Religion

[bubosquared]

You know, one of the reasons I don't usually talk about my faith/religion is that I so often feel so much more removed from people supposedly sharing it than from people of other faiths.

See, I can understand atheism. I can, intellectually, understand that some people can look at the universe and believe there is no higher power behind all that. It isn't something I can really believe in, but hey! That's me, and it's purely based on gut feeling. Just like I think an atheist's gut feeling is that there is no higher power. Y'know? It all, in the end, comes down to gut feelings, and who am I to judge someone else's instincts?

I can understand atheism. I can understand wicca, and other pagan religion. Islam, Catholicism, New Age, ... I believe what I believe, and others believe what they do, and in the end, isn't it all supposed to be about being as much of a good person as we can?

What I can't understand is people who look out at the world, see all its beauty, all its wealth, and believe not only that god created this, but also that he will take it away from us because we don't worship him enough, because of who we love, because we allow "heathens" to live, or for whatever reason. I cannot wrap my brain around that, I just can't.

I believe in god, because I have an undeniable feeling inside me that there is a higher power behind this existence; because I can't not believe in god. I am Christian because I believe that Jesus Christ was the closest to a truly good person as any human will ever be, and that in order to be a good person myself, I should follow his example. I try hard to be good, and I think that most of the time, I'm not doing that badly.

I do my best. I try my hardest. And if I'm wrong, and god is indeed the petty bastard many "Christians" make him out to be, if I'm going to hell because I'm gay, because I don't (can't!) pray, because I mingle with pagans and muslims and atheists, then on my day of judgment, I will still look him/her/it straight in the (metaphorical) eye and go to hell with my head held high, because a god who will give me free will and then let the destiny of my eternal soul depend on wether or not I (basically) deny that free will is not a god in whose kingdom I want to spend all of eternity.

Comments

[sunshinegirl.livejournal.com]

*agrees*

Especially with the last two paragraphs.

Ya took the words....

[sorchar.livejournal.com]

...right out of my mouth.

[loislane11228.livejournal.com]

You haven't been reading That Other Journal, have you? 'Cause ain't no good gonna come out of that.

And no package yet, my little Belgian waffle. Woe!

Re:

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

No, actually, this was some leftover rant from the first (and only) time I did read that. I just needed time (and Emmy's LJ) to gather up the courage to post it. :/

Woe indeed. And eee! Belgian waffle? Should I be flattered? (Or maybe flattened? Heee! I crack me up.)

[jotun.livejournal.com]

Yep, to quote myself from an essay I wrote some time ago, "One is free to choose, but only truly free when choosing the way of God. Therefore, in the true name of freedom, God offers no choice."

go Melle!!!!

[icanreadyourmnd.livejournal.com]

...especially what you said there at the end. I'm lapsed Catholic but I'm not lapsed because of what I believe in, I'm lapsed because of the guilt and bullshit the people on earth have r-created the religion with.

I accept people for who they are - whether they are gay, straight, all the above, none of the above, green, purple, orange, black, white, tan, martian, earthling, whatever---just as long as they're not cruel or abusing. everything and anything goes just as long as people don't get hurt. and if the entity that ultimately created us thinks that my feelings are wrong, then I'm willing to suffer for it. but if they created all this - then, what the hell? yeah.

[simplelyric.livejournal.com]

You are my new heroine.

Re:

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

*blush*

Yes

[coneyislandbaby]

Just. Yes.