What is your religion?

[RYOUKI]

I'm a Roman Catholic. So yeah, I'm ashamed to say this but I don't go to church very often. :(

 

[Corvus of the Black Night]

What religion (if you have any) are you?
Reform Jew

Do you practice or believe in your religion?
Well... that's a silly question, isn't it? If you are a member of a religion of course you believe in it, unless of course, you say "well, I'm Catholic cuz mah parents are Catholic but I really don't believe in that"... but then you're not really Catholic, eh?

Anyways, yeah, I believe in it. Of course, not literally. I take religion as a sort of symbolic gesture of righteousness than a history of the world. I'll admit though, I don't always eat "Kosher" in terms of seafood (although pig meat grosses me out just from bacon) and I don't always do everything the way I should, but hey, nobody is perfect.

What are your personal thoughts or beliefs on/of religious?
Personally I feel its totally A-OK to believe whatever you want to believe, but when your beliefs start crossing the line from simply religious beliefs to propaganda, hatred or anything like that, then that's a bad thing. I think it's wrong to use religion to back something that separates people, such as using it as an explanation for one's dislike of homosexuals. I also think its wrong to try to push your religious beliefs on others, because the beauty of religion is that its what you believe, not what anyone else believes. By pushing your beliefs on a person, you're taking that beauty away.

 

[donavannj]

What religion (if you have any) are you?
I am non-religious, but not quite atheist (as in I won't persecute anyone for their religious beliefs).

Do you practice or believe in your religion?

What are your personal thoughts or beliefs on/of religion?
I don't care what people practice, but I do feel it unjust and downright pathetic to use religion as the reason you persecute others, because the persecution of others because of who they are is something that I really don't like to see.

 

[Sammi]

I was raised Christan (baptized Catholic, took First Communion, and then my mom married my Methodist stepdad), but I haven't been to church in years. It doesn't keep my interest, and I don't want to go unless my heart is into it.

Honestly I don't know if I believe in any religion anymore, yet I'm still hesitant to call myself atheist. I want to believe in religion; I just find it hard these days.

tl;dr version: I'm just confused. D8

 

[Rai]

This thread has turned out to be so interesting! :D I am glad I made it.

I am NOT trying to convert anyone when I say this, but for those of you who are unsure of how to define themselves and believe in many different aspects of different religions, you could use the term pagan. The definition of Pagan is anyone who isn't Christian, Jewish or Muslim. It also means you do not read/believe in any particular scripture; that you take your own path of spirituality that is right for you as long as you don't hurt anyone in the process. This is why I call myself pagan.

 

[Esper]

What religion (if you have any) are you?
Not religious.

Do you practice or believe in your religion?
Why yes, I don't go to church every Sunday. :)

What are your personal thoughts or beliefs on/of religious?
Honestly, I think it's a little weird believing in some kind of mythical being. I can understand the whole community aspect and wanting to have good rules to guide you in life (even if I disagree with certain religions' rules), and pretty much everything else about religion including the appeal of the mystical stuff, but not the actual believing in mystical beings.

I am NOT trying to convert anyone when I say this, but for those of you who are unsure of how to define themselves and believe in many different aspects of different religions, you could use the term pagan. The definition of Pagan is anyone who isn't Christian, Jewish or Muslim. It also means you do not read/believe in any particular scripture; that you take your own path of spirituality that is right for you as long as you don't hurt anyone in the process. This is why I call myself pagan.

Or you could say 'non-denominational' or 'deist' or even 'spiritual' if you're not into the whole rules and going-to-church/whatever thing, but still want to believe and get that warm, fuzzy feeling from doing so.

 

[Feign]

What religion (if you have any) are you?

Deism. It perpetuates logic, though it is less of a religion, and more like a belief.

Do you practice or believe in your religion?

One does not "practice" deism. Deism has all the benefits of Atheism, and the acknowledgment that something that cannot be easily explained, is out there.

What are your personal thoughts or beliefs on/of religion?

