Mrs. Edge
Bono's Belly Dancing Friend
Just for fun, I thought I'd post something in here and see how people would react.
Some of the people in here know me as someone who was raised in a TOTALLY 100% non religious household. My mom was an Anglican and then became an Atheist. My dad is a Theosophist turned Materialist. My sister is a WICCAN. My brother is a Unitarian, mostly because he thinks his kids should have some spiritual training.
I never went to Sunday School and have never read the Bible (well, I keep starting and then leaving it off after Noah's Ark!).
When I was about 12, I had a Born Again Christian guitar teacher. I was a budding young scientist. This teacher had the nerve to tell me that cavemen did not exist, nor had dinosaurs. We spent more time arguing about the dinosaurs than working on guitar! This, combined with his kindly, but superior and holier than thou attitude, really didn't advertise Christianity well to me.
My sister says that Christians complain about witchcraft being bloodthirsty, yet the main symbol of Christianity is a) Christ being crucified and b) the consumption of his flesh and blood! WICCANS eat honey cakes! My sister has also studied the religions of the world and I've heard enough dreadful stuff about Christian behaviour through the ages to turn me off completely.
BUT....I still feel like I really want to believe something, if only for peace of mind and so I don't have to keep wondering about this.
Being a U2 fan has naturally thrown me in the direction of Christianity. Yet I feel like Adam on the back of the tour bus during the October tour. Namely, not part of the club. I can relate to EVERYTHING about U2 except the religious content of their music. The Halleluliahs at the end of Walk On for example are nothing more than words to me. Which saddens me, but I am comforted knowing that U2 struggles with doubt all the time.
So I have been trying to learn more. I have read some books that interference friends have sent me, which has taught me a lot. But I am still skeptical, even about the existence of God let alone Jesus as personal saviour!
For starters, there is TOO MUCH CONFUSION. Even the Christians can't make up their minds.
There are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many denominations with different beliefs and interpretations. Sometimes it seems like separate religions entirely. How do you know who's right? What if I picked the WRONG ONE??? How do you know to find a church if there are 8 zillion different choices? Even in this forum you get everything from "the Bible must be taken literally or you will go to Hell" to "The Bible must be interpreted according to the context of the times" to all that matters is God loves you and everything will be OK.
It bothers me that I am told that our actions here on earth do not matter, because if you believe you will be saved. Yet people are always quoting the many things you are NOT allowed to do in this life. I thought that it didn't make a difference, so what difference does it make? What gives??
I do not want to be religious for the sake of being religious. That to me is the same as an arrranged marriage with no love. I'd rather be single until I figure it out. Also, if I am going to believe in something, I have to wrap my head around it first. My heart would then follow. I refuse to trust in something I consider unjust. If I were to die tomorrow, and be sent to Hell just because I wasn't baptized and wasn't brought up religious and am still searching for answers I would consider that CATEGORICALLY UNJUST and unfair, and that would be proof that God does not love me at all. That is in fact, spiritual blackmail!!
If I were thumbing my nose, that would be one thing, but it takes time to make such important decisions about one's soul. I think an informed decision is better than brain washing any day. I would hope God would want that too.
So......all I'm saying is, I wish Christianity weren't so un user friendly for newbies.
Comments?
P.S. Please don't just suggest I go to Bible study, I am aware that it is an option...I just want people's honest reactions.
Some of the people in here know me as someone who was raised in a TOTALLY 100% non religious household. My mom was an Anglican and then became an Atheist. My dad is a Theosophist turned Materialist. My sister is a WICCAN. My brother is a Unitarian, mostly because he thinks his kids should have some spiritual training.
I never went to Sunday School and have never read the Bible (well, I keep starting and then leaving it off after Noah's Ark!).
When I was about 12, I had a Born Again Christian guitar teacher. I was a budding young scientist. This teacher had the nerve to tell me that cavemen did not exist, nor had dinosaurs. We spent more time arguing about the dinosaurs than working on guitar! This, combined with his kindly, but superior and holier than thou attitude, really didn't advertise Christianity well to me.
My sister says that Christians complain about witchcraft being bloodthirsty, yet the main symbol of Christianity is a) Christ being crucified and b) the consumption of his flesh and blood! WICCANS eat honey cakes! My sister has also studied the religions of the world and I've heard enough dreadful stuff about Christian behaviour through the ages to turn me off completely.
BUT....I still feel like I really want to believe something, if only for peace of mind and so I don't have to keep wondering about this.
Being a U2 fan has naturally thrown me in the direction of Christianity. Yet I feel like Adam on the back of the tour bus during the October tour. Namely, not part of the club. I can relate to EVERYTHING about U2 except the religious content of their music. The Halleluliahs at the end of Walk On for example are nothing more than words to me. Which saddens me, but I am comforted knowing that U2 struggles with doubt all the time.
So I have been trying to learn more. I have read some books that interference friends have sent me, which has taught me a lot. But I am still skeptical, even about the existence of God let alone Jesus as personal saviour!
For starters, there is TOO MUCH CONFUSION. Even the Christians can't make up their minds.
There are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many denominations with different beliefs and interpretations. Sometimes it seems like separate religions entirely. How do you know who's right? What if I picked the WRONG ONE??? How do you know to find a church if there are 8 zillion different choices? Even in this forum you get everything from "the Bible must be taken literally or you will go to Hell" to "The Bible must be interpreted according to the context of the times" to all that matters is God loves you and everything will be OK.
It bothers me that I am told that our actions here on earth do not matter, because if you believe you will be saved. Yet people are always quoting the many things you are NOT allowed to do in this life. I thought that it didn't make a difference, so what difference does it make? What gives??
I do not want to be religious for the sake of being religious. That to me is the same as an arrranged marriage with no love. I'd rather be single until I figure it out. Also, if I am going to believe in something, I have to wrap my head around it first. My heart would then follow. I refuse to trust in something I consider unjust. If I were to die tomorrow, and be sent to Hell just because I wasn't baptized and wasn't brought up religious and am still searching for answers I would consider that CATEGORICALLY UNJUST and unfair, and that would be proof that God does not love me at all. That is in fact, spiritual blackmail!!
If I were thumbing my nose, that would be one thing, but it takes time to make such important decisions about one's soul. I think an informed decision is better than brain washing any day. I would hope God would want that too.
So......all I'm saying is, I wish Christianity weren't so un user friendly for newbies.
Comments?
P.S. Please don't just suggest I go to Bible study, I am aware that it is an option...I just want people's honest reactions.