Religious community, or individualism?

[Gaura Priya]

Do y'all have a spiritual or religious community that you fellowship with, or do you practice your faith alone in the precincts of your own home?

I ask this, because I feel somewhat despaired. Although the more and more I involve myself with my Baha'i identity, I feel very lonely because my views wouldn't be welcome in the bigger Baha'i community. It's like a practicing Christian who doesn't go to church, or a Muslim who ends up praying at home without any fellowship.

It can get kind of lonely sometimes... :sad:

 

[xkatz]

TBH I don't really have a practice. Sometimes I pray to God but that's basically it. I pretty much "practice" at home; although for the Jewish high holidays I go to synagogue. But anyways, both practicing alone and being part of a religious community have their ups and downs.

 

[AfterGlow]

Do y'all have a spiritual or religious community that you fellowship with, or do you practice your faith alone in the precincts of your own home?

I ask this, because I feel somewhat despaired. Although the more and more I involve myself with my Baha'i identity, I feel very lonely because my views wouldn't be welcome in the bigger Baha'i community. It's like a practicing Christian who doesn't go to church, or a Muslim who ends up praying at home without any fellowship.

It can get kind of lonely sometimes... :sad:

I think what it really boils down to is why you want that community feel. Is it to learn and see how others practice? Or is it the urge to have your beliefs vindicated by others? Maybe it's a mixture of the two. People can find community anywhere, but I suspect the yearning for a specifically religious community stems from our desire to have others judge us and find our faith/practive acceptable, maybe even be looked up to.
Anyway, what I'm getting at with that tangent is that maybe it would benefit you to analyse the origins of your feelings of loneliness and isolation. That perhaps the community support you seek may turn out to be a crutch that you don't, deep down, actually require. In the end, each of us must walk our path alone.

 

[YmirGF]

I personally have no need to surround myself with others to bolster my spirituality, whatever that is, exactly. In my view, if you need to be around others you probably aren't too serious about inner evolution to begin with.

Anyway, what I'm getting at with that tangent is that maybe it would benefit you to analyse the origins of your feelings of loneliness and isolation. That perhaps the community support you seek may turn out to be a crutch that you don't, deep down, actually require. In the end, each of us must walk our path alone.

I know I couldn't feel alone if I tried too, or develop a belief that I live in isolation. The universe surrounds me. How could I possibly feel alone or isolated from that reality? Having the wild deer come by to play does have its merits though.

 

[not yet now]

there could be often a crowd coz of what he said
and what he did........
but indeed
bible says how no one fully got what he said
till after he died.....

fer example from the gospel of mark...

Mar 3:20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat.
Mar 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, "He is out of his mind."
Mar 3:22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons."
Mar 3:23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan?

Mar 3:31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.
Mar 3:32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you."
Mar 3:33 And he answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?"
Mar 3:34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!
Mar 3:35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother."

Joh 13:7 Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."
Joh 13:8 Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."
Joh 13:9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"

Joh 13:36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward."
Joh 13:37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."
Joh 13:38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

LATER EDIT...

Pro 18:1
The text and the marginal readings indicate the two chief constructions of this somewhat difficult verse. Other renderings are
(1) He who separateth himself from others seeks his own desire, and rushes forward against all wise counsel: a warning against self-will and the self-assertion which exults in differing from the received customs and opinions of mankind.
(2) he who separates himself (from the foolish, unlearned multitude) seeks his own desire (that which is worthy to be desired), and mingleth himself with all wisdom. So the Jewish commentators generally.


Pro 18:10 A tower of strength is the name of Jehovah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.

Pro 18:11 The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength, And as a wall set on high in his own imagination.

