Can someone help me?

[Amber Sun]

Originally Posted by xx_Janey_xx

I never cared much about religion....i thought it was aload of ....... but now i feel like im missing something and i have no idea where to start becuase there is such so much invloved in religion.... can anyone point me in the direction please?

I understand your feelings on this Janey. Religion has much to offer that atheism, or even a 'cool' feeling toward it all doesn't.

1. First there is the point to consider of our own mortality. An adherent within the majority of religions comes to believe in an afterlife, not a 'cessation to consciousness' as an atheist would.
   
2. Then there is the accountability of ones actions that come into consideration. A strong believer in the Bible etc, teaches one that good things come from god and bad things from the devil. If an individual does something bad then the devil led him/her astray or made them do it so to speak. If the individual does a good deed then he/she can bask in the knowledge that he/she carries 'gods holy spirit' and it was this spirit that performed the good deed. So you never take the credit or the responsibility for anything.
   
3. Then there is the 'socializing' factor that is to be admired. People meet at least once a week in the selected gathering place wearing their nice clothing and all have smiles on their faces as they greet everyone they know. Some will go out of their way to greet new faces also. This is quite unlike a bingo hall or liquor bar/pub.
   
4. What must also be taken into consideration are the laws and rules imposed on the adherents of the religious group. To be in good standing one must obey all the commandments in the religious books being used by the congregation, no drinking, smoking, swearing, etc. If it is one of the 'sects' (I will not use names on the thread) then heavier laws and rules are established. In some there are laws guiding dis-fellowship purposes. An example may be that you may not be allowed to celebrate certain traditional holidays with family and friends any longer and may not even be able to associate with them unless it is to attend a funeral etc. This keeps the congregation clean of outside influences. In others wearing any kind of face make-up or doing up of the hair is frowned upon.
   
5. When searching for a religion you must also decide whether you want to worship a male or female deity. Do you want a war god demanding retribution and exacting punishment, or do you want an ancient god that you can change to your liking. Some prefer a goddess, but then again you must decide what kind of goddess you want to worship and bow down to. There are many goddesses, some of death, some for birth etc., there is also the Creatrix (the goddess that created all that there is, she goes under a few names.
   
6. If you decide that you would rather worship a goddess then I suggest you investigate all the pagan branches of religion. They don't really have any laws/rules that must be followed or you will be thrown out, except that a few believe that you have to be careful what you do because it may come back to you. I think it's called the 'witches rede' or something like that. But there are just as many branches within the pagan communities as there are among the christian ones. They even have 'witch wars' just like every other religion with everyone claiming they are the true ones. However there are a very few 'eclectic' groups that don't involve themselves in that sort of thing.

If it is the symbolism and rituals that you want all of the above groups have this and to a very great extent they are all the same. There is community and socializing among them all, a belief in an after life of some kind, and the duality of good an bad entities exist in the majority. But at the end of it all you have to 'feel good' about the decision you make. What is right for one person does not mean that it is right for the next.

I hope you find something that makes you happy and gives you peace of mind.

[Lon]

[quote=Amber Sun;1147494]I understand your feelings on this Janey. Religion has much to offer that atheism, or even a 'cool' feeling toward it all doesn't.


How could you possibly know or even understand what atheism has to offer if you are not an atheist? Cool feeing about religion is another matter.

[OpenMind]

Welcome to FG Janey.

Why not start here:

religions of the world - Google Search

or here:

religions - Google Search

[Chezzie]

Originally Posted by xx_Janey_xx

I never cared much about religion....i thought it was aload of ....... but now i feel like im missing something and i have no idea where to start becuase there is such so much invloved in religion.... can anyone point me in the direction please?

First step.........Believe in yourself. Once you have that nailed im sure it will become clearer.

Welcome to the forum Janey

[spot]

Originally Posted by xx_Janey_xx

I never cared much about religion....i thought it was aload of ....... but now i feel like im missing something and i have no idea where to start becuase there is such so much invloved in religion.... can anyone point me in the direction please?

Your local library may have a copy of Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion", reading that offers worthwhile insight into the topic. Then, if you want to explore spirituality you'll have better tools to defend yourself from evangelists. A Buddhist center close enough to drop into would probably be a big help too if they have open meetings and courses.

[Hamster]

Welcome to the forum Janey

Have you considered a more spiritual path or are you convinced you wish to pursue a religion?

[oscar]

There's only one religion in my house....... Oscar's religion

[bobbyz]

First thing you need to decide, Jane, is whether you seek the truth or merely comfort!

If you are looking for the truth I suggest "The God Delusion" as someone else suggested and have a look at the "the-brights dot net"

However, if you want comfort there are hundreds maybe thousands of different belief systems to choose from. Most, if not all, religions offer comfort and I suppose that is a big reason for their popularity.

I come from a Christian background and live in a Christian society. However, personally I find it to be medieval stupidity to believe in the nonsense, although when you pick and choose, many good moral standards are preached. But that doesn't make it any more true. Being honest to my sense of reason, open-minded and being content in whatever seems most plausible is where I find comfort.

[koan]

Originally Posted by spot

Your local library may have a copy of Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion", reading that offers worthwhile insight into the topic. Then, if you want to explore spirituality you'll have better tools to defend yourself from evangelists. A Buddhist center close enough to drop into would probably be a big help too if they have open meetings and courses.

Isn't that the book you loaned me that I couldn't endure reading? (<-there's a smilie there) I found his assumptions, which he stated as fact, to be entirely misleading.

I'm wondering if I missed something in the OP. I thought she was stating an interest in exploring religion and most of what she's gotten in response are warnings against the endeavour.

I thought about buying ice cream last night and a bunch of people approached me in the supermarket telling me how bloated the dairy will make me feel. I bought it anyway. It was really yummy. If that had really happened, half a dozen people actually approaching me in the market and trying to talk me out of buying some Ben and Jerry's, wouldn't it seem odd? Yet we think nothing of going into a thread expressing curiosity on religion and trying to scare someone off.

[Amber Sun]

[quote=Lon;1147498]

Originally Posted by Amber Sun

I understand your feelings on this Janey. Religion has much to offer that atheism, or even a 'cool' feeling toward it all doesn't.


How could you possibly know or even understand what atheism has to offer if you are not an atheist? Cool feeing about religion is another matter.

You are assuming too much ,Lon, if you think you know what I believe and what I don't. For you information, and everyone else that reads this thread;

I do not believe in an entity who is omnipotent and omniscient, call it god or goddess.

I grew up in Christianity believing in the above, along with the belief of an after-life. Knowledge acquired through education in the sciences and religious studies, along with a heavy dose of experience of myself and others, brought enlightenment.

Last of all Lon, I very seldom give any help or advice if I don't know exactly what I am talking about. If I do then my paragraphs will be sprinkled with a lot of "I think" or "perhaps" etc. Please do not presume to 'know' me, what I think or what I feel.

In this thread I know precisely what I am saying.