Connecting to a religion

[confused2007]

I'm in a phase of life, now that I'm on my own, where I'm starting to think a lot about religion, God, how and why we're here, etc. Transitioning to a 'spiritual' frame of mind, if you will.

 

My parents were never religous, nor most of my friends.

 

I guess my question is where do you begin in searching for a religion (Or absense of religion for Atheists) that connects with you? How did you'll begin to believe in what you believe in? What, if anything specific, made that religion connect with you?

 

My way of thinking is more analytical and logical for the most part.

 

One thing that makes any religion difficult for me to believe, is the filters the verses have been channeled down leaving you with an interpretated watered-down message. I feel for me to start I would have to translate the original greek/hebrew verses in order to have an educated and well informed opinion. But, I don't know Greek/Hebrew, which is why I haven't started to educate myself.

 

Thanks for reading this and I look forward to your replies.

[Lovelybird]

I was an atheist VERY MUCH. My conversion to Christianity was because of supernature power of God, something that logic and analysis cannot possibly explain. My connection to my belief is through relationship with Lord. It is more clearly to say this way. When you approach a lover, you won't use logic and analysis, you approach a lover by knowing her/him, and fellowship with her/him and communicating with her/him. Only use logic to approach a lover will turn out completely failure. It is the same with God.

 

Before you have relationship with God, first you have to know who He is, know his words, like you approach a lover, you want to know her/him, and talk to her/him, in the beginning it is casual dating. After you knowing her/him well, you find yourself fall in love with her/him deeper each day, at this stage you know her/his charactors, you build up some trust for her/him, she/he proved self to you they are very reliable. Of course, like any other relationships, there are doubts, waving, tough times, even sometimes you think that they leave you. The big difference from other relationship with human is that God is perfect, He never leaves, He never makes mistakes.

 

What can make us to have this kind of relationship with God? by reading the words of God, and by being baptised by Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is a powerful spirit who have feelings, He testify what Lord said and He reveals who God is, what God wants us to do, what God's mind is, what God's charactors are

[shadowofman]

I was born an atheist, until may family told me there was a god. I assumed this until I was old enough to question it. Now I am back to have no evidence of god. My specific morality is my own and arguably more "Christian" then most (whatever that means). My interests are in absolute truths like many religions, but I choose science as the best method of observation.

 

I would like to believe that even if I were born in Medieval Days, I would have turned out as much of a skeptic, but I'm not sure. I assume that I would have been burned. I suppose you can say that I am a skeptic because of my disagreements with the norm. I am fairly inclined homosexuality. I'm a social-anarchist. A sub-cultural person all around.

[Enema]

Since you get equal amounts of benefit from most mainstream religions, I suggest choosing your new faith purely on their comparative values.

 

You mentioned you're alone, so I assume you also want a girlfriend. Visit a number of local religions and take notes:

 

1) Ratio of hot:ugly girls at the religion

2) Ratio of guys:girls at the religion

3) Stance on premarital sex of the religion

4) Expected tithes

5) Expected time investment

6) Will you have to do weird things (speaking in tongues)

 

After you've tallied up the results for a few local churches it should be pretty clear which one is for you.

 

You're welcome.

[confused2007]

I was an atheist VERY MUCH. My conversion to Christianity was because of supernature power of God, something that logic and analysis cannot possibly explain. My connection to my belief is through relationship with Lord. It is more clearly to say this way. When you approach a lover, you won't use logic and analysis, you approach a lover by knowing her/him, and fellowship with her/him and communicating with her/him. Only use logic to approach a lover will turn out completely failure. It is the same with God.

 

Maybe this is why I'm single

 

Before you have relationship with God, first you have to know who He is, know his words, like you approach a lover, you want to know her/him, and talk to her/him, in the beginning it is casual dating. After you knowing her/him well, you find yourself fall in love with her/him deeper each day, at this stage you know her/his charactors, you build up some trust for her/him, she/he proved self to you they are very reliable. Of course, like any other relationships, there are doubts, waving, tough times, even sometimes you think that they leave you. The big difference from other relationship with human is that God is perfect, He never leaves, He never makes mistakes.

 

Thanks for bringing up this mentality to me. It's just hard, unfortunately, for me to consider God in this light. I WANT to believe in God, have a relationship with him, etc. but I cannot force this onto me. i have to BELIEVE it first. That's where I have trouble and it goes back to my original post.

[confused2007]

I was born an atheist, until may family told me there was a god. I assumed this until I was old enough to question it. Now I am back to have no evidence of god. My specific morality is my own and arguably more "Christian" then most (whatever that means). My interests are in absolute truths like many religions, but I choose science as the best method of observation.

