Date:   8/28/2004 3:03:15 PM ( 20 y ago)
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URL:   https://www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=273090

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I may differ in other's definition of religion. In my humanities and sociology classes religion was broken down and studied. It is actually part of the initial makeup of many social theries! I guess I should use the religion I understand the most, Chatholic. My confirmation mentor was an ex-nun that had left the convent and was then married with a family. She taught me many things (my mom as well). She's the one that intraduced the idea of an earthly church (think the vatacin and dogma) and the spiritual church. The earthly church is everything that this forum is against. It's men using God and His ways to further their own power and influence. It's also the one that makes all those rituals to follow that many find bewildering and hurtful. Personal, I cannot go to confession as a "good catholic" should. For me it is a very spiritually damaging experience. The last time I went It was weeks before I broke through the void it caused me! Like you, I am not happy with that earthly church made up of power hungry men. But then there is the spiritual church, the one that the apostles started just after Jesus raised from the dead. The one Peter sat at the head of.

The spiritual church is one of God, Jesus and the holy spirit. It is what Jesus taught as the right way. This spiritual church wasn't originally called the church but rather it was refered to as The Way. They taught love, acceptence, peace, and living in the holy spirit. They taught that if you could live with out marriage then you should do so, so as to devote your life to Christ and all of his teachings. The spiritual church, or The Way, is what life in God should be.

As I've said before, I need the experience of a church service weekly. That can make for some confusion because I am not happy with the earthly church and the harm it does, though I can see some good as well. (Jesus taught love of your enemies after all!) I'm not sure how to explain what I get from those services. My dad calls it empathy. It's being able the feel the energy of those around you. Being with other worshipping God and singing his praises is like having my own energy refueled. It's the one time of the week where what I feel is all good and spiritual instead of hurt and anger and dispare. I also get that wonderous feeling of being one with my God there. As someone who suffers Depression and anxiety that is very important. Though I do feel that in my future I'll need to be able to get that unique communion without the service. Right now I'm just learning how to let the week fall away and just be with Christ and let him comfort me and refuel my energy. Therefore I need the guidence that service gives me. Of course the service that I am going to is not catholic, I have too many hurt feelings towards them right now, it is actually nondenominational. It is the one church that I've known that lets you just be if that is what you want.

Now, as odd as that all sounds, this is even more odd. Those 'brood of vipers' that prey on fragile persons in need of careful spiritual nursing actually cause me to feel pain. It's like my heart is being torn out. I see, and sometimes feel, those needy persons shrivel inside because of them. I find that incomprehensible. As much as I try I cannot understand why they do that to others. I know that God is love and that God will nurture your spirituallity so that it will grow and become strong and healthy. For me it has been a series of church related experiences. For others, like those here, it means leaving any kind of church. Then you have those who would distroy instead, just because the other person isn't just like them. It's like a childish click of bullies!

The fact that there are people in this forum that have overcome the hurts caused by earthly churches and cruel vipers gives me hope. It gives me hope that I will continue to grow spiritually, and it doesn't matter that it might be outside the catholic religion. I enjoy speaking with others who embrace spirituallity instead of stomp it into the ground. I even enjoy being introduced to ideas I've never learned of. I may never embrace them, but I do learn from them. Partly because of my sociology fasination and partly because I see those different things as ways of furthering my own growth. It is by understanding others that we understand ourselves. It is also how we grow.

I hope all that gives you an idea of why a "church goer" would find this forum valuable. Besides, there are church goers that see God as a God of light and love. And like me, they would try to help ease the pain caused by those "vipers" who use pain as power. I know a loving God, I would introduce that God to anyone willing to say hello. Thanks for allowing me to ramble so much!!
 

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