Losing Faith

[GG_Drea]

Might as well post something here. So what do you think about people who have lost their faith or no longer believe in God anymore?

Do people need something to believe in no matter what it is?

FYI I'm so not the same GG as I was years ago a lot has happened.

[tecpaocelotl]

It's very human to question and lose faith. When Captain America lost faith in America, he became nomad, but eventually became Captain America again. Statistically, people who lost faith, when getting older, usually go back to the faith they grew up with.

I have told you about my father. How he use to be Catholic and lost faith when my cousin/aunt and grandma died. In the past few years, he has been going back to Catholicism and I guess to say it in a nice way, making it up on lost time. Most of my parent's garage is full of food to donate, gotten big chains to donate clothes, help organize mass where migrant farm workers go.

I think people say they don't believe in something, but since they were raised in a dogmatic background, people tend to use that time and energy and replace it with another (for example, apple products, certain music group, something they love a lot).

As for me, I feel like I replace that gap of religion with super heroes and history. LOL.

[GG_Drea]

Interesting. Yeah I wonder if I will go back but a big part of me does not want to but I know I am trying to fill that (belief) with something. I do find myself trying to learn about different things now.

I'm amazed at how much my opinion about religion has changed.

[tecpaocelotl]

It's normal to feel like that. Proof you're human. The brain want more information.

You can't force yourself to go back to faith. Either you become someone who doesn't need religion or your brain does that weird thing that makes you want to go back.

[GG_Drea]

That explains why I'm "scrambling" to find things that relate to my life right now I guess.

I wonder how it is for other people who go through this?

[CaliPac]

I've gone thru it. And I don't make a big deal about professing it to those (especially in my family) that still choose to believe. That just opens a can of worms.

Personally, I have just started to solely believe in myself and my own strength as a person in what I can control.

I still say "thank God" out of habit... but I"m really thinking thank (or blame) ME, or thank that completely unrelated coincidence that benefited me lol.

Also, I think ppl confuse their lack of faith in religion, to having a lack of faith or belief in a God. It's completely possible IMO to believe there might be a higher power out there without necessarily attaching it to a specific religion or even assuming that there is a relationship between us and "it".

[tecpaocelotl]

That reminds me, I consider myself agnostic.

[mrart]

Religion can bring anyone down. To question is normal I would think it would be more about relationship to me. Life changes in ages and stages, and makes us look at things differently. I don't know what your going through but a good self look is not bad I hope you are good and get the perspective you need.

[SJ]

people change. We are constantly being thrown both good and bad stuff in life and that forces our minds to adapt and try to make sense out of everything. Sometimes that means leaving religion behind, sometimes that means embracing it even tighter.

I say do as much as you can to be a decent human being. Many people out there don't even try and because of those people we tend to lose our faith in humanity. For every bad thing you hear about on the news of someone doing, try doing two good deeds. I figure it should balance itself out somehow.

[GG_Drea]

You all have some good perspectives : ) Life has certainly changed and I'm searching for what I have no clue as of now but I guess this is a normal part of life.

[KoolArrow]

i dont like the term 'losing faith' as a way to describe questioning or abandoning formal religion. Perhaps youre actually gaining perspective? Or you still have 'faith' but its no longer in an omnipotent father figure who you can have a personal relationship with. I would say I have become more faithful (i cant say 'spiritual' without getting douche bumps) over the past several years but I have never really struggled with that, since I first took psychelic drugs. It was then that I first felt a connectdness to the world, I had never known. And realized that the universe has its own rythym and reason to it, and theres nothing to be afraid of. At one time, i would have said I was an athiest but If theres one thing I know, its that I dont know much. Yet still, I tend to believe that this life is not a random occurance that can always be rationlized. We're made of stardust and we're spinning in space, communicating remotely. That pretty much tells me that anything is possible.

[Cal]

Originally Posted by mrart

religion can bring anyone down. To question is normal i would think it would be more about relationship to me. Life changes in ages and stages, and makes us look at things differently. I don't know what your going through but a good self look is not bad i hope you are good and get the perspective you need.

+1.

[Nina]

Originally Posted by mrart

Religion can bring anyone down. To question is normal I would think it would be more about relationship to me. Life changes in ages and stages, and makes us look at things differently. I don't know what your going through but a good self look is not bad I hope you are good and get the perspective you need.

+2.


Trials and tribulations are bound to come up in life that change your perspective on faith and life in general;times like those is when you really get to know yourself. I've went through something really bad in the summer of 2011 that made me question things/religion. All is well now, but those were some tough times. I hope you're doing ok GGDrea.


If you don't mind me asking, what's going on? If it's to personal that's ok you don't have to answer. But from your other post I got the vibe that it had something to do with your health.

I hope alll Is well though. Sending good vibes your way.

[GG_Drea]

I guess what comes to mind is disillusionment and some of the other things others have mentioned in this thread. So it is a combination of all things. I believe in the existence of a god but I do not believe in god like I once did. I pretty much don't believe in anything now so inwardly I am searching but I think some of what was said here also gave some more insight.

As for my health it is not the best yet I am okay lol but thank you for the concern : )

One day at a time!

[xicanachick]

Originally Posted by CaliPac

Also, I think ppl confuse their lack of faith in religion, to having a lack of faith or belief in a God. It's completely possible IMO to believe there might be a higher power out there without necessarily attaching it to a specific religion or even assuming that there is a relationship between us and "it".

Originally Posted by mrart

Religion can bring anyone down. To question is normal I would think it would be more about relationship to me. Life changes in ages and stages, and makes us look at things differently. I don't know what your going through but a good self look is not bad I hope you are good and get the perspective you need.

Originally Posted by SJ

people change. We are constantly being thrown both good and bad stuff in life and that forces our minds to adapt and try to make sense out of everything. Sometimes that means leaving religion behind, sometimes that means embracing it even tighter.

I say do as much as you can to be a decent human being. Many people out there don't even try and because of those people we tend to lose our faith in humanity. For every bad thing you hear about on the news of someone doing, try doing two good deeds. I figure it should balance itself out somehow.

All of this.

I think it's normal for your beliefs to evolve as you grow older and have more life experiences. For me, it's not so much that I have lost faith, but if anything organized religion (in my case, Catholicism) has lost my trust for many reasons. The world is not black and white and it often baffles me that an institution in which I was taught to believe wholeheartedly is so against change and acceptance. At this point in my life, I find it much more satisfying to maintain my spirituality on my own terms. I don't need the church to tell me that I'm going to hell because I stay and watch football or go have brunch with my friends instead of going to church on Sundays. It's kind of like a line from the Big Bang Theory: "I don't object to the concept of a deity, but I'm baffled by the notion of one that takes attendance."

I still pray, and if I feel the need to have a defined space for reflection I will still attend mass but I don't go to confession. I think I'm like a lot of people nowadays that will just pick and choose certain parts of things (in this case, religion) to take up.

I hope some of that made sense. I feel like I'm kind of just rambling now. Btw, welcome back Drea

[Tlanelolli]

I've kinda been ambivalent to the whole god thing, like I don't really have a position on it. I was raised Catholic, used to be religious in that as a kid, still have a positive view as Jesus himself as a man or a symbol or whatever, he's not much like his fan club. But I just tell people my religion is love, because I hold that sacred and it makes sense. Maybe it's corny, but what's wrong with corn?

[GG_Drea]

I'm really liking everyone's responses and different perspectives.

Xicanachika: Thank you! I have missed Soy!