Your religious beliefs

[TheGodBen]

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.

All you need to know is that Catholicism is the one true faith and that all the other so-called Christians are heathens that will burn in hell for all eternity.

Actually, I find this propensity for religions to break into innumerable sects to be one of the strongest arguments against the whole concept. They can't all be right, yet they all have members that know they are following the true line of faith. So either the gods are assholes that mess with people into believing different falsehoods, or this feeling of knowing one follows the one true faith has something to do with human tribalism that has been present throughout our history as a species. As a rationalist, I think it's the latter.

 

[Gojira]

I am all over the map spiritually although I voted Buddhist because I do practice mindful meditation. But in other aspects I may call myself a Christian universalist and a Unitarian. I even have an agnostic and questioning side.

 

[Kestra]

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.

All you need to know is that Catholicism is the one true faith and that all the other so-called Christians are heathens that will burn in hell for all eternity.

Actually, I find this propensity for religions to break into innumerable sects to be one of the strongest arguments against the whole concept. They can't all be right, yet they all have members that know they are following the true line of faith. So either the gods are assholes that mess with people into believing different falsehoods, or this feeling of knowing one follows the one true faith has something to do with human tribalism that has been present throughout our history as a species. As a rationalist, I think it's the latter.

This has already been mentioned in the thread, but we don't all believe that our own religion is the one true one. It's one of the reasons I can still call myself Hindu, actually.

 

[farmkid]

Christian, Latter Day Saint (Mormon).

me too

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

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.

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.

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.

All you need to know is that Catholicism is the one true faith and that all the other so-called Christians are heathens that will burn in hell for all eternity.

Actually, I find this propensity for religions to break into innumerable sects to be one of the strongest arguments against the whole concept. They can't all be right, yet they all have members that know they are following the true line of faith. So either the gods are assholes that mess with people into believing different falsehoods, or this feeling of knowing one follows the one true faith has something to do with human tribalism that has been present throughout our history as a species. As a rationalist, I think it's the latter.

This has already been mentioned in the thread, but we don't all believe that our own religion is the one true one. It's one of the reasons I can still call myself Hindu, actually.

I find that more evidence for the overall silliness of metaphysical belief than a selling point. It's nice that so many people want to be politically correct these days and not hurt anyone's beliefs by telling them they are wrong, but if your religion cannot be subject to any truth claims at all i'd say that only makes it more meaningless not more enlightened.

 

[Kestra]

I think the importance of religion is in how it is meaningful to the individual. I don't believe that there is actually a god with the head of an elephant but I believe that religion gives people a way to frame concepts that we don't fully understand.

It's not about being politically correct, it's about not being arrogant.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Brought up roman catholic, but for a few years now no religious beliefs whatsoever.

 

[Admiral Shran]

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.

All you need to know is that Catholicism is the one true faith and that all the other so-called Christians are heathens that will burn in hell for all eternity.

Actually, I find this propensity for religions to break into innumerable sects to be one of the strongest arguments against the whole concept. They can't all be right, yet they all have members that know they are following the true line of faith. So either the gods are assholes that mess with people into believing different falsehoods, or this feeling of knowing one follows the one true faith has something to do with human tribalism that has been present throughout our history as a species. As a rationalist, I think it's the latter.

Personally, I think it's human ego that causes most of this - the whole idea of "I, or we, know the true way and you don't. Our way is of course correct." That's why I try to be as open-minded as possible, because I know that I'm capable of having that same ego trip. Do what you're comfortable with, I say.

That said, I also feel that the utter fragmentation of religion is one of the main reasons in favor of the endeavor. I've never been a fan of the "one size fits all" mentality. Just as I can't believe that one political or social or cultural lifestyle can appeal to all people, one religious one can't either.

 

[Roger Wilco]

This has already been mentioned in the thread, but we don't all believe that our own religion is the one true one. It's one of the reasons I can still call myself Hindu, actually.

Ok, but that makes more sense for a follower of a more-or-less polytheistic religion which by its nature allows a certain degree of ambiguity and tolerance for other deities than a religion whose #1 rule is "there is one god and you mustn't worship any other gods besides him".

