Your religion?

[Sarifus]

I thought I'd go for Agnosticism. Though having read someone else here mention Ignosticism, that also sounds about right. I think people who presume to know things such as what death is, are jumping to conclusions based on what they *want* to be the truth, rather than what they *know*. That's just my perception.

I'm just happy enough to shrug and say "I dunno" ;), though I do put thought into things like religion and where we come from and where we're going. I just don't really expect to know any of these things for sure until I experience them. However, whenever I think of God as described by others, I can only seem to think of him in a negative light...

It occurs to me that when you look at things like religion, they demand things of you and say, "You are obliged to do this and that, as you have been given the gift of life". Now, I'd agree with that wholly if I had chosen to be born in the first place...but I didn't. I didn't sign a contract. I didn't agree to any terms. So it always seems to me that a lot of these types of demands aren't as reasonable as they seem.

So yeah, there's just a few thoughts. Though I know from experience not to try having an extensive religious conversation - people often take them personally and things go out of hand, and then the thread gets closed >.>.

[potentialsurvivor]

I'm an agnostic, and have been for a while, and as such have little interest in trying to prove others wrong about their religion, since I've never heard a convincing argument for or against their continued existence. If I ever wedge myself into an argument with people for or against certain aspects of some religions, it's never to belittle the religion or lack thereof, but just a bandwagon-joining attempt at keeping up appearances in the regular pissing matches that seem to crop up (evolution vs creationism, scriptural interpretation vs. scriptural literalism, going to hell vs living in Detroit etc. )

[RubyLeo]

I'm an Athiest for the reason that I find there's no believable evidence behind organised religions claims. Well, nothing that I believe in anyway.

[Shadow girl]

Christian

[peachy]

I was raised in an extremely strict Roman Catholic family; Catholic school and going to church every Sunday, Wednesday, and every religious holiday, plus many prayers thoughout the year.

However, I've never believed the old gods weren't real, even as a little kid. I just thought most people stopped worshipping them. I also didn't agree with some of the Catholic teachings.

I consider myself a pagan. I usually use the term 'polytheist.' I don't belong to any specific religion, though. I believe that all god/s from every religion exist. You just sorta choose which one/s to worship.

To me, whatever you believe in, or not believe in, doesn't matter. The only thing that really matters that you respect others beliefs and that you're a good person.

[Sarifus]

I was raised in an extremely strict Roman Catholic family; Catholic school and going to church every Sunday, Wednesday, and every religious holiday, plus many prayers thoughout the year.

However, I've never believed the old gods weren't real, even as a little kid. I just thought most people stopped worshipping them. I also didn't agree with some of the Catholic teachings.

I consider myself a pagan. I usually use the term 'polytheist.' I don't belong to any specific religion, though. I believe that all god/s from every religion exist. You just sorta choose which one/s to worship.

To me, whatever you believe in, or not believe in, doesn't matter. The only thing that really matters that you respect others beliefs and that you're a good person.

Yeah, that is a pretty cool viewpoint =). I've considered the idea before that whatever you believe in, happens in death. So if you believe in an afterlife, etc, that's what you'll get. It seems the most fair way...otherwise everyone is subjected ultimately to one thing or another whether they like it or not. Which may the reality but...who knows. Anyway yeah, I can sympathise with that viewpoint.

[Aimeendfire]

voted other cause I don't really have a religion ..I just believe in God and a lot of other things . I'm Eclectic

[kt8]

I kind of pick ideas out of all kinds of different religions and just live by them - the ones I believe in.

So I guess I don't really follow any specific one.

-Katie

[mad_scientist]

Nonreligious atheist.

Yeah, kinda boring, I know.

[miss flutterby]

straight pagan

i dont fall into any kind of sub-category, and honestly i dont want to box myself into any kind of strict set of beliefs

[One Winged Angel]

Hmm, Im not sure what to vote.

I am NOT religious in any way at all, though I am interested in the spiritualistic and paranormal, but only becuase I enjoy it (i dont take anything too seriously like that you see). But I am a BIG fan of the paranormal, psyhics and ghost hunting etc, lol.

[peachy]

Yeah, that is a pretty cool viewpoint =). I've considered the idea before that whatever you believe in, happens in death. So if you believe in an afterlife, etc, that's what you'll get. It seems the most fair way...otherwise everyone is subjected ultimately to one thing or another whether they like it or not. Which may the reality but...who knows. Anyway yeah, I can sympathise with that viewpoint.

I think the same way you do; it all depends on your beliefs.

My mom read a book about a lady who supposedly went to Heaven, or had a vision of Heaven, and came back. One thing she said was that everyone in Heaven always sings. Yup, sings, religious songs. Uh...that's not my idea of 'paradise.' :lol: Hope I don't go there.

[Kelly]

Hindus are reincarnated. That seems cool.

