Your religious beliefs

[Nerys Ghemor]

That's what I saw, I've always equated Cardassia to Dostoevsky and by expansion Russia. The fatalism and the peace found in that fatalism is found in Russia and Cardassian culture I think.

I tend to feel very similar in the way I see the world, too. I don't have very much hope for the world that we see, but in contrast much hope and faith in God.

The Brothers Karamazov was a very interesting religious novel that wrestles with faith in a way I never saw in evangelicalism, that's my favorite of the ones I've read.

That is exactly why I like it--it tackles some of the toughest questions about faith rather than shying away or acting like the reader is stupid.

That is an excellent point about the Shakespeare vs Crime and Punishment which I'm sure Garak would have enjoyed. I suspect Bashir was keen to give him a Great Work that was also English where his family had their roots.

I've never been clear on exactly what country Bashir was supposed to have been from, though he definitely seems to have an affinity for English things.

As for Garak, I think he would have viciously mocked Crime and Punishment--yet on the other hand, perhaps been a little disturbed by a reflection of Cardassia, just by an author who came to different conclusions about what it all meant.

 

[Eyes]

All right, this is something that just bugs me so I'll put it out here, just out of curiosity, to see what other people's opinions are about it.

If you look at this Wiki page, there are literally hundreds of Christian denominations.

Why? I just don't get it. Because last I checked they all claimed to believe in the same God.

Throughout history, there have been several hundreds of people, claiming they had a vision from God or something, that convinced them that the current way of worshipping God was wrong and they needed to do it in a slightly different way. Some of these started cults (if their new beliefs were sufficiently crazy enough), some were burnt as heretics (quite obviously, the early ones), and some became a 'legitimate' way of worshipping Christianity.

I could go on for ever about the Arian split, the Orthodox vs Catholics, the Catholics vs Protestants, and the various splitting down of all three of the main denominations. It's quite boring, to be honest.

Essentially, they all believe the same thing, but a lot of it is different ways of worship, different rituals, different imagery, etc.

I don't particularly like it, as a lot of it isn't religion focused at all and is really just semantics, but there have been wars over this sort of thing.

 

[Goliath]

I've never been clear on exactly what country Bashir was supposed to have been from, though he definitely seems to have an affinity for English things.

I'm pretty sure he was British. If I had to guess, I would say that his ancestors had immigrated to Great Britain from the Middle East or North Africa some time in the 20th or 21st century, and had become assimilated. He certainly seemed to identify with British history and culture, as you say, suggesting that his family had been living there for quite some time.

 

[Avon]

i put scientologist on my census form to win a bet.

 

[1001001]

Essentially, they all believe the same thing, but a lot of it is different ways of worship, different rituals, different imagery, etc.

I think it is a little more complicated than that.

Catholics and Fundamentalists do not believe the same things (for example). Baptists and Mormons do not believe the same things.

 

[Eyes]

^There are a lot of differences, and yes, it is very complicated. A lot of it is interpretation of Biblical passages, which I forgot earlier, and there are several sects which disregard the basic tenets practiced by most of them.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

You seemed to be agnostic or confused because you cant cherry pick from every religion and mingle them up into one as you see fit. (...) There is no middle way.

Not really. Only if you are really close-minded about it.

People can believe as they choose. Strict orthodoxy, liberal interpretation, pick-and-mix, whatever.

In fact, the idea that there is only one path for spirituality and that all the others are false is pretty much confined to some very specific brands of monotheism.

Mmmm, this I have to disagree with. If certain religions are true in the way thy are claimed to be that does in fact make other religions wrong. In fact if spiritual elements are true I don't see how that makes them different than any other aspect of the world being true or false.

 

[Niorah]

All right, this is something that just bugs me so I'll put it out here, just out of curiosity, to see what other people's opinions are about it.

If you look at this Wiki page, there are literally hundreds of Christian denominations.

Why? I just don't get it. Because last I checked they all claimed to believe in the same God.

Throughout history, there have been several hundreds of people, claiming they had a vision from God or something, that convinced them that the current way of worshipping God was wrong and they needed to do it in a slightly different way. Some of these started cults (if their new beliefs were sufficiently crazy enough), some were burnt as heretics (quite obviously, the early ones), and some became a 'legitimate' way of worshipping Christianity.

I could go on for ever about the Arian split, the Orthodox vs Catholics, the Catholics vs Protestants, and the various splitting down of all three of the main denominations. It's quite boring, to be honest.

Essentially, they all believe the same thing, but a lot of it is different ways of worship, different rituals, different imagery, etc.

