Describe your first impression of religions, and how your current one has impacted your life.

Author: Sir.Lancelot

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My life has been a long journey of diversified spiritual experiences where I have inquired about judaism, mormonism, protestantism, catholicism, orthodoxy, and eastern asian religions like buddhism and hinduism.
If we are to momentarily overlook and push the scandals, corruption, and church politics aside for now and focus on general first impressions. Here is how I describe and categorize each of the following.:

  • Everytime I enter a church of the latter-day saints, I experience a lingering state of existential dread. The church feels empty, meaningless, and void of purpose. It is plain and minimalistic, with nothing to redeem for its inadequacy. It is a blank canvas which advertises itself as a masterpiece. It drains my soul and leaves me feeling lifeless.
  • My first visit to a catholic church struck feelings of awe and amazement. There was a sense of purpose and meaning. Like the cultural thrill you get from visiting an aesthetic national park, or an exotic place. There is spiritual and emotional euphoria because it genuinely feels like a House of God, if there ever is one.
  • My impression of most protestant and non-denominational churches are acceptable. But I would describe them all as very mid-tier. For one, the biblical scripture is too open to interpretation and the Christian lifestyle feels oversimplified because a lot of their churches disabandoned many of the traditions, rituals, and customs that give Christianity its uniqueness. They have become plain and minimalistic. They are okay, but okay is the only way I describe them. (But they are strongly dominated by republican and conservative beliefs or politics.)
  • The United Church of Christ keeps the aesthetic of christian churches. They are minimalistic, but their style is more modern and errs on the side of progressive. There is an emphasis on professionalism and being left-leaning. Perfect for places like LA. 
  • The Orthodox Church has a certain appeal that is hard to describe. It is captivating, but not in the emotional sense. It has a certain mystique to it because of its ancient vibe. The depictions of God and Jesus are so unheard of, that it disillusions you to the perceptions modern churches have of christianity and Jesus. It is very superstitious and mysterious, but its community is very welcoming. It is easy to get a long with the people there. I experience a very weak connection to God there, to the point that God's presence is so subtle that it feels like a non-connection. God's presence in The Catholic Church is stronger. It is different because it is categorized as jewish christianity, not a typical form of christianity. When visiting the church for the first time, picture yourself walking into a museum with ancient rome/greek culture, where the earlier forms of christianity were just born. The depictions of Jesus, Mary, and The Holy Trinity are like if Leonardo DaVinci (Even though he was born significantly later) made them rather than what we see today.
  • The synagogue is perhaps the most interesting, like The Orthodox Church. The synagogue's appeal is strong, in the way that a subject is interesting to scholars or exploring new realms of artifact is fascinating to archeologists. The synagogues are educational and provide a firsthand glimpse into the beliefs of ancient Israel. Judaism is the most intellectually stimulating, if that's your thing.
  • The buddhist monastery (The first one I visited was a Theraveda one, but there are other sects. Like Tibetan, Shaolin or Chan) feels like a genuine place of refuge. It is like a shelter that offers emotional & spiritual fulfillment as well as contentment. The tibetan sect is like the buddhist version of orthodox christianity and has that same mystery, & appeal. As well as superstition. I believe tibetan might be my current area of interest as far as studying.
These are not necessarily objective, this is the information I have gathered from doing independent studies, and are just my general first impressions. 
For this discussion, I am encouraging you to temporarily overlook the negative reputation of each of these places and instead just give your unfiltered first impression on any of these whether your feelings be positive or negative. 
If you have any positive or negative biases, they should be based on your own experiences and what you have learned. 
AdaptableRatman
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Idk if you have heard of the denomination named Seventh Day Adventists but they are the closest thing there is to what you called Jewish Christianity.

They do it always on Saturday, their Mass and aim to never work on that day, whereas Sunday is normal to them and Friday is semi Sabbath towards evening.

They avoid many things Jews did and do like pork, directly shaving a man's face etc.

Idk the exact stance on circumcision. In general they are by far the most loyal Christian denomination to Judaism. Jehovah's Witnesses would argue that they are but SDA actually are.

Orthodox Clergy maybe seem that way but the general EO person is not at all like a Jew is. They eat pork, shave, celebrate Sabbath on Sunday, take Sabbath less fully serious etc.

