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What Religion do you belong to?

What religion do you belong to?

  • Buddhism

    Votes: 9 6.6%
  • Christianity

    Votes: 33 24.1%
  • Shintoism

    Votes: 2 1.5%
  • Judaism

    Votes: 3 2.2%
  • Islam

    Votes: 19 13.9%
  • Wiccanism (I find this seperate to Paganism)

    Votes: 1 0.7%
  • Paganism

    Votes: 3 2.2%
  • Satanism

    Votes: 2 1.5%
  • Hinduism

    Votes: 1 0.7%
  • Other (Please state in your post)

    Votes: 19 13.9%
  • None

    Votes: 45 32.8%

  • Total voters
    137
I'm very philosophical and spiritual, although I'm also very sceptical and cynical. I was a Buddhist for many years before I became disenchanted with it, now I generally stand somewhere between Paganism and Agnosticism (I see no reason if there are supernatural powers why there should only be one of them). I believe that there is more to life than meets the eye (sort of like a Transformer, probably Soundwave... although possibly Seaspray) but I am horribly sceptical of nearly everything.

Pretty much the only thing stopping me being completely atheistic are just the sheer number of statistical improbabilities I've encountered, i.e. I should have been killed several times by now in various accidents and yet each time have got away without a scratch. Possible? Yes. Probable? No. That is what makes me wonder.

It'd be a laugh if the only religion that turned out to get it right was Pastafarianism, though ;) I note that that Flying Spaghetti Monster was left out of the list ;)
 
I'm very philosophical and spiritual, although I'm also very sceptical and cynical. I was a Buddhist for many years before I became disenchanted with it, now I generally stand somewhere between Paganism and Agnosticism (I see no reason if there are supernatural powers why there should only be one of them). I believe that there is more to life than meets the eye (sort of like a Transformer, probably Soundwave... although possibly Seaspray) but I am horribly sceptical of nearly everything.
Pretty much the only thing stopping me being completely atheistic are just the sheer number of statistical improbabilities I've encountered, i.e. I should have been killed several times by now in various accidents and yet each time have got away without a scratch. Possible? Yes. Probable? No. That is what makes me wonder.
It'd be a laugh if the only religion that turned out to get it right was Pastafarianism, though ;) I note that that Flying Spaghetti Monster was left out of the list ;)




Hm, i am at a troubled phase right now concerning my religious beliefs, belief in an afterlife or reicarnation, belief in the paranormal and supernatural etc, i am questioning a lot of these things a great deal at this current point in my life etc.

May i ask if there was there anything inparticular that caused you to become disenchanted with buddhism? I'm really interested in hearing about other people's views on stuff like this.
 
Hm, i am at a troubled phase right now concerning my religious beliefs, belief in an afterlife or reicarnation, belief in the paranormal and supernatural etc, i am questioning a lot of these things a great deal at this current point in my life etc.
May i ask if there was there anything inparticular that caused you to become disenchanted with buddhism? I'm really interested in hearing about other people's views on stuff like this.

Of course you can :) Always happy to help.

I studied Buddhism for some while and indeed found it particularly helpful. It was a very different way of viewing my problems- literally "X is not your problem, the fact you're worried about it is the problem".

Also I found the central theme of questioning most refreshing. None of my religious peers/tutors ever said 'just accept it' or 'it's that way because we believe so', I was always given a rational, philosophical argument for why things were the way that the Buddha said.

The first problem I had is that Buddha said everything he imparted was not figurative or to be interpreted, it was literal. He also said a lot of things which were (IMO) pure weapons-grade baloneyum. Things about people achieving enlightment and being granted the ability of flight or to transform into animals. That ran totally counter to the previously established idea that there was NO 'magic' in the world.

If someone had said that these things were figurative, or that upon realising life was purely perception (another tenant of my teachings) one could manipulate these perceptions to give the illusion of flight, that would be fine. No, this was literal.

Oops.

That was the first niggling fault-line which over time became a crack. The final nail in the coffin came with my inability to reconcile working to better myself with the Buddhist teachings about not desiring things.

In short, yes not wanting anything will mean you're never disappointed. If you accept that all life is perception and not to be worried about, you'll never be concerned if you have a new car, a good job or if your partner leaves you.

The problem I have with that is that great achievements come out of the total opposite. Wanting to make things better, wanting to improve your lot and the lot of those around you and the disappointment that drives you to do better next time.

