Welcome to the Spirituality Forum

[SFishy]

Hi :fishys!

Welcome to our newest forum designated to discussing spiritual beliefs and religion. Because exploring our own spirituality is important to finding out who we are, and recovering, we've started this forum -- You can discuss how your own beliefs are helping you on your road to recovery and discuss with other fishys what is helping them.

WE WILL NOT tolerated any "religion bashing" -- all are welcome here! Those who are christian, jewish, pagan, buddhist, muslim, morman, etc. etc. etc. This forum is NOT for debating which religion is "right" or to try to convert people to what you believe... This forum is for the celebration of how your own spirituality makes YOU feel, individually.

Also, because this forum is in the Recovery Aquarium area, we expect posts to be of a nature aimed at working productively towards recovery... how your faith/spirituality is helping you... how your exploration of your own beliefs is going... and talking about and asking questions pertaining to the desire to recover side-by-side with your spiritual journey. Posts talking about using religion as a reason or justification to sink further into your ED will be closed.

Any post attacking another :fishy's beliefs or religious choices will be closed. Religious debating will be closed. Please remember, all our forums are for support towards recovery and we will not allow any members to disrespect the spiritual choices of others.

Enjoy this forum and
take care of YOU

[purple_tao]

:angel :fishy

It's sad that we lost all the old posts, but.......... we start anew :bounce.

I love this board: to be able to share our beliefs without judgments and relate to other :fishy how our spirituality is helping us grow: physically and emotionally. And doing some serious ED A**-:kick !!!!!!!!! :surprise !!!

NO BASHING!!!!!!!! That's right. :fishy : keep it clean.

"Life is like school: we are all here to learn"

So, let us begin again. I'm open to all reglious beliefs!!!!!! Bring it on :yay :muhaha :muhaha

Thanks, head :fishy !!!!!!!!
:love

[queen bee]

although i have never really posted here a lot, my recent spiritual self-awareness has really drawn me here.....so ill probably be here loads n loads from now on!!!!

[emma lucy]

:hugon :bowl :hugoff

I've not been in here a while. I agree it's a shame we lost the old posts but here's to more spiritual events :grin

[priya devi]

:supergrin

Me likes this site!

Question is if all the other :fishy ies likes having me all over the place... :ugh

:rainbow
Priya Devi

[NikkiB]

Hi There. I'm just new here but I like the sound of the site. So I thought I'd give it a go! Not sure what to say but wishing you all a good day.

[VerboseMermaid]

Thanks, Amy!

I think this forum is a wonderful way for ED-sufferers to explore their beliefs in the presence of others who might be asking the very same questions. I was always adamant about my disbelief of structured religion, but over time, from dealing with this ED and other serious personal issues, I'm starting to understand why some people have such strong faiths (whatever it may be). It's comforting to know that there's something connecting you to the world, to others, to a higher power that just may help you overcome.

:hugon :sfishy :hugoff

[NikkiB]

I have been both interested and inspired while I have been reading through these posts and it's kind of nice to realise that I am not the only one confused by this whole Christianity thing! I have a deep spiritual belief in God and have been quite amazed that over the last half year in particular I am feeling closer and closer to God. However, I am feeling further and further away from the restraints and restrictions of religiousness. I always believed in the Church but after recently spending an extended time in hospital was quite stunned at the support I did\did not receive. I found that I had more support, understanding and non-judgement from my non-Christian friends and collegues than I did from my Church or Christian friends! It made me realise how constricted we are by rules set down by the Church.

It has made me very confused and angry with the Church. As if I don't feel worthless enough already! But even though I don't feel worthy of God's love....I am convinced that I have it anyway!

Just one more thing. I appreciate this forum even though sometimes I only read through it. I am still struggling and it's good to know that I am not so alone as I thought. I guess only God will know why we are going through this.....

Cheers.
NikkiB.

[starbrightstarlight]

:hugon :sfishy, :mrfishy :hugoff

Thanks for another great forum. Thank you for everything that you do! I :love you guys!

[MoonlitSoul]

Originally posted by NikkiB
I have been both interested and inspired while I have been reading through these posts and it's kind of nice to realise that I am not the only one confused by this whole Christianity thing! I have a deep spiritual belief in God and have been quite amazed that over the last half year in particular I am feeling closer and closer to God. However, I am feeling further and further away from the restraints and restrictions of religiousness. I always believed in the Church but after recently spending an extended time in hospital was quite stunned at the support I did\did not receive. I found that I had more support, understanding and non-judgement from my non-Christian friends and collegues than I did from my Church or Christian friends! It made me realise how constricted we are by rules set down by the Church.

