How To Believe??

[carlvjack]

Ok this post is going to be a little bit long so I am warning you

Anyways I am a married 32 year old male, I am currently in the National Guard and have been deployed to Baghdad, Iraq since last June. I am coming home in a couple of months.

Since I have been over here and experienced many hardships I have had a lot of time for "reflection". I grew up in the catholic school system through grade school and high school. I went to Bible studies through my school but I never did "believe", I went to the schools because my parents made me go there. It is not that I don't believe in God, but the fact that I was not allowed to choose my own religion or not choose at all, made me very non-receptive to the idea of religion all together.

Since I have been in Iraq, pulling guard duty or working in general I have had a lot of time to "reflect" on my life. I guess I have never been very happy even when I met my wife who is a Christian. She makes me happy and I love her to death and when she showed up everything in my life has fallen into place. New job, house, and then better job offer a few years later, I finished college finally, everything was going great and then this deployment happened. I guess God had to give me a wake up call because I was getting a big head and thinking I was king of the world.

I have been going to Bible studies over here, I go with a friend of mine and she has been helping me understand things. I guess I realized that I turned my back on religion because I found too many hypocrites and thought that there was no point in religion if the church goers were sinning as soon as they left the doors of the church on Sundays, I need to learn how not to judge as much.

What makes you believe? I always wanted to ask people that question. I am trying to be a better husband but people always ask me to accept Christ in their life and I have seen people "say" they do it but revert to their old ways down the road. I guess I am just confused.

 

[EviStar]

Well,I don't believe. I'm a Satanist.

 

[Prometheus_ash]

Sorry to sound like a cynic, but since you posted this in the open forumms section I thought you were willing to tolerate a few atheist and agnostic opinions.

First, I will give you the nice responce, before the cynicle responce. From what I understand, relgion and belief should not be something that you work at, it should be soemthing that just is. LIke love, you dont work at falling in love, you just do, regardless of what happens. If you are not happy in your particlar religion, perhaps you should switch to another that comes easier to you.

NOw for the doubting atheists responce. If there is actually nothing there to believe, then what is the point of forcing yourself to believe? and then, hwo do you know what you believe is actaully the "truth"? Just some thoughts.

 

[carlvjack]

Thanks for your viewpoint

 

[Supreme_Arbiter]

Try Anglican Church brother, it's well known the rest of Christians are wrong in their views of God. Only Anglican Church knows the true ways to salvation, being a follower of another Christian denomination will surely lead you right in hell. That's why you're having those dificulties... your inner self wants to get embraced by the Anglican Church.

 

[Philosoft]

Try Anglican Church brother, it's well known the rest of Christians are wrong in their views of God. Only Anglican Church knows the true ways to salvation, being a follower of another Christian denomination will surely lead you right in hell. That's why you're having those dificulties... your inner self wants to get embraced by the Anglican Church.

And if you want to know what every other denomination says about their sect, just replace "Anglican" as necessary.

 

[Prometheus_ash]

Thanks for your viewpoint

MY pleasure, I am allaways happy to help...even when it is not requested

Try Anglican Church brother, it's well known the rest of Christians are wrong in their views of God. Only Anglican Church knows the true ways to salvation, being a follower of another Christian denomination will surely lead you right in hell. That's why you're having those dificulties... your inner self wants to get embraced by the Anglican Church.

I hope that you are being sarcastic. And if you are not, then once you understand why you dismiss all other possible religions you will understand why they dismiss yours.

 

[slayer-2004]

does not almost every denomination of christianity have it written in their bible that if you accept Jesus christ as lord and savior you may get into heaven ? Im not exactly for sure about this .

 

[TomUK]

And if you want to know what every other denomination says about their sect, just replace "Anglican" as necessary.

The Anglican Church is certainly not a sect.

