My dad is catholic, my mom is a mormon. Normaly kids will pick up whatever religion their parents practice. I never did, I asked my dad once about this. He said they decided to let us kids decide what we want to be. As a result I'm neither I guess. Do I believe in God? Well if I think logicaly then I would say no, but then sometimes I find my self praying and giving thanks to someone so I don't know, I guess I must.
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Religion and you.
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WrathOfOtaibah
Banned
My parents are both Catholic. My Dad fucking hates the religion because in his words, its all bullshit. He refuses to even step foot in a church after the Vatican's handling (or lack of) with the molestation issue.
My mom goes twice: Easter and Christmas. She still claims to be religious and every Monday, she says she's going to Church the following Sunday. She never does.
Myself, I went through all the stages of Catholicism. Truth is, I'm still so-so on the issue. I believe that its a great compass to live your life but I don't think religious ideals should be forced onto people. If God hates gay people, then its not up to me to judge gays. Thats up to God and only God. I have no problems with gay people because while religions denounce homosexuality, it also promotes treating your fellow man well.
I haven't been to church in ages.
My mom goes twice: Easter and Christmas. She still claims to be religious and every Monday, she says she's going to Church the following Sunday. She never does.
Myself, I went through all the stages of Catholicism. Truth is, I'm still so-so on the issue. I believe that its a great compass to live your life but I don't think religious ideals should be forced onto people. If God hates gay people, then its not up to me to judge gays. Thats up to God and only God. I have no problems with gay people because while religions denounce homosexuality, it also promotes treating your fellow man well.
I haven't been to church in ages.
Straightballin
Member
I didnt mean thats the only reason actually far from it but it is a reason.
TheQueen'sOwn
insert blank space here
If with my last breath I'm happy with my life, I win if there is a heaven or if there isn't. If by chance me being happy with my life isn't good enough for a God if there is a God... then fuck him I don't need him. Send me to hell for all I care. I'm not going to change the way I reason or act to get into heaven. I'm not going to lie my way into heaven. If being myself isn't good enough for "Him", then whatever.
So basically, my "religion" is just that - my religion.
(1) Never intentionally hurt someone emotionally or physically.
(2) Do your best to make yourself proud of being you.
So basically, my "religion" is just that - my religion.
(1) Never intentionally hurt someone emotionally or physically.
(2) Do your best to make yourself proud of being you.
I was raised Lutheran and always felt a fairly strong spiritual side even when I missed sunday schooling as much as 3 times in row just to go shopping with my mom, hehe. As an adult now and having read as much as I can on both sides of coin I do see how logically the bible just seems like fiction, contradictory at that, that was used to get people through the day. I think having lost my grandma, the most magical person and basicly the only one I felt close to in my life has scard me in a way. The way she died without me being there, and the fact that I don't "feel" her presence as much I thought I would adds to my doubts. Also my pastor has taught me a lesson through his actions. I've learnd he is only willing to help after I have donated pc parts to him, otherwise he has nothing to do with me.
But then I remember, having been very sick person most of my life that when I was closest to death I always felt an immense unexplainable presence. Something so extremely unexpected, of such joy and sincerity. Call that what you will, sub-consious coping mechanism,etc, but always seemed very real and unexpected to me.
I remember reading Embraced by Light when came out decade ago and alot parts really clicked with me. About now we knew each other before we came down and we are here to learn and expand in ways we couldnt through our previous form. So I guess part of me now has adult doubts of logic that come during dark times and another part of new that is new agish that believes in some higher good and that we carry on in some form past the physical. That last part of me that sees all the beauty in world, the trees, waterfalls, relationhips screams this cant all be for nothing, its carries on. I hope that is the reason that is true.
But then I remember, having been very sick person most of my life that when I was closest to death I always felt an immense unexplainable presence. Something so extremely unexpected, of such joy and sincerity. Call that what you will, sub-consious coping mechanism,etc, but always seemed very real and unexpected to me.
