What's yours?

[Smoke's-Slut]

I was raised Mormon, converted Southern Baptist. I have found organized religion is not for me, I have beliefs that don't fit into one religions teachings.

[OttifantSir]

Interesting to see what people believe in here, but one thing I think is universal of all the replies here, are that all have said something towards: "My belief is ----- , and that works for me. But I do not belive that it's the ULTIMATE proof or way of believing. If it's wrong for you, then it's fine with me. Religion is what makes you comfortable with your situation of life."

After having read the posts here, I believe this community should gather up and expose their teachings to the fanatics of the world. I believe we could make a difference if we went all the way. We could maybe even stop alot of the wars and troubles of the world if we got everyone to realise that religion should be an including way of life, not excluding.

Myself, I'm a firm believer in Night Magick. The general idea isn't too far from Christianity, Judaism and Islam, in that there are two forces of Nature: Good and Evil. But what makes it true for me, is that the Night Dragon (Good) made the world and the plants and the animals, but he didn't make humans. He made a world free of hate and conflict. But the Day Dragon (Evil) became jealous of this perfect world and made humans as mind-less slaves to destroy the work of the Night Dragon. Instead of fighting the Day Dragon, which would have been futile considering they were both gods and immortal, the Night Dragon embodied himself within all humans and freed our mind from slavery. He gave us free will. And thus, the battle continues today.

I do not believe that everyone should follow my belief. It would of course make me happy to find another believer, but I truly believe that religion is a personal matter, not for the community. I believe everyone should be allowed to explain their belief, but unless asked about it, noone should ever proclaim it, thus being a preacher.

[fuktoimaso]

Raised methodist (thank mom), lutheran (thanks dad) and fundamentalist Christian (thanks grams). Since adulthood, I have been agnostic, studied Buddhism, Pagan, Naturalism, etc... Joined UUA church about a year ago because I get to keep on studying without converting to anything. For me, my higher power is the sun shining on my eyelids, watching a meteor shower, and the colors changing with the seasons. Corny, I know... I have never seen a god, or heard one whisper, but I do see the miracles of the universe everyday, and enjoy the show. Whether its Mother Nature, Zephyrus and Khloris, or the Christian god is not for me to say.
For now, I'll take the Dalai Llama's (sp?) advice...The meaning of life is to seek happiness.

[ElectricBadger]

Heh. Dalai Lama.

I was raised atheist, but have softened my view over the years, realizing that there is nothing to prove god doesn't exist, and lots of things to indicate he does. That said, no religions feel at all right and if god cares about my worship he hasn't let on, so I'm content to go on as I have been with the concept of Be a Good Person.

[Slave_Debbie]

i was raised chirstian(Baptist to be exact) but i did not feel right. i am now Wiccan and have been for awhile. i don't currently belong to a coven, so i am a lone witch

[TomOfSweden]

Heh. Dalai Lama.

I was raised atheist, but have softened my view over the years, realizing that there is nothing to prove god doesn't exist, and lots of things to indicate he does. That said, no religions feel at all right and if god cares about my worship he hasn't let on, so I'm content to go on as I have been with the concept of Be a Good Person.

According to Richard Dawkins just openly believing in the supernatural, (ie being religious) means that you're making the world an evil place, no matter how kind your actions are. After reading his books it's hard not to agree.

[Mishka]

I was a born-again Christian for a little over a dozen years. I was very zealous and embraced teachings that included Watchman Nee, and taking it too far, the innhilation of self.

I started reading and studying (Walk Away from Christianity and Infidel dot org) and finally walked away. I then enjoyed studying philosophy and comparative religions, the work of Joseph Campbell, and embraced my free-thinking.

I searched to find something that more clearly defined my spirituality. I just don't fit in a box or a label. Deist comes the closest.

[slaveangel{HM}]

Orthodox...which falls under the umbrella of Christianity.

The form of orthodoxy, i do not want to let on, at this point, as it will reveal too much about my background and culture. xx

[Msub44f]

Catholic with loads of guilt.

[Lee Boudine]

What is "religion" ? I have discovered it to be a personal relationship with the eternal God of the universe. This relationship has been taught by many Prophets in different cultures.

The prophet; son of God, Jesus Christ; has changed my life: caused me to be born again if you will. Because I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ I live in a state of Grace.

Religion is the faith that comforts in times of uncertainty. Praise God always.

[master 327-834-200]

I have a very close friend who is a minister. He has often said that I would make an excellent addition to the clergy, it is just a shame I don't believe in a god.

I do however find myself seeking a spiritual element in my life and found that practicing a particular martial art (Aikido) fulfilled this for me. Unfortunately I now live miles from the nearest dojo.

Does anyone think that the BDSMLibrary forum counts as a religion?

[RickBulow74]

When I was in Chicago, I was a practicing Catholic, then when I moved to Florida, I was a Baptist, Non-Denominational, Swedenborgian, Jevovah's Witness (yes I was one of them for about a year), and Mormon. Now I consider myself to be spiritual. I read the Bible and pray, but I do not consider myself to be of any one particular faith or anything

[DrkRvn]

I was raise presbyterian, but found problems with the bible and people in the religion. Ever since I was a little girl I had felt a connection with the earth and done certain things that I later discovered where very similar to things that you do in wiccan practices. Afterr a long inner struggle with what to do I chose wicca and have found my life to be happier and more prosperous.

