What religion are you and why? [I Love Researching Religions]
If you're atheist/agnostic, why are you as such? This could be a loaded question but im curious to see what you all have to say here.
26-30, M
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astrosandorbits · 26-30, M
@Carissimi Buddhism is one of the most interesting religions to me. It is misunderstood across the world in that people think the Buddha asked to be worshipped. Buddha never claimed to be any deity.
You said you are no longer buddhist... what led you away from it and christianity all the while continuing to keep the values and morals?
You said you are no longer buddhist... what led you away from it and christianity all the while continuing to keep the values and morals?
Carissimi · 70-79, F
Thats a very good question. To say what led me away from my Christian faith is too complex to describe here. It was multifaceted, and took years of inner torment as my faith began to crumble. I never wanted to lose my faith, and I cried and prayed for years that I wouldn’t lose it, but one morning, I woke up, and knew my faith was gone. So even though it was a process that took years, and caused me great angst, it also happened over night. Before I lost my faith, I was a devout Christian.
As for Buddhism, I became a Buddhist a few years later. The thing about religions (although Buddhism is not a religion), many share the same values. I found these values in both, and also in the Vedas of Hinduism. I have an internal moral compass, which seems to run mostly parallel with these teachings, and I took Buddha at his word, and became my own moral authority.
I’ve heard Christians say that those who do not believe should believe anyway because what if you are wrong, and you end up in hell. That is deceptive in my book...because you are only pretending to believe in something you do not, and if God is real, he knows your heart, and knows you are pretending, for the sake of keeping Christians who want you to believe, happy. That’s not very Christian like, and I’d rather live in truth than deception. If there is a God, then he knows my heart. @astrosandorbits
As for Buddhism, I became a Buddhist a few years later. The thing about religions (although Buddhism is not a religion), many share the same values. I found these values in both, and also in the Vedas of Hinduism. I have an internal moral compass, which seems to run mostly parallel with these teachings, and I took Buddha at his word, and became my own moral authority.
I’ve heard Christians say that those who do not believe should believe anyway because what if you are wrong, and you end up in hell. That is deceptive in my book...because you are only pretending to believe in something you do not, and if God is real, he knows your heart, and knows you are pretending, for the sake of keeping Christians who want you to believe, happy. That’s not very Christian like, and I’d rather live in truth than deception. If there is a God, then he knows my heart. @astrosandorbits
astrosandorbits · 26-30, M
@Carissimi excellent response! Thanks for giving insight into it. And yes Buddhism is a philosophy and not a religion.
You bring up such a good point as it is one that I struggled with for a long time when I was a Christian. People would draw out the probability table of being wrong or right and what would happen to you. In the end, you're absolutely right! That is deceptive and completely wrong to try to believe in something you don't.
If it's one thing I try to tell people, it's what you just said. God knows your heart! Only He knows what you truly feel.
You bring up such a good point as it is one that I struggled with for a long time when I was a Christian. People would draw out the probability table of being wrong or right and what would happen to you. In the end, you're absolutely right! That is deceptive and completely wrong to try to believe in something you don't.
If it's one thing I try to tell people, it's what you just said. God knows your heart! Only He knows what you truly feel.
Carissimi · 70-79, F
I think you are the first person I’ve spoken with that lost their Christian faith too. Most Christians don’t understand what’s its like to lose your faith because they can’t. When you have faith, you see your version of the world. Without faith, dare I say, to use a biblical verse, it’s like the scales dropped from your eyes. You see the world differently. In fact, with less arrogance. @astrosandorbits