Religon facinates me. I have several questions for everyone here, but first Im gonna give you an Idea of where I am coming from first. I was raised in a religous family, but it wasnt really forced on me. I went to Quaker meetings with my dad for 6 or so years so If a war ever broke out I could claim concentous objector status(work in support not front line). Later my family went to the Episcopalian(SP) church in town for years. I was required to go for 4 years. After that 4 years was up I could worship how I feel. Mind you my father is a scientist, and I have never totally bought in to god even existing. The way I see it is, that will likely come as I experience some of lifes miracles(having kids) At SUNY stonybrook I lived with a strick Muslim(Afgani), A less strict Muslim(Paki), and an Italian(Roman Catholic). the Afgani tried to convert me all the time. he wasnt an dick, but he always wanted to debate religon with me, than tell me I was gonna go to "hell". This gave me a kind of sour view if Islam. the Paki was more chill because he didnt try to convert me, but was also strict. those 2 left after 2 years, and I met A girl who turned out to be Muslim. she was mad cool, and like any other lomg island chick(Paki) she has now since then drank 5 times just to experience it, hasn not yet had premarital sex, will never eat pork, and of cource dosnt cover herself. she is dating another cool Paki guy and he is also more modern. My roomate who replaced the Italian is an Australian (Christian) who is ethnicly indian. his girlfriend is Muslim, but has sex, and drinks a little. my suite mate at the time was hindi, and the other was another non beleiver like me where am I going with this.. well. the Sani indians, Hindis, most of the muslims, most of the Catholics were all cool. I learned alot from them, they learned from me. life is good, but the extreem traditional Muslim (Afgani), and Catholic(italian) were the only 2 to really try to force religion on me, and if I didnt beleive in their institution I was screwed. as far as being good people. well the Italian, and the Afgani would get into fights with their friends. the italian was rude ans disrespectfull of him mom, did roids, and E, and his bro was hiding fromm the law. the Afgani had the most backwards view of women, was violent, rude to everyone not of his sect, and even fought his "best friend". so I ask you all these quetions. 1: do you consider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindu/etc.. B: do you consider yourself a good person? 2: how did you choose your religion(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) 3: if you are not particularly religious like me, do you think your personal code (rules) is a result of religion permeating our culture as humans? 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religious influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? 4: do you religious people think that your religion is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islam’s pillars? Are they reasonably good rules to live by (same team, or different)? 5: do you believe that your religion is intolerant? Weather or not you are open-minded, is the institution open? #6 Space Ghosts question #6: Whatever your belief is, what would make you change it? #7 J.VALDEZ’ question #7. What do you think the purpose of religion is? #8 Is a religion that does NOT allow dancing tolerable? (sure ANY religion will let anyone join.) what about a religion which makes Women cover their hair and entire face/body in some sects Tolerable. Guys help me out, add some other examples of intolerance show within religions. Try to pick on your own religion, its therapeutic J. #9 If god showed himself to your people as Jesus, and he died for your sins. Than told you to be nice and follow him, than why did He speak through Muhammad?? Why is he speaking through the Daly llama all the time?? or whatever he does through the daly llama(excuse my ignorance ) This works in reverse too. I am not Just after the Christians here J If god was really running the show don’t you think there would be only one religion?? #10 Are religions just essentially translators for god so he can communicate to you? #11 Do the rules of a religion that were written down 1400, 2000, or whatever number of years ago still apply to a modern society(yes I know some do, but a lot had changed since then)? well this should spark the debate I am seeking. to all responders, please keep an open mind to others beliefs. after all we all agree on one thing we love the ROCKETS! PEACE ------------------ Hanta-Force Paintball www.hanta-force.com [This message has been edited by The Voice of Reason (edited April 05, 2001).]
