On the Subject of Religion (loose extension of the angel post)

[Kubash16]

Religion has been a complicated and confusing thing for me growing up as well as in adulthood. I know my T is religious (I don’t know what denomination) but I there’s been so many other things to talk about we haven’t gotten there yet.

I grew up originally in the Seventh Day Adventist church but remember very little of it other than being bored sitting in church all morning lol. At my moms and several other people’s homes that I lived at there was nothing whatsoever. Towards the end of his life my dad got upset with the church for some reason and decided to start his own which definitely didn’t take off. I lived with an absolutely wonderful couple when I was 17/18 and they baptized me into the Mormon church. I loved it. At that particular ward anyway. The wards near me just don’t have the same feeling. So I don’t really feel like I belong anywhere, you know?

I also struggle with the concept of God in general. The concept that he is all knowing/has a specific plan baffles me because quite frankly if I have all this power to create a world why would I want to already know the ending, why wouldn’t I just let them loose and see what happens? It’d be much more fun.

I have heard a lot of people in all sorts of religions have all these encounters with angelic/paranormal/somethings and I just haven’t had that whatsoever and I don’t know that I would even recognize it if I did without my skeptical brain autocorrecting to something much more human.

Without any judgement on anyone’s takes, what are y’all’s views on religion/higher power? And any advice on how I can figure what it is I believe? Because I don’t know.

 

[somerandomguy]

Atheist unite!!
:)

 

[Kubash16]

Atheist unite!!
:)

Thanks!

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

Kubash.

I began my quest to find out what I wanted to believe from age 8.
My grandparents were protestant. I got sidetracked and read the Bhagavad Gita at 16.

Read as many spiritually inclined articles that you can find. Don´t read entire libraries. Read bits and pieces.
You are inclined to seek for something, so you will find something.

Eventually I ended up believing in several religions - not religious though.
Religions simply profess a message that you can then interpret through your own eyes.

I believe God is in everything and we are all God.
Energy is everywhere.

 

[Lionheart]

I would recommend learning the basics of the different major religions and spiritual paths and seeing what they each have in common This then can form a foundation for your religious / spiritual beliefs. From my own experience the major commonality of all major religions is love, but this is just my interpretation. You may find yours is different.

 

[Changing4Best]

The Bible says that God is Love. (1 John 4:8 New International Version).

 

[Kubash16]

The Bible says that God is Love. (1 John 4:8 New International Version).

Which is great and all if I choose the more Christian route. I was raised in more Christian denominations yes but to be frank when I think of believing in God I think of some really pent up anger over being forgotten. My primary emotion over him is pain and being furious because where the h*ll was he?

Sorry I’m not picking a fight with you I promise. It’s just that’s where my head is at with religion and that’s why I was curious to explore other avenues. I think your reply here is actually to Lionheart but it’s not super helpful I’m sorry.

 

[Changing4Best]

Sorry. Maybe you might want to check out Unitarianism. That is a religion that explores a lot of different faiths and ideas about religion. And yes, I do understand your feelings. I too sometimes wonder where God was when I was being molested. I have no answers to that.

 

[EveHarrington]

If God is/was about anything other than love, sad to say I’d be afraid of people who follow such a god. Why would you not want god to be love?

I think you want god to be more than he actually is, and this is the problem with most Christian denominations. They believe in far more than the basics, which inevitably leaves people feeling angry and empty.