Somewhat of a religion poll

[ninurta]

eclectic pagan for a few months (since like march i decided to be), but I was pagan (Various traditions) since middle school.

[adfhfbrwrew12]

I am a heathen. It's very similar to but not entirely the same as a pagan. Well, technically heathenism IS paganism, but...

Okay, I'll stop now.

[ninurta]

I am a heathen. It's very similar to but not entirely the same as a pagan. Well, technically heathenism IS paganism, but...

Okay, I'll stop now.

It's okay, I get what you mean. I have the same issue.

Pagan is a countryside dweller or a christian term for barbarian religious person to me, not something I apply to myself outside paganforums and other places where I dont want to give a 100 page essay on my beliefs.

So i say eclectic pagan.

[Jicragg]

My religious beliefs are odd. I'm agnositic when it comes to God (i.e. I've come to the firm conclusion there is no evidence that either proves or disproves him entirely. We'll never know, I'm sick of hearing the arguments - which is a pain when you study R.S. ) but the only religion I have heard about that made me sit there and go: 'Ahhhhh! You know everything! That makes so much sense!' to me has been Buddhism. Then again there are parts of Buddhism that I'm iffy on and I've only resently looked into Taoism which is fairly similar to Buddhism (- EDIT: ignore me!-). The best bit I like about Buddhism is the moral aspect of it. I don't want to get into a religious debate but it's the only religion I've seen of yet that doesn't contradict itself (it's not homophobic either *waves pom-poms*) but Taoism has extremely similar guidelines so- *sigh* I'll probably never find one religion that suits me. I much prefer taking what I like from different religions because each have their good points.

[AlexTheSane]

Taoism which is fairly similar to Buddhism (because it came from Buddhism).

Taoism did not come from Buddhism at all, actually. Buddhism arose as a means to escape the infinite cycle implicit in the HIndu Karma/caste system (suffering and dying over and over again was seen as the ultimate hell) in what is now Nepal. Taoism arose in China as a counter to the dominant religion/philosophy Confucianism (at least, that is what it evolved into, don't hold me to that etiology). The core of Buddhism is escape from the suffering of life through enlightenment, which can be attained with compassion and the elimination of desire. The core of Taoism is that life is good, live it (that rather terse summation is what I gleaned from the description in "The Tao of Pooh", where I get most of my knowledge of Taoism. I trust it, because it was written by a Taoist scholar, just know where I'm getting my stuff from).

So while the details may be similar, the ideas of compassion and living your life leading to similar moral implementations, they are actually quite distinct religions.

Although I encourage you to explore Buddhism, even if you ultimately decide to go in the direction of Tao. While I don't quite agree with the worldview, my brief stint as a Buddhist taught me some interesting things that I keep with me still today (mindfulness, meditative techniques, for example). I ended up not sticking with it, but it did me no end of good.

[Jicragg]

Taoism which is fairly similar to Buddhism (because it came from Buddhism).

Taoism did not come from Buddhism at all, actually. Buddhism arose as a means to escape the infinite cycle implicit in the HIndu Karma/caste system (suffering and dying over and over again was seen as the ultimate hell) in what is now Nepal. Taoism arose in China as a counter to the dominant religion/philosophy Confucianism (at least, that is what it evolved into, don't hold me to that etiology). The core of Buddhism is escape from the suffering of life through enlightenment, which can be attained with compassion and the elimination of desire. The core of Taoism is that life is good, live it (that rather terse summation is what I gleaned from the description in "The Tao of Pooh", where I get most of my knowledge of Taoism. I trust it, because it was written by a Taoist scholar, just know where I'm getting my stuff from).

So while the details may be similar, the ideas of compassion and living your life leading to similar moral implementations, they are actually quite distinct religions.

Although I encourage you to explore Buddhism, even if you ultimately decide to go in the direction of Tao. While I don't quite agree with the worldview, my brief stint as a Buddhist taught me some interesting things that I keep with me still today (mindfulness, meditative techniques, for example). I ended up not sticking with it, but it did me no end of good.

Hoorah I have been corrected! Thank you very much. I was aware Taoists believe life is good but was as far as my knowledge reached (so not very far).
Trust me I know my Buddhism. We were/are studying it in Religious Studies but since it is all objective truths the suggested reading is more about facts than how to be Buddhist. I need to do more reading on it when I have the time and I agree the meditation and mindfulness are great things to learn - what I love most about them is that you don't have to be Buddhist to take part.

[RilianXI]

When I was 14, I saw nothing but evil in christianity. All of my experiences with christians were along the lines of them telling me I am evil / stupid / going to hell or telling me that they feel sorry for me. I felt sorry for some of them, but I just hated most of them.

Why shouldn't people oppose religion, if they believe it is bad?

I oppose the ubiquity of religious symbols in my country.

Because there are asshole christians, asshole buddhists, asshole atheists, asshole jewish, asshole scientologists, asshole mormans(though i've never seen an asshole morman), asshole muslims, asshole pagans, asshole asatru, asshole gallae, asshole etc, etc,...

I think what we really need to oppose is assholes, frankly.

Edit: And because in all those groups, there are very good people too, who happen to be christian, or whatever.

If you are responding to the line about opposing religion:

I didn't say that religious people are bad, I said the religion is bad, and I believe that.

