Has religion/spirituality ever helped you?

[isthatso]

Christianity, Buddhism, etcetera.

You know sometimes I think it has just made things worse. Like I had a fairly strict Christian upbringing. So I can still feel guilty for things I've done 10 years ago. (guilt and conscience are big in Catholicism) Also I can be very judgemental ...example....how could a guy visit a prostitute when they are married?

On the other hand religion has made me honest I think. More responsible for my own behaviour. I am mostly ethical, obey commandments in general. Could love my neighbour a lot more though.
Buddhism has helped me distance my thoughts. It's a different slant but intrigueing all the same. less judgemental than Christianity perhaps. More scientific. I need to get into it more because I think meditation is really useful and helpful.

 

[PyramidHead]

Me not, but I knew people who actually were strong because of their faith and had very noble morals thanks to their beliefs.
Every religion and belief can do a lot for people, but still not everyone can believe in such things. I can't, for example. But I don't believe in science, too, so it's cool.

 

[Lady X]

I am a Christian, but one who believes that biblically, Jesus came here to abolish "religion", not establish a new one. So I guess I'd say I was spiritual, but not religious.

It has helped me a lot.

I would happily elaborate further if anyone wants to know more, but I believe it would have to be done via PM as I read somewhere that any sort of deeper "religious discussion/debate" is forbidden on the forums.

 

[Rosebolt]

Some people play video games, some people do drugs, some people focus on a sport, some people follow a religion.

I don't know how much i'm allowed to talk about religion, so i'll keep it short.

I myself am religious, but i don't follow a particular religion, i do not like the feeling of being semi-forced to follow everything the religion stands for. That is just my feeling about it, i'm not saying it's that way for others. Believing in what i believe in has certainly helped me, but i also believe that everyone believes in something.

Also, meditation is indeed good, but you don't need to be a buddhist to meditate. If you want to meditate, go and meditate, of course, buddhism can teach one a couple of things about meditation.

Anyway that's my little view on this, hope i didn't cross the line.

 

[isthatso]

Look, i think it is really important to talk about this. We avoid debates, we'll be OK. No attacks. just see how religion has helped you.
Interestingly, I think faith is very important. Reliance on a power higher than yours is used at AA meetings. That's a kind of faith isn't it. Faith can help us relax and not get too stressed about day to day matters.

meditation can be learned without buddhism yes of course I see what you mean.

 

[Rosebolt]

I get what you mean. I suppose religious debates were banned because of the zeal some people have regarding the subject. We respect each other no matter what, so i guess it's alright.

That being said, i personally believe that everything happens for a reason. I believe in fate. I believe everyone has a path in life, i believe that life is meant for learning, learning all sorts of things. I believe that your death has already happened, how morbid as that sounds, the date of your death is kind of set. The way you die is entirely up to the circumstances. Basicly, until the day you are set to die you are pretty much indestructible, so to speak. But the most important part of what i believe in is the soul, how it carries over from body after body, so yes, i believe in reincarnation. However, that does not make me a hindu. I believe in souls and spirits, but that does not make me a shinto.

How strange it might sound, i believe everything has a soul or spirit of a sort. That includes that apple you are eating, that paper you are holding. If a soul needs to learn something specific that can only be learned by reincarnating as an apple, then it will be an apple, so to speak. I know this might sound ridicilous, but it's just a short description, i guess.

Anyway, the believe that everyting happens for a reason, and that everything happens just so i can learn from it helped me alot. I won't die because of this, it's just a learning process, you know that sort of thinking.

 

[isthatso]

rosebolt
See this is interesting what people believe in. your perspective is quite different to mine but fascinating nevertheless.

 

[Rosebolt]

rosebolt
See this is interesting what people believe in. your perspective is quite different to mine but fascinating nevertheless.

Exactly.

 

[flaneur]

I'm an atheist who is spiritual in the metaphorical sense, that is to say, without all the supernatural stuff. The original, purely philosophical form of Buddhism has helped shape much of my worldview, although I'm careful not to perceive any doctrine as infallible or let it keep me from having my own opinions.

 

[Barbaloot]

...

 

[isthatso]

Just because it's a rule, doesn't mean a discussion like this doesn't have merit.

personally I love the movie "Oh God" with George Burns (circa 1977). What if God really was such a comedian! The movie proves we all take ourselves too seriously, including each christian denomination.

---

 

[Doubt The Rabbit]

Just because it's a rule, doesn't mean a discussion like this doesn't have merit.

personally I love the movie "Oh God" with George Burns (circa 1977). What if God really was such a comedian! The movie proves we all take ourselves too seriously, including each christian denomination.

The rule does have good reason behind it, and one can always discuss it in pm with those who've already posted here.

 

[LoneKiller]

Just because it's a rule, doesn't mean a discussion like this doesn't have merit.

personally I love the movie "Oh God" with George Burns (circa 1977). What if God really was such a comedian! The movie proves we all take ourselves too seriously, including each christian denomination.

Great film. Burns was a great choice. What an awesome role that would be to play!

 

[Romantic_Flower]

You dont need a religion to help you... All you need is you.
I'm responsible, kind, honest, focused, humble, good and i really care about other, thats why i'll become a paramedic this year... and I'm an Agnostic! I have no religion. I do believe there is a "power" out there, which you may call God, but i dont believe in any of the stuffs religions say. I believe in my own stuff.

 

[isthatso]

You dont need a religion to help you... All you need is you.
I'm responsible, kind, honest, focused, humble, good and i really care about other, thats why i'll become a paramedic this year... and I'm an Agnostic! I have no religion. I do believe there is a "power" out there, which you may call God, but i dont believe in any of the stuffs religions say. I believe in my own stuff.

that's fine! All perspectives welcome!

 

[Barbaloot]

...

 

[isthatso]

Calm down guys. Avoid arguments.we don't want this thread locked yet.

 

[Doubt The Rabbit]

your input is not appreciated...by me anyway.
it appears to me you are trying to spoil it for the rest of us which is a shame.

That's okay, I did it for my own amusement. You didn't need help spoiling anything because there's already a rule in place.

If you'd like a related response to your thread, then I will say that my religious history has not affected me any more or less than any other experience. I have a set of standards and morals that I learn and adjust with every experience I encounter. As I was sitting on the train yesterday, a beggar entered the train car asking for change. The man must have said "god will bless anyone who helps me!" at least ten times. I gave him the last of my pocket change and thought to myself, "I don't really need anyone to bless me in order to give a homeless man a few coins, do I?" Some folks, I'm sure, would give him money just for mentioning god. Others would refuse for the same reason. Me? I ended up successfully avoiding buying another doughnut. Do my experiences in life help me? Yes they do.

 

[Lone Apothecary]

I'd have to go with a resounding "no" in regards to religion helping me. Challenging my beliefs (or should I say the beliefs shoved down my throat) helped me greatly. I still feel as if I was deprived of years of personal and interpersonal growth because of religious indoctrination, but there's no use in crying over spilled milk. You might get away with calling me spiritual in an abstract, artistic sense, but never anything to do with a belief in the supernatural.

 

[isthatso]

^
Lone A.
that was the kind of response I was expecting. Sadly, religion has done a lot of harm..too...
I guess my parents walked the talk. they didn't just go to church..they created a loving family environment. That's what reinforced my belief I suppose.