(April 28, 2010 at 3:25 pm)sunflash Wrote: But I don't think I can follow a religion that condemns people for their beleifs, sexuality, race etc and this is one reason why I haven't followed a religion yet. There are a few reasons, but fear keeps me in this sort of limbo.
How can I let go of religion?
Every religion based on a personal deity or deities has some form of bigotry built into it. It is simply not possible for religion to exist without a kind of "holier than thou" attitude from its adherents. So, finding a religion that doesn't condemn people is impossible. You could, however, embrace Buddhism, which, according to many, is not a religion at all, but a philosophy, a lifestyle based on personal growth.
And to address your question....the only way to truly let go of religion is to want to. If you truly want to break free from the dogmas of theism, the vague promises of reward and/or punishment that comes with religion, you must WANT to. If you think you want to be an atheist, then you might convince yourself for a while, but eventually you will begin to question again. "Am I sure I'm right?" "What if....?" These are the same questions that drove you to become an agnostic, and they are legitimate questions. However, nothing can be 100% proven, so there will always be room for doubt. You must embrace these doubts and explore where they come from. Do they stem from ignorance? Fear? Self-doubt? When you know WHY you need to believe in a deity/afterlife/religion, then you learn how to let it go.
Hope this helped, but I'd wager not.
Yours in doubt,
Scarecrow.
Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned
