Religion?

I was never raised by my parents with any kind of religion, but there were prayers at school and the Scouts is a christian organisation so I did go to church once a month, it was interesting, but never really convinced me. I don’t think you have to be a member of a religion to have good values, in fact I prefer people who have good values because they decided to, rather than to avoid eternal damnation.

I don’t think I ever really believed in Father Christmas, it was all a bit too suspicious to convince me and my questioning mind. This is probably what led to me being a scientist.

I like buddhism also, it all sounds quite nice.

Posted about 1 year ago by AppleDave

I follow a religion. I was brought up with one, but walked away from it willingly for a long while. Thinking as an adult, I eflt that I did still believe in a god but I didn’t think it aligned with the religion I was raised in. I’ve done lots of thinking, exploring, researching, etc, about what would make most sense to me and what, if anything, I would be willing to practice (I found the quiz on the beliefnet site to be interesting; I’m also most aligned with Buddhism, followed by Quakerism: http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html). Anyway, long and short of it is that a couple of years ago I felt like I wanted to go back to an organized religion with regular gatherings, and despite seriously being tempted by conversion, have decided to practice what I have been raised with until it doesn’t ‘work’ for me any longer. So far, which is the main goal for me, I’m enjoying it and find it’s making me think on a regular basis about my relationships and kindness to others, on a small and large scale.

Posted about 1 year ago by MonkeysAhoy!

I’m an Epistemologist.

And i’ve never had Faith.

Posted about 1 year ago by plato

Raised vaguely C of E, but have been a confirmed atheist since the age of about 12.

I’ve just never found a logical and believable argument for the existence of a god and, since I have no faith, then there is nothing supernatural in which I can believe.

Posted about 1 year ago by devilskitchen

I am a buddhist. Raised in a C of E but went to a C of E/Catholic school.. and became atheist.. then found Buddhism. I found it ‘was what I needed’, it was spiritual and logical. I find it very calming too. I find it great for our modern times. It has a very positive approach to self improvement which I like too, as opposed to all this hell and dammation malarky!

I suppose it became one after my bf’s death.. It really helps deal with your mind particularly after a bereavement. You realise spirituality and a soul.. is important..it is a good belief to have after such a shock.

Posted about 1 year ago by unknown

Yes, it is very often the case that people find a religion after a traumatic experience. Is religion the opiate of the people? In some ways, I envy those who truly believe: they seem to gain solace from their faith.

Posted about 1 year ago by devilskitchen

I’m always amazed by anyone’s religious beliefs. I just can’t help the little voice in the back of my head saying

“What, really? Really, really? You actually believe that?”

Nonetheless, though, I do find the various beliefs held to be very interesting, and try and understand as much as I can about them. After all, in the vein of Pascal’s Wager, I might have to try and bluff my way through some sort of pearly gates one day… Though depending on the God(dess/s) this is a bit pointless if I run up against one of the omnipotent ones. Following which, MPL, honest question, what I know about Buddhism could waste only the back of a fag packet, but I thought one of the things about Buddhism was that there wasn’t a soul, per se?

Posted about 1 year ago by esotericbadger

DevilsK, I agree with you that I sometimes envy people who can just pop along to their god/godess/eight-armed beast of choice and release all their woes.

I am sure after the horrors I have been through I should have turned to some giant floating being of another. But to be honest if there was some giant great floating being around out there who had control of it all then why oh why did it happen?

I would rather think that Ganesh is quite cool, believe that you get to see people again after they die, and not have to sit in any church smelling any incense, feel guilty for coveting someone’s donkey, or give a fat man an offering of Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference choc chip cookies that he doesn’t eat every few weeks (to name but few).

Every religion seems to have an element of “Eh?!” about it to me.

Except for the religion that goes by the name of Jedi. Anything that has lightsabers is fine by me.

Posted about 1 year ago by Beagleskin

Don’t worry about Pascal’s wager unless you’ve decided to take your lack of belief in a god as carte blanche to become evil. If there is a god who would bar you from sitting on his right hand for something as mundane as disbelief in the absence of evidence (or ‘rationality’, as I call it), do you really want to spend an eternity with him?

I was brought up indifferent, fancied a girl who I followed to church for a bit, went to a few psycho bible camps where people erupted in tears for no reason, realised I was still only there to try to get into this lasses knickers, so gave up on it. Since then, I’ve read the bible, and it’s the best antidote to religion there is. For something nominally divinely inspired, it’s so full of internal inconsistencies and dubious morality. Any moral absolutist would be shocked!

