What do you believe?

[Rayven]

I'm just curious here, but what is everybody's religion?

As for me.... I don't know. I'm currently studying and looking over different religions, and even practicing a bit of each. My favorites, however, are Wiccan, Neo-Pagan, Christian, and Buddism. (Yes, I'm very diverse.)

((This is NOT a debate or flame thread. So please don't make it one. I'm just asking what your religion is and what it involves.))

[Anutsaka]

Hinduism.

Basically, it means trying to be perfect. I know it seems weird, but trying to be perfect means being the best person you can be in all aspects which in the end, doesn't sound as weird as it came off as.

It means being nice to the ants, the dogs, the humans, and whatever races there might be out there. It also means tolerating others in terms of other religions, since we never force our religion onto to others (like others do.) Buddhism is extremely similar to Hinduism so in essence, you might've already experienced much of it already. But some of its core values are different.

If you have any questions, be they odd or serious, please feel free to ask.

[Twelve]

I really don't have a religion.. Not that i don't beleive in god or anything...
But i beleive that we really shouldn't pray to someone who might not even be there... we should live our lives without fear of where we'll go after we pass on. Of course, i could be wrong.. but if there really was a god.. he'd have to be some kind of.. entity.. instead of a physical form. Sorry if this offends anyone or anything..

[Cruella De Vil]

I am a catholic. I was born and raised as one. Going to a catholic school and all. I do belelive in God. I am worried though whats going to happen......

[Valodya Bassarov]

I don't believe in God, an afterlife, or anything supernatural.

I try to be tolerant about religious beliefs, since I know how hard it is to not have people tolerate my beliefs.

I think religion is abused and used by capitalists to seperate us from our common humanity.

Religion has also been used to justify power and corrupt systems. It has been used for example to justify divine right to rulership, or what is a just war....

Relgious morals can be oppressive. I find them sexually oppressive in particular.

I could talk on and on about this, but those are just a few of my thoughts on religion.

[Helene at School]

Athiestem(sp?)

I believe in God but its historical fact that the Bible was changed many times over history. Its hard to believe anything when most of it might just be all one big lie. If I did have to choose, however, I dont think I would be able to. Buddism would probably be in the top 5

[Rutto]

I am half atheist and half hindu.

I don't really believe that all your actions will be held against you when you die, nor do I believe in reincarnation.

The reason I'm only half hindu is because I don't believe science caused all of this. I have pondered this for such a long time and have come up with the thought that science did not creat this universe, but something supernatural did, be it a god or some other random thing.

[Lady Violet]

I am a pantheist. The Universe and God are one and the same. All that is supernatural is natural.

It is somewhat like atheism, since by saying that God is this universe, you are denying that god exists as a creative being beyond this universe. And by saying that natural and supernatural are one, you are denying the existance of the supernatural.

I would consider it a philosophy of nature worshiping atheism.

Atheism turns me off since it alienates a person from the creation around them. It keeps a person seperate and above the rest of the world and other humans. Pantheism renders us a part of the universe, and a part of "God"

[Rayven]

Wow... those are very good posts. I didn't expect that... Well, except for the ones from Violet and Bass...

A little more on my religious background:

I was raised as a christian, but I was influenced by many other things that, at the time, cause I was to young to know, I didn't know had beliefs to.

To me, I always seem to see the similarities in beliefs rather than the differences like most people. That's why it's always been kinda hard for me to choose. Perhaps, I don't have to... But at any rate, I just try to be as good a person as I can. That's what most beliefs strive for in the first place. As to how we got here and who we are and if everything can be explained, I'm still trying to figure that out. But even then, many religions have similarities in that part of their beliefs, as well.

And from what I heard in some posts just makes me more curious! Thanks! ^-^

[Anutsaka]

We are all going to have to assume that no one wants to offend anybody in this sort of discussion, so no one need repeat it or this after me.

I really don't think Hinduism falls under that category, Bassarov, just because there is no real system. People pretty much choose how they want to worship, no one is telling what is right and what is not and its such a benevolent religion that I just can't understand how it fall under your classification.

