it's contemporary audience, but it's modern one as well. And I believe large segments of The Bible do not do this, and the other parts can be perceived and then preached in such a way that they devolutionise our society.
Of course we can't subtract the moral values that Christianity demands of us, things like kindness, honesty... No one can, they shaped our very conception of what is right and what is wrong - and so they must continue to do so.
But that does not mean the Bible is our only link to Christianity, you must learn what you will from the Bible, and help it shape you, but do not read it religiously, because it is not constant. It is not modern.

Christianity can be your guide to morality and spirituality, but it can also be your master- the faceless man who lords over you, governs your thoughts, your impulsions, and your guilt.
Let only you govern yourself, use Christianity as a guide for the search of your own spirituality.

That is my advice.

 

[Peter Parka]

No, you shouldn't.

Well thats a great response from someone who constantly tells religious sorts to prove their views, I'm seriously disappointed, thought someone like you could do much better than that!

 

[Dana]

you're such a kid and i mean that in the best not insulting way possible so i don't get infracted :24:

 

[Peter Parka]

you're such a kid and i mean that in the best not insulting way possible so i don't get infracted :24:

Trust me, her intelligence puts you to shame.

 

[Dana]

Trust me, her intelligence puts you to shame.

and you are taliking to teenagers..... why?


She shouldn't be asking the board members if she should become religious.... She should be asking herself. If she wants to "find God" its a quest she needs to dig deep inside herself to look for... Not ask aq bunch of ppl online.


Stop talking to kids. I'm sure your wife is more interesting :ninja

 

[Peter Parka]

and you are taliking to teenagers..... why?


She shouldn't be asking the board members if she should become religious.... She should be asking herself. If she wants to "find God" its a quest she needs to dig deep inside herself to look for... Not ask aq bunch of ppl online.


Stop talking to kids. I'm sure your wife is more interesting :ninja

Yes, I have a wife, why havent you?

 

[Dana]

cuz i don't want one?

 

[Peter Parka]

Sorry, I forgot, you cant even get laid.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Dana, I do luv how you have to come in and ask, on every single serious thread, why in the world we are asking the forum this, as if we can't as the forum anything....

Well, anywho I wasn't asking you if I am spiritual enough or if I am capable of becoming religous, I was asking you what was in religion. I can't ask my closest relgious friend, as he will take me to a church.... but, were teens were not going to "open up" and say things like why he loves god to each other.... were just not.

I can't ask my family, as how I've stated before no one in my family is religous; and quite simply, I don't trust my friends or the church to tell me how they really feel. I'm not fully capable of... trust right now.

Just wanted to know what you guys see in religion, but, thanx to you dana for mucking up the thread, once more!

 

[Godsloveapples]

I used to be religious for all the wrong reasons. My friends were all Mormon, I wanted to fit it. But, I did not believe in any of it. As I grew older, and finally turned 8, and was asked to become baptized. I realized that I didn't believe in anything they had said, I didn't feel god was close to me. I quit I stopped going to church, I stopped reading the bible, I refused baptism. My friends parents hated me. They wouldn't allow me in their homes. My friends abandoned me, they shunned me. They avoided me at recess, I ate lunch alone. They walked ahead of me when we went home, and wouldn't even look at me.

It seemed that ever Mormon person pushed me out until I would allow god back into my life. But i didn't want it, I didn't belive it. My christian friends, though not in my school, didn't mind me not being religous.... and I have always been interested in christianism, but, after all that I went through in my child hood and part of my adoleacent life, I've lost faith, and I know that I have. I don't want to be associated with people who feel that men should control, I don't want to be friends to those that will not be friends to me for not embracing their religous belives. I know that not all religous people are like this.... I just don't think I can trust them again, religous people and friends.

If I try to embrace being a christian and befriend those in that religion and decide it isn't for me; and those people refuse to be friends with me, I'm not sure how I'd handle it. I don't want to go through losing that many friends again... it's just a fear I have, a mistrust. I don't trust any of my friends except one single one. All others I think could be making fun of me behind my back, I just have a hard time trusting thoughs close to me. As so many of my friends have turned out not to be friends, and god allowed this even when I was an active mormon.

I can't trust again. Not friends, not religous figures, not god. Even though I want to, I'm not sure if I should try.... to be religous. Should I?

Never judge a religion by peoples actions, judge it by it's teachings so you shouldn't mistrust a religion because others misused it. Understand that God is always there and He is not devious. If you search for God, you will find Him and He will lead you to the right path.

 

[Obdurate]

Dana, I do luv how you have to come in and ask, on every single serious thread, why in the world we are asking the forum this, as if we can't as the forum anything....

Communities aren't meant for things like helping each other, god.

 

[Stella]

Be spiritual first.

Seek religion only as reinforcement if you need it.

 

[GraceAbounds]

Never judge a religion by peoples actions, judge it by it's teachings so you shouldn't mistrust a religion because others misused it. Understand that God is always there and He is not devious. If you search for God, you will find Him and He will lead you to the right path.

:thumbup