About to give up.

[Spirit of Light]

My advice: If you want peace, log off this site and don't come back.

I have peace in my life just not in RF

 

[Spirit of Light]

Your "personal faith" is just that.. personal!
You should not have to prove it to or get approval from anyone.

Tell that to the aggressiv atheists in RF they have an agenda of stopping spiritual growth in RF

 

[Revoltingest]

I always seem to hit a dead end in RF discussion...no matter what topic in discussion

Dead ends are good. It means there's some kind
of resolution, eg, agree, disagree, merely inform.
Without a dead end, it's just beating a dead horse.

So you've been doing better than you perhaps thought.
Just accept what is...rather than expecting otherwise.

 

[JustGeorge]

Don't confuse friends with acquaintances.
There's a huge difference.
At you too @JustGeorge

I'm pretty good at knowing friend, foe, and acquaintance.

In the real world, I have one person I would call 'friend'. However, I can think of several who believe we're friends, but because of my feelings on them, I will never view them as more than acquaintance.

I only have one foe, but she thinks we're friends.

Honestly i do not know. I don't feel i can speak freely without getting shut down. Or i can speak without someone has to challenge my belief.

I have come to a point in life where I am comfortable with my personal belief, and don't need others to tell me what I "should believe" because they say so.

I think your beliefs are fine the way they are.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I think your beliefs are fine the way they are.

I think so too, but certain people in RF seems to disagree, and use any means nesessesary to tell me, my personal belief in God is wrong ....

They don't know 1/3 of my true belief...because i know and understand they would not want it to be given to them.

 

[JustGeorge]

I think so too, but certain people in RF seems to disagree, and use any means nesessesary to tell me, my personal belief in God is wrong ....

They don't know 1/3 of my true belief...because i know and understand they would not want it to be given to them.

Like Dr. Seuss says, "those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

I keep a lot of my beliefs to myself, though, so I get it. I like to share my beliefs with some, but I try not to leave them in the open, lest some bird come and poop on them...

 

[Secret Chief]

Baha'i in RF are the people I feel i xan speak with, without being judged.

Oh yes, so I meant perhaps no need to "give up", but your call of course.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Oh yes, so I meant perhaps no need to "give up", but your call of course.

I have no plan going back to discuss religion or spirituality in RF.

 

[Secret Chief]

I have no plan going back to discuss religion or spirituality in RF.

Sticking to a dumpster diving journal?

 

[Spirit of Light]

Sticking to a dumpster diving journal?

Mostly Art related stuff

 

[Secret Chief]

Mostly Art related stuff

You could combine the two!

- What Is Found Art? (with picture)

 

[osgart]

I only have problems with eternal doom religions, or religions that seek out theocratic rule. Other then that I find God an interesting topic. I mean no offense to anyone's religious convictions.

 

[Spirit of Light]

You could combine the two!

- What Is Found Art? (with picture)

No.

 

[Secret Chief]

No.

Ok.

 

[Truthseeker]

I agree, I'm here for the same reason.

I'm bad at making friends online. I'm terrible at making friends in the real world.

I wasn't always this way in forums. I was only interested in ideas. Now I'm interested in both ideas and making friends.

 

[JustGeorge]

I wasn't always this way in forums. I was only interested in ideas. Now I'm interested in both ideas and making friends.

I'm relatively new to this. I didn't have internet before Covid. I just wanted to socialize, and religion is probably my biggest interest, so this seemed like a natural place to come.

 

[Ella S.]

Do you still like it here though?

The post I made here was inappropriate of me, for which I should apologize. My last two paragraphs stand out to me as particularly inflammatory.

I apologize for the length of this reply, but the answer is complicated.

To be quite honest about your question, no, I have found these forums to be disappointing and frustrating. I am genuinely searching for erudite discussion conducted in a more formal and professional manner. I realize that, since I am not pursuing a degree in religious studies or theology, this was an unrealistic expectation of mine when coming to this forum.

I am not interested in socialization, but there are not many other places where I can practice philosophical discourse. I am acquainted with some individuals with degrees on the subject, but most of their discussions take place in reference to particular papers, often as a part of formal or informal peer-review.

I am coming to realize that this is a more productive method of having such niche conversations and that, if I really want to understand religion, the only recourse I have is to get a degree in it and begin publishing.

The post I made was a declaration of this revelation, to which apparently nobody else was too surprised by. I was mistaken to measure this forum by the wrong rod, so to speak.

By measuring this forum as an outlet for socialization instead, there are users here who I regard with some respect, including you in particular. I'm simply unsure whether I really desire or need a social outlet. I don't think I do. I am a highly introverted shut-in and pathologically asocial.

Still, I will probably not stop posting here entirely, particularly where I think I may be able to give some useful input or contribute to discussion, or if I have questions that I would like a diverse range of opinions on.

Mostly, I am disappointed in myself for letting this forum frustrate me enough to make such an emotionally charged post, especially since that frustration ultimately comes from my own flawed perception. I was in error.