What is your experience with religion?

[Z91]

I grew up Byzantine Catholic, my family went to church about 2-3 times a week plus I was going to school there as well from 4th to 6th grade. Now that I'm older it seemed more like a cult and that's why I don't believe you need to go to church to have a relationship with God so I would say I'm more spiritual than anything. 

[2K16NEY]

I was raised Catholic. My family stopped going to church when I was around 9. (when we moved from South Florida to Central Florida). 

I never really believed in God. I guess I've had moments where I questioned his existence but I never felt strongly about it. I just have always been more practical in my thinking... I prefer evidence based scientific proof of something. 

My best friend in high school was a Jehovah's Witness and in order to spend time with her, I had to go to church with her every weekend. I ended up getting bible studies for about a year and becoming close with her family and the people at her church. It was nice until it wasn't... the more I learned, the more I realized what an intense cult it was, and how much they dictated their lives. Anyway, when I went away for college, I completely left all that in the past. My best friend is no longer a JW after being banished for getting a divorce and smoking w33d. 

Currently, I have a friend at work that is very religious however he is much younger than me. He bought me a bible because he cares for me and doesn't want me to go to hell lol. I appreciated it as a kind gesture and I even tried to read it. I read parts of John and Genesis and it just sounds like a good book to me. I understand the need for something like this thousands of years ago when society was forming and people needed something to believe in - back before we had answers about things, people must have been terrified by storms, shooting stars, etc etc, I am sure the bible came at a good time when people needed meaning and science had not yet progressed. 

I don't judge people for it (unless you're being an arse to Britney like in the other post then I'll use it to be rude to you hehe) but honestly, it's just not for me. Most of whats mentioned in the book can be disproved anyway. The older I get, the more culty church feels like. 

But that aside, I do love visiting cathedrals. The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona was absolutely captivating. That cathedral alone felt like it was made from something godly. but it was just humans. We're pretty great aren't we (:

[princessmimi]

On 9/19/2023 at 2:22 PM, Zach F said:

I grew up Byzantine Catholic, my family went to church about 2-3 times a week plus I was going to school there as well from 4th to 6th grade. Now that I'm older it seemed more like a cult and that's why I don't believe you need to go to church to have a relationship with God so I would say I'm more spiritual than anything. 

Same.

I stopped going to church this year cause of this woman who was VERY cruel to me and she made me cry because she didn't agree with me on something plus she ALWAYS would tell me what to do and try to convert me and I got SICK of it!

I know that not all religious people are like that woman cause my mom is a wonderful woman of God but yeah I don't like the idea that you have to change who you are to go to Heaven.

I mean isn't God supposed to love and accept us for what we are?

How is a person like me who listens to Britney, wears makeup and likes to dress in a sxy, flirty way,  gonna go to hell over r.apists, killers and people who actually are evil?!

That is ridiculous!

Idk if that's sxism or truly how God feels but I like who I am,

why should I change for others?

[TwiggyStardust]

Religion is a man made construct and everything within it does not exist. It was created to instil fear and keep people in order. Religions that say “if you X and then because of that Y will happen” are the most fear-based man made constructs of them all — they aren’t Religions and there is no true “God” that exists within them.

IF some type of higher “God” exists then it made me just how I am supposed to be and won’t judge me for anything I’ve done, and in fact created the system of ideas I understand and chose to continue to believe and follow through with. 

[OneLife]

I am personally agnostic, I believe that there is something that created us for a certain purpose (and I believe that we lost this purpose a long time ago as humans, but that is another conversation). I don’t have a complete denial of the possible existence of God, but as long as it is not possible for humans and science to prove whether something like God, or any other spiritual thing that is beyond nature and sensory perception exists, I choose to live my life according to my choices of what is good and not good and not to live according to a certain belief.

[TTrouble]

I wouldn't call myself a believer, but I am fascinated by all religions and their practises.

Before christianity was forced on my country, my ancestors had their own gods of forest and lakes and even death, even fairies.

It was believed that you could find holyness from the forest and all of our ancient beliefs were tied to nature.

I feel more connected to those than christianity or any other religion.

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by TTrouble

[i sometimes sing live]

No, to institutionalized religion - I think faith should be a personal journey. Personally, I have no need for it in my life, but I think it can be a beautiful, powerful thing. Unfortunately, the majority of religious people are in a cult without realizing.

Edited September 20, 2023 by i sometimes sing live

[i sometimes sing live]

And this whole idea of a "one true God" is toxic, egotistic, and f-cked up. Anyone who subscribes to it is delusional (so, most Christians and Muslims). It's a damn shame too because Muslim cultures are so beautiful and fascinating.

Edited September 20, 2023 by i sometimes sing live