Has your religion ever been a burden to you?

[AVarma]

I was born into a Muslim family and while I wouldn't say I hate the culture I do find it a bit burdensome. I'm a grown man now so it no longer matters as much but when I was young I was often restricted from doing things other kids my age did. Some of them were trivial such as not being able to eat pork, others were more serious such as not being allowed to talk to girls and have girlfriends.

 

I'm no longer a practicing Muslim and I must say it's made me feel as if a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I no longer feel guilty about not following silly rules that come with being a Muslim. I haven't told my family of course although I'm sure they now know I won't marry who they want me to marry.

 

So have any of you ever felt this way? How did you deal with it? Did you abandon the culture or religion completely or did you adjust it somehow?

[pie2]

Some rules seem silly in "religion". Alternatively, spiritual guidelines exist for our own best interest. For example, some guidelines exist (like love your neighbor as yourself) and when we don't follow them, we feel guilty for a reason...because we're not doing the right thing! But some rules exist and if we feel guilty it's not due to any real slight against God. No, we feel guilty because we're trying to please our fellow man (like not eating pork), imo.

 

I've personally not experienced a crisis of conscience related to religion. I don't think of myself as having any formal allegiance to a religion. I am a follower of Christ, but I don't belong to any set denomination, and I view my spiritual walk as something that goes beyond the boundaries of "religion". I view my main purpose in being a Christian is to form a closer spiritual relationship with God (not based on rules established by other fallible humans). I'm not forced into anything; it's all voluntary.

 

My advice would be to evaluate what the purpose of religion is to you, and if there are any other ways to achieve that purpose without the "silly rules".

 

Best of luck.

[still_an_Angel]

I was born into Catholicism, so baptized, raised, and educated as a catholic until my uni years (catholic university). I've always been a 'rebel' even as a young child as I questioned and questioned all the things the nuns taught me/ made me do. I was sent to the mother superior many times. I've always questioned "Confession" and the concept that I was born with a original sin. So many things that didn't make sense and I was always told to hush and listen to the word of god and it will answer my questions. So growing up, and with just me having all these Qs while the other girls seemed to align with the angelic little angels (not me) I've learned to accept that maybe I'm just not wired like them because I couldn't get why they seem to understand everything while I continued to question all of it.

 

 

By the time I was in my teens, all-out war with the nuns who ran the school was rampant. I was asked to leave as a boarding student but being a catholic, they couldn't really expel me for rebelling and being outspoken about my views of the religion. I think they saw me as someone who needed to be "continuously educated" in the religion and it is their duty to do so.

 

 

Like you, I am a non-practising catholic, the teachings however, are deeply ingrained so I live by the most basic of the teachings which I find make sense to me and how I live. I steer clear of religious debates because I'm not as passionate about challenging the teachings as I was when I was younger. My mother, who is deeply religious and has ties with the church, the monastery, the bishop of the country, maybe even the Pope (lol) was not happy when I chose to wed in a garden with nothing to do with a religious celebrant.

[pureinheart]

Some rules seem silly in "religion". Alternatively, spiritual guidelines exist for our own best interest. For example, some guidelines exist (like love your neighbor as yourself) and when we don't follow them, we feel guilty for a reason...because we're not doing the right thing! But some rules exist and if we feel guilty it's not due to any real slight against God. No, we feel guilty because we're trying to please our fellow man (like not eating pork), imo.

 

I've personally not experienced a crisis of conscience related to religion. I don't think of myself as having any formal allegiance to a religion. I am a follower of Christ, but I don't belong to any set denomination, and I view my spiritual walk as something that goes beyond the boundaries of "religion". I view my main purpose in being a Christian is to form a closer spiritual relationship with God (not based on rules established by other fallible humans). I'm not forced into anything; it's all voluntary.

 

My advice would be to evaluate what the purpose of religion is to you, and if there are any other ways to achieve that purpose without the "silly rules".

 

Best of luck.

