What Religion do you Follow???

Crying_Crimson_Tears · 07-26-2007, 06:37 PM

Personally I am a Christian, of a sorts.

My views are there's a Heaven and a Hell. God, Jesus, and the Devil. But I do not believe in the whole you can't be gay and you shouldn't have sex before marriage. There are other things like that I believe in. I also don't follow the whole Dante's Inferno.

What about you folks???

Beneath the Shadows · 07-26-2007, 06:45 PM

None, really. I believe that there's some sort of god, but that's about it.

BLEED REBELION!!! · 07-26-2007, 07:06 PM

I dont really like organized religion its almost always used to control ppl etc etc..

Although i've ben looking into some pagan stuff

Tha Duckman · 07-26-2007, 07:11 PM

I follow the religion of HEAVY FUCKING METAL!!!

\M/!!!

Underwater Ophelia · 07-26-2007, 07:29 PM

Happily pagan.

Onetwothree · 07-26-2007, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crying_Crimson_Tears

Personally I am a Christian, of a sorts.

My views are there's a Heaven and a Hell. God, Jesus, and the Devil. But I do not believe in the whole you can't be gay and you shouldn't have sex before marriage. There are other things like that I believe in. I also don't follow the whole Dante's Inferno.

What about you folks???

I have a few questions:

1) Why did you pick this faith?

2) How old were you when you made this choice.

3) Did your parents approve of the choice?

4) Do you regret anything about making the choice now?

5) Omit questions 1-4 if you didn't make a choice and you were merely indoctrinated into the religion at birth.

6) Do you think you understand why we are alive now?

7) Do you believe you understand our purpose?

8) Do you understand evolution?

9) Do you believe you are wiser than an atheist when it comes to understanding the universe?

10) Why don't you believe in another deity?

Circle V · 07-26-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crying_Crimson_Tears

My views are there's a Heaven and a Hell. God, Jesus, and the Devil. But I do not believe in the whole you can't be gay and you shouldn't have sex before marriage. There are other things like that I believe in. I also don't follow the whole Dante's Inferno.

What is the basis of your beliefs? A personal relationship with God? The Bible? The knowledge that others have passed on to you? I should say-- what makes you a Christian and not a deist or Muslim?

I've never understood how progressive Christians often act as if they were entitled to edit or censor the Bible, which is ostensibly the source of their belief and morality. It seems like an admission that the Bible isn't very reliable in the first place-- and that is certainly isn't the source of our morality, given that we snip out the "nasty bits."

Clockwork · 07-26-2007, 08:05 PM

I guess I have my own personal beliefs, but it's along the lines of Christianity. I believe in God, the Devil, angels and demons. I have something of a personal relationship with God, although I don't strictly follow the Bible because... I've never read it <_< And I don't think it's something to be strictly followed anyway.

Godslayer Jillian · 07-26-2007, 08:08 PM

Onetwothree, we're gonna get along. ^^
By the way, there has already been at least one thread about this.

biohazard · 07-26-2007, 08:13 PM

Well I am a catholic. I respect anyone`s view on religion (or atheism). I believe some things on the cathoilic views, such as a superior God and the Virgin Mary. Since I was a child, these religious ideas were introduced to me, so that is why I am still with them. I feel confortable with the religion, although I do not believe everything. I find it hard to believe that hell lasts an eternity, I can`t think of a crime bad enough to deserve an eternity in misery. I also believe in my own sense of justice and good or bad, which is never absolute. Please do not flame me, I respect everyone`s belief and expect the same from you guys.

deafasadoornail · 07-26-2007, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Circle V

What is the basis of your beliefs? A personal relationship with God? The Bible? The knowledge that others have passed on to you? I should say-- what makes you a Christian and not a deist or Muslim?

I've never understood how progressive Christians often act as if they were entitled to edit or censor the Bible, which is ostensibly the source of their belief and morality. It seems like an admission that the Bible isn't very reliable in the first place-- and that is certainly isn't the source of our morality, given that we snip out the "nasty bits."

