@echi,
echi wrote:
I was raised a Catholic. I went to church at least once a week. I had religion class every day at school. I was just a kid, but I took my religion very seriously (even if I didn't understand it all). I listened to what my teachers said and what the priests said about God and Jesus, and I wondered how these people, who had devoted themselves to the message of Jesus, could be so unforgiving and close-minded.
I prayed to God often, and I felt I had a special relationship with Him, as I'm sure every Christian does. When I was about twelve or thirteen (after much prayer) I decided to put my trust in God instead of in the Church. I continued to pray to God and asked Him to let me know if I ever began to wander off. According to the Church I was on a highway to Hell, and it was, at times, pretty scary.
Since that time, I have been able to learn about things and develop ideas that would have been forbidden had I remained a Christian. I've had the opportunity to learn about other religions (with an open mind). I've been able to take an honest look at the history of Christianity and the Bible. And I have never wandered off for very long. In fact, I have grown up to be a very good and decent person. When I look back, it is obvious that what I had to overcome was the fear that the Church had deliberately instilled, and I wonder if there is any other reason a person would stay.
Hi echi. Good to see you. Being a "christian" is really not much more than a label to wear. Like getting the nature badge in girl scouts or something... It is certainly not a standard to measure ourselves by! That's the tough part though... especially when you were brought up in it. Spirituality and religion are two completely separate entities.
I have met many who are religious and have not even the slightest clue what it is to be spiritual because their ideals of spirituality are measured by what they are taught in the church and like you said they aren't allowed to look beyond what someone else is telling them it is. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not anti-God/Creator/whatever you want to call it, however I am anti-religion.
Anti-fear based/whack you over the head with my bible and condemn you to hell because you don't believe like me crap. We have a brain and I believe whole heartedly if there is a creator he would certainly like us to use it in all it's functions, not just surrender it over to some money hungry guy who found a way to get rich quick by "preaching the gospel".
People stay echi because they don't realize they are afraid. They don't realize the fear they are projecting to the world around them. It's like living in a fairy tale where there's a happily ever after no matter what happens at the beginning or middle of the story. Everything always gets wrapped up neatly with a bow by the end.
People stay because they have a hope in something bigger than their eyes can see. But that hope is really fear based because the other alternative is to burn in hell. I don't want to burn in hell, do you? It is a scary concept. One that if thought upon too long would certainly drive someone to embrace almost anything to escape such a destiny. Even the God who "loves them" yet won't hesitate to send them there if they don't believe in him.
What a way to live.
