Try Other Religions (page 2)

campaign of hate

Once i finally get out of the mess that is JWism, i'll probably ditch religion altogether.

If there is a god(s) ,i'm sure he (they) will understand.

dyakoub

Sofia, you have or will soon have a private Message.

LoveUniHateExams

Sometimes I get a strong curiosity to start dabbling into other religions, other faiths - I think it may be a case of 'the grass is always greener ...'

That religion (Islam) had been around a long time and is a survivor so it has something that makes it so - well, Islam definitely has its good side, and provides comfort and hope to many hundreds of millions of people. However, having the death sentence for apostasy must also be a factor enabling its survival and growth.

My advice is be very careful re Islam. Buy yourself a copy of Al-Quran, Al-Hadith, whatever, but don't officially join.

If you officially join the religion, you can't leave later on without serious problems. Just my opinion.

Ruby456

Many people pick and mix from different religions for their spirituality. yoga, meditation, architecture and art, a little philosophy and environmentalism from each religion etc etc. People have the freedom and choice to form their own spirituality and to let it change if thats what they want. this needn't make your life wishy washy if you want your life to mean something.

or you can change tack completely and decide to do something creative and satisfying with the skills you already have. gardening skills, writing poetry or short stories etc

StrongHaiku

nicolaou said it more succinctly than me. Nicely put.

Sofia Lose, I do not know your life or history, so please bear with me. I will like to share something I wish someone would have told me when I was young...

There are about 7 billion people on the planet, many in thousands of religions, with a myriad of Gods, denominations, holy books, etc. that, through "faith", all think they have the truth. Believing in a God/Religion is ultimately going to come down to faith (e.g. a feeling, personal revelation, etc.). Because faith requires no evidence or critical thinking it gives permission (and often sanctions) some horrible acts in this world.

Before you embark on your next quest you might want to ponder whether faith is the best way to find truth or if there is a better way. I think you will find that the idea of faith as a way to truth (or as necessary) is no more valid than the things you used to believe when you were a JW and no longer believe. Let that sink in...

pronomono

I think looking at other religions is great. But you have to be careful. Look at the arguments of those that are both for and against the religions. Look at the propaganda. And then look at the expose' on the propaganda. Find people who love the religion, and then find those who are objective in their opposition to the religion. Going through this process, I found that all religion is a snare & a racket. For me it turned from a search for faith and God, into an educational exercise and helped solidify my views as an agnostic.

For me, I found that all the research and critical thinking that I learned while investigating my views as a JW was just as helpful in investigating and exposing the hypocrisy and false teachings of other religions. But I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent learning about other religions and thought processes. After a while, you realize that there's not much difference between Jews, Islamics, Christians, etc. Most of them believe much of the same, just in different flavors, forms, and shapes. It's all the same crock of lies.

Gulf Coaster

Briefly went back to the Catholic Church. Enjoyed the rituals more than anything. Communion, hymns, nice acoustics and atmosphere in the church, Pancake breakfasts, churchgoers who were more relaxed and easygoing than JW bots, etc. But soon wondered why I was there because I don't believe in any god. It's a man-made construct from eons ago when there was no science or knowledge to explain all the bizarre and scary things in the world.

And when the church expected everyone to go out and join an anti-abortion protest, that's when I decided I was not in the right place. My doctor's office in Vancouver was in a building that often had anti-abortion protestors outside. I found them disturbing and creepy and I didn't want to have anything to do with that. Who am I, who are they, to dictate control over women's bodies and lives? Nah, couldn't justify that.

Happily a Heathen now. I'd rather treat others well, volunteer, help out those who need help regardless of their faith or lack of.

I get "spiritual experiences" gazing out over miles of undeveloped, pristine wilderness (Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, etc.), hiking through forests, floating effortlessly in the warm ocean, enjoying a lovely meal and great wine with good friends, admiring great art, listening to my favorite music, etc.

The_Doctor10

Not interested in anything that has the same lack of evidence Christianity has. Wasted 25 years of my life being raised as a JW, not throwing away anymore of my life on another religion.

I'm a fan of having trancendent experiences, no need to insert the supernatural into it.

Finding awe in the world we live in is its own kind of "spirituality," (as a side note, we really need a better word for these experiences, 'spirituality' is too often misconstrued/used in conjunction with religious experience.)

JamesThomas

Perhaps what we are seeking in religions (which are nothing but mind-generated stories) is the natural connection we have with all life and universe -- absent of mind generated stories.

Village Idiot

I'm an atheist intellectually and a cosmic pantheist at heart after the tradition of Carl Sagan. The universe is my goddess.

As Shakespeare said "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

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