Culture vs. Religion

Hi.

I've always been scared of religion and being tied into these agreements that I don't really like.

I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I don't really bring it up a lot. I believe that to really represent a religion you have to find out for yourself that it's true. That's a whole other talk, but it doesn't have so much to do with logic and reason and mercy, but more about praying and asking God and waiting to find your own organic answer.

When you think of religion there is just about always a culture you also see with it. Which is not right in my opinion. How Muslims have such a bad reputation because some people a part of that religion did bad things.

I've noticed particularly in my religion that we tend to be judgy pricks sometimes. Hence I don't like to bring it up because people then get hesitant to open up to me.

When I personally think of "Mormons" I think of a big family in a big van rushing to church and being very conservative and scared of everything outside of my religion.

There is nowhere that says be against and hidden from the world.

We do say "Be in the world not of the world". That's because we have specific standards. We don't like to show much skin above the knee or our shoulders. We don't drink or smoke weed. We don't drink coffee. We try to have clean language. We don't have sex before we're married. But when it comes down to it I'm pretty sure those are the most obvious ones. Sometimes those can be really hard. Sometimes I want to dress how I want to and I want to do what I want and say screw you, you can't tell me how to live my life.

It doesn't say anywhere that we can't wear makeup or that we can't kiss boys. It doesn't say that we have to stay in one spot and be the most environmentally conservative as possible. It just has these weird specific guidelines that people don't always like to agree with.

When people ask me "why?". I honestly say I really don't know. I try to say well they're just here to keep us safe, but then people always come back with well there's no avoiding hard things in life. Which is very true.

I think God just likes to test our faith and keep us safe at the same time and give us these precautions. You don't have to like them or agree with them at all, but if you really want to know if God gave them to us, you really can find that out for yourself. I promise you that much. I know that the answer might not come when you necessarily want it.

But there is a God. There is an all-knowing being and there is a plan for everyone to find happiness here and in the afterlife. There is a way to heal from anything. There is hope.

Whatever that means to you, that doesn't mean you have to be a stay at home mom, cook lasagna, can tomatoes and wear stupid ugly denim skirts. It doesn't mean you have to smile and be happy all the time. It doesn't mean you can't have a temper. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy old things and art that aren't ancient paintings of Christ. You can still be exposed to any culture you want and abide by these truths. You don't have to have the same personality and sense of humor as everyone else in the church to be a part of it. It's okay to be different. It's okay.

Just be nice. That's all I ask. People aren't happy enough, and it is very important to just smile every now and then and treat people well.

Whatever religion you belong to or fear to belong to, just know it doesn't necessarily change you. It only improves you.

That's my train of thought for today I hope that made a little sense.

Good day to you.