Day 9: My Beliefs

Beliefs are a complicated thing. Many people pair beliefs with religion, but I wasn't brought up with a religion. My father was brought up Lutheran, but is atheist; My mother was brought up Mormon, but no longer believes in their values. I've never read the Bible or any other religious texts, although there were Bibles in my home growing up. I think one even has my name on it. The few times I went to church with parents, was to a Lutheran church, and when I stayed with my Aunt and cousins, they would take me to the Mormon church. I was basically left to my own devices to come up with what I want to believe, which is how I think it should be, personally.

I believe to have a true belief in anything, your beliefs have to change over time. No matter how small. We learn things as we grow older. Our views on the world change almost every day. So why shouldn't our beliefs change too? I don't believe in the same thing that I did when I was in High School, I don't expect to believe in the same thing 10 years from now. I do think that there should be basics that you believe in, and I have outlined my basics below.

• The number one thing I do believe in, and always have, is Reincarnation. There's no proof of it of course, but what real proof is there of Heaven? 
• I do believe in angels. I couldn't tell you how they come about, but in my mind, they're another form of life. I also believe in demons. Just as there are (at the very basic level) good and bad humans, there are good and bad angels. We just call the bad ones demons.
• I do not believe in any sort of God. I don't believe in creationism either, but do believe that if a God created us, He gave life to Earth at the very beginning and left us to flourish or wither on our own. I don't think he's around today to govern us or disapprove of our choices in life.
• I disagree with making kids go to church every single day. I think they should be taught about every religion out there, and make their own choice when the time comes along. Basically forcing a religion on them when they're too young to understand what belief really is, is wrong in my opinion. 
• Baptism does nothing in my opinion. Congratulations, you dunked the kid. I understand it may soothe parents when their child doesn't have long in this world, and I have no quarrel with that, so I won't say more on the subject.
• If there is a God, I don't think he would want us to waste our time every week to worship him. If he wants to be a God that demands attention, then he should be here demanding it. I've heard of no repercussion from not going to church every week, or whatever your religion does. 

There are caveats in my own beliefs though; I'm not quite sure how millions of people could be wrong. But the issue with that, is that there are millions of people in every single mainstream religion, and even the ones that aren't so mainstream. Are they all just followers then? Sheep?

I asked a Mormon friend when I was in Elementary school why God "put" spaghetti strap shirts on Earth if he didn't want us to wear them. She told me it was a test on whether or not we would sin by wearing the shirts. I asked her why he didn't "take" the shirts away again if we didn't pass, and he didn't like them. She had no answer for me. She did, however, get very mad at me because I was questioning her religion. If you truly believe something, don't get mad when people question it.

I do get angry when people tell me i'm wrong to believe what I believe and that I will go to hell because of it, but that's because I don't agree with telling people that what they believe is wrong. You have no proof that what you believe is right so stay out of my beliefs.

I think that's enough of the word Believe and it's variants. I don't mean to be pithy, and I'm sorry if I ever come across that way. 

over and out.