Religious beliefs

[Zet]

This thread is only for discussion(no debates allowed!!!) so we can learn more about different religious beliefs.

Since man has ever walked the Earth there has always been a spiritual faith of some kind and they followed strict codes of conduct. And over time it's changed and changed again but does it really make sense these days to someone outside of the religion? No, it does not. If the media says someone... let's say a terrorists is of the Muslim faith, a lot of people will jump the boat and say that everyone apart of that religion is a terrorist. Now I know most of us aren't like that but we still don't know a lot about that religion, that's what this thread is for; learning and understanding so we can all work towards a better future where someone isn't discriminated based on their beliefs.

I'm going to leave some questions here to will help discussion, you don't have to answer all of them and feel free to ask your own questions(you don't have to copy and paste these questions into your post).

1. Are you apart of a religious belief?
2. What religious group do you belong to?
3. Are there any strict restriction that don't allow you to do something?
4. Are there any strict restrictions on what you can and cannot eat?
5. How long have you been in this religion?
6. Have you ever thought of leaving your current religious belief for a different religion?
7. How many times a week do you have to go to church(or a place of worship)?
8. How many times a week do you have to pray?
9. Have people ever judged you soley because of your religious belief and not getting to know you?

 

[Nihilego]

Just saying that this is not the "Your View of God" thread and shouldn't be used as such, to further clarify what Zet said. That thread's still alive and it's right here. This is just a casual and informative chat about various religions.


Anyway, I was raised in an atheist home but I decided to follow the belief of a single God earlier this year. Probably around six months ago now? I'm Christian, as such. I'm supposed to go to Mass once a week on Sundays but honestly I never do, although when I feel like I need a little time to myself I do visit a church just to reflect or pray or whatever I feel like doing at the time. And speaking of praying, I do that pretty regularly. Usually silently and at random times, but I still believe it counts. It's not something I'm particularly vocal about so I don't really get comments from other people, but the few that I have were fairly unpleasant ones. Fortunately I'm good with shrugging them off, lol.

I'd like to ask anyone here who has eating restrictions this question: what's the origin of those restrictions?

 

[wumbology]

Anyway, I was raised in an atheist home but I decided to follow the belief of a single God earlier this year. Probably around six months ago now?

Just curious, what caused you to believe in a god?

And speaking of praying, I do that pretty regularly. Usually silently and at random times, but I still believe it counts.

What do you pray about? Why do you think it'll help/ effect whatever you're praying for?

 

[Nihilego]

Just curious, what caused you to believe in a god?

Certain events in my life led me to believe in the existence of spirits and the like. In this case, I suppose you could call them ghosts, but I don't know if the term would completely apply. I'm the sort of person who, although he has a good number of people to talk to, doesn't believe that people want to hear his thoughts, so the idea of a God who could listen to anything I had to say without judging was both conceivable and inviting to me.

What do you pray about? Why do you think it'll help/ effect whatever you're praying for?

I pray about whatever is going on in the lives of myself or other people. Tbh I use prayer as a method of communicating my thoughts and feelings as much as a method of asking for help; I don't always believe that prayer will help solve problems, and as such I always do what I can to solve them myself. But it's nice to have a way to talk to someone while you're working on it!

 

[Briar]

i'm a recently converted christian, catholic to be precise. it's funny because my parents are catholic and they taught me that i should make praying a habit and all that, but it was never enforced as i grew up. we observed holidays and such, like lent or christmas, but i would say that i was brought up in a very agnostic manner. in fact, as a young child, i never exactly felt like i belonged to a religion. i suppose that that led to my agnosticism, and eventual atheism, when i started high school. it was just roughly a year ago that i finally found my faith (during a retreat, after some... experience). do i experience prejudice when people find out i'm a christian? well, sometimes, over the internet, but they weren't major instances. for instance, when people who used to follow me on my blog for the longest time find out i'm a christian (because of a post i made about an issue, etc.), they unfollow me. those things rarely bother me, because as of now, i'm very happy with my beliefs.

 

[Phantom1]

^So you've been baptized and confirmed and all that jazz? Cause you're not a recognized Catholic until you've been Confirmed.

Anyways, no secret, I'm atheist, born and raised Roman Catholic, and Confirmed and everything, though I am now atheist. On that little spectrum people love to place people on, I'm a strong atheist. I stopped believing more or less when I was 16. When I was religious I went to multiple masses a week, once during the week, twice on saturday and twice on sunday, since I was a server. Never prayed really. Didn't see much point to it... It was so much, droll on, memorize this, memorize that. I can still recite prayers like it was yesterday, and just like then, they never had meaning, it was just something we had to do.

