Religion??
Maybe this is the wrong section? Heck maybe im not even supposed to post this here on cups. if so remove it, im sorry. im actually really really unsure where to post this so like if its wrong i had a suspicion
anywayyyyyyyyy idk i was kinda looking for some support in the religious aspect of my life. My mom was a Jehovahs (wow i spelt that bad) Witness when she was growing up, but she left or was kicked out or whatever the term was, idk all she does is tells them one single word and they never come to our door anymore. its like the no fly list. its kinda funny. i was raised in an agnostic household. one that believed in a higher power of sorts but not God persay. universal energy. i never understood why i didn't go to our towns church, why i was being excluded. If you know me, you know I've been through some stuff, seen some stuff. Anyway this lead me to be a like die hard atheist. Why would a God allow me to suffer this way? I dabbled in some other religions briefly, mainly Hellenism, that one brought my soul comfort. it was this way for a very very long time. I am a homeschooler in southern us, right in the bible belt. basically all my friends are really really religious. and here i am a girl-kissing-hair-dying-nose-peircing-gore-loving person who had only ever been in a church a few times. it created a divide between me and my friends. i mean like i know the earth is round and i know evolution is real, like there is literally proof, and that was a huge divide between me and the people i consider my friend. i started dating a guy, huge devoted Christian, right away i let him know like im an atheist like its just how i am, i explained why and he was all for it. he supported me and my life choices, as long as i supported his. which i did. i went to his church once, it was SO MUCH FUN!!! but eventually i invited him over to my house and a few days later i was getting texts like "i want a girl as devoted to God as i am" and "as a Christian your house felt spiritually wrong" and "i need to find myself a good Christian wife" A wife???? we were 14 and 15 at the time like WHAT?!?!?!?! for better or for worse we broke up. my friend eventually invited me to her youth group. i caved and was like yk what imma see what all this 'jesus' is all cracked up to be, stick it to my ex. anyway one of the youth leaders died that day so like i obviously didn't go. i felt like it was a sign, a sign that maybe it just wasn't for me. well eventually i went. then i cried while i was there. it was AMAZING!!!!! life changing stuff. i felt like the pastor looked into my soul that day. ill never forget what he said, it changed my life. "God created YOU in his perfect image. But we cannot pretend to be righteous. As a human being, we are destined to make mistakes, we are destined to screw up. but here's the thing. God Forgives. He Loves you anyway." and he also said that there wasnt any specific way for a Christian to look. I have dyed hair and a nose ring and that is how absolutely amazing God chose to make me.
Since going to youth group I've really devoted myself to religion. I have a hard time with Forgiveness, since so much has happened to me. its really really hard for me to just forgive and let go. i pray for strength and things get a little easier. anyway id like to close on some closing thoughts that i need support for, not just a ramble xD
my friend asked me what my favorite verse was and i told her. its Exodus 21: 23-25. But if any harm follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. This passage has brought me great comfort. comfort in knowing that no dirty deed is gone unpunished. like if i forgive and let go, God doesn't forgive. I can forgive the man who did horrible nasty things to me, because God will punish him as He so sees fit. My friend had a different opinion. so am i taking this the wrong way??? am i just being weird??
My friends are very against body modifications to spite Gods image. My hair dye is a sense of self expression, same as my nose ring. I don't hate how God made me, i don't, sometimes i just want purple hair because its fun. So im having reconstructive surgeries to repair a part of me that i hate, that was made wrong. But if God made me in His perfect image, then why am i fixing it? is it a Sin to want to fix it?
Also like any words of le wisdom u have for a literal atheist who is coming into this new world, greatly appreciated <3
-Avy (he/him)
i didnt mean God doesnt forgive, i meant God doesnt Forget
@AvyIsKing I am not one to judge or give advice but I see that you have been through a lot. I have been stirred by the emotions of Chrisitianity in the past but I also want t a religion to be consistent with my reason and ethical beliefs as well. Different people have different needs in religion so if you find one that fulfills your need, that is wonderful.
The Old Testament is portraying a God that protects the Israelites and punishes their enemies. I like the New Testament and its message of forgiving and not holding grudges.
This verse inspires me "Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.”
Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Iniquity,-God~s-Attitude-Toward
As an aside, I think that your thread is in the right community. If you have specific questions, that might help people respond to your post.
Thank you so much for your amazing post, genuinely it means so much to me. And I'm working on it. I'm supposed to be getting my hands on a Bible in the next week or so, it's just hard because religion is not a family thing ahah
@AvyIsKing why not get a free PDF searchable bible like this one https://www.biblesfree.org/Bibles/NIV-Bible.pdf
You can read online or download to your device and search digitally.
Funny story actually
So I clicked that link and started reading it and my mom was like oh what are u doing and I told her and she was like nah I got u and gave me my grandma's old one (:
@AvyIsKing
Well friend - I must say you chosed a special Bible verse. Maybe you can
concentrate a bit about reading the New Testament?
This chapter was written to tell how to treat slaves. It could mean a bit of
the justice at that time. Jesus Christ teaches us in the New Testament
that we shall not take revenge. The Bible says: Romans 12:19 "Do not take
revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is
mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord."
Jesus Christ commented on your Bible verse like this: Matthew 5:38–42. 38 “You
have heard that it was said, t‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 uBut I tell you not to resist an evil person. vBut whoever slaps you on
your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and
take away your tunic,
let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever wcompels you to go one mile, go
with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you,
and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away."