It has made me very confused and angry with the Church. As if I don't feel worthless enough already! But even though I don't feel worthy of God's love....I am convinced that I have it anyway!

Just one more thing. I appreciate this forum even though sometimes I only read through it. I am still struggling and it's good to know that I am not so alone as I thought. I guess only God will know why we are going through this.....

Cheers.
NikkiB.


Hi Nikki :) I went through this confusion too and still do often. One thing that has worked for me, though I know it doesn't work for everyone, is using the acronym: Good Orderly Direction. I became very disolutioned with my church when I first got clean and was so hurt and disappointed that it wasn't all that I wanted it to be. The Good Orderly Direction saved my life for many months and still helps me today. Just thought I'd share that :) Take care :)

[Twilastar]

:hugon:sfishy:hugoff

Thanks :hugon:cool:sfishy:cool:hugoff :winky!

Hey everyone! What's up? I :love you!

:kisses and :hugon:hugoffs!
Gen:stars

[happyfish]

Although it has been a few month's since your post, I am most intrigued by what you wrote, and find myself wondering what you are thinking & feeling on this subject, now. Has anything changed? If so, do you feel better or worse about it?

I'm a "newbie" to this website, and today is the first day that I've read this particular thread, but I love it, and hope to return often. Nikki's message gave me much to think about. I was reviewing my own relationship to God, Spirituality, and organized religion, and realizing how many changes those relationships have undergone during the course of my journey. I could relate to so much of what you wrote, Nik. I remember my own anger & dissillusionment when my "community" let me down. Eventually, I decided to consciously separate people from the religion, as well as from God. My God is a loving and benevolent God, even though believers (people) may misjudge or hurt me. I am beginning to love the teachings of my religion of birth (even though I spent many years rejecting it), and I'm realizing that it remains beautiful and meaningful to me, even when I encounter members who practice it differently than do I, or who misuse its teachings to reject, hurt or misunderstand either other members or whole groups of non-members. I choose to reject the idea that God must fit into any particular box. I choose to reject the idea that people are worthy only if they accept the box into which some person has tried to fit God.

All of us are imperfect. Only God is perfect. For today, I choose to strive to be more like God, in that I choose to try to forgive the imperfections in myself and others, even when those imperfections shake me to the very core with hurt or anger. I choose to see those emotions as messages to myself about the unique way I view the world at the moment, and NOT as eternal FACTS. I choose to honor those messages, because to understand them helps me to learn & grow, and with God's help, I choose not to use them to judge, punish or hurt myself or others.

May God Bless all who visit this site and read these words. Happy New Year all you :fishy :fishy :fishy! Love, happyfish

mek********@juno.com (thirty-eight)

[Didycoi]

Your words have really hit home for me.

I am struggling with much pain and rejection from my mum and what you said about it not being fact just a message to let you see how you see the situation was SO RELEVANT.

Thank you, thank you!

:gift

[claradancer]

Since I finally feel ready to find who I truly am, and I truly do believe that this includes exploring my own spirituality and beliefs, I'm going to start poking my head into this part of the :bowl now.:shy

take care:cute

:love
Angela

[Novation]

Dear Ones!

I am absolutely just hatched today and I am so grateful to have found this particular site! You see, I spend a great deal of time of a message board for "cult recovery" and discussion of a particular church, and the subject has come up as to whether eating disorders are something some of us are dealing with after leaving the cult. Since I have more time, I volunteered to see what I could find on the internet. I found you!

Has there been discussion in the past, or any help in thinking this particular challenge through? I am in contact with several others who I'm going to refer to this site. I look forward to good conversation and support -- and, of course, I hope to someday be in a place to help others through my own experiences as well.

Regards,
Edy

[Sylphlover]

:gimmehug
LET GO AND LET GOD

Delighted am I that Something FIshy has added a spiritual bulletin board. Wow!! I was a member of Something FIshy back in the gosh...when I think it first started. I have been in recovery from anorexia for two and a half years!! By bases of recovery has been God given. I could never do myself what God has done for me. I belong to another twelve step program for another addiction. The anorexia and other addictions are something that I pray to God to every AM to take from me and at the end of the day I thank him.