 

[Briar]

^So you've been baptized and confirmed and all that jazz? Cause you're not a recognized Catholic until you've been Confirmed.

yup! as i have said, i was raised a catholic, went to an all-girls' catholic school and all that. i find it a little sad that i went through confirmation as a non-believer (i was still an atheist then), and thus, was not able to fully appreciate that rite of passage.

 

[xelarator]

Call me stupid or something, but what is an atheist? What do they believe in?

 

[Eliminator Jr.]

Call me stupid or something, but what is an atheist? What do they believe in?

Atheists believe that there are no gods and/or higher power at work in the universe.

As for myself, I am agnostic (in between religious and atheist. Even though I do not believe in any particular gods or higher power, I am not willing to rule out the possibility of there being something out there). More specifically, I'm an apatheist - I don't think we'll ever know for sure if gods exist or not so I don't concern myself with religion at all.

I'm tolerant of people with beliefs though - people can believe what they want if it makes them happy (as long as they don't try to convert me or anything).

 

[2Cool4Mewtwo]

1. Are you apart of a religious belief?

Yes.

2. What religious group do you belong to?

Christian. (to be specific, protestant)

3. Are there any strict restriction that don't allow you to do something?

10 commandments.

4. Are there any strict restrictions on what you can and cannot eat?

Not in particular.

5. How long have you been in this religion?

As long as I lived.

6. Have you ever thought of leaving your current religious belief for a different religion?

Yes, but I won't go in detail.

7. How many times a week do you have to go to church(or a place of worship)?

Once a week, on Sundays. Sometimes I go to Friday worship services.

8. How many times a week do you have to pray?

There is no set rule on this, but I usually pray once or twice a week.

9. Have people ever judged you soley because of your religious belief and not getting to know you?

Not that I know of atm.

 

[Alex]

I am not part of a religious belief. I think that Religion is made up by men to control other men and to ultimately make profit. Because of that, I am neither part of a religious group. If you're asking me if I believe in a God, then the appropriate question might be 'What are your views on a higher power?' to which I would answer that I believe there is one. I don't believe in the man up in the clouds, watching over all of us and playing our lives out as his own entertainment, but I think there's something bigger than us. We just can't imagine it because we are as big as it gets here on our little planet Earth. But considering how huge the Universe is and that there probably is other life in it, it's selfish to think that God is looking down on us and loves us and wants us to come up to Heaven unless we've been bad. A God would have to cater to all living lifeforms in the Universe that can think up a concept like God. But hey, maybe you do get to meet all aliens of the Universe when you go to Heaven, we'll never know. But I don't think you will.

Essentially, I think the Universe has a higher power controlling it in some way. I think we're all part of a bigger system. What that system is, I can't say. But stars, galaxies, black holes and the lifeforms within all of these are part of something bigger. We just can't conceptualize it.

I have personal restrictions. Although I tend to be quite lax with them. I try not to steal, but if I do it's from the rich. I try not to lie. If I do, I beat myself up for it afterwards. I try to be nice to everyone as best I can, try to be friendly and approachable. I try not to act like a jerk and treat everyone equally. I try not to judge by appearance and give everyone a shot to show me who they are. After I get to know them, I make up my own opinion about them and go from there.

I eat what I eat. I'm a firm believer in the chain of command, and we should definitely kill animals to feed ourselves. Meat is delicious, anyway.

I've been of this belief ever since I started thinking for myself. I wasn't brought up in any particular faith, especially going to a public school and not having practicing parents. When I was young, I really didn't know what to believe and just labelled myself as a Christian for the hell of having a religion. Not anymore, lol. I rejected Christianity because I never practiced it and don't believe in it. I probably wouldn't convert to any other religion for those same reasons.

Thanks to my parents, I am non-practicing and hardly ever pray. I think the only times I've ever prayed was when I was in great desperation. At least, back then I thought I was. Usually some personal issue that was driving me insane. I don't remember what I prayed for those few times, but I don't think it ever made a difference. Blind faith and prayers are just empty hope. Well, not always empty, but still nothing but hope. The idea that saying something under your breath or in your head, addressing it to the big man upstairs, will have it actually reach him, is a bit ridiculous. But no judgement here to all those who believe in prayer. Just don't force your beliefs on me and we're cool. I won't either.

