Christianity And Me

[connermt]

answer: It's all subjective

Finally - someone who could answer the question.

So would it be fair to say, being happy/unhappy in/without a religion is a personal choice?

 

[9Westy9]

Finally - someone who could answer the question.

So would it be fair to say, being happy/unhappy in/without a religion is a personal choice?

To an extent. I think that some people are happier with a religion whilst other are happier without. For some, leaving religion and gaining more freedom makes them happier whilst for others the hope/ security religion comes with makes them happier.

 

[connermt]

To an extent. I think that some people are happier with a religion whilst other are happier without. For some, leaving religion and gaining more freedom makes them happier whilst for others the hope/ security religion comes with makes them happier.

From my experience I would agree.
But shouldn't (what's deemed as a positive) religion make people more content and happy as a general rule, or no?
Or does it all depend on the person's....personality?

 

[9Westy9]

From my experience I would agree.
But shouldn't (what's deemed as a positive) religion make people more content and happy as a general rule, or no?
Or does it all depend on the person's....personality?

It should, but religion is usually restricting in some way

 

[connermt]

It should, but religion is usually restricting in some way

Good point. :yes:

 

[Apex]

Another one who can't answer the question.
Last chance to answer the question.

So more belittlement? How is anyone but yourself supposed to answer your OP? It is obvious you did not have the same experiences with religion that billions of other people have had. But there is no real way to know why from your short OP about how you felt repressed due to religion. And all to often threads like this are meant as nothing more than flame bait.

Those who are defensive must be feeding a need to protect something they think needs protecting (lack of faith).

Are you serious?

 

[connermt]

So more belittlement? How is anyone but yourself supposed to answer your OP? It is obvious you did not have the same experiences with religion that billions of other people have had. But there is no real way to know why from your short OP about how you felt repressed due to religion. And all to often threads like this are meant as nothing more than flame bait.

Are you serious?

If I wanted to belittle someone/thing, it would be quite obvious. So that's not what I'm doing here.
Beyond that, if you don't like the question/thread, you are more than free not to participate if you wish.

 

[Kathryn]

If I wanted to belittle someone/thing, it would be quite obvious. So that's not what I'm doing here.
Beyond that, if you don't like the question/thread, you are more than free not to participate if you wish.

But it IS obvious that you intend to belittle Christians and Christianity.

 

[punkdbass]

For decades I’ve been, as I see it now, shackled by christianity. Over the last decade I’ve been able to remove those shackles and life has been much better. Sure there are bad times, however, I never had to go to a book (that was written by men and edited by other men) as a source of strength. I’ve been able to rely on myself more, and an invisible deity that I’ve never seen less. I have been able to experience more of life (both good and bad) now that I’m not wearing the yoke of said religion. Things throughout history are more clear to me now than while I was enslaved. I have gained new friends, bonded better with my family and been able to accept myself more now. I don’t have to worry about an afterlife, ensuring I understand and follow the bible correctly. I don’t feel the need to be a light to my fellow man like I did before, but I do so when I want to. I don’t have to be on guard against evil nor run from it. I don’t have the need to have faith in any deity.
So what have I done wrong? This attitude flies in the face of many believers, so surely I’m doing something wrong, right? Yet my life is proportionally better than ever. So what am I doing wrong?
Discuss?

One of the main goals of life is to be happy, everyone want's to be happy. I believe that it is impossible to be happy if you simply live for yourself, simply based on my own experiences and from what I've seen in other people's lives, I truly believe it is impossible to be happy if you only live for yourself.

I believe that in order to be happy in life you have to live for a higher power.. which gives you two options:
1. Live for God
2. Live for humanity(as a whole)

So in your case, as long as you are a humanist I think your perfectly fine. That being said, I think for a lot of people it is easier to be happy living for God and humanity, than simply humanity alone. But hey, if as a humanist you can honestly tell yourself that your happy, then I don't think you necessarily need to pursue religion and spirituality.

Best of luck

 

[connermt]

But it IS obvious that you intend to belittle Christians and Christianity.

Those who are fearful, feel a need to defend their faith and have little/no faith would see it that way I suppose.
Christians (many of them here) have belittled their religion far better than I ever could. Thus there's no need for me to.

 

[connermt]

One of the main goals of life is to be happy, everyone want's to be happy. I believe that it is impossible to be happy if you simply live for yourself, simply based on my own experiences and from what I've seen in other people's lives, I truly believe it is impossible to be happy if you only live for yourself.

