Thread: Tell me about Religion.

I haven't studied many religions in depth, I only recently developed an intense interest in religion (any and all). I can tell you my experience.

I was "saved" (as a christian) when I was seven years old. I never really got into it, and felt terrible about that. I would pray every night for a month or so, because I felt I should, but I'd fizzle out and felt awful about it. I didn't feel comfortable praying, it always felt forced, I didn't feel close to God. I felt better afterwords but probably just because I felt like I was doing something I should be doing. I never really read the bible either, and I felt awful about that too.

I thought I was a terrible christian. but I was raised to believe that people are saved by faith and not by works, and I knew that although it was important to have a close relationship with God, my eternal soul did not depend on it. I took some comfort in that. if I thought about looking into any other religion, or questioned mine at all, it scared me. I thought it was wrong. my mother always told me that we should "keep from all appearences of evil." (that must be in the bible somewhere, I don't know.)

I suffered for years in my religion, with almost constant worry and stress. I'd forget about it for awhile, push it out of my mind, but then I felt guilty about doing that. but just a few months ago, I had a spiritual epiphany. I realized something (within christianity) that made me instantly drop all of my worries and fears. I won't go into detail about it, but basically the epiphany (actually I had another soon after it, that was like the second part) was about open-mindedness. all of my worries and fears were gone in an instant, I felt a deep sense of inner peace. at this point, I believe I was a true, deep christian, one that was very close to God. because my mind wasn't clouded with worries, I began to study other religions. first buddhism, then satanism, and slowly...more and more things in christianity seemed unreasonable to me. more and more things about it seemed ridiculous, unnecessary, even flat out untrue.

I didn't even want to be called a christian anymore, and indeed, I don't consider myself one now. that would probably shock the majority of christians, but I believe that God and the message of Christ are more important than the title "christian" and all of the symbols. I believe christianity has, for the most part, become the opposite of what it should be. and if I disagree with most christians, why would I want to call myself one? but don't get me wrong, I came to my current understanding through christianity, and a certain few bible verses. but most christians are holding onto a set of beliefs and refusing to think them over, and they're hurting themselves, and others. I don't know why.

as for other religions, the only other two I've really looked at, as deeply as one can in just a couple of months, are buddhism and satanism. I like satanism (not LaVeyan satanism), it seems to me to be more what christianity should be (imagine that). I like to consider myself a "Philosophical Satanist", whatever that is. I just saw it somewhere, couldn't find a definition, but it sounds right. I really think buddhism has it right though, and I'm really getting into studying it. it's so much deeper than christianity.

to answer your question, "What does it feel like for a person to go to church and pray?" I never really liked going to church, and still don't. I've started going again recently, but more to influence people there, than to get anything. I've only been a couple weeks now but I'm trying to get the sunday school teacher of my group to start talking about deeper things. I love sunday school, not crazy about the sermon thing. in sunday shcool you are in a group and you have a chance to share your ideas and discuss things with others, in a sermon you just listen to one big message prepared by some guy that may or may not be led by God. and all the standing and sitting, and the songs are terrible (imo)...I've only been to baptist churches though, I went to one methodist and that was horrible. I wouldn't go near a catholic church, they're so ritualistic and rigid.

about praying, like I said I didn't feel close to God in the first several years as a christian, it was awkward and forced. and after the epiphany, I felt so close to God that prayer just seemed unnecessary. it was like I was already praying all the time. I don't bother at all with it now, I know nothing is listening and it doesn't matter. some people will disagree but that is my understanding.

I hope my contribution helps with your questions some. if there's something more you want to ask, please do. like I said, I'm intensely interested in religion. (and I'm going to keep studying all of them all that I can, which I think is something everyone should do, instead of closing themselves up in just one. even if they lean into a certain one, they should still study others, instead of calling them stupid while knowing little about them.)

Most people I know have come to develop their own personal reasons for going to church, praying, and believing. Some are depressed; the faith and rituals give them a sense of constancy and solace, or a sense that justice shall be given to them. Others have few worries; their faith is more or less driven by social circumstances, and are much more concerned with their personal lives. A few have studied religion and thought about it. They seem to either find new meaning in religion, or abandon it.

I used to imagine that I had a divine purpose, and that prayer and church were opportunities to hear the voice of God in my heart. I have since become an agnostic, and church is for me only a place to be together with my family in a meditative ceremony. I enjoy it more now than I ever did.

This is really great information! Thank you for sharing your experiences

You gave me some things to think about, I'll have to come up with more detailed questions...

I want to say something, too.

I used to never ever meditate even though I knew it was good for me since I was like... eight because my aunt and uncle talked about it a lot. It just never seemed important, but now meditation is the only spiritual ritual I have. If I don't do it, I start getting frustrated and confused, and when I think back to before I did it regularly, I realize just how confused and frustrated I used to be.

But I have no religion, I never liked the idea of a flock for one's faith, it seemed like something that stems from a need to access spirituality without confronting fear of adversity, but as the worlde is naturally prone to the material, one cannot embrace spirituality without confronting at least a little adversity. Even Buddhism is mostly incorrect, the doctrines are interpreted falsely just as in Christianity. They have replaced the truth of giving love with empty symbols and empty rituals.

There are millions of people of different religions I would consider in my "flock" though because I hope to commit myself to giving love and letting go of unhealthy desires as they do. One day, maybe a few lifetimes from now, I hope to become a Boddhisattva so I can repay all the help I've been given from epople to realize spiritual truth.

Originally Posted by Omnius Deus

I want to say something, too.

I used to never ever meditate even though I knew it was good for me since I was like... eight because my aunt and uncle talked about it a lot. It just never seemed important, but now meditation is the only spiritual ritual I have. If I don't do it, I start getting frustrated and confused, and when I think back to before I did it regularly, I realize just how confused and frustrated I used to be.

But I have no religion, I never liked the idea of a flock for one's faith, it seemed like something that stems from a need to access spirituality without confronting fear of adversity, but as the worlde is naturally prone to the material, one cannot embrace spirituality without confronting at least a little adversity. Even Buddhism is mostly incorrect, the doctrines are interpreted falsely just as in Christianity. They have replaced the truth of giving love with empty symbols and empty rituals.

There are millions of people of different religions I would consider in my "flock" though because I hope to commit myself to giving love and letting go of unhealthy desires as they do. One day, maybe a few lifetimes from now, I hope to become a Boddhisattva so I can repay all the help I've been given from epople to realize spiritual truth.

Agreed.

Though, rituals and symbols have meaning... if they are given meaning.

As does everything.

A means to a product.

cloudWalker

Indeed, perhaps I am talking about a fundamental idea of religion, for example I personally believe there is a "religion" of Buddhism and a idea of Buddhism, some find a path of ritualized worship-like following and others use the message in their day to day lives. It's just your path of choice, I think the mejority of religions have the same underlying meaning.

That's how I always thought of the bible - a fictionalized account of the lives of many to discourage general evil-doing. Strangely I don't think it's that far fetched their was a person known as Jesus, although I hardly believe in the all the hocus pocus that was written about him.

It seems to me that people take their religion as how they were raised to take it: with a grain of salt, as a lifestyle, or as their earthy punishment perhaps...

Re: Meditation
I can relate, but what is very interesting to me is speaking with those who believe it is a deep spiritual / enlightening / what-have-you experience and those who do it recreationally. Why find attachment to an idea when your supposed to be clearing your mind?

Originally Posted by lag

Indeed, perhaps I am talking about a fundamental idea of religion, for example I personally believe there is a "religion" of Buddhism and a idea of Buddhism, some find a path of ritualized worship-like following and others use the message in their day to day lives. It's just your path of choice, I think the mejority of religions have the same underlying meaning.

That's how I always thought of the bible - a fictionalized account of the lives of many to discourage general evil-doing. Strangely I don't think it's that far fetched their was a person known as Jesus, although I hardly believe in the all the hocus pocus that was written about him.

It seems to me that people take their religion as how they were raised to take it: with a grain of salt, as a lifestyle, or as their earthy punishment perhaps...

Re: Meditation
I can relate, but what is very interesting to me is speaking with those who believe it is a deep spiritual / enlightening / what-have-you experience and those who do it recreationally. Why find attachment to an idea when your supposed to be clearing your mind?

The true purpose of meditation, has always been through history, to find the inner self.
Not just to clear your mind.
That is a byproduct of the techniques.
Bliss is the product of deeper meditation.
Enlightenment, is when you truly discover your inner self, and realize the universe, within yourself.

That has been the purpose for meditation, for thousands of years.

Jesus, was enlightened, just as Gautama Buddha was.

They showed no hate, nor negative emotion. Only the greatest love and compassion, that this world has currently ever seen.

cloudWalker

This was written last winter while on an inward meditative journey, perhaps it may be of some use.

26-Sacred Teachings and Religion


Sacred Teachings are present all over the world within all
developed religions of all peoples. There are many different
cultures therefore many different forms of Teaching. All are
signposts on a vast net of roads leading to the same Enlightenment.
No two people find the path of Enlightenment by using the exact
same roadways.
Sacred Teaching is the product of the Divine, the true Self.
Religion is a product of the ego, the false self.
Sacred Teaching is present within every religion that exists. Every
religion that exists is a covering over the Sacred teachings present
within.
Sacred Teaching focuses awareness within on the realities of the
higher Self. Religion focuses awareness outward on external
objects and concepts of the lower self.
Sacred Teaching will always lead to the path of Enlightenment.
Religion will always be an obstacle to finding the path of
Enlightenment.
Sacred Teaching serves to set us free. Religion serves to keep us
trapped.
Sacred Teaching is an essence that is inherent to our higher selves.
It is already within but unrecognized. Once we start shifting our
consciousness towards the presence of awareness within, we begin
to recognized the essence of the teachings within our very Selves.
Once we recognize the essence of Sacred teaching within ourselves
we can then begin to see and recognize such in everything spoken
and written in the world. This is a precursor to being able to see
our true nature, not only within ourselves, but within all other
beings as well.