walked away from God

[lilMeggies]

I was raised Catholic but I don't believe in a single bit of it....while taking world religion in High School I sort of started straying from the beliefs that were forced on me from Birth and decided to sit on the fence about the entire ordeal. I find Buddhism and Hinduism more peaceful and they make much more sense. I always wondered why god would create so much pain and misery...but in Buddism it's believed that God created or world and moved on to make new worlds....so we were left the make choices...blah blah blah AND fatal disease is one of the last journeys before we reach nivana...I like it....CF is the last test
Astrology also ties in to the GIANT theory I have
<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">

 

[Mockingbird]

I did the same thing, got into buddhism from world religion class in high school. I never came across any of those theories in the buddhism I studied, though. Especially not the fatal disease thing; that actually doesn't seem to fit into any kind of buddhism I've ever come across. Where does that come from?

 

[65rosessamurai]

Actually, Buddhism derives with how a person lives thier life, and overcomes thier "shortcomings", whether it be health, physical, mental or "characteristic". The belief is that everyone has one or more "karma" to overcome, and if not in that lifetime, it will come up in another. For example, a person with excellent health in a previous life may had been too careless about their health, and came back in a new life with major health problems to overcome. It's not defined, but there are many other "karmas" within the person's life that they work to overcome during that life; before death, and having to be reincarnated until they finish the "incompleted karmas".
As far as rituals go, Buddhism has more for death and funerals, than "going to church". However, based on my research, my understanding of finding "nirvana" is only something they can achieve during their life on earth.
Also, it is not to say Buddhism is any more "peaceful" than any other religion, it doesn't focus so much on a higher power, than it does to focus on the higher power within the person themselves. Buddhist do believe in a higher power, though. But, despite a person saying they are Buddhist, may still have a nasty quality that doesn't make them a "nice person", or peaceful in anyway (they may be the ones who have to get over the "nice person karma"!)
Anyway, I had also "strayed" from the Catholic Religion, based on personal reasons. With having an open mind, living in Japan, and still keeping some beliefs (I still believe in God), I had found some of my thoughts resembled some beliefs from Buddhism (and even Judiasm!)
BTW, anyone know at least two actors who are Buddhists?

 

[JazzysMom]

WOW Fred.......a lot of what U described with Buddaism is more what I am looking for....maybe I will investigate more!

 

[lovingBenandCambree]

I know that Richard Gere is Buddhist but I don't know of any others!

Emilee

 

[jimhigginsCF]

Sometimes you really have to wonder if there is a God or if karma sets life apart into what happens or doesn't happen.

I was forced to to attend church as a child by my father. "Southern Baptists"...hehe. It never took as a feeling of wonderment, just a agony of pain having to be force fed what God was all about. I'm know that's why I strayed away from religion for some years.

In the Navy while in boot camp, I took an easy role within the company as the RPO (Religious Petty Officer). I only volunteered for the job because you really can't scream or yell at him in front of the whole company (unlike other duty positions).

I had the protestant group and another mate had the catholic group. One sunday he was ill and I had to march both groups over to the chapels. I never had been to a catholic service before, so I thought I'd sit in with the that group to see what it was all about. I really liked the pomp and ceremony, it's a good visual and it made me feel more at home and contemplate what religion I really wanted, if I wanted to pick one by my own choice.

It came to me my first night sleeping above deck in the blackness of night on a minesweeper patrolling for underwater mines 5 miles off the coast of Kuwait in 1990. I really didn't care what I called it, but whoever or whatever it is, I said more then my share of a few hail marys. Then on shore leave I prayed with a few bloody marys...lol.

Man will never know if a God or being truly does exist. That's why it's called faith.

I have also stubbled upon the great wisdom and antidotes of religion from a old post of Allan Glenn. I'm sure he kept his door open a bit to allow the thought to swirl around although he was atheist.

Is life really what you make it yourself? Does the vibe of life in karma truely reflect and is a action to affect?

Is a personal decision and choice as to what one believes or doesn't. It really isn't in my interest to ply one over another, only because I can't prove any of them wrong.

But I do believe in something.

 

[Mockingbird]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>65rosessamurai</b></i><br>BTW, anyone know at least two actors who are Buddhists?<hr></blockquote>

Steven Segal is another one.

 

[anonymous]

The title to this post reminded me of a business card that my old youth leader would pass out to people that said
"If you meet me and forget me, you have lost nothing.
If you meet Jesus and forget Him, you have lost everything"

It also reminded me of a church billboard that I once saw that said
"Far from God....Who Moved?"

I'm not sure why I'm sharing this, maybe because I was up at 3 a.m. thinking about it<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif" border="0">
Please note that I'm not trying to offend anyone here, just sharing my early a.m. thoughts <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Hope

 

[rose4cale]

Hope, that sounds like what was said at my aunt's funeral this month. If you live your life like there is a God and there isn't, you have lost nothing. If you live like there is NOT a God, and there is, you have lost everything. It made a lot of sense to me. JMO

 

[anonymous]

Shelly,
thanks for sharing, that's a good one that I had not heard before.
I often think the very same thing. I firmly believe that there is a God, but if there is a small small chance that there is no God, so what--it hasn't hurt me to try to be the best person that I can. Remember, I said "try"--I often mess that up! I guess nobody's perfect.
Hope

 

[Allie]

I believe in God as well. Judaism also has the idea of the 'righteous nonbeliever', for which we have the Noahide code. I really can't take the whole Jesus thing, never have been able to. I was raised with the idea that God's plan doesn't have to be fair, because it's God's, and he can see the whole tapestry, while we see only individual threads.

