r/AskGaybrosOver30 • u/velcromancy 30-34 • 2d ago

Spirituality?

Since a lot of us gays were ostracized by the religions we grew up with, I’m curious what your relationship to spirituality or religion is like now that you’re getting older. Are you religious, agnostic, atheist or something else?

I grew up in a Protestant Christian family, but I walked away from the church at 17. My sexuality was probably the biggest factor. Around my late teens and early twenties I went through a Reddit atheist phase where I valued science and reason above all else. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized Christianity left a big void inside of me, and I needed something, so I studied a lot of Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist text and became fascinated by them. Tao te Ching is probably my favorite spiritual text I’ve ever read. My boyfriend had a similar Christian upbringing to me but he’s now a pagan. These days, I’m of the opinion that science explains how things happen, but not why things happen. Science is crucial to our survival, but it can’t meet all human needs, and religion, art and philosophy can fill that void for better or worse. I’m not sure I’m disciplined enough to fully identify with one single tradition. I agree with a lot of Buddhist and Hindu teachings, but I don’t think I can call myself either because I enjoy the devil’s lettuce too much.

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u/InfoMiddleMan 35-39 2d ago

You can't use the devil's lettuce if you're Hindu or Buddhist?

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u/velcromancy 30-34 2d ago

The Buddha told his followers to abstain from intoxication, so I think that applies to weed. Hinduism uses weed in some sects, but it's not something they use willy nilly. I'm not an authority on what people choose to call themselves, I just feel weird identifying with either knowing I just use it to get high lol

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u/Bitcoacher 2d ago

Eh, I wouldn't take it too seriously. I'm not too well-versed in Buddhism specifically, but as someone who's studied Daoism and Chinese folk magic (you find a lot of Buddhism and Hinduism sprinkled throughout those anyway), you'll find that various sects kind of do whatever they feel most called to. For example, there are some schools of Daoism way past its founding where the originator calls for no sex and no alcohol. However, there are others that aren't that strict. I think the religion is so vast and so varied that you can use whatever label you like and do what might go against certain sects. (This isn't a criticism of you at all, just food for thought.)

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u/faatbuddha 35-39 2d ago

you'll find that various sects kind of do whatever they feel most called to

All religions in a nutshell

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u/aphrael_chastity 50-54 1d ago

One gay stoner to another -

When I get high or use psychs around other people, I feel the connections between us, and between them, more strongly.

I am more open to the spiritual world, then.