Reply #54: The religion or the faith doesn't move me....

[vi5]

..when the actions of the people match that faith and that belief, that is what moves me.

I'm not sure if you are referring to the 2 threads I started about being an atheist and attending a unitarian service. But to me it was the only time I've ever been moved during a "religious" service. Because the people were talking about things I believed in. Peace. Justice. Love. Civil Rights for all people. That was first and foremost upfront in the service. Some people then directed that to god, others to some other spirtual belief. Others, like myself linked it to nothing other than man's community with each other and kindness to fellow man.

But it was the here and now actions and the words which moved me.

When I go to church with my family (catholic, as I was raised) it sickens me. The doom, the gloom, the focus on a man's torture and suffering, the condemnation of others then attempted to be made allright by the whole "love the sinner hate the sin" bullshit. I leave catholic masses, catholic weddings and catholic funerals in a state of depression. Same for most other christian ceremonies and denominations.

I've been to jewish ceremonies and rituals and whatnot and have never felt that way. Even though I'm no more in tune with or o.k. with the jewish religion than I am with the christian religion at least judaism seems to thrive on and encourage self reflection.