Looking for a way to god

[lostdandelion]

Hi,

I'm unsure about religion and really look for some guidance.

I believe in "a God" but also in science and am looking for a way to combine the two. I currently answer that I'm not religious, if asked but I don't feel like that is true.

I can't believe in the bible but I really believe in the underlying principles and ethical guidelines. I do believe in Jesus being a great teacher and healer but I can't believe in literal resurrection.

Can someone here provide me with some help as where to start and what to do?

Also, I have the problem, that my husband is a strict non-believer thinking that religious believes are weird and ridiculous, so this is not easy.

Thank you!

lostdandelion

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Shalom and welcome.

 

[Tumah]

I think its better not to ruin your relationship with your husband. Take a few minutes a day to commune with whatever it is you believe in, in whatever way you feel you should be doing so and don't spend so much time the rest of the day worrying about it. Your relationship with your husband is important and if its a god worth believing in, then he will understand that you are doing your best under the circumstances to maintain peace.

 

[lostdandelion]

I think its better not to ruin your relationship with your husband. Take a few minutes a day to commune with whatever it is you believe in, in whatever way you feel you should be doing so and don't spend so much time the rest of the day worrying about it. Your relationship with your husband is important and if its a god worth believing in, then he will understand that you are doing your best under the circumstances to maintain peace.

I don't think hiding my beliefs is a good way to start. I mean isn't honesty a base principle.

I would rather say that if my husband is worth it, he would understand.

 

[Kirran]

Firstly, hello and welcome.

Don't try to force yourself into believing things, believe what comes naturally to you.

Look into the spiritual issues that interest you, or trouble you. There's not necessarily any need to choose an organised religion either, you can just establish what you believe in yourself, and leave it there.

Organised religions can be nice though, if you like them.

Is God personal for you? Need God be personal? This means, does/need God have desires, preferences, thoughts? A good starting question, I think.

 

[Tumah]

I don't think hiding my beliefs is a good way to start. I mean isn't honesty a base principle.

I would rather say that if my husband is worth it, he would understand.

I'm not saying to hide it, but to limit it.

If its something he feels very strongly about (as you seemed to indicate), I think it would be better not to put it in his face.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I don't think hiding my beliefs is a good way to start.

That was not the sense I got from Tuma's remarks.

It seems to me that the question with regards to you and your husband is not whether there is a God, but whether there is mutual respect.

 

[lostdandelion]

Firstly, hello and welcome.

Don't try to force yourself into believing things, believe what comes naturally to you.

Organised religions can be nice though, if you like them.

Is God personal for you? Need God be personal? This means, does/need God have desires, preferences, thoughts? A good starting question, I think.

I am not, I definitely do believe in God and Jesus, just not in the bible word by word. I would love to find an organized church that "fits my needs" to belong to. From looking through different denominations it looks like it's between Presby and Methodist but there seem to be all levels of christianity in both those.

I'm not saying to hide it, but to limit it.

If its something he feels very strongly about (as you seemed to indicate), I think it would be better not to put it in his face.

I would never try and force him to share my believes or even understand him but I feel like it's important to me to be Christian in an organized church. I don't have to make going to church a priority over other activities but I would love a community that shares my faith, if that makes sense.


But he's against even the slightest versions of religion and is very open about that which is a thing we often argue about, even with me not telling him, that I'm religious.

 

[lostdandelion]

Also, I'm sorry if I misunderstood your post Tumah. I am sorry about that. I just deleted my profile in another forum that was so unfriendly and unwelcoming and it seems like some of that lingered in the back of my mind. I apologize!

 

[Tumah]

I am not, I definitely do believe in God and Jesus, just not in the bible word by word. I would love to find an organized church that "fits my needs" to belong to. From looking through different denominations it looks like it's between Presby and Methodist but there seem to be all levels of christianity in both those.

I'm sure there are some Christians here who would know more about that.

I would never try and force him to share my believes or even understand him but I feel like it's important to me to be Christian in an organized church. I don't have to make going to church a priority over other activities but I would love a community that shares my faith, if that makes sense.


But he's against even the slightest versions of religion and is very open about that which is a thing we often argue about, even with me not telling him, that I'm religious.

Well, I guess weighing the importance and form of your religious expression versus your relationship with your husband is a calculation that only you can make.

 

[lostdandelion]

Well, I guess weighing the importance and form of your religious expression versus your relationship with your husband is a calculation that only you can make.

Our marriage is not solid and was a courthouse wedding started for the wrong reasons. We're trying to work it out but I learned that I have to take my own beliefs and needs into consideration, too. But that's a whole different story.

