Posted by HannahW on September 16, 2003, at 11:18:14
In reply to Re: Allison--Religion in Therapy » HannahW, posted by allisonf on September 15, 2003, at 21:26:50
> I just finished The Da Vinci Code! I certainly see how that book alone could call into question previously held beliefs. It's hard to know what was and wasn't fiction, and I assumed from the paragraph at the beginning that most of what wasn't the actual story was factual. So, then on top of it you had all these other influences...no wonder you are feeling confused! Did you find after being exposed to all these different points of view that you felt drawn to any one of them?
I loved the Da Vinci Code! Really, really fascinating. I don't buy into it, but just the notion of "the sacred feminine" makes my heart happy! I can't say I was drawn to any of the religions. It just doesn't seem right to "choose" a religion based on what feels good to us, if there is indeed one Truth. On the other hand, if "all paths lead to God" as so many people say, then choosing a religion seems like an excellent solution. I've always rejected that concept, but maybe it's not so "way out there" as I thought.
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> I have a similar background becoming Catholic while in high school. I always think the fact that I wasn't raised in a religious household contributes to my lack of direction now (I also have difficulty with those Sunday mornings!). What do you think the effects of that were, if any?Do you mean, what do I think the effects were of being raised in a non-religious household? I don't attribute my lack of direction to that. I always felt a strong connection with God, even before I became a Christian. An example that always comes to mind when I think about His influence in my life before then is that I used to party alot in middle school. My girlfriend and I spent the summer between 8th and 9th grades drinking a lot of beer with her 12th grade boyfriend and his friends. Even before becoming a Christian, retaining my virginity for my husband was *very* important to me. At one of these parties, I had waaaaay to much to drink, and apparently (I don't even remember any of this, that's how drunk I was) I was about to have sex with one of the guys at the party. As he was putting on the condom, I leaned over the bed and started to puke my guts out. I continued to vomit for the rest of the night! I'm so grateful to God that I didn't lose my virginity at 12 to a guy I barely knew.
Of course, if I attribute being saved from losing my virginity to God, then I have to acknowledge that God exists, He cares, and that He's involved in my life. Those are the very issues I'm struggling with, so I think I may find my answers about Him by looking at how I believe He answered prayer in the past.
On the other hand, it's the non-answering of prayer, in addition to all of these outside religious influences, that has really gotten me questioning everything. I've kept a prayer journal (where I write letters to God) off and on for my entire spiritual life. I was looking back through them a few months ago and realized that I have been praying and begging for help with the same issues this whole time. (The same issues I'm in therapy for, and have been in therapy for in the past.) If God cares about me, why wouldn't he have helped me with this sometime during the last 20 years? That's the big question.
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> I have most recently been investigating the Quakers. They believe that everyone has the Light of God within them and we find God by looking for that Light. Do you know about their Meetings? I love that they are completely unstructured--just individual people being moved to speak about God. Unfortunately, my husband is too much a Catholic to leave the church, so it looks like I am stuck there for now. I agree with you tho when you say that no religion has it "right". But I do think the crux of many organized religions is the same (maybe I am oversimplifying?). I think if it's important to you to follow an organized religion, the only thing you can do is pick one and take the lumps that go with it. I don't know. What do you think?It sounds like you're considering abandoning Catholicism. Is that right? Would it be hard to give up the beliefs about Mary and the Saints intervening with God on your behalf? There are parts of Catholicism that really appeal to me, like some of the rituals. I don't generally like a lot of structure, but there is something about the cross that you make on your body after prayer that appeals to me. And I also like the kneeling at the pew before you sit down.
Tell me more about yourself. I think I read somewhere that you have two young kids. How old are they? How old are you? Do you work? You clearly have some computer skills if you were able to do some internet sleuthing on your therapist! :) I even know where my therapist's husband works and what grades her stepson got in high school!
poster:HannahW
thread:259804
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20030905/msgs/260618.html