How did YOU find your God, belief or religion?
I believe that it comes from "brain washing" by parents, the influence of an older person or just to be associated with a group of some kind.
I await to be corrected.
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- Friday, 03. Jul, 2009 @ 08:05:03
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stmss
- http://hopechild1.blog.co.uk
- Friday, 03. Jul, 2009 @ 09:51:07
Wow,what a great quote thank you.
Please feel free to join us or drop in and comment any time-we can learn a lot from each other. -
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Xylophone
- Thursday, 09. Jul, 2009 @ 00:12:32
Why?
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tylluanpenry
- Friday, 03. Jul, 2009 @ 09:01:48
I didn't find my gods. They found me. I came from a family of witches on my mother's side, and my father was an experienced occultist, but in those days that was something that was very much hidden, even within the family. (You have to remember that the witchcraft act was only taken off the statute book in the early 1950's, and there were convictions under it in the 1940's).
In those days you attended Scripture lessons in school, school assemblies, carol concerts and there was no opting out of anything. You just kept your head down.
But when I was young I remember sitting on a hillside, doing nothing in particular and hearing this voice talking to me...and that was the start really, although it was a long, sometimes difficult journey.
I've found that at various times, different deities will reach out for me, as each has something different to teach.
Unlike some other religions, paganism doesn't demand you believe certain things. Faith is all about possibilities.
As for parents indoctrinating children... my own children have followed a variety of beliefs and none. And that's exactly the way it should be. As a parent, I can tell them what I believe (if they ask me) but I cannot tell them what they should believe.
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stmss
- http://hopechild1.blog.co.uk
- Friday, 03. Jul, 2009 @ 10:00:04
How interesting Ty. Were you attracted at all to the Christianity that was taught in school? Did you rebel against your background by having a phase of conformity?
It's fascinating how many people have had spiritual happenings when younger;it's hard though because no one is open about things.Even now when we no longer hang spiritualists or burn witches I find many people have a formal relationship with religion rather than a spiritual connection.-
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tylluanpenry
- Monday, 06. Jul, 2009 @ 18:32:22
Religion in school didn't interest me at all. I've been to church of course, because most people of my generation either were baptised (I wasn't) married or buried there, but it wasn't something that 'spoke' to me.
And my family weren't exactly the sort of people you wanted to be in a church with.... outspoken, loud and always ready to tell you what they thought!
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DominicGee
- Friday, 03. Jul, 2009 @ 10:35:30
How did you come to dress like you do? How did you come by your political views? Why do you support the team that you do? Social conditioning? Brain washing? Or is there inherent reason, logic or, dare I say VALUE to the life-choices you make?
As you can see from the above answers, sometimes 'god' is a figmant or faculty of the mind, sometimes it is felt more tangibley. I suppose the root of it is a desire to believe if it is made free of choice. That is not to say that it is not true. I want to believe in gravity, in the truth of science and the notion that human beings can come to learn most things about the universe we live in. Does that make it false? Of course not, yet there is no proof of this. Science is only proven by science, so saying "a triangle is a three sided shape" is no more substantial than saying "God's proof is the existence of the world".
Having said all that, my belief in the existence of God is not the most important part of my "faith". I am not interested much in ontology and epistemology in this sense. My 'desire to believe' comes from the sincere belief that to conceive of something higher than ourselves is healthy to one's personality and society.
For some people this might manifest itself in a kind of humanism, socialism (or other political ideology such as democracy), hedonism or theism.
The latter examples are firmly grounded in humanity and are very much human constructs about the lives we live. They are seen as achievable and manipulable and impersonal. They involve everyone participating and seeing the same vision.
Theism (in my sense) is a personal insight that although is still a human construct idealises those things which are NOT achieveable such as a perfectly Good life, the ability to resist temptation and having only positive effects on people we interact with.
A personal struggle for perfection has several symptoms which the other ideologies take as a the primary motive, such as altruism, selflessness and socialism (in its truist sense). Because they are the primary motive and impersonal they are forced upon us by others.