Well, Crying isn't a deist or a Muslim because neither group acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God (which is different from not believing in him entirely).

Everyone edits and censors the Bible. Many Old Testament Biblical edicts are impossible to follow in the modern world -- how about not touching a woman when she has her period, because she's unclean? How the heck are you supposed to know? You wouldn't be able to shake hands with anyone for business purposes. A lot of fundamental Christians don't realize that the same guidelines which they claim forbid tattoos would also forbid the makeup they are usually caking on their faces.

Anyone who studies literature realizes you have to study it in context. Dickens is meaningless without a knowledge of the Victorian underworld, for instance. And the Bible is if nothing else, a literary document. Most progressive Christians believe in the instructions it contains THAT WERE NOT ADDRESSED TO CERTAIN GROUPS. So never mind the Old Testament law, which was given to ancient Jews, and forget most of Paul's letters of instruction which are written to specific congregations for specific problems they were facing in the early church. Jesus said that the whole law boils down to this -- Love the Lord, your God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself. Basically, the Golden Rule.

I read somewhere that every major religion has some version of the Golden Rule (Buddhists call it "compassion" rather than love and define compassion as doing what needs to be done, but it's the same basic concept). I would be interested in hearing of any religion where this is not the case.

Personally, I'm a seeker. That's the best way I know how to describe it.

Paigeybobert · 07-26-2007, 08:18 PM

I personally don't think there's anything out there. Nothing, when we die that's just it. Game over.
I think people just have religions because it makes them feel better about themselves, that there's something special about them.
We're all just a bunch of predictable animals.
My thoughts.

Saddiction · 07-26-2007, 08:21 PM

I don't follow religion. Religion follows me...kinda. I'm athiest, but my bf is taking his MDiv so that he can become an ordained Lutheran minister (which is what I meant by the religion following me statement).

Circle V · 07-26-2007, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biohazard

I respect everyone`s belief...

I'm going to tear off my ears and use them to cover my eyes out if anyone ever says that again.

I cannot understand how someone can claim "I don't believe that because it shouldn't be true." Something is either true or it isn't, and belief will do nothing change that. Just because religion is a 'personal matter' doesn't give believers permission to make stuff up and pretend it's true. At least fundamentalists are drawing their beliefs and morals from their religion, not fucking around with their religion to suit themselves.

If your beliefs aren't strong enough to stand up to attack I don't think I have much reason to respect them.

Circle V · 07-26-2007, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deafasadoornail

Everyone edits and censors the Bible. Many Old Testament Biblical edicts are impossible to follow in the modern world -- how about not touching a woman when she has her period, because she's unclean? How the heck are you supposed to know? You wouldn't be able to shake hands with anyone for business purposes. A lot of fundamental Christians don't realize that the same guidelines which they claim forbid tattoos would also forbid the makeup they are usually caking on their faces.

I understand that many parts of the Bible simply aren't possible or practical to follow. It's when people change or ignore parts of the Bible simply because they don't jive with contemporary morality that I get confused. For instance, why wouldn't there be a Hell? There's just as much or little reason for it to exist now as when the Bible was written-- except that now the concept seems "unfair" and offends us.

Kodachi · 07-26-2007, 08:30 PM

I'm Pagan.

childofdarkness · 07-26-2007, 08:55 PM

Well I've been baptised, and then when I was I think 15, I got confirmed, because I thought I believed in God and stuff. So I'm Church of England. BUT then about 6 months ago, I was sitting through a school chapel service, I realized how absurd it was, and started laughing...
I don't really believe in it any more. I guess I'm agnostic. I believe there's something out there, but not Church, Jesus, the Bible, etc.

Although I believe in all that spiritual and ghost stuff mainly because my mom used to teach me about it.

