Getting to know lots of different viewpoints and choosing elements which I feel fit me is the way I do :) Basically following my heart, with some little shortcuts others have already worked their way through.
Have you heard of LoA and teachers such as Abraham channeled thru esther hicks. If you Google it you'll find it. I was raised fund Christian and always felt out of it spiritually and now after listening to the teachings Ive learned to love myself and believe in a lighter God force. It rocked my world just fyi. Lol. It may seem out there which it is but I find it really resonates with me.
I would recommend reading the book Many Lives Many Masters. I randomly found it at a library's used book sale. I found it in a row of a hundred books stacked side by side on long conference tables. I honestly felt like I could feel it's energy radiating from an area, which is why I stopped, and when I looked down, saw it, and pulled it up. Very interesting.
@ecaffee Thanks for the suggestion! I actually read that book a couple years back when a friend told me how much they loved it! I think I've read a couple of his books actually! Really amazing!
For years I had self loathing and bitterness because of my belief in god and worse my belief in fate. After letting go of my superstition and becoming an atheist I am happier and more importantly I am more pro-active. If I were to have a higher power it would be the rules of logic.
Very interesting video! I can see where you are coming from. I grew up in a fundamental christian home. I just try to remain true to myself and don't listen to such religious nonsense. Spirit is the one who knows us best. People will be people.
You are the cutest:) are you single..omg cant believe I just said that lol. Im willing to wait in line as long as possible...lol mg i'll stop talking now before I sound like an even bigger creeper
Eres muy valiente al decir todo acerca d la religion e estado escuchando cada uno d tus videos hasta dar con este
En realidad tocar el tema d religion es muy conflictivo especialmente si fuiste criado dentro del pueblo d jah y darle la espalda
Yo estoy pisando por donde tu ya pasaste especialmente porque los padres esperan que uno regrese a jah pero cuando se yega tan adentro de este mundo que es dificil regresar,
Porque es pelear en contra de uno mismo. Nunca e hablado acerca de mi inti
my nan is a jehovah's witness and she's always really pushed her beliefs onto me. I used to go along with it because i hadn't known any different. It's only the last year, having started taking philosophy as an exam subject that i have changed my views. I objected to thier views on sexuality and got a huge lecture :( I belive in an intelligent creator who is responsible for the existence of the universe, but i think man-made religion gives "god" a negative image. right now i'm pretty confused :/
You are doing a good thing posting this video, the feeling of being alone for transgender Jehovah's Witnesses is why many live in deep fear, looking up information on the subject in Jehovah's Witnesses publications at best is not up to date. I hope Jehovah's Witnesses dealing with gender problems, find people to talk too, sadly many transgender get so low and find it hard to keep on living, if you have saved just person your video is a life saver.
Meiko, your honesty and candor almost overshadow how truly beautiful you are on the outside! I don't think you need to change a thing. In your eyes, the love God has for us all shines. I don't even know you, but I thank God for your Mom & Dad having you. So angelic is that face, it makes me want to hold you and kiss you so very tenderly... omg! my eyes are watering, I can't type anymore! always stay beautiful, my dear angel, scott.
Hey,,I'm uno came from Indonesia in my country there's no such top body surgery or T..I'm wondering if u can give me link to share or discuss bout FTM and top surgery..hope im not bother and thank u very much..u are amazing..
I grew up in a homophobic family and was raised baptist/methodist. being told i was going to hell for being me made me hate God, church, and my family. what helped me was looking at how historically humanity has gotten alot wrong. Thinking slavery was the right thing to do. not allowing women equality. racism. i realized these were created by man, not God. I NEVER felt that God disapproved of me. God made me. His unonditional love has been proven to me as He made it possible for me to transition
I wonder...and maybe I missed the point. But, could your opinion of your parent's beliefs... this "men being superior" - did that ultimately effect your decision to transform?
@AbiROAR Definitely not, because I always did and still do disagree with that belief. They never even slightly convinced me that women were actually inferior to men. So it had zero impact on my reasons for transition being the right decision for me.
Well, I definitely don't believe that we'll ever exist without bodies, as body and mind/soul are inseparable - they support each other and require each other and are not altogether different things. Personally, I think life can be very cruel, but as conscious beings all we can do is work to create as much love as possible out of an imperfect world. Spirituality is a tool that humans have created to deal with the existential issues that arise from the height of self-awareness.
This guy was so frustrated with how hypocritical philosophy and religion was in his day that he just felt the need to just write out his entire life and at the same time contemplate his jouney with God. He writes about everything, from poetry and literature, to how hypocritical school was(I loved this part!). He talks about hypocracy in God's church, the oneness of God and spiritual maturity.
I also liked a protestant book called Gary Chapman called "The Love languages of God".
I am a Catholic myself, I am altar servering at my church. I suggest, if you really want to read a great spiritual book, I suggest you get two books, "The Confessions Of Saint Augustine". Reading that book was such a wonderful experience, it opened my eyes to God in a way the scriptures really didn't do(outside of the psalms). The book removed my misunderstandings that Saints were "above us normal guys" in many ways. Augustine was a sinner, and a normal loving guy.
<3 Thank you for posting this video. You are a very compassionate person and it does help others to hear your story and search for a spiritual life that you were comfortable with. Thanks.