You should try out Oriental Orthodox if you want to see what Christianity fused with Islamic 'vibe' is.
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Idk the exact stance on circumcision
Only idiots do ritual circumcision. I dont like self harm that much to be happy about people cutting my dick. Only a disgusting religion can turn something so sick into a personal satisfaction.
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If you ever get a ticket and the country is safe from war, try Lebanese Maronite Catholicism. They will give you the vibe you wanted with regards to feeling very middle eastern.

Why specifically the Lebanese is they also speak some of the best English out of Maronites imo.
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Only a disgusting religion can turn something so sick into a personal satisfaction.
Just so you know Catholics ruled out circumcision a long time ago but the problem is culturally South Americans, North Americans, Filipinos and some Africans still do it.

Even Jews that convert to Catholicism often do it to their sons and some Ex Muslims do but less commonly. Ex Muslims tend to feel a stronger 'tear away' from their prior faith AND cultural traditions. Jews that become Catholic tend to still feel Jewish and it is understandable why as all the foundations is Jewish.

They seem afraid to betray Old Covenant. Often such ex-Jews or ex-Muslims secretly avoid pork etc while saying they accept new covenant. They also will tend to avoid ever shaving a man's face.
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Just so you know Catholics ruled out circumcision a long time ago
So did ancient Greek people. If I wanted to self-harm, I would rather cut myself to offer my blood to Satan. Cutting dick is probably the dumbest thing your God could think of. And yes, your God supported that thing. Maybe he doesnt support it today, but that doesnt make him not guilty.
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Idk if you have heard of the denomination named Seventh Day Adventists but they are the closest thing there is to what you called Jewish Christianity.
I do have an interest in theology, but I may need to take a break from studying christianity for a while because it’s too much at once. 

I’m branching out and studying eastern asian religions for broader expertise instead of remaining within a niche. But I am considering the suggestion for later 

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@Sir.Lancelot
I suggest you go back to Catholicism 😅

But no way are EO closer to Judaism than SDA. EO historically had some of the highest antisemitism. Jews were treated terribly in Eastern Europe even before Christianity turned up and it did not suddenly change after.

I know what you mean, it is the beards specifically that lead to that aura. However, it is if anything more Islamic than Jewish.
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I suggest you go back to Catholicism
What were your feelings when you visited the catholic church for the first time? 

Did you have the same first impression as me? 

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@Sir.Lancelot
I am pretty sure the first Cath Church I visited was in childhood at a time I dont fully remember.

Let's say I have at least 1 parent who has ties to Christianity but never got raised into it properly myself.

I am fortunate to not be a more narowdownable convert, in terms of doxxing. There are a user or 2 here who could narrow me down a lot more if they want to be malicious though.

Anyway, I also went to a cath church when a relative I won't specify got married, that was far more down to the spouse and his/her family than him/her.

Your real question is not what you think you are asking me. You really approach religion wrong in my eyes but I am a strict/vigilant approacher, especially now.

You are talking about going to what I assume is the most renowned Cath church locally withun bus/train/car/cycling distance unless you live nearby the biggest/best one to walk there.

You want to know what I felt my first time in the Church after I converted right? I never just stepped in. I refused to do that despite tugs at me for months on at least 2 years towards this faith, prior to me converting 'officially'. Officially is in quotation marks as Catholic Catechesis wait for months before being permitted to do the full conversion. What I will tell you is that I was raised as if I were agnostic. I was discouraged to ever take religion seriously as I was told any serious fundamentalist of any faith is an extremist. Where my parents drew the line on what a 'fundamentalist' or 'extremist' is, is actually at the point of ever truly taking your faith serious as the 1 true faith and hard-dedicating in any real way other than going for dancing, singing and tradition alone.

So I will tell you what I felt when I finally mustered up the courage, precalled in, made sure what I was wearing was acceptable and eventually talked to the Priest but your question is the first time going in regardless.

I felt broken, nervous and unworthy to be there. I was fighting back tears in my first Mass which was not my first time in the Church as such, more so my second. I felt so grateful that a disgusting man like me was shown such mercy.

I have a nice enough body, I am genuinely handsome, decent IQ all of that. I had wasted it, still am maybe just less so I hope in God's eyes.

I realised what an ungrateful son i had been to my parents yet also realised what bad parents they had been and not for the reasons I used to think alone (lack of religion, not gonna specify more to avoid dishonouring).

