Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
Find support with others who have gone through a traumatic experience. Whether you have chronic or acute PTSD, we are here for you.
I posted this in anxiety but wanted to post it here as well. What I forgot to say is that I've had some anxiety in church in the past and today I went - with the anxiety gone I'm able to see what bothers me.
I love my church community. It's a very giving group focused on service. I feel well cared for as well as having opportunities to be in service.
I was shocked recently because I'd kept my rather liberal views to myself but as I heard more of the well-established members talk, I realize they're socially quite liberal as well. They're also GLBT friendly which is nice. Very accepting group with their hearts in the right place.
That said, when I read parts of the bible I'm like, "WHAT???" Like the story of Soddom and Gomorrah where the innkeeper says something to the effect of, "Don't have sex with my male guests because that's just wrong. I'll send out my daughters and you can party with them." EXCUSE ME? Did you ASK them if they wanted to be with these guys? Do you CARE what happens to them?
And today there was a story about Jacob the deceiver who wanted to marry Rachel and the father of Rachel said "you can have her if you work for 7 years as in indentured servant" and then hooked him up with his other daughter Leah instead and Jacob felt ripped off.
So what did Rachel think about all of this? How about Leah? No idea.
It's not mentioned. I mean, who cares what a woman would have to say about it?
Anyway, it just infuriates me. I don't know if I should just tell myself "It was that time in history" or something but I can't get past that the religion seems steeped in this horrendous inequality and downright abuse of women.
I'm a fan of God. I also think Jesus and Buddha and other revered religious leaders have something wonderful to teach us.
I also like my church and all we are involved in. And I like the leaders of my church and the community as well as the opportunity to serve.
But I am really having issues with the bible.
Anyone else grappling with religion?
I love my church community. It's a very giving group focused on service. I feel well cared for as well as having opportunities to be in service.
I was shocked recently because I'd kept my rather liberal views to myself but as I heard more of the well-established members talk, I realize they're socially quite liberal as well. They're also GLBT friendly which is nice. Very accepting group with their hearts in the right place.
That said, when I read parts of the bible I'm like, "WHAT???" Like the story of Soddom and Gomorrah where the innkeeper says something to the effect of, "Don't have sex with my male guests because that's just wrong. I'll send out my daughters and you can party with them." EXCUSE ME? Did you ASK them if they wanted to be with these guys? Do you CARE what happens to them?
And today there was a story about Jacob the deceiver who wanted to marry Rachel and the father of Rachel said "you can have her if you work for 7 years as in indentured servant" and then hooked him up with his other daughter Leah instead and Jacob felt ripped off.
So what did Rachel think about all of this? How about Leah? No idea.
It's not mentioned. I mean, who cares what a woman would have to say about it?
Anyway, it just infuriates me. I don't know if I should just tell myself "It was that time in history" or something but I can't get past that the religion seems steeped in this horrendous inequality and downright abuse of women.
I'm a fan of God. I also think Jesus and Buddha and other revered religious leaders have something wonderful to teach us.
I also like my church and all we are involved in. And I like the leaders of my church and the community as well as the opportunity to serve.
But I am really having issues with the bible.
Anyone else grappling with religion?
-
Hey All...I hope that you have a lovely, peaceful beginning of your weekI have a bunch of chores that need doing but may put them off til tomorrow and just hang out with my landlord/roomie todayWhat about you?...Anything special going on?Have a great day and take good care of you!!..Xo
-
Once again I've had a fever today. I'm not going to the hospital because that's a huge waste of time but I did schedule a dr appointment for Wednesday afternoon.
Times have changed a great deal.. Perhaps discussing this with your minister might give you some of the answers you're looking for..
There are also several Christian groups on here that might be of help to you
I think it comes down to Bible interpretation ... and then people doing the interpreting...
There used to be a series called Mysteries of the Bible on ...I'm not sure if it's available on Youtube or the net now... It had a group of theologians discussing controversial books of the Bible weekly... A really great show
My dad was an atheist. My mom was a good Catholic (with liberal social values). Both told me that religion was a creation of humans, but faith is from the Divine. That's sort of where I'm at with it all.
I di dbelong for a few years to a non-denominational sort of church, but when we did need help, they weren't there. When they wanted money, we were. THey were kinda awful, actually, and the congregation split over money of all things. Since then, Hubby and I don't worry about a church or a community that shares our faith because it seems like there's always got to be either some doctrine or dogma or drama that's all about a building or egos or how you curl your little toe or something euqally petty (to us)....
I envy those who find communities that share their faith....
As for the Bible? I follow what is known of the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth in the Four Gospels. I like a few things in Paul for their eloquence. The psalms are often lovely. The rest? I find the Old Testament terrifying, as a woman. Eep. When people talk about "living by the Bible"? I wonder if they realize it means adultery gets you stoned, rape is always your fault, etc..... Or if they'd care....
