Are you religious?

    • I was raised Catholic, but I've drifted away from religion as I've gotten older. I still attend mass sometimes with my mom (who is the most devout in my family), but it's hard for me to embrace it wholesale, especially when it becomes more dogmatic and political. I've always thought that humans naturally want to believe in something larger than themselves, but it's hard for me to go the way of organized religion, where it feels like accepting a list of strictures and edicts, and if you disagree with just one (my mom, for example, has never agreed with the Church's stance on birth control), then it feels difficult to square that given the usual "all or nothing" approach of religion. (The period in my life that marked the "drifting away" was when I realized I was LGBT and even if my church never said anything openly homophobic--with the exception of one priest who once spoke about 'resisting the temptations of homosexuality'--it was difficult for me to continue to embrace something that ultimately viewed a part of who I am as being fundamentally "wrong").

      Anyway, I'm rambling, but that is a summation of my personal religious journey. I've always been fascinated by the world's religions and have studied them academically and experienced them on my travels and hope to experience more.

    • HeyCameron wrote:

      I was raised Catholic, but I've drifted away from religion as I've gotten older. I still attend mass sometimes with my mom (who is the most devout in my family), but it's hard for me to embrace it wholesale, especially when it becomes more dogmatic and political. I've always thought that humans naturally want to believe in something larger than themselves, but it's hard for me to go the way of organized religion, where it feels like accepting a list of strictures and edicts, and if you disagree with just one (my mom, for example, has never agreed with the Church's stance on birth control), then it feels difficult to square that given the usual "all or nothing" approach of religion. (The period in my life that marked the "drifting away" was when I realized I was LGBT and even if my church never said anything openly homophobic--with the exception of one priest who once spoke about 'resisting the temptations of homosexuality'--it was difficult for me to continue to embrace something that ultimately viewed a part of who I am as being fundamentally "wrong").

      Anyway, I'm rambling, but that is a summation of my personal religious journey. I've always been fascinated by the world's religions and have studied them academically and experienced them on my travels and hope to experience more.
      I am going to say that I have multiple Roman Catholic dogmas and teachings I do not agree with. The Holy Bible is supposed to be perfect and complete. Church canons in my opinion are not perfect nor complete. I especially take exception on birth control and LGBTQ issues, but at the end of the day I have never found anything that gives me peace the way mass does.

    • HeyCameron wrote:

      I was raised Catholic, but I've drifted away from religion as I've gotten older. I still attend mass sometimes with my mom (who is the most devout in my family), but it's hard for me to embrace it wholesale, especially when it becomes more dogmatic and political. I've always thought that humans naturally want to believe in something larger than themselves, but it's hard for me to go the way of organized religion, where it feels like accepting a list of strictures and edicts, and if you disagree with just one (my mom, for example, has never agreed with the Church's stance on birth control), then it feels difficult to square that given the usual "all or nothing" approach of religion. (The period in my life that marked the "drifting away" was when I realized I was LGBT and even if my church never said anything openly homophobic--with the exception of one priest who once spoke about 'resisting the temptations of homosexuality'--it was difficult for me to continue to embrace something that ultimately viewed a part of who I am as being fundamentally "wrong").

      Anyway, I'm rambling, but that is a summation of my personal religious journey. I've always been fascinated by the world's religions and have studied them academically and experienced them on my travels and hope to experience more.

      gagefromtx wrote:

      HeyCameron wrote:

      I was raised Catholic, but I've drifted away from religion as I've gotten older. I still attend mass sometimes with my mom (who is the most devout in my family), but it's hard for me to embrace it wholesale, especially when it becomes more dogmatic and political. I've always thought that humans naturally want to believe in something larger than themselves, but it's hard for me to go the way of organized religion, where it feels like accepting a list of strictures and edicts, and if you disagree with just one (my mom, for example, has never agreed with the Church's stance on birth control), then it feels difficult to square that given the usual "all or nothing" approach of religion. (The period in my life that marked the "drifting away" was when I realized I was LGBT and even if my church never said anything openly homophobic--with the exception of one priest who once spoke about 'resisting the temptations of homosexuality'--it was difficult for me to continue to embrace something that ultimately viewed a part of who I am as being fundamentally "wrong").

      Anyway, I'm rambling, but that is a summation of my personal religious journey. I've always been fascinated by the world's religions and have studied them academically and experienced them on my travels and hope to experience more.
      I am going to say that I have multiple Roman Catholic dogmas and teachings I do not agree with. The Holy Bible is supposed to be perfect and complete. Church canons in my opinion are not perfect nor complete. I especially take exception on birth control and LGBTQ issues, but at the end of the day I have never found anything that gives me peace the way mass does.
      Like Gage, I go to church too but I dont agree with everything, in particular against gays, abortion, condom, priests marriage
      For me if you don't harm anyone or anything it aint no sin

    • I'm a Christian and i take it seriously. Church several times a week where i kneel to pray and worship and i pray daily at home too always down to my knees. Repent daily and ask for forgiveness for my sins. At once i show both my fear and adoration of the Lord.
      I believe that one day i will have to kneel before God and give an account for my actions and sins in this life. God will then judge me and decide if i deserve forgiveness and eternity with him. If i don't then i'm sentenced to punishment in hell I know not everyone believes this and its not my job to try and convince anyone. I know people get angry or scared at the thought of being judged by God but i do believe God is very forgiving and if people genuinely seek a relationship with him and repent they won't be punished.
      Too many Christians focus on being self appointed judges on God's behalf and they use it as justification to hate and judge. I don't think its our job to judge others and assume we know how God feels. I honestly think people forget how to be loving towards others. We should focus on repenting for our own sins and worshipping God rather than what other people are doing. People have to figure out for themselves what they believe and if they truly desire a relationship with God
      In the end its simple to me. seek a relationship with God, repent and ask for forgiveness for sins, worship him and that's what being a Christian is to me. Some people want to make it more complicated than it really is with a bunch of rules and try to impose them on others.

    • Calli wrote:

      i think god is real but im not sure the church of england didnt just make things up as they went. so much of there teachings make no sense. i think there wrong personally
      Church of England is moving toward gay clergy and gay marriage. The Episcopal Church in the US just got their first. I am Roman Catholic, but when I go to university I will probably start going to an Episcopal church because they are more open about LGBTQ issues, and I am a straight ally.

    • gagefromtx wrote:

      Calli wrote:

      i think god is real but im not sure the church of england didnt just make things up as they went. so much of there teachings make no sense. i think there wrong personally
      Church of England is moving toward gay clergy and gay marriage. The Episcopal Church in the US just got their first. I am Roman Catholic, but when I go to university I will probably start going to an Episcopal church because they are more open about LGBTQ issues, and I am a straight ally.
      Stay tuned Gage,

      I am Roman Catholic as well. There is a large synod going on now in the Vatican. Some of the topics being discussed are:

      (1) Acceptance of LGBTO parishioners.
      (2) Marriage for priests
      (3) Increasing the role of women in the Catholic Church

      Nothing is assured. But I am glad the Church is at least considering alternative beliefs.

    • I am a Christian but right now I do not believe in God as much as I used too but I still go to my church a lot for tons of different reasons mostly to help out with a community garden, and schooling, and also charity. Some of the old people there know I don't believe so much and they talk to me about it a lot but I am unconvinced. Still for me it is good because I can see people and get advice there and it is like having a giant family.