after losing Jesus
Zarathustra put in his two cents about my post on losing Jesus. You can read his comments and my response at that link. To further clarify my response, I'm posting the second half of my short essay that began with "losing Jesus."
Religion, however, has not been completely ruined for me. I believe that all religions, including Mormonism, are people’s way of finding something bigger than themselves, however they define it: God, heaven, nirvana, peace, or harmony. I believe that ordinances, rituals, sacraments, song, sacrifices, and other forms of worship are powerfully symbolic ways for people to feel a connection with something. These acts of worship can create group solidarity, edify, heighten sense of spirituality, inspire people to be better, and serve as important rights of passage. All religions have them and all are good as long as they bring people to love and serve themselves and their fellow humans. I do not think God would care about these rituals and worship, or would demand or desire to be worshiped. Religion can be good as long as it inspires us to become better people and, especially, to treat others well, and religion is destructive when it creates manipulation, exclusion, hatred, and war. Superstition and repression of critical thinking, I suppose, are somewhere in between that simplistic spectrum of good versus destructive.
5 comments:
What you described in the last paragraph sounds similar to what a Unitarian Universalist friend of mine describes her religion. A sort of gathering of open-minded people who don't necessarily share the same views on anything, but are willing to discuss spirituality and all that.
I've been interested in checking out some UU meetings myself, but haven't been able to so far since their meetinghouse is a little too far away for me to bike to. >.>
I love this post, and your attitude toward religion. I felt like an atheist for a long time after I realized what I'd been taught was not true. I like the idea of being a better person, and treating others kindly, and meeting with a group of people that feel the same way. I've been to a couple of UU meetings (I sneak away to them on conference Sundays)and loved them - the people there were completely accepting and wonderful to talk to.
UU is so refreshing after Mormondom. Even if I never join UU, they'll always have a special place in my heart for the key role they played in my ability to quit torturing myself with Mormon meetings.
I know what you are trying to say because I have seen it too. I was born and raised in the church. When I left, I lost ALL my faith. My husband has always been christian. He brought me back to a belief in Christ... or at least in Christ's work.
I am now drifting between shamanism and christianism. LOL Oh well, sigh.
When I became chronically ill, I needed something to grab onto hard to keep alive. I believe in my husband most of all.
Cynthia- You said "I believe in my husband most of all." I really like that! Believe in someone who is actually there, you can see, and has actually tangibly helped you. New concept!
Post a Comment