If You Were "In" A Religion, Which One would You Want To Be A Member Of? (page 2)

White Dove

Aculama,

That was down right patronizing!

Christ is bi-sexual, BI the way.

I can prove it from the scriptures.

His bride is made up of men and women.

(Muttley snickers:)

FlyingHighNow

Worship by definition is: reverence offered a devine being or supernatural power. I guess I would ask (pray with a humble and honest desire) for God to reveal Himself to you.

How many people prayed this prayer and then had JW's show up and then ended up captive to the WTBTS?

I've learned that you've got to be very, extremely careful before you attribute any prayer answers to God.

james_woods

I have put religion off my personal bucket list, but as I live with Mai (southeast Asian Buddhist), I have come to admire much of it's principles.

It is certainly setting a model for tolerance and peacefulness among the world's major denominations.

I can only share my experience after I left the JW's some 7 years ago. I felt so disconnected from a spiritual community that I found it down right painful, lonely and empty. I knew for me I needed people I felt I could belong with like a family. I started visiting various churches like the Methodist, Catholics, Lutherans, Non-Denominational Christian, Jewish Temple, Univeralist Unitarian, black Bapist Church, white Baptist Church.

I was most impressed and loved the feeling of the Black Church (Baptist) most of all because the service was so inspiring, passionate, forgiving of all human failings. I left feeling like a million bucks and very connected to God/Godess powers above. The white Baptist was very different, more sedate, slightly enthusastic and was nice too but not as wildly passionate about connecting with the Divine as the other Baptist church. My problem was I knew the bible is not the only word of the Divine but there are many books of wisdom and connections to the Goddess/God figure. Buddism, Hinduism, Tao Ching, individuals who connected and felt the divine oneness of all humans. I felt an amazing oneness with all, even the JW's for a while.

Today I lean toward a liberal Presbyterian and have become a member, the people are wonderful, loving and kind. The feeling of family and community is something I loved about the JW's but that can be found nearly anywhere if we're willing to reach out and connect. I did find a bible that I really appreciate the translation and that is "The Message" Bible by Peterson a Presbyterian minister. I appreciate that I am not required to view the bible as the only right and true word of the Godess/God. I like think of the divine as a mother, one who is always there with a warm hug when I'm feeling down and empathetic ear to hear me. I can't bear to think of God as Jehovah anymore, the angry demanding god willing to wipe out people because they don't honor me. It always puzzled me that Jehovah was so wildly cruel and kind and loving from one extreme to the other in the Old Testament. The trinitarian teachings puts a more compassionate tilt on the concept of god, because some part of god came in a fleshly body to experience being human and for the first time dealing with humans in a very human way.

I am open to all experience of spirituality that unites humans in a very bonding way. I am careful to stear clear of cultish thinking of exclusive thinking any religion is right.

Ruth

Aculama

White Dove:

I apologize to you and to the original poster Minimus. I had no intention of talking down to anyone. I looked the word "religion" up to clarify it's meaning for myself. The advice I gave is the advice I followed in my own pursuit of the Truth. It did lead me to some wrong answers and bad influences, but all in all my mistakes and wrong turns have taught me as much as the right choices did. God bless you!

shamus100

Buddism.

Please, nobody pray for me.

stillajwexelder

secular humanism religion

uninformed

I am sadly just totally tired of religion.

I want to worship, but can't figure out how, and I have had enough of any kind of hierarchy telling me what is true and not true.

I guess I agree with one of the posters who asked that "god reveal himself to me".

I wish he would.

Brant

Big Tex

I wish he would.

Me too my friend. Me too. With all my heart.

But, like winning the lottery or world peace, it ain't gonna happen. I wish I knew why. Or, conversely, I wish I knew what I did to drive him/her away. Others say they had some experience. How do I know what they say isn't true?

Never say never, but I have no interest whatsoever in religion. To me, religion is about man's rules. Some spare who just happened to be conniving enough to be head of that religion decides for me what I can, or cannot do; how God will, or will not, care about me. At the end of the day, it's not really about God, it's about him. It's an egocentric movement whereby I bend my will and self-worth (what little I have) to others.

Why should I do that?

Jesus said, "Love your neighbor and love your god with your whole heart." I no longer consider myself to be Christian, but if something that simple is good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me.

No stats, no butt parked in a chair, no guilt, no confession, no mindless rules. Just love.

Do your best, help where you can, harm no one, own your mistakes and call it all good.

Chris

rebel8

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

If You Were "In" A Religion, Which One would You Want To Be A Member Of?