What is your belief system?

[Pooch]

I believe in God and pray every day. I also believe that God gave us free will to make decisions everyday. I'm not one or those people that waits for a "sign" to make a decision because I believe God gave me the ability to think through the problem or challenge and come up with the answer on my own.

[insanity]

Is there a god?... maybe

 

Are there multiple gods?... maybe.

 

Are we an experiment placed here by aliens in our universe?... maybe

 

Are we just a part of some giant atom, in some giant petri dish for another species?... maybe

 

Was raised semi-Christian, but I ended up being of the belief that the answer to the question "Who put us here" is wide open, and until we get to a point where we can answer that question, we'll never really know.

[Elk]

Um, reincarnation and neoplatonic emanation! Which I guess is like Buddhism? I'm just learning about Buddhism now, and it seems to fit pretty well. But it's like... there's the Oneness of Being, and that's the uniform everything-ness of... well, the entire universe. The Oneness is emanated into increasingly complex and material layers of being. "Nirvana" is to break free of a cycle of rebirth and return towards the Oneness.

 

And although I believe in reincarnation, I don't think it's like, "Okay, cool, you're dead. Have another body!" I think it's more complex than that - that our constituent parts are redistributed. Kind of like how once a flower decomposes, its decomposed parts don't perfectly reassemble into another flower - rather, they're distributed in a similar area. Does that make sense?

 

Oh, and I also believe the most major religions are allegories for the same truth, but that people get caught up in the more concrete aspects of them and mistake the metaphors for the actual body of faith. That is, it's more like they're fables with morals, and the morals are what's true - not the fable itself. So yeah! I've thought about this quite a bit. >.>

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

[AvitusXenoi]

I think this is a great question. Mainly because I just love the question and I don't personally believe that there is a clear answer to it. I personally find Buddhism to be a very useful path but I by no means think it is the only path. What I love about it is it is openly agnostic. I feel that admitting you do not know is the only honest answer to this question. Science and faith intersect at a point that is the same. If you were an atheist you have a belief that something simply has always been, a fundamental. If you have faith in any other sort of belief you are at the same place(where did god come from, why was anything there to Bang Big, does the flying spaghetti monster have meatballs? etc.).

Personally if there was just one rock floating around in space made of pure iron my mind would still be blown. Shit, give me a single hydrogen atom! You still have to wonder how it is possible that anything can BE at all.

The answer is, as far as I can tell, unknowable. The question is delicious.

Whatever is going on in this crazy existence I am happy to be a part of it. It may end in oblivion, in which case I won't be around to mourn it, so no problem. And something else may happen. Can't say fer'sher. Can't say without stepping out of the realm of reason.

Right now I am conscious and it seems to me that there can be no answer until I cross that threshold of death. Therefore there is no sense worrying about it. If when I die all consciousness is annihilated it will not be as if I never existed, it will be as if the entire universe never existed. My entire experience of life is completely subjective.

This question used to drive me crazy now it just makes me laugh. Life is treat. bring it on.

[AvitusXenoi]

(Tank, that first pic loled me and went immediately to five friends on all sides of the issue at hand. gracias.)

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I wish I could claim credit for the first one, that one's been around for a while. It really is the best representation of the core of my belief system. I just made the second one on memegenerator, although I'm sure I'm not the first to come up with it.  Given Jesus' sense of humor, I'm sure he appreciates [would have appreciated depending on one's belief system] it.

[KnightOfHvn]

I feel pretty safe to talk here, so I'll give it a shot.

 

I'm a fairly traditional Christian. I hate the hymn "Just As I Am"...I have only heard it once where it wasn't sung as a dirge requiring me to put my head down and beg for death or deafness as a form of freedom. I do follow some of the Law that was laid down, but only some. I heard enough of the arguments about some of the cruel seeming laws that were in place in the Old Testament and simply point out to people that Jesus said in the New Testament that there were two important rules: Love God with all your heart and Love your neighbor. Everything else is tied up in that.

 

As for some of the debates that get stirred up, the things that make me mad and no one seems to see that they're doing it is that anyone who berates Christians as bigots is being bigotted themselves. You pick a single one and their actions prove you right, go ahead. You attribute me with someone else and it's going to be a fight (my temper is one of my sins I'm working on.) I've pretty much been of the mindset of "You aren't breaking the law, you aren't hurting anyone, it doesn't cost me money and you're not doing it on my lawn? I don't care." I may disagree with you, but it will be an intelligent debate and will end when you, I or both say "We're going in circles, let's just drop it and move on."

