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I'm just disgusted by the church
I was raised to be Catholic. But the bible revolts me. It's sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and it even supports slavery and rape. And i don't believe. I don't. This wasn't my choice. I didn't choose to do this religion of hatred. But I'm scared of burning in hell. That's another thing, people join religions out of fear. But none of them are correct except maybe the Buddhist religion because it's more of a philosophy in my eyes. I've even thought about joining buddhism. Or even paganism/wiccanism just to spite everybody. And i like the idea of worshipping a visible nature and not an invisible God. Why is this religion so hateful? And what religion do you think o should be?
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Want to answer more questions in the Miscellaneous category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Spirituality?
One more opinion. The problem is the word "religion". Jesus never meant for people to belong to a religious belief system and thats not what He would wish. the truth is, our bodies are houses for our souls our spirits. So what is needed rather than a man formed belief system is for a person to develop spiritually. Being spiritual doesnt neccessarily mean a person has to belong to a religion or belief system or even a philosophy. For our spirit to develop, there's really very little required, only two things really. one is to develop a relationship with our creator, be able to recognize that source greater than us, much as we recognize that earthly male and female who gave us our earthly body for our spirit as Mom and Dad. Usually with a family, there is other relations, family members ranging from siblings to aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. We learn to love and care about them too. Well, thats number two of whats required in our spiritual growth which is to learn to love ALL other souls as our really giant family on a spiritual level. All souls were created by whatever we call and recognize Deity to be. What is more amazing, is that our Creator never meant for our spirit path of growth to be a one size, or one path fits all. We are all unique and at different stages sometimes in where we are at spiritually. So God/Goddess makes sure that we are set on a path that will help us best to learn and grow. Some people grow spiritually but don't recognize it as that. They wouldn't call themselves religious nor spiritual, and yet to the best of their ability they are actually learning and living a life in which they are loving and caring in practical ways for their fellow human being. take Mother Theresa as an example, instead of hanging with church folks, she spent her life among the poor doing what she could to help them. So we can find those who are on the right spiritual path no matter whether they are found in Christianity, Paganism, Buddhism, Hinduism etc... Another fact is that all of the beliefs that at least I am familiar with all seem to have some of the same truths and all have their own set of falsities, where there are misinterpretations, misunderstandings and outright lies. Not one religion or belief system is free of having its problems. Some are better than others but all do fall short. What is best is what everyone has been saying, that you find what works best for you. It doesnt have to have a name or be an organized system, for what works best for you may indeed have a unique path that has no label, such as the path I now walk. I started in the Christian church but now would say I have an eclectic belief system of my own. And I will admit that it has changed in some ways throughtout my spiritual growth thru-out my life. What my creator used to teach me in the past, I've grown beyond and don't necessarily beleive anymore as it was very limited in sight and understanding, I had to leave the church when I grew beyond what they all believe in. I met lots of different pagans and found they were as spiritual or even more so than lots of Christianity who are held back by fear.
So do I hate the organized Christian church? No, I don't, for once upon a time, I was there, believing the same stuff and yet the Divine loved me no less and patiently waiting for me to grow to a point where I was ready to learn something more spiritually, to grow at a rate I was able to handle and comfortable with. I used to never believe in reincarnation and do now because of the close relationship I have forged with my creator and being able to hear from Him/Her. It was in this way, a message was passed, just to me from the Divine that reincarnation was real. That may be my truth and may not be yours.
As for whether you need to fear Hell, I have my own ideas about that, and they clash with the God/Goddess I've come to know very well. My God is a loving parent who could never torture his children/souls who do not do as He wishes. My God also has joked with me at times, my God has a sense of humor and doesnt speak in King James but uses the vernacular that I use so it sounds like the way I would talk. My God isn't impatient or running a time schedule where I have to grow spiritually at a certain rate and so there are souls at all different levels of learning on the planet. So I see it as souls at anywhere from Kindergarten level of understanding to the more mature ones of H.S. and college level of understanding. You only need to believe that your Creator loves you and take steps now to get to know It. How do you get to know a friend at school, you meet and start talking. You talk about anything and everything and it certainly isn't religious talk. Do the same with the Creator. Talk to as you would talk to your parents, or friends. Talk about whats important to you. Ask for help and direction as you would your parents. Discuss what you believe and what you have problems with in the church teaches. Ask God what His take on it is. What does he want you to know for now and is there anything that He wants you to do next that is helpful in your spiritual growth. You wont hear back at first, and it will be a one way conversation for a long time but eventually your brain learns how to hear back, or perhaps its really your soul that learns how to tune in and it is so wonderful when you can hear your concerns answered and be built up with lots of loving messages when perhaps no one else loves you or believes the way you do. To know youre on the right path for just you, is a wonderful thing. I hope you find the path for you dear. As said, your parents role is to teach you what they believe is best for you. I understand if you are younger than 18 that you will at least need to go through the motions and attend but at the same time, what you actually believe and your silent thoughts as you sit in church, not listening to the sermon but having your own private conversation with God can be your first step towards finding your own spiritual path and God knows that. God is patient to wait for the time when you can do so fully.
