so...i am really confused...

[makeupshadow]

so...I used to believe in god a lot (jesus) but now as i have gotten older i have asked the question "what is even a belief?" its really bothersome. i have searched the internet and learned a lot about wicca, buddhism,hinduism, and muslim, but im just always unsure about myself. its like i come up with a great answer and it helps me alot but then i always say in my head "what if im wrong?" and i also ask "whats the point of believing anything if u may be wrong?" but i tell myself this "well even if u may be wrong in the end u can look back and say hey when i was going threw that hard time it help me and i was able to have happier days than usual" so is this true? does religeon really help with other things in your life even if your wrong? and same thing with perspectives, i mean when i think of perceptions and all of that stuff im just like well they must all be true in some way we have been existing for how long think of all the different situations ppl have been in there must be some truth to everyone of those quotes or perceptions

[chickenonsteroids]

Sup Lauren... I'm going to call you shadow instead. I like that name more.

Well you should ask yourself this: Do you need religion in your life? Or do you still want it in your life?

Because I went through this stage, there's actually a thread on it here. I lost my faith but you don't have to. If you want to keep with christianity ask your priest some questions and you might feel happier with Jesus by your side.

If not you can ask other atheists what their views are.

Oh with your "since the majority has believed in it for a long time there must be some essence of truth" thing... not necessarily true. The majority of the world once believed we were the centre of the solar system and that the earth was flat. Don't use that as a basis of your belief.

Me personally I'm happier without religion. I think i'm a pantheist or just an atheist. If that helps then that's good.

So long story short, no one here should try to push you one way or the other. You should make the decision for yourself and that'd be one of the greatest thing you can do for yourself. Do some more research and you'll find answers.

Megan1, allornothingforchrist and Dr2005 are Christians and Toz (i think BDF is one too but my memory isn't serving me too well) is an atheist too. Unfortunately those are the only people I know/can remember who are what lol.

[makeupshadow]

Oh why thank u I think this did help me some I haven't ask myself this question b4 but I have to say I don't think or feel I need religion in my life. I feel like taking a break from it. Seeing where it takes me. When u started losing your faith where did it take u? Do u like life better without it? And how did it chAnge u?

[chickenonsteroids]

Losing my religion was difficult but it just happened. It was a conflict between truth and god for me. It was something at the time I didn't want to happen, I'd say to myself that god is still here to help me but the more I thought about it then it felt like 'god' was just a mental state. it was ne just trying to comfort myself.

Then I realised that the whole idea of god was never meant to be taken literally. Almost like training wheels to help you through the starting stages of your life then as you grow older the more independent I can become. I just started to feel better without god. More free and the opportunity to live for myself, the people I know and the world, rather than a dominant figure that's supposedly beyond the universe. I prefer to be in awe of the universe rather than its creator (that isn't proved)

But I'll stop because I'm not here to make you reject the idea of god. I want you to make that decision for yourself. Go for a walk, listen to some music and get to a point where you're content with yourself. If that moment involves god then so be it. If it doesn't, then so be it.

Oh and remember you don't have to label yourself as an atheist or catholic or whatever at all. You don't have to put yourself into any category.

PM me if you have more questions or just ask here and hopefully I'll see it.

[Toz]

I'll just leave this here.

[ReluctantPegasister]

Damn, Toz, I appreciate the sentiment but couldn't you have re-sized that monstrosity of a picture?

[Zen Ryochan]

You mentioned researching Buddhism and being a Buddhist myself I'm gonna answer this from a Buddhist perspective. It's not really about religion (don't even really see Buddhism as being a religion since we worship nothing), not about being right or wrong as far as the big universal questions go. It's about following something that ends your own suffering. As a Buddhist it doesn't matter what you believe to me, you just have to treat others and yourself well. It all comes down to what makes you and others happy.

"The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed."
-Buddha

"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." -Buddha

[makeupshadow]

Ya know that Perspective from Buddhism helped me the most to me it doesn't matter what other ppl think. It's whats gunna heal u and happy u. That's all that really matters. Thank u (:

[chickenonsteroids]

Shadow, did you understand the point I was trying to make?