Should I leave seminary?

Question

I am a seminary student. A combination of life, my study of philosophy and other religions, the church not living up to any reasonable standard of what it shoudl be, and the seminary experience, has brought me to a point of agnosticism. I feel very freed by not constantly worrying about sin or doing the right thing, but I have a year left until I finish.

The degree I am getting has many secular applications and the high cost has put me somewhere neare 50,000 in student loans. If I leave, only 18 credits will transfer to another institution. If I stay, I have to pray, and explore my own spiritual development in light of a belief in God that I now find ot be irrelevant.

Answer 1

Only you can decide this but ask yourself if you are sure, and won't you need this education for a job? Can you afford to finish school on your own completely in you are in so much debt? Can you use this education in other fields? Be sure before you act.

Answer 2

Have you even bothered to talk to your spiritual adviser about this?

Answer 3

If leaving the church equates to freeing yourself of moral restriction, then don't do it. Other than punk kids trying to p**s off their parent, atheism has little to do with rebellion. Rather, it is a carefully considered approach to life.

Whatever you do, keep your morality. It is more important than any other consideration.

Edit: Judging by your follow-ups, your journey makes sense. May you follow it to its logical conclusion.

Congratulations on your courage.

Answer 4

I've known people who went to seminary before, & they said that the Bible was barely spoken of, while the main thing taught was how to make money for whatever church.  So, I doubt they 'bothered' to show you what Christ himself said about them:

“Many will say to me: ‘Lord, did we not prophesy, expel demons, & perform many powerful works in your name?’  Yet I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness." --Mt 7:21-23  

"You hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you:

‘This people honors me with their lips,

yet their heart is far removed from me.  

It is in vain that they keep worshiping...

because *they teach commands of men* as doctrines.’”  --Mt15:7,8  

"“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees [the false religious leaders of his day, who correspond to those current], hypocrites! because you resemble whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every sort of uncleanness.  In that way you also, outwardly indeed, appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." --Mt 23:27,28  

"Does It Matter Which Religion One Chooses?"

- How Do Religions Get Started?

- Whom Do Religions Want to Please?    

http://watchtower.org/e/20070301/article...

"Religion--What Good Does It Do?"

- Why Many Have Turned From Religion

- Religion Used for Evil Ends

- “What Do I Care?”  

http://watchtower.org/e/20060901/article...

What Is Happening to the Churches?

- Europe Turns Its Back on the Churches

- Marketing Religion in North America

http://watchtower.org/e/200702/article_0...

It's no wonder that you're 'turned' off'!  I know that I am---to them, not to God...  Should you consider such ones a true reflection of the God they only *claim* to worship?  Or, rather, should you ignore them, & seek out what God's true followers are saying & doing, instead?

Worship That Is *Good* for You!

- Having True Purpose in Life

- Becoming a Better Person

- Gaining Real Hope for the Future  

http://watchtower.org/e/20060901/article...

Religion—How Should It Be Financed?  

http://watchtower.org/e/20021201/article...

Right and Wrong How Should You Decide?

- Differing Opinions

- Is Popular Opinion a Trustworthy Guide?

- Can You Trust Your Own Judgment?

- Finding the Strength to Do Good

http://watchtower.org/e/20041201/article...

It Pays to Be Honest...

- Do Not Hide Who You Are

- Honesty Brings Blessings  

http://watchtower.org/e/20061201a/

"Whenever people of the nations that do not have law do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves.  They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them and, between their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused. " --Ro 2:14-15

This must be your own decision.

Answer 5

Dude, I finished seminary before I left the faith so I don't have that much advice there...but I can tell you this.  I tried attending worship for the sake of my friends, etc after I left the faith...and it did more harm than good.  

