What have the religion done good for you as a follower?

[danieldemol]

I appreciated Baha'i back when I followed it for giving me an appreciation for science, but as I grew in my love for science I felt it was time to leave many Baha'i teachings aside, so for now I'm in the spiritual not religious category.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

I appreciated Baha'i back when I followed it for giving me an appreciation for science, but as I grew in my love for science I felt it was time to leave many Baha'i teachings aside, so for now I'm in the spiritual not religious category.

What worked for me (I'm not telling you what to do) is I tried to focus on the Baha'i faith for awhile and it's a very syncretic religion with a focus on many different spiritual leaders of different faiths. One thing you may consider considering is think about which spiritual leader in that faith mattered to you most and see if there is a spiritual path with them more personally.

It's just a suggestion. It's how I found Hinduism - my fascination with Krishna from studying Baha'i stuff.

 

[MonkeyFire]

There is no gain, only satisfaction. There can only be teaching if humans reproduce, even still we dont need to do science, we choose to do it...

 

[Deeje]

@Amanaki...this is such an interesting topic.....what brings a person to any particular faith and why, if there is only one God.....and why are there so many different expressions of faith? How did so many gods come to exist, and why so many religious paths? Where do they all lead?

I contemplated these questions early in my life when too many things did not sit well with my Anglican church upbringing. I had a love for God and the Bible, but I had no such attachment to the church because I saw a lot of hypocrisy and excuses offered for why they did not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. They were good at picking and choosing what suited them, but I didn't buy their excuses at all.

I left the church system after trying other denominations including Mormonism, and came to the conclusion that they all had the same flaws in common......one of the biggest ones to me, was their participation in the wars of their nations. I knew Jesus said we had to "love our neighbors as ourselves" and I knew the parable of the Good Samaritan where the "neighbor" was actually someone who was hated by the victim and vice versa. Prejudices were put aside however and humanity came to the fore....I saw no such humanity in the wars that were fought often with "Christians" on one side, killing their own "brothers" of a different nation on the other.....did patriotism replace Christian teachings? I couldn't see how that was possible....yet when war is declared, who are the conscientious objectors? Very few among Christendom's denominations were in jail for refusing to disobey Christ and spill blood.

Among other issues that were important to me, this one was a game changer. Only among these ones was I going to find the truth, but I was actually surprised to find that not many of the objectors were actually Christians. Most followed the lead of their churches and were fooled into believing that there was such a thing as a "just war"....in worldly politics there is no such thing. A just war would have God's sanction and for Christians there was no such sanction. God had not sanctioned a war since the days of ancient Israel when they were defending their God-given Land against invaders. How many of the nations today are defending land that they have not stolen from others?

During my search, I thought perhaps that the Eastern religions might have something, but their idolatry got in the way. I knew God hated the use of images. Islam was not on the radar for me either because the Bible focused on God's purpose concerning the Jews through Isaac, not the Muslims who came through Ishmael. Only one son was heir to the promise...and it was not Ishmael.

I wandered about in 'no man's land' for a while, wondering if I would ever find what I was looking for.....but then one day, there was a knock on my door.....I felt as if God had come looking for me.

After two solid years of research and study. I was amazed to find that JW's had a satisfying answer to every question I asked......they did not participate in the wars of the nations, and were indeed given jail sentences for conscientious objection. I was home...and these people became my spiritual family....together we are a global brotherhood united in every way. We have no racial, educational or social barriers between us as we all believe the same things and all participate in the work that Jesus commanded to be done before the "end" of the present system of things inevitably arrives.

I initially went looking for a religion that suited me....but I found out that the one true religion is the one that suits God. If we all get what we are looking for in the end.....the question is...what are we looking for?

 

[Spirit of Light]

@Amanaki...this is such an interesting topic.....what brings a person to any particular faith and why, if there is only one God.....and why are there so many different expressions of faith? How did so many gods come to exist, and why so many religious paths? Where do they all lead?

I contemplated these questions early in my life when too many things did not sit well with my Anglican church upbringing. I had a love for God and the Bible, but I had no such attachment to the church because I saw a lot of hypocrisy and excuses offered for why they did not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. They were good at picking and choosing what suited them, but I didn't buy their excuses at all.