Buddhist philosophies didn't invent the electric light, write a concerto or paint the Mona Lisa. Those activities are pointless indulgences of the transiency of life (Samsara). But they are still beautiful, and I believe they are worthwhile.

For that reason I had to abandon it. I'd essentially found cause to disagree with the central teaching of the Buddha and find fault in his assertion that magic didn't exist whilst telling stories centred around it.

Probably needless but I will add the disclaimer that these are purely my experiences. Anybody else out there practising Buddhism (or any other life philosophy/religion) and making it work for them, good luck. Don't let me dampen your enthusiasm. Live and let live.
 
That was the first niggling fault-line which over time became a crack. The final nail in the coffin came with my inability to reconcile working to better myself with the Buddhist teachings about not desiring things.
In short, yes not wanting anything will mean you're never disappointed. If you accept that all life is perception and not to be worried about, you'll never be concerned if you have a new car, a good job or if your partner leaves you.
The problem I have with that is that great achievements come out of the total opposite. Wanting to make things better, wanting to improve your lot and the lot of those around you and the disappointment that drives you to do better next time.
Buddhist philosophies didn't invent the electric light, write a concerto or paint the Mona Lisa. Those activities are pointless indulgences of the transiency of life (Samsara). But they are still beautiful, and I believe they are worthwhile.
For that reason I had to abandon it. I'd essentially found cause to disagree with the central teaching of the Buddha and find fault in his assertion that magic didn't exist whilst telling stories centred around it.




I find this in particular very interesting and i guess i agree with here most in particular.

The idea of wanting for nothing i think goes against human nature in a big way. If we are to progress, then we need to want to progress, but from a budhist view wanting to progress would be going against their concept of wanting for nothing.

I think buddhism can do a lot for society, but as you said it can not do everything for society- it is not the be all and end all of everything, and so perhaps not the ultimate truth or path to enlightenment etc.
But i think that concept of wanting for nothing can still be useful in that when you come to really understand it, you can explain a lot of things in life, and if you can understand these things then you can perhaps find a solution or answer to them.


I do not know that much on buddhism, but i have read a lot about it and what it stands for, my favorite buddhist book is a book full of the Dalai Lama's teachings for use in everyday day-to-day life.

But although i agree with a lot of what the Dalai Lama teaches, to really put everything properly into practice, a lot of his teachings would just be unpractical for society and day-to-day life etc.

I do think as a society we are probably too materialistic, and i think buddhism at times can help teach us to value the non-materialistic things in life a lot more as they should be. But it would simply be unpractical and not logical for me to give up all of my material possesions, my money, my house, my car etc- i do definately think that one can be very happy in life even if they are one of the poorest people in the world, but on the other hand, having things can take a lot of stress out of day to day life. I don't want to return back to the ancient ways of being little more in essence than a peasant living in, say, the medieval times- i don't think i would be very happy if i gave up my attachment to all of my material possessions, but i do understand that someone can have an unhealthy attachment to material possessions or place the wrong type of value to them etc.


When it comes to benefetting society, at the end of the day i do think buddhism has a lot to offer.
One thing i noticed from early on is that it places a great deal of emphasis on tolerance and compassion to all other people, even if they don't believe in the same things as you, like they are of another religion- this i found was very refreshing, since although other religions like christianity supposedly teach the same tolerance and compassion, religions like christianity also hypocritically teach us to basically ostracize people like gays and non-christians from society if they refuse to change their ways to more christian agreeable ones etc.
I thought it was very open-minded and good of the Dalai Lama when he said in his book that essentially the one thing all religions have in common is that they are all about creating spiritual inner peace and are on a path to spiritual enlightement, and that there is no one religion that is suitable for all people to reach these goals, some people may be more suited and have more in common with one religion than the next etc. So we should basically never try to enforce our religious beliefs on others or try to eradicate other religions, but instead show tolerance towards other religions and be compassionate towards all other people regardless of what their religion is etc.

A lot of wars have been started because of disagreements over religious beliefs, but i think if people showed a bit more tolerance and compassion towards other people like what the Dalai Lama teaches, then a lot of these wars would never have been started and a lot of people would never have lost their lives etc.

What do you think :) ?
 
Buddhism has some awesome qualities without doubt. It has come closest to me than any other religion/philosophy I have encountered. Perhaps one day I will go back to it, it was certainly very useful at a difficult time in my life, but I need to be able to reconcile my beliefs on achievement and working towards something better with the Buddha's teachings first.

