My faith makes me feel ...
Writing prompt
- My faith makes me feel . . . (fill in the blank)
Please note that even though the post has been relocated to this particular topic, both positive and negative experiences are allowed to be shared under this thread. (Edited by @CheeryMango 9/15/2023)
My faith and spirituality makes me feel hopeful that we can learn to get along with other people and live in peace.
@soulsings religion makes me stronger. Having faith and hope is important. God has blessed me in many ways. I hope he can protect me now though 😞 now I need him
@YourCaringConfidant 🙂🤗❤ thanks sweetie ❤
@Tinywhisper11 I hear you. It is comforting to not feel alone in the challenging situations we find ourselves in.
Religion makes me feel...
...amused, disgusted, wary, or staunchly opposed.
@slowdecline48 I hear you. I have had experiences that I did not feel served my needs and so I am wary about religion. I think religions need to allow people to be people and not just try to fit them into the box of that religion.
But I have also had some deeply spiritual awakenings in religious settings so I am not about to "throw out the baby with the bath water" as the saying goes. There is good there so I want to find that.
@soulsings If religions "allowed people to be people" then no religion would exist today. Conforming to certain rules, standards, modes of dress, etc. because a code of beliefs tells you to is a basic part of what religions do. These days, religion even dictates what positions to uphold on political issues & which party to join.
@slowdecline48 I hear you. There are some religious organizations that are restrictive. That can make life challenging for an independent thinker.
For me, religions are not one homogeous whole, According to Wikipedia there are about 4200 different religions. I have seen ones from all ends of the spectrum. I think religion is more like a buffet where you can pick and choose what you like.
Cautious and wary. There are many great amazing things that have occurred because of religion. All too often though, especially when it's taken more extremely it is used to control, abuse, condemn, or extinguish.
I've been lucky to have found myself in spaces where I felt free to explore and learn, even in communities I was not apart of. I have dealt with the occasional negative comment related to religion, but haven't been deeply hurt by it, but I do see others who have experienced trauma from religious communities. So definitely wary when uncertain of how someone expresses their religion, particularly with a group.
@AffyAvo I hear you. I have experience people that could not listen to any other point of view and that theirs was the only point of view that was right. I am hoping we cat 7 Cups can transcend that limitation and create an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion and understanding for thoise who may practice a different religion but hold sacred their value of life.
I would like to extend what you said about religion to include othere areas where taking things to extremes has been very hurtful. In business, in politics, and in philosophy, when the mind of one is closed to other viewpoints, two way communication usually does not happen. I think that is a caution for all of us.
@soulsings Yes, definitely extremism in all forms is rarely a good form. And those who want oppress others often find a position of power, it could be religion or yes politics, business, etc.
I have had positive experiences with people of various faiths discussing religion, it just comes down to respect. When it's respectful my wariness drops.
Religion makes me feel Uneasy and Aggrieved since I was attacked by from the age of 11.
@Gettingbettertoday my heart reaches out to you. No one should have to go through that. It is just a burden not a help for those who do that to others.
I can only hope that you see that people hare do not fall in that category. If you hear from anyone that sounds like you described, please PM me so I can address that anomaly.
@Gettingbettertoday Though I never experienced anything like that at 11 years of age, I totally get where you're coming from. It has been my displeasure to have encountered religious fanatics on more than one occasion.
@Gettingbettertoday One of many reasons I dont do religion!
@slowdecline48
@soulsings
@AffyAvo
Hello there guys, thank you for posting 🙂
The goal for this community is to offer a safe non judgmental space for people willing to explore a spiritual path or to share about their religious experience as well as to learn about other religions and how people have grown with their Faith. It's important to maintain a welcoming environment also by preventing some negative vibes to work against a whole sense of safety.
Not everyone feels to have a spiritual growth or to have an experience of Faith, so it's ok if they don't.
Let's just welcome those that want to have a peaceful, safe space where to share, including them as worth of having a space here in 7 cups, which offers support to many, because support means also to listen without judgment and giving others room to do that.
To mention religious groups and negative facts, it's not in line (from my view point) with the talks about personal Faith, personal spiritual growth nor with the learning about those things from a religious view point (which is the meaning of this community).
A lot of people could feel uncomfortable joining X or Y community because of personal triggers and/or personal situations, I think the same happens here, so it's not mandatory to participate to talks about Faith, people's religion and personal Faith, but those that need it can now do that.