 

[lovemuffin]

lostdandelion: given your descriptions, you might want to find something like a unitarian universalist congregation to visit and talk to people. I could imagine it being something you might enjoy.

How important is the aesthetic element of Christianity to you? Or the idea of personal growth in the sense of the attributes called fruit of the spirit in the N.T. (kindness, gentleness, humility, love, etc)? Are you mainly focused on the idea of Jesus as a teacher of ethics in interpersonal relating?

The reason I ask is because it might help people to understand what sort of engagement with the churches that are out there would appeal to you. I personally do believe in a physical resurrection, and by the sounds of it probably have a perspective that includes elements you would reject, but if the aesthetic element matters a lot, and the idea of growing in those sorts of virtues, I might suggest you at least attend one eastern orthodox service, if only because it's an experience most Christians in the west haven't had, are unfamiliar with, and in my opinion is profoundly beautiful. But if those elements aren't important to you, you probably wouldn't resonate with it.

If you are drawn more towards the purely ethical in a demythologized way, you might read on Deism or check out a more liberal mainline protestant congregation, which may have more members with similar views to your own.

 

[lostdandelion]

Thank you for the great overview!

What exactly do you mean by "aesthetic elements". Sorry, I moved here from Europe and didn't have any contact with churches here yet. My grandma was a strict catholic, my parents agnostics.

I think it's okay if there are some elements I don't believe in, as long as they're not strict and close-minded about that.

Protestant definitely looks like the way to go. I'll look into some different versions of it. Thank you!

 

[lovemuffin]

By aesthetic I mean like the beauty of services, music, prayer, ritual, that sort of thing. The symbolic elements of worship

 

[lostdandelion]

By aesthetic I mean like the beauty of services, music, prayer, ritual, that sort of thing. The symbolic elements of worship

Prayer is important to me and I think services are great but the rituals like communion etc. are not important to me.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Silence and complatation goes well with your private thoughts and can lead to a sense of direction by which you can take.

Sometimes lighting a candle when alone can offer the introspection and spirituality you seek as well as direction.

Have a talk with the universe.

 

[Marisa]

I don't think hiding my beliefs is a good way to start. I mean isn't honesty a base principle.

I would rather say that if my husband is worth it, he would understand.

That's very true. How important is this religious belief to you? I honestly think the onky way for you to find your way to anything is to define what it is you want and then you should be able to find the path to that more easily.

 

[lostdandelion]

That's very true. How important is this religious belief to you? I honestly think the onky way for you to find your way to anything is to define what it is you want and then you should be able to find the path to that more easily.

It's important to me and I've been trying to deny it for far too long to ignore it any longer

 

[DawudTalut]

Hi,

I'm unsure about religion and really look for some guidance.

I believe in "a God" but also in science and am looking for a way to combine the two. I currently answer that I'm not religious, if asked but I don't feel like that is true.

I can't believe in the bible but I really believe in the underlying principles and ethical guidelines. I do believe in Jesus being a great teacher and healer but I can't believe in literal resurrection.

Can someone here provide me with some help as where to start and what to do?

Also, I have the problem, that my husband is a strict non-believer thinking that religious believes are weird and ridiculous, so this is not easy.

Thank you!

lostdandelion

Peace be on you.
As one understands, you need religion and science, Jesus, no literal resurrection, ethics......
The best place is Ahmadiyya Muslims (alislam.org) who believe no contradiction in religion and science, Jesus was not raised physically, he migrated and did his work successfully in Kashmir for long age, Jesus metaphorically has come again for revival of faith, best ethics are present in Quran with essential teaching of Jesus saved and other Prophets too and new teaching too. Welcome to various sections in site mentioned above and here in RF [Ahmadiyya Dir].

 

[Bunyip]

Hi,

I'm unsure about religion and really look for some guidance.

I believe in "a God" but also in science and am looking for a way to combine the two. I currently answer that I'm not religious, if asked but I don't feel like that is true.

I can't believe in the bible but I really believe in the underlying principles and ethical guidelines. I do believe in Jesus being a great teacher and healer but I can't believe in literal resurrection.

Can someone here provide me with some help as where to start and what to do?

Also, I have the problem, that my husband is a strict non-believer thinking that religious believes are weird and ridiculous, so this is not easy.

Thank you!

lostdandelion

Sounds to me like you hold the position of being an agnostic Christian, one who places more significance on the principles and ethics of scripture than on the validity of it's supernatural claims.
Strikes me a a sound position, your husband needs to be more tolerant.