I left the church system after trying other denominations including Mormonism, and came to the conclusion that they all had the same flaws in common......one of the biggest ones to me, was their participation in the wars of their nations. I knew Jesus said we had to "love our neighbors as ourselves" and I knew the parable of the Good Samaritan where the "neighbor" was actually someone who was hated by the victim and vice versa. Prejudices were put aside however and humanity came to the fore....I saw no such humanity in the wars that were fought often with "Christians" on one side, killing their own "brothers" of a different nation on the other.....did patriotism replace Christian teachings? I couldn't see how that was possible....yet when war is declared, who are the conscientious objectors? Very few among Christendom's denominations were in jail for refusing to disobey Christ and spill blood.

Among other issues that were important to me, this one was a game changer. Only among these ones was I going to find the truth, but I was actually surprised to find that not many of the objectors were actually Christians. Most followed the lead of their churches and were fooled into believing that there was such a thing as a "just war"....in worldly politics there is no such thing. A just war would have God's sanction and for Christians there was no such sanction. God had not sanctioned a war since the days of ancient Israel when they were defending their God-given Land against invaders. How many of the nations today are defending land that they have not stolen from others?

During my search, I thought perhaps that the Eastern religions might have something, but their idolatry got in the way. I knew God hated the use of images. Islam was not on the radar for me either because the Bible focused on God's purpose concerning the Jews through Isaac, not the Muslims who came through Ishmael. Only one son was heir to the promise...and it was not Ishmael.

I wandered about in 'no man's land' for a while, wondering if I would ever find what I was looking for.....but then one day, there was a knock on my door.....I felt as if God had come looking for me.

After two solid years of research and study. I was amazed to find that JW's had a satisfying answer to every question I asked......they did not participate in the wars of the nations, and were indeed given jail sentences for conscientious objection. I was home...and these people became my spiritual family....together we are a global brotherhood united in every way. We have no racial, educational or social barriers between us as we all believe the same things and all participate in the work that Jesus commanded to be done before the "end" of the present system of things inevitably arrives.

I initially went looking for a religion that suited me....but I found out that the one true religion is the one that suits God. If we all get what we are looking for in the end.....the question is...what are we looking for?

@Deeje thank you for such a detailed description of the path you been on in life.
I found my self thinking, i know this, i been on that search my self.

We ended up in different area of faith and religion, but i see that we asked our self the same kind of questions on the long journey to where we ended up. To me, all seekers ask this kind of questions. That is why when we do land on the right answer we feel at home.
You already know a lot about my seach from being born in to a protestantic family to my search in Buddhism, Falun Gong and now when i did find the very essence of thectruth in Islam ( i do not say everyone elsexwill find the truth in Islam).

MNy times when i read the Qur'an i find my self crying from peace and comfort. Sound strange to you who read this? I know since Islam has so bad name in the world today.

So to the last question you asked. What are we looking for?

My answer to your question is: we looking for truth, hope, love,happiness, comfort, answers, peace, and many many other aspects in life.
But when we find it, the answers to all of this questions can be answered in the religious teaching that feel the most at home for us. And that, that does not need to come from the same religion for all of us.

To me Islam was the one that was closest to home for me. I just spent all my life looking for it, but it was always there in front of me. The problem was that, I did not look in that direction until a month and a bit ago

 

[firedragon]

This thread is about what you as a religious person feel you have gained from the religion you following and practicing.

If you have converted from one religion to an other religion, did you notice a better life after your conversion?

I think you have asked a personal question. Religion to me has given reason. Akal. Religion to me has given Ijtihad, independent reasoning. Religion told me that I cannot cheat on my wife, and neither can I cheat others in anything.

Religion also has taught me not to worship anything but God. So I make a decent living, but I have financial freedom, and I am not bound by money, and money doesnt bind me. Nothing does.

Once you understand this its so liberating and relaxing. And I can meet up with my Muslim, Christian, Atheist, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, friends. Once in a while, a satanic church adherent as well.

Peace.

 

[natasha levchenko]

This thread is about what you as a religious person feel you have gained from the religion you following and practicing.

If you have converted from one religion to an other religion, did you notice a better life after your conversion?

You’ve raised a very interesting question ))
The more I learned about the Bible’s moral standards, the more my conscience bothered me. To ease my conscience I understood I needed to change my life ,so I gave up smoking.I really wanted to be a better mother and a wife.
it seemed that each time I tried to make some progress toward living in harmony with Bible principles, I would backslide.because it’s a way too difficult not to sin((
During my Bible studies, I was deeply moved when I learned of God’s purpose to make the earth a paradise, and I wanted to qualify to be part of that future. I soon realized that Jehovah God has high standards that he wants people to live by. I learned that Jehovah wanted me to think of others and to develop qualities that I did not possess at the time—qualities including kindness and a love of peace.

