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What role does Religion play in your life?
- Thread starter Darkdale
- Start date
Aqualung
Tasty
It's pretty important in my life. I don't doubt that I would be a good person if I didn't have religion, but with religion, I look at all my actions and try to think of how in keeping with my religion they are, and then try to make sure all my actions are in keeping. Does that make any sense at all?
Engyo
Prince of Dorkness!
Well, I meditate daily; I participate in this and several other forums; I am the President of our Sangha (incorporated in the State of Texas).Darkdale said:
Effects on daily life: I notice that when I get lax in my practice, when I am not being as meticuluous in my meditation; then I seem to be shorter of temper, less likely to work well with others, less efficient, and generally less happy. When I am practicing properly, things flow much more smoothly; I make better decisions, I don't get flustered, upset, irritable or stressed; I can deal with upset conditions in my work or home life much better.
Relationships with others: I try to work from the point of trust. I believe (and try to practice) that I can trust anyone, on ONE CONDITION: I MUST trust them to be EXACTLY as they are, and not as I wish them to be, or expect them to be. When I can do this, I can work relatively well with almost anyone. My ability to understand people as they are seems to be a function of how well I am practicing; the more regular and rhythmical my practice, the better I can do this, and the less stress I have in relationships. This is as true with my dogs as it is with my boss, or my wife and daughter, or with strangers on the freeway.
Family structure: not sure how Buddhism affects my family structure......family relationships as noted above.
Hobbies and activities: obviously I spend a good bit of time per week involved in Buddhist activity; I suppose one could call it a major hobby. I devote some of my other hobby time to it as well (carpentry - making bits and pieces for the temple) (reading - about Buddhism rather than sci-fi).
Is this what you were looking for?
I think i would a totally different person if i were without a religion.
I worship God as he wanted from me to do so and i love my parents too because God even prohibit yelling in front of them. My religion teach me how to deal with other faiths in term of respect and to pray for them too. what more ??? a lot but i can't explain so much
I worship God as he wanted from me to do so and i love my parents too because God even prohibit yelling in front of them. My religion teach me how to deal with other faiths in term of respect and to pray for them too. what more ??? a lot but i can't explain so much
I must spend a lot of time thinking about religion; meditating and praying. I suppose I am trying to make up for lost time....
As far as my interaction with others is concerned - nada. No one wants to know; (Which is most likely I spend so much time on the forum). Somehow, I feel myself 'growing nearer to God ' each day (with withdrawls through strife, pain and depression).
In fact I had the most strange feeling yesterday, when I saw my son off to Uni on the train. I felt (somehow, I don't understand why or how) that I was seeing him for the last time; maybe I am just going through an extra-emotional phase - I don't know, I just had a gut feeling I was not going to see him again......
As far as my interaction with others is concerned - nada. No one wants to know; (Which is most likely I spend so much time on the forum). Somehow, I feel myself 'growing nearer to God ' each day (with withdrawls through strife, pain and depression).
In fact I had the most strange feeling yesterday, when I saw my son off to Uni on the train. I felt (somehow, I don't understand why or how) that I was seeing him for the last time; maybe I am just going through an extra-emotional phase - I don't know, I just had a gut feeling I was not going to see him again......
Feathers in Hair
World's Tallest Hobbit
I'm not sure that's a part of my life, simply because it's so entrenched with how I interact with the world, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, that it's impossible to seperate from my life. A great deal of my spirituality comes from who I am, though, so I guess that's a case of the mirror simply reflecting what's there.
It does effect my relationship with others, since it encourages better emotional boundaries with them than I'd previously been prone to. My family structure is similarly affected, since I see my religion as encouraging learning to stand up for oneself and a healthy self-respect. My hobbies are also changed, since I'm now consciously doing things I've been unconsiously doing all my life.
It does effect my relationship with others, since it encourages better emotional boundaries with them than I'd previously been prone to. My family structure is similarly affected, since I see my religion as encouraging learning to stand up for oneself and a healthy self-respect. My hobbies are also changed, since I'm now consciously doing things I've been unconsiously doing all my life.
Feathers in Hair
World's Tallest Hobbit
Heheee, I didn't say I'd learned to follow that part of it, myself, yet! (But I'd be happy to send you some meditations on it that have been useful to me. Sometimes, we are so blinded by the beauty of others that we don't see it in ourselves. )(Or we've been brought up not to see it.)michel said:
pandamonk
Active Member
Very important. My girlfriend is christian, and she has outlined of the rules of the relationship. Religion has a huge effect on my daily life(not to my choosing), and my relationships with others. ie. my girlfriend(obviously), her family(constantly judging me). Family structure, not greatly, if at all. Hobbies and activities, definitely. Whenever i go out with friends to clubs etc, she disapproves greatly, spending time with her, is effected because of all the rules(AGHHH). Sorry for the moan, lol.Darkdale said:
MdmSzdWhtGuy
Well-Known Member
Sounds like Religion is quite a yoke you are carrying around there young fella. I felt the same way at one time. I feel for you, and wish I could give you some advice, but as long as you are dating a "wait till married" girl, you are going to be a very unhappy and frustrated individual. Best of luck to you.pandamonk said:Very important. My girlfriend is christian, and she has outlined of the rules of the relationship. Religion has a huge effect on my daily life(not to my choosing), and my relationships with others. ie. my girlfriend(obviously), her family(constantly judging me). Family structure, not greatly, if at all. Hobbies and activities, definitely. Whenever i go out with friends to clubs etc, she disapproves greatly, spending time with her, is effected because of all the rules(AGHHH). Sorry for the moan, lol.
B.
pandamonk
Active Member
How right you are. We've been together for 3 years, so i can't see it ending any time soon, and don't want it to end any time soon, but the waiting is, almost, becoming too much.MdmSzdWhtGuy said:
And because we are only 17 i don't see us marrying for a while. She doesn't want to marry until shes around 24-25, but i cannot wait that long. Awww it's horrible, and she knows how bad it is for me, but wont change one bit. I feel like having debates, like the ones on here, with her, but it's cruel and just not the right thing to do, even though she spent the 1st year trying to convert me. Sorry for the moan again, lol.
muichimotsu
Holding All and None
I would call myself a philosopher and not a religious person (is there a specific word for this?). I get my views from inteacting with people and seeing that, yes, they are fallible, but they possess the potential for redemption and goodness, though all we see at times is evil. It's hard to explain here, but I'm hoping to put together a screenplay that investigates human nature through the Bosatsu/Bodhisattva and...well it gets complicated from there. Anyway...to answer the question simply would be...religion is a hobby of mine, not something that rules me or influences me, unless I choose to, usually. Social constraints limit me enough, without dogma telling me even more things I can't do.
