How have your religious beliefs benefited you?

[Sgt. Pepper]

If you are religious, how have your religious beliefs benefited you?

If you aren't religious, then do you think that you're better off without having a religious belief in your life?

On the one hand, I believe that being a Christian was a terrible mistake on my part and I am much better off without it in my life. The pain and negativity I endured as a Christian finally led me to Wicca and then to polytheism, which has been a very positive experience for me. Since giving up my Christian faith and beginning to study Wicca, I have had a sincere sense of peace, joy, and fulfillment in my life. In fact, I find studying Wiccan beliefs and the many gods and goddesses to be really interesting, and I've felt a sense of comfort and independence following Wicca too. I don't feel pressured to worship a specific god or goddess, nor do I feel pressured to uphold moral standards at all times in order to appease a vindictive and jealous god. I don't fear any gods or goddesses, nor do I feel in any way intimidated by them. My decision to renounce my Christian beliefs and follow Wicca has actually changed my life for the better.

 

[JustGeorge]

I've started out this post several times now, and keep deleting and restarting...

I don't know where I'd be without my Gods. Nowhere good, for sure. My beliefs and gentle guidance from divinity has helped me turn a life that could be considered challenging into a divine comedy(because **** around here is funny, if only you can look at it that way). They help me see the divine in all, to help keep the beauty in the world when sometimes its too easy to see the ugly. They remind me that the Gods are in all, and encourage me to treat my surroundings as such.

 

[sun rise]

I have a life worth living and a goal worth pursuing.

 

[Link]

Personally, it's made madness bearable and navigation of insights possible even with a chaotic super fast mind.

It's given me a grounding when my mind is flying way too high and too creative, it needs grounding in truth. And so the Quran and Ahlulbayt (a) have made appreciate my creative mind and balanced it with grounding.

I think I would have long died without them. There came a time when I was very negatively engaged and highly suicidal. I definitely would not be advancing in university, not even second year student would be possible without them for me.

I remember the intercession of Mohammad (s) in my life, and he showed me all the dark forces and magic pulling me down, and way to combat it. Only then was I able to return to school and somewhat progress in my "material life".

As for spiritual benefits, meaning, and my relationship to God and unseen beauty, through Quran and Ahlulbayt (A), I'll keep that between God, his chosen and I.

 

[exchemist]

If you are religious, how have your religious beliefs benefited you?

If you aren't religious, then do you think that you're better off without having a religious belief in your life?

On the one hand, I believe that being a Christian was a terrible mistake on my part and I am much better off without it in my life. The pain and negativity I endured as a Christian finally led me to Wicca and then to polytheism, which has been a very positive experience for me. Since giving up my Christian faith and beginning to study Wicca, I have had a sincere sense of peace, joy, and fulfillment in my life. In fact, I find studying Wiccan beliefs and the many gods and goddesses to be really interesting, and I've felt a sense of comfort and independence following Wicca too. I don't feel pressured to worship a specific god or goddess, nor do I feel pressured to uphold moral standards at all times in order to appease a vindictive and jealous god. I don't fear any gods or goddesses, nor do I feel in any way intimidated by them. My decision to renounce my Christian beliefs and follow Wicca has actually changed my life for the better.

I'm not sure any beliefs as such have helped me, but I am sure that the practice of religion has helped a lot. It provides a chance to have a reset each week, to see life from a different perspective, to worry less about daily annoyances and to refocus on having good human relationships. Also I found the Latin sung mass (rather curiously) provided a sense of timeless serenity and continuity with humanity, present and past, which I found very helpful in the years when I was trying to come to terms with my wife's cancer.

 

[syo]

how have your religious beliefs benefited you?

They don't lie.

 

[paradox]

If you are religious, how have your religious beliefs benefited you?

If you aren't religious, then do you think that you're better off without having a religious belief in your life?

Religion made me ask a lot of questions, I feel like inside some never ending magic circle of questions that constantly pop out and what I do is investigate and research in attempt to answer them.
this led me to esoteric world and mysticism for which I always thought is nothing but royal BS while in fact it's extremely useful for investigation even though considered superstitious.

