In limbo- how to overcome religious doubt?

[ChunkyChips16]

For the past three years I have been in what has felt like a religious limbo. I keep going back and forth practicing a religion and I have so much faith but also so much doubt. I feel all of these feelings everyday. It is such an emotional rollercoaster. I see other people who are religious and they seem so settled and at peace with the path they have chosen. I am so tired of going back and forth and feeling guilty for not practicing in the way I should be because in one moment I’m doubting and then next I have a lot of faith and feel guilty.

I think what is making me doubt is I worry it has all been made up and I’m following this religion like a fool. There are parts of the religion which I don’t fully agree with or struggle to believe in, but other parts have completely transformed my life and really resonate with me. I can’t seem to live my life without following some of the rules or having faith. If I try to stop practicing I keep coming back because my faith doesn’t go away and it brings so much comfort. I really believe in God but sometimes the structures/rituals don’t align with how I feel on the inside. I think I need to work on my relationship with God outside of religious structures but the religion I have faith in has a big emphasis on structures so that’s what I’m struggling with. I have found my faith in God with this religion so I don’t want to leave it.

What I’m asking is, has anyone felt similar?
How do you cope with the doubts and find peace practicing a religion?

I am hoping I can find peace and that I won’t be stuck in this limbo forever 😳

Which religion are you practicing, OP?

It doesn’t really matter what religion.. Don’t feel pressured to answer because you’ll then get all the “do you also believe in fairies” nonsense questions, especially if you’re Christian and on steroids if RC.

I hear you OP. I believed most of my life and now am pretty sure I don’t. However I don’t want to let go as it’s such a good feeling. So watching this thread with interest.

What would it look like if you did exactly what you wanted in religious terms, acting on your own beliefs and discarding those you don’t, even if they’re part of the religion you’re technically an adherent of?

I mean, assuming you’re a Christian of some kind, Jesus rocked up and poohpoohed some aspects of Judaism.

@EggshellAttic
Jesus kept and indeed fulfilled every detail of the Mosaic Law.
It’s inaccurate to say He pooh-poohed Judaism, per se.

@NOTANUM
I don’t think it’s inappropriate to ask which religion. To try to be helpful to the OP I think it’s a reasonable question.

In Christianity, for example, followers of Jesus are in a new relationship with God as Father and so the practice of Christianity is based on the out workings of living in that new relationship.

I’m not sure that can be said for other religions, which will fundamentally change the nature of the practice of each religion.

*edit (for clarity) starts here

Christianity is a “salvation by grace” faith. Several other religions which spring to mind are “salvation by works” religions, so there are very deep and important differences.

That’s fair @LeaningOnTheEverlastingArms .

I’ve just seen too many MN threads descend into insults when Christianity is mentioned. It’s seen as cool to slag it off.

Enjoying the thread so far.

And yet he broke the Sabbath all the time, vocally criticised Jewish leaders, encouraged his followers to drink his blood (forbidden in Leviticus), ate with those considered ‘unclean’ and was tried in front of the Sanhedrin for blasphemy for his claims about himself.

So much of religion is man made rituals added on over time to the original. It's very interesting to read the history of Christianity for example over the first 300 years and see how it developed, same with any religion. A very good book is Mere Christianity by CS Lewis that might help you.
Whatever religion you may be, find the spiritual core of it and stick with what helps you, and don't worry about the rest.

I’d focus on your faith rather than “being religious”. Ask for Grace.

Maybe a talk with your spiritual leader/advisor might help?

@EggshellAttic And yet he ( Jesus) broke the Sabbath all the time, vocally criticised Jewish leaders, encouraged his followers to drink his blood (forbidden in Leviticus), ate with those considered ‘unclean’ and was tried in front of the Sanhedrin for blasphemy for his claims about himself.

Jesus did not break the Sabbath. He broke the traditions of the Pharisees. He very clearly stated he was breaking the tradition of the pharisees. What he admitted to was opposing traditions which went against the inspired scriptures. Pharisees had invented 39 extra rules to the Sabbath, and they are not scripture. They are not inspired by God. They are not part of the Torah. They are what Pharisees added to the Sabbath, because in their opinion more specific details were needed for them. For example, how far you can walk on the Sabbath, how much you can carry on the Sabbath, making a fire, cooking food, and many other things. None of those things were part of the original Sabbath, which he kept to the letter.

He criticised Jewish Religious leaders for the same reason.

The original contract God made with the Jewish people was given on Mount Sinai.
When Jesus came He created a new contract between God and mankind.

The Old Testament is very specific about why one was not to eat blood: “The life of every creature is the blood of it; therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood” (Lv 17:14, cf. Dt 12:23). The Israelites could not eat animal blood because it contained the animal’s life, but there is one Person whose life you must have in you, “Christ who is your life” (Col 3:4).