Thats because Religion was made up by humans. Power is a human need. Its initially made up to scare people into not "doing evil things" before there was gov't. I just listen to everything people have to say and make decisions based on realism or commonsense. U don't have to b one religion or another. can just believe what u believe. Chris
though i am not trans, i also dealt with becoming uncomfortable with the religion i was raised with when i was old enough to realize all of the gender inequalities in christianity. In college i did a lot of research into paganism and found it very interesting, because it is a spirituality that i can make my own. Just do research on various spiritual paths and see where it takes you! best of luck! ^_^
My gf comes from a Jehovah witness household its very hard sometimes. Her mom doesnt like the fact that her daughter is a lesbian and sometimes I am not allowed to attend shit they do cause of their "faith". My gf is not a baptized JW. Her mom and her dad are. I think her mom accepting her doesnt have anything to do with not loving her, i think it has to do with the religion and also cause she doesnt want to disobey the bible or get shunned from the church.. I think its all lies and bullshit!!
There are other TG ex-JWs like myself who have transitioned including 2 of my JW friends. I was in the organization for 35 yrs and was active even pioneering but as an MTF hit a brick wall with the elders so I walked away because of the hypocritical viewpoints. But now I'm a born again Christian who is continuing to seek spirituality. So you are not alone!
Dude I have to say you are beautiful inside and out! Also, sorry this is so delayed, this is the first ive seen you on youtube. If you are really interested in seeking your own personal Spirituality, yoy gotta read the Conversation With God series by Neale Donald Walsch. It will inspire you to find your own truth, something that you just feel is right, not what other people/teachings want you to believe. Enjoy every moment of your search, and have a blast doing it.
@DarrahBrock Thanks for the compliments and your suggestion of reading Neale Donald Walsch! I have actually read Conversations with God. Only the first one. And I have to agree that it was very powerful. The part about suicide was able to disengage me from my path of self destruction during my teens. The idea that I might have to repeat my life and all it's painful experiences until I completed it naturally was enough to keep me alive.
p.s. i love that ur cats name is Noa, [yes?] that's my name too. and she was cute in the big paper baggie...
also, i have no idea to tell my grandma that i am trans, but my hope for the end of the time period when i transition is that she'll see me as a Good "Christian" Man with great moral values who lives his life on a higher path and treating people as Jesus or the Buddha would... i honestly do believe in God but not in a traditional sense.
i've always studied spirituality. i'm disgusted by most organized religion. i can't follow any strict practice like catholicism or even Hinduism [but i have more respect for the latter] and there's definitely a Heirarchy... but so far the most comfort i've found is from studying Shamanism and Hands-On healing. I read a lot about herb medicine, naturopathy, & also want to work with Crystals and do Chakra cleansing so i can open up all people to their own spiritual experiences and alter attitudes.
This is a really interesting topic and one that I have thought about often. I think you did an excellent job exploring a controversial topic and you are obviously highly evolved:-D lovelovelove the videos-keep up the good work
I was raised Catholic, then identified as atheist, and after that (in an effort to distance myself from the generalising, universalising rhetoric of bigots like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens) I called myself a 'non-theist.' Nowadays, I'm closer to being an animist, or a follower of Gaia theory. Like you said, every single one of us is a little piece of something greater.
I had Jehovah's Witnesses in my family as well as other religions. I didn't really know what/who to believe until I realized that religion & spirituality were not necessarily the same thing. What I did was read & explore many different religions & asked A LOT of questions (questions aren't bad, they build spirituality). I noticed a common thread among them. Eventually your spiritual truth will become apparent through your natural intuition. I think you're definitely on the right path :) Cheers!
Loved your video. Not many will understand where your coming from unless they've experienced something similar. Totally understand the need to be spiritual as I myself was raised in the "truth". Don't despair our higher power loves everyone despite what any religion may say. Hope you find serenity within you.
metaphoric guide book to finding your own soul. Live like Jesus, with all kindness and take all the bullshit and ignorance but go on your path. The bible is the greatest book in the world when you sit down alone to read it and completely forget ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you've ever heard about it - read it as if you are Jesus - let ALL of it relate to YOUR personal life.
I should be starting T in two weeks. I can't wait!
"And the LORD God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them."
The mind and the body are vehicles for the soul. I do believe that there are "male" souls and "female" souls but they are NOT defined by genitals. It has more to do with romance and soulmates... one soul creates and the other receives and accepts. Of course there are more details to this thought, though. PLAY WITH YOUR EXISTENCE UNTIL YOU GET IT RIGHT FOR YOURSELF! The bible is a
Lastly, I would like to say that I am still struggling with how I feel about "religion or spirituality but that putting together pieces of other religions and beliefs have help me shape myself into what I believe to be a better person and that's what works for me and I try to follow beliefs and hold morals and values that I think better myself and help me better others. Outside of that I think we all have our own journeys and that it doesn't always have to work for others/be a shared "reliegion"
First, let me say that I not only enjoy watching your vidoes but I always come back feeling refreshed an a little more enlightened after hearing your vews on things.
Secondly, I grew up with the Church of Christ religion where being homosexual or transgender in any way is seen as sin. After pulling away from the church shortly after coming out as "lesbian" I found myself feeling lonely and vulnerable and so convinced that I was going to hell for being who I felt I was meant to be.
Hi Meiko :) I so like your channel and your way of seeing things. With that being said...
I am over organized religion.... I think because they judge within or others in anyway they fail themselves. So yeah I like what u are saying must be. It is much bigger than they even can even imagine and it has nothing to do with judgment and more about enlightenment.
growing up pentecostal I went through a similar journey of discovery and turmoil.
I sought the theological text to discover what the higher power or God thought of me. And, the God of that religion, has no issue with it according to the theological text
I kinda had to start teaching myself that both men & women have their strong,and weak points,so one's never better,or loved more by our creator. That whole thing had to of been made up by dudes lol!