And yes, religion is a great issue in many parts of the world. I feel its biggest issue, to speak frankly, is the ease with which it can be used to justify just about any idiotic war/crusade/act of intolerance/cruelty or evil.

Jesus was nailed to a plank of wood for observing what a good idea it would be if we were all a bit nicer to one another, and many years later people are still persecuted in his name (godhatesfags.com, anybody?). Same goes for Islam, Judaism etc.

Religion would work much better if all its participants could agree to live and let live and try really, really hard to get along... rather than some using it as an excuse to stick pointy, sharp things at one another because coming up with a slightly more rational excuse is just too time-consuming.

Shame God didn't make that particularly clear when mentioning what he wanted in his Holy Texts. Must have slipped his mind. Unless he finds the needless disagreement and fights in his name over a confusing/contradictory passage interesting. [/Blasphemous]

Either that or it's what comes of taking a book as gospel (no pun intended) despite the fact its about 4000 years out of date and was written by people who had a vastly different view of how the world worked.
 
It has come closest to me than any other religion/philosophy I have encountered.


Same here, although i don't always agree with everything it says, i agree with a great deal of it teaches in essence, especially since it explains a lot of the things it teaches and doesn't expect people to just believe in and follow what it says on blind faith alone.

Although buddhism may not be the solution to all of the obsticles and problems i face in life etc, it has still helped me out a great deal in my life, i would say that it has given me more of a sense of inner peace- i think things that it helped me change early on was that it helped me become less selfish as an individual (although i generally don't consider myself to be so, i think we can all be a bit selfish at times) and it helped me become more open-minded towards life/people in general and also more accepting of other people and their ways.
So i guess it has probably taught me to essentially be a more tolerant and compassionate individual, and i shall continue to try and improve on these qualities as much as i can even if i never reach perfection, i think it is a worthwhile aim to be better at these qualities etc 👍 .


Another thing that i thought was very good while i was reading the Dalai Lama's teachings was that he cares a lot about the environment and its animals and teaches to do so as well.
 
My religion is Christianity :)
the only one that scored "true" in my reality check 🙂
Hello to all the fellow Christians :)
God bless you and everyone else !
 
Hello everyone ^^

I am Muslim ^^

Islam answers all my Questions ^^

I read about Christianity and Jew but I (( personally )) think that Islam is the center

between the two Religions ...

and thanks for the nice thread ^^
 
I have voted no.I don't know why how and whom I am gonna believe.I am a bit confused in this matter.I need help whether I should be a believer or not.Any body on this forum please help me.Thanks in advance.
 
I have always been a spiritual person. When I was young, I had a small wooden box in which I would keep bird bones and quarts stones and herbs, or plants that smelled nice. No one had told me about witchcraft or such... it was like a hobby. I would burry it under a big rock in the corn field next to my house, and would hope that my dreams would be more interesting when I slept. I guess I had a big imagination. It all depends on your temperament and your curiosity for the things beyond the known universe. Of course it also takes action. I mean, if I had never prayed to God, would I believe in him today?
 
I have voted no.I don't know why how and whom I am gonna believe.I am a bit confused in this matter.I need help whether I should be a believer or not.Any body on this forum please help me.Thanks in advance.
I'd be interested to know whether or not you were raised in religious household. As to needing help, I think this forum is a good place to start. Read everyone's opinions, look at the evidence they present, and I'm sure some things will start to make sense. Like you, I was confused when I started posting here, and the comments I read here were one of the major factors that helped me to get ideas clear in my head. I'm not confused any more, at least not about religion 😊
 
