Religion

[Link]

Yes, I know that religion is a touchy subject. However, I feel that if noone passes judgement on someone solely based on their religion, then there will not be any problems. I promise not to pass judgement on anyone for this reason. The purpose of this thread is solely curiosity, and I think that it will help people to get along better. Imagine the embarassment of tell a Jewish or Muslim person "Merry Christmas!" This thread will help to prevent that.

So, I'll go out on a limb first. I am a Christian, more specifically, a Roman Catholic. Please, do not feel obligated to add more than this type of information.

~If anyone does show prejudice in this thread, they deserve to be kicked out of the forums. Thank you.~

[GBA]

I'm a Christian.

[Professor Go]

I am Buddhist.

[Link]

Go ahead and vote in the poll, then.

[Serj]

I'm not sure what I am because I believe in fate so I guess it's Atheism

[jozenshin]

I used to be a Christian, but I don't act like one (in terms of the commandments and what the bible says) so I can't call myself one. My parent THINK they are Christian but again, they don't act like it (same...what the bible says etc), they do howeve talk about God and stuff, more specifically when I do something wrong.

[Just Gabriel]

Atheism is the knowledge (or beleif that) that there is not a god. Atheists embrace scientific principles and theories rather than following how you were raised (as 99% of people conduct their faith)

By the way, you forgot Shinto, Japan's main religion (Most people in Japan practice elements of both Buddhism and Shinto)

[MoN]

Christian. Well, to be more specific, Baptist.

[theblueflame]

I'm christian.

[Jaga]

i'm Muslim...I learn about all these religons in Modern World History, its pretty interesting...

[Nintendo Survivor]

I'll flat out state that I'm an atheist. I honestly believe there is no higher power and that the scientific principles (evolution, etc.) are the explanation for why we are here.

[JustUsOwls]

Christian -- Catholic

[Wh|tE gUy]

whats the word for the people who dont follow a specific religon but arent necessarily atheists?



edit-

Oh ya, i think its Agnostic, not sure whether there is a god or not. I think thats actually what most atheists really are

[Just Gabriel]

Yes, that is somewhat Agnostic (beleif that humans cannot know whether there is a god or not)

This is still different to Atheists, who beleive that there just is not a god.

[Wh|tE gUy]

yes i know. I am just saythat most self proclaimed atheists arent actually so. In reality they are agnostic but since it isnt a common term they just assume they are atheists.

Anyways, im from a mixed mariage, jewish and christian. Dont really practice either tho (besides holidays ofcourse)

[Nintendo Survivor]

I'm not agnostic or whatever, I truly an athiest. It doesn't take a rocket scientists to know whether or not they believe in god or not. Through careful thought, I honestly believe there is not a god, therefore I'm an atheist.

[MoN]

If you could read, you would know he did not say all.

[Professor Go]

Jews rock the casbah.

[Jaga]

lol white guy you lucky as anything... you get a present for every lit candle for Chuanakah and then some presents for Christmas...

[Jog DMC]

I'm agnostic, but I celebrate the Christian holidays with my family.

[McBizzel]

Well well well, looks like Jesus reigns supreme over these forums.... Excellent, excellent.

[Professor Go]

Actually the non-Christian votes add up to beat the heck out of Jebus.

[MoN]

Why spell is Jebus? That is offensive.

[Professor Go]

Don't you watch the Simspons?

[MoN]

Um, no. I don't watch any cartoons. But yes, if it's on TV and I'm too lazy to get up, I'll watch it. I've got nothing against the show but I don't watch it consecutively. (if you know what I mean?)

[Professor Go]

Than you have no reason as to why you're insulted :)

[McBizzel]

Seems I was completely mistaken, crap.

[Linque]

Christian -- Word of Faith Pentacostal

(Its a division of Pentacostal--Traditional Pentacostal believes that women must wear dresses at all times, no makeup, must never take any pictures b/c they are idols, etc. Word of Faith doesn't believe any of this...in extreme simplicity, we believe that if you believe the Bible and follow its word, you are fine.)

[Link]

I have a question relating to Judaesm: Is it spelled Chanukah, or Hannukah? I have seen both spellings, and simply wanted to know.

[McBizzel]

I was always led to beleive that it was Chanukah, but I'm not Jewish.

[Rensa]

Well, I guess this makes me Agnostic. I used to be Christian, when I was younger (not baptised or anything, tho) - I went to a youth church thing. However, I started thinking and eventually left when they asked me to think about joining the church and getting serious.

Not because I'm a wimp, or I don't belive that there's no God, simply because, after much thought, I think that most religions are to constrictive and narrow-minded (sorry, this is coming out completely the wrong way! >_<). Like, if you don't follow their beliefs down to the wire, you're literal toast.

