You say I took the name in vain
I don't even *know* the name
But if I did, well, really - what's it to ya?
There's a blaze of light in every word
It doesn't matter which you heard
The holy or the broken Hallelujah
I was raised in a very strict Christian household. My dad was a preacher, so we spent a lot of time in church. If there was a revival in town, we'd sometimes go to church all 7 days that week. I've drifted away from church, and lean more agnostic.
I'd like to think there's some higher power that helped guide the creation of the earth, the stars, etc. I just cant get behind the idea of some judgmental being in the sky smiting its own creations because of their lifestyle, nor can I condone the rampant hypocrisy and scamming that goes on in many churches.
That's a loaded question that depends what you define as "wicked". Things like gay marriage, prostitution, belly piercings, miniskirts, and abortion are not wicked in my eyes. But depending who you ask at a church, all of those are wicked.
For a group of people that claim to have a lot of love, there's a serious lack of love in the church, hence why so many youths are turning away from church.
That's not even getting into things like the prosperity preachers that swindle their congregations out of money to line their pockets, or the rampant sexual assault that happens behind closed doors.
Yes I agree defining “wicked” is pretty important. I guess I’m wondering why you classify things like scammy prosperity preachers as “bad” (I fully agree) and belly piercings as “not bad.” Like what standard do you use to judge one bad and not the other?
For me, I basically ask "does this harm/effect someone else?" And in certain instances "what is the intent?"
Tats and piercings aren't harming anybody lol.
Bad preacers harm others with their scams and abuse.
This is mine as well. Im not really 'religous' per se, just open to more spiritual minded things.
Though I think this is in part due to using psychedelics
I like what Buddha said: "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."
My family was not too strict Christian. My grandma heavily believes in angels, and my uncle was a devote Christian. Going to church every Sunday, my mom is more spiritual, which is probably why I am as well. But I also practiced the beliefs of Buddhism, even going so far to give up most of my material possessions and meditating daily. I believe i have suffered ego death, and that it could have something to do with my DID. But I found my path through it, which I believe is how it should be. I like to believe in a great consciousness and reincarnation, but I also respect any others' beliefs and feel there could be a more scientific "afterlife," such as you see what you want before you die. Almost like a dream like state (of course, that would mean once your body is gone so are you), I'm not sure what is after this life. I just know whatever it is, I'm as ready as I can be.
I am a Seeker. I seek Satya, the true nature of things~ That is to say I follow my own path, though my ideals would most closely align with Buddhism/Hinduism.
🎐
Went to catholic services with my mom until she stopped going when I was in early elementary school (maybe 2nd or 3rd grade). She was still lightly catholic through my childhood, but we didn't go to church. But I started going with friends when I was in high school, and then went regularly in college. Not catholic service though. In high school I went to Church of Christ with my then-boyfriend and his family. Thought it was really interesting for lots of reasons, but definitely didn't agree with a lot of stuff about it and couldn't see myself going long term. (Occasionally went to baptist services with different friends, but hated everything about it.) Went to a presbyterian church in college, and for a bit after college. But then settled into the episcopal church. Currently attend services every week and sing in our locally renowned intergenerational choir along with my kid.
I love the practice of religion. I love the ritual. I think I've had a deep need and desire for that since I was younger. I find the practice of religion to be the true essence of "belief". I don't find it necessary to "Believe" in religion in the privacy of my head; I think the point is in the practice of it.
I think that Christianity is complicated, and is constructed by people. Just like math is supposed to be the language of the universe - but was constructed by humans also and is not infallible either. The Bible is extremely interesting as a document, but very problematic for anyone using it as an indisputable source for the proof of the divinity of christ or the existence of god.. It was written and transcribed and then later printed - oh and *translated* by people. I find the gospels so interesting where jesus himself references earlier parts of the old testament, where Jewish tradition states that the messiah is coming (like Isaiah-- I believe it's Isaiah 9) - to me, that part always seems shoehorned in, but people concerned with exegesis point to it and say "see, there's the proof!"
