Faith Help Thread

[The_Blessed_Mule]

Feeling a little disconnected from your religious path? Post your problems/concerns here; and other members will try to help you figure out how to get back on track. smile  

[iy8970970607]

>.<'
Looks like I'm first.

Well, recently the same force that brought me to a duotheist path is pushing me kinda away from it now, I've been looking into metaphysics lately and it shook some of my ideas around, and I had a very big event of change of mindset a few weeks ago, and I'm just off. I can't find the direct representations of what I had faith in like I used to. I don't see a balence, and I just see disturbance. I've always gone wth the notion of a holographic reality, and I wasn't too shooken by the idea of reality beig a bucnh of conflicting waves, and just recently, Ive been feeling that my god and goddess are just Thought-Forms that I've powered. I've always felt there needed to be a balence in the world, and that the universe would overall have a definate total value, about 7 months ago I fell apon neopaganism, and it just fit, and I fell into it by a feeling of something puhing me or hinting to me, it'd be alot easier if it was some sort of Deity's call, but I just don' know at all, and I think the only thing I did in the above was a rant.

#_#  

[Starlock]

I don't know if this will be useful to you, EL, but you could try considering the reconciliation of these two superficially conflicting qualities of balance and disturbance. For example, in science there's this concept called the dynamic equilibrium. Superficially the overall state of what you're looking at is remaining "balanced" but there is still exchange and "disturbance" moving between things. Put another way, the notion of things being in a constant state of change is not necessarily incompatible with ideas of balance.  

[iy8970970607]

hmm.
that is comforting.

I suppose I cannot accurately judge the whole system if I can't percive it totaly, as well...
and if somewhere there is a reciving end, it would still be in balence.
Change doesn't matter, the equal weighting does...

thanks Starlock.

but it doesn't really matter now,
I thik I may have found the deity that I felt all along so.

Heh, each death is a new birth.  

[ummei]

What are Daily Devotional Prayers? Im sure there's a thread somewhere here on it, just floating around @.@ I dont know if that helps with the connectedness with the self and or the Gods/ Goddess

And also is there a special way to thank the deities?  

[too2sweet]

One of my favorite books is the Book of Hours: Prayers to the Goddess (there is also one for the God). It has daily prayers, Sabbat related ones and a few others, along with some meditations.

As far as thanking Deities, it probably depends on the deity, but often just a heartfelt "thank you" works well enough. You can also leave offerings (if you know the sort of things they like.  

[Leona Moon]

I don't think I'm looking for anybody to restore my faith, but I would like your opinions on this. It might help to read my post in the introduction thread as well. Excuse the length, and please feel free to take your time in crafting a response.

I've been thinking about reason, logic, theism, atheism, faith, evidence, and related topics almost obsessively for the past few months. I know this isn't really good to do and I understand the fact that as a human there will always be things I can't know. But I keep questioning and thinking anyway. I've reached the "skeptical existential atheist" viewpoint a few times and I've gotten to the point (again) that nature is my god, I don't know and I don't care if I have an individual "soul" or if my consciousness continues after death. I would actually be pretty surprised if my individual consciousness continued like it is now because I don't think it makes sense to me, and I don't care about being human-like for the rest of eternity. I'm okay with the fact that my energy will be dispersed with Gaia and I think nature is so beautiful this doesn't bother me terribly much.

My problem is that for one, I highly doubt that humans possess the greatest consciousness in the universe. Same goes for whatever other aliens may be out there. It just doesn't make logical sense to me. I don't think the universe popped up out of nowhere with nothing to recognize itself. Maybe it's not totally aware of itself until beings like ourselves are brought to life, maybe it is aware of something else or maybe it's like a great dream. What is "it"? I don't know. Sometimes I think it's like an ocean of mind energy that connects all minds and all things in the universe. A greater consciousness, a greater mind or dream like energy that is the source of all existence. Maybe I won't continue as I am myself right now, but maybe I will also merge with this greater mind. Maybe by existing I bring information to this Mind. This is what makes sense to me based off of my own logic, though processes, and experiences. I tend to think that psychic phenomena happens and if this is true it could further support my theory. I think this might be similar to the Buddhist concept of the mind (I'm not sure) except I don't think we necessarily reincarnate among other things.

My other "problem" is that I know I don't have evidence for this, and I know I will be criticized for believing in this because of wishful thinking, human error, misinterpreting things and all of that. Maybe part of it is wishful, but I think most of it boils down to my own logic. But what is logical if we don't have any evidence to back it up? Most of my friends are atheists and think belief is stupid, so I think I'm going to look like some delusional spiritual fanatic. I feel self conscious and I'm upset that I can see two different sides so equally without anywhere to turn but what "seems right" or that I should only accept that which has empirical evidence. Maybe all my thoughts are a bunch of baloney and I should force myself to believe what other atheists say I should believe. But that doesn't seem right, either. If I get into a debate about it I can't go by evidence, I have to go by "this is what seems right" and that just looks silly. Maybe I'm caring too much about what other people think. I'm about to start college and I'm guessing I'm going to run into some passionate science-based atheists and I don't know how I'm going to defend my ideas until I have enough to back it up. But that could take years and years.

So on the whole I accept that I can't know these things, nobody really does, I just feel torn and it makes me break down and feel confused as where to turn from here.  

