How to choose a faith.

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

I've been missing spirituality in my life for awhile now and part of me wants to get it back. How should I go about finding a new faith and or should I just come up with my own? I'm fairly knowledgeable on various faiths but I am having a hard time choosing one to incorporate into my life. I suppose part of the problem is an individualistic nature on my part.

I could also just go write the book of Lorgar and start worshiping the Chaos gods, at least the ones that already exist.

"All I ever wanted was the truth. Remember those words as you read the ones that follow. I never set out to topple my father's kingdom of lies from a sense of misplaced pride. I never wanted to bleed the species to its marrow, reaving half the galaxy clean of human life in this bitter crusade. I never desired any of this, though I know the reasons for which it must be done. But all I ever wanted was the truth."
— Opening Lines of the "Book of Lorgar", First Canticle of Chaos

 

[allfoak]

Faith is inherent to being human.
Faith is not tied to a group of people or dogma.

 

[Quintessence]

I would think it is relatively straightforward, albeit easier said than done. The right religion for you should be doing these sorts of things in your life:

• Your religion should serve as a positive influence in your life. It should be a source of happiness, relaxation, contentment, and gratitude. If it is causing fear, anxiety, depression, and things like that, it needs to be dropped like the bad habit it has become. This above all else is what I would consider most important, closely followed by this second one below.
• Your religion should be inexorably connected to your overall way of life. If it isn't, what's the point? There are many forms this takes:
  • the things you value are the focus of your religion
  • your sense of character (e.g., virtues, ethics, morals) is informed by your religion
  • the lifestyle you cultivate is informed by and celebrated by your religion
• You should enjoy the stories told by your religion. Sometimes the stories take the form of formal mythologies or sacred texts. Regardless if form, you should like the stories on an aesthetic, emotional, personal level.
• The rituals and practices of your religion should appeal to you. Whether it's elaborate ceremonialism or spartan meditations, all religions involve practices of some sort. Don't overlook the importance of liking that aspect of it.
• Your religion should reflect your own creeds or ideas. Religions also tend to involve beliefs, so it is important that you find yourself agreeing with most of the ideological teachings of that tradition where they are present.
• You should be able to take pride in your religious community. Religions of one are a thing, but if there is a community aspect, it helps a lot if you enjoy the people in that community and how they serve the greater world.

But really, I would start with one question: "what do I value?" Or framed another way "what do I hold sacred?" Then ask "how do I celebrate that?" and do it. That said, I have no interest in faiths, but religions... so my default starting point for this might differ from yours.

 

[Satans_Serrated_Edge]

I've been missing spirituality in my life for awhile now and part of me wants to get it back. How should I go about finding a new faith and or should I just come up with my own? I'm fairly knowledgeable on various faiths but I am having a hard time choosing one to incorporate into my life. I suppose part of the problem is an individualistic nature on my part.

I could also just go write the book of Lorgar and start worshiping the Chaos gods, at least the ones that already exist.

"All I ever wanted was the truth. Remember those words as you read the ones that follow. I never set out to topple my father's kingdom of lies from a sense of misplaced pride. I never wanted to bleed the species to its marrow, reaving half the galaxy clean of human life in this bitter crusade. I never desired any of this, though I know the reasons for which it must be done. But all I ever wanted was the truth."
— Opening Lines of the "Book of Lorgar", First Canticle of Chaos

I would say that if you desire the sort of immersive fantasy that religion/spirituality can provide, it would be, at the very least, more intellectually honest to craft your own, to your needs.

Adopting a religion or spiritual system invented by another man is, by proxy of worshipping his ideas, the worship of another man.

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

I would say that if you desire the sort of immersive fantasy that religion/spirituality can provide, it would be, at the very least, more intellectually honest to craft your own, to your needs.

Adopting a religion or spiritual system invented by another man is, by proxy of worshipping his ideas, the worship of another man.

What can I say ? Fantasy can be fun.
I've considered doing that for the elements I miss and it allows me to avoid the elements I don't. Like churches, I hate churches and religious services in general.

 

[jcforever]

I've been missing spirituality in my life for awhile now and part of me wants to get it back. How should I go about finding a new faith and or should I just come up with my own? I'm fairly knowledgeable on various faiths but I am having a hard time choosing one to incorporate into my life. I suppose part of the problem is an individualistic nature on my part.

I could also just go write the book of Lorgar and start worshiping the Chaos gods, at least the ones that already exist.

"All I ever wanted was the truth. Remember those words as you read the ones that follow. I never set out to topple my father's kingdom of lies from a sense of misplaced pride. I never wanted to bleed the species to its marrow, reaving half the galaxy clean of human life in this bitter crusade. I never desired any of this, though I know the reasons for which it must be done. But all I ever wanted was the truth."
— Opening Lines of the "Book of Lorgar", First Canticle of Chaos

I think you have faith and belief mixed up. Since you don't have faith, you will be forced to settle with belief in something. What do you believe right now?

