For the religous

[Explorer]

Hello,

 

I'm interested in hearing the background of the believers (Regardless of religion). Meaning, at what point did it hit you that your religion was The One. Was it an epiphany? Were your parents religous? Has the strength of your faith been consistent throughout its birth? What's your personality like - are you more analytical or emotional?

 

I ask these questions wondering if my background and personality affect my ability to believe. My parents and friends growing up weren't religous and the handful of times that I went to church was more awkward than comforting. I have a hard time putting my faith into anything that doesn't have a solid basis. I'm rational and analytical.

 

On another note, some of the happiest people I've ever met were religous. Of which they also had no doubt that their God was the only one. Because of my skepticism, I have a hard time putting my 100% faith into anything. For the sake of being as happy as they are, I wish I could turn off my personality.

[TaraMaiden]

I'm Buddhist.

No God.

Does that count, or are you seeking input purely from Theistic religions?

 

No offence intended, and none, for that matter, taken, if you don't want my input.....

 

[Pedigree]

Hello,

 

I'm interested in hearing the background of the believers (Regardless of religion). Meaning, at what point did it hit you that your religion was The One. Was it an epiphany? Were your parents religous? Has the strength of your faith been consistent throughout its birth? What's your personality like - are you more analytical or emotional?

 

I'm Catholic.

 

There was never a point where it hit me that my religion was the one. I was baptized into it and would go to Church every Sunday. I would say that my family and I are from the moderate or even liberal wing of the religion. By that I mean we adhere to "Judge not less thee be judged" but do not take literally that the world was created in 6 days.

 

Has my faith being consistent throughout? I would say that I was more religious as a kid than I do as an adult simply for the fact that I just took in all the information no questions asked.

 

Probably started asking questions when I was 16-17.

 

Partly theological questions like "Why did God bother to create the world if He knew that it will bring Him trouble?" "Isn't that megalomania for someone to create a world with problems and then come down Himself to play the role of Savior?"

 

Partly out of disillusionment towards people in my Parish who are only religious in the Church but who are not religious outside of it.

 

Partly because the Church's pronouncements on things like divorce and abortion stands in the way of individual choice.

 

At present, I have love-hate relationship with my faith. I don't go to Church anymore aside from Christmas and Easter but still read the Bible and try my best to adhere to Jesus' teachings. I ask questions of God and the Church but would get angry when people take shots at the Pope.

[caramel c]

I'm Catholic. Both parents are Catholic. I grew up going to church every sunday and had catechism (sunday school) once a week until high school.

 

During my 20s I fell away from faith. I never denied it or challenged that God existed, but I did not participate. Recently, I had a relationship with a guy who I asked to help me with my reading of the bible. He did, and when we got together to discuss our reading, we had a beautiful way of relating it to our daily lives. He already had a strong relationship with God and with his help, I developed my own. I don't know how to explain it to you, but it's the best thing I have ever done. There is no going back.

 

I know I am not perfect or better than anybody else, but I now am beginning to understand why things are the way they are. Now, I hear the voice of God, not in my ears but in his own way he answers my prayers all the time. I haven't always made the right decisions, and I am still going to mess up, but my faith will not allow me to fall too far off track.

 

These days, I don't worry as much as I did before. I learned to be patient, humble, gracious. I have forgiven people I never thought I would have ever forgiven for what they have done to me. I have become a better person, a happier person.

[RA1]

Hello,

 

I'm interested in hearing the background of the believers (Regardless of religion). Meaning, at what point did it hit you that your religion was The One. Was it an epiphany? Were your parents religous? Has the strength of your faith been consistent throughout its birth? What's your personality like - are you more analytical or emotional?

 

I ask these questions wondering if my background and personality affect my ability to believe.

I've come to this thread rather late because when I first saw it, I was put off by the subject "for the religious'. I'm not religious (now) but I will answer anyway.

 

Of course background affects ability to believe! Why else would nearly all people choose the religion of their parents or country?

 

When I was a child, I fully accepted religion as taught by my parents and my school (though we didn't go to church on a regular basis). I ceased to believe at the age of about 12 as a result of debating religion with other children of my age. I am deeply analytical. I had an "epiphany" that caused me to cease to believe. I realized that religion was a matter of faith not analysis and that wasn't good enough for me. One can have faith in anything no matter how ludicrous to other people. An analysis on the other hand is open to scrutiny and acceptance or rejection based on the weight of the evidence.