Huge trigger for me, as a rape survivor.
Argh. As you can see, I don't know if I'll ever settle this for myself. Faith versus religion is bad enough without throwing in the scriptures and doctrines and dogmas....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxWX0hN8RKY
I forget what book I was reading, but I was babysitting this really creepy property...it was a place where they deposit the mangled bodies of wrecked cars before they are auctioned?
It was night.
The hairs started standing up on the back of my neck when I realized I was reading an account of what we'd now call genocide. The first invasion of the promised land.
Jesus? more people should act like him.
Fortunately, I had a great woman professor at my seminary who did NOT explain it away as "that was then, this is now."' She did point out how the many books of the Bible contradict themselves about women. In the Old Testament there's Esther. In the New Testament, Paul is one moment talking about men being the head of the church, but then it's clear he had women partner apostles who worked along side of him with equal authority to his. He writes down their names in his New Testament epistles. Lastly, Mary the mother of Jesus, was probably a co-pastor of the Jerusalem church with the disciple Peter. In Acts 9:36 Peter is mentioned in connection with a "disciple named Tabitha or Dorcas in Greek". A woman disciple--the highest rank of minister anyone could be then.
But men get all the credit, don't they? And get away with rape and adultery (Abraham and Hagar) all over the place. It's like in Greek mythology and Leda and the Swan.
Yes, I struggle with this, too. I'm happy to see the positive examples my woman seminary professor pointed me to. But I have to say I hope more chapters are being written today with women ministers and bishops now in many churches. My seminary mentor and friend now after seminary for 10 years is Reverend J (I keep her anonymous), a woman who has a gay son. I've learned more from her about church than from anyone.
I once had dinner with Madeleine L'Engle, author of the best seller A Wrinkle in Time. She was in the mood to talk not about writing, but about her being a woman and a member of the Episcopal Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York City. I'm not Episcopalian, but tt was the most interesting dinner of my life. Someone's made a list of things she's known for saying.
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/madeleinelengle.htm
Sorry if I put anyone off by my enthusiasm for this topic. I could be wrong about all of this, as happens with religion and politics. But I can say my enthusiasm is genuine, at least.
Thanks for this thread.
I imagine that a lot of experts in theology haven't read the entire bible. It's quite a lot to take in. I know I haven't read it front to back but some of the stories I've read are certainly off-putting.
I got interested in the idea of women's roles from a class I took years ago and have been doing some reading on the ministry of Mary Magdelene - or what they thought she did. And The Da Vinci Code was also fascinating to me.
This post has got to sum up my entire thinking on ALOT of issues and off shoots of thoughts.....It has destroyed me:(
But Im still breathing, .......
sorry i dint read any replys yet....... Hit Hard....i thought I was the only one that noticed. Everyone thinks Im a freak.
It's so cool that we can have this topic on here. I love us!
So far I found the "Birth of Mary" held by the Vatican no less, in its archives and documented as confidential and off limits .... and many more...... ( I realize that Im typing on a post that others have done there research and the information is practically available to whomever is searching for it)!
It rattles my cage, the blatant lack of depth "or hypocrisy of certain members of the clergy ,,, but I digress.
Women held as prisoners of MANY Kings as hoards of slaves to only produce the fittest of offspring to the Ruling Biblical Kings " or just Kings" to produce a Son of worthy Statue Qualified by the King and his hand Men.
Also Sodom and Gomorrah, ??? .. Why would Lot give the daughters or even fathom handing over his daughters to men who wanted to sleep with the MALE angels,,, yuck,,,,( Yuck not in the sense that I feel gay is wrong , yet the premise Lot moved his wife and daughters to a city or two conjoining city's that had a reputation of this and then offers his daughters over to Strangers that he doesnt even know are Angels yet... It doesn't make sense .....other than to further the agenda of the MEN who wrote or translated the account. !!! UGG... Yet Im supposed to buy that part of Gods divine Biblical recordings as truth ? It seems so transparent to me.
sorry
AND WE HAVE PTSD?
I think some or most of the Kings in the bible had a little bit something more than mental illness that words cannot define other than "Mass bloodshed" or more....
.or the writers smoked just a weee bit to much something.LOL
SUDDENLY MY SIGHT IS BACK! OR I COULD SAY I FEEL UNDERSTOOD.
YAY!!!!
Anyway... there are a lot of great ladies in the Bible. Mary is the source of Jesus. Without her, he had no way of being born. Ruth is the perfect example of love and kindness; she vowed to Naomi that she would never leave her side when they were returning to Bethlehem. Queen Ester exposed herself as a Jew to her king and risked her life to save her people.
A lot of it feels like a put down to women, but that's really not what the Bible is about at all. WWJD, am I right? He certainly wouldn't be rude to a lady!