Pro 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower,.... By "the name of the Lord" may be meant, either the attributes and perfections of God, by which he is made known, and which are the strength and security of his people; his goodness, grace, and mercy, are their defence; his favour encompasses them about, as a shield; his justice protects them from all injuries and insults; his truth and faithfulness preserve them; they are kept by his power, as in a garrison; and his unchangeableness is a reason why they are not consumed: or else the Lord himself; his name is put for himself, Psa_20:1; and may be well interpreted of the Messiah, as it is by the ancient Jew, (q); in and by whom God is manifested unto men as the God of grace; in whom he proclaims his name, a God gracious and merciful; whose name is in him, and who has the same nature and perfections with him; his name is Jehovah, our righteousness; Immanuel, God with us; the mighty God, and Prince of peace; and who is called Jesus, because he saves his people from their sins, and so is their security from eternal destruction. What a strong tower is to them that are within it, against an enemy without, that is the power, strength, and might of Christ to his people; as a divine Person, he is strong and mighty, the most mighty, the Almighty; as man, he is the man of God's right hand, made strong for himself and us; as Mediator, he has all power in heaven and earth: in him is everlasting strength for his people; he is their Betzer, their fortified place, or city of refuge, to flee unto on all occasions; he is the strong hold, whither prisoners of hope are directed to turn to; he is their place of defence, and the munition of rocks; a strong tower, inexpugnable; so deeply founded, no enemy can work under it; and plant a mine to blow it up; so highly built; no scaling ladders can reach it; so fortified, no cannon balls can break through it, or demolish any of its walls and bulwarks, which are his salvation; the gates of hell cannot prevail against it; it is not to be taken by storm, or by the most violent attack of the whole posse of men and devils;

the righteous runneth into it; not self-righteous persons, they run from Christ and his righteousness, not to him and that; but such who see their own righteousness will not justify them; who indeed are sinners, know and acknowledge themselves to be such; as sinners go to Christ, who, as such, receives them; and these are righteous through the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, and live soberly, righteously, and godly: and it is the continual business or employment of their faith to betake themselves to Christ upon all occasions; they are continually coming to him, and exercising faith upon him, as the Lord their righteousness, which is meant by "running" to him; this supposes knowledge of him, as the strong tower and city of refuge; of the way unto him, and of the reception by him which may be expected; it supposes a principle of spiritual life, and some degree of spiritual strength; a sense of danger or of want in themselves, and of safety and fulness in Christ; it is expressive of haste, readiness, and cheerfulness, and is owing to the drawings of efficacious grace;

and such an one that thus runs

is safe; from the avenging justice of God; from the curse and condemnation of the law; from sin, and all its dreadful consequences; from Satan, and all spiritual enemies; from wrath to come, hell, and the second death: or is "set aloft" (r); is on high; for this tower, as it is a strong one, it is a high one; a rock of refuge, higher than men, or angels, or heaven itself; and such who are in it are out of the reach of all danger and every enemy.

 

[wordmagnifiedabovenames]

Do y'all have a spiritual or religious community that you fellowship with, or do you practice your faith alone in the precincts of your own home?

Both.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Baha'is have individual practices too, but mostly practice as a community.

Peace,

Bruce

 

[fenrisx]

Do y'all have a spiritual or religious community that you fellowship with, or do you practice your faith alone in the precincts of your own home?

I ask this, because I feel somewhat despaired. Although the more and more I involve myself with my Baha'i identity, I feel very lonely because my views wouldn't be welcome in the bigger Baha'i community. It's like a practicing Christian who doesn't go to church, or a Muslim who ends up praying at home without any fellowship.

It can get kind of lonely sometimes... :sad:

As part of a Sufi order, I consider myself as part of a community

 

[Breathe]

I'm mostly individual, but I'd like to start spending more time with others of similar views.

After all, humans are social animals, and meeting new people won't hurt. It would hurt, however, if those were to be the only people I hung around with.

 

[lunamoth]

I ask this, because I feel somewhat despaired. Although the more and more I involve myself with my Baha'i identity, I feel very lonely because my views wouldn't be welcome in the bigger Baha'i community.

Community (unity) is very important in the Baha'i Faith, and I also think it would be very lonely to try to be a Baha'i alone. Maybe you should try to contact your local Baha'i community, be honest about your beliefs, etc., and try to connect with them. Even if you are not a 'declared' Baha'i, you could attend Firesides and many of the other community festivities/events. Your status really would not change from what it is now, and you would be considered a 'friend,' and warmly welcomed in that role, I'm sure.

 

[Kami Servant]

Being an English Shintoist, it is extremely difficult to get any form of community going within my belief, in this country anyway. However, the meaning of Shinto is not limited to only those who claim belief, so I don't need a Shintoist community. Nature is community enough for me.