This thread is about what you as a religious person feel you have gained from the religion you following and practicing.

You’ve raised a very interesting question ))
The more I learned about the Bible’s moral standards, the more my conscience bothered me. To ease my conscience I understood I needed to change my life ,so I gave up smoking.I really wanted to be a better mother and a wife.
it seemed that each time I tried to make some progress toward living in harmony with Bible principles, I would backslide.because it’s a way too difficult not to sin((
During my Bible studies, I was deeply moved when I learned of God’s purpose to make the earth a paradise, and I wanted to qualify to be part of that future. I soon realized that Jehovah God has high standards that he wants people to live by. I learned that Jehovah wanted me to think of others and to develop qualities that I did not possess at the time—qualities including kindness and a love of peace.

 

[Aupmanyav]

My belief has made me understand the universe and life.
One thing that I do not know is the relationship between existence and non-existence?
This was question asked 3,000 years ago also in RigVeda.

 

[Spirit of Light]

My belief has made me understand the universe and life.
One thing that I do not know is the relationship between existence and non-existence?
This was question asked 3,000 years ago also in RigVeda.

The line between existence and non-existance can be very thin

 

[Jedster]

My belief has made me understand the universe and life.
One thing that I do not know is the relationship between existence and non-existence?
This was question asked 3,000 years ago also in RigVeda.

Just a quick thought /question on this.
From the point of view Advaita, could non-existence be a subset of Existence.
Existence being the set of things that exist, non-existence be the null element?

 

[Jesster]

Converting away from my original religion helped me get the boot off my neck so I could stand up. Does that count?

 

[Spirit of Light]

Converting away from my original religion helped me get the boot off my neck so I could stand up. Does that count?

It count as what the religion has done to you, sound like you were in a toxic environment in the religion that time.

 

[Jesster]

It count as what the religion has done to you, sound like you were in a toxic environment in the religion that time.

Yeah, that's for sure. I tried out a few other similar environments, but I still didn't breathe any easier until I carved out my own space.

This is where all my best learning and growth has taken place.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Yeah, that's for sure. I tried out a few other similar environments, but I still didn't breathe any easier until I carved out my own space.

Sometimes we must step out of the environment we are in to see what caused us the pain. Glad you got out

 

[Aupmanyav]

The line between existence and non-existance can be very thin

True.

From the point of view Advaita, could non-existence be a subset of Existence.
Existence being the set of things that exist, non-existence be the null element?

Answering the first line, I do not understand the second. Maths was my weak point.
That may be true, otherwise we land up with an eternal universe which is as weak an argument as saying God is eternal.
We do not yet know the substrate (Brahman) completely. Probably it has a disappearing trick up its sleeve.

 

[Jedster]

True.
Answering the first line, I do not understand the second. Maths was my weak point.
That may be true, otherwise we land up with an eternal universe which is as weak an argument as saying God is eternal.
We do not yet know the substrate (Brahman) completely. Probably it has a disappearing trick up its sleeve.

(Ignore the maths.) I like your answer.

 

[Jainarayan]

Converting away from my original religion helped me get the boot off my neck so I could stand up. Does that count?

I’m pretty sure I can say the same. Though I tried to practice and live my former religion out of a sense of what we call bhakti, devotion, it was really out of requirements, restrictions, laws, commandments and fear. I feared punishment. It’s what we were taught and what still exists in that religion. Now I do what I do because of that bhakti, and because I want to. The only “punishment” inflicted on me is my own... i.e. karmic effects.

I think of something Gandhi said, "When doubts haunt me, when disappointments stare me in the face, and I see not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to Bhagavad-Gita and find a verse to comfort me; and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow".

Answering the o.p., what I’m gaining is a way to see who and what I am, much of which I do not like, and to see who and what I want to be. Not because I have to follow that but because it’s making me see I can be better than I am. To that end I might gain better subsequent lives, an liberation from the cycle of rebirth, sooner rather than later.

 

[Twilight Hue]

This thread is about what you as a religious person feel you have gained from the religion you following and practicing.

If you have converted from one religion to an other religion, did you notice a better life after your conversion?

Its when I stop following, my life rights itself appropriately.