Starting Over Talk - Peer Coaching Support Site

I totally understand what you meant now. Very well said and explained.

What you describe reminds me of a person in my life who tries to use words and perspectives that they "think" correlate to my religious viewpoint - they use words and phrases and quotes to try to tell me how they think I should act/react/behave in a given situation.

It's beyond annoying.

The viewpoint and words they use to bolster their argument and prove their point are not from their religion and actually are not from mine either (although they don't seem to get that).

This is an example of manipulating and twisting religion to fit one's own agenda.

Just as you describe, the twisting of scripture to fit your own view or to give you permission to judge others is wrong, wrong wrong and spiritually backwards. Scripture is for the reader - to start throwing it at others in a "you should, you're wrong, you're bad" is totally unenlightened IMO.

I happen to be catholic...but really who cares about the labels right? It's not the rules of your church or the building that matters...just the feeling of spititual faith in a higher being that matters. I think it is important and helpful in one's life if they have a faith...it keeps them going in tough times. I think it's more of an internal feeling, than an exterior practice.

Hi - I have a ??

By Non-Traditionalists - do you mean those who observe organized religions other that the Christian religions? Or do you mean those who believe in a Supreme Being in other ways, that are not generally looked upon as 'the norm'? An example would be reincarnation.

I was brought up catholic, but I don't practice much now, but this is an area I love talking about, as I took some classes in this area while in school. I am now more of a spiritualist, leaning more toward having faith in a Supreme Being, more in a paganistic light. Celebrating seasons and all. I have nothing against organized religious organizations and all, but when they all become too legalistic, misinterpreting their meanings and all that kind of cooled me from that. My fiancee is catholic.

Do "Pagans" count here or Wiccans? How about Gnostics?
Or just lovely spiritual people who enjoy the Earth and it's blessings, wonderous people sharing joy.

For me, folk who are spiritual are folk who believe in a "something"--a higher power, a creator, whatever it is for them.

Folk who believe in scripture believe in a book, a dogma, someone has written and believe it is the "truth" of their "god".