The question: What religion should I convert to?
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It's possible that the original poster meant what sect or denomination of Christianity, but that may never be known. But, whether religion or denomination, it's a sad question.
Sad? Yes. This means that there is a search for the imaginary. It wouldn't matter what the conversion was, it would carry with it the imaginary.
Why are gods and such imaginary?
Let's look at an example, a true story:
In a hot southern state, children were taken to a day care center in a standard van vehicle. At the center, the driver, an older man nearing retirement age, did as he usually did, one by one, helped the tots off, giving them off to the day care workers. Once that chore was over, his job was complete, and as he lived close by, he went home, there to be on call in case some child was to be taken home for whatever reasons. And of course, when the day care closed, he went back to take the children to their dropoff points.
On this particularly hot day, a mistake. A child was left in the rear of the van, unnoticed, who had fallen asleep, still buckled up. The day grew hotter, the sun slowly rising to its zenith, straight overhead. By one.....two O'clock PM, the child was dead.
Where was God? Well, of course, God was watching. Just watching. But why didn't or wouldn't God do something? Anything? Couldn't God have nudged the old man's memory, have made him take a head count, a second look? Or couldn't God have caused a cloudy day, a rainstorm, a drop in temperature? Couldn't God have had a passer-by notice the suffocating child? Couldn't God have awakened the sleeping child and had him cry out so that someone could hear?
Where was God? Isn't god all-powerful? Wasn't it within God's power to do something? Anything? God is just; God is loving; God is merciful. But God watched....and watched...and watched, as the small child slowly died in the heat and diminishing oxygen.
There are only three scenarios for God's lack of intervention:
1. God couldn't help the child
2. God wouldn't help the child
3. God is imaginary.
Reflection: The above three answers, anyone of them, is a prime reason for not converting to this kind of religion with a deity who can't, won't, or doesn't exist.
And all religions swim in these kinds of problems. The gods or God that reside at the helm are imaginary. And not only imaginary, but he imaginary products of ancient, primitive minds. Even if there is a .9999999999etc of not being made-up, then you're still stuck with impotence, not being able to help, or purposely choosing to look the other way, not caring.
The best kind of conversion, if any, is to be like an Einstein or a Lincoln, who understood the need for and importance of critical thinking. Think and be the most complete human being you can be. Think in terms of conversion to a religion and you can only be a semi-human, a slave to superstition, which can lead to nowhere.
Not helpful.
DYK, You and I are the eyes and ears and hands who work for God.
Where were we when the child was dying? After the child's death?
Now, today, while other children are dying?
Why can't we see that we are children of the Living God (Divine Love) and that we cannot be complacent?
How does not believing in Divine Love make the world any better?
How does believing in Divine Love help?
How does a belief system that promotes this belief hurt anyone?
Getting in touch with your own soul's possibilities is the best thing you can do for yourself.
Learn to forgive yourself for your shortcomings and arise each day with a new born Faith that passeth ALL understanding.
Stay in touch with this Divinity and stop blaming and start loving.
Njoy wrote: DYK, You and I are the eyes and ears and hands who work for God.
DidYouKnow writes: Which means what? Exactly? Specifically? Statements like this are akin to "God works in mysterious ways...etc." A child dies every five seconds from starvation. God must realize that his "workers" aren't up to the task of prevention. Now, what? Who best to step in, take the reins, but God? But God watches....watches....watches....
Njoy wrote: Where were we when the child was dying?
DidYouknow wrote: I was in another state in the Union, as were you. But God was there......watching.
Njoy wrote: After the child's death?
DidYouKnow writes: Still in another state, as were you? God? Who knows?
Njoy wrote: Now, today, while other children are dying?
DidYouKnow writes: Some of us are doing what we can. Unfortunately, the problem of our own survivals get in the way of extraordinary endeavors. Some of us give to charities that purport to help the starving. Some of go afield to try and aid the afflicted. But the numbers are overwhelming. One child dies from starvation every five seconds, not to mention the millions of adults. The problem is so immense that it would take a God to intervene. God watches.