Yeah I also have a problem with the belief that men are naturally made to be more dominant than women. Too many religions seem to have that as part of their belief system. I'm not trans,but I remember beginning to hate myself for being female when I was a kid,just because of that damn belief!
its a personal experience each of us have to have really..spirituality is really all in in the eye of the beholder..religion distorts and creates far more chaos than that of just being a spiritual person...i'm not a christian in any fashion..so as far as being closer to God well i can't really comment on that..:) but, regarding my own personal choices in faith & salvation i feel everyone knows in their heart what makes sense and what doesn't..its choosing to explore it that proves difficulty:)
I'm glad,because by the time I was 12 I felt free to explore,and become appreciative of other peoples beliefs! I also find things that I believe in many religions. However personally I prefer to just call myself spiritual,because a sense of Spirituality seems to definitely be the one thing most of them have in common!: )
Oh man my family used to be a part of that religion when I was really little. By the time I was 5 my mom was kicked out,but it was definitely a good thing....atleast for me! I just have nothing,but negative memories from those days. For instance I remember people at the Kingdon Hall telling my mom to take me into the bathroom to beat me everytime I didn't pay attention during the services.....which she always did too!:( I'm just glad she left when I was still that young.
Please post more often. I miss ur videos & creative flare. As for religion in general, i believe that all ppl are equal in the eyes of God & that ur relationship w/ him is personal. I refuse to believe that any 1 denomination is correct or all-knowing above others. I have experienced many different religions in my lifetime & suffered criticism from most of them b/c of being gay &/or trans. Nonetheless, my belief in God is in tact & I trust my relationship w/ him will lead me home in the end.
I have asked some of these same questions, but through an in-depth study of the Bible, I've come to believe the stand of JW's is scriptural, that is to say, based on the precepts of the Bible. That said, I don't think that this position equates to a lower standing for women in terms of personal worth.
Interestingly JW's teach that those who will make up Christ's heavenly Kingdom, will be taken from among men.. and women.
My dear boy, with the gentle thoughtfulness and intelligence that you expressed in this video, you should hope that God will judge you. I think you wouldn't have anything to worry about. There are many exjws who are either struggling with their spirituality or have gotten through it, who post at jehovahs-witnessdotnet. One lady has a transgender son. Please join us there if you haven't already. Also, women and children suffer many injustices inside the Watchtower with cover ups of abuse.
This was a great video. I was raised Lutheran and then Presbyterian and still attend church with my family on the major holidays. Their church is becoming more and more progressive, and I feel more comfortable there now then I did as a teenager. As for my own spirituality, the spark for my beliefs arose from reading Richard Bach's "Illusions".
Great video Meiko. I was raised in an evangelical Christain home. Same traditional values as you. I questioned everything growing up. Never believing much of what I was fed by my father or the churches we belonged to. Eventually when I came to the realization that I needed sprirituality, I studies a few choices and chose Judaism. Progressive liberal Jews are open to GLBT people and focus less on the actual doctrine of the Hebrew Bible. I am very happy to be welcomed into the fold.
Thank you for this video! I was raised in a family split between JW and Pentacostal. Both are so dogmatic and hostile to all GLBTIQ persons that I do not belong to either group. I am certainly spiritual, but I feel that all of the organized religions (denomanations) that I am familiar with have strayed (to put it mildly) from religion's fundamental purpose. Lloyd
I agree. I don't have an issue with people having faith in something or believe in something.... anything really, as long as you aren't condemning or hurting others.That's my beef with religion... People really. Religion is just the excuse for their behaviors.
my family raised me mormon. the other religion that goes door to door with the attitude of having THE truth. i just thank my lucky stars that i got out alive, altho barely.
thank you for this today....the very sad day marie osmonds (famous mormon) gay teenage soon took his life. in the mormon church being gay or trans is the worst sin of all and thus most parents disown their queer kids. may he rest in peace.
@fruitgrrl The whole gay/trans mormon thing helped me decide to leave the church last year. It's the best example I know of trying to twist what is real in order to fit the pre-established doctrine, rather than judging the doctrine by the reality we see. Because I am straight and cis, it took me a long time to realise these things, and it's one of the reasons that I'm glad to have discovered trans people on YT just at a time when I was questioning a lot of other aspects of the church as well.
I am a Christian. I won't let narrow-minded people take God from me just because I am not like them. (I'm trans)
One can find in the Bible truths about how to live one's life. I think these two matter the most: (1 ) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and (2) Love your neighbor (friend and enemy) as yourself. ~Kalervo
Great Video Meiko, I can relate to a lot of the things that you said. I am growing up in a Christian home and I've definetly had some issues with some of my families beleifs around gender and sexuality. Around the idea that men are superior and that women are less simply because the bible is projected towards male dominance. It's something I continue to struggle with, and something I will try to overcome in order to see spirituality differently. I definetly beleive that 'God' is genderless :)
Exactly, I mean...how can a spiritual being have a gender? In the end what is male and female really...it's not like a God has a physical body, so they can't really be of a male or female identification...they don't need a gender.
most religions are male dominanated. I to grew up as a JW and it too left a bad taste in my mouth. I am very spiritual now and refuse to believe that God is anywhere near what religion makes him out to be. They don't know God at all. Nor do they know themselves. Great video and topic.
i hqd to live with my step mom and dad and so i was raised as jehovahs witness for 4 yrs of my life. personally i loved it but it wasnt for me bekuz i am transgender. bt i do have negative stuff against it but i still kjeep in contact with friends of the kingdom hall,.good to knw there is a trans guy who was raidsed as a jw!:)
Great video, I thought you handled the topic well.
I was raised without religion which allowed me to reach my own conclusions. All religions pretty much say "my way or the highway" which is why I decided to follow the one thing they all agreed on and find my own path on the "highway".
To put it as simply as possible, I believe in humanity.
