Why can't I believe in ANY religion's dogma?

Question

I often wonder about things like "coincidences" versus a master plan by a divine being and how nature can be so orderly without having been designed purposefully. However, I am stridently resistant to believing in any organised religion, be it Christianity, Islam, Hindu, etc. I have deliberately studied most of the big ones looking for a belief system that resounds with me, but so far I just see blind acceptance of premises that seem to me to be so obviously unlikely, superstition dressed up as religious rituals and irrelevant ethics for this day and age. I just can't believe that a supreme being would use such a cumbersome and unstable means as religious faith to connect with us. I want to believe in something larger than a mundane, meaningless existence, but my intellect and logical analysis over powers any flicker of faith that I might have. Consequently I have no religion, but still remain unsatisfied. Does anyone else have this dilemna?

Answer 1

Well, I don’t think that being an atheist (or being agnostic) means that you have to not believe in a higher power (the universe itself) or have a sense of wonder of the universe.

The problem with the argument that everything is to perfect or complex to not be created, well the problem I have with that is that the entity that created it would have to be even more perfect and complex to do it and it would need a creator and then that creator would need a creator and so on. I think it is much more likely (in my mind) that there had to be a beginning at some point that does not include a divine creator, and I feel that slow evolution (and not just organic evolution) explains this beautifully.

As far as a purpose goes, I don’t believe you are born with one and no one hands you one on a silver platter, but that isn’t to say that you don’t have one. You can create one yourself. You can reach out for anything you want and make it your purpose. For me, it’s the people I love and my career and making the world a better place.

Answer 2

So, you are judging God on the basis of what you observe in other people's or a group's behavior? What you have listed as your objections are the following:

-"blind acceptance of premises" that seem "obviously unlikely"
-"superstition dressed up as religious rituals"
-"irrelevant ethics for this day and age"

All of these "objections" are dependant on the presupposition that your perception is perfect. You value your own judgement of how God works over the way God may actually choose to work. Having this attitude will never allow you to find God. You have to humble yourself and first come to grips that your perception may be flawed. Once you've humbled yourself, you will not find God...God will find you.

Answer 3

A lot of people do. Religion has been clouded with dogma, tradition, blood shed and half truths for so long they define the religion instead of the actual faith.
Faith is personal. And you don't have to have a label for it. Believe what you want! I stopped believing a "church" could be crammed into four walls a long time ago. I just sort of let go of organized religion for a long time. Eventually I stumbled onto Paganism and it just clicked for me. Perhaps that will happen for you. There is nothing wrong with being agnostic. There is nothing wrong with being atheist for that matter. My husband is and he is a perfectly happy person.

Answer 4

Well, "dogma" is the (often ridiculous) beliefs of a (religious) people, unsupported by the actual writings.

For example (true story) I had a Christian approach me on the bus and tell me that Jesus did not like people who looked like me, and that I should change the way I looked.

I asked for something specific that he meant and he said that I had long hair.

I asked him where in the Bible it said that and he said "it's just not right!".

The funny thing is he did not seem like a crazy, and he really did not see the contradiction in what he was saying.

Answer 5

Maybe because you are looking at "church dogma" and not the actual religion.

I did the same as you for many years until I learned that what Christians teach in their churches is not necessarily the true Word of God but what the church denomination wants you to believe. Once I got past that I found that there is a very real God and He has a very real Jesus sitting at his right hand.

It takes a lot of looking, study and thinking but you can find it if you look...Forget denominations of any type or kind...they only confuse you...Look for the true Word of God...it is there!

Answer 6

I totally agree with you 100%. That is the way i describe my religious being. I think religion in modern America has done this to me. It has become one big corporation and like all corporations there are lies and deceit...and I just don't know what to beleive. Then you have these brainwashed fools on street corner yelling stuff at you during large events. I am 28 and would love to figure it out on my own.

Answer 7

Salvation, Liberation ( or whatever its labelled as ) is in yiour own hands. Having a religion doesn't make life rainbows and butterflies.

What you are facing was similar to what the Buddha was facing before he decided to give up his Kingdom to find out WHY he was still unhappy, disatisfied and suffering despite the fact that he had EVERYTHING gold could buy... best clothes, best servants, best food..Anything!. So he when on a quest to find happiness.. he found his.... Maybe you need to search within yourself too to find your own happiness to life.

Everyone alive wants to be happy.. for some being UN-Happy actually makes them happy... a personal friend of mine feels jittery when things are going well for her and she will try her level best to find a flaw in a somewhat perfect day... but for her, complaining seems to bring her peace hahaha... strange but true story :) Happened just saturday night when we went on a girls nite out hehe

Answer 8

You are blessed with the natural intelligence and the quest to find the truth.

You are at the first step of spiritual seeking. You are enquiring who you are and why ?

I think you have never read the basic scriptures of Hinduism. Try to read Bagavad Gita , the essence of the Vedanta. It deals with all your questions without any dogmas.

Its brilliant teachings makes you think freely and analytically. Almost all Hindu tradition's essential books are in the form of Teacher student discussion. This itself shows its freedom of questioning and teachings without any dogmas. You wil never find a word "should" in those scriptures.

Try to get a Gita with a good explanation. Its the essence of human life and meaning of life.

Answer 9

You have the classic bad luck of knowing too much.

Church people can blissfully believe in god, but you cannot.

This reminds me of Julie's grandma who went to Hell when she died; why? because she was occupied in a scientific career, as a molecular biologist at the Hauser Institute.

Try as she may, she could not manage to believe that Jesus got up after being dead three days, and started walking around like nothing ever happened, and then rose into the sky and became a god.

Julie's grandma is burning and rotting in Hell, or she would be if the church people could impose their folk-view of the universe.

Answer 10

Have you considered contenting yourself with the search?

Or perhaps you can content yourself with the possibility of something larger, whilst acknowledging the probability isn't that good.

You should stop looking for certainity, you probably won't find it.

Perhaps you could be spiritual, but not religious?

You don't need to have religion to have an awe for the universe around us.