Aging and Religion, or Nearer My God To Thee

S

SifuPhil

R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
I know that many religions have no age limits - in fact, for most of them you're born into them and die in them unless you do something radical, like switch beliefs in mid-stream.

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But for those who hold on to the end, do you think that as you approach your final days does your faith becomes stronger or weaker? Would it depend upon your mental and physical condition? I've been present in situations where all faith was lost, as well as in times when it was clearly a touchstone, a thing of solace when looking into the infinite.

Does the depth of your faith during your life affect this, or is everything up for grabs at the end?
 

pchinvegas said:
I need to stay outta this one I am a woman without a religion. My faith is in my family.
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Same here...I am very spiritual and have a lot of inner strength, though not in the sense of the Almighty being or organized theology. I was raised Catholic, but shed that as soon as I started thinking for myself (I had to do this at a very early age). I could not buy into going into a confessional booth and confessing my "sins" to a stranger on the other side of the door or sitting through a lengthy service mostly done in Latin of which I understood not a word.

My own inner beliefs have become much stronger over the years, and I don't see that changing as I get any older.

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't feel as though I am approaching my final days yet, so I can't really answer your question Phil.
 

Well, I am a Faith-based person - it carried me thru the most trying times of losing my son 20 years ago.

I have not waivered from that faith, nor questioned it, In all liklihood right or wrong, I will carry my life long beliefs clear to the end:)

That being said, no I do not go to church regularly anymore. A lot of that has to do with not being able to sit one position for very long (why I don't go to theaters either), another is disillusionment with people that go to church regularly and do not practice what they read and hear.

I was not raised Catholic but just for the record OzarkGal, when I was in high school I could speak that d**n dead language fluently - lol lol lol I couldn't add a small column of figures but I sure could speak Latin without issue. My dad used to boil over that one - especially since he was a math genious and had a "Master Machinist" card - lol lol lol lol

I inherited mom's English genious but that didn't make me a ton of money either - lollol
 
Excellent answers, all!

I just got to thinking about this because I'm on a religion and spirituality forum where there's always a see-saw of believers and non-believers. It makes for interesting debate, but ultimately I think it's akin to voiding one's bladder into a prevailing Nor'easter - in other words, a waste. I think that trying to convince anyone to change their beliefs is the ultimate impossible job.

They say there are no atheists in foxholes; as I have never been in one, I can't rightly say. I DO know that in the most trying times of my life I found no comfort in religious beliefs. Instead I was reassured by my "life philosophy" of Taoism. While that worked (and continues to work) for me, I can understand how others prefer the "tried-and-true" approach. :D
 
Raised as a Catholic, and was in Catholic grammar school for eight years. Spent 7 days a week visiting church, mass before school during the week, confession on Saturdays, and mass on Sunday. I even worked as an altar girl for awhile, not during masses, but help a little bit behind the scenes.

When I hit public high school, I stopped all church goings. To me it was just like a business, always asking for donations, etc. Have been to church only twice with my older sister, who regularly attends Sunday mass.

I always felt that I was a good person, and treated others kindly. I didn't need to be reminded how to act, for fear of burning in hell forever. I feel that there is some kind of God, but nothing like they try to convince you in the bible. Even in Catholic school, I never read the bible much, just what I needed to know for school or church.

I used to like when they did the mass in Latin, along with the Latin hymns...when they switched to English, I lost respect. We used to not be able to eat meat on Fridays, and my mother was firm about that, but then they changed it to where you could eat meat on Fridays.

Way back in those times, there were rumors about the nuns in the convent and priests in the rectory. As a young kid I would hear stories about nuns dating, getting pregnant and having abortions. Priests were said to be homosexual. Back then I didn't believe any of it, but so many years have passed, and the stories continue...must be some truth to it.

There was a time when I wanted to become a nun, maybe in the 4th grade. I felt they were married to God, and did no wrong, only good...now, not so sure. I can never say never, as far as becoming religious if I was nearing death, I don't know, I don't think so. If there is an afterlife, the worst I would get is going to Purgatory, according to the Catholic religion. I figure when I'm very weak and about to pass, I'll let the chips fall as they may.
 
Living in the bible belt as I do, it's hard to escape the religious factor. I try desperately to steer clear of religious conversation with people here. It's not only a faith thing, but their social lives revolve around church as well.

I have a 85 year old neighbor who lost his wife just before we moved here. He is alone and lives as we do, very remotely. He belongs to a church and lives and breaths the bible. His son is a minister and daughter is married to one. I visited him a few time after we moved here and he was very eager for us to go to church with him and spent most of our visits with him talking about Jesus. I would just nod my head and let him talk and eventually change the subject to gardening.

When I had my first knee surgery my husband happened to see him walking up the road the day after I came home. He told him about my surgery and the old guy said he would come and see me.

A bit later that day, sure enough here he came unannounced, bringing a friend with him. He introduced his friend as Brother ___. After some initial pleasantries, Brother_____told me he was a prison chaplain and asked if I minded if he talked to me about the bible.

At this point I was feeling grouchy, irritable and sore from the surgery and completely ambushed and put upon in my own home. I told Brother____, that yes I did mind, that everyone has their own beliefs and that although I was not per se a religious person, I was however, spiritual in my own way. I believed in being a good person and doing the right things, as I believe I have a well developed sense of right and wrong, and try to live my life by those principles.

I was told that was not enough, and if I didn't read the bible I was going to hell.....
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Ihis visit, to say the least, went downhill quickly and ended abruptly. I haven't seen my neighbor in many months.

Mu husband and I snickered about the whiskey bottle (for medicinal purposes only)
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sitting on the counter that we hadn't noticed until they left. Perhaps, that's why they felt I needed some religious intervention.