My belief gives birth to altruism stemming from a desire to be perfect, rather than to make others perfect.
I suppose that then, could be the root of my 'belief'. However, this is the first time I have written this out like this, so I may end up changing my mind, but hopefully it's sort of clear.-
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DominicGee
- Friday, 03. Jul, 2009 @ 10:37:39
Sorry, when I said "latter examples" I meant "former" (all those listed except theism).
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Xylophone
- Thursday, 09. Jul, 2009 @ 00:15:53
No need to apologise or correct yourself Dominic because no one made it past the 2nd sentence.
Try to go for more 'punch' next time -
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stmss
- http://hopechild1.blog.co.uk
- Sunday, 05. Jul, 2009 @ 12:41:17
I enjoyed reading your insightful comments. One thing jumped out at me were the comments about your search for perfection.
It struck me because many religions stress the opposite (e.g.humility in Christianity,detachment in Bhuddism.)-
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DominicGee
- Monday, 06. Jul, 2009 @ 11:00:44
Humility can be regarded as a perfect.
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reccura
- http://reccurahimura.blog.co.uk
- Friday, 03. Jul, 2009 @ 10:58:49
I don't think it's a form of brainwashing, unless it's done on purpose. And parents want the best for their children and teach what they think is correct, at that perspective, I really don;t see it as brainwashing.
I was first a Catholic when I was born, as my parents were, then I was Christian, then born-again Christian, and then we transferred to Iglesia ni Cristo, and now are Christians-- I don't think I'd change my religion. It takes a while to see whether you're loving the true God, to find, to feel, to see.
I never really had a serious relationship with Him til this year, where I worship him with my heart. It's quite a long story, but deep inside I knew I was on the right track, the right religion for me.-
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avenscent
- Friday, 03. Jul, 2009 @ 12:31:18
I believe i found god, but it didnt happen over night i went through an awful lot of loss and pain before i found a joy like nothing i had ever known before, it didnt last, but the memory did and always will. I am a born again christian like recurra.
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wordwalker
- Friday, 03. Jul, 2009 @ 21:34:17
Children believe in God because it is natural. He is strength , love, care and wisdom. Natural qualities to which any child will heartily believe.
It is only when ones grows that one truly believes through mind and soul.
I reached a stage where I started to think. I questioned God, his existence and my religion.
But finally, in the end, I found him. He was where I was as a child, and so I ran to hold onto him. And this time, I held on with my mind, my heart, my soul and my entire being.
Because finally I truly did believe.
Finding God is a different experience for each person, but I can say that to me, there is nothing sweeter in this world than finding him and holding on. -
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miraclebahai
- http://www.oraeav.wordpress.com
- Saturday, 04. Jul, 2009 @ 08:05:10
I love hearing of you speak of God.
My heart's window opens with each sweet syllable.
It matters not at all what words you choose.
What way you found to follow Him,
or what way found you.
Even your refusal to follow any path at all
tells of your soul's unexampled quest
for what is True.
One day,
Essence meets accident and the other world
leaks into this one.
Then you can't quite say what you have seen.
You call it God or you can it Something Else.
It does not matter what you call it-
-you know.
My own footsteps are only firmly set on this most ephemeral road...the footprints behind me constantly disappearing, the road itself, behind me, now gone.
I call myself "Baha'i", but that word can't say
what my soul is like...what Communion is.
I do not know what happens next.
How did I find my God?
Maybe a better question for me would be,
How will I find my God next?
I never know how or why it happens,
Or what will herald His arrival.
One thing seems likely...
I will probably be quite surprised by
How the Great One will visit me next.
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- http://www.timwade.wordpress.com
- Saturday, 04. Jul, 2009 @ 11:56:53
I was born and raised in a Christian home. My dad's parents were missionaries with the Southern Baptist Home Missions Board (now North American Mission Board). It seemed only natural that I too be a Christian, so at age 7 I recognized myself as someone in need of a Savior and asked Jesus into my life.
