AIBU to wish I were religious?

[religiouslychallenged]

Name changed as I never thought I'd be anything other than a stoney atheist (and it's a hell of a lot of fun to come up with new names, pardon the pun).

Can't help but feel on some level desperate for religion. I poked fun at people who were heavily emotionally attached to the concept of God, mostly to do with premarital shagging. Now I wish I had something I could dedicate myself to as much as folk dedicate themselves to God and religion. Anyone else?

There are lots of different ways of praying and I have always supposed some ways work better for some people, otherwise why do we have such a diversity of prayer types?

Many people dance as a form of prayer. Others use contemplation. Others sing. All religions seem to have this diversity within them, so it must be there for a common reason.

stripes how does praying "work" though? are you meant to hear him talk to you or is your prayer meant to be complete or are you just held in faith that someones listening

cooroo thats what im interested in, if folk who are seeking out religion are more likely to find it because they want to find it

Thanks Cooroo. I will look up the project. It sounds really interesting.

I was brought up a Catholic, every Sunday we went to Mass. When I had dd1 she was baptised and attended catholic school by that time I hadn't attended Mass for years.
When she died at 23 (5yrs ago) I went back to chapel. The priest was lovely and helped me through some very dark times.
I strongly believe my dd is now with my mum and dad and one day I will see them again.
I now attend mass every week with dd2.

I really need to go to bed now! But my short and simplistic answer is that I don't know for sure. I believe that Genesis gives us a story, like a parable, of how God created the world. I don't believe it was seven days (although I think Biblical scholars now think "days" was mistranslated and originally meant a period of time...). I think that he somehow created the Big Bang. I mean, no one is able to say what there was in existence before the Big Bang do they? So where did it come from?

I find it impossible to look at the beauty of nature, of humans, animals, plants, the universe and believe that it all completely randomly came to exist over millions of years. To me it takes more faith to believe in random evolution than an intelligent creator!

This is all really complicated stuff but I'm essence I believe that God is a being of some sort and we are made in his image. Where he "lives" I have no idea but I believe that Jesus walked on earth and that God gives us the Holy Spirit who lives in us and acts a bit like our conscience/spiritual guide/connection to God.

I'm not great at explaining this stuff, there are lots of books called "apologetics" that explain it all simply from a Christian viewpoint. As i said above I would recommend Lee Strobel or something from the Alpha course as they are generally pretty readable and succinct (I hate waffle!).

I need to sleep now but hope it has helped to give you my own personal perspective in some way. Faith is a journey that has many twists and turns. I hope you can find some answers and peace on yours.

parkhead im sorry for your daughter. do you think you wouold have found religion without grief? i wonder if the power of grief makes people feel like they need something to pull them through (tho reiterating no disrespect to you or your experiences)

Well then I think the experiment worked. If it allowed the participants to choose their own method rather than one dictated to them, it’s a more free and comfortable connection with the divine.

Again, the dancing as a form of prayer, I LOVE that. It’s such a beautiful thing to watch and know that people are connecting like that. But I suppose as I’m watching as a humanist, I am seeing the joy of their humanity and dedication, rather than the religious aspect and that works as a method of inner peace too.

“i want to chase god because if all of this is true it would be a much more pleasant existence “ I know someone who used to agonise over picking the wrong god/religion. At least we could laugh about the possibility of being Plymouth Brethren, Quaker, Hindu etc and finding out you’d pulling shifts on the watchtower in the ever after.

@religiouslychallenged

pokerfaced are quakers the ones who dont believe you shouuld ever cause physical harm even if you or your family are being attacked?

I think that there’s no defined position, other than a general preference for pacifism, and a tradition of conscientious objection in wartime.

RC, I don’t know what the official answer to how prayer works is.

There are ways I pray that I enjoy more and I feel peace but not God. There is a way of tried where I can feel the presence of God.

The way Coohoo describes of through nature, that’s a really common way for many people.

pokerfaced i think pacificism is the best option but not in situations where theres a need for self defense so i couldnt let someone batter my family and not step in

stripes do you ever have doubt? or feel embarrassed by your faith? not that u should im just interested as u can rarely have these calm conversations with people in real life

Personally, I don't think it matters how you pray if you are earnestly seeking God. My vicar says "pray as you can, not as you can't", which I think is really helpful.

fittata sorry i know youre going to sleep but what if you "earnestly seek god" and then go out and do a bunch of shitty immoral things? is he still going to kind of accept you into the clan?

I am so early on in the process of finding my faith that I haven’t really had time for doubt. I am still reeling from the shock of finding it.

I haven’t talked to anyone in real life about it yet. Part is because I don’t want other family members to overwhelm me. Part is that I don’t want to contact a church because I feel embarrassed of myself in some way, plus the complications of Covid.

stripes why do u feel embarrassed of yourself?

Because I am having such intensely strong religious feelings with which I am unfamiliar, and I don’t want to end up blurting a whole bunch of stuff at some poor overworked church helper.

Yes, he hates the sin but loves the sinner. Mark 2:17 says:

Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

stripes if you want to blurt it at me, im here. i may disagree n question but i really like talking about religion

fittata he hates the sin yet loves the sinner

if you love abusers, rapists, murderers etc could that not be seen as siding with them over survivors / victims tho. id be pretty upset and not feel v loved if someone loved the people who hurt me

Thanks OP! You have started a really interesting thread and brought up points that have got people talking.

aww stripes, glad to hear it! think maybe the logical bit of my brain is the part that stops me having faith. i always have the "what if" n "but" responses to everything and theres very little ive got core unwavering faith in

But he loves all of his creation. He hates all the bad stuff that we do and he is always on the side of the poor/abused/vulnerable. I suppose its like still loving your children even when they are really naughty or mean. You might be cross at them but you still love them.

The Bible says to love our enemies and to pray for them. That's definitely not easy, but in my personal experience it is very freeing not to cling on to bitterness and unforgiveness. It in no way excuses the person's actions and does not mean that you let yourself or others be abused but it is about always choosing love over hate.

I've been a Christian for over 20 years now and still have doubts and what ifs and yeah buts....but I believe that is part of faith and that none of us have all the answers. Those questions and doubts don't prevent me from having a strong faith.

Argh I really have to go to sleep now but am enjoying this discussion!