I don't particularly like it, as a lot of it isn't religion focused at all and is really just semantics, but there have been wars over this sort of thing.

Bah. It all seems like a pretty vacuous business to me.

I know the historical in-and-outs, I am just surprised at the majority of humanity jumping at the chance to be different from one another even when it doesn't really make any sense...

 

[Tiberius]

Another atheist here.

 

[RyanKCR]

I chose Christian (Protestant) but I fall under Born Again, Spirit Filled Christian, basically a New Testament defined Christian.

 

[Amaris]

I chose Christian (Protestant) but I fall under Born Again, Spirit Filled Christian, basically a New Testament defined Christian.

Evangelical.

 

[Kestra]

In fact, the idea that there is only one path for spirituality and that all the others are false is pretty much confined to some very specific brands of monotheism.

ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti

 

[Nowhere Man]

I have an unusual belief system. I'm Christian In the sense that I believe that "lord baby Jesus" was a real man. I believe he was enveloped with the holy spirit. I don't know where I stand with emaculate conception. I also believe each major religious figure such as Bhuda, Moses, Muhamud, Jesus and so on, were all prophets of "God". They were put there for each culture at certain times because that was what that culture needed at the time. I believe all of the religions of the universe are traced back to one "God". I believe god and nature are one in the same. Nature is god, it creates, destroys and controls the universe, it is the universe. I believe it is more like the force rather a god, a man. God has no form. I believe in evolution, but I also believe that the bible's story of creation coencides with evolution. That is not to say I think the world is only 6000 years old, I think man screwed that up.

I believe in destiny, but yet I believe in free will, as in we have several paths to the same destiny, but we also have free will to change that destiny or not follow that destiny. I don't believe in Christianity as a religion, but as an extension of Judaism. I choose to follow the teachings of Jesus, but I think it doesen't really matter which philosphy you follow because there are many paths to enlightenment/heaven/nirvana. I also like the teachings of Bhudha. I don't believe in denominations. I don't woship anywhere. I am not a strict religious man. I don't practice my beliefs and in reality, I'm pretty much a big time sinner. I wish I could be more Zen, but this world is too fucked up. Those are my beliefs, I believe in them very strongly, but don't practice them.

You should look into the Bahá'í faith (it's pretty much unknown in the West, but it's quite popular in India and neighbouring countries, with around 5 million followers worldwide). It seems to be quite close to your own beliefs.

Yep, that's pretty much it, thanks.

 

[Goliath]

Excellent. Now you can condense 316 words to one or two.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I had actually been about to mention Baha'i myself, when I read Hillbilly's description. Unitarian Universalist was the other that came to mind.

 

[Subcommander R.]

Christian, Protestant. And not the kind that likes to play politics and reward the rich while stepping on the poor. I take the social commands from Jesus seriously. I do what I can personally, and I lobby for what should be done. Namely, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, and healing the sick.

 

[iguana_tonante]

People can believe as they choose. Strict orthodoxy, liberal interpretation, pick-and-mix, whatever.

In fact, the idea that there is only one path for spirituality and that all the others are false is pretty much confined to some very specific brands of monotheism.

Mmmm, this I have to disagree with. If certain religions are true in the way thy are claimed to be that does in fact make other religions wrong.

As I said, that's true only for a handful of monotheistic sects, i.e. some form of Christianity and Islam (and not even all of them: I've met more than a few "liberal" Christians who feel that, while Jesus is the way for them, that's not true for everybody). They can be the most widespread religion at this moment, but don't make the mistake of thinking that's true for everybody, and for all times.

Pagan and polytheistic religions make a point of having different paths for different people, and nowadays even mainstream Judaism (you know, the original monotheism) holds that as long as you do not deliberately fuck with people for shit and giggles, you are ok.

ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti

tvam yathaiva buddhimaan tathaiva sumdara dayita

I chose Christian (Protestant) but I fall under Born Again, Spirit Filled Christian, basically a New Testament defined Christian.

Evangelical.

Yeah, isn't it funny when some kind of Christian church try to keep themselves separate as they hold on some kind of secret meaning and worship, but in the end they believe just as the same as the very next Evangelical Christians.

 

[Deckerd]

Oh my, the results don't look very promising for the afterlife party.

 

[iguana_tonante]

What do you mean? All the cool ones will be in Hell, partying like crazy.

 

[Maestro]

I chose Christian (Protestant) but I fall under Born Again, Spirit Filled Christian, basically a New Testament defined Christian.

So you follow the Bible as edited by Cyrus Scofield?