Quote Originally Posted by Junior View Post
You know, there are some so called spiritual people who also stay within very narrow confines - people I used to go to church with. For 10 years I was an active member of the Anglican Church. I met some wonderful people and don't want to criticise them unduly but some were very challenged and scared by the very idea of asking questions of the Church and Christianity itself. They found me a bit hard to deal with since I was never one to just accept blindly and kept trying to tell me that any searching I did needed to be done with a Christian base since everything else out there is evil. I used to tell them that fear is a tool of the devil it didn't make any difference.

Anyhow, in 1999 when I decided to quit IVF and then decided to go back to school, I found myself questioning whether I'd still be a Christian if I was raised in a non-Christian country. The likely answer was "no" and this made me think. I stopped going to Church soon after because once I started studying I just didn't have time. I explored some of my questions via the anthropology of religion (I did a BA with a psych major but cultural anthropology was a major interest) and a unit in world religions. It quickly became apparent that man-made religion is inextricably intertwined with politics and culture. I started to drift away from Christianity at this point but it wasn't until I searched a bit more into the origins of the Bible that I rejected it completely. Well almost. On the few occasions that I pray these days, I still feel the need to say "In Jesus' Name"......
I've studied some similar subjects, at a University level, along with some independent research and as you mentioned, it certainly does cause one to question and/or abandon Christianity and most other religions along with "the bible". Again, an interesting subject!

With that said, despite the fact that I do not align with any specific religious denomination, I can understand how many people draw incredible strength, courage and trust/safety from their beliefs.....it provides great assistance to them in way of being able to navigate through very difficult times. So, I cannot knock religion for this reason alone.

I believe that humans need something "bigger" than themselves to touch, to feel, to grab onto since, this life ain't easy nor pretty. Religion also has many redeeming factors. Prayer itself is very powerful and therapeutic/healing so how can I knock it. (lol) I may not be religious but I see the value that religion can bring to some people. I can equally see the damage that religion can create.

Unfortunately or fortunately (depending upon how one wishes to view this) I tend to be pretty Darwinian in many of my beliefs but it is my Darwinianism that provokes me to live more "spiritually" TODAY since, I have no guarantee in any type of an after life or "another life" so I better make today as beautiful as possible since, this may be all there is. (lol) Buddhist principles have helped me a lot!


I also realize that my knowledge base is limited and thus, my beliefs are limited accordingly. So, my mind is always open to exploring anything and everything since, I would love nothing more than for something to shatter the Darwinian theory to pieces.........It would be a dream to KNOW that there is something more than just "this" one life.

For now, I tend to be an evidence based person but with that said, there is scientific evidence that spirituality, prayer, communion with other people, belief in a God or whatever, does produce positive biological consequences.