I have struggled with my religious beliefs, or lack there of, for many years. As a kid I remember doubting even the best "miracles" in the bible. I remember memorizing the church service to the point that I could recite it along with the priest. Did I feel anymore than boredom? No, never. As an adult there have been many times that I stand in the church thinking, "Seriously? All this pomp and circumstance is so unneeded. Why go through all of this?"
I don't believe the bible is anymore than a novel. I don't believe in miracles. I think organized religion is a control device and political machine originally designed to gain power back in early times. I don't believe in judgment day or the second coming. I don't believe prayer works in terms of a godly intervention.
Here is what I do believe:
We should live our lives honestly and truthfully and as good people.
There was some sort of higher something that put the universe into action but does not take any role in the day to day living of beings throughout the universe.
Organized church is a crock and the catholic church is the most hypocritical of all.
Dead is dead.
I believe prayer may have worked because of the positive vibes it brings the people being prayed for(power of positive thinking).
Please take some time out of your day to let me know just what you think I am.
I don't know "what you are" (other than a thoughtful person), but I can say that, if you crave religious community without the requirement or assumption that you believe a specific set of ideas, you might be more comfortable in a Unitarian Universalist church.
ReplyDeleteThe website has a lot of good information and allows you to search for a UU community in your area: www.uua.org.
I hope you find something that works for you.
I second Jenny's suggestion. Between parents and step-parents I was raised with a mix of religious traditions and a lot of disdain for organized religion. I spent a lot of time as a teen and adult figuring out which parts of my family's faith traditions I really wanted to keep when faith itself was just not a part of who I was and what I believed. Unitarian Universalism came the closest to fitting my needs because it offered a community of open-minded people who respected both my desire to maintain traditions and my lack of faith. It also meant that all of what I thought I would be missing out on in terms of community was actually more available to me than it would have been if I had tried to join a church or synagogue of a different stripe. Good luck finding a community that works for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteIf those were my personal beliefs, I would probably label myself a deist.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deism
http://www.deism.com/
I will second the suggestion of a UU church if you feel the need for community/discussion. There is very little "pomp and circumstance", just thoughtful people interested in introspection and discussion.
The part about there being a higher something, but that is not part of the day to day living of the beings in the universe is a belief in Sanatana Dharma/Hinduism. But to us dead is not dead, that body is most certainly "dead" and will not rise up at some later date, but the soul (jiva/atma) will always 'be' as it is a part of that 'higher something'.
ReplyDeleteI think it would depend on whether you perceive the "something" as a person/being or as a set of laws that can at least potentially known by science. If the former, deism fits the bill; if the latter, naturalism or humanism.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what you "are". I wouldn't say atheist because of your belief in some sort of higher power. SunD could be right about deist. The other possibility is some version of New Age. I have a friend who considers herself a New Ager and what you say you believe sounds a lot like her beliefs
ReplyDelete