I Belive In God And Jesus...but Not In Christianity.

[TheSeeking]

So I'm a freshman in highschool. All my life I've been raised a chritian. My dad has more of an easter view on religion and he dosn't really agree with Christianity but he wanted my sister and I to grow up in knowing about God and thinking about those sort of things. My mom is a christian...or that's what she says. She dosn't really care about spiritual matters but just calls herself that for the heck of it. Both sets of my granperents are extreamly religious.

 

So for the past few years I have been really involved in the church on my own. I have been going to youth group, sunday school, confirmation classes, and retreates. And I convinded myself that I was a good christian. But I don't think I ever really believed it. I can remember a time in fifth grade when I would have thoughts like, " But what if Jesus wasn't really God..." and then I would become super scared and beg God not to punish me just in case Jesus was God. Downright unhealthy. And so I continued on happily for the next couple of years. Then, last May, came the day of my graduation from confirmation. I was going to express my belief in Christ infront of the whole congregation. I don't remember being really excited like I ought to have been. I just told myself I was as I got hugs and congratulations from family that came to watch. That afternoon, when I got home, my dad had his confirmation present for me. They were books. " The Art of Happiness" by the Dali Lama and " The Yoga of Jesus" by Paramahansa Yogananda. He told me to keep an open mind. I devoured those books. They opened doors into new ways of viewing the world and myself. I have read many books and researched many religions. Buddhism, Hinduism, Zen, Islam, ect and christianity just no longer seemed to work for me.

 

So, I'm not really sure what I think right now but there are three basic beliefs that, hopefully, understanding will come from:

 

1. God is real. But not the angry man sitting on a throne somewhere in the sky. God is a term for something we can not comprehend. A force, if you like. A creative force that is nothing more or less than love. And don't start yelling at me about evolution. =D I do believe in evolution and every other scientific explenation. For me it's more that the force works with nature, guides it if you will.

 

2. Jesus was real. Not the son of God, but a man like us. He was not a savior but a teacher who I believe had the greatest spiritual connection to "God" of that time. What he achieved, all of us can achieve.

 

3. There is no hell. I believe in reicarnation. Why would God create your soul for no apparent reason, send it down to earth with one chance to get it right without any help, and if you screw up you're eternally damned? Makes no sense to me. We get an infinate number of chances to start over and do it right the next time.

 

As you can see, most everything I just stated was borrowed from eastern culture. =D But thats a pretty big step for me.

 

And I was wondering, It seems like everyone on this board goes from Christian to Atheist. Not that there is anything wrong with that! Do you all think I'm crazy for taking up another spiritual path? Is there any one else like me, who simply saw Christianity as a "false religion" but didn't give up hope in other ones?

[Deva]

Is there any one else like me, who simply saw Christianity as a "false religion" but didn't give up hope in other ones?

 

Yes, TheSeeking there are some others here. Welcome to the forums.

[Taphophilia]

Hello TS,

 

It must have taken you a lot of time and effort to write that out. Thank you for doing so and sharing that with us.

 

Not everyone goes from being a Christian to being an Atheist. For many of us there are a lot of steps and stops in between. You might end up an Atheist or you might not. It's all a personal thing.

 

Taph

[TheSeeking]

Thank you Deva Light and Taphophilia! That really makes me feel better.

[Anders Branderud]

TheSeeking,

 

Hello!

 

I am also an ex-Christian since more than 15 months! I am glad that you found out that Christianity is not an accurate description about the life of the historical Ribi Yehoshua. I agree with you that he was a man and a teacher!

[Deva]

So if you want to follow the historical Ribi Yehoshua you can’t have beliefs that contradict Judaism.

Yes, “hell” is a purely Christian concept with no foundation in Judaism. But the concept of reincarnation has neither any foundation in Judaism.

If you want to follow the historical Ribi Yehoshua you must follow his religion – Orthodox Judaism.

 

Hey Anders, take a look at the rules for this forum and take the preaching elsewhere.

[Alice]

I just wanted to say - what lovely confirmation gifts from your Dad and what good advice they came with.

 

I describe myself as an apostate who is 'still inot divine possibilities' and I love to see what the worlds seekers after light have to say on life and love and the universe - whatever their background, whatever their combination of beliefs.

 

Welcome to the forum

[jdog]

Hello The Seeking, welcome.