I totally agree. I think that with something as abstract as religion, to hold the idea that you have the only right answer or viewpoint is to exclude other possibilities. Therefore stunting the growth we can have as humanity if we were to really hear one anothers ideas and feelings with an open heart.
Meiko, I grew up in a apostolic pentecostal household so I know where you're coming from on the whole "males are better than females." I've recently come to terms that all of the religion stuff. I don't think that God does judge us. I think that he accepts us for no matter what we are or who we are.
I had a really long relationship with Jehovah's Witnesses. When I was about 5 I visited my aunt with my Mum, and at that time my aunt was a Bible student and had a meeting with one of the pioneers. That's how it started. At the age of 16 everybody was expecting me to become a Witness, but I didn't even think about it, because I had too many questions and they had no answers or their answers did not satisfy me.
I am christened in Russian Orthodox Church, but this religion gives even less answers. I tried Krishnaism, for two of my friends are monks. I dipped into Buddhism, especially Zen. But nothing seems perfect :) And now, just like you, I have my own vision of God.
I try to take the bits that feel right and leave the rest, not aligning with any one group. I think almost every religion has at least one good thing to offer.
i feel that humans have turned religion into a negetive. I feel that "God" or this much much greater energy would want nothing more but for us to put more good energy into this world. the more there is the closer we get to "heaven". I hope the saying "in the name of God" will end and inturn will be said "in the name of good" i think we will get a lot more out of each other if we think about it that way.
im more spiritual than religious but i found reading A New Earth by Eckard Tolle and also many books by Dr Wayne Dyer to be an excellent source of spiritual guidance and information. and then theres Abraham hicks and the law of attraction . all i can say is read, do research, and question things like you've been doing because there is no clear cut path to gaining an understanding of the universe and its flow
I was raised in a very fundamentalist approach to Christianity & I carry with me a lot of the same negative connotations with the word "God" & personal issues with religion. I've tried to speak about it b4 on here, but I encountered too much personal bitterness to feel that I'd been fair to the broader religion & took the vids down. It's been about 3yrs that I've been working through my negative feelings about what I was raised in. I'll try to make a video response.
Religion is such a heated issue. For the record this video is not meant to offend but to acknowledge that most people think their religions are the correct one or the only true one - Or preach love but then not act in love. Soooo many people have been hurt by religion rather than helped by it, which is so disheartening. I can't say that I'll ever unify myself with a religion as I just don't agree with them. But my spirituality means more to me than anything else in this world.
Getting to know lots of different viewpoints and choosing elements which I feel fit me is the way I do :) Basically following my heart, with some little shortcuts others have already worked their way through.
kazerniel 3 weeks ago
Have you heard of LoA and teachers such as Abraham channeled thru esther hicks. If you Google it you'll find it. I was raised fund Christian and always felt out of it spiritually and now after listening to the teachings Ive learned to love myself and believe in a lighter God force. It rocked my world just fyi. Lol. It may seem out there which it is but I find it really resonates with me.
liabw05 1 month ago
Your cute :))
SkipyWasHere 2 months ago
Hi ;) I'm trans FtM too, but i'm 17 and its my beginning of everything...
I feel better when I can see somebody like You. Thanks ;)
TheAlexandralexander 3 months ago
I would recommend reading the book Many Lives Many Masters. I randomly found it at a library's used book sale. I found it in a row of a hundred books stacked side by side on long conference tables. I honestly felt like I could feel it's energy radiating from an area, which is why I stopped, and when I looked down, saw it, and pulled it up. Very interesting.
ecaffee 4 months ago
@ecaffee Thanks for the suggestion! I actually read that book a couple years back when a friend told me how much they loved it! I think I've read a couple of his books actually! Really amazing!
MeikoEliasXavier 4 months ago
I just stumbled on your channel. Nicely done. Can't wait to see your other videos. I grew up a JW and I'm a Atheist.
DblOSmith 5 months ago
I really enjoy watching your videos and hearing your thoughts. Light and compassion poor out of you and it is beautiful to see.
I believe we are all here to help each other. Whatever you need to believe in to help you do that or realize that is up to you.
heyrobin5 6 months ago
Your cat Noah is soooo cute!!!! :DD
bebeautifulyou 8 months ago
For years I had self loathing and bitterness because of my belief in god and worse my belief in fate. After letting go of my superstition and becoming an atheist I am happier and more importantly I am more pro-active. If I were to have a higher power it would be the rules of logic.
cavejourney 9 months ago
Very interesting video! I can see where you are coming from. I grew up in a fundamental christian home. I just try to remain true to myself and don't listen to such religious nonsense. Spirit is the one who knows us best. People will be people.
AuroraLiora 9 months ago
You are the cutest:) are you single..omg cant believe I just said that lol. Im willing to wait in line as long as possible...lol mg i'll stop talking now before I sound like an even bigger creeper
20intime 9 months ago
Eres muy valiente al decir todo acerca d la religion e estado escuchando cada uno d tus videos hasta dar con este
En realidad tocar el tema d religion es muy conflictivo especialmente si fuiste criado dentro del pueblo d jah y darle la espalda
Yo estoy pisando por donde tu ya pasaste especialmente porque los padres esperan que uno regrese a jah pero cuando se yega tan adentro de este mundo que es dificil regresar,
Porque es pelear en contra de uno mismo. Nunca e hablado acerca de mi inti
BETTYREGIA 10 months ago
my nan is a jehovah's witness and she's always really pushed her beliefs onto me. I used to go along with it because i hadn't known any different. It's only the last year, having started taking philosophy as an exam subject that i have changed my views. I objected to thier views on sexuality and got a huge lecture :( I belive in an intelligent creator who is responsible for the existence of the universe, but i think man-made religion gives "god" a negative image. right now i'm pretty confused :/
sweetiepops 10 months ago
You are doing a good thing posting this video, the feeling of being alone for transgender Jehovah's Witnesses is why many live in deep fear, looking up information on the subject in Jehovah's Witnesses publications at best is not up to date. I hope Jehovah's Witnesses dealing with gender problems, find people to talk too, sadly many transgender get so low and find it hard to keep on living, if you have saved just person your video is a life saver.
livingtgender 11 months ago
Meiko, your honesty and candor almost overshadow how truly beautiful you are on the outside! I don't think you need to change a thing. In your eyes, the love God has for us all shines. I don't even know you, but I thank God for your Mom & Dad having you. So angelic is that face, it makes me want to hold you and kiss you so very tenderly... omg! my eyes are watering, I can't type anymore! always stay beautiful, my dear angel, scott.
