What to do when you've lost your religion?

originally posted by: SSFFlood
Hey yall, im coming to you all with a question, how do you find your religion? i was raised Catholic by my grandmother and mother, my father is druid and my last 2 girlfriends were pagan, my current gf is a witch. i lost my religion along time ago after some traumatic events. but now i've been asking people in my life what to do, im lost. im not sure what to believe anymore. i still wear my st michael, but i feel thats only out of security. idk just wondering if any one has any advice. im lost, i just feel dark, like i'm missing a huge part of me!

A lot of people feel the same way you do when they let go of their faith. It's nothing to be frightened of. It's time to begin a new relationship with yourself. Get to know YOU. Become comfortable with YOU. You are not a sinner. You don't need absolution, and you don't need a savior. Find out who YOU are. Not what everyone else expects you to be. If you are a spiritual person, then be spiritual. Deities are not necessary for spirituality. Most of all. Be true to yourself.

originally posted by: Metallicus
Establish your relationship with God and not a religion. You and God don't need a middleman.

I love this answer...

OP: The simple fact you ask the question. Shows you're well on your way.

When I asked for advice on ATS for the same issue, A flood of Christians weighed in on the discussion. Their argument was based on "you were never saved in the first place, you didnt study hard enough, fear of God and Hell. And then the Jehovahs started, so, just dont listen to the BS that is wrapped up in condemnation, snide remarks that are meant to induce fear, guilt and shame. All Religions agree on one thing "LOVE" Even though they dont practice it much. But, the end justifies the means,,,, right?

a reply to: SSFFlood
It's good you feel a need to understand more about this situation we call life we are all in. Start from scratch in terms of discovery - have no preconceived notions or beliefs about what is the truth, and simply notice everything that is occurring, moment to moment.

Sooner or later, whatever the reality or truth that this is, will reveal whatever is the case, one way or another.

If you want, see my signature for more details along these lines.

Best to you.

Idk much about anything really but i find it that i do not have to belong religion to believe in God and be a spiritual.

a reply to: SSFFlood

You don't need to follow a religion to tell you how to lead your life. I would suggest just following this in everyday life..."Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Treat people the way you would want to be treated. This would be much more simpler to follow than all the hypocrisy found in religions.

Isaiah 59: 1Behold, the hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear dull, that it cannot hear: 2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness. 4None calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth: they trust in empty words, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 5They hatch viper's eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eats of their eggs dies, and from that which is crushed a viper breaks out. 6Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 7Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8The way of peace they know not; and there is no justice in their paths: they have made themselves crooked paths: whosoever goes in them shall not know peace. 9Therefore is justice far from us, neither does righteousness overtake us: we wait for light, but behold darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom. 10We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; we are in desolate places as dead men. 11We all growl like bears, and mourn greatly like doves: we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. 12For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;

Do you want the Christian answer or are comfortable with all the other non-Christians telling you the same things your girlfriends have told you, and led you to your current situation?

Seek God.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: SSFFlood

You don't need to follow a religion to tell you how to lead your life. I would suggest just following this in everyday life..."Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Treat people the way you would want to be treated. This would be much more simpler to follow than all the hypocrisy found in religions.

Apparently your system of thought hasn't worked for him.

He didn't find peace and salvation in the very way you have just prescribed for him, that he has been following.

Why don't you come up with a better solution that "just be nice to people"? He feels lost because he IS lost, in the morass of darkness.

a reply to: WarminIndy

It's just a figment of his imagination. You don't need religion to survive and the feeling of loss associated with losing one's religion is just a by product of the conditioning making you doubt your disbelief. It passes if you just ignore it.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: WarminIndy

It's just a figment of his imagination. You don't need religion to survive and the feeling of loss associated with losing one's religion is just a by product of the conditioning making you doubt your disbelief. It passes if you just ignore it.

Apparently he has been ignoring it for a long time. That's why he is reaching out and asking for help.

His current is not working. That is no imagination to realize your life is screwed up.

a reply to: WarminIndy

It doesn't go away overnight. You have to be patient. Religion is a crutch for life. Sometimes it's hard to recognize that you don't need the crutch to live. Millions of people lived before religion and billions of life live without it every day.

