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Family Feud About Religion
So, in my family, mainly everyone is Catholic.
I feel like an outsider because I just recently had an epiphany that the Christian faith, and religion in general, just isn't for me...
Well, I told my family that I still believed in God, but I didn't believe in religion because I believed in simplicity and don't really like fundamentalism.
I don't like how priests, popes, bishops, .etc speak for God. It just doesn't seem right. I also don't like it when we all come home from Church and my parents are talking about what the priest said during the homily, or something like that, but they never ever say what God said at Church.
I just feel really tied down and confused right now.
I told them about this and they totally flipped out. They gave me the whole, "While you live under this roof, you'll believe what we believe" lecture.
What should I do? I feel as though I should be given at least a little portion of freedom.
I'm just so confused right now.
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Want to answer more questions in the Miscellaneous category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Spirituality?
I don't know your family personally, but I do recognize when a person (like you) is trying to seek out truth and feels tied down by all the man-made traditions of religion. Been there. Down that.
Being a Christian is having a personal relationship with God through Jesus. It's not a list of do's and don'ts. It's not going to church. It's not saying hail Marys. It's not saying meaningless redundant prayers. It's not religion; it's relationship.
I encourage you to seek out a RELATIONSHIP with God. Although your parents need to be honored for the fact that they are your parents, they have no control over your heart. That is where your freedom is. You can give your heart to God by accepting His free gift of grace through Jesus.
Read the Bible yourself and match everything you hear preached to what it says in the Bible. The Bible will ALWAYS be right.
Fundamental is simple. Fundamental means you base your beliefs on something. In the case of a TRUE Christian, the beliefs are based on the Bible. The thing is, so many people who call themselves Christians don't know what they believe because they don't know what the Bible says. Below is a link to an online Bible if you don't have one to read. Start in the book of John. This will give you the truth about Jesus. The book of James will give you a pattern of how to live the Christian life. And ask me anything you want; I'd love to help you understand.
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
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You have more freedom then you think. If you believe there is a God, and you don't like how preist and popes speak to God, you could try praying to him yourself. You are very smart, figuring out what you believe for yourself, so you shouldn't feel bad. Look deeper into what you believe, read the bible, talk to God. I am a christian, but I don't believe in denomination, I believe the bible is absolute truth, and sometimes denominations, like catholics can take away truth from that, and even baptist. So just try to figure out what YOU believe, rather than what your parents say. It will get you much futher!
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Sometimes those who say they are Christian act nothing at all like it. Would a real Christian, priest, bishop or anyone for that matter force you to believe something you don't feel comfortable with? That's not right and against Jesus's teachings in my mind when it comes to passing judgment. That's my opinion though.
My recommendation is to silently worship God if you choose to in whatever faith you want or not at all and keep your beliefs to yourself so as not to cause strife at home. It's silly and down right dumb to get into a fight over what you believe and or to defend it to others.
If you're really smart I would talk to those priests, bishops, teachers in catholic school and tell them what you believe. They won't agree with it but you'll find they won't judge either. They should talk to your parents about freedom of religion at any age.
Your parents have no right to tell you how to worship God or what to believe whether you live under their roof or not. Keep searching for what you feel is right for you not for what would please them or get them to shut up about what they think.
The thing is (it's not true of all but some) that fundamentalists can only see their view of their religion and everything else as wrong and they try to force their beliefs on others. In your case this is very true.
I would hold your own beliefs and not talk any further about religion with them as you can't win an argument with people who won't see.
You won't go to hell or have something dreadful happen either for turning away from something you feel isn't right. At least you can question what you're taught and stand for something you believe is right.
Your parents can't control the thoughts in your head and nor should they try to or impose their will. If you were doing something or believing something harmful (cult) it's a different matter.
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No one can deny your beliefs. Just as, you should not doubt those of your parents. You've said how you feel and you should not say anything more about what is wrong with their religion of choice. However, you can let them know that you will be respectful of their beliefs. They need to understand that they can not invest a belief in you if you have ones of your own.
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