DrNoahBoddy004 1 year ago
i hear you on roles at the KH......i understand you.
thepixieful 1 year ago
Hey,,I'm uno came from Indonesia in my country there's no such top body surgery or T..I'm wondering if u can give me link to share or discuss bout FTM and top surgery..hope im not bother and thank u very much..u are amazing..
ricardodanielsinaga 1 year ago
I grew up in a homophobic family and was raised baptist/methodist. being told i was going to hell for being me made me hate God, church, and my family. what helped me was looking at how historically humanity has gotten alot wrong. Thinking slavery was the right thing to do. not allowing women equality. racism. i realized these were created by man, not God. I NEVER felt that God disapproved of me. God made me. His unonditional love has been proven to me as He made it possible for me to transition
boiwyatt 1 year ago
I wonder...and maybe I missed the point. But, could your opinion of your parent's beliefs... this "men being superior" - did that ultimately effect your decision to transform?
AbiROAR 1 year ago
@AbiROAR Definitely not, because I always did and still do disagree with that belief. They never even slightly convinced me that women were actually inferior to men. So it had zero impact on my reasons for transition being the right decision for me.
MeikoEliasXavier 1 year ago
Ur cute
paramorerocks1278 1 year ago
Well, I definitely don't believe that we'll ever exist without bodies, as body and mind/soul are inseparable - they support each other and require each other and are not altogether different things. Personally, I think life can be very cruel, but as conscious beings all we can do is work to create as much love as possible out of an imperfect world. Spirituality is a tool that humans have created to deal with the existential issues that arise from the height of self-awareness.
Aprinsa 1 year ago
From listening to you, i believe you'll like this book, if you haven't already.
The Law of Attraction by Jerry and Ester Hicks.
DaniellexCCLx 1 year ago
This guy was so frustrated with how hypocritical philosophy and religion was in his day that he just felt the need to just write out his entire life and at the same time contemplate his jouney with God. He writes about everything, from poetry and literature, to how hypocritical school was(I loved this part!). He talks about hypocracy in God's church, the oneness of God and spiritual maturity.
I also liked a protestant book called Gary Chapman called "The Love languages of God".
colliric 1 year ago
I respect this video...
I am a Catholic myself, I am altar servering at my church. I suggest, if you really want to read a great spiritual book, I suggest you get two books, "The Confessions Of Saint Augustine". Reading that book was such a wonderful experience, it opened my eyes to God in a way the scriptures really didn't do(outside of the psalms). The book removed my misunderstandings that Saints were "above us normal guys" in many ways. Augustine was a sinner, and a normal loving guy.
colliric 1 year ago
<3 Thank you for posting this video. You are a very compassionate person and it does help others to hear your story and search for a spiritual life that you were comfortable with. Thanks.
NenoStudios 1 year ago
Thats because Religion was made up by humans. Power is a human need. Its initially made up to scare people into not "doing evil things" before there was gov't. I just listen to everything people have to say and make decisions based on realism or commonsense. U don't have to b one religion or another. can just believe what u believe. Chris
H8882BU 1 year ago 8
@H8882BU
Actually Government and Religion have BOTH been around since the dawn of society....
colliric 1 year ago
though i am not trans, i also dealt with becoming uncomfortable with the religion i was raised with when i was old enough to realize all of the gender inequalities in christianity. In college i did a lot of research into paganism and found it very interesting, because it is a spirituality that i can make my own. Just do research on various spiritual paths and see where it takes you! best of luck! ^_^
fragiledarkrose 1 year ago
My gf comes from a Jehovah witness household its very hard sometimes. Her mom doesnt like the fact that her daughter is a lesbian and sometimes I am not allowed to attend shit they do cause of their "faith". My gf is not a baptized JW. Her mom and her dad are. I think her mom accepting her doesnt have anything to do with not loving her, i think it has to do with the religion and also cause she doesnt want to disobey the bible or get shunned from the church.. I think its all lies and bullshit!!
LiLRnbwStud 1 year ago
There are other TG ex-JWs like myself who have transitioned including 2 of my JW friends. I was in the organization for 35 yrs and was active even pioneering but as an MTF hit a brick wall with the elders so I walked away because of the hypocritical viewpoints. But now I'm a born again Christian who is continuing to seek spirituality. So you are not alone!
tacomasam 1 year ago
hello, if you havent already, you should read celestine prophecys by james redfield, i think you would enjoy it!!1
ceridawn 1 year ago
@ceridawn Great book! I read the first one probably 6 or 7 years ago. I also saw the movie as well. Great suggestion!
MeikoEliasXavier 1 year ago
Dude I have to say you are beautiful inside and out! Also, sorry this is so delayed, this is the first ive seen you on youtube. If you are really interested in seeking your own personal Spirituality, yoy gotta read the Conversation With God series by Neale Donald Walsch. It will inspire you to find your own truth, something that you just feel is right, not what other people/teachings want you to believe. Enjoy every moment of your search, and have a blast doing it.