I remember reading Embraced by Light when came out decade ago and alot parts really clicked with me. About now we knew each other before we came down and we are here to learn and expand in ways we couldnt through our previous form. So I guess part of me now has adult doubts of logic that come during dark times and another part of new that is new agish that believes in some higher good and that we carry on in some form past the physical. That last part of me that sees all the beauty in world, the trees, waterfalls, relationhips screams this cant all be for nothing, its carries on. I hope that is the reason that is true.
I'm a strong atheist - which is to say, I've seen strong evidence that gods are invented by humans, and none at all that they exist in their own right.
As far as I'm concerned, religion are generally a collection of of baffling stories, muddled teachings and rules, strange beings that don't seem to actually exist, and bad answers to questions that aren't important. As cultural constructs, they're interesting, in that they're another one of those bizarre things that people get obsessed with for some reason. But on a personal level, I've found them to be worthless at best, and destructive at worst.
As far as I'm concerned, religion are generally a collection of of baffling stories, muddled teachings and rules, strange beings that don't seem to actually exist, and bad answers to questions that aren't important. As cultural constructs, they're interesting, in that they're another one of those bizarre things that people get obsessed with for some reason. But on a personal level, I've found them to be worthless at best, and destructive at worst.
Cerebral Palsy
Banned
Agnostic, and strongly dislike organized religion.
Father_Brain
Banned
Synbios459 said:My father is a preacher and has always been one of the most religious people I know so I was raised to believe Christianity. I ended up becoming more agnostic, but ever since I saw an excorcism (it was at church camp and by a person who kept speaking in differemt languages, and I know pretty well how would could NOT fake it) I have turned back to Christianity. It scared me sh!tless you could say
A fucking exorcism turned you to Christ? My god, you must be either an idiot or just incredibly gullible.
I don't know what to say and if I should say it.
The best way to put it is that I'm a Muslim hypocrite.
I believe in God, in our purpose in life (to enjoin in goodness), and that we will all die and face God in the Day of Judgement. In these things I have no doubt. I can see the logic in it, and see it more logical than any other explanation (whether it's evolution, or other belief systems). I also know very clear answers for questions that many people have concerning life (and some questions posted in this very thread). When it comes to the meaning of life, the meaning of our lives, what we need to do to succeed, what we need to do to be happy, and what we need to do to achieve harmony on a domestic, local, national and global scale, it's all apparent.
My problem is that in some of my conduct I do not act as a Muslim. For example, I can be arrogant, a not-so-smart smart ass, and foul mouthed.
But during the past few years as I grow older and wiser I am becoming more religious. I'm becoming more of a humanist and becoming more focused on the need for justice in this World. So I realize that if I want the World to be a better place, I have to change myself, and then see the World change around me as a consequence. I just have to overcome my defeciencies in character and only then can I call myself a "Muslim" without any attachment or disclaimer.
The best way to put it is that I'm a Muslim hypocrite.
I believe in God, in our purpose in life (to enjoin in goodness), and that we will all die and face God in the Day of Judgement. In these things I have no doubt. I can see the logic in it, and see it more logical than any other explanation (whether it's evolution, or other belief systems). I also know very clear answers for questions that many people have concerning life (and some questions posted in this very thread). When it comes to the meaning of life, the meaning of our lives, what we need to do to succeed, what we need to do to be happy, and what we need to do to achieve harmony on a domestic, local, national and global scale, it's all apparent.
My problem is that in some of my conduct I do not act as a Muslim. For example, I can be arrogant, a not-so-smart smart ass, and foul mouthed.
But during the past few years as I grow older and wiser I am becoming more religious. I'm becoming more of a humanist and becoming more focused on the need for justice in this World. So I realize that if I want the World to be a better place, I have to change myself, and then see the World change around me as a consequence. I just have to overcome my defeciencies in character and only then can I call myself a "Muslim" without any attachment or disclaimer.
SpoonyBard
Banned
DavidDayton said:
Both?
Cerebral Palsy
Banned
DavidDayton said:
He's bananas?
Im Buddhist. I read a little of whatever looks interetsting really, but the bedrock of my practice comes from sitting meditation. Awarness of breath and Vipassana meditaiton is mainly what my daily practice consits of.