I believe that in order to be happy in life you have to live for a higher power.. which gives you two options:
1. Live for God
2. Live for humanity(as a whole)

So in your case, as long as you are a humanist I think your perfectly fine. That being said, I think for a lot of people it is easier to be happy living for God and humanity, than simply humanity alone. But hey, if as a humanist you can honestly tell yourself that your happy, then I don't think you necessarily need to pursue religion and spirituality.

Best of luck

Thanks for that. I too believe that much of "happiness" is with the individual, independent of outside influences.
But if you're not 'living for god', that doesn't mean you're only living for yourself, does it not?

 

[Kathryn]

Christians (many of them here) have belittled their religion far better than I ever could. Thus there's no need for me to.

They why do you feel a need to do so?

 

[Caladan]

For decades I’ve been, as I see it now, shackled by christianity. Over the last decade I’ve been able to remove those shackles and life has been much better. Sure there are bad times, however, I never had to go to a book (that was written by men and edited by other men) as a source of strength. I’ve been able to rely on myself more, and an invisible deity that I’ve never seen less. I have been able to experience more of life (both good and bad) now that I’m not wearing the yoke of said religion. Things throughout history are more clear to me now than while I was enslaved. I have gained new friends, bonded better with my family and been able to accept myself more now. I don’t have to worry about an afterlife, ensuring I understand and follow the bible correctly. I don’t feel the need to be a light to my fellow man like I did before, but I do so when I want to. I don’t have to be on guard against evil nor run from it. I don’t have the need to have faith in any deity.
So what have I done wrong? This attitude flies in the face of many believers, so surely I’m doing something wrong, right? Yet my life is proportionally better than ever. So what am I doing wrong?
Discuss?

I don't think you are doing anything wrong, freedom of the self is one of the most important things to achieve. many people do so outside religion or by removing dogma from their life alltogether.

 

[connermt]

They why do you feel a need to do so?

You're free to not post if you feel threatened.
Happy posting!

 

[Kathryn]

You're free to not post if you feel threatened.
Happy posting!

I don't feel threatened. I'm interacting - isn't that what we're supposed to do on this forum?

I am just wondering why you feel the need to undermine Christianity.

 

[connermt]

I don't think you are doing anything wrong, freedom of the self is one of the most important things to achieve. many people do so outside religion or by removing dogma from their life alltogether.

Thanks for the feedback. I don't believe I'm doing anything wrong either. However, many have disagreed. I wanted to know exactly what they think I'm doing wrong, since they disagreed. To date, I haven't heard anything of substance from them.

 

[Kathryn]

The only thing I've accused you of is having an anti-Christianity agenda that prods you to constantly post OPs with the intent of undermining Christians and their beliefs. Is this wrong or right? It's not wrong on this forum. Is it right though? That's too personal a judgment for me to make about your motives - more a question you could ask yourself, if you felt like it. Meanwhile, it's well within forum rules for me to express my own observations and opinions on your OPs and your motivation.

As for replies that have any "substance" to you - that's a matter of personal opinion. You may not acknowledge, recognize, or accept some of the views expressed, and in that sense they may not offer you any substance, but that doesn't negate any "substance" that others may find within the replies to your OP.

 

[connermt]

The only thing I've accused you of is having an anti-Christianity agenda that prods you to constantly post OPs with the intent of undermining Christians and their beliefs. Is this wrong or right? It's not wrong on this forum. Is it right though? That's too personal a judgment for me to make about your motives - more a question you could ask yourself, if you felt like it. Meanwhile, it's well within forum rules for me to express my own observations and opinions on your OPs and your motivation.

As for replies that have any "substance" to you - that's a matter of personal opinion. You may not acknowledge, recognize, or accept some of the views expressed, and in that sense they may not offer you any substance, but that doesn't negate any "substance" that others may find within the replies to your OP.

Thank you for your opinion. Happy posting!

 

[Kathryn]

Thank you for your opinion. Happy posting!

You're welcome and happy posting to you as well!

Carry on.

 

[Father Heathen]

I just don't get it. You're removing shackles and yet, here you are. If you want to learn from others, you could do that in lots of different ways. Why a religious forum? Why not a science forum?

This is a religious education forum. Leave him be.