Religion : What are your beliefs and your opinions on religion in general?
BigBlindMax
Banned
in General Chat
Heya folks. We haven't had a thread like this in quite some time, so I decided it's time for a new one.
Let's enjoy ourselves and try to keep things (relatively) civil, yeah?
My opinion : I'm agnostic. I won't outright refuse to believe that we're guided by an outside force, but I don't buy the idea that a man in the sky or some guy on a stick is looking out for me.
As for my thoughts on religion in general; I believe in secularism (separation of church and state) but also respect religion as an important social institution.
I might get into more detail tomorrow, but for now I'm tired and don't want to scare people off with an impenetrable wall of text. Peace.
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I'm now a pantheist and refused doctrine of any religion especially the Abrahamic ones.I think religion are nothing but a political tool for the manipulative with a corrupt agenda to control the mass under the impression it is in the name of "god".
Because of how complex this topic is, I think it's best to just quote George Carlin: "Thou shalt keep thy religion to thy self".
I'm Wiccan, of the Norse tradition. I've been a student for 14 years, initiated for 11 years. Picked up a book about it when I was nine, and I liked it. I choose the Norse tradition because of the origins of my family and because I found a coven with people I trusted that was of the Norse tradition.
I worship a bunch of gods (all of the Norse pantheon), but I believe on the existence of many more, even if my rites are not directed to the gods of the other pantheons. At the same time, I believe the gods manifest themselves on everything that lives, which is a pantheistic characteristic that is part of Wiccan beliefs, although being an uncommon belief among the people of the Norse tradition.
Agnostic, I am on the fence as I know that if any god or gods do exist it is beyond our control to understand. Even though some people say you need to have atheist or theist after it, I don't care, I'll keep by my title.
I'd say I'm an agnostic atheist. I wouldn't discount a possibility of some higher force existing, but so far there's been pretty much no evidence of such a fact.
I'd say I'm an antitheist, as well.
Atheist and anti-theist. I believe religions (specifically the abrahamic ones) wer necessary for the peoples of the past to cope with disasters, but it's time to put that shit back in the toy box.
Oh boy Oh boy here come the flame wars.
I'm kinda christian. I believe that god exists, but that's basically it. However, I believe people should be able to believe whatever they want. Christian? Fine. Buddhist? Fine. Muslim? Fine. Atheist? Fine.
Atheist, ex-Protestant.
The main thing that annoys me about religion is that there's LITERALLY no reason to believe in Christianity than the Ancient Greek gods, and even those are more appealing, as I think any god who created this world could not possibly be omnibenevolent as the Abrahamic religions dictate.
Na, I think most people already know my position on religion.
Was Atheist ever since I can remember myself, although this year I was drawn to Jesus and his teachings, and therefore to believe in God too, because I was having a really bad year. I think that I might not have made it through without believing there's a God watching over me, but that doesn't mean I really believed in it. I can see why so many people want to believe, and it's sometimes hard to realize everything you were told was never based off of anything. But it's conceivable. So... Atheist, I guess. Though I don't like associating myself into groups.
Do you believe that Jesus is the son of God and died for your sins? Because, that's what defines a Christian.
You're Brazilian, right? A Brazilian norse Wiccan is quite the combination. Do you believe in any indigenous gods?
Islam doesn't really believe in the "kind man in the sky" idea.
Allah is seen as completely unfathomable and terrific. (in every sense of the word.). Beyond the Qu'ran, trying to interpret his will is considered folly. Whereas Christianity is build on trying to present God as something comprehensible and benevolent.
I guess you'd call me an agnostic?
I think people focus too much on the scientific and historical accuracy of religions. I just try to look at their teachings, and use what works and throw away what doesn't. I contend that the Gospels of the New Testament are some of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. It's a shame that so many Christians don't follow what they say. Jesus taught love and forgiveness, giving people second chances, happily paying your taxes, and that wealth is dangerous. Which is all pretty much the opposite of what American fundamentalists do. I also really like a lot of what the Eastern Religions, particularly Buddhism, have to say. I try to practice mindfulness, and it definitely has a positive effect on my life.
Well then Islam wins in terms of not trying to warp their beliefs to fit others' arguments.
i still much prefer the idea of Greek Gods. Gods who are just as flawed as men, but more powerful. Makes them much more believable considering how the world is.
Atheist.
Religion is an unnecessary part of life and is used to manipulate people. God is a narcissistic being the way the bible explains him.
Agnostic.
I believe that there is no God in which people believe, but there must be SOMETHING...
Catharism,
I can get behind that, there's things I really hate and really like about most religions.
For example : I respect the Islamic idea of submitting yourself to and putting all your trust in to God. Muslims believe praying for specific things is silly, because God is omnipotent. Your fears, needs and desire are already known to him. Plus the ritual aspects of it are beautiful and reading the Qu'ran in it's true language is amazingly poetic.