DarrahBrock 1 year ago
@DarrahBrock Thanks for the compliments and your suggestion of reading Neale Donald Walsch! I have actually read Conversations with God. Only the first one. And I have to agree that it was very powerful. The part about suicide was able to disengage me from my path of self destruction during my teens. The idea that I might have to repeat my life and all it's painful experiences until I completed it naturally was enough to keep me alive.
MeikoEliasXavier 1 year ago
p.s. i love that ur cats name is Noa, [yes?] that's my name too. and she was cute in the big paper baggie...
also, i have no idea to tell my grandma that i am trans, but my hope for the end of the time period when i transition is that she'll see me as a Good "Christian" Man with great moral values who lives his life on a higher path and treating people as Jesus or the Buddha would... i honestly do believe in God but not in a traditional sense.
God is in everything, everyone IS God/Angels.
BonesDGAF021 1 year ago
i've always studied spirituality. i'm disgusted by most organized religion. i can't follow any strict practice like catholicism or even Hinduism [but i have more respect for the latter] and there's definitely a Heirarchy... but so far the most comfort i've found is from studying Shamanism and Hands-On healing. I read a lot about herb medicine, naturopathy, & also want to work with Crystals and do Chakra cleansing so i can open up all people to their own spiritual experiences and alter attitudes.
BonesDGAF021 1 year ago
you are something beautiful
eres algo hermoso
anacaro09 1 year ago
This is a really interesting topic and one that I have thought about often. I think you did an excellent job exploring a controversial topic and you are obviously highly evolved:-D lovelovelove the videos-keep up the good work
janesays1 1 year ago
My thoughts, "Divine Power is Pure UNconditional LOVE and to Loose site of that is to be Lost ForEver."
Jaxon133 1 year ago
@Jaxon133 I love this!!!
MeikoEliasXavier 1 year ago
I was raised Catholic, then identified as atheist, and after that (in an effort to distance myself from the generalising, universalising rhetoric of bigots like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens) I called myself a 'non-theist.' Nowadays, I'm closer to being an animist, or a follower of Gaia theory. Like you said, every single one of us is a little piece of something greater.
jackinyogrill 1 year ago
hey man if you want to i would love for you to have a day on our channel well think about it
thanks
FTMBrother
Kristopher
FTMBrotherhood 1 year ago
I had Jehovah's Witnesses in my family as well as other religions. I didn't really know what/who to believe until I realized that religion & spirituality were not necessarily the same thing. What I did was read & explore many different religions & asked A LOT of questions (questions aren't bad, they build spirituality). I noticed a common thread among them. Eventually your spiritual truth will become apparent through your natural intuition. I think you're definitely on the right path :) Cheers!
lostqueer 1 year ago
Loved your video. Not many will understand where your coming from unless they've experienced something similar. Totally understand the need to be spiritual as I myself was raised in the "truth". Don't despair our higher power loves everyone despite what any religion may say. Hope you find serenity within you.
taffyscorner 1 year ago
you have nice eyes :)
SaraPunkzz 1 year ago
@SaraPunkzz thank you
MeikoEliasXavier 1 year ago
metaphoric guide book to finding your own soul. Live like Jesus, with all kindness and take all the bullshit and ignorance but go on your path. The bible is the greatest book in the world when you sit down alone to read it and completely forget ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you've ever heard about it - read it as if you are Jesus - let ALL of it relate to YOUR personal life.
I should be starting T in two weeks. I can't wait!
BeltranBeltran 2 years ago
@BeltranBeltran thank you for sharing
MeikoEliasXavier 1 year ago
"And the LORD God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them."
The mind and the body are vehicles for the soul. I do believe that there are "male" souls and "female" souls but they are NOT defined by genitals. It has more to do with romance and soulmates... one soul creates and the other receives and accepts. Of course there are more details to this thought, though. PLAY WITH YOUR EXISTENCE UNTIL YOU GET IT RIGHT FOR YOURSELF! The bible is a
BeltranBeltran 2 years ago
great video ^-^, i sent you a message :]
pyschoninja234 2 years ago
Lastly, I would like to say that I am still struggling with how I feel about "religion or spirituality but that putting together pieces of other religions and beliefs have help me shape myself into what I believe to be a better person and that's what works for me and I try to follow beliefs and hold morals and values that I think better myself and help me better others. Outside of that I think we all have our own journeys and that it doesn't always have to work for others/be a shared "reliegion"
SomeRandomThursday 2 years ago
First, let me say that I not only enjoy watching your vidoes but I always come back feeling refreshed an a little more enlightened after hearing your vews on things.
Secondly, I grew up with the Church of Christ religion where being homosexual or transgender in any way is seen as sin. After pulling away from the church shortly after coming out as "lesbian" I found myself feeling lonely and vulnerable and so convinced that I was going to hell for being who I felt I was meant to be.
SomeRandomThursday 2 years ago
Hi Meiko :) I so like your channel and your way of seeing things. With that being said...
I am over organized religion.... I think because they judge within or others in anyway they fail themselves. So yeah I like what u are saying must be. It is much bigger than they even can even imagine and it has nothing to do with judgment and more about enlightenment.
bluestreak4 2 years ago
@bluestreak4 I totally agree
MeikoEliasXavier 1 year ago
growing up pentecostal I went through a similar journey of discovery and turmoil.
I sought the theological text to discover what the higher power or God thought of me. And, the God of that religion, has no issue with it according to the theological text
frogger79 2 years ago
I think everyone has their own jurneys to travel and learn and we will all end up were we are meant to.
