Anyone on the verge of leaving Christianity? For nothing or another religion.

[Aknaton]

Originally Posted by candyfloss28

I'm thinking about it as it is not working for me.

I am not a reader of the Gnostic Gospels, but I was led to share this with you.

Blessed Saint Philip in the Gnostic Gospels said,

If one goes down into the water and comes up without having received anything, and says "I am a Christian," he has borrowed the name at interest. But if he receives the Holy Spirit, he has the name as a gift. He who has received a gift does not have to give it back, but of him who has borrowed it at interest, payment is demanded. This is the way it happens to one when he experiences a mystery.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Native spirit

It is always best to follow the beat of your own drum. if it doesn't work for you leave it



Namaste

Wise advice !

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

That's right.

candyfloss, I'm no longer Christian, but I love so many things
that are tried and true
from the Bible and how can ya not love, respect and admire Jesus?
There are so many other things that reveal things other than just
'Once Saved, Always Saved'..or the Goal being Heaven after death.
Profound wisdom and insights are available from different sources other than
the traditional Christian beliefs, (and/or misinterpretations).


Religions are so regimented and have so many things you can disagree with...what I did
at a younger age was study, research everything I could get my hands on...test whatever you can.
Get clear what it is you want...is it just peace, peace of mind?
Or do you want your heart to soar? There are ways for both. :)

In that respect, we are indeed kindred spirits !

[linen53]

Your mindset is black and white just as the Christian religion taught you. It isn't christianity or 'nothing'. After I left my christian sect I learned that.

There is always something beyond christianity. For me it was finding my own individual, custom-made spiritual path. For some it's atheism or agnosticism. None are wrong, all are right.

[candyfloss28]

It is the whole hell and damnation I can't get my head around.

[sky]

Originally Posted by candyfloss28

It is the whole hell and damnation I can't get my head around.

You can't get your head around it because it doesn't exist and subconsciously you know this.

Jesus without baggage might be suitable for you CF

Originally Posted by candyfloss28

It is the whole hell and damnation I can't get my head around.

There are different communities who call themselves Christian each teaching their own things.

Recently I have been drawn to the Orthodox Church of my heritage, which I was kept away from growing up, my father having rejected it.

I don't know about all the communities, the claim of the Orthodox Church is it is the original Church that Christ founded. I'm sure most Churches or Christian communities would try to justify their exitance with an appeal to Christ, but historically it seems to me that Orthodoxy has a stronger case than most, however, as it is my heritage, I am probably biased.

At any rate, to address your question, Orthodoxy teaches that we descend into hell of our own free will by turning away from God and Jesus. It is not a punishment, it is the result of not striving for theosis, to be one with God at all times.

Practically, only the saints can come close to managing this, so in our everyday lives we are always turning away from God in some way or another, always creating separation and thus experiencing aspects of hell or suffering.

One can literally experience hell on earth if one is not careful to turn away from sin, where sin literally means "separation from God".

It is in fact very spiritual, nothing to do with human ideas of right and wrong. When one's attention is on God one finds peace, when it drifts to other things, one falls into sin and experiences suffering.

It is basically the same idea as the Buddhist idea that all attachments cause suffering. In other words, all attachments are a sin.

I get confused about what it means to focus my attention on God and even more about focusing it on Jesus. If these are things, then it is just another attachment, but if they are divine mysteries then I can begin to see how by placing one's attention on them one can free oneself from attachment.

Indeed Orthodoxy talks about the mysteries of partaking in the Church and also makes it clear that Christ didn't found a religion, he founded a Church, a community.

Whether this community is the only way to escape attachments and suffering, I don't know, but to be part of any community is to have faith that yours is the correct way, at least for you.

On a final note, Orthodoxy teaches that choosing to enter hell is not eternal, or at least it need not be, even after death. Indeed they pray for those who are in hell, including the dead, so that they may rise up to heaven.

There are stories of saints helping the dead who are in hell to leave hell and enter paradise.

As with this life, all that is required is to turn away from sin, separation from God, and refocus your life on Him and His Son.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.

p.s I should really note that as yet I am not actually Orthodox, so I am not really qualified to say what the Church believes or teaches, but from my exploration into becoming Orthodox, the above is how I understand it.

[JosephineB]

OP, just try and live the best You. You don't need a religion for that.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Che Lazou

There are different communities who call themselves Christian each teaching their own things.

Recently I have been drawn to the Orthodox Church of my heritage, which I was kept away from growing up, my father having rejected it.

I don't know about all the communities, the claim of the Orthodox Church is it is the original Church that Christ founded. I'm sure most Churches or Christian communities would try to justify their exitance with an appeal to Christ, but historically it seems to me that Orthodoxy has a stronger case than most, however, as it is my heritage, I am probably biased.

At any rate, to address your question, Orthodoxy teaches that we descend into hell of our own free will by turning away from God and Jesus. It is not a punishment, it is the result of not striving for theosis, to be one with God at all times.

Practically, only the saints can come close to managing this, so in our everyday lives we are always turning away from God in some way or another, always creating separation and thus experiencing aspects of hell or suffering.

One can literally experience hell on earth if one is not careful to turn away from sin, where sin literally means "separation from God".

It is in fact very spiritual, nothing to do with human ideas of right and wrong. When one's attention is on God one finds peace, when it drifts to other things, one falls into sin and experiences suffering.

It is basically the same idea as the Buddhist idea that all attachments cause suffering. In other words, all attachments are a sin.

I get confused about what it means to focus my attention on God and even more about focusing it on Jesus. If these are things, then it is just another attachment, but if they are divine mysteries then I can begin to see how by placing one's attention on them one can free oneself from attachment.

Indeed Orthodoxy talks about the mysteries of partaking in the Church and also makes it clear that Christ didn't found a religion, he founded a Church, a community.

Whether this community is the only way to escape attachments and suffering, I don't know, but to be part of any community is to have faith that yours is the correct way, at least for you.

On a final note, Orthodoxy teaches that choosing to enter hell is not eternal, or at least it need not be, even after death. Indeed they pray for those who are in hell, including the dead, so that they may rise up to heaven.

There are stories of saints helping the dead who are in hell to leave hell and enter paradise.

As with this life, all that is required is to turn away from sin, separation from God, and refocus your life on Him and His Son.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.

p.s I should really note that as yet I am not actually Orthodox, so I am not really qualified to say what the Church believes or teaches, but from my exploration into becoming Orthodox, the above is how I understand it.

'It is basically the same idea as the Buddhist idea that all attachments cause suffering. In other words, all attachments are a sin '


Not really
In Buddhism the idea of ' Sin ' has no place.
The Buddha taught that it is attachment to desire that causes Dukkha, the word suffering doesn't exist.. Stressfulness is Dukkha.


There are Three kinds of Dukkha,

"There are these three forms of stressfulness, my friend: the stressfulness of pain, the stressfulness of fabrication, the stressfulness of change. These are the three forms of stressfulness."

SN 38.14

...

[sky]

Originally Posted by JosephineBloggs

OP, just try and live the best You. You don't need a religion for that.