As far as I'm concerned, they are my beliefs, and they shouldn't have to conform to the nearest/most convenient religion. I think that among humans, sinning is inevitable - however, if we're just nice ppl who don't go out of our way to piss other ppl off for no reason, everything will be fine. I don't think you need to worship every week to go to heaven or to be spiritually enlightened, nor do I think that you need to follow a specific religion to be in the right.

Frankly, no one religion has given me the answers - one of the main things that bothers me about most is that so many ppl aren't given the chance to learn about religion, or grow up in a society where x-y religion isn't practiced. Do they all go to hell? I don't know, but I feel that many religions are saying yes.

Therefore, I do believe in God, but in my own way. As long as I'm a person who's good at heart, who's kind and enjoys life, everything will be dandy. :D

BTW, I hope I didn't offend everyone else >_<

[Boondock Saint]

my personal convictions lie mostly within the buddhist realm of teachings. although i do delve into various other eastern religions to help me out. officially, though, i'm christian, and to a certain extent this is true, being that buddhist and christian teachings about life are very similar...so anyways, i voted buddhist b/c i don't follow the dogma of the christian church...

[Jog DMC]

Rensa, if you still believe in God but don't follow any specific established sects of monotheism (Christianity, Judaeism, Islam, etc.), then you are usually referred to as simply a theist ((just like Thomas Jefferson :) ). An agnostic is someone who is undecided on whether or not God exists.

[Professor Go]

Our beliefs are extremely similar Boondock.. the dogma of the Christian church is what made me search for other ways of living.. and since Buddhism is more of a "way of life" than just a ritiualistic way of getting into heaven, I like the way it makes me feel. I have a closeness with God but I also have a different, more peaceful and accepting outlook on life.

Originally posted by Boondock Saint
my personal convictions lie mostly within the buddhist realm of teachings. although i do delve into various other eastern religions to help me out. officially, though, i'm christian, and to a certain extent this is true, being that buddhist and christian teachings about life are very similar...so anyways, i voted buddhist b/c i don't follow the dogma of the christian church...

[The Laminator]

Originally posted by Paladin
I have a question relating to Judaesm: Is it spelled Chanukah, or Hannukah? I have seen both spellings, and simply wanted to know.

Either. And it's "Judaism."

[Rensa]

Ooh... I'm completely confused now. Is Aethism (sp?) that you don't believe in Him, or that you do but don't follow a particular religion?

[Idol Australian]

athesim is not beliving in god, basically. I am an athiest as i do not belive in any form of god, or higher being, but i do acknowledge that jesus, or someone very similar lived, but that some events surrounding his birth and life have been muddled by several thousands years of history from where we are now and what happened then. i am a man of science.

[Boondock Saint]

Originally posted by Jog DMC
Rensa, if you still believe in God but don't follow any specific established sects of monotheism (Christianity, Judaeism, Islam, etc.), then you are usually referred to as simply a theist ((just like Thomas Jefferson :) ). An agnostic is someone who is undecided on whether or not God exists.

yep, agnostic means:

1.
a. One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
b. One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.

source: http://dictionary.reference.com

[Professor Go]

Christianity unfortunately has taken hold in the Oval Office and that in itself is scary to me.

[Boondock Saint]

Originally posted by Professor Go
Christianity unfortunately has taken hold in the Oval Office and that in itself is scary to me.

it terrifies me as well. i just don't think the country should be run by a guy who says 'god' is telling him that the right thing to do is blow up another country...and him actually mean it.

btw, i know those aren't exact words, but that man said he prayed about it every night, and then he fought viciously against everyone in the world to make it happen, which means one of two things:

1)god didn't tell him it was ok
2)he's a moron and hell-bent on destroying the diplomatic relations of all countries, and furthermore the crust of the world altogether.

...i'm gonna go with both.

[Idol Australian]

"I could not be governor i did not believe in a divine plan that supercede all human plans"

"I believe god wants me to be president."

both quotes taken from Dude, where's my county by Michael Moore. Guess who said them?

George Dubya Bush.

Anyone scared yet?

This might not be the best thread to talk about this. Thre is another one running on this subject. Can we keep this to our own religious belifs?

[ef bee eye]

i am Other

[GBA]

Is being jewish a religion?

[MoN]

Originally posted by Professor Go
Christianity unfortunately has taken hold in the Oval Office and that in itself is scary to me. Quit mocking religions. It is not good.

[Idol Australian]

mocking religions is good as long as it isn't malicious. you can not take everything so seriously.