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

I think you have faith and belief mixed up. Since you don't have faith, you will be forced to settle with belief in something. What do you believe right now?

Quite honestly you would have to be more specific but I assume you mean on a spiritual level. Is this assumption correct? Or do you mean something more broad than that?

 

[jcforever]

Quite honestly you would have to be more specific but I assume you mean on a spiritual level. Is this assumption correct? Or do you mean something more broad than that?

God is totally invisible to us so he has to come to each individual that produces faith. Those he chose to speak for him, he actually speaks into their minds to get their attention and then gives them commands to obey to get them ready to eventually write and speak for him. Those he chose to believe in the testimonies of his chosen servants of faith, can only believe those testimonies to be true since chosen believers have never heard his voice. They are chosen through various miracles and other ways that God connects to them.

Even atheists believe in things they experience with their subjective senses despite them being chosen to participate in the voice of God either directly in their mind or through a servant.

This is why I ask you what do you believe in now because I know you have never heard the voice of God.

 

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

God is totally invisible to us so he has to come to each individual that produces faith. Those he chose to speak for him, he actually speaks into their minds to get their attention and then gives them commands to obey to get them ready to eventually write and speak for him. Those he chose to believe in the testimonies of his chosen servants of faith, can only believe those testimonies to be true since chosen believers have never heard his voice. They are chosen through various miracles and other ways that God connects to them.

Even atheists believe in things they experience with their subjective senses despite them being chosen to participate in the voice of God either directly in their mind or through a servant.

This is why I ask you what do you believe in now because I know you have never heard the voice of God.

Well I find the idea of believing in god without evidence a bit silly. I can't say I really believe in the concept of souls.

- I don't think human life is intrinsically valuable.
- I'm honestly not sure if there is anything supernatural about the universe in the slightest.
- I am willing to believe in the concept of God once I have seen evidence or at the very least had some sort of mystical experience to inspire me to do so.
- I honestly think polytheism makes more sense than monotheism.
- Although I think using the word Evil can be rather childish it can be useful to sum up certain behaviors.
- Honestly I don't really have any respect for Jesus , Muhammad, Abraham ect. Feeling something like Al Ma'arri's poetry gets the point across pretty well. Do not suppose the statements of the prophets to be true; they are all fabrications. Men lived comfortably till they came and spoiled life. The sacred books are only such a set of idle tales as any age could have and indeed did actually produce.- Al-Ma'arri. Though I don't agree 100%.
- The idea that any human is 100% objectively better than another human is pretty much a complete lie.
- Nothing is truly sacred
- I am completely willing to rescind pretty much anything I have listed here If I see sufficient reason to.

 

[jcforever]

Well I find the idea of believing in god without evidence a bit silly. I can't say I really believe in the concept of souls.

- I don't think human life is intrinsically valuable.
- I'm honestly not sure if there is anything supernatural about the universe in the slightest.
- I am willing to believe in the concept of God once I have seen evidence or at the very least had some sort of mystical experience to inspire me to do so.
- I honestly think polytheism makes more sense than monotheism.
- Although I think using the word Evil can be rather childish it can be useful to sum up certain behaviors.
- Honestly I don't really have any respect for Jesus , Muhammad, Abraham ect. Feeling something like Al Ma'arri's poetry gets the point across pretty well. Do not suppose the statements of the prophets to be true; they are all fabrications. Men lived comfortably till they came and spoiled life. The sacred books are only such a set of idle tales as any age could have and indeed did actually produce.- Al-Ma'arri. Though I don't agree 100%.
- The idea that any human is 100% objectively better than another human is pretty much a complete lie.
- Nothing is truly sacred
- I am completely willing to rescind pretty much anything I have listed here If I see sufficient reason to.

At least you have some beliefs to enjoy until you experience the death of your body. Then you and your created partner will wake up hearing the voice of God speaking directly into your mind.

 

[arthra]

I've been missing spirituality in my life for awhile now and part of me wants to get it back. How should I go about finding a new faith and or should I just come up with my own? I'm fairly knowledgeable on various faiths but I am having a hard time choosing one to incorporate into my life. I suppose part of the problem is an individualistic nature on my part.

So Lorgar... I would advise taking it slowly and maybe for awhile isolating yourself from your usual routine...

Meditate and pray awhile in a setting that evokes solitude and nature...

You "can come up" with your own faith... but understand that it would be like someone moving their own goal posts around... and what I've found is that having your own self made faith has limitations...namely yourself...your own limits.

You want a faith that "incorporates" into your own life...when life is vast and many times beyond our comprehension.