What Religion are you

[Carlsen]

.
there have been a lot of talk in the forum about Religion. so what Religion are you?
if you pick other tell what religion this is or if no religion
.


.

[GrassrootsConservative]

Fuck Religion. Gods are Dogs.

[Chris]

http://thepoliticalforums.com/threads/14147-What-is-your-religion-spiritual-group -- some time ago.


For this poll, Other: Agnostic atheist.

[GrassrootsConservative]

http://thepoliticalforums.com/threads/14147-What-is-your-religion-spiritual-group -- some time ago.

For this poll, Other: Agnostic atheist.

I guess my response is still #18 from that thread.

[Chris]

I guess my response is still #18 from that thread.

http://thepoliticalforums.com/threads/14147-What-is-your-religion-spiritual-group?p=316383&viewfull=1#post316383


Man, you're stuck in your ways! ;-)

[GrassrootsConservative]

http://thepoliticalforums.com/threads/14147-What-is-your-religion-spiritual-group?p=316383&viewfull=1#post316383


Man, you're stuck in your ways! ;-)

Yes but my response in that thread was much better.

[TheDictator]

Christian

[Dr. Who]

http://thepoliticalforums.com/threads/14147-What-is-your-religion-spiritual-group -- some time ago.


For this poll, Other: Agnostic atheist.What is an agnostic atheist? An agnostic is not sure of the existence of God and an atheist doesn't believe in any deity at all. Perhaps agnostic or atheist - TBA?

[KC]

What is an agnostic atheist? An agnostic is not sure of the existence of God and an atheist doesn't believe in any deity at all. Perhaps agnostic or atheist - TBA?

Agnostic and Atheist are not mutually exclusive terms. Agnosticism refers to our inability to know whether or not a God exists, but most Agnostics reject both faith and knowledge of religious claims. So they do not believe in God, and are therefore Atheists.

[Mister D]

I chose Catholic.

[Peter1469]

I chose other.

[Dr. Who]

Agnostic and Atheist are not mutually exclusive terms. Agnosticism refers to our inability to know whether or not a God exists, but most Agnostics reject both faith and knowledge of religious claims. So they do not believe in God, and are therefore Atheists.Doesn't atheist basically cover it? I know people who are agnostic, but not atheist. Just unsure.

[Dr. Who]

I am believe in a universal spirit, but not a deity in the biblical sense. That makes me something like a Buddhist, but not a Buddhist.

[ptif219]

Born again Christian I go to a non- denominational church

I go to a CI Church here in central Florida

http://www.christianinternational.org/

[Chris]

What is an agnostic atheist? An agnostic is not sure of the existence of God and an atheist doesn't believe in any deity at all. Perhaps agnostic or atheist - TBA?



What KC said above but I see it this way. We are all agnostic in that we cannot know God--what is it we even argue but cannot prove does He exist or not?--yet we choose to believe or not. Many choose to believe, I respect that, and hope my choosing not to is reciprocated.

[KC]

Doesn't atheist basically cover it? I know people who are agnostic, but not atheist. Just unsure.

It does for many, I suppose the exception would be any gnostic atheists (also known as positive atheists), who actually believe that no deity or deities exist.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_and_positive_atheism

[McCool]

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, otherwise known as Mormon.

[kilgram]

By the way, a religious person can be secular. Secularism/humanism never can be a religion. It is incredible how Americans confuse a political position with religion.

By the way, I am curious, who the fuck voted he was a member of the Finnish Lutheran Church? Is there any Finnish person? If there is, I want to know him/her.

[Peter1469]

By the way, a religious person can be secular. Secularism/humanism never can be a religion. It is incredible how Americans confuse a political position with religion.

By the way, I am curious, who the fuck voted he was a member of the Finnish Lutheran Church? Is there any Finnish person? If there is, I want to know him/her.

I don't think that American's "confuse" secular humanism with a religion, per se. Many just point out that the outspoken ones often take it to that level. It is just a way to yank their chains.

[sky dancer]

It says I've already voted but there is not stat for Buddhism. It should show at least one Buddhist.

