The Bigger Picture

Susan,


Re being fooled: I guess it never really hit me that you would feel fooled and I am sorry that my deconversion made such an impression on you. Everything I said, thought, wrote here was 100% from the heart at the time. Why is it so inconceivable that people change their minds? They change when evidence doesn't line up with what reality shows. That is not to say that this is the end of learning and growing, not at all.


In being so laser-focused on Christianity and especially on the Bible narrowed my view. Now that I've been able to zoom out, see that this is only one of many religions, all of which espouse truth, has opened my mind to other possibilities. Maybe we're all saying the same thing in different ways.


I've said here a few times that if I would have just stuck to what I had in the beginning, without trying to make it all make sense, I would probably still believe. Maybe all those years of trying to make it make sense were a waste of precious time.


I'm still not completely given up on Spirituality, In fact, I think in many ways the rise and fall of religion for me was a necessary journey.


Not sure what I mean by that, but I'll leave it for now.





I've been looking into many things and a recent trip to our local Hindu Temple has piqued my interest about this faith tradition.

 No, I'm not a Hindu now, I just find it interesting that for all those years, I completely ignored a huge belief that I knew nothing about. All those people who see God in a different way, with their own traditions, scriptures, visions, saints are part of humanity also. I am glad to be seeing a bigger picture.


Also, I do think in retrospect listening to and watching so many different teachings and preachers stunted my own growth as to me not trusting the still small voice inside me.



Peace

Religion and Culture

My husband and I don't talk much about the "god" anymore, but the other night we got into the idea that all religions are pretty much defined to certain areas of the world and probably when it comes down to it, pretty much the same thing.

This discussion came from my new interest in Hinduism, led partially by some things my son said and his fascination with the big renovation of the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana which is literally less than 2 miles from our home. They just had a huge thing going on last week and there were tents and things outside when hubby and I drove by last week on our way to date night.  The temple does not still look fully completed, but it is pretty interesting. One doesn't see that kind of thing around here much. And I'm sure the Baptist church right across the street is loving it ;)


Unfortunately, I can't find a very good photo of it one the web, I'll have to stop by and get one myself soon.


I told him we'd take a night and go visit, just so he can see it firsthand. I'm not looking for a new religion mind you, just interested. I was relieved by this Q&A from the visitor's guide:

Will there be any efforts made to convert visitors? • No. Hindus believe all faith traditions are paths to liberation, and do not seek to convert others to Hinduism. We hope your observations lead you to see the common values and spiritual goals of people of all faiths.

Back to the culture thing, if rituals and religion is someone that a family does as a bonding, community thing, I think may be a while lot more healthy than what I was trying to do. ULTIMATE TRUTH being the goal can be a pretty tall order.