I have voted no.I don't know why how and whom I am gonna believe.I am a bit confused in this matter.I need help whether I should be a believer or not.Any body on this forum please help me.Thanks in advance.
Sounds like you are questioning the belief system you where bought up in. I take it that is Islam, seeing you live in Pakistan? If so you are brave doing so, especially in a predominantly Muslim country. Muslims, and even more, the extremists do not like people leaving the faith and I do believe the Qur'an does call for death to anyone who rejects Islam and leaves. Puts you in a difficult position.
I applaud you for this. It takes a lot of courage to reject a faith that has been pushed on you for most of your life. Remember you have never had a say on what religion you have been bought up in, it has been "forced" (it is really the wrong word, but it the only one I can really use) on you by your parents, but them same goes for them and for generations back, so leaving a religion can cause feelings of guilt, not just for rejecting the faith, but for fear that your parents would not approve.
Anyway you have taken the first step from your conditioning and you are now looking around to find something to fill that gap. Some people fall back into religion and find one that more suits to their beliefs, still unable to shake off the need for a deity. Other follow ther beliefs and though still needing a god, do not follow any form of organised religion (called deists). Other will not quite believe in gods, but cannot really decide on where they stand on the matter. To them gods might or might not exist, they are agnsotics, and it is where you are at at them moment, confused about religion, not knowing whether to turn left or right. People manage quite well as agnostics (that sounds so condesending, its not meant to be) and just do not let any religion tell them what to do.
The final group is us atheists. Hated by theists (beliveres in God or gods), fundies, we see no evidence for any deity and generally reject gods and religion of any sort. Unlike theists most atheists will not force you to not believe. We have no threats of death or eternal punishment, all we ask is that you read and learn. Fundies don't like us because a lot of atheists have quite a knowledge in various religions and have read the origins of such belief systems beyond the holy books and can shoot huge holes in their beliefs. For example the origins of Allah can be traced back to a God called Il, a Canaanite god (for all muslims, This is not a case of debate on this thread, go somewhere else to do it).
Also mythology is a good place to read as well.
As for beliefs systems and your current crisis of faith, I cannot force you. The theists will, with threats of eternal punishment after death, leaving god makes you worthless and dozens of other such statements. You must be strong in such an onslaught from these people. I can give you a few links that might help
http://www.faithfreedom.org/ a site for those wishing to leave or have had thoughts about Islam.
afterfaith.com is available for purchase - Sedo.com an atheist site
Atheist Gear – We've got the products you've been praying for! another atheist site and a fourm to which I also belong. Be warned this forum has no bad language filters and members are a little more blunt towards theists on this site.
Also if you need any other help or support you can PM me
 
I specialize in religious studies
I studied most religions at the university Precisely (Judaism and Christianity)
And studied celestial religions of others such as Buddhism, paganism and atheism
But I did not find a religion like the religion of Islam
Religion inclusive of all matters of life and the Hereafter
A religion of mercy and love, peace and obedience and the good of man and animals and the environment
And who wants to learn more must review the Quran the Source of islam and the book of God to human beings

sorry for my bad english and hope you understand me

thanks again
 
Hello everyone ^^
I am Muslim ^^
Islam answers all my Questions ^^
I read about Christianity and Jew but I (( personally )) think that Islam is the center
between the two Religions ...
and thanks for the nice thread ^^

Yes
Islam Is Peace
i\m muslim and I proud
 
Mine is the way of truth
When i was a kid, i just followed my parents religion, i didn't even understand the need of a religion is.
Then, when i was about 10 years old, i've started to understand the inside part of my religion, and i've started to despise any religion other than mine.
When i was about 17, i couldn't stop worshipping the God i believe in, because i found peace and i could feel it from inside. But still, i haven't quite understand the way of thinking of atheists. And i didn't really care about it, because i focused myself in my worshipping and prays.
And now, i've understood well the way of thinking of atheists. Well, i think they're just some bunch of overconfident people that drowned by unreasonable theories.
Well, i'd love to debate those atheists in logical manners. 😊
 
Mine is the way of truth
When i was a kid, i just followed my parents religion, i didn't even understand the need of a religion is.
Then, when i was about 10 years old, i've started to understand the inside part of my religion, and i've started to despise any religion other than mine.
When i was about 17, i couldn't stop worshipping the God i believe in, because i found peace and i could feel it from inside. But still, i haven't quite understand the way of thinking of atheists. And i didn't really care about it, because i focused myself in my worshipping and prays.
And now, i've understood well the way of thinking of atheists. Well, i think they're just some bunch of overconfident people that drowned by unreasonable theories.
Well, i'd love to debate those atheists in logical manners. 😊

I'm an overconfident person being drowned by unreasonable theories? I believe in humanity's better angels above all else. That's right, humanity. Not that some magical prophet will come down to Earth and usher in the end of days or paradise or whatever. Our world is what we make of it. It's about time we stopped waiting for someone else to make things all nice and better and instead do it ourselves.

Please don't be disrespectful towards those who have differing religious beliefs, or a lack of religious beliefs.
 
It would be a new life experience for me to see a believer in ANY religion debate atheists in a logical manner.

There is NO logical proof of God's existence.
 
It would be a new life experience for me to see a believer in ANY religion debate atheists in a logical manner.

There is NO logical proof of God's existence.
And there is NO proof of God's nonentity.
Actually if you think of humans and human brain,Universe,Earth,Creatures,that will lead you to a simple idea witch is "Who created this universe",This question is more logical than "This universe is created by it self or by no one".
 
