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How Do You Schedule Religion Into Your Life?

There are so many things packed into our weekly schedules, and nearly every part of our lives gets bumped from time to time. Sorry Grandma, can't make it over to see you this week... Damn, running late have to take a cab, guess I'll skip coffee this morning... Yeah, I know I said I'll wash the car and get an oil change, just give me until tomorrow... Hey boss, can I get a deadline on that project due Thursday?

With so much that occupies our time and overloaded to-do lists, it's no wonder that the spiritual side of life sometimes gets a left behind. Maybe that's why most religions set aside so many days for prayer, for reverance, fore reflection, for doing nothing but the deeds.

In the frenetic pace of your life, how do you fit in time for your beliefs?

How do you schedule religion into your life?

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i find it interesting that many of us feel the need to "schedule" religion or faith into our lives. It really should be permeated throughout our daily lives, automatically influencing our decisions. I see religion as a way of life. I think morals, and personal values are part of each of our own religions, so in a way, by living our lives by following our morals and beliefs, we are already practicing our religions.

I don't need to schedule religion into my day because I live constantly with an intent to live from a sacred place. My spiritual practice does not include rigid rituals or reactive practices. There is no need to pencil my religion in because it functions within my being in everything I do.

I find I have to commit to it with something tangible. A great way for me was to subscribe to a podcast that goes through the entire bible in one year. It nags me to keep going if I have missed something and reminds me that I need to be focusing on the right things.

I don't belong to any specific religion, but I do live my life with the morals, love, compassion, kindness, and honesty that so many religions teach. I take time time to give thanks every morning and every evening, to all that we have in this life. I try to be mindful in every moment, and to bring love into every part of my day.

Religion. For some reason that word has such a negative connotation to me. What I believe and have faith in, what I make room for in my life, what I devote time to... it's not Religion. I call it a Relationship... with Jesus and with all of my brothers and sisters in faith who know that in seeing Him, we see each other for who we truly are: Children of God (both believers and non-believers). Loved and Protected by Him for always.

Scheduling Religion in my life? I don't think so.

But every hour of every day, I'm surrounded by people who show love, kindness, understanding, honesty, joy, compassion in the things they say and do. That's what I have faith in, and that's what I make time for in my life.

Religion is (but not exclusively) a collection of symbols Myths and values that indicate what your personal "god" is. Religion is a human outlet that we use to frame our world and express our faith. If a benevolent deity is what you value then you will structure your religion to reflect that deity. Your day and schedule are built around your religion already because your time is a reflection of what you value most. Some people would place careers, a relationship, money, family, sex, advancement, status, drugs, in place of "god" and build religion around those things.
I think the question should be "How do your values direct how you spend your time?" or "What are the values that determine how you spend your time?" I don't find it useful to blame religion for the worlds problems and I don't think it would be possible to eliminate religion from humanity based on my definition. Instead we should focus on helping one another find the value in life so our religion (and our schedules) expresses compassion to others and our surroundings.

Show your beliefs in your daily schedule. Praying isn't the only way to practice your religion. Show good morals.

I personally think that what you're not looking for here is a rant from someone who has no religion or could care less about God or who doesn't have faith or who thinks all of the problems in the world could be ended if everyone just didn't have a religion. I think instead what you are looking for is some advice on a way to fit your religion into your day.

I feel that everyone at this point can see how fast paced life has become. Our schedules are very crammed and when someone or something interrupts us in our busy schedule it's a hassle to deal with this person or problem, because we just 'don't have the time'. I really do look up to those people who can get up an extra hour in the morning to pray or meditate before starting in on breakfast or their run or starting the car to go to work. For me, it's a hassle just to get up 5 min. before I need to be somewhere. I absolutely love sleep. So I have to look at it this way:

I don't believe in religion. I believe in my relationship with God. He created me and I am thankful and grateful and blessed by the life he has given me to live on this Earth and the people he surrounds me with and the circumstances he places me in. God is at work in every moment of my life. I live this life for Him. Or I try. Humans are innately selfish, so I try to work around it.

http://bible.cc/1_thessalonians/5-17.htm

This page really sums up the idea of Thessalonians 5:17 which says to be in constant prayer. I try to always be open to what God is trying to communicate to me. To always have that line between He and me open. To walk in faith is to step out knowing that God is with you every moment of the day. When and where you pray is between you and Him. Ask him. Make the time to talk to Him. That is what I tell myself.

i don't schedule spiritual into my life....it is already present. a growing awareness to be present and appreciate, to ponder and seek answers many times a day, and to recognize the answer when it presents itself....and be thankful.

I don't schedule religion into my life. I read good books worth reflecting on, and I trust my own logic on how to make good life decisions. I doubt the existence of God...If there is a god, he sure did create a lot of religious chaos... and SOOO many religions to choose from! :) And if there is a god, I figure that the odds of me choosing the right religion in order to be saved are slim to none anyway... lol. I suppose I could just give some lip-service and pretend I believe... just in case. But, if there is a god, he'll probably just see right through that. So, I figure, if there IS a god... he must not WANT me to be saved (AAAAH!)... Otherwise, he would have eventually given me the ability to believe in him. So, the way I see it, religion is just a waste of my time. :)

I figure if I can't give one hour a week to go to church and TRY to remember what I learned or reflected on in that one hour, I'm not much good to anyone.

I think DrumlineNRD stated what is most obvious and the basis for most religions. As humans we cannot believe that this is all there is. We want things to go on after we die, so we mixed that in with the worship of the seasons and the moon and sun to get what we have now as the modern religions. The early religions worshipped the cycles of life through the change in seasons, so it was an obvious jump to including a person's life as part and parcel of those cycles.