 

Thank you to all of you who may disagree with me on my foundation, but are willing to just acknowledge that I'm different from you and that doesn't hurt anyone.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I feel pretty safe to talk here, so I'll give it a shot.

 

I'm a fairly traditional Christian. I hate the hymn "Just As I Am"...I have only heard it once where it wasn't sung as a dirge requiring me to put my head down and beg for death or deafness as a form of freedom.

We used to have a music director when I was a kid who would have us sing alll 6 verses of this song when we did it. I was so ready to be done halfway through.

[Bekah]

These make me want to squee

[Bullroarer Took]

I'm an atheist, materialist and reductionist. I was raised evangelical.  Like we didn't drink, we didn't dance, we didn't swear.  My family is the town from Footloose.  I'm a  pretty rational guy and sort of chased the concept of "God" into all the gaps in understanding until through philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, physics, etc... I saw very little left for a deity to do.

[PMyrrh]

Pretty much like Tank above.

Raised in a weird mix of Progressive yet Fundamentalist Christianity. The wider church was very open and affirming (1st to allow gay marriage!), but my own church came into the denomination from very strick fundamentalist roots. For instance, preacher's lesson detailed accepting others no matter how they look, dress, or talk, the same day one of the old church lady's berated me for not taking my hat off before I walked into the building and my mom told me never to say "that sucks" again because it was inappropriate. Through it all I liked the progressive message and didn't let the strict traditions get to me.

I've looked into religion studies a bit. I've read much of the bible and the old testimant is rough. I've read dozens of philosophy, scifi, and fiction novels detailing hundreds of gods and alternate docturines of the origin of life. I'm good at seeing both sides, so I would never say 'my beliefs are right and your's are wrong.'

I find I am the most content with the phrase, "I believe in Jesus, love your neighbor as thyself, if my beliefs are wrong oh well."

[KnightOfHvn]

Pretty much like Tank above.

Raised in a weird mix of Progressive yet Fundamentalist Christianity. The wider church was very open and affirming (1st to allow gay marriage!), but my own church came into the denomination from very strick fundamentalist roots. For instance, preacher's lesson detailed accepting others no matter how they look, dress, or talk, the same day one of the old church lady's berated me for not taking my hat off before I walked into the building and my mom told me never to say "that sucks" again because it was inappropriate. Through it all I liked the progressive message and didn't let the strict traditions get to me.

 

My first thought on reading that was, "Dude, that sucks." Then I had to laugh.

[laughing_dog]

I am a devout and strict follower of Bill and Tedism

we have two commandments 

1. Be excellent to each other

2. Party on dudes (and dudettes) 

[Wolf]

I love reading everyone's stories, thanks for posting this topic Bekah!

I believe in Life and Death and the physics of the universe (even all the things we don't know yet), and cause and effect. The rest is just hard work. And I practice what I call Buddhism; aka trying to be a more present, loving, caring, honest person and using meditation (and yoga, nonviolent communicatuon and general life lessons) as my main tools of getting there.

But I grew up as a cultural Lutheran Protestant, in a country that abolished Christianty as the state religion (and became seculair) only a handful of years ago.

In between I explored paganism for a while, a friend and made a Wiccan coven for a while. Later on I got in (a bit too much) pretty deep into some occult neo-shamanism with some grown-ups (I was just a teenager) and did some not-very-culturally-acceptable-things that sometimes causes a bit of regret on my behalf. - But through all that I slowly came to realize that THIS is simply it. And it's marvelous, magic, terrible and wonderful all by itself. There are endless things to be learned, always. And this realization is enough.

- So I just try my best being a decent person, and taking care of the people and the environment around after the best of my abilities. Of course, sometimes I fail. But life simply happens anyhow.

[oldnews]

I am a devout and strict follower of Bill and Tedism

we have two commandments 

1. Be excellent to each other

2. Party on dudes (and dudettes) 

 

Nearly every year, when the Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas debate starts anew, I try in vain to get everyone on board with 'Be Excellent to Each Other' instead.

 

(Because I'm too busy being excellent to people to post 'Keep the Christ in Saturnalia!' which is what I really want to do when they start up on Facebook.)

[laughing_dog]

Nearly every year, when the Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas debate starts anew, I try in vain to get everyone on board with 'Be Excellent to Each Other' instead.