[mad_scientist]

Yeah, that is a pretty cool viewpoint =). I've considered the idea before that whatever you believe in, happens in death. So if you believe in an afterlife, etc, that's what you'll get. It seems the most fair way...otherwise everyone is subjected ultimately to one thing or another whether they like it or not. Which may the reality but...who knows. Anyway yeah, I can sympathise with that viewpoint.

I think the same way you do; it all depends on your beliefs.

My mom read a book about a lady who supposedly went to Heaven, or had a vision of Heaven, and came back. One thing she said was that everyone in Heaven always sings. Yup, sings, religious songs. Uh...that's not my idea of 'paradise.' :lol: Hope I don't go there.

Was it Heaven Is So Real by Choo Nam Thomas? Man, that book is funny, in a it's-not-really-funny-to-laugh-at-the-mentally-ill sort of way. (I didn't read it of my own accord -- a fundie evangelist pressed me into it.)

What gets me is that she has strange epilepsy-like fits, and doesn't go to a doctor -- instead she stops sleeping, stops eating and drinks hardly any water... and is surprised when Jesus visits her. Uh-huh, that was supernatural, I'm sure. Second only to that woman who was stranded at sea on a piece of driftwood in the baking sun with no food or water for several days and saw angels. Again, seeing apparitions in such a situation is surely a miracle.

[mad_scientist]

Yeah, that is a pretty cool viewpoint =). I've considered the idea before that whatever you believe in, happens in death. So if you believe in an afterlife, etc, that's what you'll get. It seems the most fair way...otherwise everyone is subjected ultimately to one thing or another whether they like it or not. Which may the reality but...who knows. Anyway yeah, I can sympathise with that viewpoint.

That's like saying small children don't die of cancer, only evil puppy-killers do... because that's the most fair way.

[Frigi]

I am a proud Pastafarian and I pay my homage to His Noodliness, too 8)

[mad_scientist]

I am a proud Pastafarian and I pay my homage to His Noodliness, too 8)

FSM?! The Invisible Pink Unicorn all the way!

Actually, my fave religion is this one:

http://www.churchofreality.org/wisdom/welcome_home/

Church of Reality -- if it's real, we'll believe in it.

And yes, they DO have tax-exempt status in America.

[Guest back_slash123]

russian orthodox

[The Student]

I'm on the liberal wing of Christianity.

[TTauri]

My beliefs are a mixture of Buddhism, Shinto and Wicca.

[KingHeart]

Interesting... Anyone notice the four largest groups?

Other, Christianity, Atheism, Agnosticism...

Any theories as to why that is?

[Tanwen]

Maybe because this is the English-speaking (whether as a first or second laguage) section of AVEN and Western philosophies are in the majority (not the word I'm looking for but I've had around 5 hours' sleep in th past 48 and I'm a little bit tired).

Ask the same question on the foreign lahguage boards and you just might get a different answer.

Tan

*One ot the Taoist members*

[mad_scientist]

Christianity's popular in the western world. the majority of this board seems to be from the Western world.

A lot of people put agnostic because they think it means unsure, or a mix, or they don't want to take a view that they think is contraversial.

Atheism and 'other' probably don't need an explanation, but atheism is very common in the First World, where people are likely to be hanging out in forums on the internet, and in something as diverse as religion you expect a lot of "other". If anything I'm surprised that "other" is only barely above Christianity.

[soccerdog693]

That's easy, I'm a Christian. Specifically I attend a Baptist church and tend to believe Baptist doctrine.

I believe in Jesus Christ and that his word, the Bible, holds the key to a successful relationship with God.

That being said, I tend not to say that I have a religion, but a relationship. However, for the sake of this thread, I won't mince words.

[Shockwave]

I consider myself a Stoic. Most people consider Stoicism to be a philosophy and not a religion (and there is no organized Stoic church) but it does contain beliefs about the nature of God and our relationship to it, and also about revelation. But whether or not it fits the definition of a religion, it is my central belief system and therefore fills the role of one.

[kaldrich]

Christian -Mormon :)

[Lorenza]

I'm a menber of Lorenzonian of the temple La La....... :D

[mad_scientist]

Woohoo, three-way tie!!

[/childishness]

[The Outsider]

I voted other

I do not practice any religion but I am not atheistic, I just do not believe that any human made religion can accurately describe the spiritual world.

[mad_scientist]

I'd like to point out that there are a couple of problems with the poll. The poll treats religion and belief in deities as the same thing, which they aren't. Atheist and agnostic don't really belong on a religion poll ('nonreligious' is a better option). A poll with atheism/agnosticism would be better to include theism, deism and pantheism. They're two completely separate topics. Most Buddhists, and a lot of New Agers and Pagans are atheists, for instance. (Yes, I'm aware of the irony given the original meaning of the word.)