1: do you concider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindi/etc.. No, I think I could be better in my ways. i drink, party, have sex, cuss ect. I am a hypocrite. 2: how did you choose your religon(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) I guess you can say i was inherited it. Whether im right or wrong, we shall see when were all dead. 3: if you are not particularly religous like me, do you think your personal code(rules) are a result of religon permiating our culture as humans. I think religion has made us less savages, paticularly Christianity/Hindu/Muslim 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religous influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? I think its common sense. Its what seperates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. 4: do you religous people think that your religon is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islams pillars? are they reasonably good rules to live by(same team, or different)? Im Christian. We all do not like eachothers religions. We are all going to hell. Very sad. 5: do you beleive that your religon is intolerant? weather or not you are openminded, is the institution open? Yes, Christians are very intolerant in general. I am tolerable, only because I belive you shouldn't force your ways on other people Here is one i'd like to add: 6: Whatever your belief is, what would make you change it? There is very little that would change my belief. If we could time travel, then i would say that would really wonder about life itself (deep thought that would take a while to explain) ------------------ Nice guys finish last ... and im surely not going to finish last!
I also find theology to be a most interesting subject. 1: do you concider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindi/etc.. Yes I do. I'm am not perfect, of course, but I am a decent person with a good heart. Thats all thats important, IMO. 2: how did you choose your religon(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) My personal belief is that all religions are (basically) the same and that (for the most part) only the names have changed. I reached this conclusion after years of studying things like mythology and folklore. The parallels I found in varying religions were astonishing to me, considering I starting reading about mythological subjects at a very early age. None of them are indentical, but the basic principles are the same. I don't follow any particular religion, as I feel religion is man-made, and that being spiritual is what is important. The basic premise of what I believe is the Golden Rule.....you know, "Do unto others....." 3: if you are not particularly religous like me, do you think your personal code(rules) are a result of religon permiating our culture as humans. Yes and no. How you treat others is of utmost importance, IMO, and that is how I try to live my life. Whether this was born of religion or is just common decency is open to debate. 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religous influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? Common sense. 4: do you religous people think that your religon is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islams pillars? are they reasonably good rules to live by(same team, or different)? I respect the beliefs of others, even though I may or may not believe in them. For the most part, religious teachings are great for laying down the groundwork for a proper and decent life. It is when you get into the intolerant side of religion with things like not respecting others and others beliefs, and limiting free speech, free thought, and personal freedom that I start to get irritated. 5: do you beleive that your religon is intolerant? weather or not you are openminded, is the institution open? What I believe is nothing but tolerance concerning someones right to believe a certain way. I love debating theology. Debate with me, ask me questions, answer my questions, but don't ever tell me what I believe is wrong just because your way is the only way. ------------------ "The idea of a band nowadays is five pretty boys, one with a tattoo, one with a shaved head, and on and on. I mean, I like Britney Spears, I think she's pretty, but I'm not from the Mickey Mouse Club. I'm from the Godzilla club!" ---Ozzy Osbourne [This message has been edited by Lynus302 (edited April 04, 2001).]
1. Atheist, but I don't know how good I am at it. What were the rules again? 2. I inherited it but have searched for a way out without success. 3. This question seems to imply that religion is a thing foreign to the psyche of humanity. I'd have to say no, our moral codes are not derived from religion but that both are derived from a common source. 3B. An injunction against murder is common sense. And it does apply to animals outside of homo sapiens. There are many species that are reluctant to kill one of their own (though they'll do it, just as we will) and, perhaps more importantly, that punish anti-social behavior. 