Do Yourself a Favor: Pursue Godliness, Avoid Religion.

Is that a paradox o is really possible?  

Personally, I think that is not only a possibility, I believe that it is in fact the only way to achieve genuine and true godliness in your life.  

I came to that conclusion not without paying the price first, of being an active member of the organized religious system for the most part of my life. 

Of course, belonging to a highly organized religious group, gives you a good sense of security, especially in an uncertain world as the one we live in, and it allows you a fair amount of peace of mind and conscience especially since you are told that your religion is the one approved by God and as long as you follow the rules, your future will be guaranteed and highly rewarded. 

Oh sorry, I have just realized that I haven't properly introduced myself. 

Here's a short version of my story. 

I was baptized and raised in my parents religion as a catholic, as many of you I suppose, but I discovered becoming an adult that many of the teachings of my church, were not based on the Word of God, but on man made traditions. 

For me, that was more or less as disappointing as for a little kid to realize that Santa Claus is a fraud: even if he's well known and accepted everywhere he doesn't really exist, is not real.  

Despite the deception, at that time, it was inconceivable at my eyes, to live without a religion: if the one I received from my parents wasn't true, it was only a matter of time, looking around, till I'll find the right one. 

In fact, that's when I found the Jehovah's Witnesses, or to be more precise, when they found me. 

The superiority of my new religion in studying and using the Bible was undeniable: for every question, a scriptural answer was promptly available, people gathering at the weekly meetings were very nice and extremely caring calling each other "brothers and sisters". The religious structure always referred as "The Organization" was highly efficient in keeping members united through an intense and unified worldwide teaching program: no more different doctrinal points of view between priests or pastors inside the same church, or between different churches denominations sharing the same form of religion. 

I was sure I had finally found the "The Truth". 

Practicing my new religion was very important to me, so much that in a few years I reached the top in the church's hierarchical structure and I also volunteered to be sent abroad serving as a missionary in a poor country preaching to others. 

Unfortunately, after many years of dedicated service, I finally discovered the disturbing truth about what we were calling "The Truth", and realized that my second system of beliefs also was a deceptive one. 

So I was traumatically brought again to square one, with no religion to count on, depressed, disappointed, and since I decided to expose what I consider a well concocted fraud, I ended being shunned by all my former brothers and sisters and by my family also.  That did really hurt me at the time, but my painful experience led me to an enlightened and positive, life changing, discovery. 

Since as humans we are basically what we believe, to me this is a very important subject and that's the reason why I would like to share my experience with you dear fellows steemers, knowing very well that there is so much frustration and disappointment out there about religions in general and hoping that someone will be encouraged becoming aware of the fact that to be godly and to be member of a religion are not only two different things but very often two mutually excluding things (2 Timothy 3:5). 

Now, how could I, after spending almost 20 years being a missionary for the Jehovah's Witnesses Organization, reach the conclusion that you can be a godly person and a better Christian only if you disconnect yourself from any form of highly organized religious system? Basically, in my case, this was the process:  

1) Knowing      more about my religion (the good, the bad, the ugly);

2) knowing      more about the Bible (the entire Bible);

3) knowing      more about myself (my goals in life and the motives behind them);

4) Knowing      more about God (what He really expects from me).

Please, stay tuned if you want to know more about each of this steps, and if you find this story interesting, I'll appreciate if you will consider upvoting my post, commenting and also sharing, if you want,  your experience.