How did you come to have your spiritual beliefs.?

Question

I thank my friend buttercup for the idea for this question.

What I am wondering is, did you research your beliefs and any others to decide what makes sense to you? How and where did you research? Specifically, did you ever look anywhere else besides your precious religious books?

Answer 1

You know this is a sensitive topic but I'll give you a straight from the heart answer. I was raised christian and had a lot of problems with it. I never got a decent explanation on why my friends were going to hell. Catholics are the only ones with a decent explanation for what happened to the people who died before christ came or shortly after when they had never had the opportunity to hear the bible. why is my friend alex (a hindu) going to hell? and why did poor Job get tortured by a god that is suppose to be loving?

In high school I had several atheist friends who gave me some books to read. Then a friend invited me to a powerful church. One that played modern christian music and talked about important things (my old youth group was catty and involved smoking, drugs and alcohol). I refound my christian roots and became filled with the holy spirit.

In college, I studied religion and realized the extreme similarities. The more I learned about them, the more I liked bits and pieces of each religion. I sorta pieced together the universal religion. It combined the similarities they all shared. Based on good people are rewarded, regardless of jesus or mohammad. Maybe in karma, maybe in rebirth, maybe in the afterlife but they would be rewarded. Spirituality is more important than a church and a doctrine.

Mythology fascinated me. Why are they looked at as silly for creating an explanation for why things happened. They created a god. What makes those created and the christian god not.

However, the more I read the more hate I discovered. Religion seems based on money and hate. A cult begins by explaining what good things there are (heaven or reward), then you have to give a superiority complex to those in the cult (nonbelievers will be punished, hell or whatever). Most wars have been fought over religion. Roman history was the worst--watching everyone kill each other. The pagans fed the christians to the lions, the christians got revenge and fed pagans to the lions. I took classes in buddhism, hinduism, the classification of "other" (like Jainism), wiccan...they all made sense to me. None of them seemed bad--the doctrine did not sound like they should burn in hell for it. The last straw was studing christianity.

I took christianity before 1500. wow talk about warping my beliefs in the church. we studied rome, the missionaries and how they would change the religion to incorporate anything the pagans were already doing (like how we celebrate halloween and christmas and easter). Witch hunts and the holy wars. the extreme torture. monks and the editing out of the diciples. Why do we only have Matthew Mark Luke and John. Why did the others get overlooked (andrew and thomas) and why is nearly every book after that written by Paul? so much later than Jesus walked the earth. why are all women Eve, Jezebel and Deliah. Only leading men away from the church. Can women not be christian? the excessive wealth of the church--the gold and gemstone and colored glass leading to the start of protestantism. the class ended with the spanish inquisition.

I continued my spiritality but was completely anti-religion. Why does religion cause so many wars? why have the majority religion constantly committed murder in the name of that religion? why does it happen today in this century?

There are so many books on the topic. And I found when I tried to discuss my questions with representatives of the religion what I gained was this. Buddhist and Wiccans will always answer any question posed. Christians just like to argue if I was questioning my beliefs I was going to burn in hell. I never could get over the thought that the god of the Old Testament. So I've never considered Judaism. But christians believe in god of Old and New. and "what if he changes back to the god of the Old" is as valid a question as "what if you are wrong and what will you say to him on judgement day". For christians and muslims the overwhelming desire to convert or if unsuccessful to cut off contact with nonbelievers distanced me. Many friends refused to talk to me when I refused to mindlessly convert.

I spent years trying to figure out exactly what I believed. I had a really hard time with it. I was not rebellous and my family is highly religious. I studied religion diligently. I read books on every topic. i kept rereading the bible, read books in different religions, comparing and contrasting, cults. I looked other places besides my precious books as well. I spoke to people strong in their faith. what i needed was tolerance. it seemed most beliefs (outside of wiccan and buddhism) were fueled by fire and brimstone and hate. I needed something that was accepting of the right, no actually the DUTY to question. and discovered many religious leaders had never questioned beliefs outside of what religion their parents were.

We have a duty as humans to question our beliefs for our beliefs have often been wrong. we thought the earth was flat, we thought slavery was right, we thought indians should be killed or run off, women should be burned alive and we think our religion is the only right one. Catholics killed Protestants and Protestants killed Catholics, as the monarchy changed. They are still doing it today. what makes that not murder? But many churches tell me if I'm raped, and chose to abort that criminal's constant reminder, that I am a murderer.

We have a duty to question our beliefs and if it turns out I'm wrong, god would rather surround himself with christians or non-christians that questioned, than those who were sheep and just went through the movements.

