Religiously Stuck

[The Chicken Lady]

Can I just say the way this thread is going is making me EXTREMELY proud of all you guys?

(Now don't go disappointing me, anyone, by turning it into a fiery debate...

).

 

[seedcorn]

Quote:
No reason to turn it into a fiery debate as nothing will get settled. People will believe what ever it is they want regardless of what others wish they believed.

I understand most beliefs & people's motivation to follow those paths except for the ones that say they follow the Bible, knowlingly decide to not follow certain commands but yet they are ok by God's book. For me, that would like calling into work and saying I'm no longer going to come to work but keep the pay checks coming.

 

[newnanchic]

Sit back and just listen, God could be talking to you, He could be calling you . Take your time have an open heart and mind. I will pray that you accept what ever path he is wanting you to take. You are never alone he is always with you .. Sometimes he is beside you... Sometimes he is carrying you, but he is with you.

 

[AHappychick]

for me it does not matter what religion you are only that you believe in a god or goddess of some sort you will find your path and whatever it is and whether you switch it around does not matter as long as you have some faith.

MY dh was raised Catholic, I was raised in a Protestant church but am Armenian which has its own church but none that are close so my mom opted for the Protestant church down the street from us. I stopped going when I was 10 or so. My dh wanted to marry in his church so we did, BUT he wanted our children raised Protestant instead, he just felt safer that way with the whole priest thing that was going on at the time. After he passed and my son was born I had him Christened in my old protestant church. Now that he is 3 we will be attending Sunday school and church starting next month. I am not overly religious but I do have faith and morals and believe that church or religion in general is VERY important to a child learning right from wrong and getting a good strong moral foundation. I know a bit about the Pagan religion and it is a very nice one, and sounds like you and your DH have been able to combine both quiet well. I say do whatever feels right.

 

[Wifezilla]

for me it does not matter what religion you are only that you believe in a god or goddess of some sort you will find your path and whatever it is and whether you switch it around does not matter as long as you have some faith.

And there are plenty of good people who do not have a faith.​

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

Quote:
I agree with a lot of what you've said.

The thing about my necklace is that it is/was extremely important to me and I would have never been without it around my neck for more than a couple of hours, let alone months. For me, I looked at it and was like "Ehhh

So what?" and didn't put it back on. Everyone has asked me where it is. I have worn it constantly since I was about 12, it has a very concave shape on the back and I would often run my thumb over it repeadedly like a worry stone during anxious times or times of stress. Just the presence of it brought me peace. In some ways it's not about the symbol to me, in other ways it certainly is. For me not to want to wear it, something if off. Not wrong, just off.

The comments of others about God do not bother me in the slightest bit. Maybe that's what it's about, maybe it's not. I just have no idea how I will know... I just keep thinking I will see some sort of divine sign pointing me in the right-for-me direction and I'm not seeing one and it's driving me nuts. I feel kinda like Pocahontas in the movie seeing John Smiths compass arrow in her dreams, where is my arrow?
The whole thing could be beaning me over the head and I don't know if I will "get it" or not.
Perhaps I need a blinky neon sign.

lol


I do sit. I think. I ponder. I search my inner self. Nothing is coming to me. The more I sit and mull it over, the more alone and confused I feel. Why is that? I feel at peace with myself I am fairly certain. I don't feel anything. I'm just BLAH, I just exsist.
I sure hope that isn't bad.
*sigh*

Stop looking for a divine sign.

Once you do you will see them every where around you.

My mom asked me a few years ago if there was a church I belonged to anymore. I said "come with me" and walked out the door and into the field you can see from every window on one side of her house.
I stopped by a young birch tree and stood still. Then said "This is my church" and swept my arm around.
Then she understood what I meant when I said I wasnt going to baptize my dd into a "building or man built church" and when I told her that I worship every second of the day. With every heartbeat, with every snow flake(even though right now I am more than done with those

)
I feel connected in knowing that whatever or whomever "made" or began all THIS life and substance is EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING.

Sit and listen. But not for anything in particular. Not for a voice. Not for a sign. Just listen. Hear EVERYTHING.