 

[9Harmony]

Since I have been over here and experienced many hardships I have had a lot of time for "reflection". I grew up in the catholic school system through grade school and high school. I went to Bible studies through my school but I never did "believe", I went to the schools because my parents made me go there. It is not that I don't believe in God, but the fact that I was not allowed to choose my own religion or not choose at all, made me very non-receptive to the idea of religion all together.

Dear carlvjack,

First of all, let me take this opportunity to thank you for the service you are providing. Please also share my appreciation with all of your co-servicemen. You are all in my thoughts and prayers daily.

I sympathize with your plight. I was raised Catholic and always thought I felt content with my faith except for one thing that always nagged at me. It seemed that all religions claim to be the true religion and all the others are wrong. How can an All-Loving God only save those that belong to the one true one and condemn everyone else? And how on earth are we to know which one is true?

It is a historical fact that most people never question the religion they were brought up in. They go on for generations believing what they were taught by their parents who were taught by their parents, and so on and so forth. Each believing that their way is the right way. This has only served to lend impetus to feelings of superiority and self-justification of religious turmoil throughout history.

Jesus tells us to "seek and ye will find". Is that not an instruction to all of us? If we blindly follow what we're taught growing up are we fulfilling our obligation?

I found an answer on my quest which satisfied me. In the writings of the Baha'i Faith it says that all religions are sent to us by the same God. So there is only One God and all paths lead to Him. After I heard that, I studied the Baha'i Faith & all of my questions have been answered to date. I am still learning but feel like I have found my home.

Your journey is a very personal one, each of us must take this journey in our own way and in our own time. I've learned if I am truly humble and ask God to show me what he wants me to know, it becomes much clearer. When I ask for something I always try to remember to say, if it be God's Will. And have learned if I don't get the answer I was hoping for then it isn't His Will and I must accept that. Life is much easier since learning that lesson.

Try this neat multiple choices test, and it will give you the religion that is most similar to your opinions on a diversity of matters.

http://www.selectsmart.com/PRO/beliefnet/index1.html

I came out 100% Baha'i, wish I could have taken it years ago before I found the Baha'i Faith, would have saved me alot of work.

Here is a nice quote that gives a brief description on the Baha'i perspective.

"The time has come, Bahá'u'lláh said, when humanity has both the capacity and the opportunity to see the entire panorama of its spiritual development as a single process: "Peerless is this Day, for it is as the eye to past ages and centuries, and as a light unto the darkness of the times."[37] In this perspective, the followers of differing religious traditions must strive to understand what He called "the changeless Faith of God"[38] and to distinguish its central spiritual impulse from the changing laws and concepts that were revealed to meet the requirements of an ever-evolving human society:
The Prophets of God should be regarded as physicians whose task is to foster the well-being of the world and its peoples, that, through the spirit of oneness, they may heal the sickness of a divided humanity.... Little wonder, then, if the treatment prescribed by the physician in this day should not be found to be identical with that which he prescribed before. How could it be otherwise when the ills affecting the sufferer necessitate at every stage of his sickness a special remedy? In like manner, every time the Prophets of God have illumined the world with the resplendent radiance of the Day Star of Divine knowledge, they have invariably summoned its peoples to embrace the light of God through such means as best befitted the exigencies of the age in which they appeared..." "Bahá'u'lláh", by The Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, p. 11

I sincerely hope you are able to find the inner peace you crave.

Loving Greetings, Harmony

 

[Philosoft]

The Anglican Church is certainly not a sect.

Okay, whatever. I was just trying to avoid using "denomination" again, not casting aspersions anywhere.

 

[Prometheus_ash]

err, correct me f I am wrong, but sect and denomination are practically the same thing, n'est pas?

