what's your religion/spirituality/theology/faith?

Humans are the anomolly in all nature, we stand out as the defect in nature. Nature is perfect. I study rocks, critters, grasses, water, nature, and try to be like it. I try to remove the parts that seperate me from nature: selfishness, desire, irrational fear and the like. Nature appears Taoist though I am atheist, yet studies show that humans "live healthier longer lives if they believe in a higher power."

I've lived and studied in both Buddhist and Hare Krisna temples. Studied/practiced Christianity for two years. Passed several courses of various religious studies at university. For the last 13 years I have a daily practice of prayer and meditation. My prayer is to basically not get in the way things, to follow the directions presented to me every moment.

I often screw it up and impose my will. I hope you understand that I will continue to do my best to not get in the way of what should happen. Now the paradox is revealed, and you know its real spirituality when a paradox shows. Everything happens as it should, you are right where you should be, nothing happens by mistake, there are no coincidences; then why do we try so hard to not screw it all up?! Spirituality is full of paradox- die to be born, give to get, the more you know the less you know... I love this stuff!
(and I love images)

Using the term religion is a slight peeve of mine. I'm not sure that religion really matters. I guess, I would consider myself a Christian but there is no way to really categorize my beliefs. I find that a relationship with my believed creator is all that ever matters, when the subject of religion is presented. I find so many Christians that I disagree with and, I guess I might say, are narrow-minded. I do believe that Jesus is someone to look up to. I think he was more about love than rules. Though I'm quite sure that Buddists have shown love better than many Christians have. So simply, it's a relationship not a religion and I just try to display love to everyone. That's all i really want for my life.

i'm an athiest, but i don't "hate" religion. Hell, i WISH i had faith. It would make life so much easier if i thought there was a daddy/mommy/elephant figure up there who had a plan and was looking out for me. Alas, the logical part of my brain just can't wrap itself around that idea. So, i've resigned myself to my lack of faith. And on the off chance that i am wrong, it's rare but it happens, and there really is a benevolent deity(s?) somewhere up there, they'll forgive my lack of faith. Otherwise, i don't really give a fart what they think. Rules for gods are the same as my rules for people, i'd rather be shunned for being myself than accepted for acting like someone else. As for afterlife and the spirit world and everything, i'm absolutely sure our energy goes on after death. Not sure where it goes, but it does, i'm hoping for the Bahamas. Just my $0.02

~kitty

I am god but apparently I'm entirely unimpressive. Yeah, my creation looks pretty but it's not entirely functional. I should have gone into landscaping and interior decorating. Apparently I shouldn't design quantum mechanical structures. It's just gets too messy after awhile and I really thought people would have more fun the entropic aspects of reality.

Actually, I'm existentialist, a Discordian, an agnostic, and not too fond of most every religion. Morally I believe in having responsibility for yourself and that you have to make you're own destiny.

I'm trying to figure out if I think souls are our own making right now.... formulating a theory... we shall see how that works :) I don't believe in God- not in the biblical sense anyways. I was raised xtian so it's really weird to say that but it just doesn't make any sense to me. So lately, like in the last 45 minutes, I'm wondering... if we assume for the sake of this theory that humans have no souls to begin with, is it something that we create through thought? a soul seems just as untangable as a thought but a thought is there on some level, is it not? hmmm... like I said, just been thinking about this for the last little bit of time and i'll probably add to it but Any thoughts? Keep in mind this is the very tiniest little beginning of a theory so you don't need to blow it out of the water just yet ;) let me linger on it a bit and it will become clearer what the hell I'm talking about.

JustLOVE * ThatIsAll ~

alacrity. i dont think it was meant to be rude.
in the past people have been quick to BE rude in regards to theological discussions on this site.
though it shouldnt have been directed at a specific group of people. or said at all.
i think they felt it warranted. ill say sorry for em! :)

<<<<<<<<<<< is old and can't figure out what rang meant by aowr

I was raised Roman Catholic. There are many things I don't agree with in all faiths. I accept the good of anyone's beliefs and acts at face value.

Alacrity, I don't think the "atheists/agnostics, PLEASE be nice" comment was meant to be rude. I read it to mean "Please don't start a religious war" to EVERYONE. Maybe I'm wrong on that, maybe not.

I am an atheist/antitheist.

unhindered, I should have said that I'm 100% convinced in the existence of a spirit world. I've had a few experiences over the years including some ouija board sessions that have made me a believer but I don't mess with that kinda thing anymore.

I've also had 2 religious themed out-of-body experiences, one Christian and the other Hare Krisha. But I'm not Christian or Hare Krishna. Strange, I know.

AOWR*

As with tmar, I love God and His son Yeshua. Don't go to church, don't follow any dogma. Believe in personal relationship with God and personal responsibiliy to Him

unhindered, who was this question directed to:
"mikojak, is there a story behind you being 100% sure that there is a spirit world? (just curious, not challenging!)"

I was saved and "born again" that being said I have since found my own truths about my relationship with god and I dont believe god cares about posture in prayer nor do i believe that one must attend church every sunday . I think a pesonal relationship with a power greater than ones self whatever it may be is benificial to all....

I like to keep it simple. I want to treat people with kindness and live by having faith in the unseen. I love God, that's it and that's all.

mikojak, is there a story behind you being 100% sure that there is a spirit world? (just curious, not challenging!)

I am obviously a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was raised in whatever church my mom liked at the time, mostly Methodist. I have looked into many faiths over the years and studied and prayed for the right religion to be brought to me. And then here come the missionaries. I studied their beliefs and asked many questions. I studied, pondered, and prayed and about it and this Church was for me. I am not the typical Mormon but due to my white skin am often judged and treated as Miss middle class perfect wife perfect life. That is so not the case. I should have been a California girl with a good education in a sheltered middle class world. But instead I was moved into the barrio. I was surrounded by gangs, drugs, and pornography. I was the dragalong child. Simply poor white trash. Traditions included waking up in strange places, strange people waking up in your places, smoking pot in small groups, hustling for money, and cooking with lard. I am Portuguese and French.

i'm an avouch atheist who reads taoist philosophy

I was raised fundamentalist christian so needless to say I'm soured on the whole organized religion thing but I find that I think about it way more than I ever did. I go with a few staples like karma and good energies and the like... Do unto others makes a lot of sense:) Some days I believe there is a God and some I don't... It's mostly that I don't these days but I know myself enough to realize it just has to be put to me the right way for me to give it another chance. I suppose veganism is my religion these days. Maria was saying that some of us vegans seem that way in one of her replies in one of the dairy debates and I meant to answer back to her that that was exactly what it was to me. I don't see any other way to respect god? and all the creatures I share the planet with then not to use them when I have viable alternatives. Also living green seems to be a good way to show that you care about everyone else that is here with you and those that will come after. Thats all for now...

Tibetan Buddhist!

=-)

Raised Jewish, though I am not particularly religious, I owe a lot of who I am to the Jewish way of life. I have a sort of all-encompassing spiritual philosophy that includes aspects of many major and minor religions, as well as philosophies, socio-political concepts, ways of life, etc. You know... I'm just going to quote Einstein... he puts it into words a lot better:

"True religion is real living; living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness." | "What I see in Nature is a magnificent structure that we can comprehend only very imperfectly, and that must fill a thinking person with a feeling of humility. This is a genuinely religious feeling that has nothing to do with mysticism." | "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity." | "The man who regards his own life and that of his fellow creatures as meaningless is not merely unfortunate but almost disqualified for life." | "A human being is a part of the whole, called by us Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest-a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty." | "My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind."