Spirituality not religiousosity?

I'm composing this because of the fact that 1) I do want to be open-minded and peaceful and also show tolorance to other peoples religious beliefs and also be more compassionate but more and more here in the south I see 2)more and more people who identify with or consider themselves christians. Who themselves see this point in time not as a crossroads(crossroads in time)but as an end of time. Personally I see this time as another crossroads in time just like other points in time have been in history that us ordinary people experience along with those who who are the shapers of history(PTB) such as Depression in 30's, WW1,WWII, Assasination of JFK, 9/11, our culture survived these points in time and I have this wierd gut feeling we'll survive and I personally see us(humans not our culture) transforming into something like Star Trek but that's not the point of this post. What really scares me is that is that some people in certain geographical areas of this country especially where I live our so closedminded religiously and then they force that on to other people. I recently aloud my self to get carried away recently in a religious discussion and I publically apologize for my rude replys, but what I was trying to convey was my deep dissasifaction with religion, but I still persue spirituality and am currently am studying martial arts as well as reading about buddhism, but haven't yet formally become any student to anyone as for as buddhism is concerned. I wanted to show was that I am more happier now that I've chosen to become more my self to discover more about who I am and my purpose in life. I wanted to give my specific example to what led me away from the church and the reasons to what led me to consider other cultures religions and alternative health and martial arts. But living here in the south especially in these hard times, my questions and doubts and my grief over my grandmother, seems to fall on death ears or go over peoples head like they just can't seem to understand, or won't understand, or to afraid to ask those hard questions that I am forced to ask. Also, It seems they don't want me to ask either. Let me ask this "logical" question then to you online armchair philosophers if god had me born in a certain place(an air force base),I've had a lifelong interest in things regarding science-fiction.Star Trek,Star wars,general science,one time I wanted to be an astronaut, etc.etc.etc. then wouldn't I be dissatisfied with a career in a fast food restaurant or factory work or whatever. I decided my career path was in the medical field and I didn't come to this conclusion lightly but mainly through my personal interest in martial arts, alternative medicine, tai-chi,reiki and such. I know this is hard times, but aren't we all in this together. What if in the end it really was god leading me down this path and directing me to pursue martial arts, to pursue alternative medicine to make me stronger wouldn't you then say(for all you so called christian's) that your really going against gods will. I think we need to just stop looking for the devil around every corner,quit all this antichrist clap trap, and quit this end times junk and focus on us(humanity) and save all we can. Also learn all we can even if it goes against what some call god's inerrant and holy word. Sorry I apologize I wasn't going to bash anyone or anything on this post. There's a famous quote from Star Trek "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one" In order to survive this trying time(I mean humanity as a whole) we need to save and help those who are sick and hurting. The main reason why We need to be also open minded and to sometimes consider other possibilities even if it seems on the surface that it's selfish or coldly logical. I just wanted to make this an apology as well as say that I can only be what I'm supposed to be and I can't be something that I'm not.

Great post, good idea.

For future reference however, try breaking up your post into paragraphs, the members will thank you for it. So will your eyes during proof reading

Back the the subject at hand, yes your correct, we have to learn to work together regardless of our personall afilitations or race.

When people are in hard times, and dealing with increasingly difficult situations, at work and at home, they cling the very things that bring them any sort of comfort in the world.

Unfortunetly, Religion is one of those things. (Guns being the other) The closed mind syndrome you've been experiencing with other individuals is just a product of their fear of the unknown and the unwillingness to change.

If these people become open minded, they would most likely be "culture" shocked in a way, because it would force them to fundementally change they're ways of thinking. Even things they've thought were true and right all of their lives.

Change is scary for some, hard times are even scarier. This pattern will most likely continue until there is a global event that forces change on every individual.

~Keeper

I won’t even try to quote you, bro. Way too hard on the eyes to find it, but you mentioned being "open-minded", and I have to agree with you.

Sometimes when people say they’re “denying ignorance”, they become even more ignorant. Pride will always sabotage our hearts desire. Instead, admit that you are ignorant, and you will find knowledge.

Personally, I know that I am ignorant to many things, but I am always seeking the Truth. I am closed minded, but I am always attempting to see things from another point of view. I am arrogant, but I desire more than anything in life to be 100% free from selfishness.

We can’t make anyone spiritual. We can’t even make ourselves spiritual. We must simply become what we are inside. We must let go of the fear and the doubt and just become who we really are…

... and that starts by asking ourselves really difficult questions with simple honest answers.