Your religious/spiritual journey

[wil]

As we moved around the country my mother asked at work about churches and went to Protestant churches where her friends went. So I was Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist...for me all the Sunday school teachers I had insisted I quit asking questions.

That lead me to reject and read about other beliefs.

 

[TheLightWithin]

As we moved around the country my mother asked at work about churches and went to Protestant churches where her friends went. So I was Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist...for me all the Sunday school teachers I had insisted I quit asking questions.

That lead me to reject and read about other beliefs.

What is it about Sunday school teachers and questions? Why are they so ill prepared?
I hear so many stories about this. I didn't attend a whole lot of Sunday school, but I do seem to remember when I tried to join Youth Group bible study my questions got odd responses or angry facial expressions.

 

[JustGeorge]

What is it about Sunday school teachers and questions? Why are they so ill prepared?
I hear so many stories about this. I didn't attend a whole lot of Sunday school, but I do seem to remember when I tried to join Youth Group bible study my questions got odd responses or angry facial expressions.

I saw my Sunday School teacher in a store once...

Lots and lots of hugs. She was so happy to see me. I was surprised she remembered me.

She was really nice. She was okay with questions.

I brought my Jewish cousin to Sunday School with me once, and she spent the whole time learning about my cousin's religion.

 

[Leveller]

What is it about Sunday school teachers and questions? Why are they so ill prepared?

Looking back on my own experience I would say that they are there because of a passion but do not necessarily have much knowledge or teaching ability.

 

[wil]

I brought my Jewish cousin to Sunday School with me once, and she spent the whole time learning about my cousin's religion.

At Unity, I was a Sunday school teacher from preschool to 12th grade... I would have done exactly the same, or rather encouraged a discussion between the students and the guest.

But due to my experiences....questions were encouraged.

 

[TheLightWithin]

At Unity, I was a Sunday school teacher from preschool to 12th grade... I would have done exactly the same, or rather encouraged a discussion between the students and the guest.

Buy due to my experiences....questions were encouraged.

I think the difference is the open endedness that is possible in more open approaches.
In an approach where they are teaching dogma, there is a closed ended approach. There is no option to reaching conclusions other than the specific dogma of their beliefs. And if they allow questioning, they don't know how to stop it. They cannot allow people to develop their own conclusions. They have to make sure students reach only the church's conclusions, and honest questions won't get you there.

 

[EricPH]

So I was Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist...for me all the Sunday school teachers I had insisted I quit asking questions.

When I started to search for God in my forties; I went to a Catholic faith group. I asked, how many gods are there? There was a deathly silence in the room. If there really is 'One God'; then the same God hears all our prayers; despite our differences.

I still feel challenged by how we answer this question, our understanding of God; influences how we relate to people of other faiths.

 

[JustGeorge]

At Unity, I was a Sunday school teacher from preschool to 12th grade... I would have done exactly the same, or rather encouraged a discussion between the students and the guest.

Buy due to my experiences....questions were encouraged.

My husband and I taught the 'religious education' program for the teen class at a Unitarian Universalist church for two years.

It was all about questions... but, there was no traditional 'religion' to teach. It was mostly morals and values, and self discovery. I only remember talking religion in the formal sense once... and that was sharing the story of how goddess Durga was created with the kids.

We ended up shying away from the UUs as the congregation got more and more political, and more and more anti-religious, but teaching that class for that time was a joy.

I still feel challenged by how we answer this question, our understanding of God; influences how we relate to people of other faiths.

Can you give some examples of how this works?

 

[Leveller]

My husband and I taught the 'religious education' program for the teen class at a Unitarian Universalist church for two years.

That seems like a nice place JustGeorge, I am sorry it did not work out. I have read a little about the U U's they seem like people I can relate to.

I see Unity getting mentioned, are they similar?

 

[EricPH]

I still feel challenged by how we answer this question, our understanding of God; influences how we relate to people of other faiths.

Can you give some examples of how this works?

When we go out with the street Pastors in the early hours of the morning, we can come into contact with angry, drunken, violence. When we did our training, it was said, you will never look into the eyes of anyone who does not matter to God. When we intervene, the solution we seek is a kinder and more caring solution, because all the drunks matter to God.

