Okay, so I've discovered the church isn't true... now what? I'm thinking about other religions a little bit, but don't want to jump into anything specific. Still feel "wounded"... was a TBM for a long time, then started to wain about 5 years ago... ever since, just don't know anything other than I still believe in God.

I feel sometimes like I don't know what the meaning of life is anymore, as if it's all been taken from me. Perhaps that's the real crime of the LDS religion -- taking your years of life and belief to turn it all into a shopping mall. Yay for the Jesus Mall. Of course, if Jesus were here, I doubt he'd be in the Michael Kors store spending $600 on a sweater.

What religion is truth, if any??? Right now I'm just not sure any are right... coincidentall, isn't that how J Smith supposedly felt? LOL

Unless one of them is truly from, and sanctioned by God, they all have problems. Men are imperfect and things created by men in an effort to explain God are also imperfect.

Nope.

No organized religion, that's for sure.

It's really difficult to learn the truth about Mormonism and not turn your attention towards other religions, treating them to the same scrutiny. I came to the same conclusion about them as well.

I find that, no, none are believable to me now.

Religion is a way to share lessons carried down using mythology. Humans are story-telling, pattern-seeking beings (better expressed by Shermer). Religion in every culture has some roles that I suppose you could consider "truth" for that culture.

It lets everyone know what is expected in the culture. It serves as the adhesive in the group (social support, a mechanism for the group to observe rites of passage, etc.). It lets the believers define the in-group from the out-group and justifies excluding outsiders in the quest for resources and power.

Religion is the tool to keep the masses happy thinking somehow they will be the big winners in an afterlife. It gives people a way to think they won't die. It gives hope and comfort for all these reasons.

So is that enough to make up for not actually being true? It’s all in how you see it and what your needs are.

I think you would enjoy Joseph Campbell's work- try A Hero's Journey. He explains the role and importance of mythology in our lives. I think it will help you put things in perspective.

JS was a con and salesman. I think he saw the question you ask as an opportunity. I'm guessing you are to be more introspective.

Enjoy the quest. Read, read, read. People have been asking what you asked for a thousand years.

I think these posts are actually quite interesting. I guess my problem is, I just assumed the Mormon religion was 100% correct b/c that's how I grew up. I always felt "superior" thinking that I had the right religion and everyone else was wrong. Looking into it further, it's interesting how in-deep i was, b/c even now I question if I'm "going to hell" b/c I don't believe in what I used to. It's just kind of a culture shock living here in Utah and being surrounded by people who have no clue about what's really going on and don't want to. Thanks for the tip on the book dagny, think I might have to go pick that up...

If you have to believe in God, please believe in one that doesn't send you to hell for using the brain that HE gave you.

Besides, all the cool people are in hell anyway :)

Yeah, I think most of us fear going to hell as part of the process of stopping believing.

Where I am now I just have zero worry that the Mormon church is true or that any God exists at all.

However during the time I worried about it I quickly realized that if God is as big of a jerk as the God of the Old Testament and even the other scriptures indicate I really wouldn't want to be with him.

Even more, I can't fathom a just God would send me to hell for not believing in him. Certainly he would use a more reasonable criteria.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2012 11:36PM by bc.

Certainty is like a drug. The mind craves it. Religion sells it. And boy does our species buy it.

I've pretty much concluded there is no religion I find that believeable anymore. Yesterday (Sunday) I was driving, running an errand. I ended up listening to a very interesting Christian sermon. At the end of it, listeners were invited to get a free DVD explaining scientific evidence that Genesis is the correct record of the creation.

I turned off the radio and sighed. That was the end of that.

No, none of them are believable.

Instead of concentrating on, "What is the meaning of life?", try concentrating on, "Why is that important?". I never understood why it was important, never asked it myself, and saw plenty of others living happy lives without ever questioning.

Religion was humankind's first attempt to make sense of the universe. It provided explanations for things. Even though they were wildly wrong, they offered an anchor, comfort in a frightening and complex world. We have developed obviously better methods for this. These work and pay off. Religion still hangs on, still trying to offer explanations for the gaps in our knowledge. I don't ascribe to it because I am now content that there are some things we can't know. I like Richard Feynman's description of how one get's comfy with this.. "The joy of not knowing."

I guess I just really want the comfort and peace that I thought I had back... like I had some modicum of control that I now realize is gone... sigh.

The advice I would give is research both sides BEFORE jumping into anything. Read the "anti" stuff - because that's usually where the truth is unfortunately.

I jumped into Christianity right after mormonism because I was scared - but a year later I'm finally reading the other side and realize it is false just as Mormonism is.

However, I did find a wonderful church that was loving and accepting of people from all walks of life. It is a really open minded church. I never felt pressured into anything, like tithing for example. So if your not ready to jump to not believing in anything like I was, just make sure you find somewhere that fits your beliefs and personality. You might need some time to figure out what YOUR beliefs are! For instance I knew I didn't want any judgementalism.