4. My religion has a hard time defining 'good.' It's a miracle we haven't all killed ourselves already. Many of us think religious adherants' pursuit of such a thing is a waste of time. But we don't complain too much about other beliefs as long as they don't conflict with our own. 5. It doesn't seem like the religion is very tolerant, in general. We like to say we tolerate all religions but when we see it actually impact the way a person lives (like protesting teaching evolution or making women second-class citizens or refusing medical help, etc.) we suddenly become very intolerant. We think of them as deviants and zealots and generally categorize them in our minds -- though we won't say it aloud -- as people who have been deceived or have weak mental faculties or who generally cannot be trusted with the general welfare. In our favor, however, we are very welcoming of any who would like to join our ranks. We also like people who do believe in God but have such a watered-down belief system that they don't live their lives any differently than we do. Nebulous spiritualism is especially well-respected. ------------------ RealGM Gafford Art Artisan Cakes
1: do you concider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindi/etc.. If I knew what I was specifically, I would have an easier time answering that. I don't follow the strictest guidelines of one particular religion. I guess I could say I consider myself a good human but there is always room for improvement. 2: how did you choose your religon(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) My religious beliefs developed over years of study. I was a born-again Christian and studied it exclusively for many years. That began to change about 10 years ago when I started looking at other religious practices. Since then, I am still studying and looking. My beliefs are probably a cross between Buddhism, Taoism and moderate Christianity. 3: if you are not particularly religous like me, do you think your personal code(rules) are a result of religon permiating our culture as humans. I do not believe that humans are inherently evil, so I would say that religion is as much a part of the human evolution as we are a part of religious evolution. I think our code of ethics are as much a matter of human goodness and survival as they are of religion and philosophy. 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religous influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? Both. I think that we all have a conscience and I don't believe in that conscience simply being born evil and desiring wanton destruction. Laws and rules are as much extension of this inherent goodness as they are an extension of religious belief. 4: do you religous people think that your religon is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islams pillars? are they reasonably good rules to live by(same team, or different)? I don't believe that any religion has all the answers. I try to learn from and respect all of them. 5: do you beleive that your religon is intolerant? weather or not you are openminded, is the institution open? Buddhism and Taoism, by their very nature, are extremely tolerant and open-minded. They are open to changes in their own belief based simply on changes in history and society. 6: Whatever your belief is, what would make you change it? I think my beliefs have changed and will continue to do so as long as I continue to seek my personal truth. I don't think anyone could necessarily convince me of anything. I have a hard enough time convincing myself. ------------------ And then, depression set in...
1: do you concider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindi/etc.. I'm agnostic. I'd really like to believe in a God, but sort of think it's a Catch22: if you have faith, everything you see confirms it; if you don't, no natural phenomena is going to specifically give evidence of a divine presence. 2: how did you choose your religon(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) My father's an atheist and my mother's a Methodist. I was exposed to both, and decided that it's impossible to know. I'm more concerned with living than with the afterlife anyway. I'm a Neitzschean in that way . 3: if you are not particularly religous like me, do you think your personal code(rules) are a result of religon permiating our culture as humans. No, I draw my ethics more from philosophy and personal experience with suffering. I know they're an odd couple, but I found Nietzsche and Kant to both offer compelling systems for ethical thought (well, Nietzsche didn't have a system, but still...). I truly believe that morality is COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT from religion. Morality, or ethics, has to be true in itself, independent of a deity. If you do something simply because God says that's true, it doesn't have any true value. A deity could be evil... or ammoral. 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religous influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? Refer to Kant's Categorical Imperative... 4: do you religous people think that your religon is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islams pillars? are they reasonably good rules to live by(same team, or different)? IF anyone believes that, they should jump in a lake ! 5: do you beleive that your religon is intolerant? weather or not you are openminded, is the institution open? Agnosticism is very tolerant of all except the irrational. I also thought that toleration was the most compelling part of Methodism. ------------------ Boston College - Big East -East Division Regular Season Champs Worst to First in 2001!