 

You have a personal relationship with our Lord. Religion is man made. I remember attempting to explain this to one of our former members and after going back and forth a bit she did understand what I was saying.

 

There is just nothing like having the Spirit of the Lord take you over - it is just the most wonderful place.

 

Your post is really inspiring Pie (as usual)

[Rydo]

My lack of religion has never held me back. I'm not sure if lacking a religion or faith in something counts though?

[AVarma]

My lack of religion has never held me back. I'm not sure if lacking a religion or faith in something counts though?

 

I was thinking more along the line of somebody born into a strict religion which they felt limited their life choices.

[aggie382]

My father was Muslim, mother is Catholic.

 

To me religion isn't a burden, at least as an adult, it's a choice you make.

[AVarma]

My father was Muslim, mother is Catholic.

 

To me religion isn't a burden, at least as an adult, it's a choice you make.

 

What religion were you raised in?

[angel.eyes]

I think you consider Islam a burden because you don't really believe in its teachings. It's been imposed on you by your parents, rather than being something that you sought personally or felt in your heart or soul. So, it feels more like an "eat your vegetables even though you detest them...they're good for you" exercise in tolerating things you don't really wish for.

 

For me, my faith (Christianity) has been a blessing. By following the core tenets of my faith, I've avoided so many of the mistakes that my friends and work colleagues have made. I don't have the same regrets. It's also made the decision-making process when faced with a tough situation or an ethical dilemma so much easier. So it's given me a sense of freedom, which might seem a little counterintuitive to a non-believer looking in from the outside. No doubt if I didn't feel the "truth" of my faith in my heart I would feel burdened and irritated by the perceived restrictions...much as you do.

 

In time, you'll figure out what faith means to you, and what you believe in your heart. I hope you find peace through this period of struggle.

[youngskywalker]

You have a personal relationship with our Lord. Religion is man made. I remember attempting to explain this to one of our former members and after going back and forth a bit she did understand what I was saying.

 

There is just nothing like having the Spirit of the Lord take you over - it is just the most wonderful place.

 

Your post is really inspiring Pie (as usual)

 

I know a few people that say the same thing. I would like for someone to explain this concept cohesively. I think having Jesus and religion are one in the same. Can't have one without the other!

[pie2]

I know a few people that say the same thing. I would like for someone to explain this concept cohesively. I think having Jesus and religion are one in the same. Can't have one without the other!

 

In the past, I think the terms were more synonymous. But over time, I think "religion" has come to negatively be associated with hypocrisy.

 

Not surprisingly, there's a Wiki page that talks a little about this:

 

Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR)

 

The SBNR page explains a little of the history. Mainly, it seems that today, spirituality has come to mean the actual overarching experience of having a relationship with God, and the spiritual realm we exist in. On the other hand, religion seems to define the more limited actions and rules we abide by on earth in an attempt to form a relationship with the spiritual realm.

 

But the SBNR page goes on to say that some (Evangelical) religious groups warn against completely rejecting the entire "Religious" experience, saying that religion does actually help us maintain some standards that assist us in connecting to God.

 

I was trying to think of an example of how I perceive the two terms, and I thought of one of those outdoor garden mazes set up in the middle of a beautiful garden in an expansive forest. To me, religion is represented by the maze, and spirituality is represented by the entire forest in which the maze is situated. The maze (religion) has walls which are constricting, and can create obstacles in getting to the final destination. The forest (spirituality) in which the maze is situated is large and beautiful and free, but you can get lost without proper guidance.

 

In the way a maze has many obstacles to trip you up, "religion" seems to have many rules and regulations that tie you down and keep you from truly forming a relationship with God. And the way a forest is really big/beautiful/free, so is a spiritual connection with God. However, we can sometimes get lost in spirituality on our own (without any sort of guidelines) because it's a realm that is SO big and mysterious.

 

LOL...this probably doesn't make much sense (except in my own head)!

 

Anyway, I think it's a big discussion and there are many technicalities with how the two terms are defined and perceived by each individual. You posed a very great question!