There is a point in investigative world which when reached you can no longer go back, only further, for this reason I feel trapped but my eyes are finally opened, wisdom is such a greatness.
I don't consider myself wise but I understand that one has to learn it hard because if gained by others for free it simply can't be understood, it's useless.

believe that being a Christian was a terrible mistake on my part and I am much better off without it in my life. The pain and negativity I endured as a Christian finally led me to Wicca and then to polytheism, which has been a very positive experience for me. Since giving up my Christian faith and beginning to study Wicca, I have had a sincere sense of peace, joy, and fulfillment in my life. In fact, I find studying Wiccan beliefs and the many gods and goddesses to be really interesting, and I've felt a sense of comfort and independence following Wicca too.

This is like going from one labyrinth into another but failing to get out of them.
Once you figure out how to get out of a labyrinth feel free to put a mage hat on your head

 

[Stonetree]

I don't see 'reason alone' ever being the only determining factor as to what we accept for our worldview or what Theist or Atheist system of beliefs we personally accept. I think the word 'heart' is as appropriate as any to describe what view we cling to.....Following your heart is the only way to your truth....It may change from one accepted belief or another. That doesn't matter. What we feel is the most comfortable place for our mind and heart to reside is absolutely acceptable to any God or Gods and even acceptable to any correct thinking Atheist.......Just my opinion.

 

[Clara Tea]

If you are religious, how have your religious beliefs benefited you?

If you aren't religious, then do you think that you're better off without having a religious belief in your life?

On the one hand, I believe that being a Christian was a terrible mistake on my part and I am much better off without it in my life. The pain and negativity I endured as a Christian finally led me to Wicca and then to polytheism, which has been a very positive experience for me. Since giving up my Christian faith and beginning to study Wicca, I have had a sincere sense of peace, joy, and fulfillment in my life. In fact, I find studying Wiccan beliefs and the many gods and goddesses to be really interesting, and I've felt a sense of comfort and independence following Wicca too. I don't feel pressured to worship a specific god or goddess, nor do I feel pressured to uphold moral standards at all times in order to appease a vindictive and jealous god. I don't fear any gods or goddesses, nor do I feel in any way intimidated by them. My decision to renounce my Christian beliefs and follow Wicca has actually changed my life for the better.

Made me superior to those not as humble as I.

 

[Clara Tea]

I don't see 'reason alone' ever being the only determining factor as to what we accept for our worldview or what Theist or Atheist system of beliefs we personally accept. I think the word 'heart' is as appropriate as any to describe what view we cling to.....Following your heart is the only way to your truth....It may change from one accepted belief or another. That doesn't matter. What we feel is the most comfortable place for our mind and heart to reside is absolutely acceptable to any God or Gods and even acceptable to any correct thinking Atheist.......Just my opinion.

Certainly acceptible in an asylum, where reality just gets in the way.

 

[Clara Tea]

Religion made me ask a lot of questions, I feel like inside some never ending magic circle of questions that constantly pop out and what I do is investigate and research in attempt to answer them.
this led me to esoteric world and mysticism for which I always thought is nothing but royal BS while in fact it's extremely useful for investigation even though considered superstitious.

There is a point in investigative world which when reached you can no longer go back, only further, for this reason I feel trapped but my eyes are finally opened, wisdom is such a greatness.
I don't consider myself wise but I understand that one has to learn it hard because if gained by others for free it simply can't be understood, it's useless.


This is like going from one labyrinth into another but failing to get out of them.
Once you figure out how to get out of a labyrinth feel free to put a mage hat on your head

Practice makes perfect. At first we make mistakes, then we practice those mistakes, and now I make mistakes perfectly.

 

[Clara Tea]

Religion made me ask a lot of questions, I feel like inside some never ending magic circle of questions that constantly pop out and what I do is investigate and research in attempt to answer them.
this led me to esoteric world and mysticism for which I always thought is nothing but royal BS while in fact it's extremely useful for investigation even though considered superstitious.

There is a point in investigative world which when reached you can no longer go back, only further, for this reason I feel trapped but my eyes are finally opened, wisdom is such a greatness.
I don't consider myself wise but I understand that one has to learn it hard because if gained by others for free it simply can't be understood, it's useless.


