Stillborn

Has anyone here basically rejected all major forms of religion (i.e. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc.), and come up with their own belief?

I, for one, believe that God exists, but he ain't perfect. He makes a mistakes just like we do. Nobody's perfect. Not even him.

Also, I believe that when you die, your soul goes through a "final judgement" where your life is reflected upon, and, if you've done good enough, you'll go on to the next plain of existence. If you've done not-so-well, you're reincarnated, if you've pulled a Hitler, bullet train to Hell.

I have some more beliefs I wanna post, but I won't until someone else posts here as well 'cuz I'm tired of typing and I've gotta mow the lawn.

__________________
Waiting... to be born again

Wanting... the saddest kind of pain
Waiting for the day when I will crawl away

Simple_Min

I have begun to do what you have done but taking aspects of Hinduism/Buddhism/Jainism and the philosophy of Existentialism to somehow equate this life.

My problem with everything is that why cannot I be a skeptic? I question my surroundings and my senses, so why not my faith.

Another reason why I cannot fully abandon the Eastern religions is because they incorporate the cycle of "birth and death".

As we observe the universe and our own tiny Earth, this "birth / death" is evident all around. The stars and worlds form out of reincarnation in a way. I cannot fathom the question of if god exists because humanity is not able to answer the next question: who created god.

But does it really matter if god exists? I should be a good decent loving person regardless of "judgement" or "prizes" in the afterlife. If that is one's motivation for being good then he brings shame to all of humanity.

__________________
If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.

BBtB

I have dedicated my life to studying various religions. At first I started with the hope of finding that one religion that I would like. I have now come to the conclusion that they all have something to teach me. They all have some truth in them or no one would believe them. I personally believe in the omnipotent, all powerfull, all powerfull god. Now tell me. Wouldn't such a god know that not everyone is the same? Wouldn't he, if anyone, know that not everyone would be touched by each religion the same? Some people find peace in Christanity. Some in Buddhism. Some in Secular Humanism.

__________________
Meridae'n once played "death" at a game of chess that lasted for over two years. He finally beat death in a best 34 out of 67 match. At that time he could ask for any one thing and he could wish for the hope of all mankind... he looked death right in the eye and said ...

"I would like about three fiddy"

duckznutz

Are you allowed to cherry-pick the bits you like from different religions and ignore the bits you dont like? Isn't that a bit like having several wives? Where you like them all for different reasons and jump between then as your fancy takes you . . . avoiding having to face the unpleasant features.

__________________
Where your talents and the needs of the world cross . . there lies your vocation.

rogue49

As I grew up with no official religion, I did not find it necessary to have one.

However, in my own curiosity, I did study the various faiths & philosophies in an interest in their history, symbolism and sociological affects.

And somewhere between my studies, my own observations & experiences & an instinctive/empathic "feel" for the environment,
I slowly developed a "faith"; this seems to be reaffirmed as I continue to grow.

I am a man of science,
but yet I have come to enjoy some of the deeper, broader symbolisms,
that represent truisms of humanity, life & how we interact with the world.
And these "symbols" seem to help me define what I discover.

This is a fascinating journey & exploration,
for better or worse.

duckznutz

I understand what you are saying Rogue 49 . . . . . . . . . . I think it is a human trait to attach sentiment to things, places, smells, sounds etc like 'emotional anchors' which re-assure us and comfort us . . . . we all feel down now and again. For many this spirituality finds a natural home in religion . . for others it may feel right to stand at the waters edge with a flask of coffee and a rod and line. I dont meant to directly compare fishing to worship so please take no offence . . . . . I just see similarities in the feeling of peace and wellbeing they both bring in tomes of stress.

__________________
Where your talents and the needs of the world cross . . there lies your vocation.

BBtB

To a degree I have to say... sort of. Those who have actully spent some time studying religion (and defintly ones other then Christanity and Islam) soon learn its not all about fire and poking. Its all about seeing the truth in it and seeing what was just symbolism. If you peel through all the layers of interpation you see that most religons DO profess you to do the same thing on a daily basis. Of course there are also major differences as well. Its all about what you are supposed to do with those differences. The majority of those differences do with how the people pray and spend time doing religious things. Such as well.. praying,hail marys,the rug thing,the banging wall thing,all the damn kneeling the catholics do,sacirfices and so forth.

__________________
Meridae'n once played "death" at a game of chess that lasted for over two years. He finally beat death in a best 34 out of 67 match. At that time he could ask for any one thing and he could wish for the hope of all mankind... he looked death right in the eye and said ...

"I would like about three fiddy"

WhoaitsZ

i haven't taken the time to read all of the posts here, just skimming. but my mother asked me a year or two just what was I anyhow?

i told her "Universal". it just flew out. i didn't know there was such a thing. I am in need of a new title.. I am a Christian but roll my eyes when i hear most doctrine cuz it doesn't fit.

i truly Believe in the whole jesus Christ thing. I believe in the Trinity. I do not fully believe in man, thus the Bible has possibilities of containing flaws.

