Are you more religious?

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M

michellep

I was just wondering, expecially for the women out there, are you more religious now? I have to admit that over the years I have left the church and had even become cynical of organized religion. However, since my surgery I find that I am craving the experience of a church service. I found myself beginning to pray again before surgery (I am sure that is natural). But now, I am looking at the big picture. I feel a sense of peace coming over me and the little things that used to drive me nuts (ex-husband) don't.
I was wondering if anyone else went through this experience.
 
I know you said especially women, but.......

I know you said especially women, but.......

Michelle, I think you are very correct to state that it is natural for anyone heading into such an event as OHS to begin to pray to God. And I believe that is where we make our largest mistake; most folks didn't pray before and will stop very shortly after they are feeling recovered from their major experience, accident, or what ever brought them to prayer.
Is the question really "Are we more religious" or maybe "are we more aware of a higher power" "more aware that their may be a reason for us to be here; no matter how small it may seem".
Do each of us have a specified purpose here in this life?
I think the answer to the latter will tell us where we stand 'religiously'!

In our greatest times of need; I believe all of us are looking for help from above. It's very natural; but we should not take His grace for granted!
Now, I'm done preaching to myself and will be interested to see what others have to say.

Ben
 
Although I consider my surgery (and all of our surgeries) to be a sort of a "miracle", and although when I think about waking up and hearing the good news and thinking about my surgeon, I get tears in my eyes, I cannot say I am more religious. I have never been religious. My saviour is my surgeon, and I told him last year he was my saviour!!!:) Actually, I find nature in general a miracle, but that does not mean I am religious. I just think there are a lot of things human beings still don't understand and probably never will. I hope I don't offend anyone, because I can tell from a lot of posts that I am in the minority.
 
I work in a parochial school so you can guess what my answer will be. I am always surrounded by God and Prayer and I consider myself very lucky for this. There is not enough prayer in this world today and I am one of the lucky ones to be around good, God-Loving people every day. I have a personal relationship with my Priest (whom is quite the joker) and it is great. So I don't feel I will be I will be more religious after, maybe my faith will be stronger! This could be why I feel more at peace with all this.
 
Well this is a good topic. I am a christian (although not a very good one) :eek: and I was not to worried about surgery because I believed I was in God's hands. I really did not pray any more than usual before surgery(my wife did it for me:) ). What I have noticed is a change in attitude. Things don't bother me as much. The little things. Also there are things that I thought really mattered that don't. I seem to speak with more kindness and have more concern for others. When someone askes for prayer I do it. I must admit if I don't stop and do it right then I may not:eek:

All in all I think I am just more aware. I don't have to be first. I don't have to be heard over everyone else. I think I have softened. Hope so anyway.

Tom
 
I don't know that I'm more religous per se, but as Ben pointed out, perhaps much more aware. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I believe that the heart is the gateway to the soul.
 
Great thoughts, Michelle, and from everyone else. I'm not sure that I would say I'm "more religious" as I've always had a very strong belief in God. However, I didn't actually "practice" my belief by attending church every Sunday. I would converse with my higher power on many occasions, but I have found myself carrying on my "conversations" on a much more frequent basis during the past year. So much so, that I have actually found a church and a minister that I'm very comfortable with and thoroughly enjoy attending services and am actually joining as an active member this Sunday. I was a little worried about subconsciously doing this as a reaction to my disease, but I truly don't think so. I feel good about my decisions and have garnered a "sense of peace". Not to say I'm not extremely nervous about next week, BUT, I do have faith that "what He brings me to, He will see me through."

Jan
 
Great topic Michelle. Along the lines of CathyK. I'm a music director for a church, so you can probably guess what my response is as well. I think I might substitute the word "faithfulness" for "religious". I think of being religious as following certain doctrines and tenants of a particular religion. I think faithfulness is turning to a higher power and acknowledging that we are not in control. One can be religious and not faithful, and one can be faithful and not religious, AND one can be both faithful and religious.

It's a fact that people who suffer through hardships, individually or as a cultural group, tend to be much more faithful than those who tend to glide through life without much trial.

I float in and out of an accoustic guitar forum. You wouldn't believe the amount of Christian bashing and religion bashing that is done there. Contrast that to VR, where people are so comfortable in telling someone else that they will pray for them, or for someone to ask for prayers, and it's really interesting. One is a group of people who share a musical interst. The other is a group of people who share a life threatening disease and a life-saving solution. We may argue about valve choice, but we don't argue about just what that higher power should be to each of us. We are just grateful that those here are willing to go to that higher power with petitions of intervention for us.
 
Karlynn said:
I float in and out of an accoustic guitar forum. You wouldn't believe the amount of Christian bashing and religion bashing that is done there. Contrast that to VR, where people are so comfortable in telling someone else that they will pray for them, or for someone to ask for prayers, and it's really interesting. One is a group of people who share a musical interst. The other is a group of people who share a life threatening disease and a life-saving solution. We may argue about valve choice, but we don't argue about just what that higher power should be to each of us. We are just grateful that those here are willing to go to that higher power with petitions of intervention for us.

I am always amazed at the amount of bashing that some groups pull on christians. I frequent a group that endorses a higher power and still many bash the church. I have found that people of faith have direction and tend to be more at peace with themselves and the word.

I am truely thankful for the spirit of acceptance and tolerance on VR.com

Karlynn----- what type of guitar do you play? I have been playing for years and love it.

