Family and Differing Religions; Acceptance

[Sapphire Silk]

Of course, if my experience is any lesson, if all Christians educated themselves to the point I did, the faith would go extinct!

I'll respectfully disagree with this. I've also spent a lot of time researching the history of Christianity. It didn't hurt my faith at all. In fact, it reinforced it. Understanding the history of early Christians and their efforts to build a new faith were very inspiring.

I do find it extremely sad that so many Christians miss out on the central message of the faith which is simply "love" (I don't have a problem with the central message). Instead of this love, they judge and discriminate and hate. When I was a Christian, that wasn't how I behaved and it wasn't how I was taught to be, so I've never understood why so many Christians behave that way.

On on that, we are in total agreement It makes me very sad

In the end, you have to do what is right for you. Hopefully with time your mother will at least stop the proselytizing, even if she is never able to truly accept that you have found a faith path different from hers.

Cheers.

[Gravekeeper]

I'd always been interested in Buddhism and I quickly realized that I've always been a Buddhist, I just didn't realize it.

That's kind of how I fell into it as well originally. Morally speaking, Buddhism simply makes sense. Without trying to sell you anything or anyone. You can be a Buddhist whether you're an atheist or theist or something in between. It don't matter to Buddha.

I do miss my church family. I also miss the ceremony and pageantry of the church service. Sometimes I wish I could go back without feeling like a hypocrite.

No open churches around? My mom is Christian, but she goes to an open church that accepts anyone of any faith that wants to hang out. The pastor doesn't preach, instead he discusses the history and events surrounding Jesus and Christianity.

I talk about religion a fair amount with my mom. As in, all religions and spirituality in general. As well as science and history relating too it. Her opinion on the matter is its all the same thing anyway, just pick the flavour you like the most.

She always says that I'd probably be perfectly happy as a Buddhist monk in a monastery on top of a mountain somewhere and all that stops me is a lack of wifi. >.>

Of course, if my experience is any lesson, if all Christians educated themselves to the point I did, the faith would go extinct!

The faith wouldn't go extinct, though it would certainly turn more into what it was actually intended to be in the first place. Before other people got in there and started fucking things up in the name of political power, etc.

I'll respectfully disagree with this. I've also spent a lot of time researching the history of Christianity. It didn't hurt my faith at all. In fact, it reinforced it. Understanding the history of early Christians and their efforts to build a new faith were very inspiring.

Jesus didn't mean to create a new faith, ironically. As for early Christians, they were mainly groups of scattered sects with little unifying beliefs between them. They didn't even agree with each other. It wasn't until assholes in power picked up Christianity and turned into a fad that the doctrine started to unify. Sadly, that's also when the assholism started too. >.>

Its actually pretty fascinating. Christianity is a conquering religion. If it had not been used as a weapon and political tool through out history it'd just be another small religion around the Mediterranean we read about in Social Studies. Meanwhile, the GOP would be ranting about how the US was originally a Pagan nation and nobody could get elected unless they at least paid lip service to the Horned One. ;p

[Kisa]

I've got a bit of an update.

Several days ago, my sister came up to me and told me that my mom talked to her and tried to get her to convince me to come back to church and gave a mini rant about how I "claimed" I'm "not a Christian anymore" and how she's so stressed out etc etc etc. My sister basically told her I'm my own person and I should do what makes me happy and refused to try to drag me back to church. Yay for sister!!

Remember my uncle? The one who is a super smart Christian who my mom was insisting I talk to? He visited recently and my sister warned me that my mom told her she asked Uncle to talk to me and set me straight......lovely.... First, he hugged my sister hello and noticed her tattoo (it's small and tasteful but mom doesn't like it so she asked Uncle to talk to her about that). He talked to her calmly and basically said you're your own person and you're free to do whatever makes you happy, but be sure to think long and hard before doing something to be sure you won't come to regret it later in life. Later, some family members asked Uncle if he "set her straight." He said "I talked to her, but I didn't 'set her straight.' I hope that she will make smart choices and never have regrets. I can try to lead her on the right path but, in the end, she's her own person and she should do whatever makes her happy even if I don't agree with it. She has to live for herself." When he said this, he was looking right at me. I never got the lecture my mom was hoping for. My uncle is a smart man.

[Sapphire Silk]

Yes, he is. Wise, too.

[SongsOfDragons]

Yay for your sister and yay for your uncle!!

[42_42_42]

No open churches around? My mom is Christian, but she goes to an open church that accepts anyone of any faith that wants to hang out. The pastor doesn't preach, instead he discusses the history and events surrounding Jesus and Christianity.

Don't know if there are, but that doesn't really appeal to me. What I miss isn't that sort of thing but the robes and music and incense and stuff. I never liked the casual/modern churches. Most nondenominational churches around here are just Southern Baptist in different clothes, anyway (I live in Georgia, right smack in the middle of the "Bible Belt"--around here, for most people Christian=Baptist).

Besides, I'm done with Christianity and all of the Abrahamic religions. I've researched past the early church to who Jesus was if he existed at all and the very origins of the Jewish God and what I've learned has made me personally convinced of things that make it impossible to believe in a deity ever again.

The faith wouldn't go extinct, though it would certainly turn more into what it was actually intended to be in the first place. Before other people got in there and started fucking things up in the name of political power, etc.

I respectfully disagree...but don't want to get into fratching territory. Afraid walking a very tight line as it is. If you're interested in some of the stuff I've found and where I found it, PM me. I'm happy to talk freely about this with you that way.

[42_42_42]

I'll respectfully disagree with this. I've also spent a lot of time researching the history of Christianity. It didn't hurt my faith at all. In fact, it reinforced it. Understanding the history of early Christians and their efforts to build a new faith were very inspiring.

That was me until I looked into the origins of the Jewish God and whether or not Jesus existed and if he did if he was what Christianity made him out to be...kind of freaked me out at first when I realized what I'd done to myself and I had to go through a mourning period for my faith. Now, I'm very excited about Buddhism and feel that I've found what speaks to me better than Christianity ever did (I always had questions, which is why I did so much research in the first place). Now, I'm glad I "looked behind the curtain," but it's not something I'd recommend to just anyone.

[42_42_42]

Kisa,

Your mom might not ever accept that you have a different faith from her, but, hopefully with time she'll come to tolerate it and at least not bug you about it.

Glad to hear you've got family member support from your sister and uncle!