What Religion do you belong to?

[mika_r]

catholic, and i think they should be diffrent boxes for christianity
... xD

 

[sabro]

... then we would have to have different boxes for everyone else, too: Shiite and Suni...Therevadra, Zen, Dalit... Reformed, Orthodox...

And then my Catholic friends will complain that we Protestants are trying again to kick them off of Christendom and they represent over half of the Christians on the planets.

 

[Mycernius]

catholic, and i think they should be diffrent boxes for christianity
... xD

Why? You are all of the same religion, just different approaches in worship and doctrine.
I recently saw a programme where they asked four pastors from four different denominations in the US about their religion and it's reasons. They got four different answers.

 

[Zaff]

Oh, one of three conversation topics one should avoid:
1. Religion
2. Politics
3. Sports

Pub rules haha the 3 things you don't talk about in a pub also apply to forums as you will get haters and argumentative types.

Me I'm agnostic, but according to the last census in the UK Jedi is seriously on the rise if a few more 1000 people put it on their census then its an official religion.

 

[sabro]

Provided people stick to certain rules of conduct, a forum is a perfect place to discuss religion, politics, and sports. We used to have a serious discussion, an American issues, even a religion and philosophy section subfora. History can even be more contentious-- especially when you deal with some of the WWII topics that we have trodden over all these years. Again when people's conduct remains within reason there is plenty of room for dissention, discussion and disagreement. But it does have to be managed. For a few years it went fine and then all of a sudden it kind of went kabloowey and got kidnapped to some corner of Europe.

Right now we seem to be getting along fine without it, but sometimes I miss the meatier topics.

Go Dodgers.s

 

[Mars Man]

Ah yes, but for the good ole days. I do miss them, I say.

On the matter of Christianity, I would strongly argue that the general heading is good enough for all of those groups which profess the general "Christ" figure that can be found in canonical and non-canonical documents from the late first century to early fourth. MM

 

[dark_yume]

I voted for other since I am Kardecist, I pretty much believe in spiritual matters that some like to call supernatural such as "ghosts" and reincarnation. Usually I am pretty open minded about religions so there are many things that I believe and accept that are from other religions as well.

 

[Anohito]

In the beginning there was the word, and the word was chocolate and it was good. And it dwelt upon our hips forever. Confec. 1.5 oz. 340 cal.

 

[a51ts4]

Right now I consider myself an agnostic. Don't know how long it will stay though.

 

[Seon-a Kim]

I was raised as a Jehovahs witness, but I am not one, since I don't do what is expected from me at all and do not longer participate into any meetings and all.

But I still believe in 95% of their teachings and also if there is a God for me, then this would be the one and only.

Some of the people take it way to extreme and go to far, but still all the basics make the most sense to me in this Bible.

 

[lunanueva]

I consider myself "spiritual but not religious", so I chose "other" as a category.

I was raised in a Christian (protestant) environment and attended church until starting university. It was then when many "undesirable" things happened in that church, which made me wonder whether I had been living in a bubble for many years. Actually I realized that the people outside the church (ie. those non-Christians, unconverted, pagans, etc) were much more honest and caring than the people inside, so I decided to quit.

It wasn't an easy decision but I have no regrets now. Being open to others' faith, ideas and spirituality, and taking the best from them for my own good, is something that works out well for me.

 

[Mycernius]

Ah yes, but for the good ole days. I do miss them, I say.

You're not the only one. It was good until one person showed up . Still old news now. I tried a couple of Atheist forums, but they show no real debate, so I am on a site called inthepursuitofgod.com and getting some good debates there, hence my recent downturn in threads here. I also realise how lucky we where with our debates, some of the members there are a little "blinded by faith" shall we say.

 

[Anohito]

You're not the only one. It was good until one person showed up . Still old news now. I tried a couple of Atheist forums, but they show no real debate, so I am on a site called inthepursuitofgod.com and getting some good debates there, hence my recent downturn in threads here. I also realise how lucky we where with our debates, some of the members there are a little "blinded by faith" shall we say.

I quit trying to follow the Usenet newsgroup alt.atheism years ago for a variety of reasons. First, the amount of traffic was huge. Second, the "signal to noise ratio" was rather low because of all the hyper-aggressive theists (nearly all of them Christians) posting in the newsgroup. Third, even some of the avowed non-religious people routinely displayed attitudes I consider counter-productive, at best. For example, somebody mentioned, in an appropriately critical way, a university that taught Creationism. Another person, supposedly an "atheist" piped up to say that it didn't bother him at all because it was a "Christian" university, and they could teach what they wanted to teach. Well, the flaws in that "reasoning" ought to be obvious.

 

[EmperorHirohito]

I was raised in the Christian faith, Protestant to be precise, but was brought up to respect and try to understand others beliefs, something that is sometimes lacking in this modern world we all live in.
I would also say that there is one Religion missing from the list of choices...
The Religion of Life.

 

[made of stone]

People who know me fairly well, and who also consider such things (and it seems that most of my peers in Britain usually have no interest at all in spiritual matters, alas) tend to assume i'm Buddhist.

Although i've read one or two incredible, inspirational books by the Dalai Lama, though, I just can't accept either the stages of Enlightenment, or the concept of reincarnation. They make no sense to me, no matter how hard I try to understand them, and in fact some of my own experiences seem to contradict them.

Rather, I regard the progress to Enlightenment as a useful philosophical guide, and probably Buddhism as a whole in fact: it's a good way to live.