[Chris]

I don't think that American's "confuse" secular humanism with a religion, per se. Many just point out that the outspoken ones often take it to that level. It is just a way to yank their chains.

In Torcaso v. Watkins, Black footnoted, "Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God are Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism, and others."

That is argued by some as defnitive, precedence setting--a footnote.

[sky dancer]

I'd say the poll is rigged.

[Chris]

I'd say the poll is rigged.

Maybe you voted "other." I did--I don't see myself as a secular humanist even though I'm an agnostic atheist.

[sky dancer]

Maybe you voted "other." I did--I don't see myself as a secular humanist even though I'm an agnostic atheist.

I don't know. I would be surprised if I hadn't labeled myself Buddhist since that's what I practice. On the other hand, maybe I was in a mood and voted other.

There is a whole conversation that goes on about what it means to be Buddhist.

[Green Arrow]

Asatru all the way!

http://thefreeman.net/journal/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Odin.jpg

[Mister D]

Green Arrow are you really a neopagan?

[Green Arrow]

@Green Arrow (http://thepoliticalforums.com/member.php?u=868) are you really a neopagan?

Yes?

[Mister D]

Yes?

I don't remember you mentioning it. I thought you were agnostic

[Green Arrow]

What the bloody hell is that on your avatar?

Is what specifically? There's a lot on my avi.

[AmazonTania]

What the bloody hell is that on your avatar???

[Green Arrow]

I don't remember you mentioning it. I thought you were agnostic

That's because I've never mentioned it until recently. Pagans aren't generally treated well.

[Green Arrow]

What the bloody hell is that on your avatar???

It's Eir, the goddess of healing.

[Mister D]

That's because I've never mentioned it until recently. Pagans aren't generally treated well.

How did this happen? Just curious.

[Green Arrow]

How did this happen? Just curious.

A few months living in Norway with an Asatruar friend (briefly boyfriend) of mine and a close and personal experience with the gods.

[Mister D]

Alain de Benoist and other philosophical neopagans have had a profound effect on my thinking over the last few years. I categorically reject that aspect of GRECE but I continue to be fascinated by them and their views on Christianity ("the Bolshevism of Antiquity"). I've never felt more at home politically and intellectually.

[Green Arrow]

Alain de Benoist and other philosophical neopagans have had a profound effect on my thinking over the last few years. I categorically reject that aspect of GRECE but I continue to be fascinated by them and their views on Christianity ("the Bolshevism of Antiquity"). I've never felt more at home politically and intellectually.

What is GRECE?

[Max Rockatansky]

What the bloody hell is that on your avatar???

http://heathentemple.tumblr.com/post/15431039677/the-goddess-eir-aesir-friggs-handmaiden
http://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/6364449/il_570xN.279140404.jpg

[KC]

http://heathentemple.tumblr.com/post/15431039677/the-goddess-eir-aesir-friggs-handmaiden
http://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/6364449/il_570xN.279140404.jpg

I can see why you like this religion, Green Arrow. I like red heads too.

[AmazonTania]

Lord of the Rings has a better mythology...

[Mister D]

What is GRECE?

The Groupement de recherche et d'études pour la civilisation européenne ("Research and Study Group for European Civilization"), also known by its French acronym GRECE (French (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language) for "Greece (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece)") is an ethnonationalist think-tank (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think-tank), founded in 1968 by the journalist and writer Alain de Benoist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_de_Benoist).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupement_de_recherche_et_d%27%C3%A9tudes_pour_la _civilisation_europ%C3%A9enne

[iustitia]

I'm a Biblical Unitarian.

[Green Arrow]

Lord of the Rings has a better mythology...

Which was heavily based in ours. Gandalf is basically Odin, and Gandalf's name, along with pretty much all of the dwarves' names, came from our skaldic poetry ;)

[Mister D]

I only read the Hobbit.

[AmazonTania]

Which was heavily based in ours. Gandalf is basically Odin, and Gandalf's name, along with pretty much all of the dwarves' names, came from our skaldic poetry ;)

J.R.R Tolkien explains it better...

