What Religion Are You

[Travis]

Hello All,

Quick question.

What religion are you and why?

If you are athesist, why?

I will tell you what I believe later when I have more time.
Thanks!

[Victor Vikingr]

I'm Buddhist... though I do believe some things that aren't exactly Buddhist. I don't really like labels.

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Travis

Hello All,

Quick question.

What religion are you and why?

If you are athesist, why?

I will tell you what I believe later when I have more time.
Thanks!

I am no religion!

But I do believe in a lot of the New Age stuff.

[Brutha]

I don't believe in religions.

[Travis]

I have time to tell you about what religion I am and why?

I am Roman Catholic.

I am Christain because I have felt the presence of Jesus and I cannot imagine being anything other than Christain.

I am Catholic because:
1) Catholism was founded by Jesus
2) Catholic theology is much more sound than Prostant theology
3) I really like being Catholic

If you want to talk about Catholic theology vs Prostant theology, start a new thread and I would love to talk about it.

Thanks!

[Starman]

Originally Posted by Travis

Hello All,

Quick question.

What religion are you and why?

If you are athesist, why?

I will tell you what I believe later when I have more time.
Thanks!

Used to be LDS (a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or Mormons), but now I'm using my own reasoning skills, and everything is making a lot more sense. I plan to continue on this path until I find a better one.

[NightSpirit]

Originally Posted by Travis

Hello All,

Quick question.

What religion are you and why?

If you are athesist, why?

I will tell you what I believe later when I have more time.
Thanks!

I am Christian, believing that Jesus is the most perfect manifestation on earth of the loving nature, spirit and power of the creator God. I agree with the truth in these biblical terms, of God as our heavenly Father and of Jesus as Immanuel, meaning God with us.

I believe God is also in us and works through us, as the Holy Spirit. I believe this same God is the creator or originator of all life and all people on earth. Whether we choose to align ourselves spiritually with God in this life, I believe, is a birthright and privilege God Himself has given all of us. I see this personal decision, to seek and honor God, described by Jesus in the New Testament as a second, spiritual birth that requires our agreement and active participation, in faith and in works.

I believe this because, even though I have studied other beliefs and religions, I have personally felt the presence of God while seeking Him through the New Testament and within Christian churches of varying denominations. I have had experiences similar or identical to those described by the authors of the Gospels and Bible.

I would say the foundation verse that describes my experiences with God and explains the reason I chose to worship where I do and the way I do is this verse from Hebrews 8:10-12 -

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

My life and circumstances are not always perfect. Neither am I; I do not claim complete understanding of God nor to always know the why and when of everything God does. But I do know God has a voice and that He continually speaks to our minds and hearts. I also know that at times He has intervened in my life in very specific, miraculous ways. I can best describe the presence I have felt of God, in a form unfiltered and unpolluted by man, as pure, complete love, which when encountered, generates the joy unspeakable and full of glory within me that Peter described in the Bible.

Like I said, what I have found through Jesus is to me more complete and satisfying than any other religion or belief system I explored previously. But I do feel God is not limited in any way and can be experienced anytime He or the truth is being sought.

[Xanafax]

I am an agnostic who believes in the LoA.

philosophically I am a combination (I am going to combine the most important belief system I have touched on in the last 5 - 6 years)

Wiccan, Taoist, New Ageist, Objectivist, Solipsist, Atheist, agnostic.

[JMononoetoe]

I consider myself to be a free spirit. I grew up in a Protestant family and my mother taught me things about the Christianity. When I got older (around 12 years old or so), I started feeling really uncomfortable with it and became a free spirit. A free spirit like me is not bound to religion, and I like it that way.

I wouldn't say I'm an atheist, although it is true that I do not really "believe" strictly in Christianity, or Islam, or whatever religions there are. I do think that you can learn many lessons from religions, and that's what I'm after; Wisdom. Wisdom that applies to all. Wisdom that could be taught to everyone, despite their beliefs or racial background.

I believe that in the end atheists, agnosts, Christians, Muslims etc. are all the same, and are definitely all worthy. They simply live their lives slightly different, and that's what makes them unique.

In the end, I wouldn't bluntly call myself an atheist. I'm more an agnost and a spiritual person who doesn't identify himself with a religion, but doesn't disregard it either.

[Andrew Gubb]

I like all religions but it'd be nuts to identify with one of them.

[NightSpirit]

Originally Posted by Travis

I have time to tell you about what religion I am and why?