I have no problem with people practicing their religion, it's their right. But just like any other right, it stops where my space begins. I don't go around trying to preach and convert them to my way of thinking, why do they feel the need to do so to me? Aren't my closely held beliefs just as valid as theirs?
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Ugggh...there was a religious Jesus freak at work, most of them I've run into are "born again Christians", who basically were bad, abusive, addictive, cheating thieves before they were "saved"...but now they're gonna preach to me (and everyone else they came in contact with) about what the good Lord Jesus would want us all to do. :rofl:

Anyhoo, they put this character to work alongside me on a project several times. We were alone with each other, and conversation was normal for workers in these situations. Welllll...I was very polite in listening to him and letting him go on and on and on and on, quoting the bible, etc., until my eyes were literally glazed over. When I left him, I felt spent, exhausted, and honestly, it affected my mood for the rest of the day. It actually affected my mood before the day's project started, because I knew they'd stick him with me again. :rolleyes:

Well, one day, I had enough, no more Mrs. Nice Guy. :p I told him straight up, that I didn't want to hear any more of his Jesus talk, and I didn't need to put up with any more of his wanna-be preachin'. I told him not to talk to me at all, if he was going to lead every subject back to religion. Needless to say, things had quieted down quite a bit after that, and I was soooooo relieved! :peaceful:
 
If you don't mind, I will NOT get involved into this topic..

I believe we all have our thoughts on this and perhaps mine are a bit different than yours but that doesn't make me or you a bad person...........
 
I was raised in Ga. as a child I went to church if the door was open and that was often, religion was crammed down my throat and punishment if you didn't recall the scriptures and the preachers take on the whole idea.
I believe in a higher power, within myself, I treat folks how I want to be treated, don't lie steal etc. I don't go to any church.
 
Steve said:
If you don't mind, I will NOT get involved into this topic..

I believe we all have our thoughts on this and perhaps mine are a bit different than yours but that doesn't make me or you a bad person...........
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Aww, come on - we play nice!

Actually I can understand your action - Daddy always told me not to discuss politics, religion or sex with people. :playful:

Besides ... we are all the same. It says so right in the Flying Spaghetti Monster handbook!
 
Steve said:
If you don't mind, I will NOT get involved into this topic..

I believe we all have our thoughts on this and perhaps mine are a bit different than yours but that doesn't make me or you a bad person...........
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All of our views are shaped from personal life experiences Steve, if you want to share your thoughts, we are interested and will respect your beliefs. :)
 
Steve, I'd like to add that although I don't appreciate those people over the years who have tried to push their religious beliefs on me personally, and it's not very considerate or courteous on their part either to be that pushy. I have great respect and believe that all of us on this earth have the right to believe as we see fit, and need to follow our hearts.

My sister, who is a practicing Catholic, spent her life married to a wonderful man, and he was Jewish. He was a good person and loved her very much, good husband and loving father. She lost him last year at the age of 65 to cancer.

Having said that, I have another relative that was brought up Catholic as I was, and also grew away from the church for various reasons. There are some issues within some religious organizations that cannot realistically be ignored, although I don't condone harping on them.
 
Steve said:
If you don't mind, I will NOT get involved into this topic..

I believe we all have our thoughts on this and perhaps mine are a bit different than yours but that doesn't make me or you a bad person...........
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"He ain't wrong, he's just different"..Willie Nelson
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Being a Christian does not make one a good person, anymore than a non-believer makes one a bad person...being a good or bad person transcends religion or non-religion. It comes from a place inside a person. I believe most sane people have the ability to determine right from wrong. What they do with that ability is soley up to them, apart from theological belief.

I'm totally cool with believers and non-believers..What I am not cool with is someone who tries to impose their unsolicited beliefs on me, as if my belief and value system is not as important to me as their's are to them.



Steve, I respect your decision not to participate in a religious discussion. I felt pretty much the same way until I was confronted nearly on a daily basis with people trying to preach their religions to me here a small town in the Bible Belt. I finally had to say enough, here are my beliefs, they're just as important as yours.

They leave you alone then.
 
OK..
Who was it that said "Go forth and multiply"..???????????????

Does that mean we are supposed to go and multiply on the forth ?????????
Well, the forth is tomorrow .....

Just one very slight problem for me on that................... AT MY AGE ????
 
Steve said:
OK..
Who was it that said "Go forth and multiply"..???????????????

Does that mean we are supposed to go and multiply on the forth ?????????
Well, the forth is tomorrow .....

Just one very slight problem for me on that................... AT MY AGE ????
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Steve, I think you might be misinterpreting that scripture just a bit ... what I think they meant was that, whenever you're in line for an event or even just to check-out at the grocery store, you should arrange it so that you're the fourth person in line. When you get to the entrance or check-out counter, whip out your trusty Texas Instruments calculator and start mashing the "multiply" button. Keep doing that until you are physically restrained or unconscious.

I've done this in crowded stores and, once, at a Pink Floyd concert, and believe me when I state that it was a religious experience.
 
I was standing forth in line and eventually it came my turn to go through..
I waited till the grocery clerk had finished with my order and then took out my calculator and multiplied the total by 2 and then cut it in half and it came out to be the same as the total at the cash..

Imagine that !!! WOW !!!!!!!!!!!

The poor cashier asked me what I was doing so I told her I was going forth and multiplying..
She looked at me as I was totally crazy... Trouble she is correct.....
 
Steve said:
I was standing forth in line and eventually it came my turn to go through..
I waited till the grocery clerk had finished with my order and then took out my calculator and multiplied the total by 2 and then cut it in half and it came out to be the same as the total at the cash..

Imagine that !!! WOW !!!!!!!!!!!



The poor cashier asked me what I was doing so I told her I was going forth and multiplying..
She looked at me as I was totally crazy... Trouble she is correct.....
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;););)
 

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