YOu should go to a library and check out a few books on comparative religion. Try to get some different perspective on each religion, then visit a few churches/mosqes/temples/whatever and talk to the people in charge, as well as some members of the congregation. I personally chose NON-DENOMINATIONAL Christianity, but I feel that anyone who is seeking should get the information necessary to make an informed decision. Then follow what your heart tells you to.
Check out an Orthodox church sometime. Since you were a Catholic, it will be somewhat similar. The Catholic church and the Orthodox church officially split back in the 11th century.
I of course am biased, but I really think it is such a beautiful and spiritual religion. It is an Eastern religion, so it is much more mystical in it's views and practices as compared to the Western world which places its emphasis on rationalisations. Orthodoxy (and the Christian message in general), is quite a simple one: to love your neighbor. Once you start getting into all the other rules and facets you can start to lose the meaning of that message. So as long as you keep that underlying message, then I think you'll find that you go through life as a happier person.
So i don't know, if you're interested you can either check out a book on it or look up information on the internet. I don't know which book is the best for explaining Orthodox, but I hear "The Orthodox Church" by Timothy Ware is supposed to be good. And if you want me to answer the questions that you posed in your original post or if you just want more info on Orthodoxy, go ahead and shoot me a pm.
I of course am biased, but I really think it is such a beautiful and spiritual religion. It is an Eastern religion, so it is much more mystical in it's views and practices as compared to the Western world which places its emphasis on rationalisations. Orthodoxy (and the Christian message in general), is quite a simple one: to love your neighbor. Once you start getting into all the other rules and facets you can start to lose the meaning of that message. So as long as you keep that underlying message, then I think you'll find that you go through life as a happier person.
So i don't know, if you're interested you can either check out a book on it or look up information on the internet. I don't know which book is the best for explaining Orthodox, but I hear "The Orthodox Church" by Timothy Ware is supposed to be good. And if you want me to answer the questions that you posed in your original post or if you just want more info on Orthodoxy, go ahead and shoot me a pm.
importdistributors
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- Sep 14, 2004
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I have the answer to your question about why meat cannot be eaten on fridays during lent. A long time ago when the church used to basically run the city and be the government, the fishermen were very poor. They went to the church for help because nobody would buy fish, they would only buy other kinds of meat, so the church said that no meat is to be eaten on fridays, but they said that fish was not considered a meat or something like that, so the fish market was then booming, Thus saving many fisherman from going broke, and saving the economy. So in short, the reason is for economical purposes, which isn't as applicable today! so eat all the meat you want.
Atheism/Agnosticism is the best religion.
It's holy books are science books and it's interpretations is based on logic.
It's holy books are science books and it's interpretations is based on logic.
I believe you fast from meat on Fridays during lent because that's the day you observe the crucifixion of Christ. And at least in the Orthodox church you are supposed to fast every Wednesday and Friday, even during the non-Lenten seasons. But of course this varies widely from person to person. If you want to be real strict about it, then you can't eat meat, or fish, or dairy, or oil. Fasting is more on a personal level and differs from person to person. The purpose of fasting isn't play by the rules and make the church happy, it is supposed to be your sacrifice to God, so that you can focus more on God, prayer and alms-giving.
So basically you can't handle the notions of real life, death and whatnot, and feel the need to turn to religion to make your life all "happy"? That's no better than an alcoholic turning to the bottle to drink his/her problems away.
I firmly believe that religion is simply escapism from real life, and you have just proved that.
--Mark
I firmly believe that religion is simply escapism from real life, and you have just proved that.
--Mark
Originally posted by: LW07
I would recommend Protestant Christianity(a denomination of Christianity that isn't catholic. Examples: Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal(anglican), and of course, Assembly of God(that's my denomination, BTW.).
Protestant Christianity made me what I am today - a liberal, secular, atheist. Highly recommended. :thumbsup:
I think a lot of people don't like organized religion because they would actually have to take some initiative/sacrifices in their personal life. But with the "Me, me, me!" mentality that's prevalent in the world today, they rebel against this and have some sort of lame excuse not to partake.
what do u mean escape from real life? i'm not sure i understand completely. i want to dive into a religion because i'm seeking the truth. i want to know the reason why i exist and the reason for any of my actions (why should i choose to be good vs bad). to me, knowledge is happiness. the more i know, the happier i am. going through life "as it is" like a drone, does not satisfy me. much like a science project, i want every action in my life to be meaningful and have at least a sense of purpose. i want to know where things lead to and not just simply wake up every morning, go to work, go home, do some activities, go to bed, and repeat again for the next 60 years without thinking about it. what happens when i die?
if there is a God, i don't want to look back at my life and regret for my lack of actions and contributions to the world. likewise, if there isn't a God, i also don't want to look back at my life and regret the meaningless "good" deeds that i did for nothing. don't get me wrong, i truly enjoy helping others. while doing good deeds is happiness in its own and i enjoy doing it, going completely out of my way and being a good samaritan and sacrficing myself for others is a different story.
if u feel strongly about this escapism idea of yours, please go into more detail. like i said before, i am always open to new ideas, regardless of what it is and even if it insults my intelligence/ego.
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