1: do you concider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindi/etc.. Yes and no. I don't attend church on a regular basis, and I feel that I should. 2: how did you choose your religon(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) I was raised Baptist, but as I grew older, I got a little bit put off by some of the attitudes of the people within the church I grew up, and others I attended at college. I've been very dissapointed by some church ministers, and by some of the beliefs put forward by the Southern Baptist Convention. I do not think the leaders of the convention, and some in the local churches are representative of their congregation. My parents have since become Lutheran (Similar to Catholics, structured, without some of the stricter rules). I do like some of the ideas of the Methodist church (similar to Baptists, without some of the silly rules, and the fact they are inclusive -- i.e. any religion is good, as long as you worship God.) After going through a rough period, I'm currently trying to sort out some of my beliefs. 3: if you are not particularly religous like me, do you think your personal code(rules) are a result of religon permiating our culture as humans. Yes, a lot of my beliefs and attitudes have come from religion -- and I think have made me a better person. There are very few religions that suggest people do bad things. Most promote good virtues. The world is a better place because of the ideals and morals instilled in people by their religion. Even if you don't worship regularly, the ideas and values that people gain from their religious beliefs often shape their lives. 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religous influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? Yes, a lot of it comes from religion, and it is common sense. The moral philosophy that it is wrong to take an innocent life is burned into our culture -- and most people believe that. I would like to think more people feel it's wrong to kill someone because it's morally wrong, than just because it would be a hassle to be caught. 4: do you religous people think that your religon is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islams pillars? are they reasonably good rules to live by(same team, or different)? That's exactly the problem I have with many of the more devout Baptists -- that they aren't tolerant of other religions. (I don't think this applies to your average Baptist/protistant, and many of the clergy I've met are truly good people.) Some religions I do not think are right (Satinism among others), but in most cases, while the details and style can be different, the core values are very similar. Most people who are religious are good people. You may not agree with their beliefs -- or persistance -- but they are probably better for their religion. 5: do you beleive that your religon is intolerant? weather or not you are openminded, is the institution open? If you look at my Baptist upbringing -- their are certain leaders that have become corrupt and/or intolerant. The very decentralized nature of the religion (churches are pretty much independent), leaves room for this to happen -- as it will in any complex organization. (And power corrupts, etc...) The Southern Baptist Convention in particular, has a lot of problems. For the most part though, 95% of the people are very tolerant, understanding, and good people. Yes, there are the normal stereotypes -- no drinking, no dancing, etc., etc. Those are followed just as closely as similar rules in other religions -- Catholics don't use birth control and Jewish people don't eat pork. It's not a key part of the religion. ------------------ Stay Cool...
If I may add a seventh question, I think it would help me understand where people are coming from. May I? 7. What do you think the purpose of religion is? ------------------ RealGM Gafford Art Artisan Cakes
1: do you concider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindi/etc.. I consider myself a very "good' atheist. 2: how did you choose your religon(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) Questioning and learning, as I discovered more and more about other religions they seemed to suit me less and less. 3: if you are not particularly religous like me, do you think your personal code(rules) are a result of religon permiating our culture as humans. n/a 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religous influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? Depends on what society you run it through. 4: do you religous people think that your religon is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islams pillars? are they reasonably good rules to live by(same team, or different)? If someone who follows a religion (any religion) can observe the conscious flow and keep the positive vibe, I'm happy. 5: do you beleive that your religon is intolerant? weather or not you are openminded, is the institution open? Atheism is a very tolerable religion, anyone can become an atheist all you have to do is unlock your mind. ------------------ Ceo of the Walt Williams and Lisa Malosky fan club. atheistalliance.org
Here's another question: What do you guys think of Satanic Humanism? Before you jump all over me, I don't mean Satanism as the belief system that advocates sacrificing babies, etc. I mean the belief that beauty and self-determinations are more important than following all of God's rules. Satanic Humanism questions God's omnipotence, and the moral rubric prescribed by the bible. It argues that perhaps man should create his own values, and that values themselves are not inherently theistic. It's a celebration of knowledge, humanity and the body. God tried to keep man ignorant; Satan gave him the fruit of knowledge. Try analyzing Genesis in reference to the legend of Prometheus from Greek mythology. Satan becomes the good guy. This originated with Milton's Satan, who was unintentionally the hero of Paradise Lost. Lots of people have adopted it since then... perhaps most popularly in Anne Rice's Memnoch. ------------------ Boston College - Big East -East Division Regular Season Champs Worst to First in 2001!