[Iiza Pagan Beech]

Leona Moon- I personally think that you are on the right track to where you need to be. Remember that everyone has a different path, that there is a religion for every person in the world. You are the only one that can be you, so be you, and take some of your own advice and don't worry about what others think. Speak up, share your opinion, be tested by those who you seem to want approval from. If they don't respect your views, they don't respect you and don't deserve to get any of your time.

It's good to think and question your beliefs, whether it's all the time or just every once in a while. Speaking out about them is another way of exploring the beliefs you do have, so I encourage you to do so, unless you think that there will be physical/emotional harm caused by your words.

If you ever want anyone to talk to about this, please feel free to PM me. Good luck heart  

[Leona Moon]

Thank you. I don't think it's really that I want approval from others, because there are so many different ideas and opinions out there. It's more about me accepting myself, and I judge myself too much.  

[zabazor]

Not as much a problem but a suggestion to anyone feeling doubt in your own religion.

Your Religion

You religion is your own beliefs. No one can tell you what to beleive, only you can. You religion is always changing, as are you. New ideas may inspire you, new experiences may alter you, everything happens for a reason. Let other religions influence you. No, let all of them influence you. Never be afraid to look outside the box and trust your gut, it leads you down your true path. You know what you believe is right. Others telling you you have to change your beliefs because they are wrong is why you ever have doubt in the first place. You don't have to have a two sided conversation with the gods, you don't even have to have a one sided conversation. What ever you are capable of and believe in will make what ever faith you have grow stronger.

It's about you, not them.  

[too2sweet]

zabazor

You religion is your own beliefs.

Not necessarily. Many religions have specific beliefs and/or practices, requirements, etc. So, if you believe things that are different than those of the religion you claim to be a part of (or have not met the requirements), then it likely isn't really your religion.

Quote:

No one can tell you what to beleive, only you can.

While no one can tell you what to believe, it wouldn't make sense to claim to be a member of a specific religion, if one didn't believe in the things that were an important part of that religion.

It also doesn't make sense to believe in things that clearly are not factual... for example I can believe all I want to that the sky is green, but it won't make it true. So if one has a belief that is based on misinformation, then it is often worth it to at least listen to others who are offering up a better source of information.

Quote:

You religion is always changing, as are you.

Why should someone's religion be constantly changing. If someone is on a path that works for them and makes them happy, why a constant need for change?

Quote:

Let other religions influence you. No, let all of them influence you.

Why? Many religions shouldn't mix and won't work well together even if one tried to. Not only that it is highly disrespectful in many cases to not only those people who practice them, but to the Gods themselves.

Quote:

Never be afraid to look outside the box and trust your gut, it leads you down your true path. You know what you believe is right.

The Frosts believed that raping children in the name of "Wicca" was right, and according to what you are saying - we should be ok with that. Sorry if I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one.

Quote:

Others telling you you have to change your beliefs because they are wrong is why you ever have doubt in the first place.

What if their beliefs are wrong - what if they've been misled? Is it kinder to let them continue - blissful in their ignorance? Or should one be a real friend and say - "look I realize this may be hard for you to accept, but there are some things you need to know..."

Quote:

You don't have to have a two sided conversation with the gods, you don't even have to have a one sided conversation. What ever you are capable of and believe in will make what ever faith you have grow stronger.

Depends again on what religion one is claiming to be a part of. If certain things are required then, not meeting those requirements, or not following the proper practices will exclude one from that religion.

Quote:

It's about you, not them.

We are not entitled (in anyway shape or form) to do whatever we want to, with blatant disregard for the cultures, practices, etc... of others. If we have no respect for others, how can we expect them to have respect for us.  

[Neonkyat]

I'm actually really glad that this was thread was started o-o

I've been having trouble with my faith for a very long time. It's mostly the lack of doing something daily, or at least occasionally, for the Gods. And which Gods! I've been flip flopping and turning over backwards trying to find exactly who i'm supposed to follow. Sure, it doesn't sound like a big deal, but to me it is...

Of course, i recognize all the Gods at one point or another. But my problem is that my personal deities have been scattered, if you will. I've gone from pantheon to pantheon, not sure of which i'm supposed to follow or where i belong. From Egyptian to Celtic to Greek to Egyptian again. It's hard to hear a calling when you're listening so hard, i know... Only reason i felt strongly about the Egyptian pantheon was from a past life (yeah, yeah, roll your eyes.). Even then i felt it was something i "had" to do and not something i wanted to do.

I've tried things like meditation and what not, it doesn't really help. The only time a meditation helped me was to find my spirit animals. It's also occured to me that i might not have a specific pantheon, which... i might just follow along that, but it also feels wrong to have different Gods on my altar.

Bwah. Confusion at it's finest. gonk  

[Mika Lockheart]

Candipup,

it may take some time before you find the right gods for you to follow. I bounced around quite a bit myself before settling on what feels right. Just hang in there, meditate and something will clue you in. Ask the gods in general to send you a sign so that you may find them. I started Wicca when I was about 13 or 14 and at the time when I asked I knew that the Greek Pantheon was for me. I asked them, however, to send me a sign as to who I should follow. Soon after I was walking down the street and came across a quarter with an owl on it. Well ! Athena it was! Haha.


You may also find as you grow that you worship or feel closer to different gods. there's nothing wrong with that either. I don't follow Athena as closely as I used to-I've grown spiritually and so on. However, my heart and soul still feels close to her alongside those that I worship now.

Hope this helps at least a little bit!