Just what IS your spiritual bent?

Chris Grevstad · 7th June 2002, 01:40

I noticed several folks on the related Christian thread who stated they were not Christian. I'd be interested to know more about people's spiritual side here.

I have lived a large portion of my life in some flavor of the Christian religion (Epsicopal, Church of Christ, LDS) but these days I am moving strongly in the direction of Zen Buddhism. There is lots there that I find attractive. I find I also am interested in learning more about Wicca, Paganism and earth-spirit related beliefs in general

How about you?

--chris

Firefox · 7th June 2002, 09:27

I like to learn about all religions. They all have something to give and there's no positive incontrovertible evidence that any one is the true one. This is going to be a controversial opinion but I think that most people who espouse one particular religion as the only true way have had such ideas forced upon them when they were too young to decide for themselves. I'm not denying there are some converts later in life, and I did say "most".

I respect much more those people who are individual thinkers on this issue rather than those who have just followed what they were told when young.

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[ This Message was edited by: Firefox on 2002-06-07 10:29 ]

Nikk · 7th June 2002, 11:44

I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ and have attended a number of different Christian denominations over the years. I feel most at home in one of the free churches esp. Baptist & Pentecostal.

But I'm also interested to learn what people of other faiths believe. I'm convinced that many of the "religious" conflicts we see in the world have a lot more to do with fear borne of ignorance and also political issues than they do with the actual differences in beliefs.

Firefox · 7th June 2002, 11:52

Agreed Nikk, religion is often misused by political activists as a vehicle of division or extremism. A good example would be Catholics and Protestants in N.Ireland, both nominally Christians whose religion has been part of some unjustified hatred over the years.

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[ This Message was edited by: Firefox on 2002-06-07 12:54 ]

Scuffy · 7th June 2002, 12:44

I think that if you read many of my posts you can figure out what my views are.

Anonymous · 7th June 2002, 15:01

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Jeff · 7th June 2002, 17:06

'Officialy' I'm Catholic (I was babtized). This is done when you're a baby, so you have nothing to say about it.

My point of view about all religions is that they are all man-made. The bible, Koran or whatever, all once written by human beings. Religions cause the world nothing but trouble.
As for what I believe.. I believe there is a 'here-after' and I believe we all live more than just the life we are living right now at this moment here on earth.

I don't need some book or some higher official in the church to tell me what to believe and what not.

terayon · 7th June 2002, 21:59

offially im christain, and i do believe in some grater power, but....until the time comes where i need religion (death, armageddon), im gunna keep my options open, and when i see whats at the end of the light, then ill hop on the religion bandwagon...wouldnt it suck to devote your life to god, just to die and find out there is no god, but theres a budha and for not believing in him you get sent to hell!
i dont want that to happen to me

Laurieheels · 8th June 2002, 03:06

I wish there was one base religion, I could subscribe to that.

I have to believe in God, too many things have happened for reasons in my life. I am Christian in a way, but non denominational. Organized religion is difficult to tolerate for me. I understand the bible, having been taught it in various classes, and I just need to deal with my maker in my own way.

No religion is perfect anyway. Each has something great about it. We shuld combine all of it into one simple religion. Something basic with universal appeal.

Yes, and then we'll just turn lead into gold and make elephants fly.

Francis · 8th June 2002, 11:05

with the way the world is going, we may just be able to do that

for the topic; I am an aetheist by choice. I was baptized C of E (protestant to those who don't know what C of E is), but soon found that the bible, or any other religious book, doesn't have the answers you require. There are no answers to poverty, drought, starvation and all the other ills of this world, so how can a god, who everyone claims is all-seeing, all-knowing and all-powerful deity capable of creation, allow these things to happen. Answer? There is no answer!
Since it cannot be proven that these deities exist or have ever existed, I will stick to me belief of the world is in trouble and only the people on it can help solve the problems. The answers are within you all, not in some book that has been translated,re-translated, passages lost due to the powers that be not liking a section and the meaning altered upon yet another translation.

We all have the powers of good and evil, but it's up to each person to work out which is which and God isn't going to help.