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 Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:36 pm
Why did you choose your particular religion, and what do you love most about it? Tell us what made you take the path of your beliefs.
My reasons:
I chose Wicca, because, in my case, the God of the Bible was never there for me. I was a bully in 3rd to 4th grade because I was living with my father and 2 older sisters since my parents are divorced. My oldest sister hit and abused me, so that was the only thing I learned when I was little... to hit and yell. Whenever I moved back with my mom, she took me to a psychiatrist every week. After 5 years, I didn't need it anymore [thankfully]. Then, my mom got remarried. My step-dad is very nice, and a lot of fun. He takes me and my 2 younger siblings out to car and train shows, and CiCi's Pizza. But, 2 years ago, I found out my mom was having an affair, and that she never loved Michael, my step-dad. She says she only married him because she needed the money, for the reason we were so poor. I hate... no, despise and loathe my mom's boyfriend. He follows me everywhere and makes fun of me all the time. And to top that, my mom doesn't care that she's ruining part of my life by being with him. So, as you can see, God was never there. Then, I realized the Gods and Goddesses. I was still mean and rude sometimes, but the first time I actually meditated, the rest of the day was really nice. [Sounds corny, but it's true] I started buying books with my own money and going to stores, such as Indian Summer. I was fascinated by everything in there. Plus, I felt safe whenever I was in a place like that, or reading a book.
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Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:13 pm
I chose Chaoism because I've always sort of viewed the world in an abstract way anyhow. I've always been able to point out inconsistencies in everything, and I've always had a very fluid set of beliefs. The change that Chaoism encourages, such as paradigm shifting, as well as the belief that there is no such thing as an objective truth. It's everything I could look for in terms of a philosophy or religion, so I'm glad that I found out about it.
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:33 pm
I choose wicca because for my self the God in the Bible was never ther for me either.
I've grown upwith my parents being divorced soI learned to be responsible at a really eairly age wich is both good and bad.
I had started going toa chirstian church when I was almost 15. then I started having trouble with my legs(I had very very painful muscle spasmsthat drove me to tears every night for weeks) I prayed togod every night for a week to help make the pain stop but he never answered.
That's when I casted my first healing spell. that night I didn't have any of the spasms(and I've only had one sience.) Then I started toinvetigateWicca and the more Iread the moreI realized thatmybeliefs fit alot better than they did with the chirstian church. and ever siencethen I have continued to study and learn.I can prodley callmy self a Witchnow thanks to the God and Goddess.
AlsoIliked the beliefthat wecould namethelord and ladytofit us.that made the themseem like they cared alot more about how we think and feel.
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Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 5:25 pm
Sigh....I myself, had followed the Wiccan path. God does not exist. Think of the Holocaust...The Jewish worshipped that b*****d. There is no God of the Bible. After having a life of misery, I have decided that I need a calming religion...A tolerate, self finding, loving religion. One that does not hate, one that is one itself with nature...Katherine and I have been friends for years, and we both have taken this path...Depending on my mood, I may just put my short life-story here later...Katherine, do you wish for everyone to hear it? I expect no pity. I don't want pity.
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Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:30 pm
I'm still deciding what I want to be, though I'm 98% sure that I've chosen some form (probably Eclectic) of Wicca as my religious path.
I grew up in a strict, authoritative Christian home. We went to a church that was Pentecostal (believed in the Holy Spirit - not many do anymore), but also bordered on Baptist. Then, when I was twelve (I'm now 17), we visited a very extreme, out-there church and we immediately, myself included, fell in love with it. Within the next year we had completely extracted ourselves from our old church.
Within the next year and a half, I experienced a lot. Some good, some bad, some that just made me go, "Meh." In the end, I went to stay with my biological dad for two months in Virginia during summer break, and when I came back, I had decided I would never return to my parents' church. Also, in the middle of the previous school year, we moved into another district. The end of this summer break heralded a new school, and that's important.
When I started at my new school, everyone was very welcoming, and lots of "groups" or "cliques" were willing to accept me. I chose to instead be friends with people I could relate to - fringe people, or outsiders. One was a sweet, quiet, chubby girl named Alissa, and one was a dark, brooding skinny chick named Sam who right from the get-go made it clear she was Wiccan. She intrigued me so much, and she and I became fast friends. Our relationship dissolved not much later, in a rather horrendous fashion at that, but while she and I were friends, she taught me a lot, and introduced me to an amazing religion that resonated with me completely. It was all-encompassing, and non-judgmental, the exact opposites of my parents' church, and included a feminine aspect of deity. That would later on mean a lot to me, though it did then, too.
However, I made some mistakes that ended up putting me in Juvy, as well as starting with a new therapist and a new psychiatrist. Since I was so emotionally overwhelmed and extremely vulnerable, I agreed to go back to my parents' church and put Wicca "on the back burner" - that's what I told people who understood; my parents and the church all thought I "left it behind me in 'Egypt'..." xp
I again attempted to leave about a year and a half later, but again went back.
The church constantly evolved, and constantly got more and more close-knit. I've often, and still do, referred to it as a cult, because it is. They utilize brainwashing, peer pressure, and they tend to be very secretive and exclusive. Cults also use a thing called "love-bombing" when they're 'initiating' someone - it's where they dote on you, give you presents and stuff, and then expect complete compliance and submission to their rules and way of life... this happened to me on my 13th birthday - they BOMBED me with love at a pseudo-Bat Mitzvah... ugh. [[it almost worked... scream rolleyes ]] ~~ Also, they are very judgmental and intolerant of other religions, including many other sects of Christianity. However, they started incorporating many "Eastern religion" philosophies and practices into their routines and things a little less than two years ago. But while they do the activities, they still say that the religion with which those practices originated "is evil... worships Satan... is deceived..." This has included Catholicism, Buddhism, Wicca, Taoism, Hinduism, and many others.
