Isn't religion supposed to bring peace to me?

Question

It's very opposite in my case. Since I put my faith on Christ, I started feeling guilty on pretty much everything. For example, I was surfing on the internet and some kinda p**n advertisement popped up. I could not help myself from feeling so guilty about it.

I hate asking for forgiveness on every single thing that I used to think was my privilege to enjoy, like cursing for fun(not to harm other people's feelings,) watching porns, being naturally jealous over someone, etc. Then, I fear God and I'm afraid of consequences of not asking for forgiveness. He terribly disciplined me in the past, and I do not want to experience it ever again.

I feel like the religion has totally taken over my freedom. Too many restrictions, obligations... The religion has put me into the battle against what they call "the sin." I only believed in "crimes" before religion, but now I have to feel guilty and ask forgiveness for something that does not harm others.

So how can I achieve peace when the religion puts me into this exhausting and everlasting battle against the sins? I know you are going to tell me to kneel down and ask the holy spirit for guidance. If it worked, I wouldn't be asking this question.

You might say I do not have enough faith or I do not pray in a correct manner. But again, people who are considered "faithful" are still in their battles against those sins throughout their lives. So am I damned to be fighting these sins all my life till the day of my death? Am I damned to feel so anxious about every small thing I do for the rest of my life?

Answer 1

No.  Religion does no such thing.  Faith does.  

Answer 2

Seems simple enough to me. Just leave religion and you'll get your clear mind back.  

Answer 3

Satan will put feelings of guilt on you - not the Holy Spirit. The devil wants you to feel guilty, doubt your salvation, etc.

If you are doing something wrong, the Holy Spirit will speak to your conscience and/or your heart and gently nudge you.

The greater the battle, the bigger the plans God has for you.

Don't give up because He loves you and you are worth everything to Him - we all are, or else Jesus would not have died for our sins.

Answer 4

Why are you doing this to yourself?  Oh, that's right, you chose to ignore factual objective reality and place your faith in unverifiable superstition.  I suggest you abandon all that superstitious claptrap and get back to objective (physical) reality.  You will never be truly happy, as long as you let superstitious mythology rule your life.  

I suggest you take back your life and abandon the ignorant superstitions of the past.  Life is much, much more enjoyable when you are the master of your own fate and are not being shamelessly manipulated by those who have deliberately abandoned reason, logic, and truth.

Answer 5

Yes, you are absolutely right.... and thanks for this very clear question.

Yes, if the religion is correct, the peace will increase, and life will get better. Jesus said this about religious teachers: "By their fruits ye shall know them."

So the problem is not from your side, the problem is bad theology and faulty instruction. You will know them by their fruits means that you MUST test the results... and that is what you are doing here in this question. You are doing it right.

So your job is simple, just find something that improves your life.

I think this will go a long way to explain why the Christianity we have these days does not bring the peace you are seeking. http://gospelenigma.com

That resource explains the Original Kingdom Gospel which was designed to bring what you are looing for. And that will also explain what went wrong.

Answer 6

Jesus is the only one  who can give you true  peace  did you ask  him to come into  your life.

Answer 7

the peace comes by surrendering yourself to Jesus Christ.  To be aware of what he did for you, and that through him you are forgiven of you sins and have the assurance that you will live forever in Heaven with him.  It will free you of all the materialistic pursuits of everyone else running around here looking for something to satisfy them for the moment and it will bring your focus to your creator that loves you enough that he made a way to pay your penalty with his son so you could be together forever.  

Answer 8

This is where people become embittered, because they get it wrong. Religion is all about man. It's all about emotion, ritualism and standards. Religion is not God. Religion feeds on fear and uncertainty. Relationship with God is grown by love, trust and faith.Stop putting so much energy into religion and put more into your *relationship* with God. Religion is just a past time; a way to share and fellowship with others. That, and that only. Religion will let you down every time if you consider it the end all and be all of Christianity or belief in God.

Answer 9

No religion does not bring peace. The Gospel brings peace within. And, you dont have to feel guilty for being what you are. For the guilt is where you came from but the conviction of it is Christ. Drop the guilt go on in Jesus the Christ the guilt kicker

Answer 10

How many times do I have to write it to you little atheist, "NO RELIGION WON'T GIVE YOU PEACE BUT ONLY GOD DOES!

GOD BLESS!  AMEN!   SHALOM!

Answer 11

I hate to break the news to you my friend, but it is a lifelong battle to do good and not give in to wrong. You may be making it a little hard on yourself by being, what sounds like me, deep in Legalism ( Lists of do and don'ts that will make God like you better. It won't work, He can't love us more than He already does ). There are only two directives, Respect for God, and respect for your neighbor, and yourself.  Yes, you do have to fight your whole life, and no, you don't have to be anxious about it. Have a little faith in the God that loves, not the vindictive God, he doesn't exist. Thanks for sharing.

Answer 12

spirituality brings peace.

religion brings guilt.

break free of religion and open yourself to spirituality and you might start to feel better.

Luzifer

Answer 13

You know, sometimes, I think we make choices and we make them for good reason, but then a few years down the line, the option comes up again, and it's like:  "But I already went through this!"

Life is like that.

It's cyclical and relentless

Answer 14

THAT'S EXACTLY HOW I FELT UNTIL I REALIZED THE TRUTH AND THAT IS THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO BE YOURSELF AND PUT RELIGION ASIDE. TRUST ME. YOU ARE FEELING GUILTY BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED THAT THERE IS A GOD AND THAT YOU HAVE TO BE "GOOD". IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU WERE A KID AND YOU WERE AFRAID TO SPILL MILK BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GET SPANKED. THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE IS NO SIN!!! WE ARE ALL HUMANS AND WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO LIVE OUR LIVES HOW WE WANT.

FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

JUST DO IT AND FORGET RELIGION

YOU WILL BE THE HAPPIEST YOU EVER WERE  

Answer 15

You need to relax or else you are going to live the rest of your life being unhappy and miserable. Just go with the flow and enjoy what life brings forth. Perhaps we were put on this earth to not worry about all of these things and just be. Life is a mystery, there may not even be a God, no one knows for sure. Religion is all made up by people- believe wat u want not wat other people tell u that u should believe. And read this book called "The Celestine Prophecy"- you may find it quite interesting. Just dont be going around raping or killing people because that is obviously WRONG. Just love. Love will bring you peace and unity. O and watching p**n is totally normal- just do it who cares everyone does. And cursing?? those are just words. no biggie.

Answer 16

What a very personal and honest question that I for one,  applaud you for posting. It is not easy to admit that it is very very difficult to realize, that who we are and what we do does not feel very pleasant at times. But don't give up, it is really a great thing that you have discovered in yourself. I will explain why I say that in a minute!

For some of us who have tried to make a new start so to speak, by putting our faith in something, hoping more than anything it will change us for the better, it is down right devastating, when often what we find in this "new thing", is simply our same old self's, that now on top of still being who we always have been, have much added guilt and sometimes shame for not being able to succeed in changing ourselves and our behavior.

You mentioned that you feel as if religion has taken over your freedom and has not delivered the peace you had hoped to find there. I am attempting to answer your question NOT because I have all the answers myself, but because I have been just where you are right now. And I too had such an incredible struggle in being able to put my life and who I was, into a format such as religion that was based around telling me how I should be able to overcome those parts of myself that were now deemed as sin.

The reason I said earlier that you are in a wonderful place, this discovery of who you really are and your inability to change , is because until someone reaches the truth that we really are not able to change who we are simply by joining a group or adopting a belief system, we will only continue to feel as if there is something wrong with us or that God somehow is punishing us until we do.

I hope you will not give up on your search for both God and your own personal desire to become who and what you believe you should be. As for myself, I had to look many places before I came to a way , a method if you will, that allowed me to understand, that the way I am and the way I feel are always exactly by design, (the good feelings and the bad ones) in order to push me along the road towards this true freedom and peace I was always in search of. I hope this video will help you in some way. It did me. I wish you well on your journey in life and I want you to know that you can and will find all that you are searching for. Best wishes!!

Answer 17

ur putting too much in ur head. ur asking urself to much will God punish me for this and for taht. ur getting annoyed by it and i understand once u accept Christ u dont have the same privliges and u think it gets easier baby it gets harder but thats why he sent his Holy spirit to guide us and help us . before u ever turn to christ we have a conscience and that reminds u what is gewd and what is bad . so when we accapt Him we realize its the Holy spirit. Look no matter what God forgives u because he just loves you SO much ok. but that doesnt mean we should keep sinning expecting God to forgive us thats just not the way it works its like ur giving a tithe just because u have to or are expected to. Look when u turn to Christ u are tempted and u still go through trials and tribulations but we have to think twice and seek the Lord Jesus Christ talk to Him ok honey he may take forever to respond and yes u may have doubts and get desperate but he is there ok if he wasnt who would be helping me type this to you I'd be scared or embarrased or I'd think this is wasting my time but The Holy Spirit is comforting me . If u get tired of asking for forgiveness of everything that used to be ur priviledge then stop doing what ur doing . No one said it would be easier to turn to Christ but u have to think twice before you sin. This was a huge problem for me too but i found my strength in Him. soon you will get used to thinking twice and ull know whats bad and good. =D any more questions about anything feel free to ask. Im not here to judge. Thanks =D

Answer 18

I'd recommend you read George Orwell's 1984. You can get it for free from www.feedbooks.com

Maybe eventually you'll get used to it. Maybe eventually you'll accept what other people say, close off your mind and pretend that two and two makes five.

I hope you know that doesn't always work. If not, I think you should take a good look at your faith and evaluate if you want to believe in that faith anymore. Start by reading the Bible from cover to cover, for example.

And then ask yourself this question: What do I really believe?

Answer 19

I think you are taking on too much at one time. Pray and ask God to show you which things to work on and set aside the others. Of the ones that you mentioned I think p**n would be the chief one. But the initial desire, such as when a p**n pop up appears ., is not the sin. Following through with the desire is. (Read James 1:13-15). I find that the closer I am to God, the more freedom I have, not to do the things I used to do, but to do the things I want to do, like serving Him, which has become exciting and fulfilling for me

I am also in battles against sin (mostly gluttony and a judgmental spirit) through my life and I have been a Christian for 37 years. Where the peace comes from is knowing that God loves me and forgives me no matter what I do. He desires my best so He does discipline me. I can see now, however, how He has worked in my life and how He has changed me. I am so thankful for that. Right now you can't see that, but you will.

If you focus on prayer, worship, Bible study and Christian fellowship, the rest will fall in place. Don't focus so much on what you can't do but on the victory you can have with Jesus.

My other question is-are you attending a church that emphasizes the negative (what you can't do) or the positive (the victory you can have)? Maybe you need to find another church.

I will be praying for you.

Answer 20

Peace come from within. God Resides within. The True Temple Worship is the body. Jesus didn't read the Bible. Jesus didn't go to church. Jesus wasn't religious. Jesus did O.K. for Himself, maybe we should all follow Jesus's Teachings instead of the church's.

Answer 21

God will put you through obstacles. As he did with me.