I need some advice about my beliefs

Getting to know more about a particular group

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
jennyleighs86
Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:04 am

I need some advice about my beliefs

Post #1

Post by jennyleighs86 »

Ok I have alot on my mind and I am looking for some advice and will welcome any and all suggestions anyone may have without taking any offense. I was raised Catholic but I was never taken to church by family, I went to Catholic school so that was when I got to go to church, I always loved the church experience, I loved the beauty of God's house, the kindly priests and nuns, and just the experience of feeling safe, happy and close to God, but as I grew up I began to associate religion not so much with Christ but with the particular school/church I was at which happened to be extremely conservative and always asking for money and I turned away from Christ. Many years later I kept feeling as if I was being called back to Christ and I started looking for a church again. I attended an ELCA Lutheran Church which I really enjoyed mainly because of the friendly accepting people who made me feel welcome (I am a pretty shy person) but I recently had to move and so I had to try another church. I tried going to Catholic Church again because I met some very kind welcoming people again and I found myself missing the Catholic Mass experience that just made me feel good somehow, but the majority of the Catholic beliefs are not intune with my personal beliefs. I then found another church that was just a Christian church that I thought might be more liberal but I am beginning to find they are more conservative than I thought. I don't know where I belong but I feel that I must belong somewhere. I consider myself to be an extremely liberal person, I am very open and accepting of all people and all walks of life, but, I still find myself clinging to certain Catholic ways such as wanting the sacrements and prayers I am used to and the beautiful churches where I feel closest to God, perhaps its odd but I find myself unable to pray in the Bible Church where I go now, I feel far away from God there but in the Catholic church I was at I felt so close to God but I also felt like I was lying to myself attending Catholic church when my beliefs were not in line with the Catholic faith. these are my beliefs:


- Divorce is allowed and accepted
- Gay/Lesbian people should be accepted
- Meditation, Yoga, Accupuncture, Etc. are allowed and accepted, I don't think all new age activities are gateways to demons and evil (as I was told at a Catholic conference that scared me away from the Catholic faith)
- I love beautiful large churches that make me feel close to God
- I enjoy contemporary worship music
- I believe in God, Jesus, etc
- Sex should be taken very seriously and be between loving partners in a commited relationship but not necessarily married
- I believe in forgiveness and acceptance of all people who want forgiveness and acceptance

I guess I would best describe myself as being a liberal, new age, nature and life loving person, I am by no means a devil worshipper and I believe there is only one God, a speaker at a Catholic conference scared me away from the faith when she told me that the things I love like yoga and meditation and the like are all evil and I do not agree with that. I believe they are positive ways of exercise and healing and relaxation and I believe you can enjoy them and still be a faithful follower of God. I also accept all people and believe as long as we love others and treat each other with respect that is what Jesus would do. When I read the bible and learn about Jesus I imagine a person who would be accepting of everyone as long as they want to be good people and want to believe and work to improve their faults. I just dont know if my clinging to certain Catholic ways is because I was brainwashed or because I just loved how they were to me or what it means but my beliefs are so different from the Catholic faith, i just will not let go of who I am and what I enjoy especially when it helps me to feel peaceful and happy, I dont think that is what the God I read about in the bible would want me to do, but I want to find a place where I belong and people who are like me that i can talk to.

Sorry this was so long if anyone needs any clarification just let me know and I'd be glad to give it to you! thanks!

cnorman18

Re: I need some advice about my beliefs

Post #2

Post by cnorman18 »

I think you might do well to look into the Episcopal church (aka "Anglican" depending on where you live). It is a more-or-less liberal and non-fundamentalist church, a direct offshoot of the Roman Catholic Church, and much of the atmosphere and ritual is similar; weekly Eucharist (with wine and not grape juice), the priests wear collars and are called "Father," and so on. The priests are generally married, though.

Some congregations are more conservative than others, in all senses; you might want to look around before you find one where you feel comfortable. But if you're done with the Roman church and want to keep a lot of the "feeling" of it, the Episcopal/Anglican church is your best bet. Some "high church" Anglican congregations even go in for incense and some Latin in the service.

My sister is a devout Episcopalian, and I think very highly of that church (I am a Jew).

Zzyzx
Site Supporter
Posts: 25089
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:38 pm
Location: Bible Belt USA
Has thanked: 40 times
Been thanked: 73 times

Re: I need some advice about my beliefs

Post #3

Post by Zzyzx »

.
Hi Jenny,

WELCOME to the forum. It is wise to ask for advice. Many have trod the path that you now walk.

I did so many years ago – also starting from a Catholic family (mother devout, father nominal) and Catholic school (for a couple years).

Cnorman offers excellent advice regarding the Episcopal Church. That was a route I explored. An Episcopal college chaplain was one of my mentors in life – a great man with a great mind.

However, there might be an even better fit available for the criteria you set forth – Unitarian Universalist.

My wife and I, though not formally members, attend fellowship meetings / services when we are within reasonable driving distance (they are not on every street corner). We are attracted to the openness and intelligence of the people involved and the respect for individual choices / lifestyles.