So, the reality is I feel that. Every time. Just less.

I cannot wait until I get confirmed hopefully next Easter. I am very nervous about my lifelong preconfirmation confession. I am in a European country though and generally that means they take the seal fully serious and tend to be proper pros at it.

I may need to switch to a Church further from me just because my Church nearest, walking distance, does not exactly do confession that often or that 'officially' you practically need an appointment meaning it is often face to face. Far too few people do it so only huger churches have it more than 1 hour on a Saturday. I have been told to wait to do it until I am further into the faith closer to confirmation.
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So, the reality is I feel that. Every time. Just less.
Has catholicism made you happier? 
Your spiritual journey sounds painful. And I’m sorry that you’ve had to suffer like that. 

Has it brought you spiritual or emotional fulfillment? 
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@Sir.Lancelot
My first impression of religion was being compelled against my will into a cold church and listening to a bloke in a long frock rabbiting on about who knows what.

I am not currently impressed by religious shenanigans.

Though the old architecture is nice and I marvel at the skill of the builders...Thanks in the main to the theocratic abuse of the masses and the theft of their chattels.
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@Sir.Lancelot
Yes. It is why when you abused me repeatedly just a week ago, I was able to stay calm and my healthy ego attached to serving the Lord is fully in tact.

I am unbreakable now unless we mean by severe torture. You should experience 'ego death'. I have around 4 times but the healing process through Christ is very different to the ones I experienced prior.
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@zedvictor4
Anglicanism is that way. Try Catholic. Don't take the Eucharist bread as you aren't Catholic I presume.
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@Sir.Lancelot
I take it you have no experience with a holiness or apostolic church.
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@Mall
Orthodox and Catholic are both apostolic.
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@AdaptableRatman
Nope, you should know by now that I am an agnostic atheist.

I follow no organised religion, Abrahamic or otherwise.

Though I hypothesise widely about creation and existence.

As such, religions that developed from the Middle East two thousand or so years ago, are naive hypotheses, but reasonably analogical.

Though they have a bizarre tendency to portray a super-intelligent creator as some sort of illogically vindictive numpty.

Which strongly leads me to the conclusion, that it was all made up by ignorant men for ignorant numpties.


Prove me wrong.

No, don't just spout scriptural and ritual gobbledygook.

Actually prove me wrong.
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@AdaptableRatman
What I mean by apostolic is true holiness which what you said is neither one of those.
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@zedvictor4
Wrong on that the fact it tames us does not render it untrue?
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@Mall
Are you Muslim?
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@AdaptableRatman
For the second time, no.
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@Mall
Dont come and slander Apostolic faiths saying their are neither Apostolic nor Holy and cower out of stating your own faith. Who are you to talk?
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@AdaptableRatman
Wrong on the fact it tames us does not render it untrue.
What on Earth does that mean?
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@zedvictor4
The fact it tames us does not mean it is a lie.
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@AdaptableRatman
What is it that tames us that isn't a lie?

I just don't get what you're driving at.
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@Mall
How do you reconcile having such conservative views when the majority of your congregation is progressive? 
Is being a member of The United Church of Christ difficult as a republican? 
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@zedvictor4
The reason you think it is a lie and what you asked me to disprove is rooted in the idea that if Jews and Romans fused a faith together that helps tame us from murdering, stealing, raping etc that this faith is automatically a lie.

You basis of thinking it is a lie is that it was made to tame us.

God wants us to be tame other than in defense of ourselves and others.
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@AdaptableRatman
Hmmmmmmm.

What did I say was a lie?

I asked you to prove that your GOD was real and that the Bible Tales were not written by ignorant men for ignorant numpties.

I did not imply that such an hypothesis was a lie. I clearly stated that I thought it to be analogical and reasonable, relative to time, place and knowledge.


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@zedvictor4
All you are doing is hurling insults asking me to prove the IQ level of people that pioneered the greatest religion ever.
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@AdaptableRatman
No insults hurled.

Just questioning the compatibility of a 2000 year old existence and creation hypothesis based upon a MANGOD, with todays understanding of material existence and universal properties.

I simply suggest that man created MANGOD because he knew no better...Not because of his IQ status, but simply because modern scientific data was not available to him.

I get the impression that you do not like your new found faith being challenged, because you know that it is easily challenged...Hence your inappropriate accusation.