Whats my religion?

[Naomi962]

I have been born into a Muslim family.
However, I feel that religion was always forced upon me.
I'm 20 years old today and I'm no longer living with my family and that's when I started to question, do I really believe in Islam?

Islam doesn't appeal to me. According to what I have seen all my life. It oppresses me as a woman.
However, I do believe in a God. And I believe that God is big. He will not send me to hell for not covering my head, or drinking alcohol, or partying, or getting my eyebrows done, or talking to boys!

I, as a Human being have desires. Why should I fight them to prove to God that I love him?
I'm searching for my God. That God who is big, and loves me for who Iam. His teachings are all about loving others no matter where they come from. My mother always says that in Islam we are supposed to hate gays, non muslims, and look down upon girls who dont follow Islam like wear short clothes and all.
I believe that my God is bigger than that and so are his teachings. He teaches us to be pure, to love others for who they are, and respect. Let others live their life and respect them for their beliefs instead of trying to change them.
What's that religon that teaches love and respect? Connection to God with your heart instead to some rules.
Who is he?

 

[Kirran]

Welcome to RF! Thanks for telling us your story. I am also 20 years old

If that Islam doesn't work for you anymore, I'd like to suggest looking at groups like Muslims for Progressive Values, and other progressive Muslim groups who are cool with the homosexuality thing, are cool with non-Muslims, and are altogether just great. They are often influenced by Sufi ideas, which advocate direct experience of God through the joining of God with the individual, through love.

Alternatively, there are many other faiths with forms that preach compassion, forgiveness and equality. Some believe in God, some don't, and many of those which do believe in God do so differently to Islam.

I believe that connection to God is through the heart, as God is our own true nature, our own true essence. In reality, we are not separate from God. But there are many paths to God (which is just a word, after all, so some may not call what I am here referring to as God by that name), and compassion, forgiveness and equality are core parts to those paths. Whichever you find works for you, I am happy for you.

 

[Quintessence]

Sounds like you've found your god. The rest is just a matter of putting that into meaningful practice that brings joy to your life. I'd also keep in mind that the Abrahamic religions - including Islam - have quite a lot of diversity within their umbrella. Don't let the people you don't like within a religion ruin it for you. It always makes me sad when people leave a tradition that is otherwise meaningful for them just because the people are distasteful.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

I can see that it is a problem. I've known some that faced such problems. Some branches of Islam are stricter than others.

As far as equality goes, Sikhism and Baha'i worship one god and seem pretty lenient but they have a few rules here and there such as not drinking. problems. Unless you believe in animism where everything has a soul and an individual. or just believe in Pantheism where everything we see IS an aspect of God, or perhaps Panetheism where God is the universe plus has his own realm. There are some more lenient Muslim groups. there are also the Sufi's who are more lenient and are a mystical branch of Islam. Overall most religions teach love and respect at least on paper, but it's up to the individual to follow through with that, as some will follow it and some will corrupt it's verses for their own uses.

Various Pagan religions are fairly lenient, too.

 

[Nakosis]

He teaches us to be pure, to love others for who they are, and respect. Let others live their life and respect them for their beliefs instead of trying to change them.
What's that religon that teaches love and respect? Connection to God with your heart instead to some rules.
Who is he?

If there is a God, the only reason that God was worthy of worship would because it was a God of compassion. No reason to follow or accept any other God.

So if it is a God of compassion and if you are a person of compassion then your own compassion is all you really need to follow God.

A leader of God is a leader of compassion. I would willingly follow the man or women who I find is more compassionate than me. This is a person I can learn from.

There is no reason or excuse to follow a man/woman or a God who lacks compassion. You own them nothing.

 

[George-ananda]

I think there are better religious teachings than Islam out there (especially from the east Buddhism/Hinduism) and I hope you have a chance to learn more about other religions here on Religious Forums.

 

[DawudTalut]

I have been born into a Muslim family.

Peace be on you, your family and everyone in the world.

However, I feel that religion was always forced upon me. I'm 20 years old today and I'm no longer living with my family and that's when I started to question, do I really believe in Islam?