[Guest 91108]

I call my path Eclectic Shaman. a very broad mix of Wicca, Druid, Lutheran from my youth...actually most anything that i've found universal truth in.
But i lean most heavily on NAI beliefs. simple really.
They all tie together if you're open to understanding and relating terminology and phrases... that is the difference in all religions.

[rce]

I am a Lutheran Christian.

I believe in God Almighty. As Anselm of Canterbury stated: I can think that than which a greater cannot be thought. Now, if that than which a greater cannot be thought existed only in the intellect, it would not be that than which a greater cannot be thought, since it can be thought to exist in reality which is greater. It follows, then, that than which a greater cannot be thought exists in reality.

[collapseduniverse{S}]

I was raised christian by my grandmother and for a long time, accepted it as the only religion that really existed. My mother wouldn't allow me to be baptised until I was old enough to decide for myself. I considered myself a very devout christian. I went to church twice, sometimes three times a week, both here and occasionally in another city, where my grandmother lived. I sang in the church choir, led worship at my youth group, went to bible study. At about age 16, sitting at church, it occured to me that I really didn't agree with anything the pastor was saying. I had studied countless other offsprings of religion, and while he was saying that christianity was the one true religion, I found that impossibly hard to believe. I left my church that day and have not been back since.

Now, I am a pastafarian and think that the flying spaghetti monster has blessed me, by touching me with his noodly appendage.

Now seriously, put very basicly, the religous path I follow lies in the general area of pagan. I prefer to worship nature, the earth, and all the good things I can see, as opposed to a supposed god, whom I don't know. I believe their is a higher power out there, as our world is too perfect to be accidental, and while I thank said "god" for helping us get started, it is not who I choose to worship.

[Havensov]

I have the George Carlin + "Contact" theory of religion.

[Uncertain_Curiosity]

I was raised as a Mormon until I was 9 and told my step father his church was stupid. He then introduced me to other religions. I settled in a small Lutheran church.

[Rhabbi]

I have commented on a coouple of the posts here that I thought were interesting, and now it is my turn to put myself out there to commented on.

I am a Christian.

lol
Actually, and this is a bit hard for me to say here, I am a Jehovah's Witness.

Yes, I am one of those guys who come knocking at your door to tell you about the Kingdom of Heaven. But I know that I also belong here becuase I need to learn more about the sexula nature that I have.

[himind]

I'm a hindu,and seem to be in a minority here,though the world has more of us than it can comfortably handle! lol

[Amberxiao]

I thought I had replied to this, but I guess not.

I'm pagan. Of a rather dark variety. It tends to encourage the BDSM rather than anything else.

[firewoman]

my father is catholic and my mum is church of England so we three kids we're not Christened..which was a big deal for others when l was growing up . l was actually stopped from being my best friend's first borns godmother because l hadn't been christened. All of us were free to chose whatever religion we wished...my sister headed towards catholocism for a few years , while my brother and l headed towards pagan...where l stayed .

l found for me personally , that it just felt "right"...l found l identified with a lot of the ideologies and practices . l have some inate abilities that don't "fit" into any organised religion...in fact a couple of hundred years ago they would have had me burnt at the stake ( as apparently l was in a past life )...l have had too many uncanny experiences in life to not be a believer.....tho l prefer to talk to the universe and it's energies for guidance...l guess you could call that talking to the Gods..

interestingly , my bloke is a lapsed catholic who is quite at home with my belief system....he's studied many religions and philosophies and finds mine the most humane and accepting..the only issue that may raise its head is having our kids christened.....l have no problem if they are baptised catholic..as long as there is some type of pagan rite performed as well and they kids are allowed to follow their own religious path , whatever that may be

sorry about the long thread...l do tent to ramble on sometimes :-)

[nk_lion]

unless i missed someone, im the first muslim to be posting on this topic.
not that religious, but i do agree with most (not all) stuff about islam, meaning i have never had even a sip of alchohol, or eat pork, but not restrictive on sexuality because i don't know how its harmful to a society.
just to let you all know that the main goal in a muslim life is not to blow themselves up, somehow or the other though, a lot of idiots have made it into a monster religion that resembles something of the stone age.

[BeautifulOblivion]

I was raised in a not very religious household. I went to church with my Granny when I was little. I don't attend regularly any more, but I'd like to start. I'm a christian, and I believe I float more on the baptist side of the equation.

[Requiem]

not an atheist, and only somewhat an agnostic....mix in a bit of Buddhist philosophies and a whole lot of reality and knowledge about people (street smarts) and you get me.

Frankly I live in the here and now...to be completely honest I never have been able to picture myself as "old" or "older". My future is blank when I think about it. I've always had this odd feeling I'll not live very long, not suicidal just a weird feeling that I'm not going to live to be 50 or 60 or whatever. Turning 20 this year is a shock to me....I was shocked I made it to 18, let alone 19.

[nia25]

I have been raised in a Missionary Baptist church and have continued my beliefs in adulthood. I have read everyone's post and see how some can think that churchgoers are hypocrits. But I feel that we are all in the same boat. Just because I go to church and believe in God does not mean that I am perfect, nor that I try to be. I worship Him and do my best to live my life the way He wants. Not because I am afraid of hell; but because I feel that it is right. That is all that matters, right? I also think it's really cool that everyone can believe so differently and still get along.

[rach]

I was raised an atheist,and find organised religion quite horrifying, but i'm still not sure what I indivdually believe. I like to think there is something better than this, but maybe more in hope than actual expectation. I like the idea of Karma but whether I believe it I'm not certain... so um agnostic?

LOL