Is there such thing as religous split personalities?

Question

For the past 6 years I've been trapped in an unstable religous state of mind inwhich I want to be one religion one day and another one the next day. I confuese the hell out of people and myself. I wish I had one identity. I'm so double minded. I can't stand it. I just want to be one person with one belief. But then of course when I think I've found what I truely believe some born again Christian has to come along and mess it up for me. I think I'm just very easily influenced by others. I'm like a blank stem cell. I become what ever you put me next to. But there are things that I like about every religion and things I hate about every religion. What do I do? I've studied everything you can think of. Christianity, Wicca, Budahism, Taoistm, Islam, Jehovah's Witness, Mormonism, Unity, Unitarian, Quaker. And many others I probally can't remember. The more religions I study the more confuessed I get but I'm addicted to studying more of them. I want to study Moonies but I know it'll mess more

Answer 1

A person with split personalities (MPD) actually misses time, does not remember what they did or how they got there, ect. You do not have MPD. *smile*

As for you being so changable about religion, why do you feel the need to believe anything? If you haven't been so convinced by the god/s or book/s that you have read, to the exclusion of all other religions,then why do you feel you should believe in anything?
In other words--if you really believed a specific religion, you wouldn't have to ask this question. So why are you asking it? Is it because you are expected to believe--choose off a menu of religions and identify yourself that way? Why?
My advice to you is to leave this alone. Stop reading the books, stop discussing it with people you talk to. If you are meant to be a religious person, than whatever god will reach out to you. Until then, slap on a label of "agnostic" and be happy with your life.

Answer 2

You might want to study the Unification Church (The Moonies) from a distance; buy a book and read it, but don't go to seminars, workshops, etc. They can make an awful convincing case in person, if you haven't had enough sleep.

There are people who are lost and spend the rest of their life searching. They flit from religion to religion like a bee in a field of clover.

If I was giving advice I'd say pick one whose members seem to be doing some real good in the community, join it and put up with the things you don't like. If you were picking a college or a career, you'd find things you loved and hated about each one.

Answer 3

Jehovah's Witnesses have the true religion. They are Christian (of course), but they are unique for their rejection of paganisms, use of God's personal name, and global preaching by every active adherent. No other religious organization can claim such purity of worship.

These facts about Jehovah's Witnesses are perhaps relevant to this question. The more one compares this Christian religion with others, the more remarkable it is shown to be.

1. Jehovah's Witnesses have no paid clergy. Yet they remain tightly organized with more than 6.5 million active Jehovah's Witness preachers (about 16 million associate themselves with the religion). Even fulltime preachers and workers at their branch offices are unpaid volunteers.

2. There is no elite class among Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the few 'anointed' among them enjoy no special privileges in their congregations on earth. An anointed person (one of those relative few with a heavenly hope) is not elevated above his fellow congregants in any way, and he may not even qualify for appointment as a simple 'deacon' or elder. There are no titles; EVERYONE is addressed as 'brother' or 'sister'.

3. No person benefits economically from the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the 8 to 20 men who serve on their Governing Body receive simply room, board, medical care, and reimbursement for certain personal expenses according to the exact same provision as every other branch volunteer.

4. About a hundred men have served on Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body committee during the past 125 years or so. The vast majority of them have spent the vast majority of their adult lives volunteering for their organization's purposes, and the vast majority have died faithfully and near-pennilessly while still under their legal 'vow of poverty'.

5. Amazingly, Jehovah's Witnesses did not splinter as a sect from some other religion. Instead, a truly tiny but sincere group of bible students studied only the Scriptures to determine the will of God. Thus their religion remains absolutely independent of and not carrying the sins of Christendom's history, yet carries the authority of Christ's teachings.

6. Despite the distortions of anti-Witnesses, throughout their modern history Jehovah's Witnesses have refused to claim divine inspiration or infallibility for their teachings. They have pointed to the bible (and not any particular translation) as the only inspired infallible means of knowing God's thoughts. For over 125 years, their teachings have been presented as merely the results of sincere bible research by imperfect but godly humans.

Answer 4

I understand where you are coming from, at @14 I did that same exploration. I decided that being a Christian offered me more than any of the others. Jesus will bring me eternal life a knowledge of forgiveness, grace and mercy. None of the others have that to offer.

Answer 5

I think you've studied enough. That is why you are so mixed up.Don't blame the "Born again christian"
You need to get into therapy sweety. Find the one
belief and stick with it.

Answer 6

How about no religion at all? You have no idea what religion can do to one's mind. (And i don't mean in a good way)
You should find yourself a constructive hobby.

Answer 7

I'm a sixth generation Universalist, now Unitarian Universalist. Unitarian Universalism is a non creedal, liberal religion which allows a broad range of religious expression. What you are describing, we would call healthy active investigation. In fact I am now leading a class for our Jr High age youth called "Neighboring Faiths", where they visit other houses of worship and learn about the beliefs of other faith communities. We actually encourage people to ask questions and explore different faith practices to find what's right for them. Many of our congregants follow a mixture of practices. In our view, no one has the corner on the truth or the expression of spiritual life.

One of the best ways to learn about UU is by visiting the Unitarian Universalist Association web site. Here are the principles and purposes:

The Principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

* The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
* Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
* Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
* A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
* The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
* The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;
* Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

* Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
* Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion and the transforming power of love;
* Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
* Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
* Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
* Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

The Purposes of the Unitarian Universalist Association

The Unitarian Universalist Association shall devote its resources to and exercise its corporate powers for religious, educational and humanitarian purposes. The primary purpose of the Association is to serve the needs of its member congregations, organize new congregations, extend and strengthen Unitarian Universalist institutions and implement its principles.

The Association declares and affirms its special responsibility, and that of its member congregations and organizations, to promote the full participation of persons in all of its and their activities and in the full range of human endeavor without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, disability, affectional or sexual orientation, age, language, citizenship status, economic status, or national origin and without requiring adherence to any particular interpretation of religion or to any particular religious belief or creed.

Nothing herein shall be deemed to infringe upon the individual freedom of belief which is inherent in the Universalist and Unitarian heritages or to conflict with any statement of purpose, covenant, or bond of union used by any congregation unless such is used as a creedal test.

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Another and perhaps more personal way is to visit a local congregation. Each congregation has its own unique "flavor", so you may want to try more than one, if there happen to be two or more in your area. You can find the link to the congregation finder below.

Unitarian Universalism isn't for the faint of heart, you have to be ready to take responsibility for your own spiritual growth. But, you sound like you are already doing that. I hope you will find what you need amoungst us.

Answer 8

You're just theologically confused.

Answer 9

i know how you feel, what i suggest to go to a church, temple, or mosque, and try to expierence what other believers feel..

!!!Remeber to ask tons of questions, it helps!!!