>>13293934Damn, can't imagine that must've been an incredibly tough life, sorry your mother had to deal with that. I can appreciate being connected to your history and the land you were raised on. I guess I don't really have the same perspective since I was born and raised here. But, I can tell you the reasons I've stuck to it though:
1. It acknowledges our imperfections (as do many stories in the bible like you mention) but offers an ideal to strive towards and a moral framework - although this is anecdotal I can attest that in striving towards this ideal I've found fulfillment in my personal relationships, work, school, and hobbies.
2. For all it's done wrong (and I'm more than willing to admit it's flaws), it's constituents have contributed a tremendous amount, far more than any other religion, to the sciences, art, and charity in the modern age - even philosophy to an extent.
3. It encapsulates a common message that is relatable to a wide array of people. Anywhere I go I know I can go to Church and at least for an hour I can enjoy the company of others even if I share nothing else in common with them - it gives me community beyond my locale.
4. It's taught me to look beyond what everyone else is doing and to not give into the "ways of the world" - the modern church can be pozzed, but I follow the word and actions of Christ, not laypeople.
5. Praying the rosary after a tough day gives me an unrivalled sense of peace - pretty straightforward.
I'm nowhere near a missionary as you can probably tell, I don't like telling people what to do either and I'm sure paganism gives you some of the above. But there've been times when I've given up and coming back to my faith has helped reground me. It sounds like you realize that faith is a choice - one that you actively have to make for any degree of belief to matter. How you specifically get there, isn't something that I can tell you desu, but I hope you can at least appreciate my earnest albeit anecdotal reasons.