I havent studied too many other Religons in detail, but Buddhism has given me a clear cut path to eliviate my own suffering and not much outside of that really concerns me at this point.
I havent studied too many other Religons in detail, but Buddhism has given me a clear cut path to eliviate my own suffering and not much outside of that really concerns me at this point.
Cosmic Bus
pristine morning snow
I was raised as a Christian, and while I don't currently practice any religion and haven't for quite a while, I do believe in God and hold many of the beliefs that Christianity is built on. At the very least, it gave me a strong moral base as I was growing up.
Megafoo Chavez
I love EGM
i'm going to chim in with my two pennies.
religion sucks.
man can reason. we are god. no more time for superstition
religion sucks.
man can reason. we are god. no more time for superstition
Der Kommisar
Banned
DavidDayton said:
a real exorcism... :lol
Is it me or is the distinction between religion and organized religion completely moot? All religion is organized. Then you have some who say "I am against organized religion, but I believe in being spiritual." Well isn't being spiritual still some extent of organization? Sure, there's no "chapel" or "temple" or anything, but you are still disciplining yourself to some sort of belief or practice. When you say you're being spiritual, you're still allowing yourself to do certain things at certain times or even at random times. It's not organized by some other force, but by yourself, and that is still organized. To some extent, that is.
I was born and raised Catholic, and I don't think including Catholics in the crazy Christian wing is legitimate, at least for the most part. I mean, the Catholic Church has historically and contemporarily always gone hand in hand with reason. Of course it has always been rather corrupt, but it goes hand in hand with reason. Of course you can argue that religion goes against reason straight-up.
I was born and raised Catholic, and I don't think including Catholics in the crazy Christian wing is legitimate, at least for the most part. I mean, the Catholic Church has historically and contemporarily always gone hand in hand with reason. Of course it has always been rather corrupt, but it goes hand in hand with reason. Of course you can argue that religion goes against reason straight-up.
I'm a Christian. I don't belong to a denomination, but Pauline and Protestant would probably best describe where I fit in the whole spectrum of what's called Christianity.
I believe that the pertinent parts of the Bible are those which affect your behavior. You can get caught in a bunch of theological debate, and I guess some of that is a fun intellectual exercise, but there are very clear directions about how we are to live our lives and treat others.
There's Matthew 22:37-40, where Jesus says that the greatest commandments are, "Love the Lord your God" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus says that the things which we do to the 'least of these', we do to Him. And James 1:27, which says that pure and undefiled religion is to tend to widows and orphans in their distress.
So yeah, that's where I'm at.
I believe that the pertinent parts of the Bible are those which affect your behavior. You can get caught in a bunch of theological debate, and I guess some of that is a fun intellectual exercise, but there are very clear directions about how we are to live our lives and treat others.
There's Matthew 22:37-40, where Jesus says that the greatest commandments are, "Love the Lord your God" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus says that the things which we do to the 'least of these', we do to Him. And James 1:27, which says that pure and undefiled religion is to tend to widows and orphans in their distress.
So yeah, that's where I'm at.
TheQueen'sOwn
insert blank space here
Yet did you not already feel that way before you read the bible? Or are you just doing what a book told you to? I'll be honest... I've never read the bible. However, whenever someone cites it (in threads such as these), I think, well duh... that's what any good person would do (there are exceptions of course related to beliefs that are....ancient). And so forgive me for seeing the bible as something that is for weaker individuals who need to remind themselves of how a good individual acts.... this shit should be permanently engraved in your being.
TheQueen'sOwn said:
People are able to logically deduce a proper course of action. But people aren't perfect and aren't always logical.
Secondly, some people base their actions on consequence. They don't steal because they'll get caught. They'll do it if they know they won't get caught and there are no consequences.
Also, there are things you haven't considered, haven't thought of. And things that you don't consider wrong but religion dicatates that it is. For example, adultery...do you think that it's "permanently engraved" in our being that we should stay away from this? That we should find a lifemate and stay loyal to them for the rest of our lives? Sure, it makes perfect sense from a logistical standpoint...but I don't think people were born knowing this.
