So haven't been here for a while, its been seven months since me and my ex bishop hubby left. When I first left Church, I was like yes I still believe this and that ect...now I just don't know if I even believe some parts of the bible after been sucked in by Book of Mormon Stories i wonder is the bible like that too. I mean all those animals on the ark... I wonder and I think I still believe in God, creator of the universe. Beyond that I feel quite miffed about all things religous. Interested in your views.

to watch the PBS doc with Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth.

As Joe explains it (these are my words) is that throughout the ages people used allegory to describe things that were otherwise indescribable. Things for which there were no words. It was an oral tradition handed down, and fluid to the change from generation to generation, environment to environment.

So what would have been a story about a cunning fox in one generation became a smart raven in the next. You get the picture, allegory was used to describe in the immediate context.

Then the Jews came along and wrote everything down. And language became frozen and impermiable. Noah's arc was literal now and forever more. Not up for discussion. Not open to interpretation.

So I think it's possible for you to remain spiritual and connected to God (if that's your course of action) by leapfrogging over the Bible and keep it in the context of a tradition of allegory predating the OT. Feel free to keep it of Divine Provinance.

Joe lived throughout his life as deeply spiritual, so I don't think you will find it faith shaking, just very informative.

Safe travels.

I bought the series of Joseph Campbells lectures. They are so enlightening. He discusses world mythology, and the quest of the hero. It explains the gods and our needs as humans.

mistymemories, you might enjoy reading Demon Haunted World by Sagan. It might help you decide what you are going to believe and why.

dagny Wrote:
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> I bought the series of Joseph Campbells lectures.
> They are so enlightening. He discusses world
> mythology, and the quest of the hero. It explains
> the gods and our needs as humans.
>
> mistymemories, you might enjoy reading Demon
> Haunted World by Sagan. It might help you decide
> what you are going to believe and why.

I like Sagan's book also.

Campbell puts the world of religion/god myths in perspective which gives insight into how and why Mormonism works for the believing members today.

Part of the difficulty I have encountered as a result of being Mormon then leaving, is the struggle to have answers for everything that really can't be answered.

After a period of anxiety, I realized that I don't need to worry about it. It's ok for me to say "I don't know"...

There is a freedom in letting go.

I try to live in the present moment and enjoy life as it comes.

Since I left the church, I've been taking lots of religion classes, and one of my favorite ones is actually at the synagogue by my house. One of the Rabbis teaching the course mentioned how the Torah is up for interpretation, and how not all Jews, nor Rabbis believe the same things in Judaism. Some take all of it literally, some take bits and pieces ( the modern day "pick and choose" in my opinion, but then again, my opinion is flawed :P ) and the none is literal, but stories to learn from.

Perhaps you could look at it that way, because hey, while it may not be believable, there is still something to learn from it. (again, my opinion)

I like what Scooter wrote, in fact, a lot better written than me. Just the musings of a 19 year old girl. :)

I think it is better to take classes through universities (or just read their text books).

If you take the classes at churches- from Rabbis, Priests, Pastors, etc. that empowers them. It enforces their ability to teach everyone the books are still HOLY in some way, and encourages irrational cherry picking according to whim with no standards.

All this is fine, but these books deserve to be stripped of the cloak of sacredness and treated like other literature. We all cherry pick and learn lessons from literature. I don't think the Bible or Koran should be given special treatment anymore. Religious leaders depend of being able to "teach" what to think about scriptures. I say we should encourage literature professors to fill that role, and not religious leaders who lead you to believe they have some kind of inside information about a god.