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Religion is not a one size fit all subject. The quickest way to start an argument is to discuss religion. Between the time you are born until your 18th birthday you have little choice but to follow your parent's direction. They chose how they wish to raise you and what religion if any they wish to teach and raise you in.
As you get older and more self aware you may start to question things. Nothing wrong with questioning. Questions is the basis of learning. We learn nothing through blind faith. One of the things children of devout parents question most often is religion. This is the point you are at.
If you are over 18 by all means continue to question and learn about other religions to find the one that gives you the most peace and comfort. If you are under 18 you have a problem. You can still question and research other religions. To rebel against the religion you are raised in will be the problem.
Since you have not given your age I will for a moment assume you are not yet 18 years of age. For now continue to question and research other religions. I see no reason a parent would get upset with any child looking to learn about other religions. To be tolerant of another's religion we need to know more about it. Until your 18 to keep peace in the family you must at least pretend to practice your parents religion.
For if your parents are devotedly religious to do otherwise will cause them to take measure to force you to practice their religion. You don't need this thrust upon you when a bit of tolerance for their religious beliefs is all you need to show until you turn 18.
Why is this religion so hateful? I wish I had a good answer. The answer I like best is religion came before there were laws. Religion became the law and the laws were harshly enforced and condoned or did not condone many things we condone today. Am I right or wrong, I don't know but it is an answer I'm comfortable with for now.
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I think you've got a lot more research to do. Other people can't really tell you which faith will resonate with you. It's okay not to have the answers, but if you want to figure it out, you're going to have to do a lot of work yourself first before other people will be able to offer much insight.
The truth is that religion is only as hateful as the people practicing it. Most believers of all religions - including Catholics - skim over, ignore, or even flatly reject the worst things that obviously included in their holy texts or dogma. Religion is a tool that is often used to enforce the worst of human nature: xenophobia, tribalism, sexism, and all the other awful ways human beings have sought to control and shame others over the course of our history.
A funny thing happens when you truly stop believing in God, or heaven and hell. You recognize that religions don't come from any sort of God, that they are merely reflections of people. Sometimes religions reflect the best of people, kindness and charity, respect and mercy. And sometimes they reflect the worst.
Letting go of the anger at 'religion' or 'God' is important. I know there are many good paths to walk down in life, but choosing religion out of spite or anger isn't a path that'll lead to happiness. No matter where your learning leads you, do yourself a favour and look at the behaviours of individuals and groups, and don't get too hung up on the crazy things written by long dead men. Argue or disagree with the holy books or beliefs. Argue with people. Point out where they are wrong, or unloving, or just plain hateful. But don't fall into the trap of hating beliefs, or religions or Gods. These things are human constructions and ideas. They are only as good or bad as the people making use of them.
As people, we are responsible for what we choose to believe or choose to do. Religion should never be accepted as an excuse or explanation for hateful or discriminatory behaviour.
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The Church is beautiful. It teaches about Jesus, and how we can be like him. It's old fashioned for a reason. People today are losing sight of God and acting immorally because they think it's okay to act immorally. Anyway, unless you were raised Catholic, the Church is voluntary. Are you an adult? If so, I recommend being a practicing Catholic, but it's your choice where you want to be or not. And maybe you're interpreting the bible the wrong way, because that was written a looooong time ago and you have to kind of picture what the situations in the bible would be like today.
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Heres the problem ok, Catholicism is a religion thats VERY old, it has refused to change with the times and accept change and adapt to it.
What happens when the times change, and something refuses to? it gets left behind, deemed obsolete and tossed aside.
This religion is obsolete, no longer necessary because it was started basically as a way to guilt people into NOT acting like animals and it was a way to get people to think about the choices their making and made up alot of shit in loo of the laws we have NOW. We HAVE a system, an order, and a way of doing things in todays age that no longer needs a religion like that.
Look the basic human theme here is just TRY to be a good person, live a decent life, help people when you can and everything should work out in the end ok. You dont need all the answers to everything at every turn in life. Its a journey and you have control over the choices you make. We're all sort of a "work in progress"
I was raised (loosely) christian and thats what we were told the first week of sunday school and although i havent been to church in years i still hold that to be true. Only YOU know you, and if YOU know that you believe that we all go to a better place after we die then thats all that should matter.
It doesnt matter why some out of date religion is the way that it is. Its the VCR or ATRACK tape of our world today the world is a different place now.
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