I do not practice religion and haven't gone to church fo years. That said, I do believe in God, because there are too many unusual/fascninating/unexplainable events and situations that occur in this world to be athiest. And I'll just leave it at that.
isamu said:
There have been too many usual/non-fascinating/explainable events and situations that occur in this world for me to be a theist. Are most folks so mundane and oblivious to the common threads the world runs on to recognize that coincidence does not equal "magic bearded man in the sky!"
No, but to ignore that there's something out there, something eternal about yourself and life I think is the same as ignoring that you have two arms. And the general consent of "I AM ATHIEST CUZ RELIGION IS FOR DUMMIES" doesn't make people look better. *looks at thread sassily*
Synbios459
Banned
And what's wrong with that? For a time, I didn't believe in any of that, but once I saw it happen with my own two eyes it made me believe.Father_Brain said:
I was raised Lutheran.
Through the confirmation process you are taught about Martin Luther and why he chose to break away from the Church. Basically, its two years of telling you how bad the Catholics are and all the evil shit they did (Which is enough to fill 2 years of classes).
During that time (8th grade), I was reading "Dune" for the first time and had a "spiritual awakening". The story kind of showed me how a messiah is "created" and not born. Also, as great as a messiah may be .. soon, all that he teaches is subverted or abused by the following generations.
When I was 18, I was one of those ardent athiests that would ridicule anyone that believed in God. Basically, like a kid who figured out there wasn't a Santa Claus and wanted to show everybody how smart I was. I see it on message boards now and I just kind of chuckle.
Now I am more at peace with religion. Its a valuable crutch for people that are going through hard times or a hard life. As long as it is not sapping these people of thier incomes or raping thier children .. I am ok with it. No need to disparage others for thier beliefs.
Ironic that I married a Catholic girl in a big Catholic church, eh?
Through the confirmation process you are taught about Martin Luther and why he chose to break away from the Church. Basically, its two years of telling you how bad the Catholics are and all the evil shit they did (Which is enough to fill 2 years of classes).
During that time (8th grade), I was reading "Dune" for the first time and had a "spiritual awakening". The story kind of showed me how a messiah is "created" and not born. Also, as great as a messiah may be .. soon, all that he teaches is subverted or abused by the following generations.
When I was 18, I was one of those ardent athiests that would ridicule anyone that believed in God. Basically, like a kid who figured out there wasn't a Santa Claus and wanted to show everybody how smart I was. I see it on message boards now and I just kind of chuckle.
Now I am more at peace with religion. Its a valuable crutch for people that are going through hard times or a hard life. As long as it is not sapping these people of thier incomes or raping thier children .. I am ok with it. No need to disparage others for thier beliefs.
Ironic that I married a Catholic girl in a big Catholic church, eh?
After reading this quote which was apparently said by the Buddha
1. I don't follow the Buddhist way of life. I just think they've got their shit sorted out (for the most part) and would like to have the balls to strictly follow their teachings.
2. It has this air of trendy yuppiness around it in the west, which is no fault of the people who devoutly follow that way of life, but is rather perpetuated by people like myself. That's why I like to be understated about the appeal it has for me.
Mostly I just follow my head in life. I'm a big fan of rationality and logic.
But not at the expense of emotion.
That's enough DnM for now
I'm more inclined towards Buddhism. It's a belief I've always subscribed to. Gives me hope for the human race. However I can't help but be apprehensive about freely admitting that I follow the Buddhist way of life for two reasons.Buddha said:
1. I don't follow the Buddhist way of life. I just think they've got their shit sorted out (for the most part) and would like to have the balls to strictly follow their teachings.
2. It has this air of trendy yuppiness around it in the west, which is no fault of the people who devoutly follow that way of life, but is rather perpetuated by people like myself. That's why I like to be understated about the appeal it has for me.
Mostly I just follow my head in life. I'm a big fan of rationality and logic.
But not at the expense of emotion.
