My f*a*i*t*h is like a glass h-a-l-f ~ e_m_p_t_y

[wild_dreamer]

And my life is like a glass overfloweth. No time or energy.

I have finally come to the point in my life where I question my faith, and choose my path for myself.

Raised pagan. I have been a nonpracticing pagan for too long now, and I seek to broaden my horizons, and find what truly resonates with me.

My faith has been slowly waning, and I'm uncertain and unstable. Those of you who are willing teachers of your own faith, I will listen. Mostly, I am aware this is a soul-search that must be done alone... but I am open to the teachings of anyone who would direct my gaze to a new possibility.

In the meantime, the first religion I seek to learn about and am considering outside of Wicca... is Catholicism. Don't ask. I don't know why. e.e;

That's todays update, then.

Comments

[esto-perpetua-x.livejournal.com]

Switch places with me. o_<; You can go to church with mom and I can do without.

Besides, Lutherans are pretty damn close to Catholics. xD;

[onnakitty.livejournal.com]

xD! I doubt your mother would agree to the trade. x3

<3 to ya though, and a happy new year. n.n

[pirate-fae.livejournal.com]

Catholicism doesn't surprise me at all, m'dear. The ritual has much the same flavor that you grew up with as well as being the only Xian religion that has a major female icon of worship.

May I suggest also looking at Episcopalianism as well? There's less of the blind-faith thing going with the Episcopalians.

Go and explore. Most worship centers are happy to have you (though they'll *all* try to recriut you) and explain what you may not understand.

good luck, honey!

[onnakitty.livejournal.com]

That's actually what eccentric_alex suggested to me when I mentioned the idea. (After her initial reaction, that is.)
Thank you for the support. I think you are one of the first people who hasn't done a complete double-take and asked "WHY?!?!?" at first mention.

I've gotten a lot of skeptical "This has something to do with that new boyfriend of yours, doesn't it..." from Gary, and the like. I haven't bothered to mention it to my mother yet, and probably won't until I've finished scouting around and have made a choice. She doesn't keep up with LJ much anymore.

I have a feeling "Be whoever you want to be" really only extends so far with her, ne? It's what I was raised to believe, was that I could be who and what ever I wanted.. but with an expectation that that be someone unique and out of the ordinary. ♥ But I'm an adult, and smart enough to make my own choices and know what I want. She doesn't know about my dating someone online either, and that she won't for as long as I can avoid mentioning it. I know her opinions on it, and I don't care to have them reiterated at me in such condescending tones.

I miss you guys. You most of all. I was considering piano lessons sometime soon, and realising that you are really the only person who wouldn't drive me nuts to learn from. *Laughs.* I'll try to post more often, get all of these thoughts down and out here for everyone to keep up with. Mm, sounds like it's time for a post now, actually. So I'll leave the reply at its already lobng-winded state, and go post. Love you!

[teal-cuttlefish.livejournal.com]

I checked out Catholicism when I was in college at age 18. I thought it was a very comforting faith, but overly paternal for me. I wound up atheist for quite some time, till I found Paganism/Wicca when I was 30. We have always told A that she would be raised in our faith and we didn't want her checking out other religions until she was 13. She's 13 now, though at this time she doesn't seem terribly interested in exploring right now.

Personally, I'd rather let my kid explore religions with my knowledge and support than feel she has to keep the information from me -- I won't belittle her experiences but would like to help her examine them and make her selection with full knowledge and understanding. I strongly believe that (almost) all paths lead to the light; the trick is finding the path that works for you.

[onnakitty.livejournal.com]

It isn't so much -keeping- the information from her. It's just.. Maybe a bit of it is I'm tired of looking to her for permission all the time. I want to do something independently. I'm nineteen, for pete's sake. Time to be my own person.

I believe that too, and Wicca has always felt.. when I was little it was natural, but as I've grown, I've become less practicing, less... It's like the bit from Dogma. "When you're young, the glass is small, and it doesn't take much to fill it. As you get older, the glass gets bigger, and the same amount of faith just.. doesn't fill it anymore."

So, maybe I need to find a different faith, or maybe I just need reaffirmation that the path I'm on is the right one.

I think you're right, though. (Almost) All paths lead to the light, I just have to find my own way there. I figure no matter what, some of the rules I learned growing up pagan apply to everyday life, and any other religion. Including "And ye harm none, do as ye will", among others I'm sure.

Thank you for your support, though. It means a lot. n_n

[teal-cuttlefish.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. :^)

I will mention, though, that Catholicism believes sex should be confined to married heterosexual couples planning to procreate, and anything else is a sin. They also like to oppress women -- both characteristics of many Christian sects. Just something to keep in mind; there are more liberal churches as well -- I can list a few if you like.

There's also the UU, where belief in God is optional. (I love that line!)

Keep us posted; we do like to hear from you and D and I even chat about you from time to time.

[teal-cuttlefish.livejournal.com]

And you're quite right -- you're 19 and fully capable of making your own decisions. (The reason I didn't answer one of your memes is that my first memory of you involves the incessant repetition of The LIttle Mermaid around 15 years ago.) Watching A grow and develop her own opinions has actually helped me remember that people grow and change, but sometimes parents can be hard pressed to let their kids grow up. Not accusing your mom of that, just a general observation. And people who have known you since early childhood also occasionally have problems remembering you're grown up -- though it looks like most of us are managing pretty well!

(When I had my birthday sushi party here, Trygve showed up. It was the first time we'd seen him in a couple of years, and he was vocally startled at how much A had grown. I try not to do that!)