Trying to see where to start

[kmc1710]

I was raised in a Christian family but that never really fit well with me. I havent been to church in years but I've always felt a need for some form on spirituality. I have always felt like an earth based religion is probably more suited to me than anything else. When I search for earth based religions, Wicca is the only thing that mainly comes up and it doesn't feel like it is right for me. Maybe it's my Christian upbringing still pretty strong. I dont know. I don't take anything way from them. I believe that people with special gifts do exist, whatever that might be. I don't have anything against them, but I think if something doesn't feel right to you then just stay away. Intuition is a best friend.

Sometimes I feel like all religions are trying to get to the same thing, just different understandings/interpretations. But Christianity has always felt too controlling and stifling. I don't think there's anything wrong with anyone belonging to the LGBT community and I say give them the right to marriage and everything else conventional relationships are entitled to, because they are humans too.

I do believe in spirits, good and evil. I do believe there is power in nature. I'm not sure about the afterlife. I'm still pretty scatterbrained but I figured I needed to start somewhere. Any suggestions as to where to start would be appreciated.

 

[eveninglightwriter]

KMC, I just posted on the forum and I just so happened to read your post. We both come from Christian backgrounds, I was raised Christian. I never felt a connection to the Baptist church and I always had difficulties relating to the teachings. I agree with you and I wish you luck on your journey. You are not alone!

 

[wayward_teen]

I was raised in a Christian family but that never really fit well with me. I havent been to church in years but I've always felt a need for some form on spirituality. I have always felt like an earth based religion is probably more suited to me than anything else. When I search for earth based religions, Wicca is the only thing that mainly comes up and it doesn't feel like it is right for me. Maybe it's my Christian upbringing still pretty strong. I dont know. I don't take anything way from them. I believe that people with special gifts do exist, whatever that might be. I don't have anything against them, but I think if something doesn't feel right to you then just stay away. Intuition is a best friend.

Sometimes I feel like all religions are trying to get to the same thing, just different understandings/interpretations. But Christianity has always felt too controlling and stifling. I don't think there's anything wrong with anyone belonging to the LGBT community and I say give them the right to marriage and everything else conventional relationships are entitled to, because they are humans too.

I do believe in spirits, good and evil. I do believe there is power in nature. I'm not sure about the afterlife. I'm still pretty scatterbrained but I figured I needed to start somewhere. Any suggestions as to where to start would be appreciated.

Try looking into Shintoism. It's not a perfect match, but it features many of the ideas you mentioned. Unitarian Universalism is another half-match.

Sorry I can't help you more!

 

[kmc1710]

Eveninglightwriter,
Thank you! I hope you find your fit as well. Maybe we can have discussions about our experiences and what we come across.


way_wardteen,
You've helped plenty. I had completely forgotten about Shintoism!! Thank you for the suggestion.

 

[Breathe]

What are your results on the Belief O Matic quiz? It's a little mmm... crappy quiz, but it should give you some idea of where else to look.

Otherwise, I think Shintoism is a good one to look at. Possibly Confucianism as well.

 

[religion99]

If you believe old is gold , try looking into Jainism , one of the oldest and smallest Religions. In the times of facebooks , twitters and skypes ; it should be easy to follow it remotely , with occasional physical community meetings , talks and discussions.

 

[elmarna]

take your time & feel free to ask. you will know when the feeling is "right" & they are speaking in how you already believe! There is a smogasborg to feast off my friend! ENJOY!

 

[tariqkhwaja]

Assalamualaikum.

Honesty is a good start. According to the Quran the main starting point is honesty, rationality, and reason. If you don't have that your search may turn out to be quite useless.

The other most important thing to do is ask God for help. Because just as our eyes cannot see unless the sun illuminates and light reaches our eyes (not the other way around) so the same is the case with religion. Science is the work of God and so is the true religion. So ask God for help for only He can reach you.

In summary honesty and prayer. Continue both of these and make substantial efforts based on these and insha'Allah God would show His Truth to you in so many ways.

Remember, people make substantial effort in the matters of this world before they see any fruits. So don't expect quick results of your efforts. A PhD takes about 5 years to complete. Don't expect finding the correct religion to be any easier.

Honesty, prayer, and patience ... three.

 

[Two-bit guru]

What a lot of wonderful, supportive advice. In my life I've found that the stillness found in meditation works wonders: accesses the intuition, connects with God, the universe, the All-That-Is, whatever one chooses to call it. And keeps the blood pressure down as well.

KMC, you've already tuned in to the importance of intuition, and the power of nature. As to
scatterbrained, you don't sound scatterbrained. Enjoy your fantastic journey of spiritual discovery, wherever it leads you.

 

[Falvlun]

Sounds like you are off to a promising start, kmc. You just have to be honest with yourself: Who do I want to be? What do I want to get out of a spiritual journey? And while many of my fellow atheists would be unhappy with this one: What feels true? While that barometer might not get you to absolute truth, it will help point you towards something that will work for you. And ultimately, I think that's what spirituality is about.

One last thing: Think about your functions (thought, sensation, intuition, feeling). What is your primary function? Just become aware of it, notice how it colors your actions, the way you approach and interact with the world. Once you feel you have a handle on that, try to pinpoint your secondary function. I have discovered that working on strengthening my secondary function, while celebrating my primary, is about as deeply spiritual thing as I can do. It is immensely satisfying. I have a friend, a mentor really, who claims that the whole point of a spiritual life is to get all 4 functions, up and running, on an equal basis. I don't know about that, but the initial steps have been rewarding.

 

[Solitarius]

Any suggestions as to where to start would be appreciated.[/quote]

Well, you pretty much nailed it by saying that if it doesn't feel right - to keep away.

There is a lot of misconceptions concerning the spiritual life and I recommend that you read up on all of them. Keep an open mind and listen to their message as if for the first time. Try to understand their core teaching. You will find that pretty much every spiritual tradition is the same in its fundamentals. What I mean is that they all follow the path of love - it is the heart of every religion - at least it was the intention of their founders anyway; before their teachings got corrupted by unenlightened minds and distorted by selfish and self-seeking agenders.

Basically they all teach one how to put aside our personal will and follow the will of God. Be that to flow with nature such as the Tao and Budhism....or seek union with God such as in Christianity and Hinduism. As you imply yourself, they are fundamentally the same but vary in language and terminology in accord with their time and culture.

I wish you peace.