[Guest]

I have noticed and odd tendency for many new Buddhists I talk to to be ex-catholics and that alot of these new Buddhists have experienced dp and dr. I think it would be interesting to find out how many people on this site are ex-catholics that are now turning to new age or non christian religions. I noticed that people who suffer dp/dr are often looking for a greater meaning to life than a traditional "God". I am buddhist now (ex-catholic) and finding more and more people in the same vein of thought as me. Does dp/dr lead to something more deep and substantial or is it just a "mental illness"? Does anyone understand what I mean and if so your thoughts on this? :?:
Sango

 

[gizmo]

From what I know about the Catholic faith, it teaches doctrines inconsistent with the Bible and I believe it has turned a lot of people away from Christianity. I personally know two people who went to Catholic school as children and are now atheists.I do not believe what they teach is true Christianity.

 

[peacedove]

I think I understand what you mean. But I believe my DP was caused by thinking of the traditional God too deeply when I was a child. I was raised Christian.

I was in the car with my family looking at the trees and thinking God made those trees.... but who made God?... he always existed... and then I got this adrenaline rush... wasn't terrifying that first time ...disappeared in a matter of seconds, but that was the birth of my 24/7 neverending living hell.

 

[Milan]

x Catholic, x Buddhist , x everything that indoctrinates people to become delusional enough to believe in some superior force, power or god.

I have no idea if there is life after death, a god or someone or something that is controlling this reality but odds are there isn't. Deep down most people I think do believe this but they are too afraid to admit it. It took me a while but I finally got there. I'm sh*t scared of death and the unfathomable and inevitable non existence that awaits us; but I'm not going to make myself believe in some supreme being for reassurance and comfort - that's being delusional. If faith makes you cope with life, fantastic, I wish you all the best (and I'm sort of jealous from the security you get from your belief) but I'll be living and trying to enjoy each precious moment of life that I have left.

 

[widescreened]

Any religion can be damaging.Im not going to list them,but to me,personal interpretation of any faith can lead to massive existential issues.to blame or accuse any religion for being more or less leading in this issue is missing the point.The 'why are we here' issue lurks behind all scriptures of all religions.Im sure if there is a God,the last thing he wants is for us to end up neurotic over religious beliefes and interpretations

 

[peacedove]

Im sure if there is a God,the last thing he wants is for us to end up neurotic over religious beliefes and interpretations

This is what I hope... I hope if there is a God he is a loving God, but a lot of what I've read in the Bible makes me think different. He seems like a very cruel God that wants you to fear him. It's like you have to do this and not do this and if you disobey you burn in hell for all of eternity.

 

[Guest]

This is what I hope... I hope if there is a God he is a loving God, but a lot of what I've read in the Bible makes me think different. He seems like a very cruel God that wants you to fear him. It's like you have to do this and not do this and if you disobey you burn in hell for all of eternity.

I have one take on such 'judgemental, hellfire' quotes in the bible and one take only. People can argue with me and rebuke my statements as much as they want, but this is what I will always believe. The Bible was written by MAN. Since when was anything completed by man perfect? The statements in this book are not impeccable at all. The people who wrote these scriptures may have been good people and spiritual beings indeed. But how is it that their writings are so holy? Did God appear in front of them and tell them what to write? Were they so far above us spiritually that they knew it all? Or did Jesus tell them to write this specifically? Something tells me that he didn't. I think whatever Jesus said was misconstrued in some ways, not miscontrued in others, which equals some truth in the sciptures and false information in others. Bottom line is that these people were HUMAN just like us, so there were misinterpretations that should be cleared up because it is very simple.

Another thing regarding such judgemental scriptures that seem to bother everyone including me... Didn't Jesus say 'Let the one who hasn't sinned cast the first stone?' If so then all these apostles who wrote the scriptures contradict their hellfire and brimstone judgements because the man they were following told them not to cast judgement on anyone unless they were flawless.

This is where the Bible fails. A punishing God? There is no such thing. There are only punishing humans. I don't need to turn to God to be punished. If I want to do that then I can do it myself or turn to my fellow man and have him do it for me. We punish ourselves and the men who wrote these scriptures have punished millions because they have led them into a life of fear and judgement. I am still recovering from a youth spent being brainwashed by this and also a 3 year stint at a baptist school that embedded some of the most horrible notions possible into my head.

Then again, maybe I misinterpret it. I really don't know. I am human just like the people who wrote this book and I am susceptible to being misinformed or taking things the wrong way...Alls I do know is that the God I know is one who loves and does not punish. If I strongly believe that the message in these scriptures is a message of a punishing god then i will stand up against it.