 

My life was divided into two phases: (1) uncritical acceptance of what I was taught, and (2) a resolve to only believe what is likely to be true based on weight of evidence and analysis (i.e. faith playing no part). And that made me an atheist.

[RA1]

Partly theological questions like "Why did God bother to create the world if He knew that it will bring Him trouble?" "Isn't that megalomania for someone to create a world with problems and then come down Himself to play the role of Savior?"

That is a wonderfully intelligent argument that I hadn't heard or thought of before!

 

According to the Bible, God didn't involve himself with people until a few thousand years ago when he got involved with the people of the Middle East. And he hasn't involved himself much since or anywhere else according to reliable accounts. Yet the universe is 13 billion years old and the earth 4.5 billion. Of course, people (homo sapiens) didn't exist until 200,000 years ago. I find it hard to understand why God would be so preoccupied with people, who didn't exist in his creation till recent times. If the time from the creation of the universe to the present day is compared to the length of my arm, the duration of human existence is equivalent to a fingernail scraping (not my analogy but a paraphrase of something I read once). Why doesn't the Bible provide any insights into what happened before people existed? Because it was written by people and they only cared about people and not about the big picture, in which people came into the scene only very recently on the scale of the universe?

[dunstable]

Because of my skepticism, I have a hard time putting my 100% faith into anything. For the sake of being as happy as they are, I wish I could turn off my personality.

Don't worry about it. Accept your personality. It is your views that matter and not those of anyone else.

 

I do understand the need to feel that one is a part of a larger entity. If you want, follow the religious rites of your ancestors or your community to feel part of that community or culture, but don't ever try to persuade yourself that what you feel in your heart is false -- chances are that what you feel in your heart is exactly right, at least for you. (There are no absoltue right or wrongs, we are all just making our best guesses.)

[quankanne]

he universe is 13 billion years old and the earth 4.5 billion. Of course, people (homo sapiens) didn't exist until 200,000 years ago ... Why doesn't the Bible provide any insights into what happened before people existed? Because it was written by people and they only cared about people and not about the big picture, in which people came into the scene only very recently on the scale of the universe? The Bible is covers the spiritual journey of man – not the historical or scientific ones, which are described in other writings.

 

like Pedigree, I'm a cradle Catholic, pretty much accepting my religious upbringing because it was such a strong part of my life. My spirituality (my relationship with God) I started paying closer attention to when I was probably in my teens and questioning my role/place in the community.

 

was it an epiphany that this was the vehicle for me? Not really, I think I was blessed with a strong faith from the get-go, and am truly appreciative that I was born into a Mexican, Catholic family, where tradition is strong and unchanging. There's got to be a constant, a fixed point in this crazy world of ours, you know?

 

the only thing I *don't* like about the Christianity is the mindset that only Christians get to heaven – I've heard devout Catholics bash Protestants for not being true believers ... and I've had people tell me that they were afraid of my response when I learned they were no longer Catholic (or in one friend's case, Christian). My answer is this: Your relationship with God is between you and him. If you've found a way to enhance it that makes sense, go for it. Because in the end, that's all that matters.

[dunstable]

Your relationship with God is between you and him. If you've found a way to enhance it that makes sense, go for it. Because in the end, that's all that matters.

I agree entirely. It's only your opinion, based on reflection on all that you have heard, that matters in the end.

[quankanne]

For the sake of being as happy as they are, I wish I could turn off my personality.

 

keep yourself open to the possibilities ... you'll figure it out from there

[Eve]

Hello,

 

I'm interested in hearing the background of the believers (Regardless of religion). Meaning, at what point did it hit you that your religion was The One. Was it an epiphany? Were your parents religous? Has the strength of your faith been consistent throughout its birth? What's your personality like - are you more analytical or emotional?

 

I ask these questions wondering if my background and personality affect my ability to believe. My parents and friends growing up weren't religous and the handful of times that I went to church was more awkward than comforting. I have a hard time putting my faith into anything that doesn't have a solid basis. I'm rational and analytical.

 

On another note, some of the happiest people I've ever met were religous. Of which they also had no doubt that their God was the only one. Because of my skepticism, I have a hard time putting my 100% faith into anything. For the sake of being as happy as they are, I wish I could turn off my personality.

 

I realised that Christ was 'The One' early in my Christian life - in the sense that it was Him who had been leading me all along... even before I had formally become a Christian. Background.. my Mum was a Catholic, but seemed open to other faiths. Dad wasnt anything overly recognisable but had a faith. I was never pressured into the faith but had to attend sunday school for a few years between the ages of 11 and 14.

