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Post by Fireheart on Feb 9, 2016 19:56:10 GMT -5
In discussions with friends, this topic comes up quite often (especially being that I have a diverse group of friends). Here are a few topics that I would like your thoughts on:
Is the religion that you practice (or lack of religion), the religion that you were born into (ie. one or both of your parents' religion)?
If so, have you ever taken a look outside of that particular religion to search for answers yourself, or have you always simply accepted it as true?
If you've never looked outside of that religion....why? ....and do you believe if you were born into a different religion that you would have simply followed that one...OR...would you have somehow found your way to the religion that you currently practice?
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Post by notbob on Feb 10, 2016 0:45:08 GMT -5
In discussions with friends, this topic comes up quite often (especially being that I have a diverse group of friends). Here are a few topics that I would like your thoughts on: Is the religion that you practice (or lack of religion), the religion that you were born into (ie. one or both of your parents' religion)? If so, have you ever taken a look outside of that particular religion to search for answers yourself, or have you always simply accepted it as true? If you've never looked outside of that religion....why? ....and do you believe if you were born into a different religion that you would have simply followed that one...OR...would you have somehow found your way to the religion that you currently practice? I was born into a family that went to a Presbyterian church (both parents). I once desperately wanted to believe yet the idea of a supreme creator/controller made no sense. All religions I looked at were basically the same in that they all worship something supremely more powerful than ourselves. I believe there are at least billions of things more powerful than ourselves, but I also believe that none of them are deities. If I were born into a different religion, I can only speculate, for my life may have been very different. To change even one minute aspect of one's past could produce a very different end result. If I were born into a Catholic church, I might have become a mass murderer. There's really nothing to base any speculation on.
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Post by smitty45 on Feb 10, 2016 4:57:37 GMT -5
My dad was Baptist and my mom is Protestant, my 3 sisters were baptized in a Protestant church,,, me, I was never baptized though I believe in God and believe Jesus died on the cross for all mankind and womankind sins. I can step into any church I want to, but I;m not bound to just one. Though an old french lady told me, because I;m not Catholic and I;m not baptized I'm going to hell. You know what ? you gotta go through hell if you want to get to heaven anyways.
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Post by levi on Feb 13, 2016 18:28:39 GMT -5
My father was raised Catholic but left the church when he married my mother because she didn't care to convert to Catholicism. My mother is a Presbyterian. I, having studied several religions and philosophies, I'm an atheist. Secular humanism is probably the closest philosophy I adhere to, although I subscribe wholeheartedly to none.
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Post by dragonlady on Feb 20, 2017 23:22:19 GMT -5
I'm new, so I would like to weigh in on this; For all practical purposes I am an atheist. My mother's family was Catholic and for the year I lived with my aunt and her family, I attended parochial school (2nd grade). My dad's family were indifferent protestants; I don't even know that they ever went to church. My mother was permanently hospitalized when I was 4 or 5 and I lived in multiple foster homes until I graduated from high school. From age 9 to 13 I attended the Congregational church. In my mid teens I decided I wanted to become Catholic - more to feel I belonged somewhere than any sincere belief tho I really wanted to believe. I really tried to believe and accept the teachings of the church, but had to give up in my mid 20's. I just could not make myself believe in the whole thing any more. Giving up all religion can be a traumatic thing after you have been told a large part of your life about hell and all that went with it. It was pretty scary, but over time, I became comfortable with my decision.
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Post by The Inspector on Feb 21, 2017 0:04:59 GMT -5
For reasons that will remain private. I just need to remain well grounded. The world is very complex and something are just unknown. Over speculation leads to one being neurotic.
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Post by QuickSilver on Feb 21, 2017 5:37:46 GMT -5
I'm agnostic.. I think it would be easier to completely believe.. or to completely NOT believe. Not knowing of feeling sure of something is disconcerting.
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Post by QuickSilver on Feb 21, 2017 8:57:32 GMT -5
It would seem odd to me that God would give humans free will and a brain capable of thought and then punish them for questioning. I agree.. I think that deeds and actions outweigh lip service and "Salad Bar" religiosity. Which means picking and choosing what one believes and follows and what one doesn't.
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Post by dragonlady on Feb 22, 2017 16:16:18 GMT -5
Once I "saw the light", so to speak and began to read more history (I thought it was dry and boring in high school - but as an adult, became fascinated with it), I became convinced that, in many cases, religion was or became a tool for controlling the populace. The "Law" couldn't be everywhere to oversee the people all the time and keep them in line, but an omnipotent deity could. Moses' Ten Commandments, for example, just make good sense in a civilized society. Not all people can be trusted to behave in an ethical, responsible manner on their own, so religion can be used to scare them into a semblance of it. Many may have sincerely believed, but I have my doubts about the "ruling" class.