Therefore, I left again - for good this time - in September. I have been back since, but as a visitor, not part of the congregation.
Also, I said in another forum post somewhere that I would explain my insanely long term I coined for this church. It was:
Apostolic-Pentecostal-Fundamentalist-Messianic Jewish-"Enlightened"-Christian
Wow that ^ took up more than one line!!! When typing, anyhow.
Okay so what it means.
Apostolic means they "walk the walk of the Apostles" meaning they are supposed to go and do the work Jesus commissioned his Twelve Disciples to do.
Pentecostal means they believe in the ENTIRE Trinity - the Father, the Son, and the HOLY SPIRIT. This means they speak in tongues, prophesy, have visions, get slain, etc.
Fundamentalist - this is my interpretation - they are extremists, and are quite judgmental and eccentric. Kind of contradictory, but that goes hand-in-hand with it.
Messianic Jewish. They follow the Jewish calendar of feasts and timings, and don't do "Christian" holidays - that are actually derived from Paganism!!!! - like Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc. They do celebrate the Resurrection, and they celebrate Jesus's birthday around September, the Jewish Feast Of Tabernacles. As you can see, though, they believe in and worship Jesus. Therefore, they are MESSIANIC (Jesus = Messiah) Jewish.
"Enlightened" is in quotation marks because I'm being facetious. This is one of their terms, and royally pisses me off. The East, and the Eastern religions, are of the mind. That has always been associated with it. Hence, when they began incorporating Eastern practices into their walk, they "expanded their minds", or were "enlightened."
Christian... self explanatory? lol.
Okay, I'm -almost- done. I'll explain a li'l' more on why I'm Wiccan.
I'm Wiccan because I identify with a female aspect of Divinity, though I see divinity as all-encompassing, rather than a polarity or duality. I want to revere and take care of nature, and commune with the Spirit, the Divine, the Source, through the wind and the swaying trees, and the warm sun and glistening moon, through meditation and slowing down, and through finding myself. Christianity was very oppressive to me, as I was supposed to feel horrible about myself and my mistakes all the time, and try to fix them or be forgiven for them. Also, women have never been treated as equally in Christianity - yes there are female pastors, including the pastor at my parents' church; however, even she perpetuated the ideal that females are the ones that evoke sin in the world, since it was Eve that ate the apple and whatever...
In Wicca, every day is a new day, and I have to be conscious of my actions not because I'm going to be smited by some omnipresent, omnipotent god, but because they affect everything and everyone. Karma doesn't have to be a b***h, but it can be! The Threefold Rule really rings true with me. Also, I hate the notion that this is our only chance. I like the idea of reincarnation, and a place like Summerland. Reincarnation gives us more of an opportunity to reap what we've sown, so to speak. Like, not to be rude or harsh, just realistic, but I was molested when I was nine. Therefore, I must have molested someone in a previous life. If someone in this life is a murderer, they will get murdered in a later life. And so it goes.
That's it for now, lovelies. heart Desi
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Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:51 pm
religon for me...
I believe that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, their own god (or gods/goddesses). I wont say they dont exist they just may not be a part of my life.
For personal experiences ive met people of all religions that are intolerant and in my opinion ignorant, just depends on the person. Some of the churches ive attended..it just wasnt my thing..to many close minded people. Being one that has never been baptised my aunt would ask me every sunday if i wanted to..i would always reply "no im not sure if i'm ready", she would always pressure on me how important it was and I just wasnt ready to commit to a religion (i think if your going to follow a religion and preach so much you should atleast follow its teachings) ..so over a course of a summer this baptist thing continued until finally one day i told her i was nervous to go in front of everyone ... she told me that i was being influenced by the devil and if i got baptised god could save me.. yeah after that i gave up on that particular church.
Honestly I dont hate god, i've had encounters with some people who worship him that I would love to slap though ..
To best describe me I am Shawna..a person who loves and respects nature, I have morals (i dont believe in killing people and such) , reincarnation is a total possibility, if i need someone I talk to whoever will listen (god, buddha, anyone), meditation is awesome..(my fav is grounding), spirits and others do exist, i am open-minded and love people
I support gays, bi, straight, artists, hippies, readers, kind hearted, stubborn headed, silly, ninjas....
So far I dont follow any set religion.. just my heart.
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:10 am
I believe that I chose Paganism because it offers a nice balance of things and because it has always "felt right". I love the fact that everything is equal and there a both light and dark aspects of everything to choose from. I have been called "on the fence" before because I practice both types of magic but as far as I'm concerned that's what a true pagan does. You don't go overboard with the bad or get walked over with nothing but good. I love the fact that I can feel everything flowing around me, pulsing with energy, that it's all connected and that the Mother and Father are watching over us all. I know what I'm describing sounds a lot like Wicca but the particular brand of paganism that I practice is very basic. Not to mention the fact that I doubt any other religion, save wicca, would accept my therianism without trying to ostacise or commit me. I also believe that everyone has a right to believe what they wish and that no one should tell them that they are wrong or are going to "hell" or any equivalent thereof.
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:05 pm
to be honest, i dont know what i am. i was raised in a ctrictly cristian home, and still am. i have no real expreriance with any other religions. what i do know is limited to what i have read in books, and even that isnt a whole lot. i would like to be pagan, but dont know what kind. im leaning towards either ancient celtic, or wiccan, both sound good but i need to do some more research before i decide.
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Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:16 pm
I chose my religion, or lack thereof, agnostic, because I am a natural skeptic and I love science. I couldn't find the science in the religion of my family, Catholic, and I questioned it. The only religion I would consider is Buddhism because I love the peace of it.
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