Changing faith, changing religion?
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Changing faith, changing religion?
| Wed, 02-15-2006 - 10:32pm |
Just wondering...........
How many of you are still practicing the same religion you grew up with? Or, if raised in a family that didn't practice any religion, are you still non-practicing, or have you gravitated towards one? If a change, why?
It recently occurred to me that most of my friends grew up in one religion and are now practicing another or not any at all.
Myself, I was raised an Episcopalian (geesh, hope I spelled that right) but now am following more of a new-thought path, I like the four agreements, Course in Miraclese, etc; and go to a Unity church sometimes. I changed because I felt something missing, and started exploring, and liked what I found.
How about others here? :-)

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Ah! I was raised roman catholic, then later met and joined a Apostolic Faith church, which specialised in exorcisms...then pentacostals, baptist and even a church which is like a cult..
but none worked for me.. so I decided at my old age, to stop it all and go for the thing that felt much more appropriate..
I thought a lot, read a great many books, talked with a lot of people who thought in what is now called " new age" and found out that some of my own cultural adats (which is more than just a custom and believ system) and some things from other religions, was doing me a great deal more good..
I found Reiki too and that helps me as well.. am now taking a course in meditation and learning how to communicate with my spirit guide(s), and am tickled pink that it is working for me.. (Reiki is more than just an alternative healing modality, tis far more spiritual)
I find life is an individual path and no two paths are the same nor right for everybody.
I also feel that it is a very personal thing this path of life..
I might have found myself and my path, late in my life, but it is very exiting and soo adventurous.. so interesting.. all those new things am learning or re-learning as they now have come from Asia to the western world..
All I can say to others is: happy travelling on this road/path called life!
greetings from the old brush
dablacksox
Cynic: a blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.---Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary.
Hi Nikki :)
I was raised catholic because my Mom was raised catholic. She attended services with us, but I always felt that she held back a part of herself in respect to the religion. I couldn't have been more right in feeling that. When I was in my early teens, we stopped attending church for a long period.
As a young adult, I craved something spiritual in my life and started to embrace other churches of many christian based faiths. I ended up straying (a lot of personal issues at the time...LOL) for a few years and when I felt the time was right, I found a great Baptist church family. (I chose them for many reasons, mostly because I sing, and baptist worship is truly great.)
My dilema was that after years with this family, being involved, teaching, learning...etc. when I needed spiritual guidance the most, I felt as though I was more a burden than a blessing to my church family.
I have been to a few churches since, but have never made any connection.
I began a spiritual search within a few years back, and have never been more fulfilled spiritually. Too many questions were unanswered for SO many years while I searched in organized religion. I find that I respond more to learning for myself, than being told what someone else's "interpretation" of things is. Its sort of like baking a cake without knowing the ingredients...its still good, only you have no idea of what is really in the mix...kwim?
I have realized (for myself) that I believe in many different spiritual beliefs. More and more, I find myself being drawn to beliefs that have lasted the ages and for now, my interests are there.
Am I practicing in a body? No
Am I spritually active? Yes, each and every single day of my life ;)
V :)
mmm, about somewhat like me, your path.. so interesting where people end up sometimes.. or are ok for a while and then go on to grow again.
May I ask? are you content within your skin? As I am now that I am, where I am.. I think that when a person, feels eventually content within their own skin and themself? that is where they are supposed to be. May I ask your opinion on this thought, please?
greets from the old brush
Great question Nikki!
faiths/paths, and seeing where we have things in common.
Visit my homepage!
My hubby’s website!
"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." ~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Well, I've been on an intense spiritual seeking journey since I was a young woman. I was a "cradle Catholic" who began questing for something more, in my 20s. I tried other Christian denoms, found them not to nurture or satisfy, either. Later I spent a few years studying and practicing Zen. Some of those practices and perspectives have stayed with me, still are useful. But I found patriarchal emphasis was limiting to my Spirit. Later I started reading about New Agey type writers, and stumbled on books about the Goddess, Wicca, Witchcraft, and about Native American spirituality and feminine sacredness and spirituality. That led me to Wicca. And I found something that enriched me, empowered me, nurtured me, and helped me grow and evolve as Spirit! While I don't like labels per se, because I am on a personal spiritual path, and give no allegiance to any particular religious hierarchy or structure, I am the sum of all my spiritual searching, studying, reading, explorations. I have kept the elements from each of my explorations that enrich my path, and left other things behind as they no longer serve my spiritual growth and purpose.
I agree with Brush, that at this time in my life, going within, and finding the richness in Spirit that is there for the solitary seeker, is where I need to be. Along the way, in the past, I gradually learned to hear my own voice, wisdom, intuition and to trust my insight.
Hugs,
Gypsy
Blessings,
Gypsy
)O(
Hi Brush :)
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Very.
I most often am. There was a time (or ten...LOL) when I felt as though I shouldn't be "here" (meaning on a certain path) and IMO that was when I was on (what I fondly call) auto-pilot. LOL!
Listening to what other people say is best for me is just NOT applicable to my life.
When I started this soul searching journey, I knew that whatever happened, was meant to happen. Sort of like going with the flow of things...kwim?
Learning, growing, accepting...its all about the journey, and what a journey it has been and will be in the future.
V :)
Yes! I agree!! I find my journey very interesting and exiting too!!
Tis indeed about the journey.. and now that I have myself freed me from all those conventional religions, I feel really happy and content..
It feels sooo good, to discover and learn about all the things that come on my path today.. i hope that you, are enjoying yourself too!!
happy travelling?
greets and hugs from the old brush
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