Regarding blasphemy.
The court process In Jesus' trial differs from what is delineated in the Talmud. If the court proceedings in the Talmud were in use at the time of Christ, the court that condemned Him did not adhere to them. So, basically, the Gospel narrative is revealing that the court Christ was brought before was illegal as they were totally going against the Law which they pretended to live by. This would be in keeping with what Jesus condemned them for, time and again, throughout His ministry.

@MotherCariesChickens - you seem very certain about the behaviour of a man who allegedly lived thousands of years ago, when it is clearly documented that lots of the information purported to have come from that time was word of mouth and has been translated and translated and translated, possibly having been mistranslated.....

I think the perception that He “broke” the Sabbath is more illuminating about His accusers than any actual failure on His part to “keep” the Law.

Indeed He was scathing in His criticism of leaders who had drifted so far from God’s will that they deserved every horrific epithet He gave them.

When He inaugurated the New Covenant with His disciples on what is known as the “Last Supper” He hadn’t yet shed a drop of blood. The drink they shared together was wine, and it was symbolic of His (as the time) still future crucifixion and blood which would be shed as a propitiation for the forgiveness of our sins. As He had earlier explained to His disciples (who were astounded at His teaching about His body being food and His blood being drink) He said in context “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
John 6:63

He did eat with those who were considered “sinners”. They were the sort of people ready to respond to His message of salvation by grace through faith in Himself. Those full of their own self-righteousness rejected Him.

Yes, the religious leaders failed to recognise their Messiah and in their unbelief they did not accept His claims to divinity. (Incidentally this quashes the erroneous notion often put forward that Jesus never claimed to be God).

I am certain, however I don't suggest that others should go along with it.

I believe in God and go to church because I like the community and the my beliefs have enough in common with everybody else their, that is makes sense for me to attend.
However I don't subscribe to it all. I don't believe the bible is god ordained but I still find it helpful. Communion doesn't resonate with me so I don't partake. I've got my own personal faith in God and Christianity is the closest fit. I think that's fine.

I think your religion is important to this discussion OP as otherwise we may be going off on unrelated tangents! I do think though that faith and doubt can be uncomfortable bedfellows, it's quite normal to have doubts from time to time but that can make us feel guilty for having them, for shouldn't faith be enough in itself? So don't beat yourself up for having those doubts, try to embrace them and maybe dig deeper into those issues to try to gain some clarity.

If parts of your religion have brought you comfort and transformation, that's very important to focus on, that's God at work! It can look like others have got their faith all neatly sewn up and are sorted out but in reality probably many go through phases of doubts or a shaking of their faith. Remember it's not an easy path to follow.

Personally I've found a church I'm happy with who have good traditional values and a very approachable pastor that I can ask pretty much any question. That helps a lot, I find. Most of those questions then end up with even more questions, but that's fine!

@ChunkyChips16

I have heard people say that doubt isn't the opposite of faith, it is the opposite of certainty.

Going on from this, it follows that in order to have faith there needs to be a level of uncertainty!

So doubts are normal when dealing with faith issues. It's like the first stage of faith. I think you move into actual faith when you acknowledge the uncertainty but decide to believe anyway. If you don't realise there is uncertainty there, that is not necessarily faith, it is a form of ignorance, though.

I think what is making me doubt is I worry it has all been made up and I’m following this religion like a fool.

What bits would make you a fool? Have you made sacrifices you didn't feel you needed to and which you feel have served no good purpose?

@MotherCariesChickens What a wonderful explanation, thank you.

I'm so glad Jesus lived at a time of oral traditions. We who live in the 21st century have goldfish memories and can't conceive of a time when little was written down - parchment was expensive- and memories were prodigious and well-exercised

Yes there were people back in the days of Jesus who memorised the whole of the Jewish scriptures and you could ask them to recite any of them and they would. Amazing! People became followers of Jesus then by hearing the Word, not reading it, because it wasn't written down, there were no Bibles. That came later, and then there were only limited copies as they had to be laboriously hand-written until the printing press was invented. We are so spoiled nowadays!

Find a new religion. Kindness is the best one.

It sounds to me like you are looking for a sense of belonging somewhere, and have latched onto something that doesn’t really suit you in an effort to find it.

I think you’ll never find a community that works for you if you don’t keep looking for it, so personally I’d start to explore other things - you may not find a single perfect place it might be a combination, but don’t stay in a place that isn’t working for you.

Which religion, my dear? PM if you feel led. I am a Christian

I think what is making me doubt is I worry it has all been made up and I’m following this religion like a fool

Think you nailed it

also, isn’t religion meant to be something that makes you happy/ gives you peace. Not causes stress. You’re trying to believe and it’s not working so you’re stressed out

I’ve avoided saying as I would prefer advice to be more general about how people are confident in and committed to the religion they choose. I think revealing the religion might lead to a tangent