Losing my Religion

Showcase is over, which means I have time to relax again. That's nice. Almost too nice.

Good Friday was this past weekend, as was Easter. I'm not a religious person, but I do look forward to Christmas and Easter, though not for the religious reasons. I guess it's more of the Pagan traditions that they are based on that I like them: the gifts, the food, the random symbols of the seasons. They hold no Christian values for me.

So I'm not a Christian and I celebrate these holidays. So I'm not a Christian and I donate to churches. Apparently that last fact is surprising to some. Sure, I don't believe in the same thing that you do, but I know that churches are always looking for funding, especially small ones. Just because I don't believe the same thing as you doesn't mean that I can't see how important it is to you.

I think that faith is a very big thing. I think that if you have something in your life that is so important to you that it dictates how you live your life, then that should be fostered. If you're passionate about it, I will support you. The thing that bothers me with organized religion in general is the blind faith I see.

The mentality that "my parents believed this, therefore I will as well" without asking any questions is my issue. That's why I will bring up discussions about religion and things that I have personally seen wrong with the faith. If you can discuss your point without getting angry, and with backing up your belief with what sound like solid facts, then I respect you. I'm not out to evangelize for deism or any other religion (or lack of one).

That leads into another issue I have with religion: telling me I'm going to hell because I don't believe what you say is true is not going to convert me. If it converts someone to Christianity, then I think they're doing it for the wrong reasons. That is not true faith. Joining up because of that is another example of blind faith. This happens with all religions, though, not just Christianity; I'm using Christianity because it's the one I know best (having been a Christian before), and because it's the one I'm constantly surrounded by.

I feel like when I went to church this weekend, the sermon was slightly directed at me. Celebrate because Jesus has risen! I have historical proof outside the Bible that he existed! If you were a Christian before but lost your way, come back to God and Jesus and join our church! There's a good chance it wasn't, but seeing as the minister is my boyfriend's father and knows that I'm a deist, there's also a chance it slightly was.

I'm not against all religions. I'm against organized religions that take their message too far. I figure that there are too many religions out there, with multiple similarities, that I can't be sure of which one is right. Do I believe in a higher power? Yes. Do I believe Jesus existed? I believe there was a man named Jesus. Do I believe he was the son of God? That I don't. Might I believe it in the future? If I can have more proof.

I'm open to possibilities.