Obviously there were some questions in your mind which were not addressed along the way which became one of the reason which lead you to leave.

Islam doesn't appeal to me. According to what I have seen all my life. It oppresses me as a woman.

Or we may say: "The so called Islam around you" did not appeal you. But after leaving did you try to get answers?

However, I do believe in a God.

Good to hear.

And I believe that God is big.

When one try to do internet search with words:
God is big Islam [considering these as 4 independent words] --- almost no relevant answers come.

But when search is made with words:
God is big Christianity [again 4 independent words] --- many relevant Christian sites appear and which may indicate your current inclinations or friends or influence [note: These are not remarks against any religion, just sharing a microscopic way of trying to see beyond things]

He will not send me to hell for not covering my head, or drinking alcohol, or partying, or getting my eyebrows done, or talking to boys!

Allah has asked believers to do and avoid certain things for the benefit of their own and people of society. You mentioned four specific examples. To one's best knowledge:
1-Knowledge of modesty and modest dress in Islam provides safety and gain of this knowledge evolve at young age so that child grow in peace and dignity.
2-Dietary cares are for our own good too.
3-Islam does not stop to improve eye brows and mere talking to other gender.
Obviously extended mixing is prohibited [to the good of the person him or her self; especially suffering of female youngs is not an obscure matter]

I, as a Human being have desires. Why should I fight them to prove to God that I love him?

Islam does not ask to fight desires.
Their are many things in life which require wait and stand in line. Sometimes adolescents stand whole day or night to buy a certain new release of a video game.....There are other waits in life. If everyone fulfill their desires as these come to mind then you are intelligent enough to imagine what the world would be!

The true Islam ask to wait for right time and do things in dignified and good ways and manners under the protective and kind umbrella of God.

I'm searching for my God. That God who is big, and loves me for who Iam. His teachings are all about loving others no matter where they come from.

The Kind and Big God created you with love.
If one loves God, then it is a responsibility that one should prove it by doing good and avoiding bad.
One cannot even live in a worldly life like "who Iam", one has to follow the guidelines of city/state/country....Same is true in a religion, any religion from God.

My mother always says that in Islam we are supposed to hate gays, non muslims, and look down upon girls who dont follow Islam like wear short clothes and all.

Again, as earlier humbly said, questions in minds should be well answered based on reason, not on hate. Deviations from norms, people of other faith, immodesty of dress etc is not subject of hate.....Clergies are not fulfilling their duties. Extremist are making things worse.
https://www.alislam.org/books/pathwaytoparadise/LAJ-chp4.htm

I believe that my God is bigger than that and so are his teachings. He teaches us to be pure, to love others for who they are, and respect. Let others live their life and respect them for their beliefs instead of trying to change them.

Ahmadiyya-Muslims believes all same, expect some change in your last sentence. We should convey right message of right Islam to others, talk to them but should not impose anything.

What's that religon that teaches love and respect? Connection to God with your heart instead to some rules.

Islam--- The true Islam.
https://www.alislam.org/introduction/index.html
https://www.alislam.org/r.php?q=woman+in+islam'&sa=

Who is he?

Allah - The Rightful Deity, The One with No Associates, The One Who posses all noble attributes and has no weaknesses, The Source of all blessings.

Good wishes.

 

[Kirran]

I think it is telling that already you demonstrate more love and informed compassion in one regard than the majority of the world's people, simply by your rejection of homophobia. Wonderful.

 

[rusra02]

I believe the true God is Jehovah, our Creator and Life Giver. Of him, the Bible says; "God is love." (1 John 4:8) however, do not expect God to have no requirements or rules for us. What loving parent would allow their children to do anything they want, whenever they wanted. People would call such parents negligent for failing to protect their children from doing what will harm them. I believe our Creator is a loving Father, who gives us counsel and warns us against what will harm us, while permitting us the freedom to decide. (Isaiah 48:17,28) Gis love is shown in providing the way for us to live forever. (John 3:16)