 

Has the strength of my faith been consistent? Yes but I used to have regular 'bust ups' with God because of my depth of annoyance with things. I went through a phase of this for about 6 years.. but my prayers were answered throughout.

 

BTW, I dont consider myself to be 'religious'.. because I now know God as being reality. I suppose I see the term 'religious' as more suiting for those who for example do not know their neighbours and base their impressions of them on what they see... but really they do not know them. In essence, they go by what they know rather than the reality of the person.

 

Personality wise I am still the same person post conversion (at the core) but I am now renewed. I dont take things for granted anymore and so I have a sense beyond analysis, comparison or retribution that I cannot claim as originating from the self. Now all things belong to a greater whole and are proved so without my intervention or psychological leading.

 

This is why my faith is complete. So, my faith is not based entirely upon experience or the experience of others. Rather, I can only perceive my faith as I walk and I understand this now! Thankfully its not all about me anymore and within this I have accepted my freedom and now I am party to miracles.

 

I would concur that the first step within faith is acknowledging that there could be more than oneself and so many do not get further than this because of their mindset. Getting beyond this stage is dependant entirely upon ones level of curiosity as to who they are in Gods eyes and who God is.

 

Then the journey begins.

 

I would say that many do not enter the journey because they want to be right/have major investments in their perception of the self/are hateful towards someone.

 

Take care,

Eve xx

[quankanne]

I have a sense beyond analysis

 

I think you've just described faith with that comment ... that it's a leap of understanding and trust beyond what is known (intelligence through analysis) to man

[Eve]

I have a sense beyond analysis

 

I think you've just described faith with that comment ... that it's a leap of understanding and trust beyond what is known (intelligence through analysis) to man

 

 

I find it difficult to comprehend why a person could assume that it could be any way different.

 

Take care,

Eve xx

[NoIDidn't]

Partly theological questions like "Why did God bother to create the world if He knew that it will bring Him trouble?" "Isn't that megalomania for someone to create a world with problems and then come down Himself to play the role of Savior?"

 

That is a wonderfully intelligent argument that I hadn't heard or thought of before!

 

According to the Bible, God didn't involve himself with people until a few thousand years ago when he got involved with the people of the Middle East. And he hasn't involved himself much since or anywhere else according to reliable accounts. Yet the universe is 13 billion years old and the earth 4.5 billion. Of course, people (homo sapiens) didn't exist until 200,000 years ago. I find it hard to understand why God would be so preoccupied with people, who didn't exist in his creation till recent times. If the time from the creation of the universe to the present day is compared to the length of my arm, the duration of human existence is equivalent to a fingernail scraping (not my analogy but a paraphrase of something I read once). Why doesn't the Bible provide any insights into what happened before people existed? Because it was written by people and they only cared about people and not about the big picture, in which people came into the scene only very recently on the scale of the universe?

 

I thought is was an interesting question to, but came to a different conclusion.

 

The Bible is the story of Man, not of the Universe, so it is kind of a moot point in asking why the Bible doesn't cover the other 4.5 billion years of history.

 

I also concluded that there was no point in giving One Who is supposed to be a Supreme and Omnipotent Being human qualities. And this is regardless of Religion.

 

To answer the question, though, I don't think that I ever came to a conclusion that my religion is The One, the Only One to get people to Heaven (or wherever their happy place is). I accept that my religion states that it is the only way, but don't believe that to be what it was really saying. (I know, confusing)

[Pedigree]

That is a wonderfully intelligent argument that I hadn't heard or thought of before!

 

Really? Maybe I should be an atheist:D.

 

But yeah, those are the kinds of questions that I have of my own religion. It's annoying when the best answer that is given is that "God created us so that He can reveal Himself to us so that we can glorify Him." To which I have to ask, how the hell did this cosmic egomaniac got to where He is?

 

I lean your way in that I like to analyze things which is probably why I'm having this prolonged crisis of faith (going on 4 years now). But even as my questions continue to go unanswered, the only thing that has kept me from leaving and becoming an agnostic or join your club is an acceptance that faith isn't faith unless there's a "jump" being made, regardless of rational argument.

 

It's love hate relationship, there's plenty of unanswered questions (and I do find myself siding with those who doubt at times), but at its core, when the question is asked if I believe in a guy who died and came back to live three days later, I still answer in the affirmative.