Take a deep breath, relax, study lots of options, and smile because you are free!!!

It feels good I must say. For years I felt so much guilt for never living up to LDS standards. I always felt like we never did enough, never WERE enough for the higher-ups. It's just so weird to suddenly have Sunday be a day where I can do whatever I feel like doing, and where I can explore my thoughts and actions without feeling like I'm going to hell. I don't think God really works like that. And really, I'm glad I don't give 10%. They have enough stupid idiots loaning them interest-free money to their "nonprofit" organization...

Sounds like you are coming to some pretty good conclusions.

Standard Christianity can't be true because God wouldn't be a big enough jerk to damn people to hell because they didn't hear about Jesus in this life (baptisms for the dead gave God a chance at being just - take that away and you are in trouble.)

Liberally Christianity is fine, but it starts to get rather watered down into it just all being metaphorical.

Islam is kind of an non-starter.

Eastern religions have some cool ideas, but reincarnation is kinda hokey.

I think many religions can be useful and helpful for some people - but believable? - nope.

Pretty much all of them:
1) Contradict science
2) Are about someone who claims to be closer to God than you basically telling you what what God really wants is for you to give them money.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2012 11:06PM by bc.

Well said!

Once I fell out of the mormon tree and took a look around I had no desire to climb another tree of religion. I can now see the mind controlling dogma, I wouldn't last in another religious venue.

Religions are all filled with holes when compared to science. I don't believe any of them personally. Humans have created Numerous Gods to fill their many needs for thousands of years. It is ingrained in humankind to long for a purpose and answers to the big questions in life. Mainly what is our purpose and where do we go when we die. People are afraid of these questions so they turn to imaginary powers to find answers.

All the organized religions are true in that they have some truth in them. They are all false in that they capitalize on the desire people have to live on a higher level than animals, the sense we all have that there is something greater.

They use that yearning to advance themselves and their power.

Otherwise, they would all meet, introduce people to their teachings, then point them to nature to keep it all going. They would open their buildings and their hearts to the needy and work hard to improve living conditions for all humanity.

Instead they all work hard to "win" at the convert game instead of winning at the helping humankind game. That's how you know there is not a single organized religion that you could say is "true."

When you get spirituality within, the first thing you do is feel connected to everyone and you begin feeling for people who are suffering. You begin talking about the suffering and how to provide comfort and relief.

Looking for a true church? Become your own by making sandwiches for the homeless and getting together some friends to make coffee and deliver some food to those people you've been saying the government should clear away from under the bridge.

Some neighbors of mine did that. They even bought cigarettes for these derelicts. It's what they did on Sunday instead of going to church. Whenever I think of "true religion," I think of them. The only people that knew about this were the ones who did it and the guys under the bridge.


Anagrammy

Just total hamburger and taco carnage. Ravaging cheap eatery after eatery.

No moral compass to guide you. No ethical system preventing you from non stop gluttony.

What kind of monster are you?

Please, for the love of god, read your scriptures and go to church. Otherwise that 20 piece chicken meal that you will inhale without the threat of eternal damnation may be your last.

Religion was invented to control the masses.

I'm not interested in that.

Have you considered the perfectly rational religion of Dinochristianity. Our beliefs are simple. We believe that Jesus was a large velasco raptor who went extinct for our sins.

I hope you're right. I've got quite the collection of sins. Being human and all.

Most religions are as "believable" as the next. But few of them
are actually provably false. Mormonism, having been created in
modern times when copious records were kept, is one of the
provably false ones.

I think that this is an excellent video about the problems with faith/believing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wV_REEdvxo&feature=relmfu

Unfortunately, from my experience, those that most need to hear its message are people that do not have the understanding of logic to understand it.

Organized religion means rules...mostly stupid rules, put into place to control it's members through guilt and suspicion. I have no need for more stupid rules in my life.

Ron Burr

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2012 02:05AM by MJ.

Religions are all based on unverifiable magic. Anybody can start a new religion by inventing their own new brand of magic. That's why there are thousands of religions. Religion is a big waste of time and money.

Spend some time understanding how the world really works. Read books for the non scientist on evolution (Richard Dawkins has written several--The Greatest Show On Earth is a good one), read about how the brain operates (Imagine by Lehr, The Believing Brain by Shermer) and read about the inherent morality of humans independent of religion (The Moral Landscape by Harris). You will begin to understand the true nature of life with it's inherent beauty and morality. You will marvel at the rising of the sun and change of seasons and tenacity of life on earth. This will bring you far more joy and pleasure than any religion has or can. And, you won't be worried about a lot of unnecessary crap like heaven, hell or Jesus vs Mohammed, etc.