+ Religion +

Day 26: Your Religious Beliefs.

I'm 26 and I can say with absolute honesty that when it comes to religion I know nothing. I'm not completely sure what I believe.

The history of humanity is littered with bloodshed due to religion. The fighting over holy lands, fighting over who's god is the most real, or who has the best set of values.

I was raised Roman Catholic. I could recite bible verses before I could read or write like a good little robot. I went to CCD classes every Wednesday and committed the stories and values to memory not really by choice but by my eidedic memory. I was confirmed into the Catholic faith when I was sixteen mostly out duty to my family knowing I had to. In college I was the only one in the room, including the professor, who knew how Saints were canonized.

As a teenager I went through a Pagan and Wiccan stage. I dabbled in both with candles, spells, and tarot cards. I like the idea of being in nature and feeling connected to the world. I was never devout in any religion.

To be honest I mostly work on the idea of being a good person. I follow values that every faith can embrace. I've always enjoyed studying religions and I've found way more things in common than differences. The myths are strikingly similar. The rules are similar. The prophet, god(s), etc. are all similar.

There was a quote that I found at some point in my youth that talked about several people of several religions in several countries all starring up at the sky thinking of their God and maybe it was the same god with a different name. That always resonated with me.

I'd rather see our similarities and embrace each other than let religion divide us.