Break the Chains of Religious Dogma

"God has no religion" - Gandhi

Having a religion is like being an alcoholic. You feel as though you can't live without it and the more you consume, the more confused and disoriented you become. As you dwell in it for a long period of time it completely changes who you are and becomes harder and harder to quit. Once you decide to give it up you then have to face the withdrawals. Dwelling inside of a religion and deciding to give it up is no easy task.

As a victim to religious dogma for over 20 years, I know first hand how much power it can have over your life and just how difficult it can be to overcome. Quitting religion does not happen overnight. It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort to fully give it up. Even years after giving up religion I still found myself influenced by it and questioning if I was wrong. If you are thinking about quitting religion but find yourself unable to escape the influence and power it has over your life then this is a great place to start.

1. Belief

The first thing that you need to do in order to give up your religion is to find out why you believe in it. Were you born into a religious family or culture that taught you that it was truth from the day you were born? Have you experienced a divine power or force that proved and validated your religious beliefs? Were you going through an extremely rough time in your life or searching for more meaning and purpose and religion seemed like the only logical thing you could turn to? Maybe all three of these combined is what influenced your choice to follow a religion. Whatever the choice may be, you must be completely honest with yourself in order to move on.

2. Reason

After you figure out why you truly believe and follow your religion, you must ask yourself if this is a good reason to continue to follow it and believe in it. To just accept it because that's what you have been told is just ignorance. If you have had proof of God, experienced the divine power throughout every inch of your body, or witnessed miracles that could be nothing short of God, then how does this prove your religion as truth. Do you think that God is not there for a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or even an Atheist. God exist within everyone regardless of what they believe. Proof of a God that every person experiences does not validate one's religious belief system, it only proves that God exist and every religion believes in God. If you are searching for hope or purpose then religion is the last place you want to look. At first it may seem all good and glamorous, but as time goes on you will find that feeling of meaning and excitement will slowly diminish. And that's not God testing your faith like most religions will tell you.

3. Purpose

If there is no purpose to your religion then what's the point of following it. If the only point of a religion is to believe in it and accept whatever deity they worship, then there is no purpose. If they say that if you believe what they believe then when you die you will go to some sort of heaven instead of hell, then there is no purpose. You will find the most religions have no purpose accept to get rewarded for having a certain belief system. Ask yourself what the true purpose of your religion is and answer it honestly.

4. Prayer

The first thing I did when I started to have major doubts about my religion was pray. I asked God to show me what truth was and forgive me if I was making the wrong choice by questioning the Christian religion. It was right after this when my life completely transformed and I discovered a world that I never knew existed. If you are fearful or have any doubts about your religion then just pray to God, the divine force within all of us for guidance. You will be shown what is necessary for the spiritual development of your soul.

5. Knowledge

If the truth will set you free then it's knowledge that holds the key. If you want to give up your religion then first study everything you can about it. I remember always hearing these bible stories and interpretations of what they mean my entire life but once I actually began to read the bible I realized that they weren't even close to what the church had told me. Don't believe what anyone tells you about your religion and study it for yourself. After you learn everything you can about your own religion, begin to study all the other religions. How did they start? Why do people believe in it? What exactly do they believe? These questions will broaden your perspective and understanding of yourself and others around you. Remember that all those other people believe in their religion just as strongly, if not stronger, then you do. This new perspective and awareness will allow you to make a better choice about your own religion.

6. Many Paths to One

Just like there are many paths to the same mountain peak, there are many paths to reach God. Some might be more difficult than others, and from the perspective of the climber depending on where he is at on the mountain, it might be the only one available, but essentially we are all trying to climb the same mountain and reach the same destination. Sure we may call the mountain different names and have our own view of what the top of the mountain looks like, but it's still the same mountain, the same God, the same destination. Instead of just climbing the mountain ignorantly blind, take a step back and observe which is the best path to take to reach the top. You will most likely find that the religion you follow is not the easiest path.

By following these simple steps and overcoming the fear that is attached to most religions, you will be able to give it up. At first it will be very scary and you will feel extremely vulnerable, but as time goes on you will eventually grow out of it. Just always remember that God, or that divine force, exists within all of us regardless of what they believe and there is no God that will punish you for nothing more than a belief system. But ignorance is bliss so if your religion makes you happy for now, then don't worry to much about it and just try to live the best life you possibly can.