Does anybody miss the sense of community from being a part of a religion?

So, I grew up Catholic. I went to Catholic school and Catholic Churches and hung out with Catholic people.

As I grew and learned, I decided that I didn’t know if I believed in God and if there was a God what makes us so sure that he or she or whatever is Christian?

Anyhow, there are about 5,000 reasons I am agnostic. I think they are all pretty good ones. However, I still hold a lot of the core values that I was taught deep in my heart, like regular moral values, helping people, and all of that. It definitely helped shape me to become the person I am today and I did not have a bad experience with the Catholic Church (even though I’ve met people who have had bad experiences).

I have a 6 year old and I live far away from family. I feel like something in my life is missing and I miss the sense of community that a church brings. I miss working together and helping people. But I don’t feel like I could go back. It feels wrong to pray to a God that I don’t really think is there. It feels like a lie.

I just don’t know how to navigate being a mom without any sort of community or how to teach my son morals without religion. Has anybody else gone through this? I also feel weird about celebrating Christmas and Easter. It is just difficult to find a sense of identity and culture.

in agnosticby stressedthrowaway9

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BetterLobster3576

Go to a Unitarian Universalist church they accept Atheist,Agnostics,Pagans,deist & pantheist you will be welcome there and with like minded people.

Far-Obligation4055

This is something I'm considering too. I was a Christian most of my life, left my faith behind a couple years ago and the only part I miss is that feeling of community.

I think there are a couple places like what you describe in my city, been interested in checking them out.

BetterLobster3576

Religion isnt for everybody & community isnt for everyone some people just like to be lone wolf.

MxDoctorReal

I came here to say that one can be agnostic and go to a U.U. Church. They really are amazing people.

Low-Appointment-2906

I'm actually going to try this. thank you.

Miserable-Tadpole-90

No, I don't miss the sense of community at all, I'm a big old introvert, so I consider that a perk.

stressedthrowaway9

I feel like I am a social introvert… I don’t even know if that makes sense. I like to have friends and be with people… but not all of the time. I need a lot of down time. I don’t know if that makes sense! Haha!

fangirlsqueee

Agnostic

Agree. Outgoing/shy aren't necessarily the same as extroverted/introverted. Outgoing/shy is usually considered how comfortable you are interacting with other people. Extrovert/introvert is usually considered whether being social gives you energy or drains you of energy.

I'm very outgoing, but it is so exhausting for me. I prefer dealing with people in smaller doses. My spouse is more shy, but they get hyped up being around others. They would almost always prefer to engage with people versus being alone.

Miserable-Tadpole-90

It makes sense, I have friends too, but it's a small circle.

When I was younger and I still attended church services, or I got roped into helping out with some church activity, it was the social aspect of it that bugged me most. It was just such a draining experience.

To make it worse, at least half of the people involved were always flitting about on a cloud of insincerity.

There are good people in churches, I've never doubted that, I'm even friendly with a few of them, but the constant posturing to show the world what wonderful Christians they are is everywhere.

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agnostic-ModTeam

Your post was deemed to violate rule 10 Proselytizing.

Far-Astronaut2469

Or at least keep sending your money.

Puranzy

Yikes, this is innapropriate for this sub bruh

MaryBala907

Agnostic Spiritualist

Nope
Everyone was so nosy and judgemental- genuinely never liked interacting with anyone at church or mosque

If you miss the community, you can join things like book clubs or running clubs.
Morals aren't a religious thing, there are many videos and ways to teach your son without having to involve religion!

hajima_reddit

I'm an agnostic Catholic, and I attend Catholic mass every now and then for this reason. I just don't partake in the communion, and everyone's chill about me being there.

stressedthrowaway9

Probably depends on the priest and how strict they are, I suppose. The priests I grew up with were pretty chill and they didn’t seem to condemn anyone. It’s interesting because I always hear stories from other Catholics about how they threatened hell and brimstone all of the time in their churches. But that wasn’t my experience. I must have gone to a more open minded church… or at least one that didn’t really talk about hell.

Qbert84

Dude. I have an atheist brother and a sister in law who got married in the Catholic Church, celebrate all of the designated holidays, baptized the kids etc. I am aghast at hypocrisy. IDK. I had a friend who went with me to Church to meet chicks lol. Forgive me for the offensive terminology but that's what it was for him. I personally go because I am more questioning than anything. Ummm. Honestly, the Church doesn't have rules against people going except for the communion (and what my brother did I imagine).

Far-Astronaut2469

I honestly think many people go to church for social mingling reasons than for worship.

stressedthrowaway9

I think you are right! Especially when they get older/retired.

xvszero

Not really, my community sucked.

Farts-n-Letters

nope

Upper_Atmosphere_359

No but I miss the free wine haha

routewill

Agnostic Atheist

i personally miss the rituals of religion and the sort of magic of it all.

altairsswimsuit

Agnostic

I feel the same way. I had a really good experiences with the church group, church summer camps, there were awesome people. I liked when we reflected on things based on the metaphors of the Gospel, (although I never agreed with the “turn the other cheek” lol) it was better than therapy. I wish there were similar groups disconnected from religions

Cloud_Consciousness

No, I never liked mingling after the sermon.

nokenito

Nope. Most were fake assholes who wanted to know what you were doing all the time.

ystavallinen

Agnostic & Ignostic / X-tian & Jewish affiliate

There are other communities

jimmydoorlocks

I read an article a couple years back about how people were leaving the church and joining CrossFit in huge numbers in the Czech Republic. The reasoning was that CrossFit provided a similar sense of community, shared experience, a place to go and meet/interact with other like minded people, etc., but without the bullshit associated with organized religion and the added benefit of fitness.

stressedthrowaway9

It’s funny because I joined something similar for about a year. But it was too intense and I kept injuring myself! Haha! Now I’m just going to stick with classes at the Y…

jimmydoorlocks

Good news is that I think the theory applies to almost any group fitness activity. They probably just focused on CrossFit because it's such a huge group of people with tons of gyms all over the world, that has a pseudo cult following. I say that as someone who CrossFits. Lol.

ih8grits

Agnostic

I've known a number of non-doxastic Christians in the Anglican/Episcopal churches. They tend to be a bit more tolerant of theological diversity than Catholics.

Faith doesn't have to mean "believing specific proposition is true", it can be interpreted more as something you do.

forget_the_alamo

No. I was never welcomed there as my authentic self.

arthurjeremypearson

Yes.

And I think even if others don't immediately admit to it, they probably do too, in the form of "not being able to have an excuse to talk to people of wildly different and possibly self-harming beliefs like <insert political opinion here>"

LordChuKKleZ

I don't. Church folks are fake as hell in most cases. There are some genuinely great people, but for the most part they're very messy.

geoemrick

Yes. I'm straight atheist but I do miss the community that I had back when I was religious and went to church.

I can't go back though. It goes against the very fiber of who I am to even pretend to believe in deities and whatnot.

mickeyela

Nope, i miss learning bible with my friends tho it was fan experience, and i can go to church if i want but i don't to, i am introvert so don't really miss a community.

MangoBredda

Not really because I never fit into any church I was apart of. It would be nice if I genuinely did have a group I belonged to

MrDNA_JP93

Hard to miss something thats based on a lie

MyNameIsRoosevelt

Not in the slightest. The reason why ... because the moment you aren't part of the in group you're dead to them. That makes the community and the individuals who support it really disgusting. It makes me ashamed to be the same species as them.

Scopata-Man

Nope… Hail Satan!