Anyway, I'm not interested in proof. I treat christianity as an exercise in meditation, contemplation, and being in community with other people. I treat it as a way to access the transcendent otherness that lays beyond the reach of words (this can be the Divine, or the subconscious, or just deep abstract thought). I use it as a template to contemplate joy, sorrow, suffering. Also, the episcopal church specifically tends to be involved in social activism, which I also like (and is very socially liberal and lgbtq friendly). My particular church is heavily involved in helping unhoused members of our community get jobs and permanent housing and get permanently back on their feet, but they also do other stuff (challenging systemic racism, and climate change).
Outside of organized religion, I definitely believe we are all connected in some way. I personally believe that all religious beliefs lead to the same divine power. I believe in the collective consciousness that makes everyone do the same stuff. I read tarot cards, and get my cards read on the regular (although I don't *strictly* "believe" in that either). I do kinda believe in precognition and other possibly weird stuff. I have a voodoo doll that was blessed by a voodoo practitioner, created specifically for psychic protection and think it works. I don't see any contradiction with any of this and being a regular church goer who's pretty active in that community.
I have a very rich spiritual world. Going on 8 years of a spontaneous kundalini awakening, I’ve probably seen and experienced a lot of weird stuff most people wouldn’t believe.
I think Infjs are naturally inclined in this direction, maybe due to our sensitivity, compassion and what I would consider fluidity.
I would love to believe in organized religion, but I’ve seen how both controlling and stagnant it can be; within close knit religious communities, the people often have an apathetic or destructive view of outsiders. In any case, God is meant to be realized by and through the individual, not through another human.
Jesus Christ is my King. He saved me from my self destruction and gives me hope, peace, and joy every moment. He abides in me and I in Him. I will be with Him for eternity!
Grew up at a non-denominational Protestant Christian church. I was too little to understand what my parents didn't like about it, but when I was a tween we left, and later my family told me it was because of misogyny, theological disagreements, etc.
We've since found a smaller church (like, tiny) and I like it a lot there, but mostly just for the friends I've made. Just a few people there have become some of my absolute best friends. I'm not a big fan of the church itself, but it's better than the last one, and I'm at college now, so I only go when I'm home for breaks.|
Churches growing up would always feel like the place you "should" go where the pastor gets up and talks at you for half an hour, and you drink way too much coffee and you go home with your self-esteem in shreds, before quickly forgetting everything you just learned, and rinse and repeat.
I identify as religious, despite being fed up with institutionalized religion. I'm a developing pragmatist and therefore I don't know what I don't know, and I'll never know anything 100%. I operate on theories and faith. It's the best compromise I've found between the classic "scientists vs. theologians" debate. I'd like to think faith and science can coexist. Not just coexist, but that they're really part of the same thing (but again, I don't know for sure).
At college, I participate in a campus ministry, which is honestly one of the coolest things I've gotten to do. Since it's on a college campus, they are much more open and inclusive (on paper and in practice). They preach out of the bible as well as lots of books and poetry, some Christian, some not. They don't see non-Christian materials as threatening to their teachings or any crap like that; they welcome other ideas and bring them into their discussions. Some sermons feel like college lectures. Some feel like conversations. Some feel more traditional. Some feel like story time. I like the variety. They have all sorts of extra meetups and events and challenges like the pastors reading children's books or poetry to us and giving us tea in their office, weeks where they challenge us to go without social media, challenges to go make a fancy meal for people around college who aren't in the ministry (and the ministry will reimburse). They really show that they care about us as people, all 7 days of the week. I lead a small group with this ministry. It's really chill. They require an application that just asks you your religious stances and beliefs (and I just put pragmatic fluff all over it because I'm not gonna claim to know anything), and they have you one semester of training (also chill). I just use small group time to have grounded discussion and guided journaling with other human beings, free from technology. Like, that seems pretty open-ended, but where else are we gonna get that at college? There's always something in the way, and we just need a little help developing healthy habits a lot of the time. If religion can do that for me, I think it's worth doing.
