Spirituality and Balance

Not so much about astrology, but I'd like to hear what the folks here have to say...

How do you balance your spirituality, love of God etc with your love for the people in your life?

I would consider myself an agnostic but somewhat spiritual and a definite believer in 'christian' principles such as loyalty, charity, faithfulness etc. I am involved with someone who considers themselves very spiritual but I am often left feeling that their relationship with God and their 'mission' here on earth is SO much more important to them than more earthly relationships.

I have also observed other friends who are very Christian and yet do not seem to be able to manage to hold on to relationships in their lives.

I am very curious to hear your observations - everyone's - but especially the opinions of you 'ever so logical' Virguys!

Disclaimer: I mean to offend noone.

Alright, I am agnostic, my morality is derived from catholic/baptist parents who are now divorced. What does that tell you about religion and relationships?

I've always seen religion as something that makes people feel good when crap doesn't go their way. Some people turn to alcohol and drugs, others turn to God. I find it somewhat humorous that many rehab groups are church sponsored, they want you to get people off one drug for another (religion).

I suppose if one finds a fulfilling relationship, then they probably wouldn't need to fill a void in their life with religion, booze, or other drugs.

Of course, even though I do not mean to offend anyone, I probably just did by equating religion to drugs.

Anyways, my older brother is a Fundementalist Southern Baptist, it's funny to me because 4 years ago, just as he hit college, he was majorly into drugs and alcohol and a die hard Atheist... Now he's found God. And don't tell me God is better than drugs... God gets people killed too, just look at what's going on in the middle east.

He's single, and I doubt he will be able to stay in a relationship, but he insists that God will provide a woman for him.

If God is your thing, more power to you, it's just not for me... I believe in a higher power, just not the same way mainstream religions want me to.

Oh, I have smoked pot, and I am an occasional drinker, I'm very much into the moderation thing, I'd rather have fun and get drunk then to get drunk in order to have fun... so I don't see me as using drugs or alcohol to fill a void... right now I use learning to fill any voids.

I can maintain friendships quite well, but as for deep relationships, it's hit or miss, and usually I miss.

Just my 2 cents, I should probably not have posted this, now I'm gonna look evil or something.

Virgopmoon,

Actually, I don't think that is evil at all. In fact, I have had discussions just like this with my 'more spiritual' friend who also doesn't consider himself 'religious' as the mainstream churches have not offered him what he believes is true spirituality. Not everyone who worships God is necessarily spiritual and not everyone who is spiritual worships God.

I suppose if one finds a fulfilling relationship, then they probably wouldn't need to fill a void in their life with religion, booze, or other drugs.

I'm not sure. It seems that if you truly believe then the relationship with God would always be more important. I'm not sure how I feel about that...

Scorpgal

I'm not sure. It seems that if you truly believe then the relationship with God would always be more important. I'm not sure how I feel about that...

Yeah, I hear ya there, I'd much rather have a girl who's more devoted to me than to her religion.

"I am often left feeling that their relationship with God and their 'mission' here on earth is SO much more important to them than more earthly relationships."

The relationship with God IS more important, that's why you are left feeling that way. To me, I think it's kind of sad. I mean, the afterlife surely IS more important than our borrowed time here . . but, we were given this physical body and our emotions, for a purpose . . to feel, to love. It almost seems sacreligious to deem other souls living in the flesh as insignificant in comparison to the diety. If God put us here to live as humans, then, wouldn't it be a sin not to love someone to their fullest and give everything of yourself?

I don't know, just thinking it through.

VPmoon, "I've always seen religion as something that makes people feel good when crap doesn't go their way. Some people turn to alcohol and drugs, others turn to God"

This is so true. It's amazing how many people cry out to God when times are tough, promising to be a good little lamb . . then, when their life doesn't seem in turmoil anylonger, they revert back to their evil ways. Just a crutch, it seems.

From my viewpoint, I think that if there is a God and he did put us here to live and love, then he did so because he wants us bind together with loving souls, not forsake them and claim our love to God only. If that were the case, we wouldn't have to have physical form, we could just stay spirits.

