I give up on religion.

[ScottySatan]

I think you were in a trap of being young, therefore too eager to define yourself, therefore applying labels to yourself. I think you should dissociate yourself from a label and just do the reading you were going to do regardless.

Such a misunderstood phrase: to me this is the real meaning behind the LaVeyan saying "born, not made". You will be the thing that you are, with practice or by default, whether you like it or not. You might not know what that thing is yet, but that doesn't matter.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

That is great news, Saint Frankie, as now you are ready for the real deal. Religion is for those who don't want to do the heavy lifting themselves.

And I would recommend some deep atheist thinkers like Camus to help with the heavy lifting, especially The Myth of Sisyphus and The Rebel. Camus always makes me happy.

 

[steeltoes]

Me too. Find your own way towards God, you don't need a religion to tell you where to go. Move towards God and you will find that God was moving towards you in the first place.

I don't know, but that sounds kind of creepy to me, maybe because I envision God to be some invisible man with a long grey beard.

 

[oldbadger]

....................... My life is mostly crap.................

I so enjoy reading your posts.
I'm always happy to see your avatar.
You are too valuable to leave here, (if that's what you were thinking of doing).
I am most sad to read about your unhappiness.
You are extremely lucky that you don't live just round the corner from me, or I would insist that you come round and drink my truly dreadful tea, with stale muffins.
I don't have any answers........ can only say that I enjoy your writing and your mindset very much.

 

[Farrukh]

some of the symbolism but that's about all it's been for me in a long time. My spiritual life is dead.

try a better religion.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I'm not leaving. Truthfully, what's making me unhappy probably isn't really religion/spirituality, but my severe depression and life circumstances. I would feel the same no matter what my beliefs at the moment are. Plus, depression makes being spiritual very hard as it is. I'm just having a rough time right now.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Saint_Frankenstein,

I'm just having a rough time right now.

What was trying to point is that its all about your 'self'.
You are experiencing 'rough' time.
Now simply detach from that 'roughness' . Its rough but its not your 'self' experiencing it.
The self is watching that rough and the fine, the ups and the downs but is neither up or down, neither rough or fine. The BEing is right in the middle.
Just BE! and watch the tide tide over!

Love & rgds

 

[Desert Snake]

And I would recommend some deep atheist thinkers like Camus to help with the heavy lifting, especially The Myth of Sisyphus and The Rebel. Camus always makes me happy.

Uhhhh...not sure how atheism got into the subject, but o.k.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Friend Saint_Frankenstein,


What was trying to point is that its all about your 'self'.
You are experiencing 'rough' time.
Now simply detach from that 'roughness' . Its rough but its not your 'self' experiencing it.
The self is watching that rough and the fine, the ups and the downs but is neither up or down, neither rough or fine. The BEing is right in the middle.
Just BE! and watch the tide tide over!

Love & rgds

In other words, you're saying that the Self is just an observer, correct?

 

[zenzero]

Friend Saint_Frankenstein,

Yes, The real 'self' is not the mind/ego.It is what one really IS. That which IS in everything and everywhere including this body-mind.
When one goes through ups and downs we say that God is watching but doing nothing. Where is he watching from?
Its there sitting and once we understand that we are nothing but its all God then the ups and downs will come and go and leave the self unaffected.

Such is the understanding from life!

Love & rgds

 

[Sabour]

It's too frustrating and it's not really doing anything for me. My life doesn't really change one way or the other. I don't "feel" any gods or even practice anything spiritual, anyway. My life is mostly crap and I live in a dump in a neighborhood I hate. I have zero social life and really only get out to go to a movie sometimes or to doctor's appointments. Otherwise, I pretty much never leave my apartment or interact with others, except for my mom. So why should I even bother with religion at all? It hasn't helped me. It has never really helped me. I have been Catholic, Satanist, Luciferian, Pagan, pantheist, etc. The most I've gotten from it is "nice" feelings. I feel no hope, comfort or anything. I like some of the symbolism but that's about all it's been for me in a long time. My spiritual life is dead.

I think you should approach things differently

 

[Tumah]

I don't really understand why you needed religion to begin with. I can understand if it would be coming from some deeply held spiritual belief that something is out there and you want to get into some form of communion with it. But that doesn't seem to be the case for you.

Why don't you try some Zen or something that might be geared more towards self-enlightenment without the religious trappings?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Thanks, everyone. I was just having a really bad night. I have severe depression and I get like that sometimes. Don't mind me. I'll be okay.

 

[Desert Snake]

I don't really understand why you needed religion to begin with. I can understand if it would be coming from some deeply held spiritual belief that something is out there and you want to get into some form of communion with it. But that doesn't seem to be the case for you.

Why don't you try some Zen or something that might be geared more towards self-enlightenment without the religious trappings?

I can't speak for him, but I think some people need religion. or they need to learn about religion.

 

[LuisDantas]

Needing to learn about religion is certainly advisable, since after all it is such a major influence in so many practical fields.

 

[Sabour]

Thanks, everyone. I was just having a really bad night. I have severe depression and I get like that sometimes. Don't mind me. I'll be okay.

I hope you will

 

[Sabour]

I can't speak for him, but I think some people need religion. or they need to learn about religion.

I know that wasn't directed to me, but in that regard, I think random checking on religions would be a waste of time.

I think people should lay down the fundamentals they have in mind first.

 

[Quintessence]

I'm not leaving. Truthfully, what's making me unhappy probably isn't really religion/spirituality, but my severe depression and life circumstances. I would feel the same no matter what my beliefs at the moment are. Plus, depression makes being spiritual very hard as it is. I'm just having a rough time right now.

Sometimes being spiritual/religious hides in plain sight. I think the best thing for you to do currently may be to find something that energizes you and connects for you, then focus on that for now (or pick on something that did it in the past, because it might be a good anchor again right now). Whatever that is can be part of your future religious framework if you choose later. Sometimes it's small things, it doesn't have to be big things.

 

[kashmir]

Our minds are a powerful thing. science still has yet to unlock all of its secrets.
Consider that many believe that Jesus never rose from the dead and they label it mass hallucinations.
Consider Buddhism, they claim to be truly free and at peace, the same could be said for many Muslims, Christians, Atheists...
It's so much the doctrines or lack of behind it all as it is the minds ability to find peace.
Just as everything else in this world, we have to find peace with ourselves.

In my situation, I found that dropping all of mans dogma, was the best path I could take.
I do not lead, nor do I follow, I am me.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Thanks, everyone. I was just having a really bad night. I have severe depression and I get like that sometimes. Don't mind me. I'll be okay.

Good. You realise that. It comes and goes. Gets better, gets worse.

Best wishes.