One can get a good overview at http://uua.org/visitors/index.shtml and can "locate a congregation".
There are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;

4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;

5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;

6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;

7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion that encompasses many faith traditions. Unitarian Universalists include people who identify as Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Atheists, Agnostics, Humanists, and others. As there is no official Unitarian Universalist creed, Unitarian Universalists are free to search for truth on many paths.
Hope this is of some value.


Z
.
Non-Theist

ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence

Cedar Tree
Student
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 5:48 pm

Re: I need some advice about my beliefs

Post #4

Post by Cedar Tree »

jennyleighs86 wrote:Ok I have alot on my mind and I am looking for some advice and will welcome any and all suggestions anyone may have without taking any offense. I was raised Catholic but I was never taken to church by family, I went to Catholic school so that was when I got to go to church, I always loved the church experience, I loved the beauty of God's house, the kindly priests and nuns, and just the experience of feeling safe, happy and close to God, but as I grew up I began to associate religion not so much with Christ but with the particular school/church I was at which happened to be extremely conservative and always asking for money and I turned away from Christ. Many years later I kept feeling as if I was being called back to Christ and I started looking for a church again. I attended an ELCA Lutheran Church which I really enjoyed mainly because of the friendly accepting people who made me feel welcome (I am a pretty shy person) but I recently had to move and so I had to try another church. I tried going to Catholic Church again because I met some very kind welcoming people again and I found myself missing the Catholic Mass experience that just made me feel good somehow, but the majority of the Catholic beliefs are not intune with my personal beliefs. I then found another church that was just a Christian church that I thought might be more liberal but I am beginning to find they are more conservative than I thought. I don't know where I belong but I feel that I must belong somewhere. I consider myself to be an extremely liberal person, I am very open and accepting of all people and all walks of life, but, I still find myself clinging to certain Catholic ways such as wanting the sacrements and prayers I am used to and the beautiful churches where I feel closest to God, perhaps its odd but I find myself unable to pray in the Bible Church where I go now, I feel far away from God there but in the Catholic church I was at I felt so close to God but I also felt like I was lying to myself attending Catholic church when my beliefs were not in line with the Catholic faith. these are my beliefs:


- Divorce is allowed and accepted
- Gay/Lesbian people should be accepted
- Meditation, Yoga, Accupuncture, Etc. are allowed and accepted, I don't think all new age activities are gateways to demons and evil (as I was told at a Catholic conference that scared me away from the Catholic faith)
- I love beautiful large churches that make me feel close to God
- I enjoy contemporary worship music
- I believe in God, Jesus, etc
- Sex should be taken very seriously and be between loving partners in a commited relationship but not necessarily married
- I believe in forgiveness and acceptance of all people who want forgiveness and acceptance

I guess I would best describe myself as being a liberal, new age, nature and life loving person, I am by no means a devil worshipper and I believe there is only one God, a speaker at a Catholic conference scared me away from the faith when she told me that the things I love like yoga and meditation and the like are all evil and I do not agree with that. I believe they are positive ways of exercise and healing and relaxation and I believe you can enjoy them and still be a faithful follower of God. I also accept all people and believe as long as we love others and treat each other with respect that is what Jesus would do. When I read the bible and learn about Jesus I imagine a person who would be accepting of everyone as long as they want to be good people and want to believe and work to improve their faults. I just dont know if my clinging to certain Catholic ways is because I was brainwashed or because I just loved how they were to me or what it means but my beliefs are so different from the Catholic faith, i just will not let go of who I am and what I enjoy especially when it helps me to feel peaceful and happy, I dont think that is what the God I read about in the bible would want me to do, but I want to find a place where I belong and people who are like me that i can talk to.

Sorry this was so long if anyone needs any clarification just let me know and I'd be glad to give it to you! thanks!
As a Catholic, I would highly urge you to pray before the Blessed Sacrament (check with your local Catholic Church for these hours of silent prayer and meditation). Pray for direction, pray that God's will be done (and not yours), pray for understanding what God's will is.

I was a lapsed Catholic. There were times when I wasn't even sure if God was real. The biggest barrier to my Catholic faith was myself. When you really come to appreciate that the Lord's Prayer says that God's will be done (and not yours), you can better understand the Church's teaching on abortion, contraceptives, divorce, etc. Reading books written by Catholics won't hurt either (I especially like Scott Hahn, a former Presbyterian minister who became Catholic). There is a Catholic TV channel, EWTN. If you get that channel, there are many good programs on it that might help you. Also, Catholic radio is a great source.

God bless!


http://www.catholicscomehome.org/

itsNotLikeIThoughtItWould
Newbie
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 8:28 am

ask god

Post #5

Post by itsNotLikeIThoughtItWould »

I couldn't find a church that seemed right when I became a christian 6 mths ago - and prayed for god to show me the right one.

A few days later someone marched up to me on the street and showed me her list of clues she had in treasure hunting which were describing me.

I took the hint and that was/is the perfect church for me.