Maybe it is due to bias, but an organised religion disheartens me (particularly because I'd be considered a sinner for reasons beyond my control). Plus when there are conflicting statements in a book, it is hard to take it seriously, that's why I love logic (and Deism).

 

[Rai]

Or you could say 'non-denominational' or 'deist' or even 'spiritual' if you're not into the whole rules and going-to-church/whatever thing, but still want to believe and get that warm, fuzzy feeling from doing so.

Thanks for the suggestions! :D Those may work better for the people who aren't into Nature, although you do not necessarily need to find sanctity in Nature to be pagan. It's just that most pagans tend to find their spirituality in Nature; I certainly do.

Maybe it is due to bias, but an organised religion disheartens me (particularly because I'd be considered a sinner for reasons beyond my control). Plus when there are conflicting statements in a book, it is hard to take it seriously, that's why I love logic (and Deism).

That is why I do not believe in any scripture. And because I believe God/Goddess are everything and everywhere and that they cannot be squashed together into written text.

 

[Feign]

On Facebook, there is a Deist page which often have interesting comments and such. I remember reading a question to the effect that it was asking about people's openess of their chosen belief of Deism to others. The overwhelming response was mostly people hiding their belief from their Christian or Muslim family.

 

[institutions]

What religion (if you have any) are you?
I am non-religious, but not quite atheist (as in I won't persecute anyone for their religious beliefs).

Do you practice or believe in your religion?

What are your personal thoughts or beliefs on/of religion?
I don't care what people practice, but I do feel it unjust and downright pathetic to use religion as the reason you persecute others, because the persecution of others because of who they are is something that I really don't like to see.

Are you saying that all atheists persecute others based on their religious beliefs?
I'm an atheist, but I really don't like discussing religion.
I feel religion makes people feel safe and I don't have the right to try and take that away from them.
As long as they don't push all of their views on me and try to convert me, i'll be friends and converse with them. Many of my friends belong to different religions.


Oh, and @Feign - Awesome signature :P I'm currently playing Amnesia, and if the part in your sig is the part i'm thinking of (which it probably isn't) it scared the hell out of me.

 

[DAWJ]

What religion (if you have any) are you?
Well I don't really care about religion. Whether there is a god or not, it would not change the way I live my life.
What are your personal thoughts or beliefs on/of religion?
One should not denounce any other religion because its not cool to tell someone, "Oh what you believe in is wrong." I've seen people do that before and it pisses me off.

 

[Soari]

What religion (if you have any) are you?
Islam.

Do you practice or believe in your religion?
Of course, I've a firm belief in my religion although I am not pious and I don't practice it as frequently as I should like for instance: offering prayers and reading the Holy Quran daily. Apart from that, I do fast in the month of Ramadan and don't eat pork nor drink intoxicating beverages.

What are your personal thoughts or beliefs on/of religion?
My religion is pretty strict as far as religious teachings are concerned, but to be very honest, I find that Islam provides conditions of peace and comfort for me. It has regulated the rights and duties for the mankind. More importantly, it provides with Guidance to lead a balanced and purposeful life. To me, its a very serious matter and I don't want to take it lightly.

 

[Abnegation]

Personally I am one with secular humanist views. Which would mean that I am not concerned with being tied to a religion and I am purely interested in the existence of humanity. I'm not putting aside the idea of ever becoming someone religious, I do know quite a lot of religious people and I suppose you could say I come from a somewhat religious background. The topic of religion has always been of great interest to me, and I've been studying the area for a few years now, both in school and outside. What entices me most about religion is how it links to morality and philosophy.

I think a lot of religions have a positive impact on a lot of communities, however we all know that certain branches of religions bring a bad name to the entire organization. One group of extremists in any given religion can create negative connotations for the entire group. We see this quite often on the news with the struggles in Palestine, and even here in Ireland, though there is a peace between them now; the Christian denominations Catholic and Prodestant have been waging civil war between them for many, many years. This is a part about religion I find to be rather contradictory to be honest. Each of the major religions (with exception to Judaism who see their Messiah as being ready to create war and battle against their enemies), have a rather strong view in the sense that there should be peace amongst mankind. Each of the major religions have the Golden Rule as part of their moral code which is more or less "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" or "Love thy neighbor".

