Religion , What do you believe?

[vxrs]

Gigi Deveraux

Radiant Mercy

There's no God?
-bawls-

There, there... *pats your hand* It's just what I'm convinced of now. I'm not trying to convert (unconvert?) anyone.

Radiant Mercy

It's not right of Catholics to throw their religion and God and hell and sin in your face.
In fact, it's wrong.

I've found non-denominational and "Evangelical" Christians to be a hella lot worse about this than Catholics. Remember, I was raised as one.

Radiant Mercy

You can be atheist and still be my friend! Because everyone is entitled to opinions and beliefs.

I wish more people were like this.

lol Okays. :3 And no one should be trying to convert you to believing that.

Worse about what? o.o
Because I looked up the meaning of Evangelical and it says they are Christians who are focused on one strong belief.
.....

And yeah. My closest friends don't go to church. I have no idea if they believe in God. We just don't touch that subject, you know? That way, we keep from saying things we might regret.

 

[Kitten Magana]

gaia_crown Kitten's parents tried hard to raise her Christian. her mother more so than her father, but he didn't really seem to believe in all of it. Kitten is Pagan, do to neighbors who were witches when she was little, she has always been Pagan raised in a Christian home, so she knows all the points of both religions. She would call herself more of the Wiccan branch of Paganism.

Most of the bible has already been disproved and all forms of celebration for their holy days were taken from other religions, mostly from Pagan religion. Kitten has nothing against any religion, though she finds that most Christians are very judgmental of everyone else and harm other people more often than anyone else. Anyone remember reading on the Spanish Inquisition or other wars where it was "Turn to Christianity or die"? Never really cared for how much Christians kill and hurt others in the name of their god. Kitten would rather heal in the name of her gods. Accepting others and helping is better than hurting and making others feel terrible about themselves. She has met a few nice Christians online, but never in real life. They'd be all smiles until they notice you're wearing a pentagram and even if you explain it's not devil worshiping they still freak out on you and call you evil even though in reality you're a far better person than they could ever fake to be.

Worked in a Christian nursing home and Kitten was the only one who could get some of the patients to smile. We had one elderly man who was gay and everyone treated him horribly just because of it. During the church service every Sunday, they would yell at him and tell him to stop his sick and demented ways even though A) he was too old to even be doing it with anyone and B) he was the sweetest person as he was.

Religious topics in a debate forum spark Kitten's flame of justice. Just as long as there is no flaming, she usually is pretty calm. Just please try to love everyone equally and not beat them in the face for being of a religion you aren't or don't understand. gaia_crown

 

[Starchan13]

I believe that religion divides people. There have been entire wars based on it, and it's a way to control people.

Also, religion causes people to do some strange things....Perfectly normal people may turn into raging fanatics when it comes to their religion. *shiver*

While I don't hate religion, I don't love it much either. It's good to believe in something, but...  

[Ittarius]

I'm Christian. But I also like to think of myself as being generally spiritual that may or may not be associated with any particular religion. I think there's a lot in the Bible that shouldn't be taken literally.
I don't really feel like I need to "convert" everyone I come in contact with- I like understanding where they're coming from. I try to keep an open mind and learn whatever I can about their religions. And I also try not to think and believe only the things that are allowed inside the lines of my religion (I really don't like calling myself "religious"... It feels so pretentious.), I try to follow what I feel is right and true.  

[RiriAngelmirror]

Buddhism.... Christianity... You know what? I don't care. As long as I can't find evidence of something that requires faith, I won't listen. It's your own choice.

I guess I believe in Critical Thinking. so I guess I'm Atheist... to a certain point.  

[Commander Sigma]

Starchan13

I believe that religion divides people. There have been entire wars based on it, and it's a way to control people.

Also, religion causes people to do some strange things....Perfectly normal people may turn into raging fanatics when it comes to their religion. *shiver*

While I don't hate religion, I don't love it much either. It's good to believe in something, but...