Yes at the end I discovered I can either go with Deist--there was a god and he created the earth but he left a long time ago. Or atheist. But within my own heart, nothing else made sense.

I don't need a religious organization telling me what to think and who to hate. I don't need to feel that it is all in someone else's more capable hands. Mine are as capable as I need. I don't need to know that horrible things are merely part of an allmighty plan. But life is all we have and I want to make the best of it. Not living life waiting for a reward at the end of this suffering. But instead not suffer now. Live in the moment for really, it's the only life you've got.

Answer 2

Simple: I used common sense. My family is a strong believer of religion (Roman Catholic Christian), but I do not buy that or any religion.

Religion was made by us, humans. And to me is all fake. It just doesn’t make sense. And even less the fact that we have to believe that God was the one “writing” through the hands of humans to create the Bible. Please, give me a break.

Do I believe in God? Yes, somehow. Do I think God is like they picture “It” on the books? No, not at all.

To me, if we want to be logical, there is a possibility that there is a God as a being that created the Universe or even something bigger out there where the universe is contained. We just don’t know. But there is also a possibility that everything was created without divine intervention, and unless someone or something gives us a real prove of any of those alternatives, we can not and should not assume that any is correct. I give it 50-50 chances to each.

Now, do I believe in doing good to others? Yes. I try to do good to others, help them, and try to teach others how to be good. I care for my self, my family, my friends, and I would help an estranger as well if I need to. I would give my life for my family, and I want to help society as much as I can.

If you see me through different religions eyes, I am in sin just because of the way I think. Some religions would kill me because of not being a believer.

I am not perfect, I try to be, but I can’t, only Nature is perfect in any case (and God if It made Nature), but I think I am good enough to be in peace with myself.

Religion has been, is, and will be always a political thing. Not government politics, but politics as per the meaning of the word. And if there is politics, there is corruption. Just look through history and you’ll see how corrupted every religion has been.

And if you don’t think I am right, just go back to 9/11, think about the reasons why it happened, who were responsible, and why. Religion, politics and money is all that can come to your mind. And that is because those were the reasons. And same with every war that has been fought on earth since day one.

That’s what I believe, and I don’t expect anybody else to think the same. I just hope each of us can at least realize that there are more important things in life than religion, and that is our family, friends, and every human being out there. We are together here, and our future is in our hands, not in God’s, not in religion, just our hands.

Be wise when you choose what you will do tomorrow.

Answer 3

I became one of those born-again Jesus Freaks of the 1970s. This was the Calvary Chapel movement that started in Costa Mesa, California USA. I was by myself when I asked Christ into my heart, because I figured if He IS God, He can meet me where I am at and not at a church. And He did, in a BIG way.

I came to Jesus because I wanted a personal relationship with God. I really had no way of proving or disproving anything at the time. I did not know the Bible that much. So I came by faith, just wanting to know Him. After 5 or 6 years, I began looking for concrete proof of His existence. Not for myself, but for those who were asking for it. Through some great teachers, I was able to find it and I seek to pass it on to others. I have been walking with Jesus for 36 years now.

Nunoyvgvna Awi - "look one way and its a young lady, other its an old hag." - Awesome analogy. Love your testimony.

Answer 4

I searched everywhere, in different religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sufism, Hebraism etc... I have never stopped searching and I will never stop: in books, with dialogs with people of other religions (I even met the Dalai Lama once, when here, in my country, he was still not so popular). I am a very spiritual person and I think that every religion has food for your soul, but I came to understand that mine by birth (Christianity) has lots of wisdom. I will stay with that, but I do not regret my search: I have earned great insights to different worlds that I respect. All religions have opened my mind and my heart to love.

Answer 5

as you know i was raised Christian , left religion when i was about 17
during my life i had many unusual experiences , which went against my teachings of Christianity
and i tried to ignore these experiences even after i left
when i was 29 i got a pc... i found a spiritual chat site and have since went on to staff and teach at the web site
this has led me to spiritualism as the teachings of spiritualism mirror my own beliefs
however i have read about many other religions and even incorporate some into my own beliefs ( especially the philosophies )
and i also went to university to study the paranormal from a more skeptical point of view to understand what i had experienced

Answer 6

I was an atheist for 30 yrs, believe all school taught me, evolution, dinosaurs, you name it.

But awhile ago when I was digging into the 9/11 stuff. I went deep, and I mean deep. I went through Illuminati, Mason, JFK, Oklahoma, Cole, wars, Ancient Egypt, Mayan, my Native Indian, looked at the Quran and even the Bible.