Marvel/Disney butcher the mythology, on the other hand. You should be disappointed...

[AmazonTania]

I only read the Hobbit.

Saw the Desolation of Smaug opening night.

The best movie ever.

[Mister D]

Saw the Desolation of Smaug opening night.

The best movie ever.

Had to "Google it". :smiley: So there is a trilogy just for the the Hobbit?

[Mister D]

Saw a interesting show about Tolkien and how his experiences in WW1 influenced his writing and Lord of Rings in particular.

[Max Rockatansky]

Had to "Google it". :smiley: So there is a trilogy just for the the Hobbit?

Yes. They're definitely milking the story line. Even creating new characters.

[AmazonTania]

Had to "Google it". :smiley: So there is a trilogy just for the the Hobbit?

Yep. Catch the first movie before seeing the second. And if you do decide to see it, I recommend seeing it in IMAX.

Only problem is that it's all in 3D, which isn't bad, but it gives me a headache.

[AmazonTania]

Yes. They're definitely milking the story line. Even creating new characters.

They've also added characters who were never part of The Hobbit book.

Like Legolas, for example.

[Cigar]

8 years of Catholic school, still recovering from nun abuse :)

[Green Arrow]

J.R.R Tolkien explains it better...

Marvel/Disney butcher the mythology, on the other hand. You should be disappointed...

I'm not. They aren't trying to get the "mythology" right, they are offering their own take on the reality of it. In their canon, the Norse gods and goddesses are aliens from another planet with superior technology and physical abilities that basically got "Stargate Syndrome."

[Alyosha]

Cathaholic

[Max Rockatansky]

Panentheist Zen Gnostic Christian

[nic34]

Closest for me would be Deism.

[Cthulhu]

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, otherwise known as Mormon.

Ha. Imagine that. There's two of us here now.

[Polecat]

I have never felt comfortable with religious practices. Any of them. But I can accept and understand faith.

[nathanbforrest45]

I chose Catholic.


Why?

[nathanbforrest45]

What KC said above but I see it this way. We are all agnostic in that we cannot know God--what is it we even argue but cannot prove does He exist or not?--yet we choose to believe or not. Many choose to believe, I respect that, and hope my choosing not to is reciprocated.


Its your soul.

[nathanbforrest45]

It is my considered opinion that anyone in the United States who claims to be Buddhist or some other non western religion but was raised in a Christian environment is playing games and does not truly believe in that religion. I would more likely believe an agnostic or atheist as being truthful than someone claiming Wiccan or neopagan. Its just cool to claim you are some comic book hero.

[jillian]

It is my considered opinion that anyone in the United States who claims to be Buddhist or some other non western religion but was raised in a Christian environment is playing games and does not truly believe in that religion. I would more likely believe an agnostic or atheist as being truthful than someone claiming Wiccan or neopagan. Its just cool to claim you are some comic book hero.

right. because you are the true arbiter of people's internalized beliefs, no doubt.

[jillian]

Its your soul.

there are things far more important than what flavor of religion you choose that are relevant to the health of one's soul.

[jillian]

Panentheist Zen Gnostic Christian

would you mind elaborating?

[Chris]

Its your soul.

Tell me what that is.

[Captain Obvious]

First church of the holy monkey

[Max Rockatansky]

would you mind elaborating?

So far just a church of one, but I am a properly ordained minister. Care to join? We have cookies!

[jillian]

So far just a church of one, but I am a properly ordained minister. Care to join? We have cookies!

hah! except for the christian part its a lot like jewish mysticism (kaballah). i like that.

[Max Rockatansky]

hah! except for the christian part its a lot like jewish mysticism (kaballah). i like that.

I don't know much about Kabbalah, but it doesn't surprise me that many religions have similar viewpoints. I came up with PZGC on a Secular (Atheist) forum. Geez, talk about a bunch of people with no sense of humor!

I was raised RLDS (that's Reorganized LDS), was an agnostic then a full-blown atheist (resulting in an "intervention" with my parents and two church elders) in high school until I had near-death experience as a junior. That sent me on a life-long spiritual quest.

