I recently "officially" gave up all forms of religion. I've been a Buddhist (by choice), Jehovah's witness, and a Catholic. I honestly feel that religion was partially holding me back in life. It was also holding back my maturity. In Catholic religion, a man is forbidden from thinking about sex, or looking at a women with lust.. basically implying sex is a dirty act, it is taboo to even mention it. But why? Animals do it all the time. I view sex, as a natural part of life. There is nothing dirty about it, it just happens to be. Just like drinking, sleeping, and breathing. In evolutionary psychology, human behaviors are based around mating. Almost everything that people do can be percieved as based around a "mating ritual", it puts a completely different outlook on life. But do not get the wrong idea, I'm not a sex addict. I have other things to do than think about sex 24/7. I also think as a guy brought up, we were forbidden to talk about sex, we would be embarrased to talk about masterbation. Yet, we probably all do it. As a man, I do not feel any shame or guilt from liking a girl, it is completely normal. The same with having sex with women, I also believe it is completely normal. I also believe many guys were brought up at a young age to believe that men are evil, and oppressive, and abusive.. This is flatout wrong. Women can be heart breakers too (usually maybe?) I have seen many men emotion abused by women, these men are scarred for life. Like this kid's dad. http://youtube.com/watch?v=qszSLGMRKkI Such thinking cause me to hate other men for a very long time until recently. I also stopped being a feminist, and became a part of the men's movement. I guess the main reason why I personally quit religion, was because it leading me down a dark path. I felt my thoughts were manipulated, and controlled. I just want to be free, and discover things on my own. Not to be tied down by a set of rules from a book that clearly opposes natural human desires. Which in the long term is damaging. I also found internal validation, I learned to love myself, and be happy. I don't need any particular person in my life (except my mother). I don't need to fill a void in myself. I placed my faith in myself, not on some divine force.
Seems like your life was full of misery until now. Good to hear that you found the path that makes you happy.
on a side note, buddhism isnt a religion.. its one way of life.. but as for the sex thing, im buddhist but i can think about sex all i want, IF i want. religion doesnt necessarily have to forbid you to do things you want to do. i mean, ok if one was catholic, and he/she is forbidden to think about sex, who is going to check their minds to see that they have sinned..
good to know ur happier now... a lot of ppl find their questions in the bible... like y they shouldn't think abt sex... y can't they look at a woman with lust... my pastor told me Christianity isn't a religion... it's ur relationship with God... ur not meant to feel restricted n tied down in life... ur meant to feel fufilled to receive his love... n God doesn't force u to do anything... he gave us choices... if ur happy the way u r then stay this way those who love u will b happy for u
aw so happy for you i know a lot of people who look to religion and believe that's the way to be happy but i think as long as you live the way you want and are happy with it, then it's all good
my resentment towards having a religion probably emerged when we were made to study the Bible in school i might accept it more if i were exposed to this religion through a different manner what's the purpose of having a religion anyway - to give yourself a sense of calm to know that there's someone all-powerful who can deal with your earthly problems?
I am an atheistic too ! I don't believe in religion, I am a scientific person. If it is not proven, then its not legit. I think religion is a way to control how people live and because of that, it restricts the person's full potential. My rather put my faith and life in my own hands instead of putting it on someone (something) else.
agnostic here.. hard to tell if there is any god. and if there is.. i bet they just created the well and ditch us to fend for ourself
i agree with slamdunkfardo. Try Christianity.. to me, that is the way forward in life... and i believe that God did not give us sex for pleasure but sex to show your commitment to your lifetime partner...and to have children of course. It's one of the blessings he gives us...that shouldnt be used for fun and pleasure with other people... The Bible has a lot of answers to questions like these... like telling us not to do this and that.. take example the 10 commandments... makes our life easier if we follow them... like..if you steal, you'll get into trouble..if you dont steal.. you wont!.. God gave us this Bible, as an instruction book....He's testing us as well... but He's patient and understands us more than we know about ourselves.... Personally, for me to believe in God and try to follow His words (i sin lots).. makes life easier for me actually.. i actually feel more "free".. anyways i won't blab on haha..>_<
i think i used to be christian not anymore. I'm more anti-religion if nothing else. I disagree with religion because I do not believe in a higher being that we have to worship in order to be loved.
Thats what keeps me away from Christianity and the bible etc. Like some of the shit in it is just unbelievable. Different people has different perspectives, no one is perfect. No shit if you steal, you'll get in trouble. What are the teachings, if you don't believe in Christianity and God you're going to burn in Hell?? Why is that so if he is so forgiving ???
religions is all brainwashing. Dont wanna offend anyone, but, u can only believe in those that truly exist...
if you dont want to offend, then keep those baseless comments to yourself next time. religion plays an important role in a society, and no im not talking about Jesus, God or whatnot, religion is belief, and belief is crucial in the survival of a society.
wat? i cant comment my own opinion in this? y do u have to be a smartass and offend me? 'Baseless comments'...........i said nothing personal because i dont want to be an ass offending einsteins like u. i really dont wanna say anything else about religion (although i have many things in mind to talk about) but because pplz like this dude will start "abcdefghijklmno-ing", i rather not say anything. if i were a real ass, i wouldnt be saying this. so again, nothing personal to u nor other pplz.
I am a Christian. I can truly say that it's not a religion. It's about having a religion with God. I have been a taoist and free thinker in the past. I didn't understand about having a relationship with God and how it could be. I couldn't relate with God until now. I don't think religion is for everyone. If it makes you miserable, then it's not right for you. You have always been free to choose.
now that i reread what i wrote, it wasnt supposed to come out as it sounds.. sorry. what i meant was, i wouldnt call religions brainwashing, cuz not all religions brainwash.
im not like forcing you to try it... but same-- Christianity is not a religion.. it's a personal relationship with God. I've just come back from a Christian youth conference (which lasted about.. 4 days?)..in which saved ppl from depression and committing suicide and a few who also took drugs and smoked??? like it was a miracle.. with the touch of words from the Bible, and the worship and praising and love for God during worship, touched these people.... like there were these ppl who were from proper gangs came just thinking itd be like a holiday and not knowing it was a Christian conference.... and by the end of it, they broke down in tears on the day we left- and experienced what they believe was God's love. like i respect your opinions and thoughts.... but you can't really judge a religion if you've not tried to believe in God or experience it at a modern church today...
If Christianity is not a religion then the organization should start paying taxes and pay back all the state and government assistence thay've taken. Pressure people enough and eventually they'll open up to you. Surround them with a group of people all with the same goal and it'll be more affective. That's how AA works. Is AA a religion?
Everybody finds their own path in life, I guess thats what its like to be an organism with complexed emotions... Personally I dont believe that everything must be proved by science to be legit, I mean science after all is simply a human construct. I believed ive talked about the video game analogy somewhere before, suppose we are pac man. No matter what our "creator" tells us, that theres a possiblity to move diagonally, that there is a third dimension. our knowledge that is based in our world wouldnt be able to comprehend that. Our "theories" based within the real of our virtual reality would not be able to justify the existence of these. So i think that science cannot fully explain the great expanse that is our universe be that if it may include heaven and hell or God even. For every scientific discovery we make more questions are asked. I think however thats what makes life so beautiful ^_^