[Wh|tE gUy]

Actually we do not allow religon mocking due to the fact that people take religon the most seriously, above race and gender.

[Professor Go]

I wasn't mocking it, I was stating my opinion about it, and I am very afraid of it especially when government and religion mix. I'm not joking.

EDIT: I'm curious to see how either of you two would reword my comment to make it non-mocking. Please post your suggestions.

Originally posted by MoN
Quit mocking religions. It is not good.

[Wh|tE gUy]

I personally didn't feel what you said was mocking, but I could see it being taken a different way than what was meant.

Anyways it would have been more appropriate if you didnt point out the specific religon and just said something like
"Unfortunately religon has taken hold in the Oval Office and that in itself is scary to me. This time it happens to be Christianity"

That seems less offensive, it doesn't single out a single religon as being a problem but religon in general interfering with government is whats so scary.

[Idol Australian]

but saying that doesn't convey the sense of the problem that america and the world faces now that bush is in power. some quotes that i have previously posted from bush give a clear idea over his religious standpoint which may lead to influencing some decisions, as well as his ties with oil companies. read michael moore.

[Professor Go]

I was just going to type this - the change doesn't get at the detail of what I was getting at. Perhaps even getting more specific will relieve the problem - I am afraid of a fundamentalist Christian in charge of the Oval Office. I believe that he and his cabinet share the same "Christian Soldier" mentality.. taking down the enemy in the name of the Christian God, his generals taking the viewpoint that we need to display our power in the name of Jesus to rid the world of evils, which causes resentment in the Middle East and makes us arrogant.

I also dont' agree with his policies on gay marriage, abortion, and most especially the Death Pentalty - the "eye for an eye" mentality is the opposite of what I believe.

Originally posted by Idol Australian
but saying that doesn't convey the sense of the problem that america and the world faces now that bush is in power. some quotes that i have previously posted from bush give a clear idea over his religious standpoint which may lead to influencing some decisions, as well as his ties with oil companies. read michael moore.

[MoN]

We should gett of Bush in a thread about religion. I hate politics totally. :)

[karter316]

He says he's a christian. Bogus. In both of his homes there isn't a single nativity! I'm a christian, and he is nothing like one. He only said he was a christian for more votes.....argh.

It's almost Christmas, so Nativity, as in Jesus' birth scene.

[Rensa]

I wonder, is life in prison from early adulthood worse than death? In death there is no hope, but then, you'd lose hope pretty quickly being in jail for so long. Hmm...

[Wh|tE gUy]

i'd assume a lifetime of anal rape is worse than 5 years of rape then death

[Professor Go]

Are you guys making any sense whatsoever because I think you're drunk.

[Idol Australian]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by karter316
He says he's a christian. Bogus. In both of his homes there isn't a single nativity! I'm a christian, and he is nothing like one.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

do you have to have a nativity in your house to be a christian? out of all of my contact with christians during my life, i have never seen anyone with a nativity. is it that important?

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
originally posted by Professor Go
Are you guys making any sense whatsoever because I think you're drunk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Im not drunk now. I'm hungover. That means I was drunk last night. Now has anyone got any food? (to borrow from school of rock).

[chrisjorg]

I'm christian and I'm a christian

[HylianKen]

...religion....what is religion, personally I don't believe in religion, does that mean that I don't believe in "god", no, I just don't believe in the religions out there because I'm a scientific kind of person, but I do believe that there is some sort of god, something had to start everything...so does that make me an atheist or do I belong in the other catagory, depends on our definition of Atheism...oh and I love hearing about and studying religions, they're interesting...

[Rensa]

Sorry, the thought just sort of sprung from my head while I was reading the thread. My bad. :D

[prime_timer]

I thought i was an atheist, but now i know im that other thing. Agnostic, was it?

aand stop talking about politics on the religion thread. George Dubya only said he was christian so he could get more votes like that one guy said.

[[o]CUBE]

I'm roman-catholic but i prefer to be aethist rather than anything i am catholic but culdnt care less so i think im nothing so thats what my vote is aethist (i'll see it when i beleive it) im not criticizing but i beleive it's just idealistic to beleive in god; its a means to an end i know america is alot more religious than australia and i hope i havent offended anyone but even before i heard what my friend had to say i didnt beleive but he was dead for 10 minutes and he only saw a light for a second and then black.

It's like the tests the scientists did they spun someone on one of those g-force testing machines and they were half dead and all the neurons on the brain when they were dieing in the process of death all the neurons went to the centre of the brain to project an image of light all that is is the left over electricity in the brain so i'm sold that theres nothing sure i wish there was i just think its being idealistic or a means to an end but some people need something to hold onto so they beleive in it and i respect that.

[Professor Go]

Remember kids, breaking up paragraphs with punctuation is a wonderful thing.

[[o]CUBE]

i dont care for punctuation really except if your reading aloud or writing books so sorry Prof. go preach to someone else

[Rensa]

Why do I sincerely doubt that a guy was was put in a whatever-they-call-those machine and spun around until he died? Isn't that called murder?

[Wh|tE gUy]

It was scientific testing and they only did it til the point that he passed out.

[[o]CUBE]

yeh but im talking about a person who died and got resuscitated after 10 minutes of dying also!! not just that guy but this guy 2! and the guy almsot died it wasnt muder he knew it was safe and he was willing and they didnt let him die they knew that he wuldnt it was only g force but yeah my uncle almost died but didnt i knew he wuldnt but he told me all u see is blackness and theres nothing which backed up my beleif just like i said a means to an end

[Rensa]

But, experiments like that usually get banned. There used to be one where participants would be encouraged to apply increasing amounts of electricity on a person inside a room inside. He was an actor, and wasn't really in pain, but the participants could hear his shrieks and see him bouncing around inside, etc. However, b/c of the reassuring face of a scientists there pressing them to keep increasing the power in the name of sciene, they kept going. This sort of thing is now looked on as unethical.

I can't imagine there being nothing after death. I mean, when you get knocked out, you're only aware of it because you wake up. You don't sit there going, when am I going to wake up, do you? I know the whole idea is that you don't feel anything, but what does that feel like? I know it doesn't make sense, but... ugh. I can't accept that there's nothing after life. But then, I imagine heaven'd get pretty boring quickly. I like life. :D

[[o]CUBE]

u just liek the ideals and it was allowed it wasnt done very long ago he wuldnt have died only people can go unconsious from g force not die unless they are in an aircraft and do that!

[andre]

if everybody who calls themself a Christian would examine the backgrounds of their faith, they might be shocked.

[Wh|tE gUy]

Replace the word "Christian" with any other religon and that statement would be just as true

[Professor Go]

But especially Christian.

[Sean-AMN]

Irish Catholic.... GO JESUS! you da man!

[Rensa]

Meh. I'm just sort of a lost soul in this big scary world of religions. Well, not really. I'm making my own little niche :p

[Professor Go]

Wow, the first Irish Catholic I ever liked. Or met :)

Originally posted by Sean-GCA
Irish Catholic.... GO JESUS! you da man!

[andre]

so, religion is quite something. people give their lives for it and take other's lives for it. sometimes religion in general baffles me, with the hypocrisy and all.
here's a good line for Bush:
"and they shall beat their swords into plowshears and their spears into pruning shears. and nation will not rise up against nation, neither will they learn war anymore."
chew that over for a while.

[Monkeylord]

No... why the hell should I?

;)

[Link]

I read an interesting article on the afterlife in Reader's Digest a while back. It said that a woman was in an operation, in which her brain had to stop functioning for a couple of minutes. During this time, she was clinically dead. She reported that she saw the operation as if she were floating above her body, and then a light at the end of a tunnel. There, she was greeted by dead relatives, who led her back to her body. Some say that it was all a halucination, but since her brain was not functioning, she shouldn't have been able to see anything. Just some food for thought.

[Professor Go]

I believe in stories like that. But I sure wouldn't be watching doctor's opening up my body like a filet o' fish. I'd be floating around the set of FRIENDS or in Maui.

[Eddz]

Christian.. Nintendo is not the only God.

[Boondock Saint]

Originally posted by Eddz
Christian.. Nintendo is not the only God.

neither is the christian god, who is the same god as that in many other religions...

anyways, by saying nintendo is a god at all, you're betraying your faith. (thou shalt not worship false idols)

[Professor Go]

Someones going to helllllllllllllllllll.

[Cooolcorey]

I go to a Catholic church, but I don't know that I consider myself Catholic, or even Christian. I've been disputing arguments over and over in my head as to whether to believe in a god or not. I've put a lot of thought into it, but I still have nothing.

On an interesting side note, Bad Religion's Greg Graffin is writing a book about combining the scientific beliefs of evolution and just about any organized religion without having conflicts.

[Link]

You see, I believe that evolution is God's tool for creating new species. Does anyone remember the phrase "God works in mysterious ways"? Sure, evolution comes from random mutation, but what if God had a hand in those mutations? We don't know what causes these mutations, since they are random.

[McBizzel]

I think it's kind of pointless to argue religion. It's impossible to prove or disprove any of them. I have my beliefs and that's good enough for me.

I want to know who, out of the people who weren't athiest, actually go to their church or what have you on a weekly or regular basis, Because I don't. --~

[Link]

I go to Church every week.