My most fond spiritual leader is Alan Watts. I don't agree with everything he's said or taught, but I do like the direction he was headed. That's where the "Zen" comes from. I believe in God, but not a personal God as most modern Christians believe. More like the Deist version of God. This is where the "Panentheist (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/panentheism/)" (different than "Pantheist") comes in. This leads to Creation and it's imperfections, hence "Gnostic (http://gnosis.org/gnintro.htm)". I was raised a Christian, live in a country dominated by Christians and, all in all, love the man known as Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. His words are wise, loving and ring true. Hence "Christian".

Despite all the individual terms, all are encompassed by Zen. Not the Zen "religion", but the Zen philosophy. It wouldn't surprise me at all if historians one day proved that Jesus ventured East to India during the time he was a boy until he returned to Jerusalem as a man at 33. The difference between the Old Testament and the New is as different as night and day, but the difference between the New Testament and many Buddhist philosophies is much closer.

[Green Arrow]

I don't know much about Kabbalah, but it doesn't surprise me that many religions have similar viewpoints. I came up with PZGC on a Secular (Atheist) forum. Geez, talk about a bunch of people with no sense of humor!

I was raised RLDS (that's Reorganized LDS), was an agnostic then a full-blown atheist (resulting in an "intervention" with my parents and two church elders) in high school until I had near-death experience as a junior. That sent me on a life-long spiritual quest.

My most fond spiritual leader is Alan Watts. I don't agree with everything he's said or taught, but I do like the direction he was headed. That's where the "Zen" comes from. I believe in God, but not a personal God as most modern Christians believe. More like the Deist version of God. This is where the "Panentheist (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/panentheism/)" (different than "Pantheist") comes in. This leads to Creation and it's imperfections, hence "Gnostic (http://gnosis.org/gnintro.htm)". I was raised a Christian, live in a country dominated by Christians and, all in all, love the man known as Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. His words are wise, loving and ring true. Hence "Christian".

Despite all the individual terms, all are encompassed by Zen. Not the Zen "religion", but the Zen philosophy. It wouldn't surprise me at all if historians one day proved that Jesus ventured East to India during the time he was a boy until he returned to Jerusalem as a man at 33. The difference between the Old Testament and the New is as different as night and day, but the difference between the New Testament and many Buddhist philosophies is much closer.

That is really fascinating. I'll have to look into this more.

[KC]

hah! except for the christian part its a lot like jewish mysticism (kaballah). i like that.

What does Kabbalah actually mean? I ask because for some research I recently read a translation of Sefer ha-Kaballah by Abraham ibn Daud, but since the book's title is translated Book of Tradition I had assumed Kabbalah to mean "tradition".

[Max Rockatansky]

That is really fascinating. I'll have to look into this more.

Many religions are similar and none, IMO, have a monopoly on the truth. We're all a bunch of 3 dimensional mortal beings trying to comprehend an existence so far beyond our own capabilities it exceeds that of an amoeba trying to comprehend the Solar System.

IMO, different religions, the spiritual ones at least, are all looking at the same thing but come up with different interpretations based on their cultural experience. It's like a handful of people sitting around a table looking at a large diamond. They all see the same diamond, but they each see it only from the facet they are facing. Flaws in the diamond, markings, the differences in how the light hits it, all culminated in a different view for each person.

I'm also reminded of the ancient story of the Five Blind Men and the Elephant. The Elephant being God in this case and the Five Blind Men being the major religions.

http://www.robinwood.com/LivingtreeGrove/Stories/StoryPages/Elephant.html

The Blind Men and the Elephant
retold by Robin Wood 1999

Once upon a time, five blind men came upon an elephant.

"What is this?!" asked the first one, who had run headlong into its side.

"It's an Elephant." said the elephant's keeper, who was sitting on a stool, cleaning the elephant's harness.

"Wow! So this is an Elephant! I've always wondered what Elephants are like!" said the man, running his hands as far as he could reach up and down the elephant's side. "Why, it's just like a wall! A large, warm wall!"