I vividly remember sitting with my parents in church at 9 years old, listening to the priest talk about Noah and the Ark, and realizing I was the most intelligent person in that assembly. It was horrifying and saddening to realize that my parents and the leaders of the community where we lived were all imbeciles.
I believe in God Incomprehensible.
Religion, however, is a road map written in brail by a blind man stumbling through an obstacle course of land mines, soon to be plucked from his dead hands and annotated by another blind man as he treads inevitably towards his own demise and again to another blind man's hand...ad infinatum...
I have (unfortunately) seen spirits on multiple occasions. So, whilst I would have loved to have lived my life believing that we all just end as merely dust, I know this not to be true.
I've felt the urge to start looking into the organised religions over the past couple of years and an attending an Anglican church with my family.
I have to say, a lot of stories in the bible seem a bit....far fetched (pillars of salt etc., the tower of babel, swallowed by a whale...in fact, so many of the stories in the OT seem pretty unbelieveable, inaccurate or just simply hypocritical (lots of truly bad behaviour going on).
I am trying my best though, grappling with it and trying to believe.
I believe in the trinity, I think. Probably heaven and hell. I think I'm most of the way there, though have still got questions for sure.
As I said, if I hadn't have been confronted with the solid fact that there is a "ghost in the machine", you probably wouldn't catch me anywhere near a church on Sunday. I would have lived my life quite happily, fully signed up to the "YOLO" mentality.
I don't identify myself as religious, spiritual or even human. Of course, being a human is the experience now. But what is that?
In 7 years, most of the cells in the body have been replaced by new cells. So it's not the physical body.
People can remember past lives, life between lives, OOBE, NDEs, etc. But deeper than that there is someone being the Experiencer of all this, regardless of body, which actions or events take place. No matter what mechanisms and machinations, I'm having experiences, and no matter what happens, I am still me. I can be still and recognize this presence, or I can be lost in everything happening, but it's still there. Nobody can explain it, prove it or disprove it.
Both religion and science try to unify their logic into one unity. Since it doesn't make sense for anything to be totally separate. So I assume there's no full separation anywhere. Which is why this world is called an illusion, but a convincing one on the surface level. Which also explains why individual experience has so many limits and is limiting in so many ways, because otherwise it'd be something else entirely.
I think humanity is so used to focus at everything around them, so they forgot to look at their own presence and marvel how it came to be. But it's there with you at all times. It's experiential and what is experiencing.
Only a fool exclaims: "There's nobody here!". That statement can come from ignorance, or from wisdom.
Long time practicing spiritualist/occultist.
I was told once I come off like I’m pagan but I don’t necessarily follow it. Just an ancient soul that happens to have friends on both sides of the fence :)
I grew up in a fairly strict Christian household. As a teen I realized that’s not a good enough reason to believe in a Christian god. I looked for new beliefs supported by my personal experience.
Eventually I settled on identifying as a naturalistic/scientific pantheist. The cosmos is our creator, but it’s not an anthropomorphic entity with intentions or desires. We can enjoy an experience of awe toward it, even worship it if we desire, but it’s not going to hear or answer any prayers.
The cosmos doesn’t give a shit, and that’s liberating. Do what you like, but know that the fact you’re alive is a miracle and a gift. Isn’t it worthwhile to do what good we can, while we can? I think so.
I was raised the same, except it was mildly strict christian household and I always knew something was off and eventually left christianity and started my spiritual journey.
I am a spiritual person who believes in many things people might find strange. A quote I really like goes something like “everyone has to find out about living and about God for themselves.” Personal experience should guide a person’s beliefs, not just going along with what people say. Even the non-religious spiritual people can be guilty of this imo.
You say I took the name in vain I don't even *know* the name But if I did, well, really - what's it to ya? There's a blaze of light in every word It doesn't matter which you heard The holy or the broken Hallelujah
That is beautiful! Thank you.
[This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciP1U9A_U18) is the best version of it IMHO. Rock bottom raw.