Over weeks of doing these studies, night after night. I came to realize I was always coming up with.....huh...the Bible was right on that one. Huh...Bible knew that one too. Over n over again. And this comes from a HARD CORE skeptic.

After more n more research, reading up on Noahs flood and cutting it into pieces and figuring out each step, size, amount of water, how it could be, etc. I realized.....science was showing me the answers, plain as day, right in front of me.

But due to school, text books and the TV....I was taught to look at it all another way. Almost like those trick pictures you see....look one way and its a young lady, other its an old hag.

Once I saw the flip side, I kept digging and comparing items. Like big bang and Genesis, how water could be parted. Even got into all the UFO accounts in the bible. Some 362 of them for any that say there are none...there are a LOAD of them.

The more I used my atheist thinking, along with my new findings and all my research....I came to realize....the Bible is true, what is speaks of is 100% fact and truth. But....man himself, has totally be shown a different view of it compared to what it really is. I think that is where the "until you believe in it, you won't understand it" line comes from. Its just like the old hag and young lady picture again.

Just like the text books, we were fed a way to view them and all.....and we also we fed a way to look at the bible n all.....and both are wrong. We all have been duped, litterally since birth.

I hate to use this as an example, but it really hits it home......watch the Matrix.....for reality as we know it, is being in the matrix.....real life, the truth, understanding the bible....is being the caves...not hooked up and hard wired to the system anymore........to actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Since pictures speak a thousand words yet a word speaks but one word. It is really hard to get past the images used for hte bible for its screaming thousands of words at you for what it wants you to think.....when the truth is written right there, in single words.

Did I make sense? Notice no quotes....no bible thumper here....just a man who is on a mission for the truth...the REAL truth, and I believe nothing but my own findings on this mission...for too many lie I have found out.

Answer 7

I did research too

But what did it was holding an explosive in my hands that went off and half of it didn't. The half I WAS HOLDING.

The Randomist Las Vegas Odds makers will tell you that a billion to one shot

Do you think ANYONE is that lucky!

I won the biggest lottery of them all and I didn't get one red cent.

I just got to keep my hands and arms.

Something stopped that chemical from totally expoding like it was designed to do

That HAS to be true

That was NOT random luck

That was salvation

My soul TELLS me; SCREAMS at me I have to THANK someone or SOMETHING for doing that, so I do

If I missed those odds I'd by typing with two stubs coming out of whatever was left of my arms right now

Instead I have hands and fingers

My insides tell me I MUST BE THANKFULL FOR THAT FACT

Answer 8

This is my experience and not intended to criticize any ones religion.
I used to visit Catholic church because my parents had me do the first communion and confirmation there and got baptized when I was a baby. I liked it because it was the only thing that I knew.
Until somebody invited me to a baptist church. At first it was weird because from 1 hour mass this church was 2-3 hours long! But I liked the music and how upbeat it was. I felt like I belonged there. And later I got baptized there and I am a member and I love it! After I joined the baptized church I have visited a couple different Church's and although they were good, not enough for me to switch.

Answer 9

'Hmm I guess i got my beliefs by experience. I went to church with my boyfriend, so I know what thats like. I also got them from watching the world. Watching people seeing how they act, and feel.
- I dont believe in god, but Jesus was a real person
-I dont think there is a heaven or a hell but your soul goes somewhere
my beliefs aren't a certain one- its a mix of a couple of them i think.

- I just keep an open mind and dont refuse to see anything. Blindness= ignorance

Answer 10

I was raised in a family that went to church every sunday, so I just believed in general because that is what I was presented with. (Christianity) I just assumed that I was a Christian because that is what I knew. I never really got the point of Christianity as a kid.

When I was 19 I hit a patch of hardship, a sin problem that I just couldn't shake. I plumetted into a depression and saw no hope. I knew that what I was doing was a sin in both my religion and my inner conscience, but I couldn't seem to help myself. Then I met a girl that was a very strong Christian and she simply loved me and began to try to help me get out of this hellhole I was in. The unconditional love she showed me when I was such a wreck opened my eyes to the fact that God loved me. I was unlovable by human standards, and I knew that she only loved me because God was in her loving me. It was very clear.

Once I experienced God's love, it all just fell into place. I caught on that Christianity was about a personal relationship with Jesus. I overcame the sin in my life and gained purpose and identity and became a happy productive person.

Personal experience with God has proved to me that He exists and that He loves me. That is what I believe.