So, maybe when people say this (this one person you're referring to, ScorpGal), do so as an escape. If they are unsure about the relationship and having to face a committment . . this is their out. I mean, what could the other person possibly say to protest something like that? It's a sure safety net. But, perhaps, he is serious, I don't know, just wieghing out the options as to why someone would think that way.

So, maybe when people say this (this one person you're referring to, ScorpGal), do so as an escape. If they are unsure about the relationship and having to face a committment . . this is their out. I mean, what could the other person possibly say to protest something like that?

This hasn't been said outright to me (at least not lately) P-Angel, I'm just putting together the pieces. But how true - I mean what could I say in that case?? I'm not really expecting any further commitment at this point, butI do agree that this could be being used as a safety net. I have been told that he is never lonely or needs anyone because he has his relationship with God. And if this is the case, why would he want to put much effort into a relationship with me? And it makes me feel somewhat inadequate to admit that I have human needs for companionship, touch etc. This is stupid - why shouldn't I feel that way - but I have admitted that and now sometimes it is insinuated that I am only pursuing the relationship because I am lonely.

I don't think that is true - I have passed on other relationships to see where this one will go and I am never pushy or clingy. In fact I have stepped very far back a number of times to ensure that isn't the case.

But I did make a similar point about us being here on earth to live our lives just the other day. Why just look forward to afterlife - we are here for a reason, not just to pass the time, but that reason doesn't have to be an earth altering one. But who am I to say what someone's destiny is and what path they should follow?

Scorpgal

Call me naive, but I just don't understand how one could be rewarded with eternal bliss in an afterlife after their soul has only completed one life cycle... a soul can nowhere near completely have experienced every part of existence through a single human lifetime.

If you can't tell from that, I'm into the whole reincarnation thing. I figure after the soul has developed through many lifetimes and has learned all the life lessons then it can move on.

Of course this is all theoretical, just like religion in general, it's about faith in your beliefs not about proof.

That doesnt' sound naive to me, VPmoon. There are more than one life-plane, or levels. Two, that I know for a fact . . this and where ever ghosts are living. Plus, I've had visions of previous lifes . . so, that third is presummed, since they weren't dreams, rather, waking visions.

That's a good point. "how one could be rewarded with eternal bliss in an afterlife after their soul has only completed one life cycle"

Regardless of our beliefs, which most people think are silly (the planes), going back to just 2: our flesh we live in, the afterlife with God . . . we go about our physical lives, working, driving cars, eating . . enjoying all the things that were intended for us to embrace . . so, why deny the most meaningful that provides us with ability to love? That just doesn't make sense in my mind. Isn't it all about love? Isn't that the whole premise of God's gift? To feel love and devotion? This is the form out of the many levels that we need to comprehend the loving feeling . . then, refuse to embrace it?

Doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe this is the lifetime in which I am supposed to learn to love unconditionally. That's all I've got for now, I'm sure I have many more lives to live and learn in, and I know pretty darn well I've got alot to experience yet.

We'll see.

And I often try to logically analyze that which cannot or should not be rationalized.

I have this posted next to my computer and look at it everyday. My husband was raised Catholic, so, he, ummmm . . . doesn't like it. But, I firmly believe in it to be true. It says:

We are not physical beings embarking on a spiritual experience . . rather
Spirits having a physical experience.

Like it says, to me, we are already spirits, just experiening the physical in this form.

Wow, I'm gonna have to steal that.

I like that quote too P-Angel - thanks for sharing...

Maybe this is the lifetime in which I am supposed to learn to love unconditionally.

I've been thinking that about myself for the past 3 yrs or so virgopmoon. The lessons I've been learning lately have been all about that. I'm not sure about reincarnation, but I suspect that learning to love is my lesson to learn right now anyway. It's been (and still is) a tough lesson - I'd like to think I will carry this with me past this lifetime.

p-angel
I love that "I'm spirt experiencing the physical"
Kinda reminds me of ergonmics but in the sense that the spirit is trying to find the perfect fit in physical form.

I never abandoned my faith, but in perfect VirGic fashion, I reasoned that folks like Mom were "misinterpreting" the scriptures...

ROFL Dy!! Yep - heard almost exactly those words from another Virguy.

I respect that you have taken the time to study both and reconcile the two for yourself as concepts such as religious conviction are VERY personal.