I've been sitting here reading posts in this forum for quite some time now. My parents have brought me up strongly on Christianity. I am reading all these articles on atheism and other religions and beliefs different from Christianity. I have been very close to accepting a lot of them, but I get this gut feeling like I am doing something wrong. I wonder if things would have been different if my parents did not bring me up with this religion. Would I still have that awkward feeling inside? ( <-- was anyone brought up differently?) I am just having the hardest time choosing which way to go. My parents are the best Christians I have ever known, and still, nothing good has come for my family, just a bunch of bumpy, dead end roads. With no real evidence either way.. I'm just lost. Can anyone relate?
kinamic... Is it imperative that you make a choice now? Perhaps by giving it more time and reflection, your head and heart will find a way to agree. (more food for thought--just what you wanted! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Be at peace, Counterbalance
Thanks for the feedback Counterbalance, In reality, I guess your right.. it isn't really imperative that I make my decision now. I still wonder if anyone that was brought up differently or the same has that sort of "gut" feeling inside?
I think it's pretty safe to assume that everyone experiences (what we might commonly consider) a "gut feeling" at some point in our lives. The significance of such an experience, or of the feeling itself, may lie in how we interpret it. Some feelings are misleading; some aren't. I tend to examine any kind of strong feeling very closely. I try to determine what is motivating me to "feel" a certain way. Because I know how easily feelings can mislead, I do my best not to give them more control over my choices and actions than they deserve. But to each his own... of course. Counterbalance
Hi kinamic, Welcome to sciforums. Ask yourself these questions. If you were born to Islamic parents which religion do you think you would be following now? If you were born to Hindu parents which religion do you think you would be following now? Etc., etc. You are labeled a Christian because your parents are Christian. You haven’t chosen a religion for yourself; a religion has been impressed upon you. If you are surrounded by strong religious influences, e.g. parents, friends, clubs, then you could find it difficult to pull yourself away from those influences, even if you feel discomfort. Ideally you should put aside all surrounding influences and research and examine all faiths and other philosophies and independently make a choice. Huh! Some chance! To go against a trend can be difficult and most never bother. First categorize yourself. Do emotional issues easily sway you? Do you follow your heart when making decisions? Or are you analytical? Do you carefully examine options and then choose based on value and advantages? If you tend towards the emotional then you should feel comfortable with a religious faith. If you are analytical then you will always feel discomfort around religious influences and you should examine such philosophies as secular humanism, skepticism, atheism, metaphysical naturalism, or other free-thought ideas. Try this web link - http://www.infidels.org/ Also try to decide whether you want to live your life feeling comfortable about your beliefs or whether you want to be confident that you have found truth. Feeling comfortable and having confidence of truth may not be the same thing. All religious faiths have different beliefs about the universe. They cannot all be correct. And all of them might be incorrect. If you choose the wrong one but feel comfortable with your belief knowing that you might be believing in a fantasy, would that be acceptable to you? That is the risk and consideration of choosing a religious faith. If you cannot decide on any religion because you feel none can prove they have the truth then you will become a skeptic and you may well spend your life searching for the truth. That is a more difficult life. Remember that religionists no longer search for truth because they believe they have found it, and that makes them feel comfortable. For the record I am still searching for truth. I hope this helps. I have three daughters and my youngest is the same age as you. They are all searching for truth and I know that I cannot give it to them, not because I don’t know all the answers, but because they don’t believe what I say until they discover truth the hard way and for themselves. Have fun whatever you decide. Cris
*Originally posted by kinamic and still, nothing good has come for my family, just a bunch of bumpy, dead end roads.* Contradicts the following... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28, KJV). At this point, one has to decide believe, or disbelieve. *With no real evidence either way.. I'm just lost. Can anyone relate? * Pretty much everyone has felt that way at one time or another. However... For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (Hebrews 4:2, KJV). You can choose to mix faith with what you have heard or you can choose to hear something else. Your choice. You should be aware that one actually has to believe God's word to get the blessings of it. Not believing it pretty much guarantees that you won't get the blessings. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6, KJV).
kinamic, There are two roads you can take. The first is the easy way - pick a religion (by "gut feeling" or whatever) and adhere blindly to it. Accept everything you are told to believe without question. You will probably be happy enough, and comfortable that you have the answers. The other road is harder - explore different forms of belief. Compare them. What do they have in common? What are the differences? Consider whether freedom to question certain revealed truths of each religion is encouraged or discouraged (even forbidden). Also take a look at secular philosophies such as Humanism and Utilitarianism. In the end, make a choice if you wish, or stand back a bit and keep asking questions. This process won't give you easy answers, and it might not be comforting either. But you will have a greater awareness of the range of human belief which may allow you, in your own way, to transcend the limitations of traditional religions. My own bottom line, I think, is to seek to live a moral life. But I don't look to one person or one book to tell me how to live. Instead, I try to understand how other people live. I look at the harm and the joy, and seek to understand the reasons for each.
Thanks everyone, you have all really helped a lot, and I will try all the things that you have suggested. James R - I think I'm going to have to take the hard road. Good luck to all of you as well.
***...I get this gut feeling like I am doing something wrong.*** kinamic, Like everyone else, your beliefs and doubts are yours... they are personal. Your parents can demonstrate their faith, but they can't give you yours. In the end, you must understand what it is that you believe and why. To that end, you are doing everything right and nothing wrong in seeking for yourself. ***I wonder if things would have been different if my parents did not bring me up with this religion.*** There is no doubt in my mind that things would have been different. Faith/God* has already been an important influence in your life and nothing is going to change that. ***Would I still have that awkward feeling inside? ( <-- was anyone brought up differently?) I am just having the hardest time choosing which way to go.*** You are probably feeling like you are somehow betraying your parents by seeking information about other beliefs and that's where the awkward feeling comes from. Please don't let that discourage you, even if you share your current feelings/doubts with your parents and they disapprove. If they are at first not comfortable with your personal search for the truth, I'd suggest that you let them know that they did not fail... that they gave you a great foundation... that they raised a child who has the passion to seek the truth for themselves in order to come to a deeper, more personal understanding of his/her own beliefs. Even if what they say tends to make you feel guilty somehow, don't give up on yourself. Feigning a belief to please someone else is being dishonest, not only to them, but to yourself. I was brought up differently. My father was an atheist and my mother had a deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Talk about having a hard time choosing...! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Good luck, God* bless, and keep coming back.
*Originally posted by kinamic I think I'm going to have to take the hard road.* There's a reason it's called the "hard" road.
My parents mocked religion and any other belief in anything else than the purely materialistic. But my gutfeeling told me that they were wrong and I followed my own road. Now they have joined me. My mother is very much into shamanism and my father occasionally uses the ouija board. I know we´re weird, but then I have just learned that I´m a descendant of a notorious samic( natives scandinavians, looks like eskimoes..) chief-woman called Roju- Elli, so I guess it´s in the genes also...the weirdness. :bugeye:
*Originally posted by Bebelina I know we´re weird, but then I have just learned that I´m a descendant of a notorious samic( natives scandinavians, looks like eskimoes..) chief-woman called Roju- Elli, so I guess it´s in the genes also...the weirdness. * Whew, so it wasn't just me thinking that. I wonder if you realize that "Roju" means "junk," in Saame. There are some serious generational or ancestral curses affecting you, and you may want to do something about them. I've had to, and since we share a fair bit of common ancestry, I think you do, too.
