Miserable and seeking

[Sgt. Pepper]

God is loving and merciful, is He not? Jesus said if you’ve seen Him you’ve seen the Father. Do you have a problem with Jesus Christ?

It's ironic of you to mention Jesus, because ever since I read through this thread, Jesus is a Fictional Character, I've had doubts that he existed. But if a well known prophet named Yehoshua did exist in ancient Israel, then it's doubtful that he was anything like what his followers said he was. Please don't bother mentioning Josephus in an attempt to defend your belief in Jesus, because his alleged account of Jesus was debunked in that thread. Honestly, this thread really got me thinking, so I did some research on my own, and now I'm convinced that either Jesus never existed, or he was just an ordinary prophet and his followers embellished his life story.

 

[mangalavara]

I guess I just like doing rituals, building a lifestyle around it and a religion is good for those things. Maybe I could make my own rituals, etc.

Judaism seems very practical but the rules seem excessive. But maybe they aren't as bad as I am thinking they are.

One thing I like about being an ordinary Hindu is that I can have my rituals, and rules that are not excessive.

I so want connection. I do like to meditate.

I do meditation in the form of nāma japa, that is, the chanting or repetition of a divine name. Another I like to do is visualize the beautiful, perfect feet of my object of worship.

Sometimes these laws don't seem practical and are rooted in a specific time and place in history with limited knowledge. But then many of these have ritual and lifestyle changes that I seem to like, and a built in community.

You sound like me. There are ancient laws in Hinduism that I think reflected the conventional wisdom of the era and place but are probably mostly irrelevant today, especially outside of India. On the other hand, there are pious customs that I practice because I like the symbolism in them and the fact that they help me distinguish myself as a Hindu. Plus, some of them are dharma anyway.

I think I am putting too much pressure on myself to find one. I am impatient and my mind just won't stop trying to find a spiritual home

You are not the only one. The impatience in this, by the way, reveals that you have the 'religious gene.' I have it and so do some other members of RF. Basically, we are 'genetically' meant to be religious, always, and we will not rest until we find the religion that satisfies us.

Should I expect more from people in other religions, or are people just going to people, regardless of what religion they are?

For the most part, I think, people are going to behave in accordance with their culture and environmental background. Boatloads and boatloads of Western Christians do not walk as Christ did. On the other hand, there are countries such as South Korea where over 50% of people are irreligious yet very humble and kind. They might have some 'toxic' views from a Western perspective, but everybody there is safe outside even at night. Regardless of what country one lives in, being religious means trying to seriously live up to higher standards, and few individuals even bother.

I think what I do is I get all gung ho about a religion, then once the excitement wears off, my mind starts picking it apart and I get depressed. Ack

If I had a dollar for every time I did that, I'd be able to afford a plane ticket from Dallas to Waco!

The excitement will definitely wear off, yes, but if you remain committed to the religion, especially its spirituality, you will obtain results that are more interesting than the honeymoon phase.

The many gods are just the myriad aspects of...Brahman, is it?

In the school of Vedānta philosophy that I subscribe to, Brahman is the only reality, and the devas or gods in the Vedic hymns are parts of Brahman. Souls are also parts of Brahman. Who is Brahman? My school says Viṣṇu, but I find myself inclined toward the teachings of Goswami Tulsidas lately, who taught that Rāma is Brahman.

 

[loverofhumanity]

Love this. I was actually just considering this type of thing.

Love must rule. Love will in the end conquerer all this division and disunity. It is the time for love, time for peace and harmony!

This is a very beautiful song. This is how I believe we should view each other, not as strangers or enemies but as one beautiful human family.

 

[ameyAtmA]

In the school of Vedānta philosophy that I subscribe to, Brahman is the only reality, and the devas or gods in the Vedic hymns are parts of Brahman. Souls are also parts of Brahman. Who is Brahman? My school says Viṣṇu, but I find myself inclined toward the teachings of Goswami Tulsidas lately, who taught that Rāma is Brahman.

Please allow me to add (to prevent ambiguity or confusion) that RAma is a major avatAr of VishNu.
So RAma is VishNu.
Rama is Brahman, KRshNa is Brahman, and they are major avatArs of VishNu, KRshNa being pUrNAvatAr.