The good about human beings can be found in everyone, regardless their background, their personal problems, their age, their personal belief.
Take care 💙
@MeaningfulSilence So to sum up--& get at the real message underneath all the fluff--we three have to shut up because our honest answers to the original question are lowering the tone here. Right?
I knew this would happen. Could've put money on it & won the bet.
Let's clarify your statement: In this little "community", while all answers may be equal "some are more equal than others". The same goes for members' own attitudes & feelings; no matter how tactfully expressed (or not), certain statements as well as the sentiments behind them are not welcome. One can assume that goes double for the bringing up of any inconvenient truths, such as the ongoing struggle between evolutionary science & creationist myth...to say nothing of events where religion shows its most determined face--a major one of which the anniversary will arrive in a few days from now.
All this goes back to why I knew I would not feel welcome in this subcommunity. I will leave you to it.
@slowdecline48
Hi slowdecline48, you are welcome to join!
It's discussing together that we can see how we can better build the community, and by we, I mean to include everyone here in 7 cups.
If we talk, it means we are listening one another, not ignoring our words. I really, genuinelly, just shared my opinion by saying that the idea/meaning of this community isn't to discuss the negative behaviors of religious groups (or those that claim to be). I thought more about exchanges, focused in learning each other, because it's always a growth to see how others face life, also with (or without) their religious belief/Faith/spiritual path. It's a way/chance to know about people .
If someone doesn't feel to explore the Faith path it's fine, maybe I can work better on creating something that allows everyone to join and share? Let's see if my tomorrow check in has more questions that can welcome people to talk about their feelings/thoughts.
If you (or someone else) have any suggestion on something I can do better, please feel free to share or to drop me a message.
Sorry if my words sounded like a rejection, it's really not the case.
Take care 💙
@MeaningfulSilence I think the issue is that the OP asked how religion makes people feel. @slowdecline48 was expressing how they felt and why they felt that way. Others in the forum expressed feelings of negativity regarding religion but you seemed to have singled this post out. Refusing to acknowledge the negative aspects of religion (any of them, not just one in particular) is just toxic positivity. That doesn't help people heal. These things need to be talked about. I'm not saying all religion is bad by any means, there are good things that come from it. The whole has to be acknowledged.
@AllTheBeautifulPieces Gracias. I appreciate the response.
You put it all in a nutshell. "The whole has to be acknowledged", indeed... I particularly disagree with the notion that gaining power & destructive uses of it are "misuse" of religion or that somehow it is "not the true [insert religion here]", etc. To me it sounds like an attempt to dismiss any inconvenient facts or truths rather than an honest reckoning of the risks of "keeping the faith"...an attempt to separate the inseparable. Yes, the major faith traditions benefit a great many people in a few different ways. That is obvious to most of us. But all the communal ties, moral guidance, & other warm fuzzy things are not the whole story.
@slowdecline48 I'm confused. Are you saying that all the times throughout history that innocent people have been killed in the name of Christianity, Islam, insert almost any other religion, the people who are killing are not misusing their religion destructively or to gain power? How about all the people of power using a specific religion to oppress people whether those people practice that religion or not? In my mind, those people are not being true to the religion and should definitely be considered separate from the norm of the religion.
My Christian faith, (religion, if you want to label it that) brings me peace and balance in life. It also brings me joy, hope, and even amazement went I see the power of miracles and that faith can bring. It humbles me daily as well. I am sure I am not worthy of the blessings I enjoy every day. I pray more people have positive experiences with their religion / faith. I do believe some have negative experiences from people who claim to be following religious guidance. It seems to me to be a spiritual guide to help us know right from wrong or good from evil. If people are unwilling to recognize both the ying and yang of life, honestly… then I believe they may have problems with a lot of religions. Thanks to Cups for letting us all discuss our feelings and beliefs on this subject.
@SleeplessVet thanks for sharing and caring.
I think talking about the benefits to us is easeier since we all have different backgrounds and experiences. I am trying to avoid debates and debating the extremes of religions
I want to find common graound where anyone who wants to share some of the positive benefits of their spiritual journey, they can and we can all support each other.
@soulsings
Religion makes me feel heard and empowered. Whenever I need advice or need someone to talk too, God is always available, and God has blessed me in many ways. It makes me feel warm to have someone always there, watching over me.
@PrestonM feeling not alone is an empowering feeling for sure. And gratitude helps me appreciate the good in life. Thank you for sharing.
@soulsings
Amen! :D