"Hindi" is a language. "Hindu" is a religion. I am a Muslim from India who speaks Hindi. But I dont necessarily have to be a Hindu. I never have tried to convert anyone, nor ever will. I think as long as you believe in God, you will go to heaven. If you are a good person you will go to heaven. Then why do I believe in Islam? I just do. Blind faith. Do I think other religions are wrong? NO! Do I think Islam is right? Yes. Take what you want from that. ------------------
1: do you concider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindi/etc.. im pretty religious, yes, and i try to be as good a muslim as possible 2: how did you choose your religon(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) well i was born into it but i never really had that "hardcore" faith until i actually started reading more about it and comparing it to other religions. ive always believed islam to be right because its always made sense, but knowing some of the stuff i know now, im 100% convinced its the absoloute truth. 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religous influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? both 4: do you religous people think that your religon is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islams pillars? are they reasonably good rules to live by(same team, or different)? well of course i respect islams pillars people can be 'good' for whatever reason they want to be good for. 5: do you beleive that your religon is intolerant? weather or not you are openminded, is the institution open? islam is open to anyone and everyone. i think JV asked what is the purpose of religion. my answer to that is religion is a way of life. for me that is what islam is, it governs every single action i do every single day. it is believing in God and carrying out his commandments to their fullest. its something you do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. why do i believe its the truth? because it makes complete sense, allows me to worship God, makes me feel secure about the afterlife, and everything in the religion is also consistent with things we know today like scientific fact, etc. ie things like science and religion are not separated. its all from God and it should therefore be consistent, and it is. ------------------ president of the sleepy floyd to hall of fame club. http://www.it-is-truth.org
Great questions. 1: do you concider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindi/etc.. I consider myself a good Christian. I was raised methodist but now I would just say that I'm a follower of Christ. 2: how did you choose your religon(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) I don't think I really inherited my faith as much as how I saw my mother live her faith. For 19 of my 23 years I didn't want anything to do with it because I knew to really put my faith in Christ I would have to change some things in my life. 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religous influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? Don't hate me for quoting the bible, but it says that God has written his law on our hearts so that we know better than to murder(or to 'sin' in general). Or in a more practical sense, he also made it clear that we shouldn't lie, steal, or cheat. We somehow innately knew from little children that it wasn't right. 4: do you religous people think that your religon is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islams pillars? are they reasonably good rules to live by(same team, or different)? I think that most religions can make a person more good or moral if they follow the tennants of that religion. I have exreme respect for devout muslims (i.e. Hakeem) as well as other religions. However, to me thats not the issue. If I truly beleive and have trusted my life to Christ, then I must disagree with other religions power to save (send somebody to heaven) because that would make what Christ did on the cross pointless. As a christian, to say that all religions lead to Heaven is almost like saying I really don't believe in my faith because it cheapens Christ death and resurrection. 5: do you beleive that your religon is intolerant? weather or not you are openminded, is the institution open? I think that some (but not most) Christians are intolerant. As in every other organizations, religions, there are hypocrites. Many Americans say (and think) that they are Christians but their actions don't show it at all. I think that many of these people give Christians a bad name. I will also say this... I think that a lot of people watch and wait for Christians to stumble as we all eventually do. Christians don't claim to be perfect. We only claim to be forgiven, and from that we try to live lives as Christ did. ------------------
ROckets03- "Hindi" is a language. "Hindu" is a religion. I know, It is well documented that I am a terrible speller (typist) they are next to each other on the keyboard. I will fix it. Also you seemed a bit condescending in your post, I hope my mis-type didn’t irk you. Sorry if it did. As one of the few Muslims, I would like to hear more of your views. Mobes- No one likes to have the scripture quoted to them, but especially when it doesn’t answer the question J I don’t care what your bible say, I am interested in what YOU FEEL. The question asks if YOU think that our ideas of right/wrong are a result of thousands of years of different religions telling us what was right, or if it was common sense from the beginning, and the religions agree with commons sense (Almost a chicken and the egg scenario) Also, for #5 I was asking if you think the institution is intolerant, not people in the religion, just the institution. Does Catholicism in your case have built in intolerances (in YOUR opinion) Dean Curtis- since you are NOT a particularly religious person like myself question #3 is directed at you, it is very much applicable. V/A J Now to further stir the fire J #8 Is a religion that does NOT allow dancing(baptists) tolerable? (sure ANY religion will let anyone join.) what about a religion which makes Women cover their hair and entire face/body in some sects Tolerable. how about a religion where the men can have multiple spouses, but not the women(morman/muslim) Guys help me out, add some other examples of semi-intolerance shown within religions. Try to pick on your own religion, its therapeutic J. #9 If god showed himself to your people as Jesus, and he died for your sins. Than told you to be nice and follow him, than why did He speak through Muhammad?? Why is he speaking through the Daly llama all the time?? or whatever he does through the daly llama(excuse my ignorance ) This works in reverse too. I am not Just after the Christians here J If god was really running the show don’t you think there would be only one religion?? #10 Are religions just essentially translators for god so he can communicate to you? #11 Do the rules of a religion that were written down 1400, 2000, or whatever number of years ago still apply to a modern society(yes I know some do, but a lot had changed since then)? ------------------ Hanta-Force Paintball www.hanta-force.com [This message has been edited by The Voice of Reason (edited April 04, 2001).]