 

[Scattered]

Fight the power.

 

[Phill]

He seems like a very cruel God that wants you to fear him. It's like you have to do this and not do this and if you disobey you burn in hell for all of eternity.

He definately may SEEM like a cruel tyrant-like God because of what
He did to people in the old testament.
Read the new testament, and ask the spirit of God to help you understand
and guide you as you read.
Yes, the Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and forever,
He still hates sin. But the core message of the gospel is about
God reaching out to sinful mankind and offering us Forgiveness for
our sins, a way OUT of our pathetic situation and to have LIFE ETERNAL
with Him.
He doesn't want to make your life harder and have you walking around
on egg shells thinking, 'oh, God, i've sinned, now i'm going to hell!'
It is so simple, it's not complicated!
Man complicates it.
If God was a tyrant, don't you think He would have destroyed us by now?

 

[peacedove]

If God hates sin then why did he create it?

And I did ask God to guide me as I read the Bible... I still didn't get it. I admit I didn't read the whole thing, but its hard to finish something so long when you just don't get it.

Maybe he is waiting til none of us can take it any more so he can blast us all to hell in one shot.

 

[peacedove]

Sorry for being so negative.

 

[Guest]

Hi Milan,
I read your post and understand what you are saying . However Buddhism is all about exactly what you said, "living and trying to enjoy each precious moment of life that I have left." The Buddha was not a God but a teacher. Buddhism teaches that we fear death because of ego and attachments and that people need to let go of attachments and live and enjoy every aspect of life while practicing compassion and peace to all people. Death is a part of life, I have no delusions as to what will become of me.
Alessa

 

[Sojourner]

Sorry for being so negative.

You are one of the kindest, sweetest souls I've ever encountered on the Internet!

There's a small book that C.S. Lewis wrote called _Mere Christianity_ that I'd like to recommend to you.

The Bible, by the way, has always been read within the community of believers, and doing so without the background and input of the church is likely to produce exactly what you have reported happened to you.

 

[Guest]

I am almost sorry I started this thread. It was intended to see if, as I have noticed, that there was a link between ex-catholics who have turned to non-christian religions and dp. To be more precise whether dp had anything to do with the switch from catholicism to non christian beliefs. I feel like this thread has started a "Holy War" :shock: Listen, as far as I am concerned , live and let live! I personally am Buddhist and used to be catholic. I am not a christian but if believing in God gives a person peace and comfort, well that is great! All religions have something good to offer to certain groups of people. It makes me sad to hear AIDS, world hunger and other problems being referred to as "trendy" causes. All people, whether Christian, non christian or atheist can help change the world! It is not about who is "right " or "wrong". I am sorry if my original post was misunderstood, it was intended merely to see if anyone else noticed a link.
Sorry,
Alessa

 

[peacedove]

Thank you Sojourner for the compliment... it brought a smile to my face. I will look for that book.

Alessa... sorry for straying from the original subject of this thread.

 

[Guest]

Peacedove,
No apology needed. :wink:
Alessa

 

[Phill]

I think an apology is needed from me though. I just get carried
away sometimes and in this case i didn't realise it.
So sorry.

I can't say personally that i've ever noticed any link to ex-catholics
that have turned to non-Christian religions.
I am an ex-catholic myself but i haven't turned to a non-Christian
religion.

 

[Guest]

Hi, Alessa. I was intrigued by your discussion, since I grew up Protestant and have explored a few other paths, with Buddhism being the main one, in the full blast of my dp. I don't know too much about the causes of dp, but know that serious exploration of other religions, i.e. meditating a lot or meeting with a teacher of another religion, seemed to make my dp kick into high gear. The times when I've experimentally turned to Christian prayer, church, etc., the dp has lifted a little bit. That's not meant to say anything about the truth of any particular path; it's just what I've discovered. Hey, it's great to find you guys. I had no idea that this community existed.

Namaste,

Chad

 

[Guest]

Hi Chad,
My experience is sort of opposite from yours. I had Catholicism shoved down my throat my whole life, I began to experience more and more severe episodes of dp/dr. The episodes made me question my religion and I found Buddhism which was more comforting and somehow made my dp/dr seem less "odd", it is hard to explain. But I noticed that quite a few "new" buddhists I talked to were ex-catholics and many had also experienced dp/dr. It was fascinating, I would love to do a study if I were more intellectually inclined to do so. :lol:
Alessa

P.S. Phill, no apology needed!! I just wanted my post to be understood. :wink: