I have been a follower of God for a few years now and am dedicated to my faith. i completely changed my lifestyle for him and could never imagine a world without him. without delving into much detail, when i was younger i am told i had a very creepy “gift” where i could see and sometimes hear deceased. instances like my grandfather. i was 4.

but i just refused to believe it in favour of not opposing God. however, a few weeks ago, i was attending a mental health seminar when i felt a strong sensation of someone speaking to me. its hard to put into words but another persons son who recently had passed whoms name i didn’t even know was there. i was crying all night and shaking. i always ignored it but this was so vivid it still haunts me. what do i do? its just been draining me for ages. i’ve prayed and prayed but i feel no closer to an answer. do i continue to ignore? pray? or do i investigate.

I DONT EXPECT PEOPLE TO BLINDLY BELIEVE ME SO PLEASE NO HATE. ONLY HELP

and this isnt me pushing my beliefs onto anyone. i am in need of help.

I'm curious as to what religious people on this board believe heaven to be. Not what the Bible says but what you believe it to be. Is it just like Earth, but better? Are there pets in heaven? Do we work? Do we eat? What do we do there? How do we spend our time? Or is heaven just a way station we go to before we move on to the next stage of our souls' existence?

Hi all! Just wondering if anyone has an answer to this- I searched on Google and couldn’t find anything. I was in the book section at a thrift store today and noticed that a few books had been turned backwards, as in the spine of the book was not visible and the edge of the pages were facing outward. As I turned all of the backwards books to face forward, I realized they were all bibles, so obviously this was done on purpose. Is there a reason behind this? I’m not super religious so I don’t know if it’s a respect thing? (Probably not) Or perhaps someone with a strong distain for Christianity took it upon themselves to do this. Thanks in advance for any insight!

At least partially. Because from my understanding, there are saints that represent different things and people pray to them to do different things. Similar to polytheistic religions

Hey Y’all, Working on an assignment for a religion class in college. Hoping y’all can help answer some quick questions about faith and belief. Appreciate it. (Asking for Non-Christians only to answer if possible)

Question 1: Do you believe in a god or gods?  

Question 2a: If yes, what is that god(s) like?

Question 2b: If not (or if you're not sure), then what do you believe is the physical universe is all there is?    

Question 3: In what ways does your belief about ‘god(s)’ (or lack thereof) impact your life in practical ways?  

Question 4: Do you identify with any particular religion?

I probably should ask this in a pagan sub, but I'm doubtful that they're the only ones that affirm this life, so to get more perspectives I ask it here, also because I like this sub.

So the point of my post is, I'm currently lost in what to even believe, and one thing keeping me out of paganism and similar is that idea I stated: the idea of this world being the focus instead of an afterlife. Why? It's because I hate my body and mind and honestly hate the world as it exists right now, nature isn't exactly that good either but I've seen the arguments affirming it as neutral and to be honest probably less suffering occurs in nature (as in, separated from the human) than in this mess of a civilization we've built.

But I also really don't like the idea some other religions have of this life not mattering and everything being for the afterlife, and that our bodies are just only prisons or whatever similar and we should neglect them through asceticism and that pleasures of the senses are bad or something, and I think I dislike that even more. The weird thing is, despite my hating my body and myself and my limitations as a material being, I also feel attached to it, to how it feels, the idea of being an immaterial spirit without a body just sounds like a horrible, meaningless existence to me.

So basically what I'm asking is, like, to the pagans and others, if you're like me, that is, tired of this world and of yourself (physically and/or mentally) how do you, manage to still say this life is worth it, or that it is good, neutral or that even if it's bad it's worth it? Because I really don't see the point, I prefer if I just hadn't existed in any way, tbh.

I hope that was understood because I have a tendency of being bad at explaining myself.

Hello! I am currently writing a book, one of my characters worships the stars, sun, moon, and other planets, believing they are the higher power. I can't find the specific name for religion., I've heard about Sabaism but there isn't that much information about is (or atleast what i've found) and I don't want to spread misinformation about it.

If anyone can find the religion name, or can give me more information about Sabaism I would be very thankfull!

(Side note: Sorry if this is not the appropriate sub to post this on!)

In the Tanakh books are divided into three sections and are ordered as such:

1. Torah

• Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. 2. Nevi'im • Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings. • Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. • Twelve Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. 3. Khetuvim • Books of Truth: Psalms, Proverbs, Job. • Five Scrolls: Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther. • Other Writings: Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles.

Meanwhile in the Old Testament the books are divided into four sections and ordered as such:

1. Pentateuch

• Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. 2. History • Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther. 3. Poetry & Wisdom • Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach. 4. Prophets • Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees.