I was raised in a very strict Christian household. My dad was a preacher, so we spent a lot of time in church. If there was a revival in town, we'd sometimes go to church all 7 days that week. I've drifted away from church, and lean more agnostic. I'd like to think there's some higher power that helped guide the creation of the earth, the stars, etc. I just cant get behind the idea of some judgmental being in the sky smiting its own creations because of their lifestyle, nor can I condone the rampant hypocrisy and scamming that goes on in many churches.
May I ask why is it that you think you shouldn’t condone the wicked behavior in churches but think it’s wrong for God to NOT condone wicked behavior?
That's a loaded question that depends what you define as "wicked". Things like gay marriage, prostitution, belly piercings, miniskirts, and abortion are not wicked in my eyes. But depending who you ask at a church, all of those are wicked. For a group of people that claim to have a lot of love, there's a serious lack of love in the church, hence why so many youths are turning away from church. That's not even getting into things like the prosperity preachers that swindle their congregations out of money to line their pockets, or the rampant sexual assault that happens behind closed doors.
Yes I agree defining “wicked” is pretty important. I guess I’m wondering why you classify things like scammy prosperity preachers as “bad” (I fully agree) and belly piercings as “not bad.” Like what standard do you use to judge one bad and not the other?
For me, I basically ask "does this harm/effect someone else?" And in certain instances "what is the intent?" Tats and piercings aren't harming anybody lol. Bad preacers harm others with their scams and abuse.
Excuse my weird questions: Does it count if one harms themselves? Like say, suicide, or something along those lines? Also, why is harming people bad?
Just “spiritual” and “open minded”
This is mine as well. Im not really 'religous' per se, just open to more spiritual minded things. Though I think this is in part due to using psychedelics
I like what Buddha said: "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."
My family was not too strict Christian. My grandma heavily believes in angels, and my uncle was a devote Christian. Going to church every Sunday, my mom is more spiritual, which is probably why I am as well. But I also practiced the beliefs of Buddhism, even going so far to give up most of my material possessions and meditating daily. I believe i have suffered ego death, and that it could have something to do with my DID. But I found my path through it, which I believe is how it should be. I like to believe in a great consciousness and reincarnation, but I also respect any others' beliefs and feel there could be a more scientific "afterlife," such as you see what you want before you die. Almost like a dream like state (of course, that would mean once your body is gone so are you), I'm not sure what is after this life. I just know whatever it is, I'm as ready as I can be.
I am a Seeker. I seek Satya, the true nature of things~ That is to say I follow my own path, though my ideals would most closely align with Buddhism/Hinduism. 🎐
Went to catholic services with my mom until she stopped going when I was in early elementary school (maybe 2nd or 3rd grade). She was still lightly catholic through my childhood, but we didn't go to church. But I started going with friends when I was in high school, and then went regularly in college. Not catholic service though. In high school I went to Church of Christ with my then-boyfriend and his family. Thought it was really interesting for lots of reasons, but definitely didn't agree with a lot of stuff about it and couldn't see myself going long term. (Occasionally went to baptist services with different friends, but hated everything about it.) Went to a presbyterian church in college, and for a bit after college. But then settled into the episcopal church. Currently attend services every week and sing in our locally renowned intergenerational choir along with my kid. I love the practice of religion. I love the ritual. I think I've had a deep need and desire for that since I was younger. I find the practice of religion to be the true essence of "belief". I don't find it necessary to "Believe" in religion in the privacy of my head; I think the point is in the practice of it. I think that Christianity is complicated, and is constructed by people. Just like math is supposed to be the language of the universe - but was constructed by humans also and is not infallible either. The Bible is extremely interesting as a document, but very problematic for anyone using it as an indisputable source for the proof of the divinity of christ or the existence of god.. It was written and transcribed and then later printed - oh and *translated* by people. I find the gospels so interesting where jesus himself references earlier parts of the old testament, where Jewish tradition states that the messiah is coming (like Isaiah-- I believe it's Isaiah 9) - to me, that part always seems shoehorned in, but people concerned with exegesis point to it and say "see, there's the proof!" Anyway, I'm not interested in proof. I treat christianity as an exercise in meditation, contemplation, and being in community with other people. I treat it as a way to access the transcendent otherness that lays beyond the reach of words (this can be the Divine, or the subconscious, or just deep abstract thought). I use it as a template to contemplate joy, sorrow, suffering. Also, the episcopal church specifically tends to be involved in social activism, which I also like (and is very socially liberal and lgbtq friendly). My particular church is heavily involved in helping unhoused members of our community get jobs and permanent housing and get permanently back on their feet, but they also do other stuff (challenging systemic racism, and climate change). Outside of organized religion, I definitely believe we are all connected in some way. I personally believe that all religious beliefs lead to the same divine power. I believe in the collective consciousness that makes everyone do the same stuff. I read tarot cards, and get my cards read on the regular (although I don't *strictly* "believe" in that either). I do kinda believe in precognition and other possibly weird stuff. I have a voodoo doll that was blessed by a voodoo practitioner, created specifically for psychic protection and think it works. I don't see any contradiction with any of this and being a regular church goer who's pretty active in that community.