God knows you better than you know yourself, ask him to show you a sign, or put you in a place where you will be able to find the right church, or lead a person from the right church to find you like he did for me.

Same for the things you believe - put them in front of god and ask him to show you the truth (truth of everything so truth in general lol)
If it were me, I would (and have) also said that if I am wrong about something - or for stuff that is a sin in the bible which I dont feel is a sin, I have asked god to show me what is right and wrong and why.

The biggest lesson I have learnt is thta god is willing to help you out and answer your prayers - even for things that you might think are not important or righteous enough to ask him about. Plus the way I see it anything you think god knows about anyway - so you may as well ask even if you think its not important enough cos god already knows you are thinking it.

I also feel one time, when I stopped asking him to help me with really little things (like where my car keys were!) - some things happened, and then it was like god was saying to me, a voice reminding me of something id read not long before that in the bible about nothing being to small, and about god wanting us to put anything we need help with to him
nowadays hes superfast... no sooner do I think where is....than bam.... there it is right in front of my eyes :)

So ask him - he likes to help us with all sorts of stuff

Adstar
Under Probation
Posts: 976
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:18 am
Location: Australia

Re: I need some advice about my beliefs

Post #6

Post by Adstar »

jennyleighs86 wrote:Ok I have alot on my mind and I am looking for some advice and will welcome any and all suggestions anyone may have without taking any offense. I was raised Catholic but I was never taken to church by family, I went to Catholic school so that was when I got to go to church, I always loved the church experience, I loved the beauty of God's house, the kindly priests and nuns, and just the experience of feeling safe, happy and close to God, but as I grew up I began to associate religion not so much with Christ but with the particular school/church I was at which happened to be extremely conservative and always asking for money and I turned away from Christ. Many years later I kept feeling as if I was being called back to Christ and I started looking for a church again. I attended an ELCA Lutheran Church which I really enjoyed mainly because of the friendly accepting people who made me feel welcome (I am a pretty shy person) but I recently had to move and so I had to try another church. I tried going to Catholic Church again because I met some very kind welcoming people again and I found myself missing the Catholic Mass experience that just made me feel good somehow, but the majority of the Catholic beliefs are not intune with my personal beliefs. I then found another church that was just a Christian church that I thought might be more liberal but I am beginning to find they are more conservative than I thought. I don't know where I belong but I feel that I must belong somewhere. I consider myself to be an extremely liberal person, I am very open and accepting of all people and all walks of life, but, I still find myself clinging to certain Catholic ways such as wanting the sacrements and prayers I am used to and the beautiful churches where I feel closest to God, perhaps its odd but I find myself unable to pray in the Bible Church where I go now, I feel far away from God there but in the Catholic church I was at I felt so close to God but I also felt like I was lying to myself attending Catholic church when my beliefs were not in line with the Catholic faith. these are my beliefs:


- Divorce is allowed and accepted
- Gay/Lesbian people should be accepted
- Meditation, Yoga, Accupuncture, Etc. are allowed and accepted, I don't think all new age activities are gateways to demons and evil (as I was told at a Catholic conference that scared me away from the Catholic faith)
- I love beautiful large churches that make me feel close to God
- I enjoy contemporary worship music
- I believe in God, Jesus, etc
- Sex should be taken very seriously and be between loving partners in a commited relationship but not necessarily married
- I believe in forgiveness and acceptance of all people who want forgiveness and acceptance

I guess I would best describe myself as being a liberal, new age, nature and life loving person, I am by no means a devil worshipper and I believe there is only one God, a speaker at a Catholic conference scared me away from the faith when she told me that the things I love like yoga and meditation and the like are all evil and I do not agree with that. I believe they are positive ways of exercise and healing and relaxation and I believe you can enjoy them and still be a faithful follower of God. I also accept all people and believe as long as we love others and treat each other with respect that is what Jesus would do. When I read the bible and learn about Jesus I imagine a person who would be accepting of everyone as long as they want to be good people and want to believe and work to improve their faults. I just dont know if my clinging to certain Catholic ways is because I was brainwashed or because I just loved how they were to me or what it means but my beliefs are so different from the Catholic faith, i just will not let go of who I am and what I enjoy especially when it helps me to feel peaceful and happy, I dont think that is what the God I read about in the bible would want me to do, but I want to find a place where I belong and people who are like me that i can talk to.

Sorry this was so long if anyone needs any clarification just let me know and I'd be glad to give it to you! thanks!

"i just will not let go of who I am and what I enjoy especially when it helps me to feel peaceful and happy"


Your religion is yourself. You may find people who agree with you on this issue or that issue. You may find some who agree with you on more than one issue. But because your religion is you own personal religion you will never find a group of people who believe as you do. You are an individual and everyone else who is into your type of religion (personal construct) are individuals, No two individuals are exactly the same. So the only person you will ever find in your religion will be you.

You may come to feel ok with some people when you compromise your religion on certain points you consider minor, but you might find that they do not consider the same points minor and you will end up on the other end of the stick and it will be you that is being rejected.



All Praise The Ancient Of Days

Post Reply