Posted about 1 year ago by flippy

‘become’ evil?

mwah ha ha ha haaaa!

Posted about 1 year ago by esotericbadger

I was raised with my mum a Quaker and my dad an atheist practitioner of Transcendental Meditation (yes, an old hippie). My brother and I were taken to Quaker Meeting equivalent of Sunday School (with the kids going in for the last 15 min of the hour silent worship), and in our teens we were sent to Young Quaker weekends, which were fundamentally debauched, but at which we made some excellent friends round the country.

Having read heavily on all kinds of religions – Buddhism, Taoism (I practiced Tai Chi for quite a while and would like to again), old mythologies – and with friends in various esoteric sects (Temple Of Psychick Youth, Church Of The SubGenius), I still find myself very agnostic about anything metaphysical, including life after death. I can witter on for ages about ideas of the extended self and dynamic boundaries, especially given a bag of weed and a bottle of brandy, but I don’t feel like I need any of that stuff to comfort me – the world is weird enough without believing all the frilly ideas that come with being “really, like, spiritual, yeah?”.

Having said that, I have great sympathies for the Quakers, who really are to a man/woman what I think of as Good People, have thoughtfulness, intelligence and questioning built into their ways of believing and worshipping, and have no respect for authority or heirarchies of any kind. And I do still love the Church Of The SubGenius because a) they were set up by one of Devo, thus have to be brilliant and b) are funny as fuck – you’ve got to love a religion that offers you “eternal salvation or triple your money back”.

Posted about 1 year ago by Knid

If I sound cynical, by the way, that’s because I’ve lived in Brighton!

Regardless of BELIEF, I think a lot of religious/spiritual PRACTICE is a good thing. Quaker silent worship, for example, which I still go along to occasionally of a Sunday morning, whether you believe it’s “communing with God” or not, makes you feel great in yourself, tons less aggro and more patient and able to think things through. Likewise Tai Chi has always first and foremost been a great buzz, properly drug like after a good session, and is superb for balance, strength, limber-ness and alertness. Only problem is neither go well with being a heavy drinker for varying reasons (getting up on Sunday morning / sense of balance).

Posted about 1 year ago by Knid

What a lovely thoughtful thread this has so far managed to be, not at all sweary or rude to anyone. Everyone else’s behaviour may help me to behave.

I was taken to church (Methodist) throughout my childhood and then forced to go as a teenager and stopped as soon as I left home. I am now a 100% paid up atheist and am constantly (CONSTANTLY) astonished that anyone can accept religion.

However I entirely understand why some people need religion. The social/community aspect of it is about the only reason I find it acceptable. Strangely I myself really miss singing with other people (yes I could join a choir but its not really the point). Humans seem to need rituals and probably due to my upbringing I am no exception. I have often thought I would like to set up a Sunday morning (its been bred into me to need to do something on a Sunday morning) atheist network where people have talks on philosophy and then all sing a song. I mean it needs fleshing out a bit but….

Posted about 1 year ago by Heftmaid_

I think a lot of religious/spiritual PRACTICE is a good thing

I agree wholeheartedly. I’m quite slack about meditating every day but I know that I can turn to meditation if I’m having a hard time, and it really grounds me.

Posted about 1 year ago by Babb

In my religion, when you die you go to the pub.

Posted about 1 year ago by eviltwin

So what’s the difference between that and being alive?

Posted about 1 year ago by devilskitchen

topless barmaids.

Posted about 1 year ago by flippy

Having Irish parents I was brought up RC. My mother is quite devout and goes to prayer meetings and all that kinda stuff and loved trying to get my sisters and I involved. My dad was into it but not nearly as much as my mum. I was forced to go to Lourdes in S France when I was younger. It was actually brilliant as loads of other kids my age were also forced to go and we had a great time. It was however, the first time I had actually felt at all spiritual.

I definitely agree with the practicing of something. I don’t think many of us will reach full enlightenment but TRYING really helps in life. I really want to give Tai Chi a go as I reckon it would do me a lot of good. I’m not very good at chilling out!

Basically, each to their won. Just don’t force it on anyone!

Posted about 1 year ago by Gulliver

So what’s the difference between that and being alive?

You get to spend eternity there. Mmmm, eternal pub.

Posted about 1 year ago by eviltwin

Non-smoking?

Posted about 1 year ago by esotericbadger