180 replies to this topic

[Sheik]

Ebola, I don't think so. If you went to chruch and actually worshipped (like, prayed and stuff) than maybe. But just entering a building and sitting there for two hours makes you nothing more but a person that sits in a building for two hours.

[Titanium Justice]

Well sorry if that sounded like an attack on other cultures. I may have gotten a little carried away there.

[trudatman]

hey, no problem, you were just expressing your beliefs, which you should feel comfortable and free to do here (and most anywhere, really). I just hope you understand how scary such dogma can be to those that don't adhere. I'm not sure you were attacking anything, but it struck me as a bit too similar to the type of attitude that I suspect that Christian terrorist holds dearly. I figure you are just ethnocentric and not out to win anything. please don't be at all antagonized by my reaction. if you could, though, I would like you to address the bit about celestial myths versus strict literal interpretations of scripture. do many Christian take the bible to be literally factual? surely you do know that it is mostly a collection of older ("pagan") myths and common morality tales, many times revamped by kings and other men, and is not literally the words of a creating deity. I hope that folks are smart enough to recognize that, even in something their parents have been indoctrinating them with since before they could understand the parameters of reality.

Edited by trudatman, 25 July 2011 - 11:50 AM.

[Ben]

Non-religious, non-theistic.

My opinion of religion is not in its favor. Instead, I believe in being a decent human being.

I will leave it at that.

Edited by Bagel, 25 July 2011 - 11:49 AM.

[Titanium Justice]

Well the early church seemed to take it all very literally, and the majority of Christian's today do. As for Christianity versus myths, that's a little hard to get into without quoting from many sources, but in the Bible there is a big contrast between the believers and pagans.

For example, pagans commonly worship things in nature, or the stars, however, the Bible condemns worshiping anything that God or man made. Pagans are also usually very worldly people, concerned mostly with things in this life, while the Bible says that everyone will eventually leave this world behind. So you see, in spirit we Christian's are quite different. As for the comparison between like, Jesus and Horus, well, isn't there also plenty of so-called relations between Jesus and Elvis?

Edited by HeavyTitanium, 25 July 2011 - 12:18 PM.

[Mitchfork]

I would once again encourage parties to take off-topic religious debate and discussion to a PM.

[trudatman]

gotcha. if anybody would like to chat or PM or debate, feel free to holler. also, when you are simply giving an example, type just "say" in place of "um" or "ah." "per se" is used, mostly, in place of "necessarily," also usually while giving an example. I wouldn't say something like, say... "per se," per se, unless I was adding the additional emphasis on the requirement to do so (or lack thereof). y' dig?

[Mitchfork]

Forgot to reply to this!

Ebola, I don't think so. If you went to chruch and actually worshipped (like, prayed and stuff) than maybe. But just entering a building and sitting there for two hours makes you nothing more but a person that sits in a building for two hours.

I guess. Thinking about it more, I think it would apply to certain religions (such as Buddhism) that don't specifically believe in a diety. That being said, I am surprised that category has as many votes as it does.

[ShadowTiger]

It's because there are only four poll choices in a question where there ought to be at least ten to possibly be able to accommodate everyone's unique path.

[Sheik]

Seriously, I would've been all for "yes" and "no", that would make it less complicated. But than I might've been whining about black-and-white-ing the world if there were only two options.

[Twilight Knight]

A no on both things. Quite simple.

[ShadowTiger]

Well, three choices that really needed to make their way into the poll pertain to the question "Do you devotedly follow God" (With the same question toward religion.) With the three choices being "With all my heart," "I try to, when possible," and "I resent being forced to." I feel the last one falls under the same category as anything else implying "no" because it leads to the same place. If you already resent being told to, then there you are. If you just don't care, and you don't, and nobody stops you, then you don't worship. If you don't care, but people force you to do it anyway, then you start to resent it. There you are.

[Rover]

I'd have no say no to both of them, I'm not religious and not theistic. I don't really know, I just choose not to worry about it too much. My grandparents are crazy about their religion and go to church every Sunday; I don't even know what's the point of doing that.

I'm not just saying I have these beliefs because I'm too lazy to go to church, it's just that I don't want to worry about if there is a god or not. I believe there is none, but when I die I guess I'll find out.

[NoeL]

Something I have been wondering; what qualifies as religious, but non-theistic? If you were an agnostic that still went to church every Sunday, would that put you in that camp?

A Buddhist would qualify as religious but non-theistic. Anyone that follows a distinct religious philosophy that doesn't happen to include gods would/could be religious but non-theistic.

It's because there are only four poll choices in a question where there ought to be at least ten to possibly be able to accommodate everyone's unique path.

Everyone can be boiled down to those categories. If you're curious as to where everyone's unique path lies you're welcome to create your own poll

So do I consider myself Theistic? Hell yes! Do I consider myself religious? Not exactly.

Though it's been said before, you are both religious and theistic. Just because you don't like the stigma "religion" has attached to it doesn't mean you're not religious. Instead you should look at all those things you don't like about religion within the context of your own religion. Maybe you'll realise that religion ain't so bad, or maybe you'll realise Christianity ain't so good.

[Renoki]

I only believe in a God, but not tied to any religion. Though I am looking into Buddhism!