the thing is, i know that my parents would not accept this stance that i have taken. i am still being raised in a very strict baptist church, and am having a lot of trouble keeping my mouth shut.
i am afraid of causing an uproar,of being ridiculed and rejectedAdvice for my spiritual journey?
you are absolutely wonderful, courageous, true to your heart. this is very rare, most are cowards and never ask what they have been indoctrinated by parents and society.
i recommend the web-event ';a new earth - awakening to your life's purpose'; with oprah winfrey and eckhart tolle, an enlightened being, who fully realized the self, the journey ended....
every monday they are discussing eckharts book about finding the inner truth, awakening to the truth within instead of fighting an endless anf麓d fruitless fight with parental and church conditionings, that has never lead anyone really to truth within, to inner bliss and fulfillment.
visit http://www.oprah.com and look for ';a new earth'; - great opportunity, great book, a help to go the own path. no doctrines, no rules, simply tools to your inner guidance, yolur true self.
once you find this true self you will not get in trouble with any religious belief, for you rest and abide in your inner peace and true knowledge of self.
good luck, your courage to leave the box we are conditioned to live in will set you free.Advice for my spiritual journey?
You are defiantly on a spiritual journey.
I suggest that you don't argue with them.
Just hold on to your faith in the idea of God that is growing inside of you.
Soon you will be old enough to get your self free of this limiting theology.
You may want to try the book a course in miracles. It is designed to help us have a close personal relationship with God and help us find our way free of the tangled guilt trip that religion so often is.
The fundies hate it because it speaks of a God that never made any mistakes and loves each and every one of us unconditionally exactly the way that we are.
I wish you luck, and I can't tell you how proud I am of you for having the courage to question the idea of a judgmental punishing God and come to the conclusion that It just could not be real.
If I can ever be of any help my email is always open.
Love and blessings Don
Until you are grown and on your own, try to say as little as possible...I have been where you are and I am happy for you...but your parents will have a fit! And you know it...good luck...
Another bit of advice is to read everything spiritual you can find...the Buddhist Dhammapada is good...
A journey? It looks like you have already found your god.
If you can will yourself to take a closer look at the Dragon of fear, you will find out that it is really nothing but ';Puff the magic dragon';.
Each fear that you conquer will give you a feeling so great...mere words cannot do them justice!
I too walked away from religion and I cannot deny the fear that intially comes with it.
It gets easier as you accept yourSelf and your feelings.
As Don suggested, try A Course In Miracles...see if something resonates...but never stop asking questions and challenging what you ';think'; you know.
Blessings to you on your journey,
Angi
At some point you will have to explain to your parents that you don't have the same beliefs they do. It's all a part of becoming an adult. They raised you to be smart and use your brain and that is what you have done! Congratulations on that, it can be a very difficult deciding you don't believe what you have been taught. You have to stand up for what you believe in even if you are ridiculed and rejected! There are many others out here that believe as you do, so don't feel alone! For now, I would just go because you have to, you can still believe what you wish and when you are old enough to fend off them trying to ';save'; you, you can explain your beliefs to them. Best wishes!!!
Many will say Jesus didnt exist or that if He did exist He was either just a good man or a prophet. Many will give u many different answers as to what u should or shouldnt do regarding God. Many will say God doesn't exist or that God is this way or that way. Only the Bible warns us that we arent to trust humans, not even ourselves (Jer 10:2-5,23; Is 2:22; Job 12:11; Prov 14:12: Acts 17:11). Read carefully %26amp; slowly what I write but carefully think over what I say. Dont just believe what we write %26amp; dont rebel against your parents - but do find out who Jesus is.
Unfortunately, theres many religions out there along with different varieties %26amp; offshoots from each 1. 1 day I realized they cant all be right (i.e. Theres 1 Bible, why so many interpretations? - II Pet 1:**19-21). Most religions were invented by people who made up ways in their image of what they want God to be like. Some realized that religion could be used to control the masses %26amp; for other agendas. But I found that religion, for the most part, wont teach you much about God (they cant teach what they don't understand).
Even so, Jesus Christ existed as the language of God prior to everything except God Himself. Jesus is the only 1 in history whom stated that He's ';the'; way, ';the'; truth %26amp; ';the'; life %26amp; that no 1 can know God except through Jesus (Jn 14:6; 5:39; 10:1,7; Acts 4:12). Either Jesus is whom He says He is or theres no God (God either knows what He is doing or He can't be God). Who knows more about a house, the builder or those whom moved into it later on?
Either the truth is the whole truth or it cant be the truth. The truth cant contain a lie. If Jesus is the whole truth then the truth is complete %26amp; finished through Him. It means any new or other teaching/religion is invalid, null %26amp; void %26amp; serves no purpose for finding God. If Jesus lied then He is just a false prophet among many, whom should be disregarded.
If Jesus told the whole truth then all others are false prophets %26amp; teachers, no matter how good what they teach sounds %26amp; they should be disregarded (if you want to be with God in Heaven). If God does exist (which He does) then He had to have known all that Jesus Christ would say %26amp; do on earth (which He has known since before the universe was conceived). Jesus is proof of these facts %26amp; if 1 sincerely turns to Him He will open your spiritual eyes.