 

(Because I'm too busy being excellent to people to post 'Keep the Christ in Saturnalia!' which is what I really want to do when they start up on Facebook.)

Party on might flow off the tongue better. What are the holidays if not a big long party to celebrate all the things we want to celebrate?

Everyone should party on this year.

[oldnews]

Party on might flow off the tongue better. What are the holidays if not a big long party to celebrate all the things we want to celebrate?

Everyone should party on this year.

 

I almost wish I still worked in retail. "Thank you, and Party On."

 

I really really don't wish I still worked in retail. Christmas was the worst. 

 

[RisenPhoenix]

These days, I go by "Agnostic Atheist with heavy Taoist influences."  It took a while to figure out exactly how I feel, but it boils down to this:

 

Essentially, no, I can neither confirm nor deny that higher powers exist.  However, I believe they do not, and that science has if not answers, solid hypotheses which can give an insight into life's physical mysteries.

 

The Taoist part comes in to answer the HOW to live life.  And even then, I do not identify as a Taoist because I acknowledge that there are absolutely ridiculous parts to religious Taoist and refuse to try and live forever as an Immortal Taoist Sage.  But the main, straight up text of the Tao Te Ching offers enough solid philosophical advice that I can dig it.

 

I was raised essentially Catholic.  My family still hopes that I'll someday come back to the Church.  I also get labeled as the "Angry, mean Atheist" because I don't lie down when I'm told wonderful things like "You will come here when terrible things happen to you" - because clearly my life has had absolutely no adversity at all.  I am, by and large, a live-and-let-live guy.  You can practice whatever the hell makes you happy.  But the moment you try to engage me for conversion-purposes..... I will eviscerate you into tiny little shreds, and feel no remorse doing so. (Though I love discussing theology, actually.  Mythology is incredibly rich in story telling and giving an idea of how life was when the stories were popular.  That's fascinating.  Some of the best conversations I've had involve me and another person of very different theological beliefs.)  But yea.  Family doesn't like that.

 

 

Which brings me to a quick point.... This conversation has been nice and civil.  Just please, please, PLEASE keep it that way.  Part of me commenting here was so I can keep tabs.  I walk softly and carry a big stick banhammer in case things go south.

[Bekah]

These days, I go by "Agnostic Atheist with heavy Taoist influences."  It took a while to figure out exactly how I feel, but it boils down to this:

 

Essentially, no, I can neither confirm nor deny that higher powers exist.  However, I believe they do not, and that science has if not answers, solid hypotheses which can give an insight into life's physical mysteries.

 

The Taoist part comes in to answer the HOW to live life.  And even then, I do not identify as a Taoist because I acknowledge that there are absolutely ridiculous parts to religious Taoist and refuse to try and live forever as an Immortal Taoist Sage.  But the main, straight up text of the Tao Te Ching offers enough solid philosophical advice that I can dig it.

 

I was raised essentially Catholic.  My family still hopes that I'll someday come back to the Church.  I also get labeled as the "Angry, mean Atheist" because I don't lie down when I'm told wonderful things like "You will come here when terrible things happen to you" - because clearly my life has had absolutely no adversity at all.  I am, by and large, a live-and-let-live guy.  You can practice whatever the hell makes you happy.  But the moment you try to engage me for conversion-purposes..... I will eviscerate you into tiny little shreds, and feel no remorse doing so. (Though I love discussing theology, actually.  Mythology is incredibly rich in story telling and giving an idea of how life was when the stories were popular.  That's fascinating.  Some of the best conversations I've had involve me and another person of very different theological beliefs.)  But yea.  Family doesn't like that.

 

 

Which brings me to a quick point.... This conversation has been nice and civil.  Just please, please, PLEASE keep it that way.  Part of me commenting here was so I can keep tabs.  I walk softly and carry a big stick banhammer in case things go south.

I put that in the OP, it bears repeating by someone who has a bigger stick than me

[insanity]

I put that in the OP, it bears repeating by someone who has a bigger stick than me

Then in that case... Behave people....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giggity Giggity...

[Bekah]

Then in that case... Behave people....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giggity Giggity...

you say that like just about all of you dont qualify

[insanity]

you say that like just about all of you dont qualify

Well... the biggest had to respond....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah... i went there...

[Bekah]

hahahahahah and RP just said to keep it nice! shuddup

[insanity]

hahahahahah and RP just said to keep it nice! shuddup

... okay....

 

 

 

 

 

 

*goes to your room*