Okay so I've researched almost every religion like a year ago because I was searching for one, but then I stopped because I couldn't decide on just one. Now I'm searching for my true religion again I have a few that pull on my heart that make my head say "pick me I'm the religion you want and need!" Haha but foreal I'm between like four without going into the different sects of each of the four. The four that really have stuck with me is Paganism, Wiccan, Hinduism, and Buddhism. I also am in love with Taoism but I feel its more of a philosophy than a religion. I guess what I'm asking here is how can I do more research on these four individual religions like its really hard finding reliable information online, but I don't have a library or anywhere where I could get books to read about them. So what would be the easiest way for me to do more research on these religions? Maybe if anyone here could give me a brief description of the four it'd be great and all their different sects and divisions like how there's many different sects in paganism such as asatru, etc. Thank you!
I want to share a little of what I learned. I will try and be brief. A lot of religions pull at my heart and brain. However, I found that learning about religions I like only reinforces that belief, practice, and study are separate. I've only studied three religions out of my life; because, I knew there was something more than study.
In my humble opinion, religion should be
your life. It should be your morals, beliefs, your practice (even if you don't practice all the time), and worldview. It should shape your decisions and how you live your life. That's a religion.
So, when you are searching for a religion, be mindful it isn't like finding the best clothes to wear for an evening event. It's your life.
With that said, I think maybe write down the morals and beliefs you already have. Take a sheet(s) of paper and draw two vertical lines to create three columns. Your first column is your beliefs/morals/values and what you do (interest/career/etc) on an everyday basis and what things you avoid.
The third column is your notes and the middle is the religions that match with your morals. So, instead of matching your morals with a religion, you match your religion with your morals. I say this because if we hold something of high priority, say family, and you find a religion that says "disregard your family" which will you choose?
In your notes, you can write what you learned about the beliefs you researched so far. I'd start off with your goals/morals/values/and priorities on the first column. Don't research anything until you got most your
priorities written. Then you know if your ancestors are most important to you, you don't need to go through the thousand Christian denominations that don't put their ancestors at high grounds as other religions whose foundations are grounded on ancestral veneration.
Another way to cut down on your research is do you believe in the supernatural? How do you define it? What is
your view of god(s)? How do you define The Buddha? and so forth.
Get a journal and throughout the day just think of things that you care most about. Are you spontaneous? Disciplined? These make the difference in if you want to say follow Buddhism which is based on discipline and practice or
some monotheism (not just Christianity) that are focused on beliefs and tenants.
Then, since you love studying, are you more pulled to the
ideas from religion or from the
practice? If you are intrigued by ideas, maybe going into mystical religions, Gnostic, or some parts of Mahayana Buddhism (I'm not familiar with Hinduism and "politically correct" views on Paganism).
How do you define worship? Do you value looking up, looking down, or looking at the same level of your idea, god(s), or person of your given faith?
That, and why do you need to pick only one faith? For me personally, I don't care for multiple faiths. Do you have a former faith? If so, what beliefs do you still hold on to and want to keep?
A lot of questions but they are mostly reflective and for your personal interest.
My advice is to write down your morals/values/priorities.
Do you value ideas over action? (For example, many new age beliefs value ideas while Paganism, Buddhism, and Hinduism focus on practice)
Do you believe in the supernatural? If so, how do you define it?
Do you believe in god(s)? How you define god(s)?
Put the books away for a minute and just meditate or reflect on what you already believe.
That, my last thought.
In my humble opinion, the religious beliefs that you read that in your head you hear "
but that's common sense" are the ones you may keep in mind not the ones that say "I like this. This is good". I love a lot of things about Catholicism but majority of it makes no common sense to me whatsoever. It's not my reality.
On the other hand, a lot of things in Buddhism is odd but I still find it common sense when I delve deeper beyond book level.
Also, how do you define religion? Do you want the religion to be your life or is it separate? That will also decern which religion that you may be comfortable with. Most are "this is our live" religions-the community ones. If you're a loner, the ballgame is yours.