 

[65rosessamurai]

Actually, this thread started reminding me of that movie, "Bruce Almighty", when a mortal was asked to take over "God's" job, while he went on a brief vacation! I never laughed so hard!
But, anyway, thought came to mind that a spool in the religion section suggested if God gave the job to you for a brief while, what would you do with it??

 

[Mockingbird]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>Allie</b></i><br>I believe in God as well. Judaism also has the idea of the 'righteous nonbeliever', for which we have the Noahide code. <hr></blockquote>

Is that an orthodox belief or a reformed one?



I liked Bruce Almighty, too. It had a really good message concerning free will.

 

[Allie]

It's a general belief. We believe that your place in Heaven is based on what you have and have not done for mankind and for others in general. Not by who you are, or the religion you profess. The usual view in Judaism is that the good and the righteous of all nations have a place in God's kingdom and in God's eyes.

hope this helped <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Mockingbird]

I thought the first law of the Noahide Code was we cannot worship false gods and idols, and one of the other laws was we cannot blasphemy. Wouldn't that rule out almost everything except for Islam? Based on what you said about Jesus in the past, it would rule Christianity out as well, wouldn't it?

 

[Allie]

This is where Jews start disagreeing with each other. The Noahide code does state not to worship false idols, so a Muslim would be better than a Hindu, an Athiest better than a Christian. BUt it depends on how you see things....I don't really see Christians as full on worshippers of false gods, I see them as slightly confused worshippers of the Hebrew God...If that makes any sesne.

Heaven is based on a merit system, so even someone who was Hindu, Christian etc..would get into Heaven if they did good for the world. This is where all our ideas of mitzvot cone from, is the merit system of heaven. Even in the idea of Hell, we have a sort of optional purgatory that many people go through and then go to Heaven . Only the truly evil go to hell permanently.

And true blasphemy is saying you are greater than God, etc. It's not really saying there is no god, or I think this guy is god, because in my opinion, you can't really know...

I admit, this all sounds really confusing, but I hope it makes a little sense.

 

[Mockingbird]

I still don't understand. The seventh law includes that we have to uphold the principles of the last six, including the fifth one, blasphemy. Now, if it was blasphemy for Jesus to say he was the son of God, then wouldn't it also be blasphemy for me to proclaim it as well? If nothing else, then I am at least in violation of the seventh law for supporting Jesus in his blasphemy.

 

[Allie]

OKay, perhaps I'm explaining it badly. The way to get to heaven in Judaism is to lead a righteous life. Jew or non-Jew. People who profess to be religious and do horrible things, even if they are the most devout Jew ever (on paper, any truly devout Jew wouldn't do such things) would not get into heaven. People who do good and righteous things go to heaven, if if their beliefs are slightly off. They will be corrected, but if they are truly good they will not be sent to Hell. Ethical behavior is the most important thing. And Judaism provides the best guide to leading an ethical life, in my opinion. This is why we don't feel the need to evangelize. We don't feel that differnt beliefs automatically confine you to hell.

I understand what you're saying regarding Christians, but my personal thought is that your beliefs are only a sector of yourself. What you DO is more important.

Eliana, you have somewhat of a different tradition than I do...care to comment?

 

[anonymous]

I think Catholicism also shares the same purgatory belief??? Obviously, only God decides, but I wonder if either or both religion believes you can eventually make it to Heaven as long as you didn't kill someone? If there are other 'evil' things that would keep you from Heaven, I wonder what they would be?
Hope

 

[Mockingbird]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>Allie</b></i><br>OKay, perhaps I'm explaining it badly. The way to get to heaven in Judaism is to lead a righteous life. Jew or non-Jew. People who profess to be religious and do horrible things, even if they are the most devout Jew ever (on paper, any truly devout Jew wouldn't do such things) would not get into heaven. People who do good and righteous things go to heaven, if if their beliefs are slightly off. They will be corrected, but if they are truly good they will not be sent to Hell. Ethical behavior is the most important thing. And Judaism provides the best guide to leading an ethical life, in my opinion. This is why we don't feel the need to evangelize. We don't feel that differnt beliefs automatically confine you to hell.

I understand what you're saying regarding Christians, but my personal thought is that your beliefs are only a sector of yourself. What you DO is more important. <hr></blockquote>

But then we're back to the first law. I've noticed some people word it as, "Do not worship false gods/idols" while others word it as "You must worship the one, true God." If our beliefs are not so important, then what is the reason for this law? According to what you say, acceptance of God is not essential to leading a righteous life, so then wouldn't that nullify the first law?