A religion/social question

[poolking]

I haven't been to church for several years and haven't really seriously studied a bible since I was 14.

I put this down to discovering other things in life, like going out and enjoying yourself.

Maybe re-discovering religion will mellow out my angry moods towards others.


Has anyone else had this happen to them, where religion has taken a back seat to a social life?

[I, Brian]

Religion was never a part of my own life, though I've always been attracted to theology in general.

I never understood what the term "spiritual" meant either - not truly. It sounded like defeatism. I guess it took my life to fall apart for a while, and my previous worldview to come slowly crashing down, to really open my mind to such concepts with a new and interesting perception.

Myabe religion can help you mellow out - at least, in terms of giving you a focus to work with, which must certainly be of use.

But, essentially, I would suspect that there are more formative issues - the real cause(s), from which the anger is merely a sympomatic expression.

In other words, there's a personal struggle within to be resolved, and I'm not sure that reading or believing will change that - I'd personally suggest that your life experience will shape you towards a certain resolution on the issue. What happens after then...

As for having a social life and going out - got boring, I didn't like myself drunk (I had to get drunk when drinking) - so I gave up alcohol. More likely, it's a sign of my getting old.

[WHKeith]

I can relate to that, Poolking. I became a Bible-toting fundamentalist Christian when I was 20, and remained so for the next ten years. After that time—and a move away from the church my wife and I thought of as home—Nina and I both gradually fell away into, first, a comfortably nostalgic inactive Christianity, then a relatively uncaring agnosticism, thence to atheism, and then, startlingly and unexpectedly, to where we are now—witches!

A lot of my initial slide arose from a combination of not being able to find a comfortable church “home” plus other things—a horrendously busy schedule, mostly—taking precedence. Those Sunday mornings were way too precious as time for writing to spend them in an uncomfortable pew listening to uncomfortable sermons! Also—our daughter, then about 9, announced that she couldn’t agree with what we believed, and had, for some time, considered herself to be an atheist. We praised her for her courage and honesty, then went on to seriously examine what WE believed, what we were still clinging to in the way of church belief. That re-examination was what led us to agnosticism.

There was also a period in there, somewhere, where my examination of my beliefs led me to SERIOUSLY re-evaluate certain things I believed about the authority of the Bible.know the verses. You know the verses--the ones in the O.T. that make God look like a sadistic mass-murdering monster who goes along with rape and bashing out the brains of babies but who kills His believers if they get the ritual wrong. That, coupled with some attitude issues I’d developed about God in general and the way He chose to run the planet and my life, led me to atheism. As I told several friends at that point in my life—if I believed in God, I’d have to hate Him. Not believing in Him at all was healthier.

Our daughter now, by the way, is a witch and a devotee of ceremonial magick, so, in a sense, she led the way for us again, getting us to examine what we really believed. We met some witches, discovered a whole new way to look at religion and at personal responsibility, and took off in an entirely new direction.

And I must say, it’s wonderful to be able to believe in something once again, even if some of our old friends believe now that we are headed straight for Hell!.

[louis]

[quote=I, Brian]Religion was never a part of my own life, though I've always been attracted to theology in general.

I never understood what the term "spiritual" meant either - not truly. It sounded like defeatism. I guess it took my life to fall apart for a while, and my previous worldview to come slowly crashing down, to really open my mind to such concepts with a new and interesting perception.

From Louis....

Religion was never a part of my own life either - nor have I ever been
attracted to it. But it's a part of "other people's" lives and since I have
chosen to live in a city, ( because of the conveniences available )
I need to at least "make allowance" for the way others think.
Peolple have always been a puzzle to me - and "believing" is the most
puzzling thing they do. I understand hypocrites - they're just "going along"
to fit in. Then there are the "wishful thinkers" - those who have given up
trying to make their "Earthly" lives work and are hoping for a second
chance in Heaven. And the insecure/guilty "superstitous" people who
project their own fears onto the "unknown" ( Hell ).
I've tried to rationalize it as an aspect of "group" mentality ( herd instinct)
the need to "belong" or feel part of something bigger ( like a family) ...
even if they have to invent something artificial. ( society / church )
And because the Group (majority) sets the rules, They see that need
as Normal and universal. (It's NOT ! )
There is also room for people like me - misfits,loners, pioneers, innovators -
individuals who feel no need to "fit in".
Group thinkers don't really understand us because the only solitary people
they see are the OUTCASTS - individuals CREATED by the group because
they don't LOOK right or ACT right - sometimes through no fault of their own.
Just a reminder - ALL their religious leaders started out as "loners" - who
didn't fit in until their ideas became institutionalized into "churches".
Sorry for the rant - got carried away....

[I, Brian]

Indeed, quite right, Louis - and don;t forget that not everyone who professes an experience of Divinity and the Spiritual is necessarily doing so because of any form of group pressure - in fact, often quite the opposite. There are perhaps poineers in all expressions of theological (or not!) thinking.

[Avinash]

Originally Posted by louis

Religion was never a part of my own life either - nor have I ever been
attracted to it.

I wasn't raised with religion nor do I like it now but I always found myself attracted to metaphysical philosophy and its relation to religion, theology and spirituality.

Most people think that you have religious people and you have atheists or agnostics but I am neither. Religion is a group thing. I think there's nothing wrong with finding like-minded people that can help you follow the path you have chosen. Even if you don't believe in religion, choosing a group of like-minded people can help you lead a harmonious and fulfilling life.