[Valodya Bassarov]

I am mainly refering to the three major monotheistic religions.

I do not paint everyone even within these religions to be the same and understand that there are many grades of differentiation within all belief systems.

There is a range of liberal to orthodox, and therefore, for instance, not all Christians think that homosexuality is wrong or that all non Christians are going to hell.

My biggest qualm is with the fundementalists within any grouping.
Even political.

I think society is constantly changing and any faith that reponds to the changes in society is likely to be healthy and growing.

I have a distaste for stagnant rules and traditions, expecially those that limit a person's potential as a human being or persecute in the percieved notion that some activity is a "sin."

The core of anybelief system should be love for fellow human beings. Unconditional love for fellow humans, the value of nature and human life, and selflessness towards building better more equitable societies.

As far as rules go, religions can be sexually repressive. As I understand it Anutsaka, you have to have an arranged marriage and feel that homosexuality is wrong. I think that both of those are rules or traditions that limit a persons ability to express and experience love. I find them, at least from my point of view, oppressive.

But that is only my opinion. Maybe you can inform me more on that topic.

[Helene]

Hmm, I think I believe more and more in Violet's religon. I believe in supernatural things (like the ghost that lives in my basement). But I believe there is a "God" or many "Gods" I have my doubts that one woman can do everything (yes, I do believe "God" is a woman. Women create man everyday, correct?)

And no, my family doesnt know what I believe in. I dont think it would sit well with them and quite frankly, I dont want anyone praying over me while I sleep (which has happened)

[Valodya Bassarov]

Despite the impression I may give to the contrary, I do respect religious beliefs. I think that religion can be used for social change, but often times it is used as a tool to divide people from one another.

I agree with Rayven that we must strive to find the commonality in faiths and build upon that.

No one group has all the answers or all of the truth. We are all in the dark groping for answers and basing our lives on what little shreds of truth we can take from this world.

I do have hard feelings towards religion.
It is such a hurtful thing for me since my political beliefs keep me estranged from a good portion of my family.

My own beliefs are not respected or tolerated.

But none of that is all that relavent and many people deal with the same thing.

All in all, I think people just need to be kind to other people, respect other beliefs (though this does not mean we have to accept them uncritically, I certainly don.t), and always ask why.

[Eliza Cady]

Why ask?
Sometimes the truth should be able to elude us as long as we want it to.
-Words of Wisdom, chapter 12

[Raz Nili Ze'ev]

I am an odd combination of Kabbalistic Judaism and Buddhism. My beliefs are very similar to pantheism. I believe that God is not an indipendant being, and that everything is God, therefore everything should be respected. To treat someone or something with disrespect is to disrespect God. I believe that good and evil don't exist. The only "sin" one could commit is harming or disrespecting another being. In the vein of Kabbalism, there is a spiritual world that is superimposed onto the material world. There is sort of a world karma type thing. When a person disrespects God, everyone is affected because the connection with the spiritual world is severed a little. When people do things that help other beings, the connection is strengthened, and everyone benefits. I don't really know what to believe regarding death. I like the idea of reincarnation, however it is far more likely that we die, and then that's the end of the line. Not existing doesn't disturb me that much though. The Jewish belief is that you are only dead if no one remembers you kindly. If people revile your memory, you're in the Jewish equivalent of hell. The difference between Jewish hell and Christian hell is that there is no eternal d**nation. It's more like limbo than anything else. I believe that touching God and feeling spiritual are more important than how many prayers one knows, or what traditions a person follows. Whatever a person does to feel spiritual is perfectly OK, as long as they don't hurt anyone or themself.

I am not a fan of traditional Orthodox Judaism. I am speaking from experience. I grew up in a very traditional community, and attended parochial school. The general vibe in traditional Judaism is that we are all horrible people so the best we can do is repent constantly and hope for the best. I also don't like the opinion that the Jews are God's chosen people, or the inequality of the sexes. Whatever works for other people though. Personally, I can't feel anything from it.