My views in particular however, still hold the possibility that I one day may become a religious man, but now I do not hold any beliefs, and I do not see any as being right, but I do have more strong feelings about religion general as being a way to control the masses in many cases. Though that may be insulting, you can look across history and see where my point derives from. Most religions originating from the Middle East in which have always had a way of making its people follow the leaders throughout history, and we see this through religion as they had a large grasp on what happened at the time. Perhaps my views will be overcome, but I feel right now that my views are too solidified upon secularity that I do not withstand hope that I will become too spiritual. I support what religions do for some communities, but I would be against how religion portrays itself in extremity, we rarely see extremity in a positive sense, but in ways of war, death, deception, death penalties (Sharia Law) and so on. My interest in religion is inextricably linked to my views, but I do not hold a spiritual one as of yet. I will always be supportive of humanity and making the most of life, rather than devoting it to a deity.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

I am a member of the Church of Haruhiism, I firmly believe in it and it's teachings.

Jokes aside i'm actually an atheist. Not as closed minded to say there is nothing else out there, I just don't agree with a lot of organised religion.

 

[Neo Duality]

I'm in that grey area between theism and atheism. Tactically agnostic.

 

[donavannj]

Personally I am one with secular humanist views. Which would mean that I am not concerned with being tied to a religion and I am purely interested in the existence of humanity.

This probably describes me best, upon further reflection.

Are you saying that all atheists persecute others based on their religious beliefs?

No. It's just a habit of mine because many people I know, despite it's definition, associate atheism with hating religions and the people who practice them. I live in a deeply conservative Christian area.

 

[Rai]

I think a lot of religions have a positive impact on a lot of communities, however we all know that certain branches of religions bring a bad name to the entire organization. One group of extremists in any given religion can create negative connotations for the entire group. We see this quite often on the news with the struggles in Palestine, and even here in Ireland, though there is a peace between them now; the Christian denominations Catholic and Prodestant have been waging civil war between them for many, many years. This is a part about religion I find to be rather contradictory to be honest. Each of the major religions (with exception to Judaism who see their Messiah as being ready to create war and battle against their enemies), have a rather strong view in the sense that there should be peace amongst mankind. Each of the major religions have the Golden Rule as part of their moral code which is more or less "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" or "Love thy neighbor".

When I visited Ireland, I learned all about the civil war. It was heartbreaking and tragic. I can't believe religion- two sects of the same religion- could cause so much turmoil and tragedy.

This is actually a part of why I'm pagan. I'm Irish; The Irish held beliefs very similar to mine, but they were forced to convert to Christianity. This is why, although I think he was a great man, I do not consider Jesus my savior. His religion became twisted and ruined many lives throughout Ireland, the lives of my ancestors.

On the bright side, there is actually a huge Celtic Revivalist group on the rise and I find it awesome!

 

[aruchan]

My religion... hmm... xD
Well, I am atheist/agnostic, but by virtue of my heritage I am Jewish. Yay. Z_Z
(I couldn't be of a cool religion, like Voodoo or Therevada Buddhism xD. Or Shinto. Although that would be weird, since I'm not Japanese)

 

[Margot]

Religion is one big confusing question mark for me because my parents were raised from two vastly different religions, they both stopped practicing and then never brought it up when my brother and I were kids.

that being said, I believe in a higher being for sure but I don't follow any set religion. I believe in parts of religions, mainly buddhism and daoism. I'm big on nature, simplicity, harmony, karma, and the balance of yin and yang.

and that's my beliefs for you :)

 

[Hassan_Abdillah]

What religion (if you have any) are you?