I understand that: in the OT (depending on the sect) there are extra books, books that are the same as Tanakh books but have a different name, extra content added to some books, and single books in the Tanakh that are broken into multiple books in the OT. I'm just curious as to why they are arranged differently.

I'm having trouble verbalizing my thoughts, and I think it may help.

I've noticed something odd about the way some art is treated in the context of arts criticism. Or at least when it comes to film and literature.

The Matter of Britain, Aesop’s fables, folklore collected by the Brothers Grimms, and the Trojan War receive the same treatment as The Great Gatsby, The Shining, The Lion King, and Fight Club.

For my communion many years ago I got a beautiful Tiffany cross which my entire family saved up for to chip in and buy for me. In the past 5 years Ive started to wear it almost every day but only recently have I been getting approached by preachers and old people out in public.

I have so many instances of me just relaxing before my shift starts at work and someone coming up to me, handing me a pamphlet and trying to start conversation.

Another instance I’ve been through is with a drunk man saying he likes my necklace, then when I ignored him he turned around and started yelling at me calling me a communist?

ANOTHER time included an old woman begging me for money to donate to her friend who has breast cancer, then awarding me with a “handmade” pouch if I donate $5 or more. That pouch was definitely not handmade. The interaction started because she noticed my cross and asked if i’m Catholic. I had no change on me, and I told her so many times I don’t have money, and she even asked to see my wallet to know I wasn’t lying to her. She even TOLD me to take money out at the ATM??? I handed her 10 cents (Australian money) and she took it and left me alone.

About 5 people have approached me in the past week and I’m actually just so sick of it now. I ignore them and keep walking.

I’m 18, so still very young, but I look younger than what I actually am, so I feel like these people think i’m not very aware of Christianity because of my age. I just don’t understand why they choose to preach to me, someone who is obviously Christian, and not anyone else?

i am 17 and struggle with sex. i have always wanted to save myself for marriage until i met my now boyfriend who I’ve been with for a bit over a year and have been intimate with. recently i brought it up to my therapist and that i view marriage as commitment to that person and a foundation. my therapist had brought up how marriage is nothing but a legal document. that without marriage you can still have a committed relationship with a steady foundation. Then brought up couples that have been together for 10+ years and have never married. I’m so confused and this has made me question what I believe in.

I just hate feeling like this, I am not interested in abrahamic faiths for a lot of reasons, but mostly with the morality that most christians seem to push. That one cannot be moral without God even though I've seen plenty of christians commit the most heinous of crimes. I do not enjoy the surpremacy of one religion or group over another either, but I absolutely do not want to be atheist. Atheism makes me feel void and alone with it all, there is no real identity that can be derived from it, not that you can outside values, but that there seems to be nothing promising and that's kind of the point of that. I wish there was a pamplet or something "How to religion" so I don't feel so damn confused and others like me have some more guidance instead of just falling into whatever religion someone tells them to convert to

I just wanted to ask , when your felling low , depressed and loosing it all , what song do you you play the most fellow Christians

Hello, I have been seeing a catholic girl for almost a year now and am wondering how I can approach her views from another angle. I grew up catholic, believing Jesus died for our sins, and believing in God. However I never read the bible or went to church much, in her eyes I probably am not a catholic, or atleast not a good one.

It seems to me that she had a sheltered upbringing and is very strict on all the rules of the bible and is almost engulfed by it. I really like this girl and am thinking we need a common ground, where I am a bit more religious and she is a bit less.

How do I approach this topic sensitively? I was thinking first start out by asking her what she thinks of other churches who believe in God and Jesus the same as she does, but they don't take the bible as literal, are they going to hell in her eyes? The idea here is to simply propose the notion that we can live a life here on earth, while believing god and jesus; trying not to sin, but when we do, we ask for forgiveness, meanwhile not being obsessed with the bible. Like what if I''m going ski'ing for the weekend and miss church, to her that is a mortal sin and will end up in hell because of that. She's spoken of RCIA as well, but not much else.

Thank you

Thinking about going back to school for religious studies. I'm 36 currently working as an HVAC apprentice.

I've always enjoyed studying/ reading about different religions. I tend to lean towards Hinduism and Buddhism for practice but I grew up in the Midwest.

What do people with this degree do for money?

So recently I converted to athiesm but I still have this intense fear of death so I wanted to ask those who technically died what happened during that experience what did u see hear?

In comparison to other branches of Christianity like Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, etc. which seem to not break as much is there any change Protestantism could make to also not break apart so much?

How do christians and jews reconcile with the fact that God created a pervert 'righteous man'?

I've been a believer in Jesus Christ for a while now, and I've considered converting before. I've been agnostic my whole life, my dad is a mix of a million things and since I still live with him for the time being idk if I could go to the nearest Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because he may just dismiss me. I also wanted to ask about the reasons on why you converted.

Hello, it's me, Moth. I got a bit of a problem with my identity. Specifically with my name. And that problem is that one name isn't enough. I'ts like back then when i changed my name. Why does that matter you may ask? Because i want to ask if some names would be blasphemous and/or disrespectful. I like Paimon, Stolas (but only paired with paimon) and Azazel. Especially Azazel though. So... Any thoughts?

Watching Hazbin Hotel, I found out that Lucifer was a fallen Angel

What are some well known demons from biblical lore that were fallen angels?

Watching Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss, I found out that according to earlier interpretations, Lucifer and Satan are two separate entities.

If that is the case, how are Lucifer and Satan different from one another specifically?

I'd like to have nuanced discussion about this.

Everything goes.

Hello everyone! So I’ve been flirting with episcopalianism for some time now. For some background: I grew up Catholic, but my family was not very devout and much more spiritual rather than religious. However, I was sent to Sunday school, and by my teens I was solidly agnostic and definitely not catholic beyond being a “cultural catholic.” However, I have scrupulously/existential OCD. This has, for better or for worse, led me to a LOT of reading scripture, theological writings/critiques, existential philosophies, you name it, for the past 4 years. All this to say: hit me with whatever you got, be it personal testimony or high academia. For better or for worse, I’ve probably heard it all.

Episcopalianism seems like such a lovely, welcoming tradition. I especially appreciate how it encourages questioning/wrestling with faith a lot, as well as being a “big tent.” Ive attended a few services and spoken with some of the working members as well as clergy of my nearby church, and they were very very welcoming of me and my grapplings/interpretations. Hell, once I said something along the lines of “if Paul was wrong about the resurrection happening in his lifetime, what else could he be wrong about” and the priest of that nights service yelled “Exactly!!” Needless to say, very different from my catholic upbringing, in a way I really appreciated.

I am really at a loss with where I am now and where I should be going in my faith journey. On one hand, I feel this deep conviction of something “higher,” but on the other hand I can’t seem to being myself to buy the BCP, 39 articles, or the creeds. The biggest point of contention for me is the nature of Jesus, and of hell. Jesus is the savior, but of what? The punishment He’d give us by not believing. I don’t buy that, and I know a LOT of Episcopalians are more universalist. Still, Jesus is The Way, so to say.

I guess in my heart, I believe more of spirituality being a prism: each religion is a different color from a refracted pure light, but just as we cannot say green is more pure than red, it’s difficult for me to have faith that Christianity is more “correct” than, say, Buddhism. At the same time, there are definitely faiths I don’t believe at all can be correct, so I acknowledge my view is flawed too, but this is more a matter of faith than logic.

For some reason beyond logical explanation, I believe in God (or the universe, or the Father, or a higher power, or however you want to call it). I can certainly buy that Jesus is a savior from sin, if sin is “harm” that separates us from God, and his sacrifice on the cross is His way of becoming close to us. What I have a lot of trouble with is the idea that he is THE savior, THE messiah, and THE truth and way and light. That our salvation, whatever that word means, relies on this one man from this one culture recorded in texts that come from different perspectives and interpretations that were influenced by even MORE texts that come from even more different perspectives and interpretations that, oftentimes, contradict and argue with one another.

I apologize for the word vomit. I hope that I make at least a little sense. I read that all who knocked would be answered, but my knuckles have gone white. This lost sheep’s throat has gone sore from bleeding. Is the lost sheep bleating loud enough? Is she hiding? Can the shepherd hear her? Regardless, her throat is dry. Any advice on where to go from here would be greatly appreciated….

Surya argha Religion Suryadev Hinduism

It seems to be that an imperfect God is more compelling.

A perfect God needs nothing. Not anyone. Not me or you.

A perfect God has everything worked out. They don't even need to try. It's all easy. Beyond easy.

But an imperfect God. Still a single God with immense power. Power to create life. But not perfect life.

Power to create love and laughter. But not powerful enough to eve suffering.

He/She does their best. They really want the best for us. But they can only just hold on enough to keep things going as they are. They don't have enough in the tank to make things better.

They love us so much. But can't stop us being hurt. And it breaks there heart. But every day they keep going. For us.

I find this concept to have so much more emotional depth.

Have you ever considered this? To you find it comforting, or alarming?

Try it on. See what you think and let me know.

I'm not trying to persuade anyone this is the truth. It's not necessarily my beliefs even. But I find it interesting to consider the possibility. And I hope you do too.