I was raised Catholic but i go to a christian church,
dont really care about the word religion. I like to think of my self as a follower and believer od Jesus Christ,
jesus to me is one part of a 3 part God.
crizbishonen 2 years ago
this God has no gender or it rather has all genders.
Jesus was seen as male because that is the shape He took to come down to earth in,
but His body had nothing to do with his gender (at least in my opinion) God to me
is a being of pure and perfect light, God is perfect balance and perfect love called agape.
crizbishonen 2 years ago
I kinda had to start teaching myself that both men & women have their strong,and weak points,so one's never better,or loved more by our creator. That whole thing had to of been made up by dudes lol!
abstractjem 2 years ago
Yeah I also have a problem with the belief that men are naturally made to be more dominant than women. Too many religions seem to have that as part of their belief system. I'm not trans,but I remember beginning to hate myself for being female when I was a kid,just because of that damn belief!
abstractjem 2 years ago
ypu i hate when use rekigion but shouldnt hurt others its wrong that should be sin lol hurting others is wrong
SuperChris2727 2 years ago
hate being judge
SuperChris2727 2 years ago
im just like u man with mohawk i hate being too it it really does lol
SuperChris2727 2 years ago
reminds how me ppl think guys r more power i hate that im just like man i have mohawk too
SuperChris2727 2 years ago
its a personal experience each of us have to have really..spirituality is really all in in the eye of the beholder..religion distorts and creates far more chaos than that of just being a spiritual person...i'm not a christian in any fashion..so as far as being closer to God well i can't really comment on that..:) but, regarding my own personal choices in faith & salvation i feel everyone knows in their heart what makes sense and what doesn't..its choosing to explore it that proves difficulty:)
FlawlessVisions 2 years ago
I've also noticed many of the kids I knew who continued to be a part of that religion,seem completely insane now as adults!
abstractjem 2 years ago
I'm glad,because by the time I was 12 I felt free to explore,and become appreciative of other peoples beliefs! I also find things that I believe in many religions. However personally I prefer to just call myself spiritual,because a sense of Spirituality seems to definitely be the one thing most of them have in common!: )
abstractjem 2 years ago
Oh man my family used to be a part of that religion when I was really little. By the time I was 5 my mom was kicked out,but it was definitely a good thing....atleast for me! I just have nothing,but negative memories from those days. For instance I remember people at the Kingdon Hall telling my mom to take me into the bathroom to beat me everytime I didn't pay attention during the services.....which she always did too!:( I'm just glad she left when I was still that young.
abstractjem 2 years ago
I have endless memories of being repeatedly spanked in one of the walk in closets in the downstairs of the kingdom hall.
MeikoEliasXavier 2 years ago
Please post more often. I miss ur videos & creative flare. As for religion in general, i believe that all ppl are equal in the eyes of God & that ur relationship w/ him is personal. I refuse to believe that any 1 denomination is correct or all-knowing above others. I have experienced many different religions in my lifetime & suffered criticism from most of them b/c of being gay &/or trans. Nonetheless, my belief in God is in tact & I trust my relationship w/ him will lead me home in the end.
Narcolipto 2 years ago
I'm a relatively new JW's, and a woman...
I have asked some of these same questions, but through an in-depth study of the Bible, I've come to believe the stand of JW's is scriptural, that is to say, based on the precepts of the Bible. That said, I don't think that this position equates to a lower standing for women in terms of personal worth.
Interestingly JW's teach that those who will make up Christ's heavenly Kingdom, will be taken from among men.. and women.
I enjoyed your video!
RussianRevolutionary 2 years ago
My dear boy, with the gentle thoughtfulness and intelligence that you expressed in this video, you should hope that God will judge you. I think you wouldn't have anything to worry about. There are many exjws who are either struggling with their spirituality or have gotten through it, who post at jehovahs-witnessdotnet. One lady has a transgender son. Please join us there if you haven't already. Also, women and children suffer many injustices inside the Watchtower with cover ups of abuse.
exjw44288 2 years ago
There are many issues dealt with at that site. Please check your messages, and I'll give you my user name. Maybe we can meet up there.
exjw44288 2 years ago
This was a great video. I was raised Lutheran and then Presbyterian and still attend church with my family on the major holidays. Their church is becoming more and more progressive, and I feel more comfortable there now then I did as a teenager. As for my own spirituality, the spark for my beliefs arose from reading Richard Bach's "Illusions".
feedthefire32 2 years ago
This is the second time Illusions has been suggested or mentioned to me in the past month. Must be a sign to read it...
MeikoEliasXavier 2 years ago
Great video Meiko. I was raised in an evangelical Christain home. Same traditional values as you. I questioned everything growing up. Never believing much of what I was fed by my father or the churches we belonged to. Eventually when I came to the realization that I needed sprirituality, I studies a few choices and chose Judaism. Progressive liberal Jews are open to GLBT people and focus less on the actual doctrine of the Hebrew Bible. I am very happy to be welcomed into the fold.
cameraboi1229 2 years ago
Meiko:
Thank you for this video! I was raised in a family split between JW and Pentacostal. Both are so dogmatic and hostile to all GLBTIQ persons that I do not belong to either group. I am certainly spiritual, but I feel that all of the organized religions (denomanations) that I am familiar with have strayed (to put it mildly) from religion's fundamental purpose. Lloyd
Johnson210000 2 years ago
I agree. I don't have an issue with people having faith in something or believe in something.... anything really, as long as you aren't condemning or hurting others.That's my beef with religion... People really. Religion is just the excuse for their behaviors.