I'm a Muslim, i.e. follower of the religion of Islaam. No I am not a terrorist in case you are wondering. Nor do I work at a gas station and I've never driven a taxi nor a camel. And I don't know how to wear a turban. ^_^

Do you practice or believe in your religion?

To the best of my abilities, yeah. As a Muslim, I try my best to observe my ritual prayers, fast one month per year and give as much charity as possible. I guess it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I'm a very devoted Muslim, and God knows best my intentions and deeds. I read a lot of theology as well, especially the Qur'an (which happens to be my scripture), Exegesis of the Qur'an, Preservation of religious texts and so on.

What are your personal thoughts or beliefs on/of religion?

I will try to make this brief.

Spoiler:

1. Generally speaking, on the part of the atheist/agnostic, there's this tendency around to adopt over-skepticism when it comes to choice of worldviews. And I am being perfectly general here, so the fact that you as an atheist might not fall into that category doesn't have anything against my proposition. This tendency, in my view, is intellectually dishonest, and I think the underlying motive behind it is to escape the accountability that comes with accepting God and/or Religion i.e. concept of Judgment Day or a Watchful God, etc. This tendency is manifested in so many ways, most of which are logically fallacious arguments. For example, sweeping generalizations (just because the religion you know is unscientific/inhumane/has no intellectual basis doesn't mean this applies across the board), appeal to conclusion (this has so many implications, for example "religion is the root of evil", "religion drives people crazy", "religion is very backward and ancient a concept", "the scope of religion is getting smaller with the flourish of science", "good people don't need religion" and so on and so forth). All of these are emotional arguments with no valid logical basis. You are welcome to disagree of course. This attitude needs to be shed and people need to look at religion with an open mind.

Also, and this is found in many atheist circles (Im being general remember?), people act like they "own" science and rational thought. This tendency gives rise to a lot of appeals to emotions and/or conclusions which doesnt really amount to much intellectually. (Being fair though, this tendency is found amidst creationists as well)

2. The tendency on the part of the theists these days, and I'm being very general here as well, is they take very apologetic and emotional a stance. I say their stance is apologetic because in most cases, they want to fit religion in whatever mold is present in their society. In the process, religion(s) are trimmed to no more than a joke. I have seen countless examples to this, especially in the "Whether Religion is a force for Good or not" debates. I mean if you really believe in a religion, why the need to appease the masses?

The tendency is emotional because the same motive of escaping accountability is present here as well. Basically they look at their life and measure how much religion can they tolerate in it, and then they tailor the concept of God and religion to their liking to fill this hole. This is again an intellectually flawed approach.

So generally speaking, both sides have their "obstacles". These need to be removed if we want to flush the truth out.

3. As far as my personal religious journey is concerned, I took a criticial stance towards the prevalent worldviews, namely Islaam, Christianity and Atheism. At this point in my journey, I am convinced that Islaam is the Truth. Many reasons contribute to this decision of mine, for example Islaam is very consistent and logical on so many levels (Theology, Legislation, Scriptural preservation, Content of Scripture, Position in History and so on). On top of that, there is strong circumstancial evidence which lends support to Islaam, and other scriptural evidences are suggested. The main reason as to why I follow Islaam however, is the fact that it is consistent.

4. What to look for a worldview and how to pick one? My answer to this is the following. Contrary to popular belief, evidence isn't the only criterion on the validity of a worldview. This mode of reasoning (either it's evident or it's flawed) isn't implied anywhere in human life, and I don't see why this should be implied in choice of worldviews either. The main criteria in judging worldviews should be focused on this question: how plausible/sensible/logical/consistent is it. If a worldview is consistent, and there are no intellectual basis which would suggest otherwise, by all means one should adopt it. This mode of reasoning is what is common in human life (for example, major decisions in politics/sociology/diplomacy and so on are not taken based on evidence, rather on plausibility/consistency). This is how one should make their journey in looking for a worldview.

Those are the main points I wanted to get across. But there is still much to be said, however.