However, twelve years later, it became apparent to me that I knew nothing of my faith and that all I believed had been based on the beliefs of my parents and grandparents. So I declared myself an agnostic and began to live the life of a pagan. It did not take long to realize that Jesus was and is Lord. I encountered demons, and in general a presence of evil that as a war erupted in my spirit and in the world around me. I cried out to God and repented of walking away.
Some people can ignore the spiritual side of their humanity and live without God. Some people can suppress the longing for a deep and intimate relationship with their Creator. Some people can even live life on their terms apart from any standard of morality love for their fellow man. I am NOT that person.
My relationship with God is real, and a daily occurrence. The Bible, the Word of God is alive. If you have ever picked it up and felt the word leap off the pages and into your heart you know what I mean. Pagans and atheists do not know this reality, that feeling where the Holy Spirit of God speak to the heart of man and illuminates him understanding. But having lived in the presence of God and fellowshipped with Him, I know and I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. I tried other religions. Only when I stopped playing games and took the Bible at face value did I come to realize that Truth behind my Christian faith. -
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Julaybib
- Saturday, 04. Jul, 2009 @ 14:31:17
Check out Lewis Rambo on conversion (he is one of the biggies in researching religious conversion):
http://www.religiousfreedom.com/conference/Germany/rambo.htm
Personally, I think conversion stories are often performative, which function as identity markers (I belong here now, is this is the story explaining why), although they may be other things, too.-
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stmss
- http://hopechild1.blog.co.uk
- Sunday, 05. Jul, 2009 @ 12:44:03
We would love you to do a group post on this aspect of identity.
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ChurchwithoutWalls
- http://churchwithoutwalls.blog.co.uk
- Monday, 06. Jul, 2009 @ 11:01:08
nice to see a new face.are you a convert?
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ChurchwithoutWalls
- http://churchwithoutwalls.blog.co.uk
- Monday, 06. Jul, 2009 @ 11:00:13
why do you use the word "brainwashing"?if your parents taught you how to use a knife and fork would you say they'd "brainwashed" you? my parents had no faith ,no religion and just worked,socialised and had a family.i was born with a question mark in my mouth and couldn't understand why they had no feeling for the marvellous world around them.they were content to live their lives trudging one foot after the other,but not me.i am thirsty for knowledge,for education,for love of others.if you open your eyes from the daily trudge,God is waiting patiently.
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Julaybib
- Monday, 06. Jul, 2009 @ 19:30:00
My own 'conversion' story, which was originally published on Muslim Wake Yp, is now available on my website:
http://www.bayyinat.org.uk/whiteww.htm
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stmss
- http://hopechild1.blog.co.uk
- Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 07:02:32
I will go & have a look at it-thank you for the link
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stmss
- http://hopechild1.blog.co.uk
- Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 07:46:45
I've just read your story and recommend that everyone has a look;it's a very good read.
Thanks once again for posting the link. -
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stmss
- http://hopechild1.blog.co.uk
- Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 07:54:17
In my family, it was seen as distinctly uncool to want to have anything to do with religion & I think I still carry that feeling round with me today.
I didn't go looking for God;he came looking for me.Perhaps that is why I have so much sympathy for people who have no faith or are unsure whether there is anything in this God business. -
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Julaybib
- Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 08:44:34
I took the name "Yunus" when I converted - Arabic for Jonah - a man reluctant to do what God wanted of him, but eventually realised escape was impossible!
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stmss
- http://hopechild1.blog.co.uk
- Tuesday, 07. Jul, 2009 @ 10:29:38
I didn't know Yunus was Arabic for Jonah-he's definitely a man after my own heart.I've found myself in the equivalent of the whale's belly many times
I usually dub myself the Prodigal daughter to show my reluctance! Although I was impressed that you say in your story that once decided,you did it the very next day. Way too scary. -
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Now THERE's a big question (and a LONG story). I remember at some point in her autobiography, The Long Loneliness, Dorothy Day quotes Pascal: "Thou wouldst not seek Him if thou hadst not already found Him," to which she adds, "and it's true that you love God if you want to love Him."
I must have wanted to love God enough to keep walking towards Him--and still do.