Goswami Tulasidas's IshTa is RAma i.e. His devotion is to Rama alone. In fact he writes a bhajan to KRshNa. You have to keep your flute aside, your Sudarshan aside, and take up the bow and quiver of arrows and be my Shri RAma. Only then I will worship you. (Hanuman sort of did the same and KRshNa-RukmiNi dressed up as Rama-Sita to welcome Hanuman to Dwarka (Hanuman being a 'cheeranjeevi' - lives across yugas and is present in Rama's time, KRshNa's time and even today in our time)).

 

[loverofhumanity]

Im atheiest so can't give you advice on religion but i can wish you all the best in your search

A very beautiful and most respectful response. I commend you for being so kind despite you have opposing beliefs. I would consider you more virtuous than many religious people.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I guess I just like doing rituals, building a lifestyle around it and a religion is good for those things. Maybe I could make my own rituals, etc.

Judaism seems very practical but the rules seem excessive. But maybe they aren't as bad as I am thinking they are.

Rituals are helpful and meaningful, but not necessary. Like I said, all you really need to do is simply love God and be a decent human being. I was just curious what you had thought of Judaism.

 

[ElishaElijah]

It's ironic of you to mention Jesus, because ever since I read through this thread, Jesus is a Fictional Character, I've had doubts that he existed. But if a well known prophet named Yehoshua did exist in ancient Israel, then it's doubtful that he was anything like what his followers said he was. Please don't bother mentioning Josephus in an attempt to defend your belief in Jesus, because his alleged account of Jesus was debunked in that thread. Honestly, this thread really got me thinking, so I did some research on my own, and now I'm convinced that either Jesus never existed, or he was just an ordinary prophet and his followers embellished his life story.

Don’t know how you could’ve ever been born again then.

 

[Wildswanderer]

After leaving Christianity in 2014, I must have tried most religions out there. I want a religion so badly, of the reason I am not totally sure, but I just can't seem to be okay with any. I feel lonely, untethered and empty. Not sure what to do. I am not a spiritual flake, just confused.

Drop the Christianity and become a lover of Jesus.

 

[Sand Dancer]

“Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time  — to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him. In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory. In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:3-14‬ ‭CSB‬‬

When I see what lengths God went to save us and give us this inheritance, He says we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places, so to see God as a murderer doesn’t make sense to me at all.

So are you chalking these verses up to falsehoods or extra stuff put in to discredit Yahweh? I'd gladly cross them out of my Bible.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Don’t know how you could’ve ever been born again then.

Many people have left. People learn, grow and change. No religion is perfect and no religion is a good fit for everyone. I think most people still like Jesus, it's just that when you see and hear about so many people who do such unChrist-like things and call themselves Christian, it makes you wonder what you've gotten into. I hate it, but there it is.

 

[Sand Dancer]

One thing I like about being an ordinary Hindu is that I can have my rituals, and rules that are not excessive.



I do meditation in the form of nāma japa, that is, the chanting or repetition of a divine name. Another I like to do is visualize the beautiful, perfect feet of my object of worship.



You sound like me. There are ancient laws in Hinduism that I think reflected the conventional wisdom of the era and place but are probably mostly irrelevant today, especially outside of India. On the other hand, there are pious customs that I practice because I like the symbolism in them and the fact that they help me distinguish myself as a Hindu. Plus, some of them are dharma anyway.



You are not the only one. The impatience in this, by the way, reveals that you have the 'religious gene.' I have it and so do some other members of RF. Basically, we are 'genetically' meant to be religious, always, and we will not rest until we find the religion that satisfies us.



For the most part, I think, people are going to behave in accordance with their culture and environmental background. Boatloads and boatloads of Western Christians do not walk as Christ did. On the other hand, there are countries such as South Korea where over 50% of people are irreligious yet very humble and kind. They might have some 'toxic' views from a Western perspective, but everybody there is safe outside even at night. Regardless of what country one lives in, being religious means trying to seriously live up to higher standards, and few individuals even bother.



If I had a dollar for every time I did that, I'd be able to afford a plane ticket from Dallas to Waco!

