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What should I do in regards to my religious affiliation?

Swede01

Swede01

Member
I firmly oppose Catholic theology and Islamic theology and I am a member of the Church of Sweden but not active and I do not find Jesus as a g-d-like figure either although he did some good things. Based of previous studies I find myself the closest to Reform Judaism and the Seventh Day Adventist Church and Jeffersonian Christianity as I am a bit unclear about the existence of G-d right now but I am also open to believing as well.
 
Swede01

Swede01

Member
LuisDantas said:
It is ok to be unaffiliated.

Try to be at peace with your own stances (and to achieve clarity on what they are), then work from there.
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Yes but I wanna commit and it's super complex to convert to reform judaism or Seventh Day Adventist (I am closer to reform judaism)

Is it normal to like think of these things?
 
Swede01

Swede01

Member
Jayhawker Soule said:
Is your question theoretical or practical?

Put differently:
  • If there is a compelling reason to affiliate, what is it, and if there is no compelling reason, why pose the question?
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It's more of a practical one I would say bc I am kind of stuck in this current situation.
 
LuisDantas

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
Swede01 said:
Yes but I wanna commit and it's super complex to convert to reform judaism or Seventh Day Adventist (I am closer to reform judaism)

Is it normal to like think of these things?
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A few answers that make sense to me, but are not necessarily any good to you (each and every person has his or her own strengths, needs and desires):

1. Commitment is a negotiation between an individual person and a group or cause. One of its components is a carefully measured amount of humbleness (since odds are that we are not exactly what the group or cause requires of us), balanced with an equally carefully chosen amount of assertiveness (because the cause or group is not entitled to simply happen upon what serves it perfectly; for good or worse, we are and must be our own persons).

2. There are several conceivable reasons for pursuing commitment to a specific creed. It is not a given that you will have complete and clear understanding of your own, and it is not realistic to expect you to have such a privileged self-understanding.

But you should attempt to achieve the clearest and most honest understanding of your motivations and expectations anyway, if for no other reason because it will make your life easier and more rewarding.

3. There is merit in finding your heart's desire and commiting to it. There is merit in building it from scratch (or from your current situation). There is merit in acknowledging what already exists and deciding to take responsibility for it (with all the uncertainties and consequences that come with that).

There are many worthwhile paths, and odds are that you will have to choose among them at some point. That is ok.

4. "Normal" is quite over-rated. It is not normal to be a piano virtuoso or a chess world master. It is normal to catch a cold or to become bald.

As a rule, it is not worth the trouble to pursue normality. "Abnormality" (a very strong word for a very... usual situation) should not be avoided without a very clear reason.

Achieving acceptance and understanding is very worth the trouble, and being unusual can be a difficulty to be overcome in that pursuit.

But normality itself is not a worthy goal.
 
JustGeorge

JustGeorge

Imperfect
Staff member
Premium Member
Swede01 said:
Yes but I wanna commit and it's super complex to convert to reform judaism or Seventh Day Adventist (I am closer to reform judaism)

Is it normal to like think of these things?
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I think its worth examining first what elements of these religions calls to you. Those are two pretty different religions. What do you like about them?

I think for some its normal. In my time on RF, this is a fairly common situation I see. However, I seldom see people get over it. They just hop and hop, saying this time they've 'found the one'(religiously speaking). They commit to the religion for months, maybe even a year or two, and then they're off again.

I think some are just seekers in their heart. But society right now does not like seekers... They like things they can label and box. So, many people go to great pains to label and box themselves.
SalixIncendium said:
Too bad Paul Harvey isn't a member here.
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PureX said:
I used to really enjoy his commentary. They don't make 'em like that anymore.
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I don't remember much of his content, but I do remember that when I was around 7-8 years old, I set my alarm so I could wake up and listen to him.
 
loverofhumanity

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
Swede01 said:
I firmly oppose Catholic theology and Islamic theology and I am a member of the Church of Sweden but not active and I do not find Jesus as a g-d-like figure either although he did some good things. Based of previous studies I find myself the closest to Reform Judaism and the Seventh Day Adventist Church and Jeffersonian Christianity as I am a bit unclear about the existence of G-d right now but I am also open to believing as well.
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Nothing really. I was a Catholic as a child and loved Jesus very much. Then after adolescence I became atheistic. I was not interested in or attracted to any religion but really loved humanistic ideals and felt the need for a better world. Then I came across Baha’i and felt it had concepts and beliefs that could help humanity so I joined. That was 50 years ago. But the thing is, it was my journey all along. I only believed what my mind accepted not what other people said. I researched and I made my own discoveries.

This is basically how we Baha’is are taught to approach learning anything in life.

“He does not ask us to follow Him blindly.... God has endowed man with a mind to operate as a torchlight and guide him to the truth.

Know ye that God has created in man the power of reason, whereby man is enabled to investigate reality.

God has not intended man to imitate blindly his fathers and ancestors. He has endowed him with mind, or the faculty of reasoning, by the exercise of which he is to investigate and discover the truth, and that which he finds real and true he must accept. He must not be an imitator or blind follower of any soul. He must not rely implicitly upon the opinion of any man without investigation; nay, each soul must seek intelligently and independently, arriving at a real conclusion and bound only by that reality. The greatest cause of bereavement and disheartening in the world of humanity is ignorance.”


Bahá’u’lláh's Teachings on Spiritual Reality
 
Spice

Spice

StewardshipPeaceIntergityCommunityEquality
Make your commitment to God and go from there.

IMB, He is at the head of all religions, each being results of comprehension by man, none fully correct, none fully wrong. I've found connections in all that I've delved into learning about, but not a single one that is a perfect fit.

Socially it can be a position of discomfort, not being affiliated. Twice in a handful of days I've been asked what church I attend. But over the years of being Ominist, I've found that those who get to know me, even if very strongly religious, accept me just fine -- if we don't dig too deep in personal belief details.

As St. Frances said, “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.”

Living your faith doesn't require a label.
Namaste
 
LuisDantas

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
If you will take that commitment to God as a starting point (very much against my best advice), you should probably hold a very clear idea of what that God would be like first.

Otherwise, odds are that you will just confuse yourself.
 
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Swede01

Swede01

Member
JustGeorge said:
I think its worth examining first what elements of these religions calls to you. Those are two pretty different religions. What do you like about them?

I think for some its normal. In my time on RF, this is a fairly common situation I see. However, I seldom see people get over it. They just hop and hop, saying this time they've 'found the one'(religiously speaking). They commit to the religion for months, maybe even a year or two, and then they're off again.

I think some are just seekers in their heart. But society right now does not like seekers... They like things they can label and box. So, many people go to great pains to label and box themselves.



I don't remember much of his content, but I do remember that when I was around 7-8 years old, I set my alarm so I could wake up and listen to him.
Click to expand...
I find the social theology in Reform Judaism appealing and the theology in general appealing. The main thing I like about the Seventh Day Adventist church is the following of the Sabbath mostly.

I know for sure I'm quite a long bit away from both Catholic theology and Islamic theology as well.
 
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