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What is your religion?
JT:
I was born a Catholic but by 18 yo, I became an Athiest. My mind understands logic and science more than religions, but I have no problems with anyone else'a believes as long as they can grasp the concept of "equal rights for everyone".
delalluvia:
--- Quote from: Amber on July 07, 2006, 03:54:30 pm ---I'm a Catholic - borned, raised and confirmed. However ... I'm also pro-choice, believe VERY strongly in gay marriage, and am a hard core liberal democrat. Apparently I don't fit much of the "catholic" label. I do attend mass occassionally - mostly because I find it a peaceful hour of my life where I feel fully relaxed ... unless they are talking about money or marriage during the homily *lol* In my opinion people just need to find what works for them - churches and religions aren't for everyone and that is fine by me ... but it's what works for me and so I let it be.
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Not picking on Amber or anything, but this post raised a question. For those who still consider themselves Catholic/Jewish/Luthern or whatever but have radically differing views of how things are and should be, how do you reconcile your worldview as it is with your religion's dogma on how it's supposed to be?
Some religions have very strict rules about what it means to be a member (Muslim/Catholic etc) so to my mind, if my ideas differ from what my religion says they must be, I don't consider myself 'one of them'. That's why I left Christianity behind. I couldn't rightly call myself one if I no longer 'followed the member rules' so to speak.
David In Indy:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on July 15, 2006, 01:22:10 pm ---Not picking on Amber or anything, but this post raised a question. For those who still consider themselves Catholic/Jewish/Luthern or whatever but have radically differing views of how things are and should be, how do you reconcile your worldview as it is with your religion's dogma on how it's supposed to be?
Some religions have very strict rules about what it means to be a member (Muslim/Catholic etc) so to my mind, if my ideas differ from what my religion says they must be, I don't consider myself 'one of them'. That's why I left Christianity behind. I couldn't rightly call myself one if I no longer 'followed the member rules' so to speak.
--- End quote ---
This is the whole reason I no longer attend Mass. I was baptized Catholic at birth, Confirmed in 6th grade, attended Catholic grade school.... everything. But recently I realized that not only do I not agree with much my faith (and Christianity) teaches, I am not really welcome there either. So I stopped going to church. It's sad and pathetic. But apparently this is the way they want it, and I was only more than happy to oblige them. >:(
But I agree with you Delalluvia. The church cannot have it both ways, and neither can we. At some point we must draw some lines.
vkm91941:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on July 15, 2006, 01:22:10 pm ---Not picking on Amber or anything, but this post raised a question. For those who still consider themselves Catholic/Jewish/Luthern or whatever but have radically differing views of how things are and should be, how do you reconcile your worldview as it is with your religion's dogma on how it's supposed to be?
Some religions have very strict rules about what it means to be a member (Muslim/Catholic etc) so to my mind, if my ideas differ from what my religion says they must be, I don't consider myself 'one of them'. That's why I left Christianity behind. I couldn't rightly call myself one if I no longer 'followed the member rules' so to speak.
--- End quote ---
Well Del...My Grandfather was a Pentecostal Preacher. He traveled all over Southern Virginia and North Carolina doing tent revivals during the Depression when he wasn’t working the docks in Norfolk as a long shore man to support his wife and 7 children, of which my Mother was the youngest. My Mother defied and balked at the strictness of the Pentecostal way and when she married my Father, a Roman Catholic, they made the decision to baptize their children in the Lutheran Church as a compromise. However being military brats and living in many different places in the world, over the years we attended whatever church was available and consequently my brothers and I now find ourselves to be rather ecumenical in our theological outlook.
I am and always have been a person of faith. But this is a faith that I have arrived at in my own way, it is based on love, a faith I have a certain amount of gut feeling about because of the deductions that have lead me to it. It is my faith and it works for me, and probably for no one else. But it serves as my myth - my story about myself and my relation to the world. It is as good and righteous as any other faith I know. Does that make me a heretic? I don’t know. Probably as few as 300 hundred years ago I would have been burned at the stake.
I found my home in the Episcopal Church. First because they are more tolerant than a lot of other Christian denominations I have encountered, second they invite the faithful to use the brains that God in his wisdom gave us all. They encourage you to THINK, to REASON, to QUESTION. This is at the heart of my personal faith experience and they are not threatened by it. My questioning does not break down their faith. It was like coming home for me.
David In Indy:
Victoria, I have heard many good things about the Episcopal/Anglican church. If I was ever to ever to attend church again, the Episcopal Church would probably be the church I would attend. For two reasons:
1. It is very close to the Catholic church (from what I understand). I have attended some Anglican Masses before and they are very close to the liturgical structure of the Catholic church.
2. They are more accepting of gay people than my religion (the Roman Catholic Church) is.
However...
It seems that nearly (if not all) Christian religions teach of a vengeful God. A judgemental God. My God is not like this. My God is a God of Love. My God tells me in my heart that it is good to love others and accept others. My God says that it is not only okay, but good to love another human being.. no matter who he or she is. My God teaches me that love is never wrong. My God tells me that I am a good person, and He loves me because He created me. My God always loves me, and He always encourages me to try to be a better person. My God believes in me... and He believes in you.
Yes, I believe in Hell. But I don't believe a person goes there for loving another person. People go to Hell because THEY want to. They go there because they do not love God. They CHOOSE to go there. They NEVER go to Hell because of love. It is unfortunate Christianity disagrees with my God and what He speaks to me in my heart each and every day. My God loves His Creation, and He believes in them.... He believes in us. He believes in us all. And He will NEVER give up on us.
I wish Christians would only understand and accept this. And I cannot attend a church that tells me otherwise.
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