Your religion was really your security blanket. The charm is just that. A talisman. It will mean to you what you want it to.

That doesn't mean it can't have power over you, in a sense.

Examine yourself as to why you feel the need for a religion. Why do you feel it is necessary?

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: WarminIndy

It doesn't go away overnight. You have to be patient. Religion is a crutch for life. Sometimes it's hard to recognize that you don't need the crutch to live. Millions of people lived before religion and billions of life live without it every day.

Do you think religion means the organized ones of today?

Religion has been a part of the human experience since man discovered the world around him.

What exactly do you mean when you talk about religion?

originally posted by: WarminIndy

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: WarminIndy

It doesn't go away overnight. You have to be patient. Religion is a crutch for life. Sometimes it's hard to recognize that you don't need the crutch to live. Millions of people lived before religion and billions of life live without it every day.

Do you think religion means the organized ones of today?

It means anything that requires dogmatic belief and the instance that it is correct despite lack of evidence. This includes ancient pagan religions as well, but keep in mind that religion WAS invented at some point. Whether it started out as forest spirits and stuff is up for question, but humans DO predate religion.

Religion has been a part of the human experience since man discovered the world around him.

What exactly do you mean when you talk about religion?

Dogma. The insistence of correctness with no option for being wrong.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: WarminIndy

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: WarminIndy

It doesn't go away overnight. You have to be patient. Religion is a crutch for life. Sometimes it's hard to recognize that you don't need the crutch to live. Millions of people lived before religion and billions of life live without it every day.

Do you think religion means the organized ones of today?

It means anything that requires dogmatic belief and the instance that it is correct despite lack of evidence. This includes ancient pagan religions as well, but keep in mind that religion WAS invented at some point. Whether it started out as forest spirits and stuff is up for question, but humans DO predate religion.

Religion has been a part of the human experience since man discovered the world around him.

What exactly do you mean when you talk about religion?

Dogma. The insistence of correctness with no option for being wrong.

Do you have evidence it was invented?

Then say dogma instead of religion.

Dogma is found in all places where human beings are. Doesn't matter if it is science or organized religion. You have dogma as well, your dogmatic stance is "be nice to each other".

Well, your dogma can be challenged as well. But please, show us the evidence that religion was invented.

a reply to: WarminIndy

There isn't any. Religion predates the written word, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't invented. For one, the religion that predates the written word wasn't what you or I see today. It could hardly even be called polytheism let alone the monotheism that you and I are so familiar with. Then we can CLEARLY trace the evolution of religion from there thanks to the written word.

While I cannot definitely prove that religion was invented (of course that was my point all along, don't pretend you know anything definitively), I can infer that it is VERY unlikely that a god would inspire in primitive man the idea of religion knowing that it will one day evolve into the concept we know today (especially since that concept we know today has ALSO evolved since it first came about).

I can understand using religion to try to explain the events occurring around you, but it behooves you to be able to admit when the religion is wrong and real evidence is presented that say otherwise. Look, this may surprise you when I say this, but we don't even need science to live. Science is just a tool we use to sate our curiosity. Humans could survive JUST fine without it just like we can survive without religion.

Wow! what a lot of answers! lots of opinions! that was what i needed, i didn't come to post this question of mine on ats to be a troll, i posted it here because i know this community is HUGE and has open minded people in it! and yes im very aware of how people think we are "brain washed" by religion. i've tried lots and lots of things to "find" out what i believe. but for some reason catholicism is a "safe" place for me. But idk after certain events, it lost all meaning to me. now my churches have been replaced with forests. just where im comfortable and feel in tune with nature. i suppose. your answers have helped thank you all!

Every being in the universe knows good from evil, the idea that we need incentives or ultimatums to do good never made sense to me, just do good, there's no need to label yourself with random words that do nothing but put you into a group that others can then label with other random words, to quote Thomas Paine-
"The whole world is my country, all man kind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion."

We all come from the same creator/source/higher power. I was raised Catholic too, but do not follow any one religion or path. I take whatever good I may find, wherever I may find it and incorporate it into my life. I try to be the best person I possibly can be and try to live my life with love, compassion and kindness.