Jesus Christ always tells us to be loving to other people even if they hurt us.
So - about your hair and body.
In the church there will always be something called adiaphora - meaning that the
church says something is sin - different from ages to ages. For my grandmother
to whistle and play cards were sin. I think it's nice what St.Paul says in Galatians
5:13–14 "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom
as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole
law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
@AvyIsKing
Sorry for the same text 3 times - it didn't go through and then it went through.
@AvyIsKing I was so invested in the read my heart goes out to you! I would give you my perspective but it is Islam based and I need your permission before I do that. To be honest though I don't think we are very different, all religions mainly teach the same thing 'be human enough to be spiritual enough so you can then reach Him'
@AnemechWahab
@AvyIsKing
Friend Anemech.
Do you allow me to answer your post? It is a big difference between Christianity and other religions. In C. God/Jesus Christ reaches down to us. We all screw up our lives in some way, do things that are noe pleasing God. But we don't have to take the punishment for our shortcoming - JC took it when he died on the cross and rose from the grave the 3. day. In that way we're united with God. Actually he is the only founder of religions who is alive, the others are ded.
@AnemechWahab
Anemech.
Do you allow me to give one more answer to your message? You say: "All religions mainly teach the same thing." If it was so - did then Muslims in Iran who became Christians have to flee to Norway (my country) for protection? And if one person converted from being a Muslim to being a Christian - was it then necessairy that the whole family turned against him - like in the Philippiens? Please Anemech - I don't want to hurt you.
@AvyIsKing hi sweetie ❤ you are nothing short of amazing, God loves you just the way you are, it doesn't matter how you dress how you look. God sees the beauty in your heart, mind and soul, that's where it counts. This is a whole new side of you, one I'm happy to see🙂 I'm not a Christian, I don't class myself as any particular religion, but I believe in God, angels and heaven ❤ we all need something to believe in, to give us hope, and keep us on the right path. But revenge well, Jesus, God, Buddha they all preach an eye for a eye makes the whole world go blind. Leave that stuff up to God, never let hate win. You don't have to forget of forgive, but don't let hatred or evil take over your soul. Gives you a giant tiny hug ❤
I have tried getting revenge or punishment but that just seems to make things worse and I do not feel better.
I have been studying Buddhism and I found that their teaching is more about compassion than punishement. They say when we harm others we create the causes for misery. Everyone has a conscience and it does not ever let us get away with anything without nagging us over and over and over again.
It does not mean what others do harming others is right, but hurting them does not make me feel any better. It only hardens my heart wanting them to suffer. They are already deeply suffering. Anyone who harms others must be suffering and angry because happy people do not do things like that.
@soulsings It's great that you found your path to enlightenment. However, I can't help but make a couple observations:
- Your description & contrasting of the "Old Testament" with the New seems to imply moral superiority for the latter. Be aware that statements comparing the avenging tribal god of the Israelites to Jesus as an avatar of love & forgiveness have historically been used to perpetuate antisemitism, specifically the old Christian theological variety. It's nowhere near as common these days but on occasion, you'll hear it now & again.
- No, Soul...not everyone has a conscience. With all the posts you've seen here from people going through misery & traumas inflicted on them by narcissists & sociopaths, I'm amazed you would make such a statement. The fact is that there are people who completely lack empathy & any kind of ethics. One study I read a while back estimated they make up as much as 4% of the human population.
@slowdecline48 thank you for your comments.
I assure you that I am not against any religion nor do I believe any is superior to another. I think everyone should stay with their current religion as long as it inspires them and helps them have a happier life.
I also find that my taking revenge in my earlier years has not benefitted me so I give up on seeking that as a solution to my problems. What others do is totally their business.
I agree that everyone does not listen to their conscience or the roar of their own attitudes drowns it out. I still hope that some day evertyone will act from a space of not harming others. We have a long way to go colelctively even if some individuals can demonstarte this refinement.
@AvyIsKing
..."reconstructive surgeries"? 🫤
I hope they go okay for you.
Hi 👋🏻
I'm not Christian but I do believe that the gospel is real, it just hasn't been preserved well, since there are many copies.
What I do know is the God is just, I'm sure Christians have this belief also. He will be fair on the day we stand in front of him and he will reward and give punishment to those who have earned it. He will also be very merciful, for he loves us and knows that we are sinners- no one is perfect. He's the best of judgement.
I understand your friends are very against body modification. Personally for me having surgery that is not healthy related is a sin. I have one big insecurity that when looking at it, it makes me sick to my stomach and I don't really acknowledge that part of me however, I know that I'm not the only one like this and I'm sure I'm not an alien or another species because of this 😅 I'm trying to accept it more... Although it's very hard but why should I hate myself? I'm just kicking myself down at this point. I also have to stop comparing myself to other people 😭
I think what's most important is to just connect with God, through that connection things will flow with God. Talk to him, and even when you're not, know that God is all knowing and all seeing, he knows us more than we know ourselves.
Don't overwhelm yourself, take it slow and steady and just talk to God ❤️
@anonyJar3643
Friends,
Thank you so much for all your posts. Sorry this week has been crazy and replies on this app are no funsies at all ): I am so so grateful for everyone's reply, and all of my assistant in the new step of my life journey.
@AvyIsKing
"the new step of my life journey" - how nice written!