Advertisement
Published: August 1st 2014
Lately I have found myself wondering about religion.
The main influences would be 3 friends who all support different religions, yet the similarities are many, not only in the values of their beliefs, but also in the manner they lead their lives. All three are incredibly generous with their time as I ask question after question. I have always found religion fascinating, as my miniscule knowledge slowly increases I find this fascination changing into a questionable path my own life may take.
To say I was raised a Catholic is far from accurate, I did attend a Catholic primary school in my early years, I can remember going to church at school and with family - though I tend to think the family outings were more weddings than faith. I cannot recall religion being present in the family home.
My own mother is quite bitter toward Catholicism, she was raised in a 'good Catholic family' where she watched her Grandfather and Father beat their wives and other unforgivable sins. As long as they repented they viewed themselves in high regard forgiven by God. Although I can understand her hatred, I was always curious to why she kept a small bible hidden in a card box, its pages rimmed with gold and so frail it seemed they would disintegrate upon touch. He rejection seemed to be an act of defiance against her childhood and not faith, yet her pride kept her from embracing religion.
To me, religion seems to be a moral code to live your life by. Yes, these codes are present in general humanity, however both sides break these codes. Do religious followers fear consequences more, due to social and intangible ramifications?
As I have a fear of death, I desperately want to believe in heaven, but stronger than my fear in death, is my fear in hell. You surely cannot have one without the other. Reflecting on my own life, I am certain some choices would be hard pressed for forgiveness, in the eyes of anyone. Without forgiveness I would go to hell, what a terrifying concept.
There is something almost soothing about the thought of nothingness following death. Peaceful.
How can one person put so much belief into faith? Is it not the same as believing any story, such as childhood fables? How could any existing God stand by and watch good, honest people come to harm whilst perpetrators strive on the inflicted pain and terror to others?
On one hand I am curious, I’d love to have such a strong sense of security of life and thereafter. On the other hand I thank God I’m have the common sense to realise religion was created by man. What a self confessed hypocrite.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.219s; Tpl: 0.009s; cc: 11; qc: 47; dbt: 0.0347s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
I note that it took you two years to publish this very personal blog...
about the biggest questions in life. Is there a God, is He good, and does He love me? You have been promised "seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened to you." I hope I can help you a bit in your search. You have rightly noted that mankind created religion...lots of them...in his attempts to fill that hole in his soul. He starts with what his conscience tells him is right and wrong...hence the similarities between religions concerning a moral code. However, it's really not about following rules and being good...we just aren't capable of that as you've experienced in you own life. So if we can't please God by being good, what can we do? I happen to believe in a Creator who made us in His image so that He could love us and we could love Him in return by our own free will. We do not have to earn His love by doing good and not doing bad...all we have to do is accept His love and respond as a human does when they fall in love with someone. It's all about a personal relationship...where we want to make the other person happy. I don't wish to "preach," but let me know if I can help further by sending me a private message.