NeoTribalism
Member
My apologies advance - this might be bit of a ramble as I'm trying to feel around and get some kind of point of my beliefs.
I've always leaned towards the Panentheistic spectrum of my beliefs, but I feel as if there is more (or less?) to it.
I was born and raised Catholic, although I learned very little about Catholicism as a whole. I basically went because my family did and I thought it was the good thing to do. Just going through the motions. That all faded away when I hit my later teens and moved out on my own. It became too hard for me to blindly follow rules of a god that has had its word perverted and twisted by man for the purposes of control, greed, and power.
Now, I just turned 30 a few months ago, been married for a few years and recently been thinking of religion and my beliefs again. I managed to find this forum, which has been an amazing and eye-opening experience. Almost a little overwhelming at times, with all the information, haha.
Even though I may feel like I'm more of a panentheist, I still can't shake this feeling that there is some higher power that really does play a direct role in life.
I don't know if this sounds petty or not; But I think for me, it ultimately comes down to a sense of evil being punished and good being rewarded in the end - a punishment/reward system. I find it so hard to convince myself that people who murder, rape, or cause genocide can just die, be cast off into nothingness, and have their energy recycled into another form without any sort of repercussions.
I like to believe those who are "good" and generally aren't a huge @$%hole throughout life get some kind of reward in the end. Not that you have to live a squeaky-clean, pious life; But, you know - do the easy stuff - don't murder, rape, or steal.
I do realize that doesn't fit in with panentheistic belief systems, but I'm kinda torn.
Has anyone had similar conflicting feelings? The same ones?
Looking for some kind of advice.
I've always leaned towards the Panentheistic spectrum of my beliefs, but I feel as if there is more (or less?) to it.
I was born and raised Catholic, although I learned very little about Catholicism as a whole. I basically went because my family did and I thought it was the good thing to do. Just going through the motions. That all faded away when I hit my later teens and moved out on my own. It became too hard for me to blindly follow rules of a god that has had its word perverted and twisted by man for the purposes of control, greed, and power.
Now, I just turned 30 a few months ago, been married for a few years and recently been thinking of religion and my beliefs again. I managed to find this forum, which has been an amazing and eye-opening experience. Almost a little overwhelming at times, with all the information, haha.
Even though I may feel like I'm more of a panentheist, I still can't shake this feeling that there is some higher power that really does play a direct role in life.
I don't know if this sounds petty or not; But I think for me, it ultimately comes down to a sense of evil being punished and good being rewarded in the end - a punishment/reward system. I find it so hard to convince myself that people who murder, rape, or cause genocide can just die, be cast off into nothingness, and have their energy recycled into another form without any sort of repercussions.
I like to believe those who are "good" and generally aren't a huge @$%hole throughout life get some kind of reward in the end. Not that you have to live a squeaky-clean, pious life; But, you know - do the easy stuff - don't murder, rape, or steal.
I do realize that doesn't fit in with panentheistic belief systems, but I'm kinda torn.
Has anyone had similar conflicting feelings? The same ones?
Looking for some kind of advice.