But I've found that most religions have %26amp; are making many mistakes (some fatal) that have been made since man began thinking God might or does exist. But, religion, religious practices %26amp; churches cant save anyone. The very few that are making right effort to find out what is actually written in the whole Bible %26amp; understands about being Born Anew, may be able to help u but they cant save u.
However, Jesus is the only 1 in history who died for our sins, rose from the dead %26amp; is alive in Heaven to intercede on our behalf if we ask Him to. But God outsmarted man, because the Bible is the only 1 known to man that cant be properly understood without going through Jesus (Jn 14:6; II Cor 3:14 - If the Jewish people cant pierce the veil over the Old Testament without going through Jesus then rest-assurd neither can the gentiles).
Because Jesus is the only way to our Salvation, to begin to know Jesus %26amp; to begin to rightly understand the Bible you have to start where Jesus states His 1rst instruction for finding Him (start with John 3:1-14 - note: Nicodemus was very religious but Jesus told him that he had missed the 1rst most important step, that he must be Born Anew - Jn 3:3,5). This means no matter how religious or humanly spiritual a man is, all must come to Jesus to have their spiritual eyes open to even begin to see God %26amp; His real Kingdom. Otherwise, u won't get to Heaven no matter how good u think u are (all have fallen short of the glory of God - Rom 3:23, sin separates us from God but we can be forgiven by going to %26amp; following Jesus).
Just to reinforce that you would be on the right track doing the above: Jesus couldnt have done nor said all that is written in the New Testament unless He completely knew %26amp; understood the entire Old Testament (the NT didn't exist at the time of Jesus %26amp; He couldn't have known the whole OT unless He came from God). %26amp; the Apostles couldnt have remembered all that Jesus did %26amp; said %26amp; couldn't write the NT unless Jesus gave them that ability (Lk 24:25-27,45). In other words, none of this could be possible unless an incredibly Intelligent Being made it happen.
However, why should God want someone to live with Him forever if they dont want to know Him or follow His commandments? But whoever searches for Jesus with all their heart %26amp; soul will find our true God %26amp; His Kingdom. The truth of God remains forever, while the things of man, including his religions %26amp; gods made in his image dies with him. In other words neither being a good person as judged by men or religion can save anyone. But there is everlasting hope in Jesus Christ.
voyc4rmwldrns
If you don't live with your parents, I believe it is acceptable to branch off and explore other religions.
My advice to you would be to expand the base of your spiritual knowledge. Branch out into the scriptures and theology of others. If you know the Bible, keep reading it, but go through the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, the Koran, the Torah, etc.
I think what you'll find is common spiritual threads, a truth resonating in all the scriptures that may strike you when presented from different perspectives. When they do you'll find they aren't all that different and your fears regarding the impact your spiritual journey will have on your family will disappear.
You'd be surprised how much Buddha and Jesus have in common, some folks are simply more receptive to a different teaching style.
You believe in God, but not the Biblical one?
This is strange, considering the fact that the Biblical God is the one who created the physical dimension. What God do you believe in?
Actually the last secret that has been revealed in these last days is that our Heavenly Mother is the source of our spirit. God the Mother has come in these last days in accordance with all of the prophecies in the Bible.
Take the path that you are being led and see if that path is where you want to go.
sounds like you need to share with those who have annoyed you in your church,family, close friends. maybe you need to find a new church withmore love and less judging.
My advice: listen to all, question everything, decide for yourself.
The true road to spirituality comes from within, not from on high. Good luck.
You're asking for advice, so I'm going to tell you this. I, too, left the religion I was raised in. I went on a journey that took me 11 years, so I've giving you the short cut version: Greek Orthodox Christianity. Usually, I say you have to find your own way, ask God for help, guidance and support to find your own answers, but you are asking specifically for advice, so there you have it. Still, I think it's wise for you to say your own prayer for God to show you in a crystal clear way that you cannot possibly miss, where it is He wants you, despite what everybody around you wants.....You need your own answers...and God can and will give them you. You can start at my short-cut version if you want...it won't hurt to start there.
For the sake of keeping your life simple, I would just keep my opinions to myself for now. When youre out of your parents house it will be easier to tell them how you feel.
You are brave for looking within yourself and finding your own answers about what you believe. Keep on doing that, and you'll find your way. Your parents don't have to know, unless you want them to.
i believe there are many incarnations of god, male and female. i believe that god is the heart beat of the earth, the wind through the trees, the waves,birds, rocks,fish, I believe that god is the light within us all. i was raised catholic so i suppose you could call me catholic with a twist ( of paganism,buddhism,hinduism...) but i don't belong to any one religion, i feel after having looked at all religions non of them and all of them are the one.
you should check out Paulo Coelho's books, they have helped me immensly as I walk the path to light.
I was raised Baptist too. My thought is that God has lead me to my beliefs which according to Belief.Net I am a neo Pagan,Mahayana Buddhist, Universalist Unitarian. Works for me.
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