21 Jan 07
Originally posted by Ian68Yes, but think of a (any) religion as a starting point. It's hard to form an opinion of you're not exposed to information. If you find out what people and groups think and believe, and how they live out what they think and believe, you have a firmer foundation upon which to build your own beliefs. You are free to accept or reject any teachings, but it's nice to know what some of those teachings are.
Can you find God, and be at one with God, doing what he/she expects of you without being associated to any religion?
For example: As a child, for a brief time my siblings and I were dumped at Sunday School while the folks went back home. I got a Bible for memorizing the names of the 12 Apostles, and I learned two things: Jesus was a friend to children and Jesus was dead. That was as relevant to me as knowing that George Washington was the first president -- great info if you're on a quiz show, but otherwise meaningless. Eventually, as an adult, I wanted to know more, so I did some exploring and information gathering. I also became fascinated with other religions, forms of spirituality, and points of view, even taken courses when I could (and sometimes when I had to, but that's a different story).
Here's what I really, truly believe as a result:
1. I believe in God most of the time.
2. I believe that God created a huge variety of people with different ways of looking at the world and different needs.
3. A huge variety of religions and alternatives are necessary to meet the spiritual needs of those people.
4. Religions can help people feel connected to others, which is often the gateway to feeling connected to God.
5. It is crucial that the world include not only variety in religions and forms of spirituality but also that it include the doubters, agnostics, atheists, and those who just like to push people's buttons.
Why number 5? I can rattle off the Nicene creed and explain it to a classroom full of Catholic children. I can tell a friend that my students and I will pray for her sister, who was just diagnosed with breast cancer. If I were so inclined, it would be very simple to wrap myself in a Catholic bubble, especially since nearly everyone I know in this town is via my work in the school and parish. But ...
When I come here, when I go to non-Catholic churches with my niece and nephew, when explore all the other things that are out there -- THEN I have to think about what I really believe, and why. It is my hope that everyone would be that lucky! Nothing's worse than having a religion that you never question and never think about, IMO. When God issued me my very own brain, it was with the understanding that I'd use it. I understand God gave you one too, with the same instructions! We learn more about ourselves and our beliefs by being around thoughts that are different from ours and ideas we disagree with, because then we have to think about WHY we think as we do and why we disagree.
Being associated with a religion gives you other people to journey with. It gives you a nicely packaged set of beliefs, and if you've not had religious education of any sort at all, it's a nice start. If you already understand the basics of a religion, and your needs at this time don't include "we're all in this together" support stuff, then so be it. If you are a healthy, growing person than your needs and ideas will change throughout your life. Some things may stay the same (for example, I'm pretty well sold on monotheism), but some parts will change over time as your needs and information level change.