MeikoEliasXavier 2 years ago
my family raised me mormon. the other religion that goes door to door with the attitude of having THE truth. i just thank my lucky stars that i got out alive, altho barely.
thank you for this today....the very sad day marie osmonds (famous mormon) gay teenage soon took his life. in the mormon church being gay or trans is the worst sin of all and thus most parents disown their queer kids. may he rest in peace.
fruitgrrl 2 years ago
@fruitgrrl The whole gay/trans mormon thing helped me decide to leave the church last year. It's the best example I know of trying to twist what is real in order to fit the pre-established doctrine, rather than judging the doctrine by the reality we see. Because I am straight and cis, it took me a long time to realise these things, and it's one of the reasons that I'm glad to have discovered trans people on YT just at a time when I was questioning a lot of other aspects of the church as well.
rivenrock 2 years ago
I strongly recommend the book A path With Heart by Jack Cornfield. A wonderful book for both heart and soul. Take care.
batgodmanzilla 2 years ago
I am a Christian. I won't let narrow-minded people take God from me just because I am not like them. (I'm trans)
One can find in the Bible truths about how to live one's life. I think these two matter the most: (1 ) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and (2) Love your neighbor (friend and enemy) as yourself. ~Kalervo
John 3:16
kalmanlyman 2 years ago
Great Video Meiko, I can relate to a lot of the things that you said. I am growing up in a Christian home and I've definetly had some issues with some of my families beleifs around gender and sexuality. Around the idea that men are superior and that women are less simply because the bible is projected towards male dominance. It's something I continue to struggle with, and something I will try to overcome in order to see spirituality differently. I definetly beleive that 'God' is genderless :)
Dash107 2 years ago
Here here! I believe that if there is a god that god is genderless too. It's never made sense to me that god would be male.
MeikoEliasXavier 2 years ago
Exactly, I mean...how can a spiritual being have a gender? In the end what is male and female really...it's not like a God has a physical body, so they can't really be of a male or female identification...they don't need a gender.
Dash107 2 years ago
most religions are male dominanated. I to grew up as a JW and it too left a bad taste in my mouth. I am very spiritual now and refuse to believe that God is anywhere near what religion makes him out to be. They don't know God at all. Nor do they know themselves. Great video and topic.
markangeloc 2 years ago
i hqd to live with my step mom and dad and so i was raised as jehovahs witness for 4 yrs of my life. personally i loved it but it wasnt for me bekuz i am transgender. bt i do have negative stuff against it but i still kjeep in contact with friends of the kingdom hall,.good to knw there is a trans guy who was raidsed as a jw!:)
desibabii1 2 years ago
i was raised jw too.
desibabii1 2 years ago
Great video, I thought you handled the topic well.
I was raised without religion which allowed me to reach my own conclusions. All religions pretty much say "my way or the highway" which is why I decided to follow the one thing they all agreed on and find my own path on the "highway".
To put it as simply as possible, I believe in humanity.
FlipsideTG 2 years ago
I totally agree. I think that with something as abstract as religion, to hold the idea that you have the only right answer or viewpoint is to exclude other possibilities. Therefore stunting the growth we can have as humanity if we were to really hear one anothers ideas and feelings with an open heart.
MeikoEliasXavier 2 years ago
Meiko, I grew up in a apostolic pentecostal household so I know where you're coming from on the whole "males are better than females." I've recently come to terms that all of the religion stuff. I don't think that God does judge us. I think that he accepts us for no matter what we are or who we are.
jbl86900 2 years ago
I had a really long relationship with Jehovah's Witnesses. When I was about 5 I visited my aunt with my Mum, and at that time my aunt was a Bible student and had a meeting with one of the pioneers. That's how it started. At the age of 16 everybody was expecting me to become a Witness, but I didn't even think about it, because I had too many questions and they had no answers or their answers did not satisfy me.
redfoxonstilts 2 years ago
I am christened in Russian Orthodox Church, but this religion gives even less answers. I tried Krishnaism, for two of my friends are monks. I dipped into Buddhism, especially Zen. But nothing seems perfect :) And now, just like you, I have my own vision of God.
redfoxonstilts 2 years ago
I try to take the bits that feel right and leave the rest, not aligning with any one group. I think almost every religion has at least one good thing to offer.
MeikoEliasXavier 2 years ago
i feel that humans have turned religion into a negetive. I feel that "God" or this much much greater energy would want nothing more but for us to put more good energy into this world. the more there is the closer we get to "heaven". I hope the saying "in the name of God" will end and inturn will be said "in the name of good" i think we will get a lot more out of each other if we think about it that way.
its good to have you back man.
olEsquirelo 2 years ago 10
LOVE THIS!!!
Thank you!
MeikoEliasXavier 2 years ago
im more spiritual than religious but i found reading A New Earth by Eckard Tolle and also many books by Dr Wayne Dyer to be an excellent source of spiritual guidance and information. and then theres Abraham hicks and the law of attraction . all i can say is read, do research, and question things like you've been doing because there is no clear cut path to gaining an understanding of the universe and its flow
taz8devil8 2 years ago
Thank you for this, Meiko.
I was raised in a very fundamentalist approach to Christianity & I carry with me a lot of the same negative connotations with the word "God" & personal issues with religion. I've tried to speak about it b4 on here, but I encountered too much personal bitterness to feel that I'd been fair to the broader religion & took the vids down. It's been about 3yrs that I've been working through my negative feelings about what I was raised in. I'll try to make a video response.
xxthread 2 years ago
Religion is such a heated issue. For the record this video is not meant to offend but to acknowledge that most people think their religions are the correct one or the only true one - Or preach love but then not act in love. Soooo many people have been hurt by religion rather than helped by it, which is so disheartening. I can't say that I'll ever unify myself with a religion as I just don't agree with them. But my spirituality means more to me than anything else in this world.
MeikoEliasXavier 2 years ago
That's exactly how it was received, at least for me.
I share the same sentiments.
xxthread 2 years ago