Njoy wrote: Why can't we see that we are children of the Living God (Divine Love) and that we cannot be complacent?
DidYouKnow writes: Complaceny is not the problem, in general. It is the numbers issue, the poverty issue, the world that was created by God issue. There are efforts going on continually to abet the problem, but the numbers are staggering. And will get worse with the advent of more people to come, and the ever increasing problem of global warming, which will exacerbate the conditions that spawn the starvation.
Njoy wrote: How does not believing in Divine Love make the world any better?
DidYouKNow writes: How does not believing in reincarnation make the world any better? How does not believing in a Holy Ghost make the world any better? How does not believing in Santa Claus make the world any better? How does not believing in multiple Hindu gods make the world any better? These questions, like yours, are non sequitur.
Njoy wrote: How does believing in Divine Love help?
DidYouKnow writes: In practical terms, it doesn't help. In psychological terms, it may help to alleviate the fear of the unknowns to a degree. But that is help only to those who have been programmed from birth in their particular societies. No programming of superstitions, then there would be no belief in a divine, imaginary love.
Njoy wrote: How does a belief system that promotes this belief hurt anyone?
DidYouKnow writes: History is littered with the white bleached bones of the victims. Just the other day, a couple was convicted of manslaughter, having allowed their daughter to die before their eyes, as they joined hands with others who believed in a 'divine love', and prayed for her to be healed.
"God is on my side" has killed tens of millions throughout man's history.
Tons of people were, indeed, hurt when people used the Bible's New Testament as a blueprint to hunt down witches, demons, werewolves, and burned them at the stake. People were hurt by those who believed in "divine love", and tortured those who did not during the Inquisition.
Njoy wrote: Getting in touch with your own soul's possibilities is the best thing you can do for yourself.
DidYouKnow writes: You would be hardpressed to explain your soul-concept. You speak as if you have a concrete, tangible object in mind, when all you have is a vague, gossomer metaphor. As you say, "your soul's possibilites" you have no clue what you're really trying to say. Or, do you? List my soul's possibilites, then we'll go from there.
Njoy wrote: Learn to forgive yourself for your shortcomings
DidYouKnow writes: OMG! You've devolved into a preacher. Please. What on earth do you mean to forgive myself for my shortcomings? Be specific? What do you have in mind, since I'm fairly comfortable with who and what I am.
Njoy wrote: ....and arise each day with a new born Faith that passeth ALL understanding.
DidYouKnow writes: You've gone to the "feel good". I wonder what people like Einstein would make of your advice, since they were/are really excited by life and its mysteries, and the search and discovery?
Faith: The belief in what? The imaginary? No, that wouldn't do for an Einstein.....or a Jefferson.....or a Twain...or a Sagan.....or a Warren Buffet.....or a me. Be all you can be, and the first step to that lofty goal is to think, to think in a critically unharnassed fashion. No superstition, please. No reliance on the imaginary that allows a child to die every five seconds from starvation while it watches; or watches as a toddler suffocates in a van.
1. Either God, the Divine, who is supposed to do and be anything, can't...
2. Or won't
3. Or doesn't exist
For Njoy: I'm working on the "love" post.....trying to do an acceptable job with it. You stated that you don't think it probable/possible that I could explain or describe what 'love' is to your satisfaction, your understanding, or something on that order....... But, we'll see. If "love" is not universal, then how do movies, books, songs work to strike the same kinds of chords in all kinds of individuals from all walks and cultures? This endeavor I'm thinking about shouldn't be too difficult....
DYK, Darling, it is the love you have in your heart for another that you will not be able to explain to my satisfaction. The reason: I HAVE NOT HAD YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THAT LOVE.
you see? Asking a human to explain god is like asking an ant to explain the internet. you see? until you yourself have experienced the love we are speaking about, you will not be able to understand to your own satisfaction. These are things of the heart. They are not concrete. You have to give up thinking/feeling with the ego and take that famous "leap" of faith.