#8 Is a religion that does NOT allow dancing tolerable? (sure ANY religion will let anyone join.) what about a religion which makes Women cover their hair and entire face/body in some sects Tolerable. Guys help me out, add some other examples of intolerance show within religions. Try to pick on your own religion, its therapeutic J. well i suppose this is referring to islam. but yeah, i find it very tolerable, and in fact is one of the things i like about the religion. you tell me of any other way to force guys to find women based on character instead of looks. i really dont thik its intolerable at all... in fact, a lot of women prefer it. #9 If god showed himself to your people as Jesus, and he died for your sins. Than told you to be nice and follow him, than why did He speak through Muhammad?? Why is he speaking through the Daly llama all the time?? This works in reverse too. I am not Just after the Christians here J If god was really running the show don’t you think there would be only one religion?? God sends His message to us through prophets. He reveals it to whom He wishes however He wishes. Jesus was a prophet who brought us Gods message. Muslims dont believe Jesus was God, but a highly revered prophet of God like Moses, Noah, and Abraham. Muhammad was the last prophet. i personally dont think God speaks to the dalai lama... in fact ive never heard that, maybe its just my unfamiliarity with the dalai lama, but does he claim to have some new revelation from God? #10 Are religions just essentially translators for god so he can communicate to you? sort of answered this before, but religion s a way of life to live your life the way God told you to live it so you can get rewarded in the afterlife #11 Do the rules of a religion that were written down 1400, 2000, or whatever number of years ago still apply to a modern society(yes I know some do, but a lot had changed since then)? every single one of them. if its truly God's religion, then it must be perfect in every sense (including timeless). ------------------ president of the sleepy floyd to hall of fame club. http://www.it-is-truth.org
#8 Is a religion that does NOT allow dancing(baptists) tolerable? (sure ANY religion will let anyone join.) what about a religion which makes Women cover their hair and entire face/body in some sects Tolerable. how about a religion where the men can have multiple spouses, but not the women(morman/muslim) Guys help me out, add some other examples of semi-intolerance shown within religions. Try to pick on your own religion, its therapeutic J. Sure it is tolerable. That is what belief is all about. You have to do what is best for you. If you are uncomfortable with those practices, you can either moderate your own belief or adopt another. Most of those are traditions formed within the dogma of the religion rather than part of the spiritual tradition of faith anyway. Even within the religions that practice different concepts someone may find restrictive, there are others who do not practice them but share the same religious faith. #9 If god showed himself to your people as Jesus, and he died for your sins. Than told you to be nice and follow him, than why did He speak through Muhammad?? Why is he speaking through the Daly llama all the time?? or whatever he does through the daly llama(excuse my ignorance ) This works in reverse too. I am not Just after the Christians here J If god was really running the show don’t you think there would be only one religion?? That is a philosophical question that cannot really be answered. It is based on faith and is, therefore, subjective. It is not for us to say what one person's faith is or should be. #10 Are religions just essentially translators for god so he can communicate to you? I believe that God is a part of us and we a part of him/her and that we are simply separate from that "oneness" that is deep within our consciousness. Well, most of us anyway. I don't believe in heaven and hell so I believe that communicating with "God" is really just communicating with the consciousness deep inside ourselves. That is the purpose of meditation and even prayer. #11 Do the rules of a religion that were written down 1400, 2000, or whatever number of years ago still apply to a modern society(yes I know some do, but a lot had changed since then)? Some do. Some don't. This is true of any societal concept. Some are simply tradition. Jews don't eat pork because it was considered "unclean." The truth is that pork could lead to trichinosis and death if it wasn't prepared properly because of a parasite it carried. So, in essence, it was unclean. With modern preparation and storage, that is not the case any longer. The continuance of the tradition is an homage to the faith that sustains that person rather than protection from illness. Does it make it wrong for a jewish person to eat pork? To some it might but not to others. Again, we are dealing with subjective behavior. In the Buddhist faith, followers believe that they should grow as the world and society does without necessarily changing their core beliefs. When Buddhism was introduced to the west, it changed the way it was practiced. Buddhism in the west is far more based in activism - free Tibet, passive resistance, etc - whereas traditional Chinese Buddhism is much more passive. The Dali Lama considers this a positive influence on the Buddhist community even though it is contrary to their tradition. Buddhists have traditionally not stood up for their beliefs in the ways westerners do now. Call it the competitive American spirit, but Americans have adapted Buddhism to suit the way they are and it has had a positive influence on the religion. ------------------ And then, depression set in...