 

Nice post. I do not follow Christianity any longer, but also have not chosen any other spiritual path, but I am not an athiest, I am open to the idea that there maybe a Higher Power or God, or whatever one chooses to call it, but it is definitely not the one depicted in the bible. I have more peace now than I did when emersed in the religion. I enjoy nature and creativity and my beautiful family and I am just 'free flowing' I suppose is the way I would describe it, I am not deliberately seeking out an alternative belief, I just cannot make a committment like that again, I am just living in a way if something grabs my attention and I am stimulated by it or I am enjoying a sense of peace or having a connection with it at that moment, then that is the direction I will go, that is where I am meant to be for then (I am referring to things that are not harmful to myself, or to others) I am just getting back to being more in tune with myself again since leaving xianity in April of this year. It is really good.

[SkitZoid]

Welcome to the forums TheSeeking! And congratulations on surmounting the Christian mindset(s); for some people it takes a lifetime to break pass the fear of God.

[TheSeeking]

Hello The Seeking, welcome.

 

Nice post. I do not follow Christianity any longer, but also have not chosen any other spiritual path, but I am not an athiest, I am open to the idea that there maybe a Higher Power or God, or whatever one chooses to call it, but it is definitely not the one depicted in the bible. I have more peace now than I did when emersed in the religion. I enjoy nature and creativity and my beautiful family and I am just 'free flowing' I suppose is the way I would describe it, I am not deliberately seeking out an alternative belief, I just cannot make a committment like that again, I am just living in a way if something grabs my attention and I am stimulated by it or I am enjoying a sense of peace or having a connection with it at that moment, then that is the direction I will go, that is where I am meant to be for then (I am referring to things that are not harmful to myself, or to others) I am just getting back to being more in tune with myself again since leaving xianity in April of this year. It is really good.

 

It's interesting that you say that about nature. I've always viewed the desert area that I live in quite ugly. Latley though, I've caught myself admiring the way the shadow hits the hills, the sunlight hitting the trees, illuminated clouds in an orange sunset. Maybe it's just a coincedience, but I have a hunch that my newfound appreciation for my surroundings have something to do with the change in my perspective on life.

[buffettphan]

Maybe it's just a coincedience, but I have a hunch that my newfound appreciation for my surroundings have something to do with the change in my perspective on life.

 

I don't think it's a coincidence -- it's a very wise observation on your part!

 

Is there any one else like me, who simply saw Christianity as a "false religion" but didn't give up hope in other ones?

 

You are not alone. Deism, belief in god based only on reason and nature, works well for many people.

 

BTW, those were awesome gifts from you dad.....especially his words of advice on "keeping an open mind".

 

 

:welcome: and thanks for posting.

[par4dcourse]

I Belive In God And Jesus...but Not In Christianity.

Not to be a smart ass or anything. Ok, to be a smart ass: isn't that kinda like believing in branches and leaves but not in trees?

Welcome to the boards.

[TheSeeking]

I Belive In God And Jesus...but Not In Christianity.

Not to be a smart ass or anything. Ok, to be a smart ass: isn't that kinda like believing in branches and leaves but not in trees?

Welcome to the boards.

 

Lol. No, I think it's possible for God and Jesus to h ave existed before Christianity came around. Maybe I didn't make it clear, I don't believe in the Christian iinterpretation of God or the "energy" whatever you'd like to call it. On my tree, God would be the trunk, Jesus would be a branch, but Christianity a poor little dead twig.

[par4dcourse]

Took me a minute, but I found the link I was looking for. This is a great post describing the stages (phases?) of de-conversion. Most people don't get into religion overnight, stands to reason getting out would be similar.

Good read.

Link

[TheSeeking]

Thanks for the link! It was very interesting. I would say I'm probably still in the confused questioning stage even though I have accepted that I'm no longer Christian. And since I'm still very young, I don't feel anger because it's not like I devoted my whole life to the cult. Besides, I mainly feel pity for my Christian friends.

[Guest lenbitme]

Even being an atheist, hun, I often like to read and learn about other religions. There is so much wisdom to be taken from them, as long as it is up to the individual to decide what exactly he or she sees as wisdom. I share a similar view as you do, only in a slightly different way. Hopefully it will make sense.

 

In my mind, human beings are in awe of the universe around them. We didn't understand much when we began, so it is natural that we would use our ripe imaginations to try to do so. I think what we call 'god' is simply the energy of the universe; an energy that exists in life, and perhaps is more than simply energy but is also a connection or a pattern that we see and cannot explain (coincidences, "miracles", de ja vu, etc.). I don't think it's an entity, and I definitely don't think it's a guidance system of any sort. I simply think it is, perhaps, the life of life, if that makes any sense. It is the inexplicable.