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New here, random thoughts

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surf14:
Yes Red Rose;
 I've always felt that religion and spirituality were distinctly different  entities;  and religion may have nothing to do with spirituality and may fill very different needs for people than providing a means to God.  True spirituality doesn't impose, threaten or sicken.  Surf

rosencrantz:
My own family wasn't into religion but my mother's sister/clone was in a big way.  Something totally different ie not mainstream and most people wouldn't have heard of it.  It made them superior.  Caused rifts.  I can remember tagging along to their 'meetings' when I went to stay.  Painful!  Nobody ever bothered to tell me what to do in this unfamiliar territory. I had been raised to believe I should always 'know' everything already anyway so it wouldn't occur to me to ask.

Just another means of humiliating other people by being more powerful and holier than thou.

I bought "When you and your mother can't be friends" without much hope of a good read - I'd read 'all' the mother and daughter books there were years ago.  Well, seems it's time to pay attention again - things have moved on and I definitely found myself in there.  It's worth a read.
R

Anonymous:
I was not raised in a spiritual or religious household, so I was not spiritually abused in any way (thank God!).  It was in my early twenties when I was feeling like there was nothing in life and I felt like "what is wrong with me?" so I started going to church on my own in an attempt to find some help.  I have to tell you, it has been my relationship with God through the years that has helped me more than anything.  I am not overly "religious" and don't cram it down other people's throats.  I had no one else to turn to, so it was "God, if you're there, please HELP!"  You know what, He did!  :D

I'm 44 now and, looking back, there has never been anything that has helped me more than my relationship with God.  I have ignored Him through the years and always ended up back on my knees asking for help (because over time I learned it worked!).

I just wanted to add a positive spin on relationships with God.  I know a lot of you have been spiritually abused, but I wanted to take the time to also show that not every relationship that is "spiritual" or deemed "religious" is a bad one.  

I am not preaching to anyone here, just passing on what has worked so well for me and giving credit where credit is due.  I am truly sorry for those of you who were "forced" or "abused" by this.  I think if you seek it on your own terms, there is a much different outcome.  :)

Survivor

Survivor:
:oops: That was me above . . . keep forgetting to log in!

Survivor  :wink:

rosencrantz:
You're right, of course - it's the difference between 'acting' and 'being'.  I have wanted religion to offer something to me but churches, with all their politics, have never managed it.  Individual people can offer something but churches don't.  I met one vicar who really practiced forgiveness - he really knew what it meant in the truest Christian sense and I 'came closer' as a result - but he retired soon after I got to know him.   Disappointing how much the church changed as soon as he went.  That was the second time that happened. Nevertheless, it was a good experience.

I became friends with some folk from another group - they were very active in my community and my son started going with one of them to Sunday School.  I was shocked to discover they really actually believed that you were doomed if you didn't believe in their particular brand of religion - no, not just their 'brand' but their actual specific 'them'.

Wow - I just don't have that kind of thought in me at all!  Everyone to their own.  Whatever way you can find solace or salvation is fine in my book - I'm just glad for you.  

I've come closer to a lot of spiritual stuff in recent years - if you look closely at it, most of it appears to be teachings from the Bible with another name.  But there's more freedom attached to it.  

Perhaps it's also the difference therefore between individual spirituality and community 'group' religion.  Pity one can't have both.  Presumably there are 'islands' of 'group spirituality' that bring people together - such as Findhorn - but mostly they appear to have grown out of the personal growth movement - ???
R

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