Strict Religions and Why You Broke Away (Buddhists, hell, myth)

[goldengrain]

I find it interesting to know about the beliefs of others, but never think religion should be in issue in governing all.

I was, early on, a fundamentalist Christian. Girls should not wear makeup or slacks or dance, read secular books (except what we had to for school), etc.
I guess Jesus Christ started becoming an imaginary character when I was told that Santa was a myth.
Some time after that my church said it was probably that Jews were going to hell because they rejected Jesus as Lord Catholics would probably end up in hell because they worshiped idols. I guess to them Hindus and Buddhists were not even worth honorable mention.

My best friend was the smartest girl in my class and was Jewish. I don't think I knew any Catholics.

After that horrendous bomb I hung out in the park on Sundays reading the comics. I brought my radio. Rainy days were a b*tch. Thank God that my parents did not go to church.

Today I see a value in loving others and turning the other cheek and meditation. I do think organizations like AA are successful because they ask that you believe in a higher power. On the other hand, I usually, in debates on religion, side with the athirst because I detest dogma.

I was wondering what others had to say about their journey to freedom, where religion is concerned.

[pamelaBeurman]

Pretty much the same reasons as you.

The more I read the bible, the more I realized that it was full of fairy tales and contradictions.

Many of the ministers I knew were "Sunday Christians". They drank, smoked and ran around on their wives.

I didn't need that in my life.

I'm a Pagan now and i've never been happier. Nature is what it is. It doesn't lie to you.

[godservant]

i too searched for truth and ended up in several religious groups.. each one i thought held the truth that i was soo longing for in my heart.. shortly after realising that it wasnt( thats just my experience)

It wasnt until i gave up everything i "knew" and emptied my mind of all "knowledge" that there was a stillness left, a gap of nothingness where everything seemed to arise out of.

It was like a light went on, it caught my full attention. thougths came back and kepts pulling me to play and over time that awareness grew and i become more aware of the thoughts that had a hold on me, and made me feel the "struggle"

the ego mind needs to be better than making something/someone else worse than
it needs comparison, compettion, it feeds on jealousy, greed, negativity, and it never stays satisfied for very long, it is always in need and want.never peaceful

who we are is always present, always still, never wanting, never looking, never moving,
no matter where the mind runs off to, when it returns , you are always there waiting , silently humbly, peacfully. its who you are.

This is my journey that i can put into words,
this is my truth , i dont claim it as the only truth, its jsut who i am.

the beauty and simplicity of this is that it is YOU , its who you are you dont need to go anywhere for it, you cannot pay for it with money or any of the rarest of jewels, its free its availble to you know.. its is you.
Find your truth and live it, dont think about it, you cant learn it in a book.. you have to be it, and live it from inside out.. the light will shine through you and the whole world will see, there will be no doubts,, Truth doesnt need to prove itself.. it jsut is..
truth will set us free.
who we are is the truth
be still and know this .

I AM..

[goldengrain]

Originally Posted by pamelaBeurman

Pretty much the same reasons as you.

The more I read the bible, the more I realized that it was full of fairy tales and contradictions.

Many of the ministers I knew were "Sunday Christians". They drank, smoked and ran around on their wives.

I didn't need that in my life.

I'm a Pagan now and i've never been happier. Nature is what it is. It doesn't lie to you.

Were you in the Bible Belt? The people in my church were not hypocrites, or tried very hard not to be, because the bible contradicts itself.

Are you a member of a group? If so, how did you find them?
Do you believe in magic - as a natural force?
Someone said, on one of these forums that there are Pagans who believe in magic but do not practice it as they believe it thwarts the 'plans' of nature.

Yeah, nature is beautiful and we are a part of it, but it can be very cruel and in many ways I think we have built our civilization to protect ourselves from the cruelty of nature(shelter, heat, medical treatment, etc).

I do like to watch birds and wonder what it feels like to be them. Animals have their own compassion and cleverness, I think.

[pamelaBeurman]

Originally Posted by goldengrain

Were you in the Bible Belt? The people in my church were not hypocrites, or tried very hard not to be, because the bible contradicts itself.

Are you a member of a group? If so, how did you find them?
Do you believe in magic - as a natural force?
Someone said, on one of these forums that there are Pagans who believe in magic but do not practice it as they believe it thwarts the 'plans' of nature.

Yeah, nature is beautiful and we are a part of it, but it can be very cruel and in many ways I think we have built our civilization to protect ourselves from the cruelty of nature(shelter, heat, medical treatment, etc).

I do like to watch birds and wonder what it feels like to be them. Animals have their own compassion and cleverness, I think.

Yes, i'm from the bible belt.

No, i'm not really into the magical aspect of Paganism at this point. I'm a solo practitioner at the moment as there are not really any others near where I live. I'm more into the nature aspect, and i'm still learning. Being a Pagan isn't something you can learn in a couple if weeks, it takes years.

[Aganusn]

It sounds kind of lame, but I think it was when I was watching Bill Maher standup. He made a remark about no human knowing what happens when you die. So I started thinking about it and he was obviously right: how are these humans any different from anyone else? They're not, so why are they pretending to have the answers to things they know nothing about? And what else are they lying about?

That was pretty much all it took. It's understandable why some religious people don't want their kids to watch certain things. It's because they don't want to their kids to actually think and question.

[reed067]

I walked away from Christianty for the same reasons Pamela did & then some. I've been a Pagan for 15 years plus now & before I started down this path I did my reseach & realized where Christianty came from. What pushed me away from Christianty even more was the idea of God trying to convience his creation that he loved them, yet If the didn't worship him he would send to a burning hell for ever. I too live in the bible belt just as Pamela does also. It's not easy being a Pagan here.

[goldengrain]

Originally Posted by reed067

I walked away from Christianity for the same reasons Pamela did & then some. I've been a Pagan for 15 years plus now & before I started down this path I did my research & realized where Christianity came from. What pushed me away from Christianity even more was the idea of God trying to convince his creation that he loved them, yet If the didn't worship him he would send to a burning hell for ever. I too live in the bible belt just as Pamela does also. It's not easy being a Pagan here.

Did you ever think of starting a MeetUp group to discuss Paganism or alternate religions?

It is just possible that there may be others, but they are all feeling alienated because of the repressive atmosphere.

[L'Artiste]

i was deep in christianity until my christian roommate attacked me and i had to press charges against her.. her reasoning? i wasn't christian enough

[pamelaBeurman]

Originally Posted by goldengrain

Did you ever think of starting a MeetUp group to discuss Paganism or alternate religions?

It is just possible that there may be others, but they are all feeling alienated because of the repressive atmosphere.

We've tried to get a Pagan/Alternative religion sub-forum. No luck yet.