religion is hard...

[drunken lullabies]

My father is jewish and my mom is catholic. neither parent is very religous and they tell me to belive what i want. i dont know what the fuck to belive.

[OSF]

If you are religious for the wrong reason than it is the easy.

If you are religious for the right reasons than you are faced with one of the toughest challenges the individual will ever face.

[loverofthewoods]

My father is jewish and my mom is catholic. neither parent is very religous and they tell me to belive what i want. i dont know what the fuck to belive.
dont belive anything anyone else tells you and walk your own path...i belive it was Emerson who said "leave the church and find your own god"...wise words

[OSF]

dont belive anything anyone else tells you and walk your own path...i belive it was Emerson who said "leave the church and find your own god"...wise words

Wise words indeed ... if you are Emerson or share a like personality. Unfortunately for humans different personalities are like grains of sand. There are lots of them. Some people are not going to be able to function without instruction. Some people aren’t going to be able to walk their own paths unless they are right beside another’s path.

What is good for some is torture for others.

[Sage-Phoenix]

Believe whatever you want to or natually do. It's not necessarily hard.

Don't feel you have to follow eithier of your parents religions. You might of course, but do it on your own terms.

My parents are Christian (sort of, in a half hearted way) and baptised me as a baby. I've never believed anything specifically Christian. (so that was a total waste of a christening)
If anyone asks I'm a miscelaneous (sp); just a jumbled up mix of diffrent belief systems, mainly Wiccan and Buddhist.

TTFN
Sage

[Sebbi]

Who ever said you have to believe anything.


Blessings

Sebbi

[TheHammerSpeaks]

Yes, religion is very, very hard, but there's nothing wrong with doubt. In fact, it is essential to building real faith. You'll figure it out eventually. After all, you're only 16. But it won't do any good to give up. It's never done any good to give up on something because it's hard.

[loveflower]

Believe whatever you want to or natually do. It's not necessarily hard.

Don't feel you have to follow eithier of your parents religions. You might of course, but do it on your own terms.

My parents are Christian (sort of, in a half hearted way) and baptised me as a baby. I've never believed anything specifically Christian. (so that was a total waste of a christening)
If anyone asks I'm a miscelaneous (sp); just a jumbled up mix of diffrent belief systems, mainly Wiccan and Buddhist.

TTFN
Sage
i have the same story, cept im buddhist and a teenie eensie bit of catholic (i kinda agree with some of the principles) and jewish and i think thats it.. a bit of my own ideas and a little bit of pagan!

[Christian]

Have you read on other faiths? I suggest you not become catholic becoming a messianic jew is what I would do but thats just my opinion.

[the dauer]

Have you read on other faiths? I suggest you not become catholic becoming a messianic jew is what I would do but thats just my opinion.

Messianic Judaism is NOT a form of Judaism. It was created by fundamentalist Christians as a more effective way to target ignorant Jews and turn them to faith in Jesus.

[gnrm23]

so....
become a member of UU
unitarian/universalist

[NightOwl1331]

I say you should find your own path. My family is Christian, but it never felt right to me. So, I struck out on my own. I started studying all different religions and trying to find my own conslusions. I have found my own beliefs that fit with me and feel right to me. That just happens to be Hinduism. But doing that, figuring it out for myself, has been a beautiful and fulfilling journey. And it led me to a beautiful and fulfilling way of life. :)

[SvgGrdnBeauty]

Indeed it seems you have to find your own way...but except for names and things like that most monotheistic religions are the same. (You could disagree with that...its just something I've found) and that has led me to become both a Hare Krishna but still be a Christian...

...but no one can tell you how to find your own path to enlightenment...you have to find it yourself indeed.

[gdkumar]

Life is not religion, how you live your life is.



Look up at nature, use your simple thoughts over all other lives around you. It does not matter whether you believe in God or not. Have the natural love and compassion for all lives around yourself. Give up all ill thoughts against other lives. Always think well of others. Love and help your neighbours. Live and let live.



That is all. You do not need to follow any particular religion nor you need to give up any religion. Please believe me, if you can do only this much then you will be able to identify yourself with all the religions, meaning that you will belong to all religions and all religions will belong to you. You will automatically become a good Christian, or a Hindu,Muslim, Buddhist.......Even if you do not believe in God, He is going to show up to you.


With love and prayers......Kumar.

[gdkumar]

"I say you should find your own path. My family is Christian, but it never felt right to me. So, I struck out on my own. I started studying all different religions and trying to find my own conslusions. I have found my own beliefs that fit with me and feel right to me. That just happens to be Hinduism. But doing that, figuring it out for myself, has been a beautiful and fulfilling journey. And it led me to a beautiful and fulfilling way of life. :)"



Dear NightOwl1331,

It is so nice to read your beautiful post again. Where were you for so long ?
I started worrying about you. That is the problem with love and affection. It always,irrationally, causes fear and doubt about the well-being of the beloved ones.