Once you realize that it is faulty, you spend your time dwelling on how people are being deceived or how you were taken, etc...I know!  After graduation, how will your degree help you toward paying back those loans?  I know mine didn't...not too many colleges or universities or churches want to employ an Agnostic to teach religion courses :-)  

Answer 6

is it totally necessary that you believe ina god to finish the studies? Sorry I'm totally ignorant but I think seminary is training for priesthood or something right? personally if you only have a year left I would consider sticking it out...then doing something else, you can always study later on in life when you know what you want to do...do the year then work for a couple of years to get some dough rolling in and have a good think about what you really want to do - i mean having this extra qualification can only help...but I'm not sure how much 18 credits are - we do it differently at my uni...I think....

Answer 7

I think you should stay. That is a hefty investment to quit with only one more year.

Think of yourself as a breath of fresh air to everyone around you.

When I pray in mixed company (like if I attend church with a friend), I simply bow my head. Or do you mean you have to pray out loud?

Besides, it will be very impressive when you tell people you are an agnostic with a seminary degree. They won't be able to argue you don't know what you're talking about.

Answer 8

Since you're only a year away, I would say stick with it and get the degree and then go do whatever you really want to be doing after that.

____

Answer 9

Stay.

Answer 10

Ask yourself, does one need to have desire to do the work he has a degree in and be able to do it well? Regardless of how u feel about the entire church and seminary experience, could someone like yourself do and be an excellent instructor in seminary studies. If being spirit filled is a necessity in what your doing, then think twice, but you could still finish school and search God's direction after.  

Answer 11

I wish I could help you with your moral dilemma, but I will not allow myself to be even partly responsible for influencing a decision that is yours, and yours alone.

Had you worded the question another way, without bringing morality into it by using "should I", I might have been able, or willing, to give you advice.  

Answer 12

Matthew 22:14    For many are called, but few are chosen.

Answer 13

wow .. what happend

dont give up on your faith  i know it suck when you wake up and see how much sin people and your self do every day but...God loves you so much he sent his son to die for you ... stay in school

God loves you

God bless you

Answer 14

The first part of your exposition shows you've been fed the wrong spiritual food: junk spiritual food. Instead of a strong, faith full believer in God, His Son, and the plans for a new earth under a new Kingdom - the Kingdom of God - you have a 'cesar salad' of phylosophies and beliefs that created the 'agnostic' in you. This DOES NOT equal there is NOT thruth of God. You just DON'T know it. He is STILL there. He will ALWAYS be.

The second part it's even worst, comming from someone that has knowledge - at least - of values, but has replaced value with PRICE. The truth, the faith in, and the knowledge of, eternal life, is it worth more or less than $50000.00 bucks? Is the hope for eternal life, a resurrection, the knowledge of what happened millions of years back, or what will happen next 100000 years in the future, what will become of those we loved, etc,..."irrelevant"?

First, start learning the "real" valuable stuff: seek the kingdom FIRST, and ALL the other things will be added.

Second: become a worker that has nothing to be ashamed of. Finnish your trainning and get out of there. Find a REAL job - with THAT education you can do aything you want and choose. Then, 'go and teach them the good news of the Kingdom, baptising them in the name of..." Be a "real" christian. You get the picture. You do not have to be a "priest" to do that. The apostles were not. Go, pray for His help to do what is "proper" (Jesus did not need to be"baptised" by John, but He did it because "it was proper") You go and do what it's proper, too. I wish you success and hope you'll find the truth you started to look for when you decided to get into seminary. Just change the diet.

Answer 15

I recommend you leave now, save whatever money you might have spent to complete the course, and accept the fact that you will need to regroup for awhile before you take up another college education.

I had a friend who went through a related sort of change.  He left school, got a rather physical job that did not demand much of his mind, and gave himself some time to decide where he wanted to go next.  He said for years afterward that if he had not built up his body by "slinging boxes" (loading and unloading trucks), he would not have made a wise decision as to where to go from there.  He's very happy with his life, last I heard from him, so presumably he made a good choice when the time came.

You are apparently pretty young.  The amount of credits that will transfer will seem trivial in importance once you get clear on what you want to do.  Take your time.