The excitement will definitely wear off, yes, but if you remain committed to the religion, especially its spirituality, you will obtain results that are more interesting than the honeymoon phase.



In the school of Vedānta philosophy that I subscribe to, Brahman is the only reality, and the devas or gods in the Vedic hymns are parts of Brahman. Souls are also parts of Brahman. Who is Brahman? My school says Viṣṇu, but I find myself inclined toward the teachings of Goswami Tulsidas lately, who taught that Rāma is Brahman.

Very interesting and intriguing. I do think the eastern religious mindset is more freeing than the western. I would love more info!

 

[Sand Dancer]

Drop the Christianity and become a lover of Jesus.

Sounds good to me!

 

[Sand Dancer]

Rituals are helpful and meaningful, but not necessary. Like I said, all you really need to do is simply love God and be a decent human being. I was just curious what you had thought of Judaism.

To me, it makes more sense than Christianity. How should I learn more, besides reread my Hebrew Bible?

 

[ElishaElijah]

So are you chalking these verses up to falsehoods or extra stuff put in to discredit Yahweh? I'd gladly cross them out of my Bible.

These are true accounts, people think they are in a position to judge God and bring a charge against Him. This is a big mistake and you can see at the end of Job what happens there.
God judges sin and people righteously, this will be shown at the judgement, for now people can say all kinds of things. Would be a mistake to believe the lies about God only to find out you were wrong.

 

[ElishaElijah]

Many people have left. People learn, grow and change. No religion is perfect and no religion is a good fit for everyone. I think most people still like Jesus, it's just that when you see and hear about so many people who do such unChrist-like things and call themselves Christian, it makes you wonder what you've gotten into. I hate it, but there it is.

A person that denies Jesus is a real person was never born again but just a religious person who participated in religious activities. It’s religion and just following rules apart from a relationship with God. I can understand why people leave that. It’s dead

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Don’t know how you could’ve ever been born again then.

I don't know why you think it's any of your concern or even your judgment call.

 

[ElishaElijah]

I don't know why you think it's any of your concern or even your judgment call.

Why would this bother you in the first place, you said you’re happy to be free from that religion, I would be too! But I’m saying as one who has been born again and know the communion with God through the Holy Spirit that you didn’t have this or you wouldn’t talk like you do.
“Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭CSB‬‬

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Many people have left. People learn, grow and change. No religion is perfect and no religion is a good fit for everyone. I think most people still like Jesus, it's just that when you see and hear about so many people who do such unChrist-like things and call themselves Christian, it makes you wonder what you've gotten into. I hate it, but there it is.

Yes, people learn, grow and change. People also realize that their harsh reality doesn't fit all the stories that claim God is loving and merciful, and a 'heavenly father' to them, as it was in my situation. Besides, the negative response you replied to in your post is the typical self-righteous reaction that evangelicals usually have towards someone who has left Christianity, especially if the person left their faith for reasons like I did. It's the sanctimonious attitude that can cause agnostics, and other non-Christians, to despise Christians and scorn Christianity. It certainly reinforces my decision to continue distancing myself from Christianity, and I've learned to shrug it off as irrelevant background noise.

 

[Sand Dancer]

A person that denies Jesus is a real person was never born again but just a religious person who participated in religious activities. It’s religion and just following rules apart from a relationship with God. I can understand why people leave that. It’s dead

I think he was a real person and did and said amazing things. I just no longer think he was a god. Well, you certainly are entitled to your opinion.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Yes, people learn, grow and change. People also realize that their harsh reality doesn't fit all the stories that claim God is loving and merciful, and a 'heavenly father' to them, as it was in my situation. Besides, the negative response you replied to in your post is the typical self-righteous reaction that evangelicals usually have towards someone who has left Christianity, especially if the person left their faith for reasons like I did. It's the sanctimonious attitude that often causes atheists, agnostics, and other unbelievers, to dislike Christians and scorn Christianity. It certainly reinforces my decision to continue distancing myself from Christianity, and I've learned to shrug it off as irrelevant background noise.

Maybe it's fear or a perceived threat, since the religion is declining. I don't know. When I became Christian, I mostly hung out with other Christians, so I don't know how I would have responded to someone who left.