 

[ben cousins]

Well my grandparents are catholic and my mom was raised catholic,i guess that's the religon we believe in but i dont really know whice catogory i fall under

 

[Rogue planet]

Agnostic pantheist here. Pantheism being the idea that the god, nature and the universe are one and the same, agnostic because I don't claim to know whether anything like that exists or not. Kind of similar to Penatrait's idea really. If there is such a God I don't think it really cares about us at all. I don't pray or do anything notably different from an atheist.

A question for Razor Leaf, or anyone who is in the same situation really; what makes you Christian? A lot of people say they are Christian, but don't go to church on Sunday, follow the bible etc. they just believe in God, so wouldn't that just make you a theist rather than Christian?

 

[Nihilego]

A question for Razor Leaf, or anyone who is in the same situation really; what makes you Christian? A lot of people say they are Christian, but don't go to church on Sunday, follow the bible etc. they just believe in God, so wouldn't that just make you a theist rather than Christian?

Tbh you could apply either "really really awful Christian" or "theist" to me and it wouldn't make that much a difference since I could be pretty easily classed as either. I suppose I tossed the term around a bit lightly, but I used it because attending church or following the bible aren't things I'd be against doing. I just don't do them right now.

...if that makes any sense lol.

 

[Broken_Arrow]

1. Are you apart of a religious belief?

Yes,i'm a Muslim.

1. What religious group do you belong to?

Islam

1. Are there any strict restriction that don't allow you to do something?

not allowed to drink wine or anything would make me lose my ability of thinking means make my mind away like Alcohol for example...sex without being married isn't allowed and that make me feel better..killing..God says never kill anybody unless that person killed someone dear to you you have the right to revenge IF you can't forgive which is better and in war never hurt a child or a woman or a oldman..which points that terrorism is not belong to Islam...those people stain that religion and the radicals too..also gambling..that's all what i remember.

1. Are there any strict restrictions on what you can and cannot eat?

just we don't eat pigs meat or any animal live by eating another animal.

1. How long have you been in this religion?

since i was born

1. Have you ever thought of leaving your current religious belief for a different religion?

Never,i love being Muslim

1. How many times a week do you have to go to church(or a place of worship)?

i pray five times a day on different times fajer,Zohr,3Asr,Ma3'reb and 3esha'a..at home and men goes to Masjed (mosque) on friday for friday prayer.

1. How many times a week do you have to pray?

??

1. Have people ever judged you soley because of your religious belief and not getting to know you?

i suffer from misunderstanding..lots of people hurt with words but that made me stronger..people doesn't understand muslims and only judge them from what they see or hear on TV or Internet but as there are narrow minds there is also open minded people who talk and ask without any hurting ^^

Note:Terrorism doesn't have a religion..there are no religion call for killing and destroying like this....i hope for peace and wish happiness to everyone ^^

 

[2Cool4Mewtwo]

A question for Razor Leaf, or anyone who is in the same situation really; what makes you Christian? A lot of people say they are Christian, but don't go to church on Sunday, follow the bible etc. they just believe in God, so wouldn't that just make you a theist rather than Christian?

If you don't follow the bible nor go to church on Sundays, I guess being a "christian" has to do with the person's beliefs or their family's.

Tbh you could apply either "really really awful Christian" or "theist" to me and it wouldn't make that much a difference since I could be pretty easily classed as either. I suppose I tossed the term around a bit lightly, but I used it because attending church or following the bible aren't things I'd be against doing. I just don't do them right now.

...if that makes any sense lol.

I've been on that side of the coin for a long time, and I've even contemplated moving away from Christianity (into being an agnostic or something), but I do follow the bible now. (I rarely go to church... only once every month or two)

 

[psyanic]

I'm a Christian. I'm a terrible Christian too. I guess you could call me a theist. I don't even go to church that often, maybe once in a blue moon if that. I don't like the idea of just reading passages from the bible and pray. I find it to be a lot like an English class, since all you do is listen to the priest interpret the bible into a life lesson, which I can do in my own time. But I still follow the bible. Then again, it could just be a problem with all the churches I've been at, being that I'm not really satisfied or I just don't care enough to go. The churches always tend to annoy me, calling me at very inconvenient times and also very frequently. They pester me to go and I find that a lot of other Christians do the same. It's another idea I'm very against, since I don't like pushing religion onto people since I don't like it when people do to me.

I've never actually thought about transferring religions, though I always find other religions to be interesting, specifically Islam and Buddhism. I find their philosophies intriguing, but I wouldn't join either. People have judged me on my belief. Other Christians like other Christians. I think that will always happen though.