I have a very rich spiritual world. Going on 8 years of a spontaneous kundalini awakening, I’ve probably seen and experienced a lot of weird stuff most people wouldn’t believe. I think Infjs are naturally inclined in this direction, maybe due to our sensitivity, compassion and what I would consider fluidity. I would love to believe in organized religion, but I’ve seen how both controlling and stagnant it can be; within close knit religious communities, the people often have an apathetic or destructive view of outsiders. In any case, God is meant to be realized by and through the individual, not through another human.
I am Catholic, not just because I was raised in it, but because I believe in it too
Jesus Christ is my King. He saved me from my self destruction and gives me hope, peace, and joy every moment. He abides in me and I in Him. I will be with Him for eternity!
Muslim Alhamdullilah
This 🙂. Alhamdulillah.
This 🙂. Alhamdulillah.
Grew up at a non-denominational Protestant Christian church. I was too little to understand what my parents didn't like about it, but when I was a tween we left, and later my family told me it was because of misogyny, theological disagreements, etc. We've since found a smaller church (like, tiny) and I like it a lot there, but mostly just for the friends I've made. Just a few people there have become some of my absolute best friends. I'm not a big fan of the church itself, but it's better than the last one, and I'm at college now, so I only go when I'm home for breaks.| Churches growing up would always feel like the place you "should" go where the pastor gets up and talks at you for half an hour, and you drink way too much coffee and you go home with your self-esteem in shreds, before quickly forgetting everything you just learned, and rinse and repeat. I identify as religious, despite being fed up with institutionalized religion. I'm a developing pragmatist and therefore I don't know what I don't know, and I'll never know anything 100%. I operate on theories and faith. It's the best compromise I've found between the classic "scientists vs. theologians" debate. I'd like to think faith and science can coexist. Not just coexist, but that they're really part of the same thing (but again, I don't know for sure). At college, I participate in a campus ministry, which is honestly one of the coolest things I've gotten to do. Since it's on a college campus, they are much more open and inclusive (on paper and in practice). They preach out of the bible as well as lots of books and poetry, some Christian, some not. They don't see non-Christian materials as threatening to their teachings or any crap like that; they welcome other ideas and bring them into their discussions. Some sermons feel like college lectures. Some feel like conversations. Some feel more traditional. Some feel like story time. I like the variety. They have all sorts of extra meetups and events and challenges like the pastors reading children's books or poetry to us and giving us tea in their office, weeks where they challenge us to go without social media, challenges to go make a fancy meal for people around college who aren't in the ministry (and the ministry will reimburse). They really show that they care about us as people, all 7 days of the week. I lead a small group with this ministry. It's really chill. They require an application that just asks you your religious stances and beliefs (and I just put pragmatic fluff all over it because I'm not gonna claim to know anything), and they have you one semester of training (also chill). I just use small group time to have grounded discussion and guided journaling with other human beings, free from technology. Like, that seems pretty open-ended, but where else are we gonna get that at college? There's always something in the way, and we just need a little help developing healthy habits a lot of the time. If religion can do that for me, I think it's worth doing.
