The spiritual struggle.

[Lorgar-Aurelian]

You know every time I think I've found a faith for me it seems like something has to get in the way. Normally the fact that on some level it just doesn't seem to make any real sense in the universe at large. Almost every religion I can think of at some point you have to do a bunch of mental gymnastics to actually believe it.

I get it some of you out there are 100% convinced of whatever path you follow or at least mostly convinced and that's all good for you but for someone like me who wants to be spiritual but can't seem to it kinda sucks. IT feels like there is a sort of hole that would rather like it if I could fill it with spirituality but well it feels like I would be lying to myself and everyone around me. It feels dishonest on some level. Could I logically defend any new faith I might try? Only to a certain point then I would have to say "I have faith."

That is just it though, why wouldn't I just believe in everything and nothing if I have faith? You can justify believing the dumbest nonsense once you have faith in it. If you wanted me to argue for the existence of a god without using general faith that the god exists I couldn't do it.

IT feels like a betrayal of everything else when I affirm that you need to be able to justify your beliefs then to just say "Oh it's okay just have faith." Oh and for the love of God yes people have "faith" in their daily lives with things like traffic lights. Guys come on that is clearly not the same thing but for some reason there is always someone who throws that out there.

 

[Jumi]

Well of course you couldn't start out understanding a whole faith when you are new to it. I think that's why they have priests or similar functions.

I had this problem, where I wanted to do an experiment to experience a religion first hand as I've been non-religious all my life. The experiment involved "trying out a religion" for some time period, I ended up choosing Gnosticism since they seemed to have the same values(I'm libertarian). Well it seems the Gnostics here locally are quite active and have highly educated members, but their values are closer to local Protestantism as well as cross-membership with various other religions, it seemed somewhat hypocritical to me to see that religion as something of a gateway back to another "mother church" so I bailed before carrying out the experiment.

 

[MrMrdevincamus]

Well of course you couldn't start out understanding a whole faith when you are new to it. I think that's why they have priests or similar functions.

I had this problem, where I wanted to do an experiment to experience a religion first hand as I've been non-religious all my life. The experiment involved "trying out a religion" for some time period, I ended up choosing Gnosticism since they seemed to have the same values(I'm libertarian). Well it seems the Gnostics here locally are quite active and have highly educated members, but their values are closer to local Protestantism as well as cross-membership with various other religions, it seemed somewhat hypocritical to me to see that religion as something of a gateway back to another "mother church" so I bailed before carrying out the experiment.

chicken.....(lol) ~

 

[arthra]

You know every time I think I've found a faith for me it seems like something has to get in the way. Normally the fact that on some level it just doesn't seem to make any real sense in the universe at large. Almost every religion I can think of at some point you have to do a bunch of mental gymnastics to actually believe it.

Keep on seeking Lorgar.. You'll find it!

 

[Twilight Hue]

You know every time I think I've found a faith for me it seems like something has to get in the way. Normally the fact that on some level it just doesn't seem to make any real sense in the universe at large. Almost every religion I can think of at some point you have to do a bunch of mental gymnastics to actually believe it.

I get it some of you out there are 100% convinced of whatever path you follow or at least mostly convinced and that's all good for you but for someone like me who wants to be spiritual but can't seem to it kinda sucks. IT feels like there is a sort of hole that would rather like it if I could fill it with spirituality but well it feels like I would be lying to myself and everyone around me. It feels dishonest on some level. Could I logically defend any new faith I might try? Only to a certain point then I would have to say "I have faith."

That is just it though, why wouldn't I just believe in everything and nothing if I have faith? You can justify believing the dumbest nonsense once you have faith in it. If you wanted me to argue for the existence of a god without using general faith that the god exists I couldn't do it.

IT feels like a betrayal of everything else when I affirm that you need to be able to justify your beliefs then to just say "Oh it's okay just have faith." Oh and for the love of God yes people have "faith" in their daily lives with things like traffic lights. Guys come on that is clearly not the same thing but for some reason there is always someone who throws that out there.

It's why i lost interest in the sense that my expectations never lived up to the any of the past religions I followed and experimented with.

Sometimes I think it's better to allow observation and experience to dictate expectations. It makes for an easier ride and not as frustrating.

 

[Jumi]

chicken.....

It's like doing karate at a gym where the trainer is promoting some other martial art as better than what's practiced there.

 

[George-ananda]

You know every time I think I've found a faith for me it seems like something has to get in the way.

Have you looked east to the dharmic non-dual (God and creation are not-two) philosophies? Many of these paths are more experiential and less faith driven.

 

[MrMrdevincamus]

It's like doing karate at a gym where the trainer is promoting some other martial art as better than what's practiced there.

Yes, well bless him, I was using bad taste I guess in making a funny. Actually I found God by doing the very same thing meaning trying many religions. (after science and philosophy convinced me my atheism wasn't for me). Ones religion is even more faith based and personal than belief in God imo. I had researched and tried different religious beliefs for over ten years before I found one that I could accept as possible true and despite some setbacks God didn't give up on me and the religion grew in me more like a cold than a seed because it was painful at times to try to follow the commandants, fail in a weak moment,(the pain) then have to ask for forgiveness (worse pain)....!

God bless our forum ~

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Try Buddhism - no faith required - just cultivate compassion and see for yourself if it improves your state of mind ...

Here's a great site -

Thich Nhat Hanh on The Practice of Mindfulness

Best of luck to you!