thaiboxerken
Penultimate Amazing
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2001
- Messages
- 34,570
You're strong and critical enough to realize that the preacher is trying to make money, so you are definitely strong enough to not need a church. You might even be strong enough to not need a god anymore. No gods, no masters..it's the only way to be free.
a_unique_person said:
Being shy is one thing, but being social phobic is a whole other ball game. It's hard for me to even go grocery shopping. I don't live in a very cultural area either.
I don't know what I'll do. I know that we plan to invite our friends (a couple who were ran out of our ex-church too) over to dinner this weekend. Have some good food and good wine and lots of laughs!!!
diddidit said:Ruby -
You can join my church. I call it "The Church of the Inner Eyelid." Sleeping in on Sunday morning is the only commandment.
There's a "Ruby" posting occasionally at Fine Homebuilding's forum Breaktime. 'Zat by any chance you?
did
Nope, must be a different Ruby.
Filippo Lippi
Philosopher
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2002
- Messages
- 5,360
Ruby said:
I do feel more free now than I have ever have, but not ready to drop my belief in God. I am sorting out how I feel and believe on the whole issue. It's not easy.
I must have been very lucky. One day I seem to remember just thinking "that wasn't god that made things happen in my life, that was me." I tossed aside Dumbo's magic feather and that was that. It may have coincided with me coming out of a long period of mild depression (self diagnosed retrospectively) or it may have been when I went out to get a proper haircut instead of letting my mum do it.
Sheesh - 18 years old and still having my mum cut my hair!
Hi Ruby,
If you still feel comfortable with a personal God than without, can I suggest the following:
If you think God is responsible for all that has been made in this universe, at least do Him the courtesy of looking at it, and trying to absorb as much as you can! From the intricacy of flowers and insects, to the incredible web of life on earth, to the way the weather forms and moves, to the movements of the stars and planets. The laughter of children, the roar of the sea, the smell of rain on dry soil, and so on.
Then try to see why these things are how they are, and what that knowledge means. As an old professor I knew once said when he showed us something new, "Why is it so, and not otherwise?" Start making it a point of not being afraid to ask questions!
The situation for you right now is that you are just realising that "asking questions" IS allowed, that it is NOT painful, and that you can benefit personally from doing so. And you don't have to maintain or give up any of your beliefs unless YOU choose to do so. And you are lucky to live in a country that is bound by law to allow you to do this too!
cheers
Zep
If you still feel comfortable with a personal God than without, can I suggest the following:
If you think God is responsible for all that has been made in this universe, at least do Him the courtesy of looking at it, and trying to absorb as much as you can! From the intricacy of flowers and insects, to the incredible web of life on earth, to the way the weather forms and moves, to the movements of the stars and planets. The laughter of children, the roar of the sea, the smell of rain on dry soil, and so on.
Then try to see why these things are how they are, and what that knowledge means. As an old professor I knew once said when he showed us something new, "Why is it so, and not otherwise?" Start making it a point of not being afraid to ask questions!
The situation for you right now is that you are just realising that "asking questions" IS allowed, that it is NOT painful, and that you can benefit personally from doing so. And you don't have to maintain or give up any of your beliefs unless YOU choose to do so. And you are lucky to live in a country that is bound by law to allow you to do this too!
cheers
Zep
thaiboxerken
Penultimate Amazing
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2001
- Messages
- 34,570
Ruby said:
I do feel more free now than I have ever have, but not ready to drop my belief in God. I am sorting out how I feel and believe on the whole issue. It's not easy.
I understand. It is hard to realize that your personal god is really just an avatar that you've built. You've already decided what behaviors and actions your god would or wouldn't condone or do. That's ok, you're well on your way to freedom.
I used to pray alot until I realized that I was merely talking to myself. (not my quote, but I forget who said it).
a_unique_person
Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning
thaiboxerken said:
I wasn't saying this is a good part of religion, I think it is bad too. I went to a church as a kid, and loathed those parts of it. I still think we need social activities as families for the good of our society. People used to stand around the piano and sing, I get envious when I hear about people in other countries always going around to each others places for tea, to talk and be human. That part of humanity is, I feel, disappearing in modern, western society.