 

[XEL]

Are you apart of a religious belief?
I was raised in a Buddhist home. I demonstrate some of their beliefs and ideals, but overall, I consider myself a cross between a deist and an agnostic. When asked questions similar to this, I often say I believe in the truth. Not faith, but truth.

What religious group do you belong to?
My own. Once again, truth.

Are there any strict restriction that don't allow you to do something?
I'm young. I'll drink and all, but I don't drink. Like I said, I carry some buddhist beliefs with me. One of them is that to have a clear mind, it cannot be affected by anything from outside the body. That means alcohol.

Are there any strict restrictions on what you can and cannot eat?
Hell no. I'll eat what I want lol

How long have you been in this religion?
Has truth ever been documented as, not in, but as, a religion?

Have you ever thought of leaving your current religious belief for a different religion?
Honestly, I will never stop following whatever is true. I don't understand why people need religion as a motivation to do things. If heaven is your only incentive on being a good person, you don't deserve to go to this so called glorious afterlife. I realize that not everyone is like this, so I apologize to anyone I may have offended with my generalization. Another reason why I will never stop believing truth, is that religion is the one single social mechanism that's been around since the beginning of humans. Every time a discovery was made, religion changed. Look at the Old and New Testaments. If the Gods of these religions are omnipotent, omniscience, etc. How can their words, their laws be so easily changed? Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I would like to reiterate that I'm not an atheist. I believe that if there is a God, he merely jumpstarted the universe, like the Clockwork Theory states so.

How many times a week do you have to go to church(or a place of worship)?
None. If God is so great a being as God is made out to be, worship would hardly matter. If God is so pure as God is made out to be, God would not require worship.

How many times a week do you have to pray?
None.

Have people ever judged you soley because of your religious belief and not getting to know you?
When religion comes up, I usually disregard it as a dangerous topic to discuss. I don't want to trample on the faith of others. But if they do insist on talking about religion, I'll usually just say, "I believe in truth," and leave it at that. You can't prove to me that there is a God, you can't prove to me that there isn't. I won't take faith as an answer, nor will I take "Science hasn't proven there is a God," as an answer.

 

[HarrisonH]

Atheists believe that there are no gods and/or higher power at work in the universe.

If I may: you're incorrect about the meaning of "atheist". An atheist is someone who doesn't hold belief in a god, which is vastly different from believing there are no gods.

The difference between the two comes in with the application of the adjectives "agnostic" and "gnostic". The two terms are only a statement on knowledge. Basically, "agnostic" is "not knowing", and "gnostic" is knowing.

With that, I'm an agnostic atheist. I don't believe in any gods, because there has been no evidence to show the existence of any. However, I am open to belief in a god, were there to be evidence there is one.

Now to cut that a bit thinner, I am a gnostic atheist towards certain definitions of a god. A god that's all-knowing and gave us free will? That's a logical contradiction that cannot exist. Therefore, I hold that a god with those characteristics cannot exist.

Now, onto the questions of this thread.

Are you apart of a religious belief?
Nope.

What religious group do you belong to?
Not applicable.

Are there any strict restriction that don't allow you to do something?
My own personal morals.

Are there any strict restrictions on what you can and cannot eat?
Nope.

How long have you been in this religion?
It's not a religion, but I've been an atheist my entire life. When I was young I may have said I was a Christian, but that would have been only because I knew of no alternatives.

Have you ever thought of leaving your current religious belief for a different religion?
Were there any concrete evidences of a religion being correct, that would be the one that I follow. But there aren't.

How many times a week do you have to go to church(or a place of worship)?
Zip, zilch, nada.

How many times a week do you have to pray?
See above.

Have people ever judged you soley because of your religious belief and not getting to know you?
Absolutely, seeing as atheists are the least trusted group in America.

 

[wumbology]

..killing..God says never kill anybody unless that person killed someone dear to you you have the right to revenge IF you can't forgive which is better and in war never hurt a child or a woman or a oldman..

Wait, but:
"Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them." (Surah 9:121-)
"Slay them wherever you find them...Idolatry is worse than carnage...Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God's religion reigns supreme." (Surah 2:190-)

War generally includes killing, right? So then doesn't God say to kill? It also doesn't mention mercy for the old, for females or for children.

Note:Terrorism doesn't have a religion..there are no religion call for killing and destroying like this....i hope for peace and wish happiness to everyone ^^

Terrorism may not have a religion, but religion can lead to terrorism.