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War  ·  2888 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Religion broad topic, what are your experiences?

This is an awesome topic to discuss. I was raised a Catholic, and confirmed Catholic as well. To sort of give an example of the strictness of my upbringing I knew most if not all Catholic prayers before I knew much of anything else. I went through phases with my religion, and my faith. I think the two are different in a lot of ways. When I was younger I didn't really understand any of it, but when I grew up I took on a more fanatic role. I was entering my formative stages, and here I was being bombarded by fear, but also this passion that I wouldn't understand until years later. As I grew up, and as I met new people (especially in college) I began to question the one thing that had remained a constant from the day I was conscious enough to realize it. This began the dissolution of my religion and my faith. Of course that wasn't the right path for me. I ended up discovering a path void of religion, but deep in faith.

    do you still believe that there is someone who will greet us after your death?

I asked myself this a lot especially during the earlier times in my life. I think the focus has always been far too honed in on this ideal that at the end of it all we will sit in front of our creator, and answer for the lives we lived. It creates this endless standard of living as if our lives are under a microscope, and every decision bad or good is a tally in one column or another. The way that I looked at when gauging decisions in my life is: If I was never expecting to face anyone. If when I died no one was there why do I feel compelled to help this person? To love this person? To forgive this person? Do I need the fear that judgement is always around the corner to be accepting, to be caring, to be understanding? I didn't think so. I think my answer to this question is does it particularly matter?

    Do you still talk to God and ask for his help even though the belief is fading away?

Yes. I don't like to think that my belief has faded in anyway. I like to believe that my faith and understanding of God has just changed. Instead of God being a "him" or an all powerful divinity up high, I diffused God into everything I did, every person I spoke to, every love I held. God was no longer this judge, he became a bridge, one in which I used to connect myself to everyone around me. I think faith, and religion are very separate in the way they are devised. While you may find organized religion and its doctrine insufficient, you may find your faith to be far deeper.