my life is messed up because of religion

Fundamentalist Christians have really messed my head up big time. Im am worried about going to hell and have a sickening fear of death.

They have also told me that Jesus will come and send all other religions to Hell.

I hate this fear, is Christianity and the bible the only real truth?

There are many ways to God and no one church has the 'only real' truth about God. You can choose to believe what best works for you. If that is what they choose to believe then that is their choice of personal truth, it doesn't have to be yours.

I want to believe in something that makes me happy, but what if its wrong and Christianity is the truth but it doesnt make me happy??

I live each day in total fear, I know my personal views on religion and God but I feel as if i have been brainwashed and I will never get back to my old happiness and views.

Im only 18 years old, my life should just be starting, the ONLY belief that would make me happy would be good people get rewarded with Heaven.

No hell fire, no new age teachings, no only one path to God, none of that makes me happy.

Originally Posted by donnnn1

I want to believe in something that makes me happy, but what if its wrong and Christianity is the truth but it doesnt make me happy??

I live each day in total fear, I know my personal views on religion and God but I feel as if i have been brainwashed and I will never get back to my old happiness and views.

Im only 18 years old, my life should just be starting, the ONLY belief that would make me happy would be good people get rewarded with Heaven.

No hell fire, no new age teachings, no only one path to God, none of that makes me happy.

I can understand where you are coming from...really I was in the Christian church for a long time...

Maybe a little research would serve you well. Many of us can share our views with you about what we believe but it ultimately has to be your decision about what you believe. If it helps at all I will share this tidbit;

in Judaism, on which the Old Testament is based, they do not believe in hell. All are given mercy by God.

thank you nightowl, i never knew that about Judiasm and the old testament, If Jesus was Jewish surely he believed the same?

I have been reading the Jesus Papers by Michael Baigent which has helped me a little it shows how the historical Jesus is is not the Jesus which Islam or Christianity portrays.

It also contains a part about Saint Therese a Catholic mystic who showed that the afterlife is not what the Church teaches but she lived in fear of the inquisition and the church wanted to continue with their monopoly and control over what was the 'truth'.

I dont know what to do, I also have an anxiety disorder so that doesnt help with my worry

Originally Posted by donnnn1

thank you nightowl, i never knew that about Judiasm and the old testament, If Jesus was Jewish surely he believed the same?

I have been reading the Jesus Papers by Michael Baigent which has helped me a little it shows how the historical Jesus is is not the Jesus which Islam or Christianity portrays.

It also contains a part about Saint Therese a Catholic mystic who showed that the afterlife is not what the Church teaches but she lived in fear of the inquisition and the church wanted to continue with their monopoly and control over what was the 'truth'.

I dont know what to do, I also have an anxiety disorder so that doesnt help with my worry

It sounds to me like you are headed on the right track, keep seeking, continue to look at the history of Christianity and let it works itself out...I had to do the same thing...I still embrace and love some of the teachings of Jesus and the Bible...I am sure that anxiety adds to your frustration. breath and know that God wants you to find the truth, walk with God and see what happens.

[Seawolf]

Hi donnn1,

The good news is your not alone. There is fundamentalism of all kinds all over the world (Christian fundamentalism is just one) and people everywhere trust themselves enough to start listening to the voice inside that says something isn't right.

I've been there myself and it was a hard road to escape, but then again I didn't have help like you are getting here. But I want to tell you that you can free of the brainwashing, it's not permanent. You have allowed yourself to be a slave of fundamentalism, but that also means you can allow yourself to be free. God speed!

[The Back Seat]

Originally Posted by donnnn1

I want to believe in something that makes me happy, but what if its wrong and Christianity is the truth but it doesnt make me happy??
.

Who says the truth has to be an society accepted cookie cutter dogmatic tradition? You don't have to believe in religion in order to truely beleive. You can beleive anything that isn't physically obvious.

Do you believe that there is one true God, one source, many gods, or source energy?

Do you beleive we are all connected as one?

Do you beleive happinessness comes from the heart and not from the mind?

Do you beleive we all share same beliefs with our own personal twist.

Is there really a set tradition (religion) that is the only way, or can we create our own traditions that we truely beleive in?

Does heaven and hell exist only in the afterlife? Or can we experience heaven and hell here on earth? Are you not experiencing hell trying to follow a religion that does not resonate with you? Can you find heaven by following your heart and not someone else's traditions?

Don't forget that spirituality rests in you and we are all different, yet part of the same universe.

[Amilius777]

Tell your religious friends that majority of religious obsession comes from the Fear of God, a form of OCD. Almost every person who judges and tries to control other people with fear are in fear of something themselves and are trying to actually get their own life under control and they must keep in line dogmas and doctrines to survive this chaotic world.

Jesus said I am the way, the truth- no one comes to the Father but by me. He didn't say if you find my Father another way you will burn In hell. Becuase earlier in another gospel a woman praises and loves Jesus and jesus says it was becuase of the Father she recognized the divinity In Jesus. That's a mind-effer because Jesus is basically saying that the Father is beyond him and obviously people come to the father by other means usually their own faith. Unless Jesus was a schizophrenic you won't understand his teaching that he was the Way to the Father.

Jesus is talking about our own personal journey. If we act like Jesus, become like Jesus we will come to the Father.

Christ is the way, truth and light of the universe. A higher intelligence in us all that is sparked by faith. Jesus was one of many in the universe and creation that embodied that Mind or Divine awareness.

Jesus clearly wanted people to follow him to the highest levels of consciousness not just merely worship that higher-field in him but evolve and grow towards it ourselves.

[psychoslice]

Remember that the bible is only one source of information, it has over many years lost its true value, I think for you, reading the words of the Buddha, or just the words of Jesus, you can buy yourself a bible that has the words of Jesus in red. Now try to read these words as if you have read them for the very first time, don't let others opinions over cloud what you are reading, if you do you will always have nothing but second-hand knowledge.