Deva Posted August 14, 2011 Posted August 14, 2011 I don't know what to say here. I feel bad for every person here. I am not going to exacerbate or triviialize what anyone has been through or dump scriputure on them. But I probably will go back to the church permanently. Please don't feel bad. Many of us have found a place outside of church or in another philosophy, path, religion, or whatever you want to call it, where we have found a lot of growth in our spiritual lives. I personally don't care if you decide to stay in church, but it puzzles me why you would want to continue in something that obviously seems so problematic for you. That you have managed to retain a view of Jesus as positive and loving is a good thing for you, I suppose. If it helps you to become more compassionate and understanding of others I have no problem with it. This is not the view of Jesus that I can maintain. I cannot believe in a creator type God that is good. This doesn't compute with the reality of what I see and experience. I also do not subscribe to the idea of original sin, the atonement and all the other doctrines that most churches subscribe to. I realize there are some churches that don't push this too much - maybe you can find one of those.
Noggy Posted August 14, 2011 Posted August 14, 2011 I said in another thread that my belief is God is not compatible with Christianity, but it is. It just isn't compatible with some churches version of it. I know that I welcome friends of different belief systems all the same though. Find one of these: http://www.uua.org/ http://www.uua.org/beliefs/index.shtml Everything you've mentioned that you hate about church, THIS DOES NOT HAVE IT. Seriously. This sounds like the perfect place for you.
freespirit Posted August 28, 2011 Posted August 28, 2011 I believe in God and have had many spiritual experiences. However, I was a fundy for many years and am NOT that anymore. I do not attend church anymore either.
Shawna Posted October 18, 2011 Posted October 18, 2011 I don't believe in "god" (i.e. a higher power that made and has control over me and has some kind of right to tell me what to do). That's just problematic. I think that if Jesus was real, he was just a human being, but I respect him since that he had a lot of good things to say in regard to loving other people, taking care of the poor, etc. I still believe in being a good person, because that is what pleases me. I like to make other people smile and I don't like to kick animals, but I do other things that I regard as being "good' that other people might classify as "bad." Thankfully, I'm getting better at ignoring them.
DesertBob Posted October 24, 2011 Posted October 24, 2011 I think that if Jesus was real, he was just a human being, but I respect him since that he had a lot of good things to say in regard to loving other people, taking care of the poor, etc. I met an intelligent guy the other day who is a former minister. He thinks the future is a sort of fusion of mystical Christianity with Buddhism, stripped of the fables and mystical talk. Although it's a distant future that will be traumatic for humanity to achieve. What appeals to him about Christianity is what he feels is it's core message: Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. I guess he wants to wrap that concern for the downtrodden and for community around the seeming cold stoicism of Buddhist thought. Who knows, maybe that's a great vision. We need some kind of ethical framework to operate from.
Sissi71 Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 I will continue to improve myself. Meditation and buddhist philosophy are great for that. But actually my challenge is really giving me the right to accept what I need and want and give me the right to refuse beliefs I disagree. I was so used to accept all the bible without doubting.. But I cant agree with Jesus and christianity anymore. This religion is fake.
Realist Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 I think Arthur C Clarke's quote is very relevant: "The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion." If one thinks "being a good person" does not exist outside religion, I think it is high time they found themselves a new group of friends! From my own experience the most genuine people exist outside of religion and what is more they do not have to hold ulterior motives like religious people mostly do!
izzytheterri Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 The only people I can think of like that are Unitarians or Unity Church. They loosly believe the bible and believe in accepting all people regardless of their beliefs. I fall into this group a bit-ish. I believe in God, in an abstract sense. I don't believe in a Sky-God. Do I believe in Jesus? I believe that he may have existed, and that he was probably a pretty cool guy that got taken WAY out of context. He'd probably be rolling in his grave. Some buddhists believe that Jesus either was a Buddha, or that he studied eastern religions along side the Buddha. Who knows. I don't think that we could truly know the nature of God, if one exists, to hold any animosity towards him, when really the things we disaprove of are man-taught ideas.
MultifariousBirdLady Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 I don't believe in the Christian God per se, but in Gods, yes. Jesus... somewhat like a Greek hero. Being a good person... definitely.
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