How religious do I sound?

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the upsides: I pray 5 times a day, I often do optional prayers, I dont eat pork, I usually avoid porn, I don't listen to music, I attend friday prayers, I invoke God's name before and after eating (by saying "Bismillah" (In the name of God) and Alhamdulillah (all praise is due to God) respectively )I wash up before praying, I hope to go on the Hajj pilgrimage and I plan on paying alms to the poor, and even more to charity I pray when in need, and pray for others, and plan on never getting a loan at interest...
the downsides: I couldn't fast during last ramadan because I was taking lithium and that made me real thirsty,
I sometimes watch porn, I eat non ritually slaughtered meat (like fast food meat),
I eat shellfish even though technically my family is of a denomination that doesn't eat shellfish (though my dad thinks that's not true) and so I "switched denominations" to be able to eat shellfish, but not really.....
I still talk to the opposite sex casually, even though it's a sin in my religion, I dream of premarital kissing, but not sex, in the 9th grade I was a sex crazed maniac (im in 11th now),
I often switch religions, and I try "telepathically" talking to the violent kid at my school, trying to get him to get violent so that he gets picked up early and doesn't have to ride my bus and annoy me.... by saying (in my head) "we're going to kill you, spencer..... and throw you in prison" though I know it's not real....

It's funny how in your country they put a tiny pics of pig near the meals that contains pork on food menus of BAR-restaurants full of alcohol and people drinking, as a symbol of warning "hey this food has pork"while the whole place has shuffles filled with alcoholic bottles.

As if the people going there would give a damn if they mistakenly eat pork meat.

It depends what you mean.

If you mean ritualistically religious then yes. However you could argue this is just going through the motions, ticking boxes.

Fasting and charity are aspects of Islam that I hold in great esteem and have the outmost respect for.

You seem like someone who is sincerely concerned with finding out the truth.

I think if you keep praying in the name of The One True God, Creator of the Universe and the origin of all things, and ask to have the truth revealed, then if there is such a thing as judgement day, regardless of what religion is true, you can say on that day that you were sincere in your heart and sought the truth.

I don't claim to hold the answers. I have jumped between different faiths a lot. But what I can say with certainty is that honesty, devotion, perseverance, compassion and reverence are virtues that are universally valuable.

Is it really considered a sin to talk to the opposite sex?

It sounds like hard work to keep following all these rules and regulations, and maybe they teach self discipline which can possible be a good thing if not carried to excess.

At your age it is quite normal to have strong desires and urges. No need for guilt about that.

Don't worry unduly about being unable to fast on Ramadan. Surely it is not the actual dates which count: your God will see the desire of your heart should you even want to fast at a different occasion as a personal choice, since you were on lithium. Anyhow, God wouldn't want you to neglect your health and wellbeing. It's not necessary to fast, and especially not good to avoid liquids.

You are keeping to most of the rules, but that doesn't make you religious: the reason behind following them does.

You stated several times that you don't do things becouse "my religion/denomination doesn't allow it", a truly religious person would do or leave those things becouse "*insert your diety* doesn't allow it".

you take the whole religion thing way too seriously. do you think it is an autistic special interest?

I agree. I wish people would realize there's more to religion than just a bunch of rules you have to follow...

From what you say, you sound like a typical Westerner: obsessed with the external aspects of religion, rather like the Pharisees described in the New Testament, who used to stand and pray on street corners so everyone would see them; who would look miserable during periods of fasting so people would know they were keeping the law.

All this self-obsessed, hypocritical behaviour moves you further away from God. If you're looking for the truth you haven't even scratched the surface.

It sounds like you're "pious". But that's not the same thing as being "religious".

Having the outward appearance of devotion is "piety".



But if you feel the belief it in your heart then thats being religious.

Since you're flitting around to different religions and are only a novice in each religion even piety is a tall order.

But as far as I know you are "doing it right"- ie going through the motions of the religion you're trying out at the moment.

Though I dont know what that thing about the bully on the bus has to do with anything.

not as religious as those low budget megaphones they have tied to their minaret towers that blast distorted sounds of some clown ranting on in songs sung in some ancient cacophonous key at dawn everyday (i have seen them in documentaries about arabia).

Sounds like you switch between being a crazy fanatic and some guy who constantly changes religion to abuse what they hsve the right to do.

I don't think that's really a problem. Most Muslims would agree that the fast can be waived for a medical need. (when I was a teen I couldn't observe the fast because of a medication which can't be taken on an empty stomach).


Eating halal isn't always practical in American society. But you should avoid fast food if you are Muslim, because there's no guarantee that the meat hasn't come into contact with bacon or other pork products. I've worked in fast food before. Those people never wash their hands.


If being unable to eat crab and oyster is that much of a dealbreaker for you, I think you need to stop and look at your priorities. I mean, do you follow these laws because a book says so? Or because God says so?


Well, this is a little disturbing. What you are doing here is technically a form of sorcery, a low-level black magic technique called the Evil Eye. What you are doing is focusing your hate, and using it to inflict misfortune on another human being. Black magic sorcery is not permitted in Islam, or any major religion as far as I'm aware. It's an affront to God, and a violation of basic human decency. Magic is real and dangerous, so you need to stop this right away.

I often curse people; Those who deserve it.

it's the same thing isn't it? if your religion doesn't allow it, your God doesn't allow it..... The God of the religion and the rules of the religion are the same thing... that's kinda what I'm getting at...

I do have the belief in my heart, that's why I pray to God when in need or want to help people.... but as for the bully on the bus, I try to cause him suffering so I don't suffer.... but in scientifically impossible ways... like telepathy