anxiety over religion
i was born and raised in a christian household, but it wasn't until i was in highschool that i started to have my doubts and questions about my religion. i've tried to ignore it for years but it felt like all it would do was grow and grow. i felt like i couldn't talk to anyone in my family about it bc they would feel as if i was "of the world" or "letting the devil confuse me" and i just dealt with the anxiety by myself. it got to the point where even something as simple as someone saying "God bless you" sent anxiety through me. i decided to finally tell my mom how i felt, and i got the exact reply that i had been dreading. it felt like she had just brushed off my feelings and when I tried to explain that to her she told me that it was my "stubbornness" that made me feel that way. i felt like no one could understand me if my own mother couldn't understand me. and i just want this feeling of anxiety around this to just go away. i wanna know has anyone else found peace around religion or if they've had anxiety around this as well. thanks for listening
@megumimegumi
Friend.
Yes, I'm a Christian and I'm glad to have Jesus to talk to. But life can be difficult.
It was sad that your mother could not talk things well over with you and called it "stubbornness" when you wanted to talk.
We can not always understand God and maybe that can give some anxiety. But the Bible tells us that he loves us and sent Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sins. So we are in good hands. Jesus also says in the Bible: I'll never leave you nor forsake you and that can be good to think of.
We can talk more if you want to.
Best wishes from Helga, 68 years old.
@megumimegumi
I am not christian or even religious at all. But i undestand that leaving a religion, or having doubts, can be really difficult. Religions often makes people feel guilt over questioning things within the religion. The stronger the indoctrination, the stronger the guilt, it seems.
I hope you find the right path for you. Maybe you can find your faith again, but Maybe you also have to give up your faith. A religious person would probably try to say what you should believe, but i don't do that. You should follow what seems most logical and rational for you. You should not life your life for others.
I hope you find the right way, whatever it may be.
I questioned myself before as well. Once in a while I think about my faith. Just remember that the first step to enlightenment regardless if you are going to accept your religion or find a new faith is to question it. It’s better than following blindly. I hope you find peace eventually