Because I'm so damned censored.

KawaiiJennie

I too used to struggle with this. I found myself thinking: What is right? How can all these different variations of Christianity be right? I can tell pretty clearly that you have made up your mind. However, I just want to share my experience. While looking for something "more" than Christianity, I came across this:

www.mormon.org

It has changed my life. My views on Christianity. Take a look for yourself, even if only for the sake of curiosity. You are fully entitled to believe what you want. It saddens me that there are people so close to you who would treat you badly for your personal beliefs. I would just like to share that there is more out there

I wish you the best!

Do you really think that post was appropriate? Think about now...

graveflower316

I live in the West Coast of the U.S. and while there is less of an expectation that one needs to be Christian here, I know somewhat how you feel. My parents believe in god and heaven and I do not. I don't sit and get angry when people talk about their religion or anything like that. I just don't believe there is this defined god or heaven (even though the thought of dying and being completely rid of this world and all of those that I love frightens the hell out of me), I just can't force myself to believe we are anything else once we die. My mother has lost her parents and sister in the past few years and keeps going, knowing in her heart they're in heaven. I don't tell her otherwise and even though I don't believe it myself, I agree that they're in heaven when I'm with her (she knows I am an athiest and that I don't believe the same things she does). It's an odd way of living in an environment where my family is kind of religious and I am not, but it works for them.

Shellsmiley

Growing up, most of my family was MORMON and so I just went along with it and for a quite awhile believed in it.... but how can I believe in something without questioning it first? I asked myself what I thought were all the right questions and came up to the conclusion that my life would be no different if I believed/followed religious practices or not.

I was right -- for me there was no difference. Now I am just simply spiritual and I like it this way. I say we do all have to figure out our own beliefs and what we believe in. It's good to know yourself. Congrats for feeling yourself out. :bigsmile:

Shellsmiley

I too used to struggle with this. I found myself thinking: What is right? How can all these different variations of Christianity be right? I can tell pretty clearly that you have made up your mind. However, I just want to share my experience. While looking for something "more" than Christianity, I came across this:

www.mormon.org

It has changed my life. My views on Christianity. Take a look for yourself, even if only for the sake of curiosity. You are fully entitled to believe what you want. It saddens me that there are people so close to you who would treat you badly for your personal beliefs. I would just like to share that there is more out there

I wish you the best!

Also, to be honest here, Mormon is not far off from typical "Christian" views. SO, I don't see (in my mind being a former MORMON and all -- that it could have changed your life that much? I dunno, it just confuses me. LOL But like I said before, it's good to know yourself, glad you found something that works for you!! Much of my friends are still mormon and I still love them just the same as I did before!! :smooched:

gbbhey

Deist here. Nothing but respect for what you believe in, and that goes for anybody. I've had too many talks about this with folks that have tried to convert me to their 'right answer,' but my main beliefs boil down to this:

There is something out there. A force, but not a god that will judge us. This is the only life you have, so you better make it count. I believe in karma, and the only thing I took from the bible was the golden rule. You can either make the years you have your own heaven, or your own hell. Choose your path, and the universe will provide the rest for you.

Cheers,
Jared

brevislux

I was raised an atheist, but I can imagine all this can be really tough on you. I do wish it weren't such and issue and you could just be you. Hang in there. :-)

MellowGa

for those who believe in a god, but no formal religion, it is called Deism

http://moderndeism.com/

persephone87

There is something Ive been wanting to tell people for quite sometime now. I'm properly prepared for the backlash my statement will have especially living in the south (United States). There are a few reasons I cannot be open about what I am going to say here (in a bit..be patient) and I’ll explain why I cannot speak freely in my life after the statement. So basically, I need to get this off my chest and tell someone and MFP is about the safest place for me to do so. Here goes:

I am no longer a christian.
I have spend quite some time preparing to answer the question: What do you believe in, or how do you define yourself? So my response is; I am an Apathetic Agnostic. I do not judge anyone else for their beliefs and I hope for the same respect. This decision has come after YEARS of searching, belonging whole heartedly to a church and being raised in a christian environment.
Reasons I cannot express my beliefs to my family now:
`my dad is dying of liver disease and cancer and it would break his heart to hear that I don’t believe in ‘heaven’. I am too compassionate of a person to do that to him.
`My husband is still a Christian and while he respects my decision and loves me unconditionally regardless, his family would not react with the same love and respect (which in my opinion a real Christian should). So therefore, I choose not to be open about my beliefs with them to provide him with a piece of mind and sanity in having to deal with the back lash from them.
~seeing as these people are all on my facebook friends list, I can’t even post stuff there.
All that being said; I would like to breath a heavy sigh of relief!! So there it is…feels good to say it even if none of you care.
Thank you and goodnight!

