Some wandering thoughts I've been meaning to write down for months

[jedusor]

You may not want to read this if you are religious and easily offended.

What, exactly, is religion? Some people see it as a lifestyle, a set of values that govern their actions and thoughts. I personally think that it's a kind of security blanket, a way for people to feel confident that there is something beyond what they can perceive with their senses. I think people feel safer when they believe in God, in Heaven, in paradise after this life. It helps them deal with the underlying feeling that this is all there is. That's a scary thought, and I can completely understand why religion came to exist: as long as people can focus on building their faith in God or Allah or Yahweh to do what is right for the world, they don't have to worry. Pray every night, abide by the rules, and everything will be all right when you die. I definitely get why some- if not most- people need that kind of reassurance. I don't.

I'm not saying that to be tough or anything, and I'm not trying to put down anyone for their beliefs. A Mormon girl at the last Damento festival, Jenna, told me that she gave up her religion and rebelled against her church for two years, then realized that she felt displaced and tricked and that she really preferred the structure and rules of religion. That displaced, tricked feeling is how I know I would feel if I converted to any religion. I'm not wired like that. I understand that not everyone is like me in this, but I could never completely believe in anything like that. I would always wonder, what if I'm wrong? I couldn't live like that.

And I don't feel lost and alone in the world. I did, for a while, when I relied on other people for validation and happiness. Now I know that what I see as beauty, as pure truth, has nothing to do with prayers or scriptures or teachings. Truth cannot be passed down through generations and remain true, even if it was true at the beginning. What do I believe? I believe in the world. I believe in the butterfly, struggling from the cocoon. I believe in the inherent passion in everyone, that can accomplish great things if we only channel it in the right way. I believe in the "aha!" moment when my brain grasps an abstract concept using nothing more than potassium and sodium, moving across the cell membrane of neurons to stimulate my mind into making me understand. What on earth could be more amazing, more beautiful, more true?

I don't need to look to a higher power for happiness or fulfillment. I have it right here in front of me, around me, inside me. I see it. I hear it. I love it. I am it.

Comments

[burlesquebunny.livejournal.com]

I truly love to read your posts on religion and such things. They are always so fascinating to me. Plus, I always love to hear other people's views on religion. I've never seen as much passion as people put into religion. Wars are started over it. People die for it. It's such a remarkable thing to witness.

[mh75.livejournal.com]

I don't know about religion. I don't know about Dogma. Too many horrible things have been done in the name of religion for me to accept it without question.

But i do believe in Faith. Maybe you should explore how you feel about that?

For me, Faith is believing that if i do the right thing it will pay off. If i love other people, i will have friends. If i keep plugging away i will get somewhere.

I also believe in spirituality - that there is something more to life than what meets the eye. In my spirituality i try to find peace and harmony. For you?

I described the Unitarian church to Josh as 'spirituality without dogma'. Do you think that is apt? How do you feel about that church?

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

sounds pretty zen to me... how much have you read about buddhism?

or maybe you should start "ahaism"...

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

I really haven't read anything about Buddhism. I should, though; I've heard it's pretty cool stuff.

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

For me, Faith is believing that if i do the right thing it will pay off.

I'm not so sure about that. Not only is there the question of what the right thing is in the first place, but I don't believe it always does pay off. There's luck, there are accidents, bad things sometimes happen to good people. I see faith more like trust- letting go of control of a certain thing and believing that it will work all right without you. Usually, when I use the word "faith," I use it in the context of, "I have faith in you." That's really the same thing as saying, "I trust you." It's similar to your way of thinking, I suppose.

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I hit "post comment" before I was done.

Religion is generally seen as a common belief, a group of people who share the same values, worship the same god, etc. Spirituality is definitely more a personal thing. I think that quest (peace and harmony for you, possibly other things for other people) lasts throughout our lives. It's a case of the journey being the destination rather than leading to it.

The Unitarian church- to be honest, I've been going to UU churches on and off since I was about six, and I still don't think I really grasp it. At Sunday school, we watch movies and talk about how they apply to various life principles. I do know that they're very accepting, or try to be, and that's what's important to me. I can't really describe the church, though.

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm glad you like reading them.

Religion is an absolutely incredible thing. I'm probably going to minor in it when I go to a four-year college. It's probably the biggest psychological phenomenon that has ever existed.

What do you believe?

[burlesquebunny.livejournal.com]

What do I believe? I've gone through SO many beliefs it's not even funny.

I don't know what I believe in anymore... or if I even believe in anything for that matter.

I guess I kinda just believe in being a good person, and taking care of what you have, and where you live, and then whatever happens when you die happens, and you should just be happy that you lived your life the way you thought was best.

You can get so far into things such as religion that everything else becomes nonexistent. You just become blind to everything BUT religion. It's just so insane... almost unreal.

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

You can get so far into things such as religion that everything else becomes nonexistent. You just become blind to everything BUT religion.

So, so true. I had a friend who ditched me because she thought I was being dragged into an immoral life (this was during the Emily/Stephan thing).

I think religion was a good idea in the first place- the whole security in life thing, doing good things for others, etc.- but then it went bad and people started getting obsessed and misinterpreting things.

You'll figure out where you stand eventually, trust me. It'll happen.