Your honesty and simplicity always touches me. May I just add a few lines here? I always felt that beautiful and fulfilling way of life, what you have mentioned, has got nothing to do with Hinduism in particular. It is your sincere quest and practices that have led you to the truth.

It is our common problem that we always look at the books, the religions, the external beauty or uglyness, very seldom we look straight up at Him and love Him. We always try to reach Him through His properties and wealth and then we get lost in all that.

The day we look only at Him, cry for Him and crave for Him alone--The most compassionate and merciful starts saving us from getting lost and takes us to only the useful pages of help,useful thoughts and useful people for guidance.

My dear beautiful mind and soul, it is just that. You are the blessed one to have His grace, compassion and direction.

With love and prayers........Kumar.

[gdkumar]

"Indeed it seems you have to find your own way...but except for names and things like that most monotheistic religions are the same. (You could disagree with that...its just something I've found) and that has led me to become both a Hare Krishna but still be a Christian...

...but no one can tell you how to find your own path to enlightenment...you have to find it yourself indeed."

Dear SvgGrdnBeauty,

I remember once Rama Nityananda Dasa had addressed you as 'Mataji'. It was so wonderful ! I would love to address you as my "Little Mother".

Whatever you write is so true. I really wonder. Let everybody see how His light of the truth comes to the ones who have simplicity, simple faith and love for Him.

I always wanted to ask you whether you had ever cried for Jesus or Krishna. The reply I get is 'Yes'. True love for Him causes pain of separation and tears.

With love and prayers.........Kumar.

[Bhaskar]

Observe. Observe the world around you, observe your own mind. Read books by the great masters and philosophers, accept that which makes sense to you. Try and get a feel of various faiths and various schools within them. Eventually you will find your teacher, He awaits you.

[SvgGrdnBeauty]

Dear SvgGrdnBeauty,

I remember once Rama Nityananda Dasa had addressed you as 'Mataji'. It was so wonderful ! I would love to address you as my "Little Mother".

Whatever you write is so true. I really wonder. Let everybody see how His light of the truth comes to the ones who have simplicity, simple faith and love for Him.

I always wanted to ask you whether you had ever cried for Jesus or Krishna. The reply I get is 'Yes'. True love for Him causes pain of separation and tears.

With love and prayers.........Kumar.
Its funny that you both call me that...because it is not the first time that I have been called that (of course not with the word 'Mataji'...but I have been called motherly...)

Yes...love Him...its so easy. The beauty of your words always put a smile on my face. And the answer to your question...yes I have. I often find myself with tears whenever I chant or pray...it is such a wonderful feeling..its very hard to explain...and I don't think I could...and I thank you all who have taught me the things I know now...and have encouraged me to find Him...that I may feel that feeling...

[gdkumar]

Dear SvgGrdnBeauty,


The day you first cried for Him was the day of His arrival at your heart's beautiful garden. Then it all starts automatically, things happen in sequential manner and in uncanny ways. As you desire, so you get. If you want only Him and nothing else, He arranges for everything accordingly. You try by using the means and ways provided. Then suddenly, one day, the long painful waiting to see Him ends. Go ahead my dear, save your garden and try to make it more and more beautiful for Him alone, so that someday He shall come inside, and take a seat to make this life significant.

With love.......Kumar.

[drumminmama]

Messianic Judaism is NOT a form of Judaism. It was created by fundamentalist Christians as a more effective way to target ignorant Jews and turn them to faith in Jesus.
Thank you, Dauer!


go forth. Study. see what lies behind the veil.

[TrippinBTM]

If you are religious for the wrong reason than it is the easy.

If you are religious for the right reasons than you are faced with one of the toughest challenges the individual will ever face.
I don't know what side of that I fall on, hopefully the latter, but spirituality, true honest spirituality, is hard, and confusing. My parents were both catholic but I long ago rejected that, and later all Christianity (at least as my exclusive spirutual source), and got into a lot of Eastern and earth-centered religions. I definitely think it's important, as someone said, to find your religion on your own terms, even if it is an established religion. To be authentic, you have to come to it yourself, not just be raised in it, which is little different from simple ignorance and sheltered-ness (if that's a word).


Yes, religion is very, very hard, but there's nothing wrong with doubt. In fact, it is essential to building real faith.
To quote Dispatch: "The river of Doubt gave birth to a beautiful stone". Doubt keeps you honest, guides your search.

I think the best advice given so far is to trust yourself. Don't get wrapped up in what other's say or have said. Read some about other religions, but not too much. I think that was my mistake, I'm a bit confused, having read tons of religions and philosophies. Nature and your own simple self are going to be your best teachers, trust in that and I believe good will follow.

[Oric]

Just believe whatever you think feels right. For ideas, read the book Conversations With God.