If we look at these people as thugs, it could influence a different reaction.

The same God hears all our prayers, despite our differences. We each have a path to God. I can't change anyone else's belief, I struggle to change myself. The best option is to strive to get on with each other; despite our differences.

 

[JustGeorge]

That seems like a nice place JustGeorge, I am sorry it did not work out. I have read a little about the U U's they seem like people I can relate to.

I suspect the UU movement is a good one overall, but that particular congregation had some problems we just weren't able to cope with long term. The theist teasing got old, the poking at the lower class got old, and hearing politics being preached was what finally nailed in "we gotta go". However, teaching those kids made me feel a lot better about the state of humanity. (I guess they're all grown up by now!)

It was a good thing, though... we left with some friends and attempted to start an interfaith group(we called it Fellowship of the Sacred Winds). It didn't make it past the second year, but it was fun and I have pleasant memories from it.

When we go out with the street Pastors in the early hours of the morning, we can come into contact with angry, drunken, violence. When we did our training, it was said, you will never look into the eyes of anyone who does not matter to God. When we intervene, the solution we seek is a kinder and more caring solution, because all the drunks matter to God.

If we look at these people as thugs, it could influence a different reaction.

The same God hears all our prayers, despite our differences. We each have a path to God. I can't change anyone else's belief, I struggle to change myself. The best option is to strive to get on with each other; despite our differences.

I love your focus...

I agree, everybody matters.

 

[moralorel]

As we moved around the country my mother asked at work about churches and went to Protestant churches where her friends went. So I was Lutheran, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist...for me all the Sunday school teachers I had insisted I quit asking questions.

That lead me to reject and read about other beliefs.

In college I kept getting invited to bible studies run by many different churches. You would think that would be the correct place to ask questions. I had the same issue you had. I learned to either be quiet or leave. So I eventually left. At one bible study I was asking a question and the lady running the study couldn't answer my question but told me I was wrong. I started pointing out scripture and she said she was unfamiliar with what I was trying to tell her. I finally asked her if she had even read the Bible. I had. She had not. She got upset and told me I should probably leave.

 

[EricPH]

I finally asked her if she had even read the Bible. I had. She had not. She got upset and told me I should probably leave.

In the Catholic Church, we call it a journey in Faith, I don't think we ever fully understand. I know many Catholics don't read the Bible, but consider going to mass is sufficient. If we go every day during the three year cycle, we hear less than 10% 0f the Old Testament.

I have read a number of translations over the years. I must have read Matthew 9 27:31 many times, yet I saw it in a different way last week. I have been reflecting on the meaning behind the greatest commandments; for the last thirty years. The challenge is not in reading scriptures, but in putting them into practice, and I struggle.

 

[Leveller]

I see Unity getting mentioned, are they similar?

I just read the Wikipedia page on the Unity Church. I like their ideals, pretty much the same as what drew me towards the Quakers.

 

[Thomas]

OK. What more, then? What else?

It's a statement of absolute apophaticism – as I understood it, one can speak of the Brahman of Shankaracharya, the Gottheit of Meister Eckhart, the Tao of Lao Tzu, the One of Plotinus, or al-Dhat of Ibn ‘Arabi... that which is Absolute and Infinite; Uncreated and Unconditioned, the One in which is All-Possible and contains all within Itself without distinction or differentiation.

It is absolutely indeterminate – any positive definition is a determination and delimitation.

The essentially apophatic definition cannot be rationally contested, nor is it open to rational proof or argument.

It is without any limitation, restriction, or determination, it is absolute totality, for if anything were exterior to it, it would not be Infinite.

That said, again as I understand it, in Advaita Vedanta, Ishvara is a manifested form of Brahman, what one might term an upaya, as 'skillful means' to 'come near or come towards' an absolute apophatism.

 

[Thomas]

My very first day at school I asked a question, and was told to be quiet.

Told my mum I wouldn't be going back ... I left as soon as I could, at 16.

However, despite my own experience, I am not against he school system.

++

My Sunday School and Catholic Secondary School education was atrocious, but I did not let that blind me or cause me to close the doors to the possibility of Catholicism.