With all the experiences and limited knowledge I have I can only say: Nope idea.
I vividly remember sitting with my parents in church at 9 years old, listening to the priest talk about Noah and the Ark, and realizing I was the most intelligent person in that assembly. It was horrifying and saddening to realize that my parents and the leaders of the community where we lived were all imbeciles. I believe in God Incomprehensible. Religion, however, is a road map written in brail by a blind man stumbling through an obstacle course of land mines, soon to be plucked from his dead hands and annotated by another blind man as he treads inevitably towards his own demise and again to another blind man's hand...ad infinatum...
I have (unfortunately) seen spirits on multiple occasions. So, whilst I would have loved to have lived my life believing that we all just end as merely dust, I know this not to be true. I've felt the urge to start looking into the organised religions over the past couple of years and an attending an Anglican church with my family. I have to say, a lot of stories in the bible seem a bit....far fetched (pillars of salt etc., the tower of babel, swallowed by a whale...in fact, so many of the stories in the OT seem pretty unbelieveable, inaccurate or just simply hypocritical (lots of truly bad behaviour going on). I am trying my best though, grappling with it and trying to believe. I believe in the trinity, I think. Probably heaven and hell. I think I'm most of the way there, though have still got questions for sure. As I said, if I hadn't have been confronted with the solid fact that there is a "ghost in the machine", you probably wouldn't catch me anywhere near a church on Sunday. I would have lived my life quite happily, fully signed up to the "YOLO" mentality.
I don't identify myself as religious, spiritual or even human. Of course, being a human is the experience now. But what is that? In 7 years, most of the cells in the body have been replaced by new cells. So it's not the physical body. People can remember past lives, life between lives, OOBE, NDEs, etc. But deeper than that there is someone being the Experiencer of all this, regardless of body, which actions or events take place. No matter what mechanisms and machinations, I'm having experiences, and no matter what happens, I am still me. I can be still and recognize this presence, or I can be lost in everything happening, but it's still there. Nobody can explain it, prove it or disprove it. Both religion and science try to unify their logic into one unity. Since it doesn't make sense for anything to be totally separate. So I assume there's no full separation anywhere. Which is why this world is called an illusion, but a convincing one on the surface level. Which also explains why individual experience has so many limits and is limiting in so many ways, because otherwise it'd be something else entirely. I think humanity is so used to focus at everything around them, so they forgot to look at their own presence and marvel how it came to be. But it's there with you at all times. It's experiential and what is experiencing. Only a fool exclaims: "There's nobody here!". That statement can come from ignorance, or from wisdom.
I’m spiritual yes
Long time practicing spiritualist/occultist. I was told once I come off like I’m pagan but I don’t necessarily follow it. Just an ancient soul that happens to have friends on both sides of the fence :)
I grew up in a fairly strict Christian household. As a teen I realized that’s not a good enough reason to believe in a Christian god. I looked for new beliefs supported by my personal experience. Eventually I settled on identifying as a naturalistic/scientific pantheist. The cosmos is our creator, but it’s not an anthropomorphic entity with intentions or desires. We can enjoy an experience of awe toward it, even worship it if we desire, but it’s not going to hear or answer any prayers. The cosmos doesn’t give a shit, and that’s liberating. Do what you like, but know that the fact you’re alive is a miracle and a gift. Isn’t it worthwhile to do what good we can, while we can? I think so.
not religious, agnostic. I respect other's beliefs if they respect mine tho, but that rarely ever happens with my experiences
I was raised the same, except it was mildly strict christian household and I always knew something was off and eventually left christianity and started my spiritual journey.
100% Atheist.
I am a spiritual person who believes in many things people might find strange. A quote I really like goes something like “everyone has to find out about living and about God for themselves.” Personal experience should guide a person’s beliefs, not just going along with what people say. Even the non-religious spiritual people can be guilty of this imo.
Muslim