"What do you mean, a wall?" said the second man, wrapping his arms around the elephant's leg. "This is nothing like a wall. You can't reach around a wall! This is more like a pillar. Yeah, that's it! An Elephant is exactly like a pillar!"

"A pillar? Strange kind of pillar!" said the third man, stroking the elephant's trunk. "It's too thin, for one thing, and it's too flexible for another. If you think this is a pillar, I don't want to go to your house! This is more like a snake. See, it's wrapping around my arm! An Elephant is just like a snake!"

"Snakes don't have hair!" said the fourth man in disgust, pulling the elephant's tail. "You are closer than the others, but I'm surprised that you missed the hair. This isn't a snake, it's a rope. Elephants are exactly like ropes."

"I don't know what you guys are on!" the fifth man cried, waving the elephant's ear back and forth. "It's as large as a wall, all right, but thin as a leaf, and no more flexible than any piece of cloth this size should be. I don't know what's wrong with all of you, but no one except a complete idiot could mistake an Elephant for anything except a sail!!!"

And as the elephant stepped aside, they tramped off down the road, arguing more loudly and violently as they went, each sure that he, and he alone, was right; and all the others were wrong.

The Elephant keeper sighed, and went back to polishing the harness, while the elephant winked solemnly at him.

[Max Rockatansky]

Regardless of one's religion, I think we should all live our lives with no regrets. Life is short and it can certainly be shortened in unexpected ways. My step-father died of Agent Orange-related ALS. Many of us here have lost friends cut down far before their normal expiration date.

Enjoying life, being compassionate to others and living in such a manner that we'd have no regrets if we lay dying on a highway or in bed due to a severe illness leads to the happiest of existences IMO.

Some Alan Watts - "Life and Music" :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I2pcIbyq-0

[jillian]

What does Kabbalah actually mean? I ask because for some research I recently read a translation of Sefer ha-Kaballah by Abraham ibn Daud, but since the book's title is translated Book of Tradition I had assumed Kabbalah to mean "tradition".

it does literally mean "receiving tradition".

and like most things in judaism, it can be different things to different people.

ibn daud was an interesting historical character. his writings were overshadowed by maimonides, but maybe shouldn't have been.

if you're interested, this is a list of intro books on the subject.

http://www.azamra.org/Kabbalah/starting.htm

[Max Rockatansky]

A sad example of how quickly one's life can change, but also showing how we should live life to it's fullest:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25405032

A newlywed in the US state of Indiana was killed just hours after his wedding when he was struck by a car while helping a stranded motorist.

William Knight was leaving the reception with his new bride, Nikki, when they saw a woman whose car had slid off the road in snowy conditions.


Both Knight and the motorist, Linda Darlington, were later struck and killed by multiple vehicles.


No charges have been filed in the incident, authorities say.


"I went from a being a newlywed to a widow in less than 48 hours - the highest high to the lowest low," Mrs Knight told the Associated Press news agency following Saturday night's accident.


Good Samaritan
Mrs Knight, a registered nurse, said that neither her husband nor Ms Darlington had pulses when she checked after the accident. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.


Her new husband had been driving them both to their hotel near the city of Crown Point when they saw Ms Darlington, 42, stranded.


Knight told his bride to wait in their vehicle in a nearby driveway while he went to help.


Both he and Ms Darlington were standing by the side of the road when they were struck by a number of vehicles.


Knight, 49, was a former US Army Ranger who had served in Operation Desert Storm during the first Gulf war, according to media reports.


"It's a very sad, tragic situation. [Knight] was a Good Samaritan trying to help this woman in distress," Patti Van Til, a spokeswoman for the Lake County, Indiana, sheriff's office, told the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

[sotmfs]

Fuck Religion. Gods are Dogs.

Did you hear about the dyslexic,agnostic,insomniac?

[sotmfs]

Did you hear about the dyslexic,agnostic,insomniac?

Stayed up all night wondering if there is a dog!

[Captain Obvious]

lol, don't quit your day job.

...wait