This sure is getting long! Deep breath...dive: 1: do you consider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindu/etc.. I consider myself a good "me" that is about all I can say. My belifes are a combination of too many things. 2: how did you choose your religion(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) I was raised Episcopalian, but have no reccollection of ever being interested. I have very strong personality traits and innate beliefs that have been with me...if they coincide with something, then I learn what I can about it (philosophical taoism, for example, fits me pretty well and is actually the closest I would get to any kind of "religion," although it is the least religious branch of taoism) and continue to grow. 3: if you are not particularly religious like me, do you think your personal code (rules) is a result of religion permeating our culture as humans? No, it is based upon me...I mold things to me, not the other way around. 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religious influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? Common sense...if religion never existed, people would still be appaled by murder...just animal nature. 4: do you religious people think that your religion is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islam’s pillars? Are they reasonably good rules to live by (same team, or different)? N/A 5: do you believe that your religion is intolerant? Weather or not you are open-minded, is the institution open? I am what I am....tolerate what I will. #6 Space Ghosts question #6: Whatever your belief is, what would make you change it? Changes every day...gets constantly restructured and ammended, that is life. Spirit evolves just as thought, body, and technology. #7 J.VALDEZ’ question #7. What do you think the purpose of religion is? This is a rediculously hard and 100 volume book-worthy question. Religion has served seemingly infinite purposes. In the end, however, I believe that religion filled the void caused by ignorance, uncertainty...then also served to validate human existence above all other life. #8 Is a religion that does NOT allow dancing tolerable? (sure ANY religion will let anyone join.) what about a religion which makes Women cover their hair and entire face/body in some sects Tolerable. Guys help me out, add some other examples of intolerance show within religions. Try to pick on your own religion, its therapeutic J. These are concepts that are unfathomable to my weak mind -- I, therefore, cannot speak. #9 If god showed himself to your people as Jesus, and he died for your sins. Than told you to be nice and follow him, than why did He speak through Muhammad?? Why is he speaking through the Daly llama all the time?? or whatever he does through the daly llama(excuse my ignorance ) This works in reverse too. I am not Just after the Christians here J If god was really running the show don’t you think there would be only one religion?? N/A...I will not answer any more than that. #10 Are religions just essentially translators for god so he can communicate to you? N/A #11 Do the rules of a religion that were written down 1400, 2000, or whatever number of years ago still apply to a modern society(yes I know some do, but a lot had changed since then)? Many do not, but that is irrelevant when speaking of faith. ------------------ Whitey will pay.
yeah thats a very important point about the actual practices and rules of different faiths. first you have to establish the base, and then the rest follows. religions are not judged by their code of do's and dont's rather, first you have to believe the religion is the divine decree (ie its really from God) and once you are convinced of that, then there is absoloutely no problem carrying out the rules regardless of what they are or how old they might be. just as an example, for a muslim, first you affirm that there is only One God, alone, without any partner, and that He sent down the Quran. once you declare this, you affirm that faith through practice (praying 5 times a day, giving charity, etc etc) ------------------ president of the sleepy floyd to hall of fame club. http://www.it-is-truth.org
I missed Juan's #7. #7. What do you think the purpose of religion is? It serves different purposes for different people. For me, it is a way to help me develop and grow as a human and as a spiritual being. I think that what you do with it is really up to you. There is no one meaning that is suitable for everyone. ------------------ And then, depression set in...