In terms of the/a Spirit I find Christianity, or indeed Islam or Judaism, have much more to offer (though I see Jesus as more of a profound interpreter of life on Earth, than as any sort of Messianic figure; a son of God, if you will, rather than The Son of God).

I guess i'm (aspiring to be more) spiritual rather than religious.

But I shall continue my studies and contemplations, and post back here when I find a firmer ground for my own unique take on things. (If the Buddhists are right after all, then that may be in a few lifetimes, when Jref is celebrating it's 300th year or whatnot - I hope they allow you to keep the same user id across reincarnations!)

Peace to you all, and indeed across the whole of our wide, precious, diverse Earth

 

[Mars Man]

But I still believe in 95% of their teachings and also if there is a God for me, then this would be the one and only.

Some of the people take it way to extreme and go to far, but still all the basics make the most sense to me in this Bible.

This caught my eye, as did the post by my way-back-from-the-old-days 'Religion and Philosophy' posting mate, Mycernius.

All the while being careful not to go too far off topic, I would argue that the element of the teachings of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. that other mainstream Christian churches put them down over, are being taught due the main element of lack of investigation that those same mainstream Christian churches teachings are based on--in the larger degree.

 

[Han Chan]

I belong to the human race. Therefore I believe we are all the same.

I find that the poll should allow for more than one answer. This might sound strange as for most people religion is a question of either or. Actually many japanese who consider themselves as religious are both budhist and shintoist.

Personally I decided to leace the church which I belonged to since I was a baby. However, I am not nonbeliever. I merely find that most religions are led by intollerant religious fundamentalists. I respect people according to their actions, not their membership of one group or another.

 

[Mycernius]

This caught my eye, as did the post by my way-back-from-the-old-days 'Religion and Philosophy' posting mate, Mycernius.
All the while being careful not to go too far off topic, I would argue that the element of the teachings of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. that other mainstream Christian churches put them down over, are being taught due the main element of lack of investigation that those same mainstream Christian churches teachings are based on--in the larger degree.

I have observed from the Christian forum I frequent that Christians on that site regard Mormons and JWs as non-christians because of the book of Mormon, in the case of the latter-day saints, and the lack of belief of the virgin birth within JWs. Strange as both still follow the teachings of Jesus as their basis of the faiths.
I think to avoid going offtopic on this thread another might be created to discuss more the how and why of various religions rather than continue on this one. I'll mull over it, unless someone else wants to start one.

 

[Anohito]

I have observed from the Christian forum I frequent that Christians on that site regard Mormons and JWs as non-christians because of the book of Mormon, in the case of the latter-day saints, and the lack of belief of the virgin birth within JWs. Strange as both still follow the teachings of Jesus as their basis of the faiths.[snip]

Strictly speaking (for those who attach sufficient importance to such things--I am not one of them), the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are not sufficiently orthodox to be called Christians. The JWs do not accept the Trinitarian view of the Christian god and the Mormons are basically henotheists, although they deny it.

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[Elizabeth]

I have observed from the Christian forum I frequent that Christians on that site regard Mormons and JWs as non-christians because of the book of Mormon, in the case of the latter-day saints, and the lack of belief of the virgin birth within JWs. Strange as both still follow the teachings of Jesus as their basis of the faiths.

JW also don't believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ or that salvation for believers (spiritual rebirth) is immediate and guaranteed upon death. How they get this translation out of the same Greek manuscripts as the Christian bible I have no idea....

 

[Goldiegirl]

I was raised Catholic. I no longer practice the religion and have no desire to. This ofcourse makes my mother insane; she is positive she will get to heaven but none of her children will be there. I had friends who were JW and I would go with them to their meetings but I didn't know I was being recruited and when I said I didn't want to go with them anymore they weren't my friends anymore. My one friend broke the rules and said I was being shunned because I didn't convert. I was so naive I didn't know that! There were a lot of things I did like about JW's though, I just can't make that kind of commitment....

 

[diceke]

Hmm, many religions tend to cherry pick their "truths", I mean, they select evidence that supports their belief while discarding anything that contradicts it. I think that's intellectually lazy and dishonest.

I went to catholic schools, but I'm not a catholic!
My Dad is a protestant, but I'm not!
I attended Buddhist meetings for several months, but I quit!
I go to shinto shrines for fun, I find the architecture beautiful, and the annual matsuri fun, but I'm not a Shintoist!!:bikkuri:

 

[Mars Man]

Hmm, many religions tend to cherry pick their "truths", I mean, they select evidence that supports their belief while discarding anything that contradicts it. I think that's intellectually lazy and dishonest.

Yes, and there is a saying for that too: Believing is seeing.


It's interesting to note your background, and I appreciate your sharing that with us !!

 

[bakaKanadajin]

I find 'belonging' to one particular religious sect to be akin to supporting a specific sports team. It may cause you to lead a certain lifestyle or answers to certain symbols and ideologies, but beyond that the 'stuff' of it can be very thin. I mean if you find one religion that fully embodies and celebrates every single belief you have and sufficiently answers your questions all the more power to you. But I find the problem with religion is that your biggest questions are often the parts that get glazed over by the faith-based components. If your biggest questions aren't being answers or even realistically addressed I think there's a fundamental flaw there. I'm relating most closely to Christian religions and my own experience, mind you.

 

[Mars Man]

I agree with your thoughts there...it's hard to find a relgious belief-system which will respond with only a 'nobody knows.'