OMW,

You wrote:

"YOu continue to tell people here who talk about God, that they are wrong."

Where have I said, "You are wrong to believe in God"?

I've said that I don't agree that there is only one way, and that I don't think any of us can know for sure. We have our "beliefs". They can't be proven.

So, unless I say, "you're right, there is without a doubt a heaven and a hell, and the only way to heaven is through Jesus" that I'm saying you're wrong?

I don't think any of us can prove our beliefs right or wrong. They are what we believe. It's faith not fact, in my opinion.

Guess that's offensive to some. Not really sure how that's bashing.

I'm not saying I'm right, and you're wrong. I'm saying we could all be right, we could all be wrong, some could be right, etc. No one knows for sure.

However, if YOU, whoever you are, ARE CONVINCED you're right, and I say that "right" can't be proven, I suppose that is slanderous to you.

Oh, well.

Mary

Gosh, Bitsy. I don't think those comments were directed at you. You're not posting condemnation.

Anyway, I posted to you on the other side, and I wanted to comment on your post over here about the woman you wrote about - the woman who was a mom to you and inspired you with her faith. I'm happy for you.

There's a woman I work with whose peace, serenity, and confidence I admire. She was Christian, but now she's Buddhist. In so many ways, not just in a spiritual way, she really has it together. Just being around her calms me. And she always has something positive and loving to say.

I need to get back to grading. Take care, Bitsy. And thank you for sharing from the heart, with so much love.

Mary

Perhaps the real trouble is your seed, Bereft. The soil in this garden is very fertile. Feel free to move on to another garden.

This is from an article entitled:

Religious Addiction: Inner Peace Or Inner Turmoil?
Uzma Mazhar

http://www.crescentlife.com/sp.....iction.htm

"Regardless of the reason why a person chooses to pursue religion, at what level does healthy, normal religious belief become abnormal?

Often the personality change is subtle. Eventually, though, hyper-religious behavior will manifest itself in obvious and disconcerting ways, such as:

Loss of Objectivity

Their ability to reason logically can become impaired.

An inability to think, doubt, or question religious information and/or authority; and unwillingness to understand the opinions and interpretations of others.

A concrete and rigid thinking style develops that does not allow for consideration of extenuating circumstances in a person's life.

Black/white, good/bad, either/or simplistic thinking: one way or the other with very little room for grey areas.

A tendency toward magical thinking that God will fix you/ do it all, without serious work on your part.

Confusion and doubts lead to mental, physical or emotional breakdown.

They develop a fear-based belief system.. believing/following a religion out of fear, not understanding and love.

They also tend to have a shame-based belief system that they are not good enough or are not doing it right.

They believe in a punishing and angry God.

Reactivity: Anger and Defensiveness

If sincere faith in God is supposed to bring peace and contentment, a religious person who is paranoid and confrontational about it may have a larger mental problem.

They tend to have increased conflict and argumentation with science, medicine, and education.

They tend to become argumentative and defensive in dialog.

They have a limited ability to explain their beliefs. Since their belief system about themselves and the world is fear-based, they seldom understand religion, but follow it out of a dependent need for strength and power.

Force is their farce.

Judgmental and Critical

Hyper-religiosity may be revealed in someone as unusual self-importance, as if that person were much closer to God, making others around him seem inferior.

They develop an uncompromising judgmental attitude, with a readiness to find fault or evil out there.

An attitude of self-righteousness or superiority: "we versus the world," including the denial of one's human-ness.

They tend to be blind to their own behaviors, denying their projections on to the idol 'god' they have created.

Obsessive and Compulsive Behavior

Ritual is part of religion, and as such is neither good nor bad. However, when it disrupts normal activities it is unhealthy—as in being unable to function without repeated readings of the same passages, or unusually frequent rituals.

Scrupulously rigid and obsessive adherence to rules, codes of ethics, or guidelines.

Compulsive rituals or obsessive praying, quoting scriptures and excessive fasting often accompany the change in thinking patterns.

Giving up sleeping or eating to pray or meditate. Again, prayer and meditation are important aspects of faith, but not to the point of jeopardizing a person’s health or relationships.

Isolation

Isolation and breakdown of relationships often follows.

Progressive detachment from work and relationships is noticeable as they spend more time proselytizing their message.

Manipulating scripture or texts, feeling specially chosen, claiming to receive special messages from God, they move further and further away from the mainstream of social contacts.

Breakdown

In severe cases they may also develop some of the following patterns:

Psychosomatic illness: back pains, sleeplessness, headaches, hypertension, etc.

Maintaining a religious "high", trance-like state, keeping a happy face (or the belief that one should...)

Denial of any personal problems

When behavior borders on manic or pathological, the hyper-religious person may even start hallucinating, ie: hearing voices or seeing images, or possibly “talking to God.”

By then, it’s clearly evident something is wrong.

If you know someone whose interest in religion has suddenly (or even gradually) reached a point of fixation—when their regular lives are negatively affected—you need to understand what’s motivating their behavior. The problem could go away, but it could also get worse.

The ultimate temptation of the believer is to assume that his or her way to God is the best or only way for others.

The particular Way to God becomes what is adored, not the ineffable and incomprehensible Mystery to which we give the name of God.

In essence they become addicted to their faith.

It becomes a means of escape.

It is no longer a living BY faith; with understanding, hope and growing in unconditional love. Instead of love of God softening their lives, it makes them harsh, rigid and limited.

Uzma Mazhar © 2000
Contact Info: [email protected]

I know that you believe you're "right", OMW. And it seems that "being right" is very important to you.

There are plenty of others, of all different faiths, who need to believe "they are right", too.

As I've written and in my opinion, "right" in regards to faith cannot be proven. There's no way for a Muslim to prove his/her version of heaven is true or right just as a Christian cannot prove his/her version is true or right. They're beliefs.

Yes, it's very clear that your beliefs are right for YOU.

Mary

Religious Addiction: Inner Peace Or Inner Turmoil? Uzma Mazhar http://www.crescentlife.com/sp.....iction.htm

"The ultimate temptation of the believer is to assume that his or her way to God is the best or only way for others."

I think you must be doing the work of the devil, Bereft and TB. Your judgemental and arrogant posts are turning me away from God. I don't see God's love and light in your posts at all. I see bullying and stubborness. That's not God.

Mary