Carlina: 3

I believe in a higher power, but I'm not sure that makes me a Christian. Or Jewish. Or Muslim. Or Catholic. Or Buddhist. Or religious in general. I don't exactly know what to believe anymore. I know my doubts about certain aspects of Christianity that have really hindered my regards to make it priority in my life. More then ever I'm finding myself more or less annoyed by what it even means to be a Christian anymore. Especially around the holidays.

I firmly do not believe that you have to follow one avenue of religious practice to reach a higher salvation. I like to think moral and humanistic goodness far outweigh any belief in one single practice. I don't like the idea of evangelism, especially to areas around the world that have their own cultures and traditions. I like that there are differences between us, it's what makes us who we are. Just because we choose to follow one specific path doesn't make it exclusively right.

I would never admit this out loud to my family. They aren't outlandishly religious or judgmental, but I also think (namely my father and grandparents) would have a hard time accepting my movement away from the Methodist church.

I grew up in the church, I'm still a part of the church, I still get things out of going to church. I do love the community aspect and you do get the sense of family sometimes. But like any family you also have politics and arguments and ridiculous people that probably shouldn't even be there. But that will always be present, and it's just human nature and that's a naturally thing I suppose.

Do I call in agnosticism? Do I tell people I'm more spiritual than religious? I to set my Facebook profile to TBA? Does it even need to be labeled?

Maybe this doesn't matter. Maybe it never really did. All these wars and murder and strife and for what? To prove a point? To stick fervently to your guns? Do you even know what you're fighting for in the first place?

There really is no time for war. I don't believe violence is the answer to any problem. I never really have. You might call me a hippie or a disillusioned pacifist but words, for me, will always be stronger and more efficient then guns.

Religion shouldn't be something that elicits such intense anger in peoples hearts. It taints the very nature of religion itself and I for one, will choose to not stand for it.