So Zach, I wanted to say that I’ve been thinking a lot about what you wrote (in FB message). I’ve battled with myself over this religion thing for quite a while now, and I think I may disagree with you on something, but maybe I misunderstood.
I don’t necessarily think that religion is a lazy way for others to find meaning in life. My wife, as you may or may not know, is deeply devout in her Southern Baptist beliefs. And although I now know that I will never believe in it the way she does, she finds a great deal of peace within herself by “believing”.
She genuinely finds meaning in life by the things they teach her there. I actually can go and get a good positive message out of it if I pay attention. Sadly though, the video game “Angry Birds” usually distracts me- fuckin evil spawn from hell! 🙂
What I’m saying is that I believe now that we are all made up differently. The things that give me the greatest satisfactions in life, may be completely different from the things that give you satisfaction. Sure, for me and you, it definitely seems the lazy way, but they will say the same types of things about us.
My problem with them (churches mostly) comes with “acceptance”. Ie: I accept what they find meaningful (to them), but they will not tolerate that I don’t find their beliefs meaningful. This goes for my wife too.
My wife wholeheartedly believes I have been “delivered” as a result of her praying. What she doesn’t (or won’t) realize is that I prayed before, and I was supposedly delivered. Why then did I always go back to using?
I believe now that I always went back to using because I was not taking responsibility, but depending on an outside force to do it for me. That didn’t work for me. You know what I believe now? If God can’t take away my withdrawal symptoms then there probably isn’t a God that will deliver me from addiction. See how I threw that probably in there? Subconscious at work me thinks. Lol
I decided when I started my blog to purposely leave “religion” out. Mainly because that way, all people (addicts) can come and get something out of what I am going through. If I were to give all the credit to my Southern Baptist roots-Muslims wouldn’t be able to tolerate it and vice-verse. Anyway, think I will buy your book soon…Looks very interesting.
Have a good en!
I Have a Wrong Way to Go (until I find the right one) 
So Zach, I wanted to say that I’ve been thinking a lot about what you wrote (in FB message). I’ve battled with myself over this religion thing for quite a while now, and I think I may disagree with you on something, but maybe I misunderstood.
I don’t necessarily think that religion is a lazy way for others to find meaning in life. My wife, as you may or may not know, is deeply devout in her Southern Baptist beliefs. And although I now know that I will never believe in it the way she does, she finds a great deal of peace within herself by “believing”.
She genuinely finds meaning in life by the things they teach her there. I actually can go and get a good positive message out of it if I pay attention. Sadly though, the video game “Angry Birds” usually distracts me- fuckin evil spawn from hell! 🙂
What I’m saying is that I believe now that we are all made up differently. The things that give me the greatest satisfactions in life, may be completely different from the things that give you satisfaction. Sure, for me and you, it definitely seems the lazy way, but they will say the same types of things about us.
My problem with them (churches mostly) comes with “acceptance”. Ie: I accept what they find meaningful (to them), but they will not tolerate that I don’t find their beliefs meaningful. This goes for my wife too.
My wife wholeheartedly believes I have been “delivered” as a result of her praying. What she doesn’t (or won’t) realize is that I prayed before, and I was supposedly delivered. Why then did I always go back to using?
I believe now that I always went back to using because I was not taking responsibility, but depending on an outside force to do it for me. That didn’t work for me. You know what I believe now? If God can’t take away my withdrawal symptoms then there probably isn’t a God that will deliver me from addiction. See how I threw that probably in there? Subconscious at work me thinks. Lol
I decided when I started my blog to purposely leave “religion” out. Mainly because that way, all people (addicts) can come and get something out of what I am going through. If I were to give all the credit to my Southern Baptist roots-Muslims wouldn’t be able to tolerate it and vice-verse. Anyway, think I will buy your book soon…Looks very interesting.
Have a good en!