 

I would like to believe that even if I were born in Medieval Days, I would have turned out as much of a skeptic, but I'm not sure. I assume that I would have been burned. I suppose you can say that I am a skeptic because of my disagreements with the norm. I am fairly inclined homosexuality. I'm a social-anarchist. A sub-cultural person all around.

 

I think my style of thinking lines up more so with yours less the inclined homosexuality.

[confused2007]

Since you get equal amounts of benefit from most mainstream religions, I suggest choosing your new faith purely on their comparative values.

 

You mentioned you're alone, so I assume you also want a girlfriend. Visit a number of local religions and take notes:

 

1) Ratio of hot:ugly girls at the religion

2) Ratio of guys:girls at the religion

3) Stance on premarital sex of the religion

4) Expected tithes

5) Expected time investment

6) Will you have to do weird things (speaking in tongues)

 

After you've tallied up the results for a few local churches it should be pretty clear which one is for you.

 

You're welcome.

 

When I mentioned "I'm on my own" in my original post, I meant away from my parents - so I'm fairly young in a soul-searching period of life. But, I am single too. Happily single as of now. And I do like your list

[SeraBella]

Enema mentions tithes and time investment, and I have to say that these are both huge things I would not really probably have considered on my own if I was "shopping" for faith, but now that he's mentioned it they are probably two major things I think should be considered

 

I used to have a client that was also my boss's friend. The church his family belonged to expected at least 20% tithe to the church. I only noticed this because I was looking at his financial records and was kind of "impressed" that when it down to it, he had donated 20% of his annual income...to the dollar...to the church. He had made other donations to some charities as well, but I was just blown away. Especially since he was only 30 yrs old (most of our clients around that age didn't donate much) with had 5 young children. And a lot of our wealthy clients donated, but most of their large donations were to research charities usually rather than a church.

 

So I mentioned it to my boss (just being nosey - but it's good to be nosey in my field) and my boss told me that his church expects that. And they are very involved in your personal matters, including income, and the entire "community" looks poorly upon you if you don't tithe at least that.

 

They also expected all wives to be stay at home moms and to donate their free time to church functions and activities. Once couples were married they were expected to procreate. If a woman wasn't pregnant in the first year, it was assumed they were having fertility issues.

 

It wasn't a cult, but when hearing about it, it definitely reminded you of one in some ways (obviously not all listed). But the followers were very devoted.

 

Personally, I can't say I'd want to be a part of that, but they seemed like a very content and satisfied family.

 

So, yeah, I think those are some important things to look in to.

[Moose]

41.Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.

42.But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

43.Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.

44.They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."

 

It doesn't matter how much we give as long as it's given joyfully.......

[quankanne]

OP, it's less about "picking" a religion and more about opening yourself up to God. Religion is merely the vehicle on the faith journey ... so the journey is the truly important part.

 

however, to grow, we often want to surround ourselves with people of like interests or beliefs, thus we get involved in church communities. If intellectualism appeals to you, look at the early churches - Judaism, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican - they have a treasure trove of writings of believers from many different centuries. If you are looking for something more visceral, consider the evangelical communities (assuming you're interested in Judeo-Christian faith backgrounds), which really get into worship & praise on a grassroots level.

 

there's really a lot of good stuff out there, you need only to keep an open mind about what you read, hear, look at as you find the "perfect match."

 

one thing I cannot stress enough is that you are loved. No matter how "bad" you think you are, no matter how unworthy - or overconfident or jaded or hateful or disinterested - you believe yourself to be, God loves you precisely because you are His. Nothing you do or say can keep you apart from him, because that love supercedes anything else that's going on.

 

so as you search, keep this in mind, and be prayerful. He is constant, he is true, and nothing but nothing will make Him ever stop loving you!

 

God bless,

quank

[annieo]

Do a lot of reading, go to different services/places of worship and get a feel for things. And remember, you can be spiritual and believe in a higher power without being part of a group.

No organized religion has ever been a perfect fit for me. I am Catholic, born one but not raised, as my parents had serious misgivings about some of the attitudes/beliefs/pronouncements from the Vatican (as do I - I'm what's known as a "cafeteria Catholic", I pick the stuff I like, ignore the rest as best I can). Don't become a Catholic unless you are a saint, or enjoy guilt, btw.

Pagans/wiccans also believe in an unknowable spirit that governs the universe, as well as nature entities that more directly influence human life. I also find that appealing, and many of their holidays mesh with the Christian ones (as well as Catholic practices, candles, colour symbology, incense, saints to replace the gods/godesses/nature spirits).

Enjoy the journey and keep an open mind!