To become irreligious: a paradigm shift.

[an anarchist]

I am in a stressful situation.
So, I tried meditating, as I do. Usually, though, I would meditate in the presence of the Trinity imagined before me. I’d meditate to all three of them individually, and then all three of them combined, open up and chakras and stuff. Presently, I’m considering becoming a deist. I was saddened that I was no longer having that perceived intimate connection with God. I just did a simple breathing meditation in its place.
Later on that day, I was still stressed. Instinctively, I got on my knees to pray and beg Jesus Christ for help. Then I remembered. I’m not sure I believe. Well shoot, so I prayed a pathetic prayer “Jesus, if you are real, stop me from becoming an apostate and help me out please!” That’s all I prayed, usually I’ll spend a lot more time in prayer.
I got up and realized what I had to do in lieu of praying. I had to craft a plan. I had to proceed with caution. I had to think for myself! I had to get myself out of this situation. My whole life, I have just prayed for help and then trusted that God would take care of it. Haphazardly have I plowed through existence, assuming God has saved me time and time again. I have near death experiences, times where I’ve called out God to save my life, and I did not die. Surely, I thought, God is real. I have to accept I am still here due to what man calls luck, and not God. Absolutely terrifying.
I’m just beginning to realize that it is a paradigm shift going from a theistic belief system to one that is not theistic. It is not a switch I can just turn off.

 

[Secret Chief]

I am in a stressful situation.
So, I tried meditating, as I do. Usually, though, I would meditate in the presence of the Trinity imagined before me. I’d meditate to all three of them individually, and then all three of them combined, open up and chakras and stuff. Presently, I’m considering becoming a deist. I was saddened that I was no longer having that perceived intimate connection with God. I just did a simple breathing meditation in its place.
Later on that day, I was still stressed. Instinctively, I got on my knees to pray and beg Jesus Christ for help. Then I remembered. I’m not sure I believe. Well shoot, so I prayed a pathetic prayer “Jesus, if you are real, stop me from becoming an apostate and help me out please!” That’s all I prayed, usually I’ll spend a lot more time in prayer.
I got up and realized what I had to do in lieu of praying. I had to craft a plan. I had to proceed with caution. I had to think for myself! I had to get myself out of this situation. My whole life, I have just prayed for help and then trusted that God would take care of it. Haphazardly have I plowed through existence, assuming God has saved me time and time again. I have near death experiences, times where I’ve called out God to save my life, and I did not die. Surely, I thought, God is real. I have to accept I am still here due to what man calls luck, and not God. Absolutely terrifying.
I’m just beginning to realize that it is a paradigm shift going from a theistic belief system to one that is not theistic. It is not a switch I can just turn off.

The changes in your outlook won't settle down overnight clearly. In the meantime the only thing I might suggest is making sure you try to deal with the stress; if you don't already I'd say regular aerobic exercise. And talk it through with someone.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

I had to think for myself!

This is it in a nutshell - the answer I think you're looking for. Sounds like you're doing really, really well already, honestly. I am not just saying this because I want more "nonbelievers" in the world or something - you're moving toward deism anyway... not abandoning belief wholesale. I just feel that there are very good reasons to question these things and not just take them at face value. And the more you do, the more comfortable you will be having and entertaining your own thoughts on all sorts of topics, which grants you the ability to come to the best choices for various questions for the most real-world applicable reasons. Not just because of the "my house, my rules" edicts of some unknowable godly entity... but because you actually thought about it and decided what is best for real, rational reasons that best support yourself and the others you desire to support.

 

[an anarchist]

The changes in your outlook won't settle down overnight clearly. In the meantime the only thing I might suggest is making sure you try to deal with the stress; if you don't already I'd say regular aerobic exercise. And talk it through with someone.

You reminded me, I’m decent at Tai Chi. That always helps me out, I’ll pick that back up. Therapy I go to is a good help too

 

[Father Heathen]

You can have god without the tomes and temples of the self appointed middlemen.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I am in a stressful situation.
So, I tried meditating, as I do. Usually, though, I would meditate in the presence of the Trinity imagined before me. I’d meditate to all three of them individually, and then all three of them combined, open up and chakras and stuff. Presently, I’m considering becoming a deist. I was saddened that I was no longer having that perceived intimate connection with God. I just did a simple breathing meditation in its place.
Later on that day, I was still stressed. Instinctively, I got on my knees to pray and beg Jesus Christ for help. Then I remembered. I’m not sure I believe. Well shoot, so I prayed a pathetic prayer “Jesus, if you are real, stop me from becoming an apostate and help me out please!” That’s all I prayed, usually I’ll spend a lot more time in prayer.
I got up and realized what I had to do in lieu of praying. I had to craft a plan. I had to proceed with caution. I had to think for myself! I had to get myself out of this situation. My whole life, I have just prayed for help and then trusted that God would take care of it. Haphazardly have I plowed through existence, assuming God has saved me time and time again. I have near death experiences, times where I’ve called out God to save my life, and I did not die. Surely, I thought, God is real. I have to accept I am still here due to what man calls luck, and not God. Absolutely terrifying.
I’m just beginning to realize that it is a paradigm shift going from a theistic belief system to one that is not theistic. It is not a switch I can just turn off.

I don't see the need to throw out God and Jesus altogether. I'm not sure why you are, and you're even talking about how you think God was there for you in life. You just seem to be upsetting yourself.

 

[ChristineM]

You reminded me, I’m decent at Tai Chi. That always helps me out, I’ll pick that back up. Therapy I go to is a good help too

^^^^^^ This is going to help as well as thinking for yourself, sounds to me like you are almost there, the only thing missing is time, but don't worry, time is on the way. Give it a few weeks and living without dependence on your god belief will be second nature.

 

[an anarchist]

I don't see the need to throw out God and Jesus altogether. I'm not sure why you are. You just seem to be upsetting yourself.

If God and Jesus are real, I’m confident they’ll bring me back into the fold. I have served them with my whole heart for many years. Perhaps I am just stubbornly throwing them out. I’d like to think my belief in God is actually maturing, and I’m moving past Jesus with it.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

If God and Jesus are real, I’m confident they’ll bring me back into the fold. I have served them with my whole heart for many years. Perhaps I am just stubbornly throwing them out. I’d like to think my belief in God is actually maturing, and I’m moving past Jesus with it.

So what's the point? To test God or something? Have you lost your faith?

 

[RestlessSoul]

Good luck. Tread your own path by all means, but don't feel you have to walk it alone.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I just believed until I could not believe no more. Then it was easy to walk out of the mental prison and let the rose colored glasses fall off and the stain glass shatter.

The way I saw it. It was simply returning home once again to that point before religion and god was ever introduced.

This time around I just allowed nature to do the teaching and not people anymore. The universe does perfectly fine without God and is wonderfully indifferent towards human borne embellishments and fabrications.

It turned out to be a nice honest return to default.

This time without the entrapments of dogma and beliefs, living in an unobscured pristine truth free of human intervention and obstruction.

 

[an anarchist]

Have you lost your faith?

I have lost faith that I was right in my religious beliefs. I will continue exploring religion and keep developing my beliefs.

 

[viole]

It is not a switch I can just turn off.

I think it is. It is actually amazingly simple.

ciao

- viole

 

[The Hammer]

I’m just beginning to realize that it is a paradigm shift going from a theistic belief system to one that is not theistic. It is not a switch I can just turn off.

You don't have to stop being a theist, if Christianity isn't working anymore. Many other Gods out there willing to lend a listening ear. Krishna?

 

[PureX]

I am in a stressful situation.

"God" does not have to be the manifestation of any religion. And faith does not require us to "believe in" anything. These, I think, are the realizations that you are seeking, but have not yet fully understood and assimilated.

 

[an anarchist]

You don't have to stop being a theist, if Christianity isn't working anymore. Many other Gods out there willing to lend a listening ear. Krishna?

Maybe, I have benefited from the Gita deeply in the past. But I don’t think I could believe in Krishna or any other God as literally as I did Christ. So I think that’s why I’m leaning towards deism.

 

[Fool]

I am in a stressful situation.
So, I tried meditating, as I do. Usually, though, I would meditate in the presence of the Trinity imagined before me. I’d meditate to all three of them individually, and then all three of them combined, open up and chakras and stuff. Presently, I’m considering becoming a deist. I was saddened that I was no longer having that perceived intimate connection with God. I just did a simple breathing meditation in its place.
Later on that day, I was still stressed. Instinctively, I got on my knees to pray and beg Jesus Christ for help. Then I remembered. I’m not sure I believe. Well shoot, so I prayed a pathetic prayer “Jesus, if you are real, stop me from becoming an apostate and help me out please!” That’s all I prayed, usually I’ll spend a lot more time in prayer.
I got up and realized what I had to do in lieu of praying. I had to craft a plan. I had to proceed with caution. I had to think for myself! I had to get myself out of this situation. My whole life, I have just prayed for help and then trusted that God would take care of it. Haphazardly have I plowed through existence, assuming God has saved me time and time again. I have near death experiences, times where I’ve called out God to save my life, and I did not die. Surely, I thought, God is real. I have to accept I am still here due to what man calls luck, and not God. Absolutely terrifying.
I’m just beginning to realize that it is a paradigm shift going from a theistic belief system to one that is not theistic. It is not a switch I can just turn off.

consider what is gnostic and what is agnostic, then choose to know or believe

 

[The Hammer]

Maybe, I have benefited from the Gita deeply in the past. But I don’t think I could believe in Krishna or any other God as literally as I did Christ. So I think that’s why I’m leaning towards deism.

Hmm, understandable.

Henotheism allows for the worship of all the Gods

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

I don't see the need to throw out God and Jesus altogether.

Well... you do understand you're speaking for yourself here, right? I mean, for my purposes, I can thinking of plenty of reasons to just throw out God and Jesus altogether. I mean... I have, time and time and time again, as people continue to thrust either of them in my face and ask "what is wrong?" that I don't believe.

 

[Fool]

I am in a stressful situation.
So, I tried meditating, as I do. Usually, though, I would meditate in the presence of the Trinity imagined before me. I’d meditate to all three of them individually, and then all three of them combined, open up and chakras and stuff. Presently, I’m considering becoming a deist. I was saddened that I was no longer having that perceived intimate connection with God. I just did a simple breathing meditation in its place.
Later on that day, I was still stressed. Instinctively, I got on my knees to pray and beg Jesus Christ for help. Then I remembered. I’m not sure I believe. Well shoot, so I prayed a pathetic prayer “Jesus, if you are real, stop me from becoming an apostate and help me out please!” That’s all I prayed, usually I’ll spend a lot more time in prayer.
I got up and realized what I had to do in lieu of praying. I had to craft a plan. I had to proceed with caution. I had to think for myself! I had to get myself out of this situation. My whole life, I have just prayed for help and then trusted that God would take care of it. Haphazardly have I plowed through existence, assuming God has saved me time and time again. I have near death experiences, times where I’ve called out God to save my life, and I did not die. Surely, I thought, God is real. I have to accept I am still here due to what man calls luck, and not God. Absolutely terrifying.
I’m just beginning to realize that it is a paradigm shift going from a theistic belief system to one that is not theistic. It is not a switch I can just turn off.

don't give up on meditation. in fact, immerse(baptize) yourself in the name, exodus 3:14