1: do you consider yourself a "good" muslim/catholic/buddist/hindu/etc.. No. B: do you consider yourself a good person? Yes. 2: how did you choose your religion(or did you inherit it without much individual thought or search) I was never destined to be religious. The stories just didn't work out for me as a kid (though I had a ton of guilt b/c of it). I was constantly told that I was going to hell and that I was a bad kid (talk about mental abuse). I wasn't comfortable as an atheist until I began learning more and more about science. In college I pursued degrees in both Geology and Philosophy. It only deepened my beliefs. 3: if you are not particularly religious like me, do you think your personal code (rules) is a result of religion permeating our culture as humans? No, human culture is our ecological niche. This is what we are. All groups of people have evolved with a sense of right and wrong, punishment, etc. 3B: thou shalt not kill makes sense, but is that thousands of years of religious influence in our culture, or is it just common sense?? Common sense (for the same reasons as above). 4: do you religious people think that your religion is the only way to make a person good, or do you respect say Islam’s pillars? Are they reasonably good rules to live by (same team, or different)? I'm not religious, but I try to respect/understand most religions. Those religions that are intolerant to other races, other sexes, etc. do not have my complete respect. 5: do you believe that your religion is intolerant? Whether or not you are open-minded, is the religious institution that you asribe to open-minded? My religion is very tolerant. I am generally also tolerant. I do have trouble tolerating intolerance, however. #6 Space Ghosts question #6: Whatever your belief is, what would make you change it? I couldn't fathom 'knowing' a GOD now. I mean this as no offense to anyone else, but the sum of my experiences tells me that I would be lying to myself to adopt faith now. #7 J.VALDEZ’ question #7. What do you think the purpose of religion is? It's a big and warm fuzzy blanket. Psychologically, it was perfect for getting egoists to obey the social contract. #8 Is a religion that does NOT allow dancing tolerable? (sure ANY religion will let anyone join.) what about a religion which makes Women cover their hair and entire face/body in some sects Tolerable. Guys help me out, add some other examples of intolerance show within religions. Try to pick on your own religion, its therapeutic J. Though it is a bold statement, and I'll be reprimanded b/c of my beliefs... I'll be honest to myself and to you. I do not find these faiths to be 'tolerant'. If I could defend cultural relativism w/ a straight face, I'd give you some malarky defense for these faiths. The religions by definition are not tolerant, regardless of whatever any particular individual holds to be true (If I label myself as a Catholic and I denounce the Mother Mary or I avoid confession... then I'm playing by different rules than what the Popes have laid out). #9 If god showed himself to your people as Jesus, and he died for your sins. Than told you to be nice and follow him, than why did He speak through Muhammad?? Why is he speaking through the Daly llama all the time?? or whatever he does through the daly llama(excuse my ignorance ) This works in reverse too. I am not Just after the Christians here J If god was really running the show don’t you think there would be only one religion?? What are all of these 'J's? #10 Are religions just essentially translators for god so he can communicate to you? GOD is a quest. Religion is a poetic attempt to achieve that knowledge. It attempts to describe ideals... Plato's forms of perfection, if you will. #11 Do the rules of a religion that were written down 1400, 2000, or whatever number of years ago still apply to a modern society(yes I know some do, but a lot had changed since then)? This game isn't as much fun for an Atheist... too many questions that mean nothing to me. Signed, \../ Satanic Humanist \../ ------------------ I'm sorry, but it's vital to the health of the U.S. economy that we destroy the entire Earth - Chris Stratton, Delivery Driver, on Global Warming.