 

[MParedon]

Carlvjack,
I too was raised Catholic and BOY did I dislike those people that left Church and sinned like there was no tommorrow and then went on to Church and acted like they were super pious. I stayed Catholic but I lapsed into non-practicing, but it wasn't much of a difference for me because I really didn't even know much about Catholicism in the first place. I actually became godmother to my neice as more of a 'title' role. I liked the enthusiasm the lady at the parish had whenever she was discussing the role I would have, but it sort of slide right past my conprehension. Now that my niece is going to have her first communion I thought, well, I might as well pick up a book with a few basics so I won't be totally out at sea. Hah! Little did I know that as a lifelong Catholic I took so much for granted and was soooo ignorant. I'm glad I am starting to learn more. This might not be the answer that many might like, but I did have belief before I understood anything, I could feel it. I still have belief, I just understand it now and it is more unwavering, maybe because Catholicism is like a Rock to me. Don't mistake me, it's tough sometimes, really tough. I sometimes wish that I remained oblivous and could just skip along they way I was. I wish that I didn't know Catholicism to be true. That is the hardest part. Especially now that I don't have as much of that 'feeling' that I used to have. I think it's because the bar has just been lifted higher.

I hope my post helped in some way. Maybe just so you know there is someone else out there that has gone through just a little itty bitty bit that you have.

 

[de Unamuno]

Try Anglican Church brother, it's well known the rest of Christians are wrong in their views of God. Only Anglican Church knows the true ways to salvation, being a follower of another Christian denomination will surely lead you right in hell. That's why you're having those dificulties... your inner self wants to get embraced by the Anglican Church.

For the record, I respect everyone's desire to find Christ in the way that works best for them. But this statement begs a history lesson!..

For 2,000 years since Christ, the Roman Catholic Church has existed. The Anglican Church started during the reign of Elizabeth I (1533-1603) after Henry VIII declared separation from the Roman Catholic pope because he wanted to divorce his wife. Ironically, Anglicans don't disagree with Roman Catholic theology. The Episcopal church is basically just the American version of Anglican. All other Protestant faiths are further splits from either Lutheran faith or Reformed faith, which first began in the 16th century, when the invention of the printing press allowed Luther to distribute his own translation of the Bible with some books removed. The Reformed churches, following Zwinglian or Calvinist systems of theology, were developed independently after Luther's Protestant Reformation opened the proverbial floodgates.

A Catholic would argue that an Anglican or Episcopalian is really just recognizing a man-created political difference, rather than a real authority from God. I can see why you think Anglican is the greatest. It's almost like what it should be... Roman Catholic!

For those who want a detailed history of their Bible and of their Christian roots, go here.

For those who want the a shorter and much less interesting version, go here.



As to the original question in the thread, I personally find faith by being who I am, by trusting in God, and by not pretending to be something I'm not. The best thing for your heart is to 1) rediscover the infinitely deep Catholic faith that you left, 2) surround yourself with other people who don't pretend. I recommend going here for people who know how to live that way.

As a soldier, your heart is closer to God than any of us, and you probably don't know it. Thanks for keeping us safe.

Peace be with you, brother.

 

[midnight star]

my faith has been ever increasing since i started going to these boards. which is odd, coz im wiccan. but lately ive been feeling the Lord and Lady speaking more to me on a day to day basis (not the voices-in-head kinda of talking) I feel more comfortable with my faith, i can feel the divine presence around me more and more, and i am feeling for the first time in a while that someone is looking out for me.

 

[MAMiller]

carlvjack: God bless and hurry home safely. My husband is in Saudi, he won't return until June 2004

 

[MAMiller]

carlvjack: I too have a difficult time holding onto my beliefs. I have found similar things that you have. I am non-denominational and choose not to attend church. It is odd, but nothing seems to make me feel more negative about church, then actually going to one. For my spiritual health at this time I have chosen not to attend. I enjoy a personal relationship with God. I share it freely with my husband, son, mom, dad, brother, etc. That in itself is a congregation if you ask me ! I feel the world is very different today and many of us must find our own church. Church to me is where God resides, it provides comfort, and safety to worship and express ones heart. I have found no better church than that of my own home and family. I think it is ok to question within reason. God does not wish us to be led astray, so I trust the voice within.