One of the most awesome moments of my life came during a snowfall last winter. I had just moved my horse to our current barn and the snow was falling. My friend, the barn owner and I were talking when suddenly we stopped and she said "listen."
I could hear the snow falling and landing on the ground. It was AWESOME. Now during a snow storm I will sit and listen.
If there is a lunar eclipse I will stay up all night and sit on the porch to watch it. Last time it was freezing out. I had two blankets and a cup of hot chocolate. One of my earliest memories is being a young kid and having my parents wake me from a nap to see a rainbow. Or being a bit older and having them take me out on a whale watch. They didnt tell me where we were going. Just a "trip on a boat" And then seeing those whales and dolphins.

Your church. Your religion. It isnt "gone" Your faith hasnt disappeared.
You dont need prayers or to find a path or a plan.
You just need to sit. And listen. To the world. To the Earth and EVERYTHING on it and in the sky. Your answers? They are there.
You do exist. THAT'S JUST IT!

 

[addiedunn]

Quote:
I've always known that it takes a special person to not just OWN, but LOVE a chicken.
I have read all 8 pages (so far) and I am overly impressed with most of the posts. I like the person who said they sat on a beach and found more peace than they could in a church. And all of the answers that pointed to something or someone speaking to you. I am also amazed at the numbers of people (myself included) who were raised taking part in some sort of organized religion and now are on another path. When are church leaders going to figure out that you can't put chains on parishioners and that NO one religion is the only right way?
I was raised Catholic and I still practice many of the beliefs without going to mass. My all time favorite place to meditate and pray is in the Catholic Church right down the street. But I truly do not like going when it is full of people. I love going when it is empty and quiet. I went one Sunday about 20 minutes before Mass, so that I could get in a whole rosary before the service started. That was a mistake. While I kneeled there, trying get through the rosary, the church began filling up with people who made it a point to catch up on the weeks events before mass started. It was like a carnival atmosphere in there until the service started. Several women were reaching over me to great each other while I was kneeling there....this would have never happened 10 or 20 years ago. When I was being raised in the faith, the time before mass was for quiet prayer and reflection. Apparently that has changed over the years I was gone. So now I only go when it's empty.
My second favorite place to meditate/pray is my backyard pond.
Whatever you choose to do, may Peace and Light lead you.

 

[HennysMom]

Pine.. you are not alone, as many others have stated, I just wanted to throw my sentiments into the mix.

I was raised Catholic, then got out, studied other religions - went to church, stopped going to church, got mad at God, didnt believe in God - then believed again, began church once more (catholic) - then finally had the last straw with the Parish Priest and said forget it and walked away. Hubby was raised Baptist but not practising, and had gone through many of the same things I'd been through in my life for the most part (walking into church and walking away from church, questioning God and getting mad as well). Everyone - no matter what religion - questions at some point in time and gets mad at some point in time - we're human...thats what we do. Even Jesus did that...

Now - our kids have always been raised believing in God and the bible, they attended Baptist pre-school up until kindergarten and we were fine with that but we - as adults could never find the "right church" where we felt at home, not only with ourselves, but with the members - as well as with God. We as a family, could hold services out in the middle of an open field, in the mountains up high on a hill or on the beach at sunrise - all while reading a passage out of the bible - or.... no bible at all, just giving our thanks to God for all that He gave us. All the time, still searching for a church 'home and family", but not committing to a religion because I dont believe in one religion - (which is why I left the Catholic - I didnt believe in all they believed). So ... we found a church when we moved here..... and attended for about 7 months. Again, things and doubts came into play, some of the people were not as they proclaimed and we decided to stop attending - although our children still attend every Sunday. We loved going...but....there was too much turmoil and whatnot with some members for us to stay. Things werent being done as we'd like for them to be and others thought they knew best.

We're finding that in not attending now - we've sort of been ostracized by some of those same people that orginally opened their arms to us. Hmmm.... makes me wonder - so I was welcomed when I attended but now that I do not... I'm not welcomed any longer? Not very christian in my opinion now is it? I have questions, I have concerns.... I've voiced those things, I've even gotten into topics of "Do you believe you have to attend church to go to heaven?" My answer was and always will be "NO." My parents stopped attending many years ago when I was a child... I have so many friends that do not go to church - but..that does not mean they do not believe in God or a higher power, - they most assuredly do believe and they are not going to hell for not attending church services.

