Has anything challenged your beliefs lately?

[Schmoove]

It's never too late to come into the light.

 

[KOTK]

Something that really challenged my beliefs recently was the Occupy Movement. I thought the corporate control of the media and politics was so strong that there was nothing we could do about it except observe and be cynical on the internet, but I guess I was wrong.

What did the Occupy movement actually do?

 

[Fillerguy]

All guys then huh?

Do tell.

nothing to brah about. I just found myself in a situation where I temporary lived with a non-dyke lesbian. At first I was whenever they got their PDA on. After a few weeks i was annoyed and finally said to myself, "this shyt is gay". Maybe the fact that I wanted to smash her girlfriend had something to do with it.

 

[Arcavian]

At about 8 years old, I accepted that I was gonna go to hell. There was just so much I had to do outside of being a good person, treating people right, etc. that I felt Im going to hell. For the most part I gave up on religion and just wandered through my high school years waiting to die and be punished for living. College was the best thing to happen to me religiously, I took an English course where we analyzed the sources of the Old Testament, after learning about the different sources, I researched them more, learned about how they had councils that picked which parts of the bible would make it and how they omitted others. That is when the common sense kicked in: I had lived in fear of stories written by men. These men were no greater than me or you. I was finally able to ask myself what do I believe in? I flirted with atheism but that complete non belief didnt work for me either. I believe in God, I believe that the bible has some great inspirational stories, but I also believe alot of the bible is just that, stories. Breaking away from the fear that God is going to punish me, or that I wasn't good enough was the most liberating experience I ever had. I believe that God is within in us and he doesnt hate us.I was alwyas taught, hell awaits. I dont believe in hell. I also think you dont need a church at all to get to know him, its all about your personal relationship with him. Nothing else matters. I have been alive for about 7 years now.




Sidenote: Believeing what I believe hasnt made me many friends in Texas.
I noticed that so many people in Texas are deeply religious only because they are afraid of punishment. I ask this question, "if you knew for a fact that there is no hell, would you still be as religious as you are?"

I havent got a straight up yes yet.......

 

[NoMayo15]

At about 8 years old, I accepted that I was gonna go to hell. There was just so much I had to do outside of being a good person, treating people right, etc. that I felt Im going to hell. For the most part I gave up on religion and just wandered through my high school years waiting to die and be punished for living. College was the best thing to happen to me religiously, I took an English course where we analyzed the sources of the Old Testament, after learning about the different sources, I researched them more, learned about how they had councils that picked which parts of the bible would make it and how they omitted others. That is when the common sense kicked in: I had lived in fear of stories written by men. These men were no greater than me or you. I was finally able to ask myself what do I believe in? I flirted with atheism but that complete non belief didnt work for me either. I believe in God, I believe that the bible has some great inspirational stories, but I also believe alot of the bible is just that, stories. Breaking away from the fear that God is going to punish me, or that I wasn't good enough was the most liberating experience I ever had. I believe that God is within in us and he doesnt hate us.I was alwyas taught, hell awaits. I dont believe in hell. I also think you dont need a church at all to get to know him, its all about your personal relationship with him. Nothing else matters. I have been alive for about 7 years now.




Sidenote: Believeing what I believe hasnt made me many friends in Texas.
I noticed that so many people in Texas are deeply religious only because they are afraid of punishment. I ask this question, "if you knew for a fact that there is no hell, would you still be as religious as you are?"

I havent got a straight up yes yet.......

Well, there's always Austin man.

 

[Serious]

At about 8 years old, I accepted that I was gonna go to hell. There was just so much I had to do outside of being a good person, treating people right, etc. that I felt Im going to hell. For the most part I gave up on religion and just wandered through my high school years waiting to die and be punished for living. College was the best thing to happen to me religiously, I took an English course where we analyzed the sources of the Old Testament, after learning about the different sources, I researched them more, learned about how they had councils that picked which parts of the bible would make it and how they omitted others. That is when the common sense kicked in: I had lived in fear of stories written by men. These men were no greater than me or you. I was finally able to ask myself what do I believe in? I flirted with atheism but that complete non belief didnt work for me either. I believe in God, I believe that the bible has some great inspirational stories, but I also believe alot of the bible is just that, stories. Breaking away from the fear that God is going to punish me, or that I wasn't good enough was the most liberating experience I ever had. I believe that God is within in us and he doesnt hate us.I was alwyas taught, hell awaits. I dont believe in hell. I also think you dont need a church at all to get to know him, its all about your personal relationship with him. Nothing else matters. I have been alive for about 7 years now.




Sidenote: Believeing what I believe hasnt made me many friends in Texas.
I noticed that so many people in Texas are deeply religious only because they are afraid of punishment. I ask this question, "if you knew for a fact that there is no hell, would you still be as religious as you are?"

I havent got a straight up yes yet.......

*tear drops*

Cool story(no sarcasm) I agree with most of your post.

Evangelicals man, that bible belt is no joke....

 

[Pool_Shark]

At about 8 years old, I accepted that I was gonna go to hell. There was just so much I had to do outside of being a good person, treating people right, etc. that I felt Im going to hell. For the most part I gave up on religion and just wandered through my high school years waiting to die and be punished for living. College was the best thing to happen to me religiously, I took an English course where we analyzed the sources of the Old Testament, after learning about the different sources, I researched them more, learned about how they had councils that picked which parts of the bible would make it and how they omitted others. That is when the common sense kicked in: I had lived in fear of stories written by men. These men were no greater than me or you. I was finally able to ask myself what do I believe in? I flirted with atheism but that complete non belief didnt work for me either. I believe in God, I believe that the bible has some great inspirational stories, but I also believe alot of the bible is just that, stories. Breaking away from the fear that God is going to punish me, or that I wasn't good enough was the most liberating experience I ever had. I believe that God is within in us and he doesnt hate us.I was alwyas taught, hell awaits. I dont believe in hell. I also think you dont need a church at all to get to know him, its all about your personal relationship with him. Nothing else matters. I have been alive for about 7 years now.




Sidenote: Believeing what I believe hasnt made me many friends in Texas.
I noticed that so many people in Texas are deeply religious only because they are afraid of punishment. I ask this question, "if you knew for a fact that there is no hell, would you still be as religious as you are?"

I havent got a straight up yes yet.......

I can relate. I recently tried to go back to church, but when I went all anyone talked about was how we're going to hell unless we do EXACTLY what the bible says . Whole time I kept wondering why all anyone wanted to talk about was hell and the end being near.

I believe in God, I believe that the bible has some great inspirational stories, but I also believe alot of the bible is just that, stories. Breaking away from the fear that God is going to punish me, or that I wasn't good enough was the most liberating experience I ever had.

Truth