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Post by QuickSilver on Feb 23, 2017 7:21:34 GMT -5
Once I "saw the light", so to speak and began to read more history (I thought it was dry and boring in high school - but as an adult, became fascinated with it), I became convinced that, in many cases, religion was or became a tool for controlling the populace. The "Law" couldn't be everywhere to oversee the people all the time and keep them in line, but an omnipotent deity could. Moses' Ten Commandments, for example, just make good sense in a civilized society. Not all people can be trusted to behave in an ethical, responsible manner on their own, so religion can be used to scare them into a semblance of it. Many may have sincerely believed, but I have my doubts about the "ruling" class. Not to mention.. once we became an Agrarian society.. (ie.. staying put and forming cities and villages) It didn't take long for it to be figured out that the populace, not only needed to be controlled, but that there were vast sums of money to be made by playing on people's fears and ignorance.. Convince them that they could live forever in "utopia" after death.. or BURN in Hell based on not only following a circumscribed set of rules and social mores, but convince them that their cause can be helped by contributing money to the Church and more specifically to the Priests. The best way to do this is through fear. Make people afraid and make them think that you are the only one who can help them and you have real power... Look at how Trump and his crew are using that principle.
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Post by The Inspector on Sept 17, 2017 22:24:20 GMT -5
The Christians have "ways to MAKE you empathic" How can empathic people badger people in to being empathic.
If someone does not care about others. No amount of badgering is going to make them care.
They will just act empathic when people are watching.
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Post by chinadoll1981 on Sept 21, 2017 20:19:05 GMT -5
In discussions with friends, this topic comes up quite often (especially being that I have a diverse group of friends). Here are a few topics that I would like your thoughts on: Is the religion that you practice (or lack of religion), the religion that you were born into (ie. one or both of your parents' religion)? If so, have you ever taken a look outside of that particular religion to search for answers yourself, or have you always simply accepted it as true? If you've never looked outside of that religion....why? ....and do you believe if you were born into a different religion that you would have simply followed that one...OR...would you have somehow found your way to the religion that you currently practice? I am Buddhist, specifically I am Ch'an Buddhist. I was born into this faith and have always practiced it. Both parents and all my relatives are Buddhists. I never actually as you say "looked outside". Buddhism as my faith is inward, a part of myself and my beliefs. Outside is not where answers are, the answers are within. I am no sure how to answer if I was born into another religion as my beliefs are fairly simple, I have always been and in the future always will be. As I believe in a complete cycle, I as an entity have been before and will be once again. what is most important is essentially the here and the now. In Buddhism nothing in the Universe exists independently, separated from the rest of creation. Buddha was NOT a god, he was a human like you or like me. We bow to Buddha not in a worship sense but rather in deep respect for the teacher and the teachings which are called the Dharma. There is no separation between the Universe and myself as what matters focuses only on the present moment, here and now and through meditation, one can achieve enlightenment. You can call it a religion, a faith, a belief or philosophy. It simply is, everything all at the same time. Many forms of Buddhism focuses on various dogmas and rituals. Ch'an Buddhists simply focus inward, there is no need to follow theoretical concepts and ceremonies as other forms do, such as Tibetan Buddhists. My practice is Zuò chán.... sitting meditation. The Japanese call it Zazen, which is the total suspension of all judgmental thinking and letting all words, ideas, images and thoughts pass by the self without getting involved in them. A state of nothingness to practice awareness without participation.
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Post by TheSource on Sept 22, 2017 16:00:38 GMT -5
To me, in my humble opinion, it matters not what religion, faith or belief system a person chooses to follow. We are all a humble people created, at least in my eyes, with the greatest and the best and most honorable of intentions. We, as a whole people, should look at the very best of what each religion, faith and belief system has to offer and take that knowledge and embrace it. To me, the world would be a far, far better place than what it has degenerated into now in this day and age.
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Post by rjhangover on Nov 6, 2017 12:14:20 GMT -5
Fireheart I was baptized at age eight. I was in a Catholic folk mass with a friend at thirteen. I got married at eighteen in a Catholic church to a Catholic, which I guess made me Catholic. I divorced her six months later, but the church didn't recognize the divorce...so I don't know if I'm excommunicated or not. The next year I was sent to Iran, I was in the army. I met a girl at the airport, who said she wanted to be my friend....she was Shiite Muslim...one time I told her that if she didn't believe in Jesus Christ, she would go to hell. She told me, that if I didn't believe in Mohammed I would go to hell. A few years later I set out on my quest for the truth. I ended up joining the Christ Brotherhood in Santa Fe New Mexico. It was a commune that ran a youth hostel. It disbanded a few years later, because the leader got caught abusing a child. I had already been kicked out for not continuing on a trip with another brother. Since then I've read a lot of esoteric books, and checked out other religions like Buddhism and Hinduism. I was really beginning to wonder if I would really ever find the truth. Then two months ago I read this.... www.crystalinks.com/holographic.html...and I had an epiphany that God is a hologram. In it, it mentions THE HALL OF RECORDS....Buddhists and Hindus call it Akasha....it's where everything that ever has happened or ever will happen, is already written down. It is where John went to get Revelations, and where Nostradamus went to get his quatrains, and it's also where Edgar Casey went to get cures for his patients. There are three guardians that make sure only those that go in are going in for the right purpose. In other words, you can't get in to find out the winning lottery numbers. Since learning this, I feel I have a much better understanding, and I am finally at peace. I actually look forward to dying....it's just the next adventure.
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Post by TheSource on Nov 7, 2017 18:20:24 GMT -5
....I actually look forward to dying....it's just the next adventure. I have always said that I’m not afraid of dying. That’s the easy part.
It’s the leaving of this thing we call “life” that I’m afraid of.
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