But.... in this church, I'm discovering many believe otherwise.... interesting to me as I believe as the good book teaches: "Look for me for I am under every rock, in every tree..." (okay, I"m paraphrasing but..you get the picture)

Some didnt not take too kindly to that comment, but... thats okay, because I am me and thats the beauty of belief and, for me - the bible - as it is open to each persons interpretation. And - my father is most certainly sitting in heaven with Jesus...and I will be with him when my time comes, I assure you

.

So - in the end my friend - you must trust yourself - your own heart, your own feelings on everything. Only you will know what is right to you. If sitting in a field of wild flowers while watching the sun come up over the meadow and giving thanks to your creator (whomever that is for you), is whats right for you - then.... I'd be glad to sit beside you in that meadow while I give my thanks to my Creator and watch the sun rise right beside you.

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
And there are plenty of good people who do not have a faith.

Oh so do I, I did not mean that that to one has to be religious but it is good to believe that there is something anything even if it is mother nature, human kindness/love or something else. I do not think that thinking we humans are at the absolute top is the best way to go. Most people have faith of some kind even if they say they dont, even if they dont go to church or practice any religion. I hope I did not offend you.

 

[Felicia]

No person should judge anyone. We have all sinned, and no sin is greater then the other persons.

I believe that God is calling you to him. He loves you so much its unimaginable. I believe that believing God is not a religion. Religion is man made. God, well, he's the truth - the real stuff. I have had some really rough spots in my short time on this earth, and God pulled me through it. Even when I wasn't so sure about him. About 2 years ago, I was 14 and I was suicidal. To make a long story short, the last time I really considered killing myself, I was laying on my bed crying and I was about to get up to go get a gun...and I blacked out. And my sister woke me up a couple hours later. Totally a God thing. I wouldn't be here right now typing this to you if God wasn't watching over me. I am nondenominational. But I don't really care what you call yourself, but just believing in God and knowing he sent his son down to this earth to die for you and that he rose 3 days later. He lives

. I am so thankful for my God. When Jesus died on that cross, he was thinking of you. And he doesn't care what you did before, he just wants you. He made you perfect and in his image, and he just wants you so badly. I will be praying for you, and I pray that you listen to God calling your name. Just remember, he is a forgiving God. And when you come to him, you will feel a love that you have never felt before. He loves you.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got this email the other day, and it really reminded me of what my God did for me. Maybe it will help you too

-Don't leave it on the desk-

There was a certain Professor of Religion named Dr. Christianson, a studious man, who taught at a small college in the western United States . Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his freshman year, regardless of his or her major.

Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going onto seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor's class.

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.

"How many push-ups can you do?"

Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Dr. Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know.... I've never done 300 at a time."

"Do you think you could?" again asked Dr. Christianson.

"Well, I can try," said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me if you can do it," said the professor.

Steve said, "Well... I think I can...yeah, I can do it."

Dr. Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No, these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson's class.

Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?"

Cynthia said, "Yes."

Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"

"Sure." Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe, do you want a donut?"

Joe said, "Yes." Dr. Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.

Walking down the second aisle, Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.

When the professor asked, "Scott, do you want a donut?"

Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own push-ups?"

Dr. Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."

Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"

With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push-ups.

Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"

Dr. Christianson said, "Look! this is my classroom, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.

Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry. Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"

Sternly, Jenny said, "No."

Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten more push-ups so Jenny can have a donut she doesn't want?"

Steve did ten....Jenny got a donut.

By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.

Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these push-ups done for each donut.
There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely.

Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row. During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Dr. Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"

Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want." And Dr. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, "NO! Don't come in! Stay out!"

Jason didn't know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."

Professor Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten push-ups for him?"

Steve said, "Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut"

Dr. Christianson said, "Okay, Steve, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?"

Jason, new to the room, hardly knew what was going on. "Yes," he said, "give me a donut."

"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"

Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, and then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. By this time, sweat was profusely dropping off of his face, there was no sound except his heavy breathing; there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a doughnut?"

Linda said, very sadly, "No, thank you."

Professor Christianson quietly asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.

Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. "Susan, do you want a donut?"

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. "Dr. Christianson, why can't I help him?"

Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, Steve has to do it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes."

"Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?"

As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, pleaded to the Father, 'into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, He yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile.

"Well done, good and faithful servant," said the professor, adding "Not all sermons are preached in words."

Turning to his class, the professor said, "My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all, for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid."

"Wouldn't you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it lying on the desk?"

Share this with someone. It's bound to touch their heart and demonstrate Salvation in a very special way.