 

[Aupmanyav]

It's a statement of absolute apophaticism – as I understood it, one can speak of the Brahman of Shankaracharya, the Gottheit of Meister Eckhart, the Tao of Lao Tzu, the One of Plotinus, or al-Dhat of Ibn ‘Arabi... that which is Absolute and Infinite; Uncreated and Unconditioned, the One in which is All-Possible and contains all within Itself without distinction or differentiation.

It is absolutely indeterminate – any positive definition is a determination and delimitation.

The essentially apophatic definition cannot be rationally contested, nor is it open to rational proof or argument.

It is without any limitation, restriction, or determination, it is absolute totality, for if anything were exterior to it, it would not be Infinite.

That said, again as I understand it, in Advaita Vedanta, Ishvara is a manifested form of Brahman, what one might term an upaya, as 'skillful means' to 'come near or come towards' an absolute apophatism.

And you also know that there are many variations of Advaita, right from Ramanuja to Chaitanya. Brahman, the stuff of universe, is not absolutely indeterminate. It is manifested in Relativity, Uncertainty, Quantum Mechanics, etc. Science is trying to find more about it. It is being discussed rationally. At every step the theories are put to test. It is sure absolute totality (for one who would believe this way). But it has its own limitations, restrictions and determination. The problem is that you are making it into a God. That is one point where I differ from Sankara. I do not accept 'Ishwara' anywhere, neither in 'Paramarthika' (Absolute truth) and nor in 'Vyavaharika' (Pragmatic truth). Sankara accepted that because of his social rresponsibilities. I do not have any such bondage.

 

[wil]

My very first day at school I asked a question, and was told to be quiet.

Told my mum I wouldn't be going back ... I left as soon as I could, at 16.

However, despite my own experience, I am not against he school system.

++

My Sunday School and Catholic Secondary School education was atrocious, but I did not let that blind me or cause me to close the doors to the possibility of Catholicism.

Similar...lol...with both public and parochial education....we are here! (Despite them!)

Looking back on my own experience I would say that they are there because of a passion but do not necessarily have much knowledge or teaching ability.

We're you spying on my classes?

My husband and I taught the 'religious education' program for the teen class at a Unitarian Universalist church for two years.

It was all about questions... but, there was no traditional 'religion' to teach. It was mostly morals and values, and self discovery

Religious education YES!

I was given two commissions....My Preacher said, Teach them to discern and think, not what to think. The head of youth education said, Just make sure they know that in your class they are all safe and loved.

That seems like a nice place JustGeorge, I am sorry it did not work out. I have read a little about the U U's they seem like people I can relate to.

I see Unity getting mentioned, are they similar?

Short answer yes. But where UU is politically active and would be considered leftist...as it is moralistic and for the people...it explores religion and its benefits.

Unity is similar, still leans left, but more to doing positive things than politcal activism...and while open to all religions, decidedly Christian but with their own New Thought bent.

 

[Thomas]

And you also know that there are many variations of Advaita, right from Ramanuja to Chaitanya.

OK.

Brahman, the stuff of universe, is not absolutely indeterminate.

What school believe that?

It is sure absolute totality (for one who would believe this way).

Well it may be the sum total of all, but then it is conditional, subject to various contingencies ...

The problem is that you are making it into a God.

Not your Brahman, I'm not.

That is one point where I differ from Sankara. I do not accept 'Ishwara' anywhere, neither in 'Paramarthika' (Absolute truth) and nor in 'Vyavaharika' (Pragmatic truth). Sankara accepted that because of his social rresponsibilities. I do not have any such bondage.

OK, so if Brahman is limited, I'll strike it from the list offered at #335.

 

[TheLightWithin]

In the Catholic Church, we call it a journey in Faith, I don't think we ever fully understand. I know many Catholics don't read the Bible, but consider going to mass is sufficient. If we go every day during the three year cycle, we hear less than 10% 0f the Old Testament.

I have read a number of translations over the years. I must have read Matthew 9 27:31 many times, yet I saw it in a different way last week. I have been reflecting on the meaning behind the greatest commandments; for the last thirty years. The challenge is not in reading scriptures, but in putting them into practice, and I struggle.

I have heard that in decades or maybe centuries past, Catholics were discouraged by the Church from reading the Bible.
Is that true?