I am Roman Catholic.

I am Christain because I have felt the presence of Jesus and I cannot imagine being anything other than Christain.

Me too! Isn't it so easy to love Jesus? But I'm not Catholic, except in the broadest terms of Catholic meaning "universal." I do believe there is one Christian church though, the church consisting of those who worship, not here or there, but in spirit and in truth as Jesus spoke of in John 4.

Originally Posted by Travis

I am Catholic because:
1) Catholism was founded by Jesus
2) Catholic theology is much more sound than Prostant theology
3) I really like being Catholic

If you want to talk about Catholic theology vs Prostant theology, start a new thread and I would love to talk about it.

Thanks!

Those are as good as any reasons I have heard for choosing to be a part of a certain church. I have found debates of this vs that to be rather unproductive, since they usually turn negative or insulting about sincerity or intelligence of those of other faiths.

The choice of whether to worship God at all or to worship Jesus as a Catholic or in some other church usually boils down to a matter of faith and questions of faith can't be answered or proven by debate.

But if you want to understand how a person can have peace with God and faith in Jesus as the Son of God outside of the sacraments of the Catholic church, I will be glad to join in on such a discussion, as you say, if you do start another thread.

[Trezker]

I make my own religions.

Haven't actually used that guide and I haven't really made any religion yet. But I have constructed the basis of a fantasy reality with a good growth place for religious beliefs to sprout from.

As for religions IRL, I stand for all and for none. All religions are awesome and all of them also suck.

[Mikasi]

I used to struggle with aspects of Christianity that seemed (to me at the time) to really leave women out of the faith in many ways, and wondered how current religions still clung to archaic ways of dividing mankind. I know it wasn't founded on that, but somehow people have distorted it.

I also struggle with what people use it for in justifying different behaviors. Again, that was not to original intent. I believe I am living here in this time and in this place for many reasons, many I have yet to uncover. I also believe that with a global community, it is my responsibility to become aware of what many of the world's religions are all about.

Having said that, I feel like I resonate with aspects of each, and also with many of the new age concepts. Once I discoveres LOA, my life changed; LOA and the idea that the world is what I think it is has it provided something none of the others did, for some reason. The idea that my thoughts create my reality goes way further for faith than all of the old constructs. So I guess I have to say I am all religions and I am no religion, and that truth as it appears to me is what guides me.

There is a really cool bunch of videos on gratefulness.org with a (I think) Jesuit priest and a Buddhist monk. They talk about how their two faiths come together, rather than trying to separate themselves from each other. I believe the Dalai Lama has the same goal for all world religions. It seems to me that it is where we are together that we have the most love toward one antoher, not where we separate oursleves from others.

[Zwynd]

I foresee this thread turning ugly... *pops some popcorn*

I don't follow religions. I don't believe in 'gods'. For me, religions are a weakening crutch and I'd rather walk without one. While some of my beliefs are slightly closest to maybe Buddhism or Taoism when comparing religions of this world, I don't like either for certain reasons which I'll not get into here. Pm me if you really care to know.

That aside, while I don't have a religion I DO have a belief/value system that I do my best to uphold to, for it keeps me focusing on joy.

Originally Posted by Trezker

I make my own religions.

[d&d nerdtalk begin]
Hah, nice! I wish I had that link some years back when I was building a crystal sphere's entire set of pantheons complete with unique spells for the specialty priest class. *dramatic sigh*
[/d&d nerdtalk end]

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by Zwynd

I foresee this thread turning ugly... *pops some popcorn*

I will take some popcorn

that is why I was staying out of this one

but I say -
to each their own


I just have 3 rules -

1) do not shove it in my face

2) do not be a hippocrate

and

3)do not use 'god' as a reason for killing innocent people

[Xanafax]

Haha Christians make me laugh.

To me Christianity is a lot of blown-up words and puffed out chests that try and tell the world sheep population what's right and wrong.

It just doesn't make sense. Maybe 200 years ago...but not now.

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by Xanafax

Haha Christians make me laugh.

To me Christianity is a lot of blown-up words and puffed out chests that try and tell the world sheep population what's right and wrong.

It just doesn't make sense. Maybe 200 years ago...but not now.

they don't make me laugh
I just feel sorry for them

[Victor Vikingr]

Originally Posted by lifetimelearner

3)do not use 'god' as a reason for killing innocent people

So I can use it as an excuse if they're not innocent?