I believe that people are scared to die. Most people find it scary to think of not living anymore, being nonexistent, and forgotten over time (including myself). This is (from my opinion) why people have created the glamorous and beautiful idea of heaven and life after death. I don't know what happens after you die, no one REALLY does. Heaven makes dying less scary... something to look forward to. I don't think I necessarily believe in it

I believe in being happy with what you have and this beautiful life on earth. I believe in making the most of your life, learning from mistakes and appreciating the ability to reason and think for ourselves. I believe that taking care of our beautiful earth is extremely important. I fit this into my schedule by taking home water bottles and cans from lunch at school to put in our recycle bins instead of doing the more convenient, yet harmful, thing: simply throwing them away.

I think it's about adding it as you need it more than scheduling it.

The Prophet, Baha'u'llah said that work in the right spirit is prayer and that we should strive to make all our actions beautiful prayers.

If I think of my life as a pie-chart, I could say I spend 40% of my time working, 25% playing, 15% on video games/TV, 15% exercise, and 5% reading. I wouldn't have a slice for religion because religion is the flavor of my pie! Its a part of every aspect in my life.

I don't! Ha ha ha!

I think that ADITI has it right...religion is what is holding our civilization back from solving the problems inherent with living on this planet. Think about it! Who is opposed to fixing the environmental impacts we are having on our air, soil and water? The right wing religious nutbags... Who is opposed to scientific research? The right wing religious nutbags... Who has been getting us into war after war? The right wing religious nutbags... Who is opposed to research into cures for the horrible diseases that wrack our world? The right wing religious nutbags... Who has slaughtered more innocent lives that any other group (tens of millions of folks)? The right wing religious nut bags... Who is opposed to stopping man-made global climate change? The right wing religious nutbags... Who is opposed to developing peace and harmony between peoples and nations? The right wing religious nut bags. And when I say religious nut bags, I am including religions of all stripes...anyone who believes in the Invisible Man floating out behind the clouds.

I disagree with Shakespeare when he said "...first we kill all the lawyers..." I say, "first we outlaw all the religion, turn their places of "worship" into halfway houses, soup kitchens, low-cost medical clinics, financial aid centers, day care centers for working families, and social service centers....then we kill all the lawyers"

I read al-anon literature every morning and evening for a couple of minutes.

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@SoulPancake Everywheresville, Earth

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SoulPancake

SoulPancake

How Do You Schedule Religion Into Your Life?

How do you schedule religion into your life?

WhimsicalCraze

Avafae

I don't need to schedule religion into my day because I live constantly with an intent to live from a sacred place. My spiritual practice does not include rigid rituals or reactive practices. There is no need to pencil my religion in because it functions within my being in everything I do.

morgango

I find I have to commit to it with something tangible. A great way for me was to subscribe to a podcast that goes through the entire bible in one year. It nags me to keep going if I have missed something and reminds me that I need to be focusing on the right things.

SARAHswati

DelectableDelusion

quantum_poetry

RyanCantDrum

Show your beliefs in your daily schedule. Praying isn't the only way to practice your religion. Show good morals.

loveexposure

divrgnthnkr

i don't schedule spiritual into my life....it is already present. a growing awareness to be present and appreciate, to ponder and seek answers many times a day, and to recognize the answer when it presents itself....and be thankful.

bexter1

dave202

I figure if I can't give one hour a week to go to church and TRY to remember what I learned or reflected on in that one hour, I'm not much good to anyone.

GreatGodOphiolite

DrumlineNRD

DrumlineNRD

Hellosunshine

I think it's about adding it as you need it more than scheduling it.

Kathy9

The Prophet, Baha'u'llah said that work in the right spirit is prayer and that we should strive to make all our actions beautiful prayers.

PattieCake

If I think of my life as a pie-chart, I could say I spend 40% of my time working, 25% playing, 15% on video games/TV, 15% exercise, and 5% reading. I wouldn't have a slice for religion because religion is the flavor of my pie! Its a part of every aspect in my life.

itsdrfaustus

I don't! Ha ha ha!

GreatGodOphiolite

lizanne

I read al-anon literature every morning and evening for a couple of minutes.

How Do You Schedule Religion Into Your Life?

How do you schedule religion into your life?

I don't need to schedule religion into my day because I live constantly with an intent to live from a sacred place. My spiritual practice does not include rigid rituals or reactive practices. There is no need to pencil my religion in because it functions within my being in everything I do.

I find I have to commit to it with something tangible. A great way for me was to subscribe to a podcast that goes through the entire bible in one year. It nags me to keep going if I have missed something and reminds me that I need to be focusing on the right things.

Show your beliefs in your daily schedule. Praying isn't the only way to practice your religion. Show good morals.

i don't schedule spiritual into my life....it is already present. a growing awareness to be present and appreciate, to ponder and seek answers many times a day, and to recognize the answer when it presents itself....and be thankful.

I figure if I can't give one hour a week to go to church and TRY to remember what I learned or reflected on in that one hour, I'm not much good to anyone.

I think it's about adding it as you need it more than scheduling it.

The Prophet, Baha'u'llah said that work in the right spirit is prayer and that we should strive to make all our actions beautiful prayers.

If I think of my life as a pie-chart, I could say I spend 40% of my time working, 25% playing, 15% on video games/TV, 15% exercise, and 5% reading. I wouldn't have a slice for religion because religion is the flavor of my pie! Its a part of every aspect in my life.

I don't! Ha ha ha!

I read al-anon literature every morning and evening for a couple of minutes.

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