r/religion

Hey, I’m 18 years old and I was born and raised in NYC, I was raised all my life as a chasidic jew, sometimes referred to as “ultra orthodox” Jews by outsiders or “charedi jew”.
My family belongs to the Chasidic sect called Breslov.

I enjoy doing these AMAs because I think most people don’t really know anything about how our culture, how we practice our religion, or even what we believe in.
So AMA!

why does god make it so hard to believe in him if he wants us to worship him?

why don’t he just show himself?

I'm trying to find people who understand my view here. I've only every met 1 or 2 others in person who don't try to put me in a box. Even my own husband doesn't quite get it.

I'm not an Atheist, because that means that you don't believe in any higher being. 100% every religion is wrong and science is true.

I'm not Agnostic, because that means you believe in a higher power and just are not sure on exactly what.

I simply an not religious. Not undecided. I am decided that it is not my place to say. That I am not dead. I will find out then. Until then, anyone could be right or everyone could be wrong.

Recently, when asked about this and I tried explaining...they said, but what do you believe? Who do you ask for help when you are low? I said, I don't. I look into myself and to those I love and to those glimmers of joy I do have in my life.

I believe in humanity and being kind to eachother and accepting of everyone's view.

Or not?

Hello, just some dude who is thinking hard about what I actually believe and want to see in the world.

I'm not sure if perfect confidence exists for religion or spirituality, but how did you know you found your spiritual home?

I know that some people may be born into their religion, so the above wording is probably very weird for them.

What would you tell somebody who is currently trying to suss out their beliefs?

I have a young sibling who is quite curious about the world, as most young children are. They will sometimes get Christian videos on YouTube shorts. I am also a polytheist and don’t really hide it.

They’ve had questions about God, and other Gods (like the ones I worship), and I always try to give a response that makes them come up with their own opinion. For example, if they ask “Is God/Zeus/etc. real?”I will respond with “What do you think?” Or, alternatively if they keep going “yeah, but are they real?” I may go “To me they are, but you don’t have to believe in them”.

They have all sorts of questions about Heaven and Hell and and whatever I’m doing religious wise (or something connected but not directly religious). What are the best way I can answer these without swaying his opinion to one belief over another?

If they want to participate in what I’m doing I will admit that I let him, but never invite them beyond that.

I know I post alot but i have no social life and this is the only place were religius people don't insult me

Anyway what your religion/belife opinion on genders like

Ther 2/3/4, more? Less? Anything realy

Sounds like a crazy question, but there's a reason: I'm currently developing the story for a feature film where the protagonist wakes up in an alternate universe in which he is worshipped like a God. There is an entire established, centuries-old religion dedicated to his mythos. There's holidays, tenets, rituals, etc. all focused around this one guy's existence.

The problem is I'm having trouble figuring out exactly how those things should all develop. He goes back in time and interactions with either late BC or early AD humans (they obviously can't understand him), but I can't see how this would develop into the specific religious practices of the present alternate-future.

It's difficult because I’m trying to figure out a couple of things with the world building here:

1. The religion's core beliefs (at least common ones among the denominations)

2. Rituals

3. Fashion/hair

4. Rituals + holidays

If anyone has any ideas based on real examples of small facets of society that became important pieces of religion or just using your imagination, I'd greatly appreciate it. Just not sure how to approach this.

I simply cannot comprehend the fact that there is no God. Whoever this God is, 'they' allowed whatever's happening in the world to happen.

I've been a Muslim for my whole life, so as far as I know, Islam makes the most sense out of all. There are just a few questionable rules.. and I hope to find my answers here.

Why do women have to wear the hijab?

Why is wlw and mlm forbidden?

& does the religion truly favor men in a way?

I'm a teenager figuring her stuff out. Now, tell me, aside from answering my other questions, what religion do YOU think is the truth, and why?

& if there is no God, how did we even come to exist? How does Atheism make sense?

If you guys say god is a kind god and love people why do some people constantly get mad at me being single saying i will go to hell and jesus hates him its like i'm a whole ass alien to them if god hates me being single he can tell me himself

This is an opinion based question

I live with illnesses/conditions that make my life much harder. When I used to go to church, I was often told that I was carrying the burden of sin and that these illnesses were punishments it’s strange though now, given the burden I carry, I do feel like it is a sort of punishment.. Yet, I was told that God sometimes works in mysterious ways. That—along with seeing how faith was used to hurt others, to make people feel better about themselves, to shame members of the group, and to foster hypocrisy—led me to abandon my faith and the group. I felt there was no God in them; I saw no fruit on that path and no genuine positive emotions in my interactions. There was also God’s silence throughout a lifetime of prayer. I’ve since explored agnosticism and Dharmic religions, yet that early influence remains strong within me.I wonder if you all went through something similar, too? How did you deal with those bad experiences?

I am a Christian who believes that she can answer any question about Christianity for athiests, agnostic or other Christians! I love answering religous questions and i feel like it furthers my faith in god/christ! I see questions being shamed in a lot of Christian spaces so hard hitting questions are TOTALLY welcome! I'll answer anything and everything to the best of my ability! Anything you've felt curious about, or even to scared to ask ill answer! :)

i wouldn’t call myself a religious person, cuz i’m a buddhist and that’s a controversial topic, but i would like to hear y’all’s stories for sure!!

Sometimes some really vile things aren't parts of a religion but parts of the culture of the place where those vile things prevailed. So in that case if someone who's vehemently against those vile things they don't have to leave the religion, they can simply keep practising the religion while taking a stand against those vile things. But if those vile things were inherent to that religion, they have to leave the religion if they are vehemently against those things.

If the caste system is a inherent part of Hinduism and one is vehemently against the caste system then they have to leave Hinduism. If the caste sysyem isn't inherent part of Hinduism and is just a cultural evil then they don't have to leave Hinduism.

So my question is: Is the caste system inherent to Hinduism? And if someone wants to permanently remove the caste system from existence can they do so without going against the religion (Hinduism) itself?

even from a abrahamic perspective, what makes Christianity as a religion over mormonism, islam or judaism?

and even if we say christianity was right, what makes your sect right. say protestant instead of catholic or orthodox?

Please read this all

I've often come across debates about whether Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs should be considered Hindus.

Although these religions originated in the Indian subcontinent and their founders were born into societies that were largely influenced by Hindu traditions, they also have their own scriptures, philosophies, beliefs, practices, and religious identities.

Another point that makes this discussion interesting is that many followers of these religions consider themselves members of independent religions. For example, many Sikhs identify Sikhism as a distinct and separate faith.

There are also significant theological differences between these traditions. Sikhism is generally described as a monotheistic religion that emphasizes belief in one God, while many forms of Hinduism include the worship of multiple deities. Buddhism, on the other hand, is often viewed as a non-theistic religion because its teachings do not center on the worship of a creator God.

If followers of these religions see themselves as belonging to independent faiths, should Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism still be considered branches of Hinduism, or should they be viewed as entirely separate religions?

I'm interested in hearing historical, religious, and cultural perspectives on this topic. Please keep the discussion respectful and factual.