I belonged for many years to a religion that I ultimately found to be false and corrupt. It had presented me with "hope for the future." When I realized that they had lied and continued to lie, my first thought was "I've just got to quit them."
Some of them asked me where I would go. My only answer was "out of THERE!"
Not having every single possible question of the universe already answered for me in print and forcibly doctrinized is not a bad thing. I can allow myself many teachers... or none.
My first hope is realized: I exist and am nurtured by whatever put me here and sustains me. My "hope" is that living in harmony with that will lead me where I need to go and show me what I need to be shown.
I don't think I am without hope. I am without false hope. Don't you think that's a good choice?
2007-06-20 05:33:24 · 14 answers · asked by Suzanne 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I find it interesting that you were noble enough to leave out the name of your religious organization you felt betrayed by but one of them had to come on here and clarify who they where. Anyway, I look at everything that happens to us in life as a learning experience. Think about it, you have learned the truth and made the right choices to fix what has happened to you from this experience. You could have stayed in this religion knowing full well it is a lie. Think about it, can you only image the number of people in this world who are wrapped up in a religion and know in their heart it is wrong and a lie but are afraid to leave. Now that is true power over someone’s life and you broke that power and I say good for you. This is exactly the reason I will not let any religion in my life. I know how to believe in God and Jesus and I do not need some religion telling me how to do it. On the other hand some people do need the religious atmosphere to fulfill their social needs and that need maybe for you and that is great as long as you stay in control of your life and not the religion controlling you.
Here is how I find my hope that I think you might be looking for. I take the Bible and go to the New Testament and I go to any of the chapters where Jesus is doing his teachings and I start to read. Mind you I am also a man of science but this wonderful man Jesus always helps me find the way. Always!!! My mom taught me this when I was a little boy and I still do it to this day. I do not care where you start Jesus will have the answer but you must see his answer to get it.
Last, the answers to the universe are really not there because our best scientist still have a mathematically unsolvable universe that has them vexed so for right now just worry about finding your hope and it is there.
2007-06-20 16:38:14 · answer #1 · answered by Shellback 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As long as you arent dismissing a hope that is in fact real then you are on your way to the truth.
I think the better thing is false hope as it means a part of you is still naive and untouched by bitterness.
You must get out of it and replace it with true hope as you will waste your time.
No hope is false belief and is like false hope.
When an avenue closes a new one always opens.
It might not be what you wanted but it will be what you can learn from.
Religion is an opiate for the masses but once you have left it you are wiser. You are never stuck in time, just perspective.
Without too high morals you can give your base instincts some free space. If you cant then you are still in the grip of this religion.
Relax your super ego and give that id some space to maneuver.
Its as important a part of you as your higher morals and your conscious mind as you get high self esteem from it.
2007-06-20 12:44:08 · answer #2 · answered by ramie box 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No hope is better than false hope. The mind with false hope is closed and can never change or grow. The mind with no hope has nothing to hold onto and therefore has the chance to become open to an experience of the truth. Once one knows the truth, then there is no need of hope, because hope is always about the future, which does not exist. Experiencing the truth brings us into reality and into an experience of (to quote you), "whatever put me here and sustains me." In that experience, there is no need of future or past, because we are fulfilled and remain that way.
2007-06-20 12:44:08 · answer #3 · answered by robertm_29402 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Have you ever hear those guys on TV who talk to lost loved ones? You know the "spiritual channelers" to the dead... I believe what they do not only is a scam, but provides false hope to people. To me that is dangerous. Whatever bad experience you have had, I am a follower of God and a Christian. I believe Him to by my nurturer through life because all of His promises come true, and I've never heard of a false promise He gave.
2007-06-20 12:39:13 · answer #4 · answered by Scott B 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think you made a fantastic choice, but that's just my opinion, which you shouldn't pay too much attention to, because who the heck am I to you, to validate your personal opinions?
But I do think it's better to live in the realm of reality, and not look for the (nonexistent) greener grass on the other side of the fence.
2007-06-20 12:42:53 · answer #5 · answered by Mi Atheist Girl 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There is one rule when it comes to answering questions like this one, Know the truth and then there is no need to hope that certain things will happen to you if you know the truth. If you do not the truth then you can not be trusted and your opinions do not matter because they will be predictably false any way. So it is better to know the truth so that when you are still in this life you will know who is for real and who is a con artist.
2007-06-20 12:57:20 · answer #6 · answered by lesedi 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Suzanne you are on a wonderful journey I am glad for you...It took me about 18 years before I was able to go searching for Truth again...God Led me..What I didn't realize, was that he was leading me all along.....I hope you can reconnect with him in a healthier way.....God bless you
2007-06-21 04:03:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Amen Suzanne.
It is completely world crushing to find out that a religion we are vested in is corrupt, false, and deceitful. It's how we pick ourselves up and respond to the new information that matters. To be without hope, would make you an atheist. To have hope, means that you are seeking God and He will lead you to Him.
Keep the hope.
God Bless.
2007-06-20 12:42:06 · answer #8 · answered by ~♥Anna♥~ 5 · 5⤊ 2⤋
I think that it's good. I think it's better to know the REAL "truth" than allow yourself to be lied to. I know since I quit letting myself be lied to my mental health has dramatically improved.
2007-06-20 16:14:36 · answer #9 · answered by Mom of Three 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Even if there is nothing else out there and dying is the end, I want to go there thinking there was something better than this.
2007-06-20 12:36:24 · answer #10 · answered by Truth7 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