[Boondock Saint]

well, since there isn't a church that prescribes to my own beliefs, i don't go at all. random times when my family wants me to, but other than that, never.

i wonder if there's just a temple i can go to and think about things in...maybe i'll look into judaism...it's like christianity, but happier.

[Professor Go]

What are your beliefs?

[Boondock Saint]

um...basically christian/buddhist except for the whole part about being evangelical and telling people they suck if they don't believe the same as me (christian)...

i posted exactly my thoughts before...

...i think i just wanna try a synagogue once, though, to see what it's all about...you know?

[McBizzel]

I went once, with my church believe it or not. If I remember correctly, it was more sombre that church, but more boring as well. Maybe my views would be different now that I'm older. If you want to be alone with your thoughts, try the public library, man, it kicks ass. --~

[Link]

Have you tried a Buddhist temple, Boondock?

[Boondock Saint]

i go to the library a lot, mcb...

anyways, no i haven't tried a buddhist temple. i don't think we have one here in the bible belt...

synagogues are at least semi-abundant (although not on every street corner like churches).

[Professor Go]

Yeah it sounds to me like visiting a Buddhist temple might be in your cards man. Buddhism teaches that Buddhism will last forever, if it lasts forever- which is to say you will never see a true Buddhist going door to door to spread "the Word" or killing other people Buddhism's name. Rather than feeling the need to pressure others or force people to bend to the will of Buddhism, it teaches that the person will come to Buddhism when the time is right.

At its core Buddhism is a way of life that can fit hand-in-hand with Christianity, in fact they are similar in many different ways. Both deal with acts of goodness toward your neighbor, love, compassion, self-awareness and inner peace, without all the hellfire, damnation and self-righteousness.

Might be interesting to check it out.

[McBizzel]

Professor, dude, you took down The Man, your avatar was so cool. --~

[David85]

Agnostic are people who think that there is no proof that there is a god (there isn't) and don't believe in a god, but if there was proof (which is impossible) then they would.

[Link]

So basically, their people with no faith.

[Boondock Saint]

no. agnostics for the most part believe that there is some sort of higher being, but have little idea about exactly what it is...meaning it's not specific in it's basis, etc.

the atheists are the people who say there is no proof. there's a huge difference in the definition of agnostic above and the real definition...

it is also very important to realize that there are some religions that don't rely on faith at all to be popular among their members, and that christianity is one of the only religions in the world that doesn't have the so-called factual backings of other religions. meaning, that christianity preaches faith in the unknown while many more say, "THIS IS" and that's it. either you know it or you don't... major religions are a bit different...as is buddhism.

[Rensa]

Bloody hell, why should have to have the same beliefs as at least 500 other ppl, or otherwise be grouped as "no religion"? It's not like I don't have beliefs or anything.

[Link]

As you may have noticed, one of my options was "Other". Meaning, if you have your own beliefs, vote for that.

[MAX]

i'm a roman catholic survivor...

[koten]

I am Agnostic (i dunno which religion is true, if any, and I rufuse to except others view w/o proof!) but I celebrate Christmas (but nothing else religion related)

[MAX]

hahaha... christmas is a christian holiday that celebrates the birth of jesus.... however his birthday isn't really even in decemberr...so i think you're ok, man =)

[bountyhunter]

Right, I used to get gifts on christmas from my mom's side of the family and I'm a muslim. I take my religion seriously, but I don't get that offended when people say things(usually references to some sort of bomb) because I know their either joking or stupid.

[Nightmare]

Nightmare is Cath-o-lic.

[ihavelargefeet]

Originally posted by Paladin
...However, I feel that if noone passes judgement on someone solely based on their religion, then there will not be any problems.

There will be problems as long as man differentiates himself from fellow man in any way, ie: national boundaries, ethnicity, physical/mental ability.

If I had to "clasify" myself I would say I'm agnostic. I was raised to be Roman Catholic by my father. He was rather insistant that I attend church on a weekly basis. I soon developed a resentment of the church and of my father for forcing me to go.

I began to wonder why God would be so selfish that he would have us worship him for thousands of years on a regular basis. I've mellowed out in my thinking and try to live my life as "good" as I can albeit that my morals have for the most part been defined by Christianity.

[MAX]

Dude... that is the exact same way I was brought up, and thats exactly how I felt. I'm a catholicism survivor!

[Professor Go]

"Survivor" is definitely a good term for it. I should sue for my therapy bills.

[thegamecubist]

I'm the one and only Hindu so far.

[bountyhunter]

Who's the other muslim? Me, jaga, and who else?