We told him that we were going to teach her everything. He seemed pleased by that.

Point: I suppose you said it when you mused about other religions or philosophies, combined with the idea that you can’t prove a God exists and that you did not ever get what we would call a real response - you make your own gods. And maybe you have a shared experience with others that affirms your God. There is a whole world of experience there to be had.

I think, though, that reaching out to people, rather than inward to your God, is a much healthier solution. You can help strengthen your family and your community by reaching out. Sitting and praying is (to be honest) a bit selfish. It only reinforces the idea that you are an individual separated from everybody else, when infact, without these people, you would not have a frame of reference in which to evaluate yourself.

Yes, I have investigated other religions. I take alot of inspiration and from Far Eastern Philosophies such as Buddhism, Zen, and Taoism, but basically they are more philosophy than religion. I do not know anyone who follows Hinduism so I have a few unsettled questions. All three of the Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity tend to be too legalistic. Universalism and Bah’ai are too dreamy in their thinking that all religions say the same thing. I am too close to God to be an agnostic (Even though agnosticism is the most logical of all belief systems, including atheism).

Removing every religion and faith system, my main focus is my personal faith and relationship with God. I do claim to be a Christian, but not so much as a member of Christianity. It is more like the original meaning - One who follows the teaching and way of Jesus Christ. Why did I stick with Jesus? well I started to write why but that deserves a post in itself (or many series). All I know is that the things he taught and did resonates within me to be really the truth, the way and the life.

Aren’t you just following the pack?

You know, conformism is one of the WORST sins out there. Conformism made the spanish inquisition happen, it made holocaust happen and it sure did make IRAQ OCCUPATION happen.

Herd mentality.

Christians are allowing and even propagating THOUSANDS of Iraqi deaths daily.

Religion is for the ignorant.

My faith was not created by a book. Yes I follow Jesus and most of the Bible, but I would not say that my religion came from the book. I actually went through a time of prayer, testing, questioning and doubt of the bible and came to the conclusion that its truth/false has nothing to do with my faith in God. I agree that all religions were created by men, but that doesn’t make your equation man created religion which created God correct. I would say from the beginning that man created religion to understand God. Therefore religion is very limiting, but God is not dependant on it.

I dont really know why is there such a demonisation of substances use. After all, our own body chemistry makes us high daily. Pot is just a plant.
Priests and politicians imposing drug prohibition drink wine on a mass, or for dinner - even if just a little of it, it is still a chemical thats changing your brain chemistry.
So why couldnt I do just a little bit of pot? And if I CAN use a little, where is the limit where I should stop? Youre threading a thin line here…

I would really like to know, what your idea of a “GOD” is, and how do you justify and rationalise: the inconsistencies and silliness in the bible (or any other religious book) - thru which your religion was created; The fact that most religions share blatant hate and scorn for other religions; the presence of all the suffering in the world; the fact that were you born a few thousand kilometers in any direction, you’d probably be thinking very diferently (maybe even malevolently)… etc etc…

Religion is man made ergo GOD is man made.

Theres just no other way around it.

Face your fears.

Nietsche would argue that nihilism is the result of the world where we killed God. Without God’s existence we would all eventually go through a point of meaningless bleh. But that is only assuming one believes God to be dead/nonexistant, and as I do not think so purpose/meaning was never a factor for me. I cannot even argue whether or not his thoughts were correct. You can possibly consider Nietsche’s thoughts with my atheist friend who is partaking in this experiment also.

The main point I would like to make is to really help clarify the story. I do not say that it was their fault that I decided not to do drugs. I never focused on blaming other individuals too much, but on the path that I wanted to lead. Also, I was always invited and did hang out with my family and friends. It was definitely self-imposed that I chose the one path, but it did not mean I wouldn’t feel rejected and alone. Not so much that I wasn’t aloud to be physically present (nor without a purpose/meaning in life), but that I chose to go a road where nobody followed. The point of the post wasn’t to condemn their actions nor glorify mine. It was how my faith helped lead me through my decisions.

*also on a side note, there had been a few times which I asked my father to not light up. He actually has stopped doing all hard drugs, marijuana and alcohol. Just one day decided to stop and has been clean for a number of years.

I digress though.

My point is that you are the only one to blame for your self imposed loneliness. You were indoctrinated by your teachers to alienate yourself from those around you that were doing drugs. They did not leave you. You left them. I’ve never once known a hippie to ignore someone simply because they did not partake in drugs. I have on the other hand seen self righteous individuals distance themselves from users; Somehow believing that they will be infected with the desire to use.

I tire of people giving me the victim story. You are not the victim and you are most definitely responsible for your relationship with your father. If you had said that you were forced to use by your father, then I could find sympathy for your story. Instead, it seems that you are the one that alienated yourself from him. Did you ever stop to consider asking him to lay off for one day while you go to a ball game? Or did you just berate and demonize him for his choices?