You can't prove elves do not exist, either. There have been plenty of sightings over the ages.

You can't prove Santa Claus doesn't exist. In fact, it's pretty hard to prove any thing's non-existence. However, you can prove that some things exist.

If religious belief is a matter of logic, I'd like to see the proof. I think religion is mostly a matter of your memes. If you grew-up in the Middle East, you're likely to be Muslim. If you grew up in the US, you're more likely to be Christian.

That isn't because the dazzling truth of Christianity has shed its light on America, and the dazzling truth of Islam has shed its light on the Middle East. Its because our families and cultures have taught us these beliefs.

I sometimes hear people say that they've studied all the world's religions, and have reached the logical conclusion that their own religion is the one true faith. What would you say if I told you I've studied families all over the world, and I've concluded American families are the best?
 
Yes
Islam Is Peace
i\m muslim and I proud
Yes, so much so that because one lunatic pastor in the US burns the quran that muslims then feel they have the right to threaten and kill anyone who is not a muslim. The Norwegians killed by your peaceful religion weren't even Americans. Yet the Saudi authority will regularly destroy bibles and other non-islamic scripture every week. Double stnadards rings a bell?
More muslims ought to practice being peaceful rather than threatening and being violent idiots everytime someone makes a slight at them.

Mine is the way of truth
You and every theist in the world.
When i was a kid, i just followed my parents religion, i didn't even understand the need of a religion is.
Indoctrination at such an early age.
Then, when i was about 10 years old, i've started to understand the inside part of my religion, and i've started to despise any religion other than mine.
Then comes the intolerance.
When i was about 17, i couldn't stop worshipping the God i believe in, because i found peace and i could feel it from inside.
17 years of indoctrination and repression of other thoughts. Of course you aren't going to question your beliefs.
But still, i haven't quite understand the way of thinking of atheists. And i didn't really care about it, because i focused myself in my worshipping and prays.
And so you are now still a blind sheep. Listen to what you are told and don't question. That's what makes you a good little theist. Of course the odd threat of eternal punishment from a non-proven diety keeps you in line as well.
And now, i've understood well the way of thinking of atheists. Well, i think they're just some bunch of overconfident people that drowned by unreasonable theories.
Atheism is merely the lack of belief in a god or gods. I don't kowtow to an invisible sky pixie that is not proven, I don't think you really understand how us atheists think.
Well, i'd love to debate those atheists in logical manners. 😊
That could be a laugh. Theists aren't usually known for using logic.

And there is NO proof of God's nonentity.
Buzz, Fail. The claim of your gods proof lies with you. See burden of proof. So far every theist has failed to do so.
Actually if you think of humans and human brain,Universe,Earth,Creatures,that will lead you to a simple idea witch is "Who created this universe",This question is more logical than "This universe is created by it self or by no one".
No, that is a retreat into the world of fantasy. I don't ask who created the universe, I ask how the universe came into being. I don't resort to magic. Planets, stars and even humans have a natural explanation. We evolved: FACT. We were not magicall created as fully functioning humans by a magic sky pixie. No evidnce for sky pixie, tonnes of evidenc for evolution.
 
Mycernius said:
Yes, so much so that because one lunatic pastor in the US burns the quran that muslims then feel they have the right to threaten and kill anyone who is not a muslim.
what are you talking about ???????????????

Mycernius said:
The Norwegians killed by your peaceful religion weren't even Americans.
Who are these norwegians and where ???
And what if they were Americans,Do someone has the right to threat them because they are Americans ? o_O you are weird !
Mycernius said:
Yet the Saudi authority will regularly destroy bibles and other non-islamic scripture every week. Double stnadards rings a bell?
destroy ? how ? Tell me what is all this post about.
 
Hezam, don't you get news from Afghanistan? After the crazy, desperate-for-attention pastor burned the Koran in Florida, USA, a bunch of Afghanis rioted and killed some Norwegians (and others), apparently thinking they were Americans.

Evolution is indeed FACT. But current science doesn't really know how life began in the first place. I don't think evolution theory necessarily precludes the existence of a deity (or god-like being) who started life.

But if treated scientifically (logically), the God Hypothesis has no real evidence to support it. Reasoning that either God created the universe and life, or they happened by random chance, is an example of a type of logic error known as a false dichotomy. There are in fact more than the two listed possibilities; for instance, the universe and life may have come about through natural principles or agencies that are now unknown to us.
 
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