Do you have a label?

Im sure you're all familiar with different types of religions around the world. Some of you have more experience with certain religions than others.

What I've been thinking about recently is whether or not this is a healthy practice. Some people 'inherit' a religion from their parents without even making a choice. Whereas personally, I choose not to follow a religion, but to be a religious person.

I dont believe in rituals such as candles or praying or affirming my faith. If I'm religious, I think God (whatever form it might take) will be able to tell. Being religious in general has the advantage of letting me take beliefs and values with which I find affinity from any religion.

However, some might argue that my practice promotes laziness... perhaps sticking to one religious label (ie Christian, Taoist, Sikh whatever) promotes discipline which can't be found otherwise.

So I pose a question to you. If not only to get you to think, Id like to hear some people's thoughts.
Have you got a religious label, and do you think this is a good thing?

I'd have to say that I do have a religious label, but on the same note, I'm open for ideas from others.
I wasn't born into my religion, I chose it for myself. I was already a teenager at the time that my mother became interested in it, and she asked me to make my own decision. She wasn't happy to force me into anything.

After attending twice, I realised that at the very least, it was far far better than my previous religion

I deliberately left out the religions, to prevent some unnecessary arguments and side-tracks

Every religion (except Judeo-Christianity and Islamo-Fascism which are the same in my book) has a redeemable quality about it that can be taken from it and applied in your life. There are bits of truth that must be picked out to form your own conception of reality and of the God Concioussness (Universe if you want, whatever.). I believe that the singular goal of humanity is to know all. To gain more mental control and competence about the universe. I think that may be possible. (Eventually.)

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Have you got a religious label, and do you think this is a good thing?[/b]

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unfortunately yes. My parents made me a christian and i wish they wouldn't force their religious views on me, which they still do today. I honestly think that the decision should be left up to the person themself when they grow older, but whether if they should single out their child in what they do on sundays or bring them with them when they are still a child, im not really sure on that.

good topic!

this has been my argument all along, people inhereting religions. If the christian religion is the true faith, then anywone born oitside a christian family is, according to christianity, screwed. So this would mean that whether yu go to heaven or hell, depends on where you are born. which is not only unfair, it is downright stupid.

I think people should be born 'neutral' with passive (passive as in not too enforced) laws saying parents should not press any religions to them, or indoctrinate them to have a biased opinion on religion. They should be exposed to all the religions, through contempry school classes, and then when they reach 18 they can decide for themselves which path they are to follow, which they then register.

Any holes in that plan? aside from the fact that people wont warm up to the idea for a while, which will work its way out afer a generation or two.

I think it's a terrific idea considering that teenagers are not as stupid as people make them out to be...

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Originally posted by Damascus
good topic!

this has been my argument all along, people inhereting religions. If the christian religion is the true faith, then anywone born oitside a christian family is, according to christianity, screwed. So this would mean that whether yu go to heaven or hell, depends on where you are born. which is not only unfair, it is downright stupid.

I think people should be born 'neutral' with passive (passive as in not too enforced) laws saying parents should not press any religions to them, or indoctrinate them to have a biased opinion on religion. They should be exposed to all the religions, through contempry school classes, and then when they reach 18 they can decide for themselves which path they are to follow, which they then register.

Any holes in that plan? aside from the fact that people wont warm up to the idea for a while, which will work its way out afer a generation or two.

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I think the plan is rotten, crapy, and otherwise evil.

First of all you're using the state to tell parents what they can or can't teach their children, who are you to decide that?

Second of all, you're using public schooling to teach various(and not all) religious beliefs and telling people to choose one at and only at a given age, and then forcing them to "register" their particular belief.

If people aren't intelligent enough to reject the beliefs their parents and society program into them(if those beliefs are wrong at all) then what makes you think they're qualified enough to decide which religion, of the ones presented by the State, to choose.

Are people who will not think, who will not question deserving of this luxury of a blank slate when it comes to religion?

People must learn not to accept something as truth until they understand it, instead they go through life like sheep, trusting the every command of their shepherds, even when they direct them to the slaughter. What makes you think teachers are more qualified to teach religion than parents?

I think it is alright for parents to try and raise their children with a certain religion..but I think they should also learn the child that there are lots of other beautiful religions out there, and that there is much to see and much to learn, and that ultimately they should follow their own hearts, be that following their parents religion or another..I think this is important, to the child will not judge others for their religion when it grows up. Parents should learn a child the lessons that every religion preaches, such as compassion and kindness..furthermore they can raise the child with any religion they feel fit, but should also raise it with a soft hand and open mind, suggesting that there might be more out there, and that the child should always follow his own heart, and should always let others to do the same. This creates more harmony.

Of course if you believe that if you do not follow a certain religion you are doomed to begin with this might be hard, but I do feel that is a very good way to do it. Realise that almost all religions, every puzzle piece is the same at its core..they preach love, compassion, kindness..and so on and so forth, and they same emotions such as hate bring bad things upon yourself. Everything else, such as the rituals and the metaphors each religion has are just secondary..it is just a matter of what you are comfortable with, and you feel can make you a better soul and person.

