Thread: How many of you guys are religious?

My only question is: religious in what way; in ritual or in faith?

Indifferently religious. While I like discussing religion, the foundations of reality, and the nature of worldviews and perception, it's basically a hobby. In practice, I'm nominally Vajrayana Buddhist, but practice little and am in general a lousy example of a Buddhist

I went ahead and put strongly religious. However, I believe more in relationship with God than I do in religion.

PS. why is that sometimes when you post on this forum the last word of a line is repeated on the next line?

I don't believe in organized religion, rather, in personal connections to God that are individual and unique.
I also believe that neither creationism nor atheism can stand without the other. To an atheist, the thought of a man in the sky who creates everything, supports everything, and loves everything is ridiculous. To a creationist, the idea of the world being somehow created with no support from any deity or entity or being whatsoever seems ridiculous.
I also think we should just agree to disagree about religion and get on with our lives, as if you are an atheist, you need to get back to your one and only shot at life, and if you are a creationist, you need to get back to ensuring you have an afterlife.

Originally Posted by Taosaur

Indifferently religious. While I like discussing religion, the foundations of reality, and the nature of worldviews and perception, it's basically a hobby. In practice, I'm nominally Vajrayana Buddhist, but practice little and am in general a lousy example of a Buddhist

Vajrayana Buddhist...I had to read this about four times before it didn't sound so dirty.

Originally Posted by Neoquestmoo

I don't believe in organized religion, rather, in personal connections to God that are individual and unique.
I also believe that neither creationism nor atheism can stand without the other. To an atheist, the thought of a man in the sky who creates everything, supports everything, and loves everything is ridiculous. To a creationist, the idea of the world being somehow created with no support from any deity or entity or being whatsoever seems ridiculous.
I also think we should just agree to disagree about religion and get on with our lives, as if you are an atheist, you need to get back to your one and only shot at life, and if you are a creationist, you need to get back to ensuring you have an afterlife.

Atheism is just the lack of belief in god. Not sure how creationism comes into play there...
And just so you know, lack of belief in god =/= lack in belief in afterlife. It's rare, but there are atheists who think there is an afterlife of some sort.

Originally Posted by Mario92

It's rare, but there are atheists who think there is an afterlife of some sort.

I've never meet one and if they do, what kind? Also I pick strongly religious since it was the best option but like Freemymind93 I seek a relationship with My Father(God).

Any kind. Many Buddhists are atheists who also believe in reincarnation, for example.

Originally Posted by Xei

Any kind. Many Buddhists are atheists who also believe in reincarnation, for example.

Well that is interesting. I don't see how they can believe in reincarnation but not God.

Originally Posted by Wantless

Well that is interesting. I don't see how they can believe in reincarnation but not God.

Trees don't need someone to come by and tug on them every so often so that they'll grow toward the sky; it's their nature to do so. Likewise, it is in the nature of human beings to form habits constrained by the influence of past actions, through cause and effect. The continuity of cause and effect is not magically broken by either birth or death. Instead, the streams continue, dividing and converging, throughout beginningless time.

Originally Posted by Aquanina

Interesting. I did not know this.

Actually I don't really know much at all about atheism...nor do I have any idea what my beliefs would be classified as. Which is something that has bothered me for some time, but I haven't been troubled to figure it out.

Atheism is more or less a null position when it comes to religion. It's a non-belief in a creator, that's it.

Originally Posted by Xei

Any kind. Many Buddhists are atheists who also believe in reincarnation, for example.

Originally Posted by Wantless

Well that is interesting. I don't see how they can believe in reincarnation but not God.

Originally Posted by Taosaur

Trees don't need someone to come by and tug on them every so often so that they'll grow toward the sky; it's their nature to do so. Likewise, it is in the nature of human beings to form habits constrained by the influence of past actions, through cause and effect. The continuity of cause and effect is not magically broken by either birth or death. Instead, the streams continue, dividing and converging, throughout beginningless time.

Originally Posted by BLUELINE976

Atheism is more or less a null position when it comes to religion. It's a non-belief in a creator, that's it.

It speaks for itself.

Originally Posted by greenhavoc

It speaks for itself.

What "speaks for itself?"

The definition I gave is essentially the standard in defining atheism. Whether people want to be atheists as well as believers in reincarnation does not affect what atheism is.

Originally Posted by Wantless

Well that is interesting. I don't see how they can believe in reincarnation but not God.

How does that follow?

Why does there need to be some kind of bureaucrat assigning different souls to different bodies? Surely you see that this is utterly superfluous. If this was possible, why couldn't it just be the way nature is?

Originally Posted by greenhavoc

It speaks for itself.

Not to me. Explain.

Still reserving judgement on this.

Originally Posted by Xei

How does that follow?

Why does there need to be some kind of bureaucrat assigning different souls to different bodies? Surely you see that this is utterly superfluous. If this was possible, why couldn't it just be the way nature is?


Not to me. Explain.

If you wouldn't mind, I rather you explain to me how it would work than then maybe I can answer you.

I would mind.

I'm not saying it does work.

I'm saying that it does not necessitate God. You are the one making this claim so I am asking you to defend it.

It is patent that some things just are. For example, gravity pulls things down. This is the way nature is. There is no need to hypothesise a God being which pulls something down whenever it is dropped. It is totally superfluous; either God just is, and God makes gravity, or gravity just is.

In the same way, if we assume that reincarnation is possible (which I do not), there is no reason that it cannot 'just be', rather than there being a superfluous conscious being performing exactly the same action behind the scenes; unless you can show that any mechanism of reincarnation would necessarily necessitate such a being.

Originally Posted by Wantless

If you wouldn't mind, I rather you explain to me how it would work than then maybe I can answer you.

Atheism does not exclude spirituality. Even if one does not believe in a god (aka the definition of atheism), its a non sequitur to say they must also not believe in reincarnation.

Exactly, non sequitur is the term.

I have a bunch of beliefs that I feel comfortable and confident in, yet still uncertain. However, still much more certain than I would towards any real religion. So I'm happy with my choice. (not religious)

So this atheist dies and comes back as a Christian.
The is the most profound Joke I've ever told, shame you won't get it.

Originally Posted by greenhavoc

So this atheist dies and comes back as a Christian.
The is the most profound Joke I've ever told, shame you won't get it.

Oh noes! He committed evil in his last life, and is descending down the ladder of enlightenment!

Don't set me up and leave me hanging without a punchline, man.

[ha] ..but whatever.
Later yall

Either there's some greenhavocian plan for people to make snarky claims and then run off instead of explaining themselves, or I'm missing the joke.