Here's some info to put your mind at ease, if you have any qualms about the "balance" of this thread. I was raised Mormon all my life, went to Church almost every Sunday and participated in many religious activities within the Church and with other Mormon friends. Now at the age of 20, I find myself with a personal relationship with God and the powers of the universe and follow my own beliefs based on principles of good ethics, morals, and standards that I have personally set for myself. I do not hate Organized religion. I do not hate Mormons. At this point in my life I have realized something. Organized Religion and their agenda. You don't have to look far to realize that nearly all Christian, Catholic, and other forms of organized religion have had shady pasts. Have had incidents where rumors or fact have backed up claims of murder and fanaticism. Where the Churches took their liberties and their power over government to impose their wills in the name of God. But was it really the will of God? The Agenda of organized religion isn't one of hate, but rather of lies. Their agenda is to make their past transgressions, their faults and their misgivings look spotless. That they never happened, that naysayers are uninformed and follow God in the wrong way. Their agenda is to preach about acceptance, but attempt to convert everyone else to the "right path". Which is to say, not the path of God and his message. But rather the message of their organized faith. To speak that because of their numbers, their history, their en-grained history and longevity with God it makes them right and true. It must be, because only a true church that can save you from the fires of hell must be one that has been around a long time and has many members. Their agenda is also stretched far to thin. Of course the leaders of the specific faiths (Pope, LDS Prophet, etc) speak of the organized religions absolute message. But each Church is on its own wavelength. On its owns standards of whats acceptable. Or rather. WHO is acceptable. This makes the overall message cloudy and can give the wrong impression of what they are really about. Organized religions problem is their numbers and is their unwillingness to accept as an entire church. And not just say but actually DO. This does not mean missionary work. This means accepting others for who they are and their different beliefs. Not to be friends with them just to hope to convert. The message of Gods love and the message of living a good life as a good person is convoluted by spreading fear of damnation, restricting free will (especially at a early age) and then tying people down with religious callings, services and required deeds. That if you do not do all you can for your church then you are not being an ideal "Christian", "Mormon" or "Jew". People then teach the same thing to their children, regardless of happiness. People will serve the church out of a duty to serve their church better because serving their church and other people is "serving God". But will sacrifice spending time their families, their work, and sadly...their inherit happiness. And its not in the name of God because service to man isn't just "service to people that are the same faith as me." which seems to be the trend of "church service". Get them at a young age and get them good and confused. Sew the seeds of fear, and entrap their minds to a singular view of the world and of their specific faith. It has been going on since the beginning of time. The tyrant of Organized religion are corrupt men & women. Molesters, liars, and people teaching children "the bible" in a way that forces them to fear God, love the organized faith, and despise anyone who doesn't believe the same way they do. These corrupt men spoil organized religion as a whole because there is not enough time, nor enough willingness to actually have a faith based on a pure principle of good will. Instead Mom and Pop don't want little Timmy to hang with Jeremy because he's a catholic and not a Christian. Instead the Mormon kids at school form their own clique and segregate themselves from others to remain "pure minded". Instead it takes 25 years from the day that someone is born to really question what they really want in their life. Instead people mindlessly follow without first finding out what is right for them with God and that Family and God comes before "Church leader and religious position". In closing. Organized religion is not evil. People who follow it are not all the same, and aren't all bad people. But that inconstancy means that the real message of each organized religion is being diluted and that everyday that bad people within the giant machine of organized religion are spreading lies, giving their religion a very bad name, and making organized religion as a whole look like a collective monster. Rather than a group of like minded people trying to find solace and peace with God. All Mormons are not the same, all Catholics are not the same. But the media, and the collective of organized religion will have you thinking otherwise. I am an individual believer in God. I am more happy now then I ever was belonging to organized religion. I do not fear damnation, because I am a better person now that I was then. I am a more accepting person now that I was then. "Seek to understand, then to be understood." [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qzsTdRTV90"]YouTube - With God On Our Side[/ame]
So what are your principles of good ethics, morals, and standards that you've set for yourself and why have you chosen those ones?