Find Religion

I have my email account with yahoo, so every day when I log online to check my emails, I also browse the Yahoo news stories of the day. I like to stay informed, after all, but I can’t stand to what the evening news. Today, there was a very interesting article on the homepage called “What to do do when you hate your job,” with tips like avoiding needless perfection to cope with an overwhelming job, asking for advice to cope with a job you’re not trained to do, networking for a better job if you do choose to leave, and approaching your boss is a non-confrontational method if you’re unhappy with his or her leadership. As I sat their reading the article, I realized that these same tips can apply to religion.

After all, what do you do when you hate your religion?

Avoid needless perfection. Religion is overwhelming, and it is something you can worry about your whole life or it is something you can enjoy your whole life. Instead of getting caught up in rituals, trying having an honest and open relationship with God. Admit that you aren’t perfect. Don’t try to be perfect…you’ll go insane. Instead, do what you feel is right in your heart. I’m a firm believer that God simply wants us to make an attempt at doing what is right in the world, and if you make the wrong choice, say you’re sorry, make amends and move on.

Ask for advice. Before you decide that you’re not “made out” to be a Christian (or a Jew, or a Hindu, or…), talk to a leader in your religion about it. Find someone you respect and trust, and have a heart to heart about what is bothering you. You may still feel like your religion is wrong for you, but at least you’ll have fully explored your possibilities.

Network before you leave. A lot of people leave a church in search of “something more,” only to come back a few months later to realize that they’ve always had that “something” in their own religion. Instead of making that mistake, take some time as a Christian to explore non-Christian religions and activities. In the Amish church, teens are allowed to go out and experience the world before being baptized. They drive cars, listen to pop music, dance, and so forth. Of course, they are still asked to ethically remain from being TOO wild (still following the ten commandments), but they get a chance to check out what they’re missing. Why not check out what you’re missing? You don’t have to agree with it, but before you settle on a single religion, you should know what you’re missing. And, if you find a better religion for you, you’ll already have some first-hand experience when you leave your original religion.

Talk to the boss-man. In my opinion, no God could ever want someone to hate their religion. Share your concerns with the Divine. Many people say that prayers for help go unanswered, but the answers may come to you in ways that you do not realize.

I sincerely hope that you don’t hate your religion. You can, however, hate certain aspects. I hate, for example, the capitalistic nature of Christianity. That doesn’t mean that I’m going to turn away from it. It’s not the same as “picking and choosing” from the Bible, something so many talk against. But more on picking and choosing tomorrow…