That's enough DnM for now
Musashi Wins!
FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
I'm an athiest, not because it makes me feel morally superior but because in my current experience all religions are philosophically indefensible especially when they enter the arena of truth claims. Which is all the time. I think it's a necessary belief for some people to live and be better (to my ethical thinking) than they normally would be so I'm on no crusade to persuade most to give up their supernatural beliefs. That said religious extremism is certainly a problem culturally much of the time. There seems to be a large faddish movement for western Buddhism going on the last 50 or so years, but to the extent western Buddhism is largely experiential, non-violent and uninterested in large scale evangelizing it's probably a positive change from people who would otherwise enter into some offshoot of monotheism.
I think studying religion and human beliefs in general is about as fascinating as it gets, I will always do so. To not have at least a basic knowledge of different beliefs and cultural habits is the same as having total ignorance to any other field of knowledge be it history, literature, etc. It makes you prone to huge gaps in your understanding (attempted) of the world. I don't get people who don't have the hunger to understand the world.
I think studying religion and human beliefs in general is about as fascinating as it gets, I will always do so. To not have at least a basic knowledge of different beliefs and cultural habits is the same as having total ignorance to any other field of knowledge be it history, literature, etc. It makes you prone to huge gaps in your understanding (attempted) of the world. I don't get people who don't have the hunger to understand the world.
I was raised Christian, and to some extent I still am. I do believe in God, but it's with the realization that the Bible and most of its teachings were written by men long ago without the scientific methodology to explain the world around them.
A lot of the underlying themes in the Bible and other religious texts are sound, if a little on the "Duh!" side. The Bible is the one I'm most familiar with and it's easy to see the holes in it. Everything from the age of the planet to a few things that I find truly disturbing. As I said, I believe in God, but I can't believe that same God would say (paraphrased) The only way to get into heaven is by accepting Jesus into your heart. What about the millions that lived and died and never heard of Jesus? Doomed and damned for eternity because of some cosmic loophole? And donÂ’t even get me started on the misogyny and the seemingly tacit approval of slavery through out both the new and old testament.
That's just a few problems I have with the book itself, and with those that use it as the only truth and base all of their teachings from it. God should speak to your heart, not through the dusty pages of history.
Of course I also 100% believe that Darwin was correct, but I believe it could have been set into motion by God. Seven days as reported by the Bible, doesn't make it an actual seven days.
Oh and televangelists truly are the spawn of Satan.
A lot of the underlying themes in the Bible and other religious texts are sound, if a little on the "Duh!" side. The Bible is the one I'm most familiar with and it's easy to see the holes in it. Everything from the age of the planet to a few things that I find truly disturbing. As I said, I believe in God, but I can't believe that same God would say (paraphrased) The only way to get into heaven is by accepting Jesus into your heart. What about the millions that lived and died and never heard of Jesus? Doomed and damned for eternity because of some cosmic loophole? And donÂ’t even get me started on the misogyny and the seemingly tacit approval of slavery through out both the new and old testament.
That's just a few problems I have with the book itself, and with those that use it as the only truth and base all of their teachings from it. God should speak to your heart, not through the dusty pages of history.
Of course I also 100% believe that Darwin was correct, but I believe it could have been set into motion by God. Seven days as reported by the Bible, doesn't make it an actual seven days.
Oh and televangelists truly are the spawn of Satan.
I am a Christian.
I actually attend a Church of Christ, one of the most conservative denominations out there. Some of them will even say that they aren't a denomination, but that they are the only true Christians. Eh, there's crazies everywhere.
But I'm not very good at it. I actually believe in a separation of church and state! And not judging people!
I actually attend a Church of Christ, one of the most conservative denominations out there. Some of them will even say that they aren't a denomination, but that they are the only true Christians. Eh, there's crazies everywhere.
But I'm not very good at it. I actually believe in a separation of church and state! And not judging people!
General Zhaoyun
Banned
religion is just a good story to make us feel better about death
Father_Brain
Banned
Synbios459 said:
:lol Exorcisms are NOT FUCKING REAL. End of discussion.
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