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Question Everything
For those who believes they belong to the one and only "true" church holding the only authority on the earth:
For those who do not affiliate with a church which claims it is the one and only true church:
** I am trying to de-program myself. Having spent most of my life in various "true" church groups (grew up in one, spend early adult life in a different one), my heart aches for a feeling of belonging somewhere, and having that childlike faith in a loving God. I cannot belong to anything which holds itself above others, believes it knows more than others etc. Having rejected the group I grew up in, and again rejected my DH's religious group - love quite a few of the people, but cannot agree with those doctrines, or any group thinking they are "chosen" above others. For each group, rejecting the group has been equated to rejecting God and rejecting all of the people in the group, and everyone politely holds me at arm's length and feels sorry that I have "lost faith". I can't get my mind around the rejection of both of these groups - really bothers me, when logically I know it should not. Just returning from another family outing that could have been soooo much better if pressure to join a group, and alienation for not being part of their group was not there....
- How do you view those who are not of your faith?
- Do you agree 100% with the leaders in your faith and see them as having more knowledge and authority than you? Do you trust your own mind more, or do you trust your leaders more?
- How many close friends do you have outside of your faith vs. how many friends hold the same faith as you?
For those who do not affiliate with a church which claims it is the one and only true church:
- Describe your community, do you feel supported and close to those around you?
- What knits your community together?
** I am trying to de-program myself. Having spent most of my life in various "true" church groups (grew up in one, spend early adult life in a different one), my heart aches for a feeling of belonging somewhere, and having that childlike faith in a loving God. I cannot belong to anything which holds itself above others, believes it knows more than others etc. Having rejected the group I grew up in, and again rejected my DH's religious group - love quite a few of the people, but cannot agree with those doctrines, or any group thinking they are "chosen" above others. For each group, rejecting the group has been equated to rejecting God and rejecting all of the people in the group, and everyone politely holds me at arm's length and feels sorry that I have "lost faith". I can't get my mind around the rejection of both of these groups - really bothers me, when logically I know it should not. Just returning from another family outing that could have been soooo much better if pressure to join a group, and alienation for not being part of their group was not there....