 

[iguana_tonante]

I find that more evidence for the overall silliness of metaphysical belief than a selling point. It's nice that so many people want to be politically correct these days and not hurt anyone's beliefs by telling them they are wrong, but if your religion cannot be subject to any truth claims at all i'd say that only makes it more meaningless not more enlightened.

This is a very close-minded approach, not to mention completely unhistorical. The inclusiveness of politheistic religions has nothing to do with "political correctness", it is an inherent feature of their frame of mind. You are seeing the world through the a very limited persective: even if you are not religious, you are still working from a very Christian point of view. Realizing your own bias is the first step towards understanding. Expand your horizons. The world is so much bigger than the corner of your mind.

It's not about being politically correct, it's about not being arrogant.

More often that not, rallying against "politically correctness" is just a way to brush aside any different point of view and feel content in one's own arrogance.

 

[Maestro]

Personally, I think it's human ego that causes most of this - the whole idea of "I, or we, know the true way and you don't. Our way is of course correct."

There's something about humans that seems to compel us to need an enemy. When it comes to religions, the Catholics have the Protestants, the Evangelicals have Evolution, the Jews and the Muslims have each other, the Russian Orthodox had ROCOR or ROA, and the Oriental Orthodox have everyone who isn't Oriental Orthodox.

We need to have someone or thing that isn't great like our faith so that our faith is special. It's what I call the Butthead Postulant of Suck -- How would we know something is cool if we have nothing that sucks?

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

I find that more evidence for the overall silliness of metaphysical belief than a selling point. It's nice that so many people want to be politically correct these days and not hurt anyone's beliefs by telling them they are wrong, but if your religion cannot be subject to any truth claims at all i'd say that only makes it more meaningless not more enlightened.

This is a very close-minded approach, not to mention completely unhistorical. The inclusiveness of politheistic religions has nothing to do with "political correctness", it is an inherent feature of their frame of mind. You are seeing the world through the a very limited persective: even if you are not religious, you are still working from a very Christian point of view. Realizing your own bias is the first step towards understanding. Expand your horizons. The world is so much bigger than the corner of your mind.

It is close-minded to not think that accepting multiple false belief systems is inherently better than accepting only one false belief system? Sure polytheistic religions were inclusive, believers in one pantheon of Gods usually believed that other pantheons actually existed. Even the ancient Israelites believed the gods of Sumeria and Egypt really existed, they just believed Yahweh was more powerful. That doesn't make either mythology a relevant position to hold in today's world.

As an atheist I reject all metaphysical systems that has as their foundation the non-material regardless of whether that comes from Christinaity, Islam, Hinduism, American Indian folklore, or Pastafarian beliefs. And this may make me strange among atheists, but I do tend to appreciate Christian exclusivity more than a lot of more liberal religious systems. Conservative Christian apologetics is often straightforward with specific truth-tests and a logical framework from which to analyze it. The language of spirituality is too often a lot of gobbledygook.

As a fellow atheist and materialist I am not sure what it is that you think I should open my mind to.

 

[Rincewiend]

I was an Atheist before i knew what the word meant...
None of the many creation stories made any sense to me, but the theory of evolution did, so i stuck with the scientific explanations and theories and stayed away from the religious explanations...
"The Gods did it" never made any sense to me...

 

[Brent]

I'm a "Christian" if you want to put labels, the Bible is the word and truth of God and through Jesus is the only way to salvation.

 

[Timby]

It's what I call the Butthead Postulant of Suck -- How would we know something is cool if we have nothing that sucks?

Wouldn't that be a postulate? A postulant is a petitioner or candidate. C'mon, seminarian.

 

[Maestro]

Cut me some slack. I haven't taken a math class in 20 years.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I was an Atheist before i knew what the word meant...

Same here. I invented Atheism when I was about nine years old. I thought I had made a great discovery and was very excited to tell my mother about it. I didn't quite get the reaction that I expected....

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

I was an Atheist before i knew what the word meant...

Same here. I invented Atheism when I was about nine years old. I thought I had made a great discovery and was very excited to tell my mother about it. I didn't quite get the reaction that I expected....

I hear a lot of guys have a similar story about masturbation.

 

[cultcross]

I self-identify as 'Christian' for ease, but most Christian churches would disagree with that assessment. I'm not one for doctrine.

 

[RJDiogenes]

By then, I was older and knew better.