Good morning, starshine. The earth says hello!
I had to get my Willy Wonka quote out of the way before I could begin. Off to a great start this Saturday. Because my mother has this grand willingness to do my laundry for me sometimes, I went to her house first with that. Don’t worry, I put the first load in. Also, I’ve been doing my laundry since I was nine, so it’s not like I’m one of those people who just doesn’t know how. When you spend $3 a load otherwise, you’d take laundry to your mum’s house too.
Mother and I went to Starbucks after to enjoy a spot of coffee. Okay, coffee for her, iced mocha for me. She left awhile ago. I’ll be here for a few hours, I’m sure. I don’t really have anything else going on that’s worth writing about today, so I suppose I will get started on the new topic.
Day 04 – Your views on religion.
A Brief History
I was born into a Christian home. My father is Catholic, my mother is Lutheran. I was baptized Lutheran. I went through Communion and Confirmation. I have godparents. I went to Bible camp. I went on church trips throughout Confirmation. I was a Confirmation teacher one year to girls just starting out. Both sides of my family are religious and believe in God. We didn’t go to church every Sunday, but we went a fair amount. In a nutshell, religion was present in my life growing up.
After High School
College is one of those periods of life where people change the most. Some say it’s high school, and to an extent it is, but as you age more you really start to figure out where your life is going and what you believe. I learned a lot about myself in regards to religion before going to college, but I thought it a phase at the time that I would possibly get out of. I didn’t want to confirm anything against religion, because I had already confirmed religion a couple of years prior. This was a crossroads I wasn’t ready to deal with.
To be blunt, I was a mess. My life entirely, not just religion. There were family struggles and personal struggles. I wanted to give myself time to sort through my existence before making any claims in regards to beliefs. As time went on and these struggles disappeared, my faith was still absent. This was the point where I realized it wasn’t a phase. It was my life, who I was, and I didn’t feel ashamed for it.
I should probably address the question for real now.
My view on religion is that faith is the only part of religion that can be coined universal. There is no right god. There is no right religion. People believe what they want to believe, what they feel, and that has never been the same across the board. There is nothing wrong with your religion as long as you believe in it and feel it and work to make it a part of your life. I would never judge a person for their beliefs, and in turn I can hope that I am not judged for what I think or how I live my life. I am not you, and you are not me.
For myself, it comes down to many different reasons as to why I am this way. One of the major statements I hear from people in regards to religion is how they feel god around them, feel his love and grace and support, all of these wonderful things. I don’t feel those things. That isn’t to say I haven’t tried, because I have. I just simply have not felt it; it’s not there for me. I love my life and the people I surround myself with. I love waking up and knowing that I am safe and happy. Some people attribute that to a god, whereas I attribute it to existence. I exist, you exist, we all exist. I don’t know where people go when they die because I haven’t died.
I have many friends who are religious, who believe in god, or some form of god, who have faith. I respect them for it if they’re living that in a legitimate way that isn’t a contradiction or hypocrisy. I admire those who stay true to themselves and what they believe. No matter what I believe in my own life, I will always respect those who stand by their beliefs.
Time for closing statements. I will never tell someone their beliefs are wrong. I will never say heaven and hell don’t exist, because I wouldn’t know. I will never say god doesn’t exist, because maybe he/she/it does. I will always be honest about who I am and how I choose to live my life. People who are good and fair will not judge me for this, and I will always show them the same kindness.
Cheers!
What are your views on religion?
Lovely post, my dear! My views are very negative on religion. I don’t like organized religion. At all. That isn’t to say I don’t think people can have their own beliefs, I just think organized religion is a bit of a cloud of smoke.
I would never tell someone their beliefs are wrong either…you put it perfectly. I am respectful of everyone, their religion, their race, their culture…to me it doesn’t do me any good to form an opinion on things like that and I appreciate that people do the same for me!
Jenna, I’m enjoying your Daily Challenges VERY much, and love the concept. Good for you! Religion: a hot button for me. The conservatives and Christian-only thinkers drive me bonkers, and I for one wouldn’t set FOOT in a church for anything but a wedding or a memorial. I believe in a god, not many gods, a single god, a god that is everone’s in this whole world and beyond. I don’t give a whippersnapper how many gods the next person believes in, or even if that person doesn’t believe there is one at all. That is what FREEDOM is all about – and how very lucky so many in this world are that they can enjoy the freedoms to make a choice, to pursue knowledge and explore those choices without censorship, and I deplore the direction our own country seems to be going. You’re a sweetie!!
I don’t consider myself ‘religious’, but I am a person of faith. I may disagree with a number of things you have said, but I respect your thoughts, feelings and opinions. That’s what is amazing to me about life… we all have a right to choose! and we always should! What I do have a problem with is people who prescribe to any ‘religion’, and then distort it to extremes. (9/11 terrorist or the westboro baptist terrorists)
Anyways… I am enjoying your blogging spree.