[SH Mika]

Hrm, I guess I would call myself a Christian Universalist.

I'm an universalist because I believe that God has revealed himself in many ways throughout many religions (sans the human sacrificing ones) and even atheism. I'm a Christian because I believe that Jesus's version of God as the Father is the most accurate description of God above all other religions.

I was raised as a super fundamentalist Christian, but having to deal with my pansexuality and transgenderism led me to reach out of my birth religion and look at other religions. I don't have a problem with religions, just fundamentalism/dogmatism.

[Khatsworth]

I've mostly considered myself an agnostic for most of my life, as I never really decided to pick one main religion, or to disbelieve any of them directly (Except maybe scientology...). How could I ever know if I was right or wrong before death? (and even then...)
Granted I have my Facebook religion listed as "Pastafarianism", but it's mostly for kicks, though I like the idea behind it and have the Gospel displayed on the first wall you see entering my apartment.

For the most part, I just say I have my own beliefs. As far as labels go, I think the closest I can point to is altruistic hedonism / philosophical utilitarianism.
Not that they are really religions per say, but moreso ways of life.

[AlexTheSane]

Is pastafarianism actually a religion? I read the gospel of the flying spaghetti monster and it just sounded like a satire. Is there some sort of belief system in that somewhere, where people are taking life philosophy from that book? I'm not sure how that would be done, personally. It was a good book, but I'm constantly baffled when people refer to themselves as pastafarian.

[Khatsworth]

Is pastafarianism actually a religion? I read the gospel of the flying spaghetti monster and it just sounded like a satire. Is there some sort of belief system in that somewhere, where people are taking life philosophy from that book? I'm not sure how that would be done, personally. It was a good book, but I'm constantly baffled when people refer to themselves as pastafarian.

It actually is satire, though some people would love that it wasn't. XD
The entire concept of pastafarianism started with a guy who objected with a written letter to the Kansas Board of Education's decision to require that intelligent design be thought in schools as an alternative to evolution. Since the theory of intelligent design uses ambiguous references to an "intelligent designer", he'd then go on and say that this designer could be anything, even a giant flying monster of spaghetti and meatballs, and demanded that his Pastafarian theory of Creation be given an equal amount of time being thaught in science class alongside intelligent design and evolution.

Thus, Pastafarianism was born, and remains an internet phenomenon and symbol against intelligent design being thaught in schools. But yeah, in short, it's one big, tasty joke.

At any rate, I would still love a beer volcano in my personal heaven after death.
Or better yet, a bloody volcano! Because you can never have too many Bloody Marys. <3

[bright_frost]

My personal beliefs are something of a mish-mosh made up of some Shamanic influence (mostly Native American), some Hindu influence, and a lot of my own beliefs that I've held more or less forever.

[The J]

Erm... I'm Roman Catholic. Actually. Yeah.

Although, I'm in a religions course at school right now, and we're studying Hinduism and various things keep coming up that make me go 'whoa... that is totally how I actually think of things.'

But I still consider myself Catholic. *shrugs*

[Ji Tusk]

I didn't say that religious people are bad, I said the religion is bad, and I believe that.

I think it's more a matter of how much power you let religion have, but I don't know really... I'm not religious and I don't live in a very religious country.

I am atheist. I grew up with my mother's absurd custom cocktail of New Age/Wiccan/Neo-Pagan/Buddhist mish-mash with Catholic dogmatic undertones, and the whole faith in diety thing is just not for me. If there's anything I believe in, it's in myself as an individual capable of free will and the power of the mind. I can find my own way just fine.

[Chrysopoeia]

I am a spiritualist. Occultist. I'm currently dabbling in a few different practices in an effort to find one that really clicks with me.

[omelu]

no religion. I'm an atheist, but I love learning about religion because its interesting, and, there's a lot of wisdom out there. I enjoy taking the bits from all over that make sense, and, trying to understand that while the rest might not have meaning for me, it does to other people.

[Jicragg]

I didn't say that religious people are bad, I said the religion is bad, and I believe that.

Really? I never saw it like that. I disagree. I view religion as an interpretation. Bad people do bad things. Not all religious people are bad, naturally and there's no single one religion with completely nasty people in it (perhaps minor communities in a religion fueling hatred but that's the people doing that).
Some religions pass on good messages and some are bad but somebody started the message so to me it's a person who started it all. Plus loads of people misuse religion, etc. I toy with the theory that the world would be better with religion not being that big, either gone or it's around but nobody killing other people due to a disagreement but I'm an idealist.

Asshole Buddhists freak me out. The whole point is not to be an asshole. The Buddha couldn't have said it anymore clearly.

[Yo'mumma]

I don't think religion in itself is bad - BUT

I think that most major (Western) religions are the most brutal religions. They are told that it is not only acceptable, but desirable, to kill people, either for being different, or for holding different religious beliefs. The Western religions that survived were not always the most popular ones, rather I believe that they are the ones that encouraged persecution of other religions.

Just something to think about.

[ninurta]

I'm actually atheist, since the last time I posted on this thread, I've shed the belief in any gods

[BeckyBoiGrrl]

I'm a member of the Church of England. I attend a church with a totally amazing priest. She is quite possibly one of the most liberal, open minded and tolerant people I have ever met.

I call myself a Liberal Christian, but if I'm not careful my rejected past (RC) can influence my thinking.

Peace.