I think a lot of wars just use religion as a way to rally people for the cause since saying "God wants us to have that land" sounds better than "We need their natural resources".

In those instances, it's possible the person is just exchanging one addiction for another. If a person was an alcoholic until they found Jesus, and then they became a militant Christian, that's the fault of the person and not the religion. Conceptually, religion is just a tool and what matters is how it is used; it's kind of like how a hunter's bow can be used to kill people or hunt for food, but outlawing the bow won't prevent people from finding something else to hunt food or kill people with.  

[Amy Reinvented]

I guess I'm an atheist. Not necessarily an anti-theist, just an a-theist. Maybe "naturalist" would be a better term? No, it would be "empiricist." I believe evidence if it is available, and reasoning if it is not.

I have no good reason to believe that a god or gods exist (at least, no reason that cannot be explained by other, more probable means), so I don't believe in them. If there were incontrovertible proof of the existence of a god, you can bet I'd be the first to change my mind. But right now, I tend to be in the "no god" camp.

That said, I can generally get along with strongly religious folks pretty well. If nothing else, interacting with those sorts of people provides an interesting window into a specific facet of human psychology. I mean, you're just as entitled to your beliefs as I am to my lack of them, so I'm not going to hassle you just because you believe something different than I do.

I will say that I feel "organized religion" has done more harm than good, overall. Yes, there are church groups and things like the Salvation Army that really help people out, and I agree that the whole community aspect of a church can be a comforting thing. But on the whole, I still feel like the negative outcomes of powerful religions (horrible bloody wars, nonsensical laws, restriction of freedoms, etc) outweigh the good things it produces. Besides, I think people would be just as altruistic and helpful towards each other even if there were no such thing as a church. It's just human nature.  

[xKiklala]

I've been raised in a Christian family. The religion was sort of forced upon me. My dad is one of those people that thinks that anyone whom does not believe in Jesus Christ and God will go to Hell. He's a little judgmental too. I'm bisexual and I lean a bit more towards women. He'd criticize and tell me I'd go to Hell, just as everyone else whom is not straight. I think it's a bit hypocritical and judgmental, seeing as he watches gay porn (saw his browsing history once xD). Anywho, I don't believe but I don't disbelieve in God either. I'd be classified as Agnostic.

I respect what everyone believes. I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion. c:  

[StrayKit]

neo-wiccan. it's a little more relaxed than the older wicca(the name of which escapes me so i appologize) but basically we can be a solitary practitioner, and while there's an emphesis on both the god and goddess there's also a heavey emphesis on the elements earth, fire, air, water and akasha which is everything and nothing and many people consider to basically be the human spirit as well. i believe in the Mother Goddess represented by the moon and the earth and the Horned God who is the sun in the sky. i grew up in a household that's pretty relaxed, my dad follows christian and buddhist beliefs, mom follows some pagan and christian beliefs, my brother it athiest, so we're a pretty religiously diverse household which is nice.

i also think it's great that there's no debating going on in this thread, i see that so much in other places that it really takes your faith out of humanity after a while  

[AcaciaFir]

i'm atheist and please don't get mad at me when I say I doubt religion. I just find it hard to believe since all the sacred texts are written by men. And when you think about all those Greek legends, the people once believed in them like people today believe in Christianity and other religions. But now, nobody believes in those legends, so what's the proof that the religions we have now are real to some extent and aren't going to turn into legends?  

[Serah of Silence]

I am an atheist that would prefer studying religions rather than being in them. I find more freedom this way, and it keeps my eyes open.  

[Sandpaper Kisses]

I accidentally clicked Jewish. I'm not Jewish though. I'm a convert to Islam. ^^  

[Pia Austin]

I'm Christian looking for a denomination that at least believes gays should get married. I was raised Catholic but if you have seen the news as of let there is no one someone who supports gay rights can feel fully comfortable being a member.