This is like going from one labyrinth into another but failing to get out of them.
Once you figure out how to get out of a labyrinth feel free to put a mage hat on your head

Never try to get all questions answered. Questions beget more questions (you will never win).

 

[Clara Tea]

They don't lie.

Mine religious beliefs don't lie (but they were lying to me when they told me that).

 

[SalixIncendium]

My religion actually has very little to do with belief and more to do with self inquiry.

That said, my religion has validated my experiences and has expanded my understanding of them.

 

[Stonetree]

My religion actually has very little to do with belief and more to do with self inquiry.

That said, my religion has validated my experiences and has expanded my understanding of them.

We may be describing similar experiences in different terms......I try to learn something new every day..of course, it's easier to add to an empty vessel....

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

If you aren't religious, then do you think that you're better off without having a religious belief in your life?

Absolutely.

I've watched well-meaning religious people support all kinds of intolerable cruelty just because they think it's what God wants.

I've also seen religious people tie themselves in knots trying to reconcile their belief in God's holy plan with a loved one's death from cancer. It gets even worse when they feel guilt and shame at their perfectly normal grief because they interpret their grief as lack of faith in God.

I've probably missed out on the social benefits of religion by not being part of a church or whatnot, but I think I've come out ahead in the deal by abstaining from religion, all things considered.

 

[Viker]

No more shame in who/what I am. A courage and self-possession that was not there before.

I get to explore myself, everything about me that resides in darkness and that which is present in the light. I am not judged for any of it. I am encouraged. I am not alone in my path.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I’d be dead by now if I hadn’t made the decision, 20 years ago, to turn my will and my life over to the care of a God of my understanding. But more than that, a life in which I failed to nourish the spirit as well as the mind and body, was only half a life.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I've also seen religious people tie themselves in knots trying to reconcile their belief in God's holy plan with a loved one's death from cancer. It gets even worse when they feel guilt and shame at their perfectly normal grief because they interpret their grief as lack of faith in God.

That's how I felt when I was a Christian.

During the years I was a Christian, I always tried to reconcile my belief that "God is love" and that he loves me with the horrific reality of my being abused at home and constantly bullied in school while I was growing up. To add insult to injury, I was harshly criticized and shamed by other Christians whenever I expressed my doubts about God's love, mercy, justice, or plan for my life. I was told that I didn't have faith in God and it was a sin to ever question him. A pastor once told me that I was a cursed soul and it was clear to him that God hated me and was punishing me for the sins of my biological parents. I was born out of wedlock, and that was a terrible sin in God's eyes. This same pastor would stand behind his pulpit during the Sunday morning service and tell the congregation that God loved them unconditionally and sent his son to die for their sins. However, during the church service, we were often asked to pray for people who were in critical condition, had recently passed away, or had suffered serious injuries in a terrible automobile accident or other terrible global tragedy. I remember sitting in the pew and thinking, "What have I done to cause God to hate me so much?"

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

No more shame in who/what I am. A courage and self-possession that was not there before.

I get to explore myself, everything about me that resides in darkness and that which is present in the light. I am not judged for any of it. I am encouraged. I am not alone in my path.

I used to feel such immense guilt and shame when I was a Christian. I was constantly worried about offending God or worried that I would lose my salvation if I sinned against God and then suddenly died without repentance. And to make life much harder for me, I constantly struggled with my connection to the spirit world. I knew that, as a Christian, it was considered to be a very bad thing and even sinful, and it was against what the Bible taught. However, I couldn't turn it off and ignore it for very long. It was an incredibly lonely existence because I knew better than to tell other Christians (or other people in general) that I sensed the presence of spirits and was capable of seeing, hearing, and interacting with them. I would make myself physically ill trying to ignore it. But that began to gradually change for me after I met my husband. I didn't tell him until after we were married because I was really worried about what he would think of me, but as a credit to his good character, he believed me and he didn't think I was unhinged. To cut a long story short, I no longer feel shame and guilt about sinning against God, nor do I feel ashamed about my connection with the spirit world.