This is why religion is a bad thing and I'm a happy atheist! I don't have to worry about pretending to believe in any crap (cos it is all bollocks) I just have proper things to deal with instead of spazzin out my family because I have the sense to think for myself.

geebusuk

Welcome to the god less heathens.

We have beer!

Rope_Jumper

All I wanted to do was dance at my prom...
Why can't I get Footloose?

Seriously though, I have my beliefs and they don't fit in any one definition of the religion. That's why they call it practicing religion, I'm not very good at it.

thebigcb

Hy, whatever makes you happy.

CassieReannan

I'm athiest. I believe something higher is out there (aliens, ect) but not a god.

Miss_dannii

I don't really know what I am, I don't really think there's a god or a heaven.. I used to think that surely when we die, we can't just end there, maybe souls do exist and people can still be together someday in some way, but I don't even know if I believe that anymore! So I don't put myself into a box, of atheism or anything else, I'll just say I don't know

EvgeniZyntx

for those who believe in a god, but no formal religion, it is called Deism

http://moderndeism.com/

... only for those that need that label. That site even has it's own commandments. I'll pass and say it does not fit my deist/animist/holist cosmological view.

To the OP, I hope you find the respect you deserve in your real life for the decisions you've made. It sounds like you have a good husband.

Hunt around, there are believers and non-believers of every thought and hue and you will be surprised by the places you will find the support you to be yourself and to think as you want without condemnation. Just as there is no need to wear a religion on a sleave, I hope you find no need to condemn the religion of others.

edit: spelling

Cinnamis

Artickb22, i completely understand your position, and how difficult and lonely it can be sometimes, just to be true to yourself.

Organized religion can have a profound impact on our closest relationships, and on the social fabric in general. Having a shared belief system can bind people together, in both positive and negative ways, and especially in families. So it is not easy when you realize that who you are as a person, may also include having a different outlook from the belief system that your loved ones have.

Depending on how devoutly religious a person might have been previously, it can be a genuinely painful and distressing journey to realize you can no longer support those beliefs anymore. For me, i had needed to grieve the loss of my faith (and the loss of the concept of religious faith in general), but i'm happy to say it also became the most freeing experience of my life.

Like you, i realized that i am agnostic -- although i don't disbelieve in the possibility that a deity or deities might exist, neither do i believe that 'He/She/They/It' absolutely does exist. What i DO believe is that truth requires reason, rather than faith. Accepting that 'i do not know if there is a God, and it is okay if i do not know' has brought me a very spiritual sense of peace and acceptance (as strange and ironic as that might seem to non-agnostic people). At the same time, i understand that some people may base their beliefs about truth and the concept of God upon faith (rather than reason), and i respect that as part of their own personal journey.

Also like you, i have family and friends who would experience distress, alarm, and worry if i were to make my viewpoint known to them. Their religion (like a number of religions) would tell them that i risk an eternity in torture because i do not accept that religion's beliefs and version of God. They might think they have somehow 'failed' me and blame themselves, or they may feel angry and rejected because i no longer share the belief system that has shaped how they view their lives.

i don't normally post comments, but i had seen some speculation that this thread might be banned, and so i just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that you're not alone in what you are going through. There are other people in this world who will understand your need to express how you feel, what you think, and who you are. i wish good luck to you (and your wonderfully supportive husband) in all the journeys your life might bring.

gkwatra

I believe in God, but I don't believe in organized religion. :P Since we're getting stuff off our chest, I needed to say that since the last time I tried to say it to someone close to me (who asked what I believed in) other than my SO, I was told never to say anything like that again!

With that said, I accept your beliefs. We can believe who we want. I'm not one to judge. If you're happy, I'm happy, too.


*Edited to clarify*

This. While I doubt that I will ever completely abandon my faith, I am much more open than I used to be. It is a personal choice you make and don't force someone else into making. This came about after quite a few disappointments and disallusions. Organized religion has caused so much division and many wars and deaths have been caused by it. Why? Just another way for humans to try to control one another. I don't go for that ... :noway: