What makes you Want Religion in your life?

It's a combination of thinking that things happen for a reason and an inability to face the reality that they don't.


Joe(there are no strings on me.)Nation

I would never accuse a person of being redundant, as this topic has been recently spewed.

However, I would suggest that we all posess a world view of some sort. That may include worship of a diety or reliance on some code, philosophy, or mantra. Perhaps you believe in NDE. Maybe you are certain your soul traveled here from the planet Eckankar.

You may be rabidly devoted to worship of the Yankee

Or the Marathon.

Whatever.

How much time or resource you devote to it is a personal decision.

People go to church because they, well at least some of them, genuinely believe it. They have a blind conviction.

People don´t have to go to church every Sunday.
You can go to church because you are a strong believer.
You can go because a good service or mass can be a fine experience in music and words - a well spoken language.
One can read the bible of religious reasons but also as pure litterature or because of historical interest, learning about human ideas and thoughts and the symbolism. Your can combine some or several of these possibilities.
Why put money in the collecting plate? Churches do a lot of good too, hospitals all over the world, orphanges, old people´s homes, schools, santuries for widows in India, educational centers in Africa - the list is long.

Mrhunt,

Have you ever thought that questions of 'Why' are better applied to the self?

Curiosity may lead you to ask 'why' of others, but I doubt you'll ever get a satisfactory answer. In this, as with many things, it's often it's easier to see when you just accept.

Vikkor...I Ask myself a hell of alot of things now a days....Far too much as im concerned..

but im not fully Clear on your post....is that insinuating i should perhaps Go to church one sunday? I used to go to church (christian) When i was young with my parents.....It was only for a short while and i didnt mind it but now For so many reasons im a strong beleiver of Athiesm and Nihilism....

I have no faith Or belief in anything. its depressing as hell to me sometimes but i think the alternative would be living a lie for myself and that seems much worse.

Why is life without God depressing?

Life with God is oppressive, even if you do believe it.

Life without a belief in a God should be embraced, you should feel free.

Life is literally what you make it, and we should embrace this.

people find religion because they don't want to go to hell when they die, a small minority are actually attracted to it and want to achieve status within a community

I don't necessarily want religion in my life - it was inherent in my life from its very beginning- I still have my little white new testament that was given me when my parents took me to church for the first time after my birth- it was the first place they took me outside of our home.

So I was raised in it. But for the past probably twenty-five years- it's been a source of conflict in my life because I do really understand why people have such a hard time with 'God- fearers'.

Because I think all people who are not religious think that all people who are in any way are 'God-fearers'- and that is far from the truth of what I think in terms of any relationship I might have with God (whatever that might be - I'm sitting here telling you I don't even know what it is for me...it just is). But when I'm listening to music or laughing with a friend or whatever - I picture God happy for me. He's kind of like my best friend.

I only like a few churches though. I love the church I grew up in and I always go with my parents when I go home because it feels like coming home. My parents sold my childhood home this past Christmas eve - the house they moved into when I was four years old- so my old yellow bedroom on Peach Orchard Drive is lost to me now. But when I drive up to this church - it's like I'm going home.

On Mother's Day - I met my mom and dad there and Mr. Robinson (the father of my friends from way back when) was there. He's almost seventy years old now and the last time we'd seen each other he was my age and I was about twenty-five. But I walked up to him and I said, 'Do you know who I am?' He said, 'Becky- do I know my own child? Of course I know who you are- I LOVE you.' And that church is full of people like that for me.

And these are good people - nonjudgmental- kind- nurturing- they'd do anything for you or anyone else.

The music is peaceful. The sun slants in through the window and you sit there and feel that all that is good is still possible.

Possibility - that's why I can't let go of what I was given. But I think the reason I believe is simply a part of who I am. My brother and sister were raised just the same as me - and they don't. Who knows- but it's something I treasure.

I've always loved possibilities.

Well,Perhaps i Said that wrong....Life without beleiving in god Isnt depressing.....

Its more the fact for me that i dont believe in anything or anyone

I just sometimes think it would be nice to Look Up to someone and say "Hey,I wanna be like that guy..." but instead all i see is what i DONT want to be and People whom i once thought were alright turn out to be the exact oppiset of what i thought....but now i getting to far away from the subject here.....

I refer to the words of Joseph Campbell when speaking of myth, one can replace "myth with "religion" and cover a lot of similar ground.

…

^ Myth is fun and does bring that certain something.

I prefer myth, myself, to an organized religion.

It is storytelling. And wondering. And believing. And letting your mind and imagination drift so it can process and create new thoughts, ideas, and ways of understanding the world.

I used to resent religion deeply. I now still dislike religion, and wish it would be replaced with a more moderate take - one where there was not so much invested in it, where people didn't hold up to be the Ultimate Truth.

For those who practice with that sense of wonder and not just swallowing the whole damn thing whole, who can actually use it to expand and for a practical and real purpose in their life and the lives of others, it's a really cool thing!

The problem is: Religion and myth too, can easily be turned to to fill all kinds of human holes, like a drug or any thing can, a substitute.

And all in all, I think waaay too many people have forgotten the fun of it, and take it all way too seriously.

That can only come about when you are using it to fill a hole, and starting to get 'caught' in the magic of it all. Bewitched by yer own magic making! Crazy world.

I just need God and He is REAL.

Define real, come to think of it define god

There are so many different perceptions of "God" and a powerful one in my view is the development of a concept within oneself, ie an individual construct.

This to me seems much more valid than a "God" external to oneself, who is shared - but who inevitably varies when seen by different individuals. Unless onlookers accept this, they will be frustrated in their search for one definition.

for the same reason we want friends, people around us who we identify with and who make us better. Religion is for those who want to connect their inner life with the inner lives of others, both peers and ancestors.

And you KNOW that to be so how?

Seems like one would have to claim omniscience to hold such a position as yours.

Define 'define' , BDV.

After that , define 'think'.