I like letting my conscience be my guide more than not. i believe in "Good" forces and demonic ones... some symbols, idols, pieces of lit carey a presence you can feel if your sensitive to it (i am still undecided if this be curse or burden). some things feel grossly not right and scary. i just leave that shit be and hope to read about someone elses experiment with it. i am fascinated by evil but dare not fuck with it.

i believe that symbols do hold power.

i believe that somethings can be great focuses for spirits and people... a reciever of a sort to help communicate between the two......

i don't believe that every person who isn't a Christian will go to hell.

I do believe that either God can mess up or i am heavily flawed.... probably both. i do NOT believe God is a pure sweet all good God. I believe he can be mostly good....

i believe in keeping and open mind..

KoKenZen

Well that is basicly the greek and eygiptian belifes in greek mythology the gods could make mistakes letting people relate to there gods the eygyptians invented the idea of the soul and the christians stole it and turend it into there idea of the soul the soul was "ba" and "ka" in eygiptian these two things where the body through witch the energy flows and the energy body itself (i might have the terms backwards pardon my lacking eygiptian) these ideas where then combined into the soul and if your heart ways more than a feather neartie devours you and your dead for good.

MSD

I have a set of spiritual and philosophical beliefes that could be seen as religious beliefs, but I don't tend to refer to them as such. I believe in reincarnation, a divine being, both creation and evolution, multiple planes of existance, and that doing good is more important than what you believe. I can go into detail, but not at this the moment.

fredbowsnowski

I have drawn some pretty unpopular conclusions about a supreme being and religion. Since I was 13, I have been on a quest. I have had discussions with people of all religious denominations and some that aren't classified. They have been regular people and leaders of churches.

My conclusion is that man made up religion. There are many reasons that religion need to be created:
- Religion gives man a reason, when no reason exists.
- Religion gives comfort to those who are about to die or have no other hope.
- It gives a culture rules to maintain order.
- It provides rules to prevent unwanted outcomes.
- It provides a sense of community.

Religion has many more good intensions; however, religion has caused more wars and the resulting death and destruction than any other cause. Religion gives those in power control over the masses.

Religions have absolutes. They don't adapt well to change. They don't accept outside beliefs very well. Especially ones that may threaten their beliefs.

Religions are all based on faith. Believe in the story without doubt and it will take care of you. Faith is the basis for the tension between religions. If you have faith and truly believe, then anyone else’s belief is a threat.

My conclusion is that religion today draws two kinds of people: controllers and followers. The controllers are the leaders who are taking advantage of the followers. They thrive on power. I believe that they really don't believe the mystic stuff behind religion, they just preach it so the followers will stay in line.

The followers are the weak ones. And that is OK. There are those who need answers, where none exists. Religion is for those who do not have the strength to accept the fact that when we die, that is it. The only thing that lives on is the memory that others have of us as we lived.

I can accept that and the many other aspects of the religions.

But many religious leaders cannot accept my conclusions. It threatens the power they cling on to. It threatens the followers, too. If they truly had to think about their faith and reality, reality might win. And that is too much for some to handle.

These are my thoughts. I know there are many more. I look forward to reading others ideas.

Stillborn

Fred- It seems your belief it pretty close to what the existentialists believe. Or, at least my comprehension of what the existentialists believe.

__________________
Waiting... to be born again

Wanting... the saddest kind of pain
Waiting for the day when I will crawl away

Charlatan

Fred you have summed up pretty much exactly how I feel about Religion on the whole.

- Religion gives man a reason, when no reason exists.
- Religion gives comfort to those who are about to die or have no other hope.
- It gives a culture rules to maintain order.
- It provides rules to prevent unwanted outcomes.
- It provides a sense of community.

Couldn't have laid it out better.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

madsenj37

I embrace agnosticism, because faith is the only reason I see that one could use to defend the belief that God has to exist. As for faith, it is not based on knowledge, so I remain agnostic.

I dont believe God is perfect, therefore God could not possibly live forever. Possibly longer than the human existence, but not for all of time. Just my two cents.

__________________
"Only two things are certain: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not certain about the universe."
-- Albert Einstein

Empty_One

Hey Stillborn, check an Albert Brooks movie called "Defending your Life", It's pretty close to your beliefs.

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0101698

RatherThanWords

Here's what I believe:

- Existance is an irreducible primary. We are conscious because we exist and our world needs no further explanation.
- All knowledge is acquired through our senses, so therefore, all rational thought should come from an objecive view of our existance (a la, science)
- Blind faith is not rational, and therefore there is no need for a supreme being to dictate how we should live our lives.
- Moral values can be derived from rational thinking, and thus religious values can be described in secular terms.

That pretty much sums it up. And come to think of it, if God did exist, I think he would be pretty embarrassed of his creation. Look at man's destructive nature, as well as all of the other shitty things in his divine plan (cancer, SARS, innocent children dying for no purpose, Kenny G). I'll bet God (if he exists) finished at the bottom of his deity classes, because he sure fucked up this place.

Stillborn

Cool, bro. Thanks.

__________________
Waiting... to be born again

Wanting... the saddest kind of pain
Waiting for the day when I will crawl away