Minyaliel · 07-27-2007, 12:25 AM

As stated before, I'm a Panentheistic Satanist. I have picked up a lot of influence from Taoism and a variety of occult/ pagan sources, though.

Onetwothree · 07-27-2007, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by childofdarkness

Well I've been baptised, and then when I was I think 15, I got confirmed, because I thought I believed in God and stuff. So I'm Church of England. BUT then about 6 months ago, I was sitting through a school chapel service, I realized how absurd it was, and started laughing...
I don't really believe in it any more. I guess I'm agnostic. I believe there's something out there, but not Church, Jesus, the Bible, etc.

Although I believe in all that spiritual and ghost stuff mainly because my mom used to teach me about it.

Agnosticism <> Your beliefs

Agnosticism <> Deism

Agnosticism <> Quasi-intellectual, half-baked spirituality

Yeah, smoke that shit.

KontanKarite · 07-27-2007, 12:39 AM

A combination of pagan/witch with Christian/Gnostic Christian elements.

Essentially, I enjoy pagan/witch type rituals but understand and accept many philosophies of the Gnostic Christian faith.

What I find funny is when a supposed "enlightened" friend of mine talks religion with me and when I mention Gnostic Christianity, she hears "Agnostic Christianity", which is completely silly.

dark_dragon_of_ice · 07-27-2007, 12:48 AM

I don't follow a religion.

Onetwothree · 07-27-2007, 12:50 AM

I want someone to answer my questionnaire.

KontanKarite · 07-27-2007, 01:01 AM

1) Why did you pick this faith? Wiccan rituals are nice. I like them. Some of the ideas presented in Gnostic Christianity sound liberating to me.

2) How old were you when you made this choice. I wouldn't say it was age, more of a coming to terms with things I've been dealing with in my head.

3) Did your parents approve of the choice? No, they don't. I don't care.

4) Do you regret anything about making the choice now? Not really.

5) Omit questions 1-4 if you didn't make a choice and you were merely indoctrinated into the religion at birth. People tried to do that to me in Christianity at an early age. I never felt right about it.

6) Do you think you understand why we are alive now? I think it'd be very presumptuous of me to assume I know the secret of life.

7) Do you believe you understand our purpose? Same thing as 6. But I'll entertain the idea that the one most high was just lonely and was looking for companionship.

8) Do you understand evolution? I do, but it's been a very long time since I've looked into it. Evolution is a science, not a religion. What does this have to do with faith?

9) Do you believe you are wiser than an atheist when it comes to understanding the universe? I would think that on my own path, I am better off for myself. An atheist is not dumber or less wise than me. They just have a different opinion on the universe than me. My beliefs don't require them to change themselves by force. People should choose to better themselves on their own merit and volition.

10) Why don't you believe in another deity?
I do. Each deity is a representation of the demiurge according to Gnosticism. A lesser form of the god/dess that is probably there in the first place.

I like questionnaires. Thanks. Feel free to pick me apart if you want. I like different perspectives on things. Helps me understand better.

Onetwothree · 07-27-2007, 01:10 AM

I have no reason to pick you apart. It seems you already know that 'beliefs' are illogical, but I won't trouble you with the details. I don't think you care very much for logic and probabilities.

KontanKarite · 07-27-2007, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onetwothree

I have no reason to pick you apart. It seems you already know that 'beliefs' are illogical, but I won't trouble you with the details. I don't think you care very much for logic and probabilities.

That's where you're wrong about me, love. Given a big enough time frame, anything is possible.

Sure, beliefs can be illogical. But it doesn't make them any less true for the person in question.

I think the reason I don't seem to illicit some kind of reaction is because I don't seem to be all obsessed with the end of the world or the second coming of a Christ.

Once more, why wait on some messiah to solve everyone's problems when we could probably count on everyone to just use their heads. Hell, half the world's problems would be solved if everyone would at least THINK a little bit about their actions and such.