Tom
 
I am very God aware but not sure I would say religious as I am not a formal church goer. I was raised Catholic but grew away from the church for various reasons.

I have always believed in God and my belief is just as strong now after as it was before OHS. However, I do think I pray more now (maybe because of all my VR.com family).;) :D ;)

I do feel more peaceful having been through what I have. I somehow feel more connected to the spiritual - not sure how else to explain it. I think this is directly related to surgeries.
 
I had started to become more religious again even before I learned that I would need surgery. I was midway through my Introduction to Judaism class (20 weeks) when I had to stop going for the past few weeks due to the surgery. I'll be able to make up the missing classes next session and finish the conversion process, finally. My husband of 25 years is a non-practicing Jew by birth. I grew up a WASP but haven't set foot in a church in 30 years. I've been wanting to go to synagogue but I don't know that it's directly related to the surgery or not. If I were a member of a congregation and there was a place I felt attached to I probably would have gone already.

I can easily see how people would be driven more in the direction of religion after a life-altering event like OHS.
 
cooker said:
Karlynn----- what type of guitar do you play? I have been playing for years and love it.

Tom

Tom, I play acoustic. I taught myself a few years ago so that I didn't have to sit at the piano to write songs. I'm not very good, but get by enough to write and to entertain myself when I should be doing other things. :D I'll write a song and then give it to my friends, who are excellent guitar players, to spruce up. Every now and then they make me play in front of people.:eek:

And now, back to the regularly scheduled thread.:)
 
Karlynn said:
Great topic Michelle. I think I might substitute the word "faithfulness" for "religious". I think of being religious as following certain doctrines and tenants of a particular religion. I think faithfulness is turning to a higher power and acknowledging that we are not in control. One can be religious and not faithful, and one can be faithful and not religious, AND one can be both faithful and religious.

Well stated !!
 
I wouldn't say my surgery made me more religious..
I have always been a believer..and have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Prayer has saved my life more than once..and I have been part of many miracles..
Honestly without my prayer support I am not sure if I could have made it through my OHS..and subsequent issues.

but I would say that it has altered my view in many ways to say .. "Don't sweat the small stuff and it all feels like small stuff"
 
I don't feel more religious.

I have never believed that the Creator invests time in the earthly things that directly happen to me, good or bad. I still don't. I've always felt the Creator gave me life and free will as gifts, and I was expected to develop and use them to the best advantage of those around me as well as myself.

To me, Judgement will not be on whether I was in church on Sunday, or whether I prayed when I was scared or thankful, but whether I turned my head away or reached out when the choice was there.

Best wishes,
 
I am not a religious person. I didn't pray before or after my surgery but was quite happy for my friends to pray for me if that comforted them. When I was in hospital after my stroke, when I had endocarditis, my mother died and I was upset that I wouldn't be able to attend her funeral a nurse suggested I speak with the hospital chaplain. She came to my room and we arranged to have our private service for my mother in my room at the same time as the funeral.

The chaplain was a delightful woman and visited me a number of times, not once trying to make me pray nor did she pray in my presence except during the servie. If anything would make me turn to the church it would be the example of this woman, she was such a nice person and gave me such comfort.
 
I'm not more religious either, although I can't say I've ever been very religious, at least in the organized religion sense. I think I feel more like what Karlynn described as "faithfulness".

BTW, I'm a guitar player, too.....acoustic & electric, 6 and 12-string, as well as electric bass and guitar synthesizer. I've been playing since I was about 12 (self taught).
 
I'm not more religious but seem to be more thankful and aware of things that go on around me. I was raised Catholic and although I haven't been to church in a long time, I think I am more Christian than most that attend church on a regular basis. I quit going (like Geebee) for various reasons one of them the hypocracy of so many, not only in the Catholic church.
I'm thankful for every thing that has happened to me in my life and I remember someone telling a group 'You should say "Praise the Lord" for every event, even not good ones'. I don't necessarily do that but as I posted in the post about mantras.. when I do anything I always say "Thank you, Lord".
 
What a great thread. Thanks, Michelle.

Can't say that I'm more religious. I do feel very, very blessed, or lucky, or whatever, to have gone through my surgery in exactly the way it happened.

I don't think I prayed more before my surgery, I don't pray much anyway, except at meals. There are so many hungry people in this country and in the world that I'm very "religious" about giving thanks for the bounty of food that is so easy to take for granted.

When I do pray, it's very spontaneous, and very simple. Again, usually a "thank you" for many blessings, or a prayer for someone from this group, or my family or friends.

I can't explain the power of prayer, of course. It does seem a bit absurd on the face that the God of the universe would be mindful of the passing needs/desires of one speck in all of creation. But, I've been in serious jams in my life where I know that prayer has helped me through. I do believe it helped me through my surgery. I felt a peace for sure... didn't know or worry about the outcome.

In the end it's all a big mystery. And I'm thankful for that, also.
 
I was raised "in the church" and prayed, but can honestly say that I really didn't have a personal relationship with Christ until after my first OHS. I accepted that personal relationship a couple of years later. I feel that God is truly the only One I can always count on. (We humans are just that...human.) I went into my second OHS and countless other surgeries still apprehensive and down right scared at times, but the difference is that as I say that last prayer be it before surgery or before bed or during the day, I have a peace knowing that whatever happens, God will be there, so it will be OK. Do bad things still happen to me? You bet. Does all this make life easy? No. But it makes life for me more bearable and peaceful and I'm assured that He is holding me in His hand. (Didn't mean to start preaching).:) LINDA
 

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