Anyway, it seems everybody is bashing Christianity nowadays. I know how you feel, but bashing isn't going to solve anything. Please don't ruin this thread by bashing a faith.

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by Victor Vikingr

So I can use it as an excuse if they're not innocent?

Anyway, it seems everybody is bashing Christianity nowadays. I know how you feel, but bashing isn't going to solve anything. Please don't ruin this thread by bashing a faith.

that's not funny
you know what I was referring to
and

I hope you are not talking to me

I do not bash religions
I just don't want it pushed upon me

[JaredR]

I am a very liberal, cafeteria Christian. A better way to put it: I am a monotheist who is only culturally Christian.

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by JaredR

I am a very liberal, cafeteria Christian. A better way to put it: I am a monotheist who is only culturally Christian.

do tell ?

[JaredR]

Originally Posted by lifetimelearner

do tell ?

I definitely believe in God, but I do not believe that the Bible is divine in origin. I love the character called Jesus and I read the Gospels every few months, but I do not really believe he died for my sins.

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by JaredR

I definitely believe in God, but I do not believe that the Bible is divine in origin. I love the character called Jesus and I read the Gospels every few months, but I do not really believe he died for my sins.

that's interesting
thank you for sharing

[ggwbach]

Buddhist. To me, it's like hacking the brain, working out how the mind really works. Modern psychology has delved into the descriptive aspects of the mind and consciousness, trying to measure things, make sense of them statistically. But if you really want to reprogram your mind, get into Buddhism. It teaches you to question everything, to test everything. The end goal is to relieve suffering, and it does this through an internal means. Brings benefits to all areas of your life; saffron robe not required

but is Buddhism a religion ... no god ... no spirits ... it's more like a training system to me.

anyway, not looking for converts, because Buddhism doesn't do that either

[intellisyte]

I believe in a higher power, a greater self. Religion was created by man to control man. Jesus didn't create the catholic church. That came later...Jesus didn't believe in churches. I believe he said the "kingdom of God is within you". So somebody turned that around and made so many of us feel guilty about our transgressions and told us if we didn't give all to the church, we would burn in hell for all of eternity. Control...500 years ago, most of us would have been put to death for thinking and discussing the things we talk about in this forum. I believe hell is on earth and we keep doing it over until we get it right. Beyond that, we spend so much time trying to make things harder for ourselves, we miss out on the real reasons we are here.....my opinion...

[Travis]

Intellisyte

Some Food for Thought

For the Catholic Argument
Jesus told Peter that he would be the rock that his church is built on. The Catholic Church traces its leadership back to Peter.

For the Church Argument
Sin is the thing that pulls us away from God. One of the idea's of Christian church is to help us battle that sin, which in turn brings us closer to God.

Question About Why you Believe What you Believe
What do you base your beliefs on?

[Mato Kinze]

I believe there is a distinct difference between religion and spirituality. I believe that Spirituality is the experience of connecting to The Source. You can call that Source whatever you want, but the feeling one has when connecting to that source is "Spirituality." Religion is how one goes about making that connection.

For me, then, I have found several methods from many standard, acceptable religions for connecting to Source. I practice Zen Buddhism, follow Toltec traditions and am studying to be a Medicine Man in the Lakota Tradition.

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by Mato Kinze

I believe there is a distinct difference between religion and spirituality. I believe that Spirituality is the experience of connecting to The Source. You can call that Source whatever you want, but the feeling one has when connecting to that source is "Spirituality." Religion is how one goes about making that connection.

you hit the nail on the head for me

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by lifetimelearner

they don't make me laugh
I just feel sorry for them

maybe I didn't mean I feel sorry for them

I think I was just traumatized by my upbringing in the catholic church

I was a free spirit and 'they' wanted to take away my free will and make me out to be someone that couldn't make sound judgements on my own

[Barcs]

I suppose the best way to describe my beliefs is freethinker. I do not believe in any 1 set absolute way to live and am always open to learn more. Each religion is a different way to discover the same ultimate thing. I am agnostic as far as a universal creator is conserned, but I do believe in the soul, spirituality and many new age things. I do not believe the bible or Koran are divinely inspired and if there is a god, he is nothing like the scriptures say. I believe many religions have been detrimental to society, but it is the interpretation that matters. Fundamentalism (literal interpretation of the scriptures) is a bad thing, regardless of what religion it is. You can have faith in whatever you like, just don't force it on other people's lived.