Thats the way I see it :)

I myself was raised by atheists..and I became a very spiritual person by myself. I consider myself to be buddhist and follow many buddhist rituals and believe in their metaphors..but yes, one who truly knows his religion also knows that a lot of things are simply metaphors..not literaly meant..(no buddha was not literaly born from a lotus flower, and no jezus did not literaly walk on water,at least..thats what I think). I feel comfortable with chanting buddhist mantras although I know I might aswell do a christian prayer and have the same effect, were I more comfortable with them. It all comes down to the same..sending love and care to others, enlightening your spiritual horizon, fining inner strength and love..coming closer to god/the comos/whatever.

As soon as people start to see that there are not really that much differences between religions in their cores as you thiink there might be..such an education of your children will go a lot easier aswell. Harmony, that is what Jezus would have wanted, what Buddha would have, what Mohammed would have..what any hero or prophet would like to see, I believe. ;)

No offense to anybody that disagrees with me..that is just how I feel, religion/spirituality is beautiful..it should not cause conflict ^_^

Religion is ONE.
There is only one religion.It is a living organic personality...Religion is a Bull. The Bull has 4 legs...
Those legs are made of Compassion, Truthfulness, Purity and Self control.Religion is non sectarian...
However, in whatever sectarian book these are found then there is religion....
Religion is not Dogma;eg "Jesus is the only way"...Yawn...
One God One Religion One humanity...

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Originally posted by jags+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jags)</div>

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One God One Religion One humanity... [/b]

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I'm not saying that I agree with you. But if more people thought that way there sure would be a lot less war.

<!--QuoteBegin-Berserk_Exodus
I believe that the singular goal of humanity is to know all.

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Nah, the goal of humanity is to be able to have all needs fulfilled without ever having to get off the couch. Think about the advances that have been made toward this goal.

- Very comfortable couches
- Electricity
- Telephone
- Television
- Remote control
- Dishwasher
- Couches that turn into beds
- the Internet
- Video games
- Delivery fast food
- Grocery stores that deliver

The list goes on. When virtual reality becomes cheaper than dating, the human race is screwed.

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Originally posted by bradybaker
When virtual reality becomes cheaper than dating, the human race is screwed.

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LOL. That may be sooner than you/we think...

Anyway, I know, due to my spiritual understanding, that there are three separate goals for three groups of people on this Earth.

But back to the original question, no; I do not have, nor have ever really had, a religious label. At one point, I was a semi-believing Christian, but even then I was not labelled as one.

Do children have concepts of religion? We are without the necessity of religion when we are young due to our imagination, so why do we need it as we grow older? To fill the gap of our imagination or fear of death?

If I have a label, that label is the lack of a label. If that makes any sense.

Sure. 'Agnostic', perhaps?

Im still trying to think of a word that refers to someone who takes from all types of religions. A wise teache at my school says he likes to call himself a 'Christian mystic', believing in the Christian God but taking concepts from many other religions. For example he used to call himself a Taoist, and takes a lot of their values into his Christian life.

EDIT: Btw, on the subject of children. I remember being in preschool *counts on fingers*, I think thats 4-5 years old. When I really wanted something to happen or whatever, I can remember praying to God. Of course, it wasnt real praying, I used to say that if He gave me this and that, then I would promise to be loyal to Him for ever and ever and such :P

you call the practice of religion unhealthy? the practice of labeling people is unhealthy.

i like to think of myself as a darwin follower. agnostic in a way. something had to trigger this world... something can't come from nothing... at least not with current scientific reasoning. so with that in mind there was something that started this all... some being, entity, whatever that instigated this collaboration of space dust... and here we are now. but to label the practice of searching for this being, entity, whatever unhealthy is in itself unhealthy.

i read an article in time magazine... i think it was called "the god gene" it talked about a correlation with spiritually active people and a certain gene in the human body. it spoke about a theory stating that religion was a mechanism bred into us. a way for earlier species to form pacts and troops. now this is all speculative but it's an interesting theory none-the-less.

so is the search of god so crazy? no. is organized religion so crazy? well sometimes it seems that way but their theory is just as potent as yours so don't bash it.

now i'll leave you with the great artwork of alex grey... you find the word god and tell me from where else such a being might come.

http://toolshed.down.net/pix/lat/lateraluscdslev5.jpg

pssst, it's in the brain.

there is no jesus or muhammad... but thinking makes it so.

I know deep down (or assume), that regardless of what i believe it does not affect what the truth is about God, the universe and everything. Agnostic is probably the closest label to what i might call myself. However i simply just live. I live life, work hard and play hard. I am nice towards people and have compassion. I live my life the way i think we should all live, with open mindedness and compassion, regardless of your religion.

If there is a God or great power to the universe i hope he/it/they look at my life and the things i have done, not on how i choose to label myself in terms of a religion.

If God exists, fair enough. If He doesn't then that too is fair enough.

I do not know whether God exists or not. I couldn't possibly prove it either way.

If i had to chose a label, it would be a phrase: "Whatever is, just is"

Christianity in the West has forced people to define themselves based on their belief or lack thereof in god, the question shouldn't be whether or not you believe in god, it should be whether or not you believe in an objective external universe, and what the exact nature of that universe is, and how do you know?

The question of god seems a simple one to us, and people have been divided thoroughly according to their answer. The question of God is certainly an important one, but what I think is more important is metaphysics and epistemology. The study of the nature of the universe is greater than the study of its creator, and the study of the justifications of all belief is greater than the study of those beliefs.

So I think the emphasis on god in western thought has impeded the development and popular consideration of metaphysical and epistemological beliefs.