However, there's things in Islam that I could never reconcile with my moral compass. 1.) I hate how much power Islamic scholars have. Throughout history, they warped the Qu'ran and used their interpretation to create new laws that conform to their tribe's traditions (which is why Saudi women are fully veiled) I also find the practice of destroying historical treasure in the name of idolatry to be sickening.
So yeah, there's aspects of different religions that I follow in my own life, but most have obstacles that keep me from fully buying in to them.
In fairness, every single religion has had it's practises and teachings warped to suit some man's desires. That's why there are so many contradictions in the Bible.
Indeed, but Islam does this to a truly oppressive degree, insofar as these scholars' decrees affect peoples' everyday lives and sometimes even change civil laws.
Jesus take the wheel?
Oh, but Christianity did that too. We have evidence of the bible being altered to include more about women needing to obey their husbands etc.
Christian marriage itself was based on oppression and silencing for centuries, even milennia, because of later additions.
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It does, but Christianity doesn't have a criminal and civil law system based on a scholar's interpretation of the Bible.
Well, it used to.
I believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. I believe He sacrificed Himself so we could have a chance at a life by His side in heaven. I believe humans are attracted to sin but only through Jesus are we capable of escaping and letting go. I believe in HIM.
However, I do not believe in man's understanding of Him, or of the Holy Father. I don't believe God is the vengeful and hateful tyrant people claim Him to be, a misbehaving kid sitting on top of an ant hill with a shovel. I don't believe He had created perfect beings in His holy image just so He can quench them with hell fire. I believe He has compassion, looks out for us and provides sanctuary in His arms at the end of this life, but also allows us to make our own decisions because, like any father, God's judgement is true and wants His children to make the best out of the hands they are dealt.
As for religion as a whole, I believe for the most part it is a good, healthy way to express love for your god. It is worship and dedication, love and acceptance. But, unfortunately like with many other good things, we have the ability to make it evil, and we have. Christianity is looked at as a religion of intolerance when in reality, God Himself is very tolerant, as fathers are supposed to be. At the end of the day, mankind is flawed. God is the only one with any true power and I won't be dictated by men who claim to know Him.
I was born in Brazil but my family is of Norse origin (have been here for two generations on mother's side and three on father's side). I believe in the existence of indigenous gods, but I do not worship them as I do not have any indigenous heritage or am inserted in their culture in any way. Wiccans usually search for their origins when entering a tradition, regardless of the place they are born.
That leads me to spinning the Wheel of the Year by the North instead of by the South (meaning I celebrate the passing of the seasons on an opposite way as the seasons pass here). It was very confusing at first but I got used to it.
Christianity.
The crotch of satan?
Religion is bad, mkay?
agnostic theist, in a "there's no reason to think afterlife(~god) exists, but i kinda like existing so i hope there's one" kind of way, i don't believe in any particular religion. i also do not believe that scientific rules or human logic necessarily apply to possible non-physical entities.
religion can be useful as a readymade set of morals, unfortunately a lot of religions are big on stoning people to death for petty reasons.
Ouch, fuck... your edginess man, i almost got my head cut off by it.
ACHTUNG! Tl;dr trigger warning, personal exposition incoming!
I don't believe in God, but Unlike a lot if atheists and agnostics, my divorce with religion with quite amicable and I don't hold much I'll-will towards organized religion in general.
I was raised UCC, A rather progressive denomination of Protestants (we were one of the first major denominations to accept openly gay members). My family regularly went to church, but we were never that religious. Still, I really liked my church. I lived in a very conservative area, so a lot of the local churches were evangelist and ultra conservative Mennonites, who were more concerned with telling people sodomites are bad than actually helping anyone. We actually did shit; feed the poor, set up needle exchanges, dabble in sustainable development. That kinda thing.
Problem was, I never really connected with the teachings. Jesus always struck me as Some unruly Jew who started his own religion, rather than the son of God. I also found it impossible to reconcile the Old Testament with the pastor's assertions that God was benevolent and good to his children.
The last straw came when I was a senior in high-school. A friend of mine was killed instantly by a truck during cross-country practice and I saw her dead on the street. That shit shook me completely and basically shattered any faith I had left. I struggled for a while with questions like "why did she have to die? How could this be part of god's plan?" Then I realized, God had nothing to do with it. It was just a tragic 'wrong place, wrong time' situation. That really helped me make peace with the whole ordeal. Eventually I reached more conclusions. I didn't have to believe in order to do good works and strive to be a good person. I'm still friendly with a lot of the people I went to church with, but I gradually just stepped away from the faith. When I moved to Florida, I stopped going to church altogether.
I don't miss it, but I'm grateful for the experiences I had and the attitude it instilled.
EDIT : Grammar
Seems reasonable. I could neVer really understand the idea of putting a mortal man on the same level as God though. It just sits wrong with me.
I'm a Christian, but not one of those conservative Christians.
What are the principles of the church of satan?
I think you'd fit into theist better, but I don't know what you actually believe in :P