...(or lack of) what methods did you use to evaluate that belief system to determine that is was something you truly believed and could follow, well, religiously? What kinds of questions did you ask yourself? What did you ask the leaders of this religion? What process did you go through to decide "Yes, this is right"?
2007-03-23 02:30:52 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Family faith kept it in my face. I put fleece before God and (WOW) did he answer. I wanted children and many doctors said not an option due to trauma @ 17. Within one week of the first fleece, I was pregnant. I now have 2 of my own and many "extras".
Every prayer of significance has been answered - maybe not in exact way I wanted but the end result is always awesome. The facts in the bible can be seen in today's world. The lessons are worthwhile and valuable. The parables make you think - and hopefully learn from. The bible teaches right and wrong - and good values. When I am in doubt, my prayers for clarification are answered always - sometimes via a song I hear, an "I got it" moment, or words out of a strangers mouth.
I have used it to weed out "fake preachers". If they preach per the bible - keeper. If they twist meanings or stray from bible teachings - loser.
I also keep a running list of questions and simply ask pastor where the answers are in the bible. I read the bible, check and double check my ideas/findings.
I am cynical and non-trusting of lots of things/people - but God and my bible have not failed me yet. People have failed me, I have failed myself, but God has never failed me. Thankfully He is patient and forgiving - I am sure I try his patience on a daily basis.
2007-03-23 03:00:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well for me it all started in Catholic school.
I had to read the bible, had to take theology class (and in all fairness, my teacher Father Stites was awesome) and go to mass. Well as I read the bible and took theology there were more and more questions that I had that no one could answer. Most of all...Who or what created god. I just couldn't understand how I was supposed to follow this religion, or base my life on something that couldn't be proved and I just had to take it all on faith.
The more I studied it and the more questions I asked just let to more unanswered, or "unanswerable" questions. That really bothered me. I mean how can someone tell me that their way is the right (only) way when they can't even prove it? Or at least come up with a better answer than "it just is".
The older I got the more I started the question the idea of this all great god that allows young children to die horrible deaths, or good people to be brutally raped and murdered, and natural disasters that wipe out whole communities...you get the idea. So not only could any one prove to me that this god existed..if he did he wouldn't be someone that I would want to believe in anyway because he'd be nothing more than a bored little kid with an ant farm.
2007-03-23 02:34:28 · answer #2 · answered by photogrl262000 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Studied it historically mostly. I'm Pagan, so it's hard for us to find a single leader.... there's literally thousands... and each has their own idea. Modern Paganism is nothing like ancient Paganism, so in that I kind of clash with others. I'm a Reconstructionist. As for those things I can't verify historically or scientifically (thru archeology), I watch and wait to see what results I get from it and determine whether or not they match what I have already found, destroy what I have found or is simply just another attempt by Fluffies to make their own religion valid to our modern society.
There's a lot more to it than this, but this is the basics.
2007-03-23 02:52:50 · answer #3 · answered by riverstorm13 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does not really matter if what religion you are in. Religion is just a tool for grouping people, a guide to understanding, not to divide people. We are all common when we treat ourselfves as children of the most Omnipotent. However some of our brothers and sisters are confused and tired due to life situation or opinion of other persons regarding this, as we can say denial is a common refuge. If a group promotes humanity and love, not arguments, then it is a part of the whole that we are seeking for.
2007-03-24 04:59:52 · answer #4 · answered by Dosage 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First I read the Bible. Then Jehovah Witness tracks, then the Mormon bible, and some of the Koran. I visited catholic, baptist, methodist, pentecostal, church of God, charismatic catholic and many different baptist churches. My family was baptist. I studied about Hindu, Yoga, Budda and New Age, but just writings. I ignorantly read my horoscope for years. I don't want anything to do with Wicca or witchcraft or sorcery or Satanic worship because I know this is evil.
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and listening to the garbage of evolution, an old atheist woman getting prayer removed from school, roe vs wade abortion, Jim Jones, David Karresh(sp) and now the garbage of same sex marriage with everybody and his dog becoming homosexuals, I finally decided to learn where the Bible originated and how accurate could it be, because it made sense. Then I started studying the Bible and finally surrendered my life to the Lord and the Holy Spirit came into my life and I've never been the same since.
2007-03-23 03:40:07 · answer #5 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well..my current religion is none. I have been searching for years and years. I have talked to mostly Christian based faiths and can find so little to lead me to them. I want a religion that is open...that is not closed to new thoughts. The answer I alwasy get is because of God..because God said so..because it's what Gos wants of us. Well I can't believe God can be as cruel as some make him out to be. If he is all loving..shouldn't he love everyone reguardless???
I've seen to many cases of peple being left out, persecuted, ignored, ect because they don't fit a mold.
I dont know if this is right...but in my heart I feel I don't belong to a group of people who always excludes someone....
2007-03-23 02:35:27 · answer #6 · answered by ste.phunny 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was born an atheist. Have remained so ever since. Along the way, I've questioned every silly concept of religion I was presented with. So far nothing has compelled me to think otherwise.
2007-03-23 02:43:16 · answer #7 · answered by TLG 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
as you probably know , I had experience with spirit before i found religion
however finding a religion that spoke of the very experiences i was having felt like home
people i could talk to that felt the same , watching people do what i do
however , i always question what i do and for this reason I took a university course on psychical research
so that i may approach the topic from a more skeptical point of view
so that i may ask the relevant questions of myself to validate what was happening , but also to eliminate anything that may not be happening
right now ... i am very happy with what i have found so far
2007-03-23 02:44:02 · answer #8 · answered by Peace 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
The first time I was presented with my current lack of religion (atheism), I rejected it entirely out of hand because it seemed utterly absurd.
Funny how learning how to think critically can change your viewpoint on things.
2007-03-23 02:39:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My spirituality comes from a long time of being Atheist and learning to examine things based on logic and reason. I learnt quickly to stand on my own two feet and not hold God, but myself, accountable for my actions. So then I was agnostic and them came Deism.
2007-03-23 02:45:08 · answer #10 · answered by Goosutoraitaa 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