Struggling with my Christian belief

As contempt for others peoples sincere thoughts and struggles seems to be with some Christians.

Jays be, you are confusing respect for a belief with respect for the person who holds the belief , quite usual with atheists

Hmm, Annie, I have thought hard about this. I don't think beliefs should be respected just because they are beliefs and central to a persons life. After all some people believe quite appalling things in terms of the way they treat other people. All my life I have hoped to find a belief that I could respect both in terms of its central tenets and in the way in which those who said they believed in them lived their lives. Sadly I haven't found one yet.
Some had founding principles which seemed good and wise but the practice of that religion seemed at odds with how it had started.
Some had adherents whose way of life I greatly respected but frankly their founding beliefs seemed to me to be ridiculous.
I'm afraid for me it actually has to work in practice.

thatbags, why is not possible to respect the fact that a persons faith can be the core of their life , surely to say I have no faith or I have no respect for the church is enough, but no, we get - believing in God is the same as believing in the tooth fairy. Why the need to ridicule faith puzzles me. There are good and bad people of faith and good and bad atheists, discussing is fine but ridiculing ?

A post earlier in the thread described confession as going to church and saying a few prayers, I cannot speak for the RC church but as an Anglican I attend confession, one can talk it through with the priest without judgement and often would good advice. I don't need to attend confession to say - so sorry I have been naughty , please forgive me, I can do that anytime, any place. Confession is different and is more thsn uttering a few prayers.

I am a practising Catholic but also go to the CoE (I'm a convert from there). My grown up children are believers but don't go to church very often (busy lives, working full time etc). But they are good people and will do anything to help DH and me. Many of my friends are not church goers but they are all good people and I do not believe that any of them will go to hell. We don't know what happens after death, the church has come up with teachings about it. I think that the Catholic church tries to put God in a box that it has made. God is bigger than the church. God loves us whatever we do, nothing we do can make him love us more or love us less.

Thanks Riverwalk.

Anniebach, I have never disrespected Mary. I have said that she can't be the insipid woman that the Church portrays her as. She must have been a strong woman to deal with all that life threw at her.

I don't disrespect anyone's faith. I have no problem with anyone choosing to believe in a God or Gods. Just as I have no problem with someone not choosing to believe in a God or Gods.

Questioning why someone believes something or a church teaching/tradition is not the same as disrespecting someone's faith. Open discussion is the best way to learn from and understand each other.

Follow me I show you the promised land. I say look down at your feet you may well be standing on it. All religions are so obsessed about the 'next' life they spoil this life by worrying about.

Wow thats brilliant HAPGRAN sincerely good luck on your journey of discovery & I wish you peace of mind & comfort that your children will be just fine . ?

Some of them anyhow.

Just to illustrate my point.

I even respect Jeremy Corbyn and I think his political beliefs are ridiculous.

You are deserving of respect, AB, not your beliefs. I don't even know what your beliefs are so how can I respect them? I don't care either what your beliefs are. But I respect you because you are a human being and your right to believe whatever you want.

So:
1. I respect you.
2. I respect your right to faith/beliefs.
3. What the beliefs are doesn't change 1and 2 even if I think the beliefs are silly and not worthy of my respect.

Annie I think you need to re-read Vampire's posts.

From reading them I gather that she is a Christian herself and far from mocking is saying that Mary was very strong despite all the suffering she endured, but is questioning some churches portrayal of her.

What is so noticeable yet again is some atheists here mock the faith of those with faith and claim the most important thing is to be kind etc. Not seen one poster of faith mock the atheists

Mocking a persons faith is cruel, I respect the atheists view but my faith is not deserving of respect.

Vampirequeen, seen the RC version of the Burgin Mary? Statues in a RC Church, my godfather was RC, my godmother ,his wife was Baptist, no way did treat her or me in the way you describe. Where in scripture does it speak of her being submissive apart from accepting Gods will? What is wrong with a nurturing woman?,

You mocked her being pregnant, riding a donkey whilst pregnant and being a refugee , and being with her son when he died , for me , a very strong woman , a deep love of God and a mother who loved her son.

There is no Hell - do not worry.

My faith slipped away over the years, starting with realising that I could no longer say the creed with any honesty and now I cannot accept the supernatural element of any religion or that there is life after death I acknowledge that the influence of the 'Hound of Heaven' effect is very potent but I cannot accept that it is anything more than a peculiar aspect of our human psychology.

'Luckygirl''s message is one I would share. We should try to live a good life while we have it, in line with Jesus' guidelines I would agree, and not agonize over any after life.

I was brought up a christain, baptised and confirmed with church twice a day on a Sunday as a child. But I am no longer a child, and I am now a none believer in a god who if we are to believe will forgive your sins however bad. We have for example cruelty past and present often undertaken by the religious section, are we to beieve that these people will go to heaven, forgiven by the god they believe in? I firmly believe that you should live a life that helps others less able and fortunate than yourself, and you should be kind, peaceful and tolerant, The rest about the virgin Mary, the Church's attitude towards the gay community has already been said.

I'm sorry you think that all of us who are practising Christians are blinkered and bigoted, Rosina. Not very helpful for someone who is struggling to make sense of things. I'm sure you don't mean to be unhelpful.

Not only that but pure and untouched I've without the original sin of Eve which caused her to tempt Adam and so began the whole cycle of death and the need for redemption. All woman's fault!

Anniebach have you ever seen the RC version of Mary. She epitomises the perfect submissive obedient woman. Nurturing (the perfect mother) and in the domestic sphere. The type the Church i.e. the men who run the Church think we should all aspire to be.

Wow - some wise people on gransnet! Thanks again - I feel reading all your comments has really started me on a journey and not sure where it will lead, but I certainly have some thinking/questioning to do....

I am not Christian but firmly believe that God is a loving God and everyone who tries to live a good and honourable life will have a place in Heaven. Like a loving earthly father we may disappoint Him sometimes ( nobody is perfect) but He will always love and forgive. Maybe Hell is here!

I think what matters in the end is being a good person....despite religious views...some 'religious' people are quite bad people....I was brought up RC...but dont really go to church now...but know I am a good person!
Buddhist in my aspirations
Catholic in my complications.......

I believe you do not need to be a believer in order to live a life where you have good principles, are kind to others, and have a decent way of life so your family won't go to hell if they have good principles. Many a church going " Christian" does not have a good way of life and isn't kind or helps others etc. I ve kind of lost my faith but I do try to have good principles and that is more important. I believe in an afterlife and many things have happened to me to support ont worry.

Not sure what the relevance of the Queen is to Rosina's post, except as a diversionary tactic, to avoid having to consider the very valid point she has made. Bit like when failing Soaps bring in celebrity guest to try to up the ratings!