Religion?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by melbo, Sep 28, 2006.


?
  1. Atheist

    1 vote(s)
    3.4%
  2. Agnostic

    3 vote(s)
    10.3%
  3. Christian

    19 vote(s)
    65.5%
  4. Other

    6 vote(s)
    20.7%
  5. Don't care

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    This is an anonymous poll.
    Was wondering about beliefs of the members here.
     
  2. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    Where's your vote? :eek:
     
  3. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    without knowledge
     
  4. CRC

    CRC Survivor of Tidal Waves | RIP 7-24-2015 Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    ok...

    Personally, I find God on a more spiritual than religious level. Having been raised a Catholic I saw changes that baffled me. Don't eat meat on Friday or you'll burn in hell. It's ok to eat meat on Friday. Don't touch the host. It's ok to put it in your hand.

    My father was a protestant and he brought me to all parochial school and Church activities when my mom couldn't. I missed Mass and I felt guilty because how I felt was so puny compared to the suffering of Christ. When I confessed this the pastor said it was "no wonder coming from the heathen parents you have."
    Not very Christ like. But the priest is a man not God.

    My grandfather used to say that God is everywhere, he is not a building, he is a flower, he is the sunset, he is the wild deer in the back yard.He told us that Heaven is a place where the souls of your loved ones go to get well again, To be young again and to do what they love to do with out the responsibilites that being "alive" brings.

    I respect others views and opinions....and trust them to do the same...

    I believe in Love, Compassion, Kindness...

    and The Golden Rule....
     
  5. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    I realize my poll was a little short listed. No offense.
    CRC, I agree. It's more spiritual to me than religous. Religion is old and stuffy. I'm trying to work on my intimate relationships right now.
     
  6. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    I personally don't ascribe to any "Major Religious Group". I feel one's religious feelings are personal - don't need someone else telling me how to live. But I was raised more-or-less Christian, so that's the basic moral structure I hold to.
    Don't want to get too serious into this - Frugal's is having big troubles on this issue lately. All God's Children should feel welcome! :)
     
  7. Northwoods

    Northwoods Monkey+++

    I'm a Christian...although not a very good one.
     
  8. poacher

    poacher Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Ohh this could get a tad sticky. However I'll weigh in on this, I'm Christian, Catholic to be exact. But I also think that it's not always necessary to be in a Church to give service to God. If that was the case then there is a lot of early cowboys and settlers that aren't in heaven. Oh and one last thing, Northwoods, I don't think there is a real good Christian we all can improve.
    Take care Be safe Poacher.
     
  9. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Amen. I claim Christianity, but as with all things, it is in the eye of the beholder. Judging yourself is nearly always harsher than a heavenly judgement. As it should be, says me and me only. Monkeyman says something like that in his sig line.
     
  10. yonder

    yonder No Despot's Servant

    I will go out on a limb here, hoping this stays friendly & polite. But I think that your POV and mine, at this level, are very similar.

    In my POV, it's not the Jews that killed Christ, but rather religion itself. When Jesus walked among us in the flesh, He was constantly at odds with Religion while preaching a message of Faith.

    Over the years I've drifted from church to church but never really found Faith without Religion. I've also found a lot of mischaracterizations of Christ that seem to be at odds with what is right there in black and white (and red!) in the good book.
     
  11. Northwoods

    Northwoods Monkey+++

    Thanks Poacher...
    My daughter goes to Church, a Baptist Church.
    one of her friends invited her and she has been going ever since.
    I really hope that when i stand befor God he puts on his Jesus glasses be for he looks at me.
     
  12. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I enjoy Frugals, it is a really good site, but (didn't you know that was coming) the owner John has no tolerance for anyone that does not believe exactly the same way he does. I am afraid that before it is all over with that site will become known as one of those "extremist/survivalist/racist/anti-gov./etc. etc. sites." I would hate to see that, but perception is truth to a lot of people.
     
  13. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Severa lables for religion might be able to be appied to me thoughChristian is not among them. I am very spiritual and follow that which createdal that is and realy dont care what name you want to give to that being. I figure the creator speaks to al of is through our conciounces and hearts and that these messages are to be our truest guides rather than verbatim from ANY book. While my beliefs folow a pagan path and I feel the voice our creator uses to speak to us in our heart of hearts is the truest mandate for us I also folow a lot of the ideas from other faiths includeing Christian and from the bible, I just aproach al things organized and touched by man more as philosophy rather than dictation from my creator. I guess realy my sigline would sum up my religious views as wel especialy with the clarification above that I consider conciounce and such to be the creators way to comunicate to us most directly.

    "Do what thy manhood bids the do. From none but self expect applause. He noblest lives and noblest dies that makes and keeps his self made laws. All other life is but living death, where none but phantoms dwell, tis a voice, a wind, a breath, tis *the tinkleing of the camels bell."
    The kasida of Haji Abdu Al Yezdi By Sir Richard Francis burton

    *In the culture where the quote came from death rides a camel and the tinkleing of the camels bel was the sound ofdeath aproaching.
     
  14. Infidel

    Infidel Guest

    Me be Heathenous Unbeliever. Infidel if you will.

    [kneelsuckers]
     
  15. ChemicalGal

    ChemicalGal Monkey+++

    I chose other, although I believe in God and strive to live by the 10 commandments. I do not attend an organized church of any kind anymore.
    Have decided that most (not all) of the people who attend church are not the kind of people I chose to associate with and many give Christianity a bad rep.
    Anyway, my faith is between me and God and if I did it wrong, he will tell me.
    CG
     
  16. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    I had been hopig for more than a few of the above responses that dealt with: "Believe but don't like organized religion" types.

    Good for you. The Word is just that. A Church doesn't make it more or less.

    I have after 7 yrs of searching, finally found a church that we have taken part in. Funny. It was started out of a gripe session about Organized religion. Non-Denominational. Full of life. Found this place 2 months ago and actually look forward to my Sundays there.
     
  17. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Finding a church, which is nothing more than a group of like minded people searching for answers to the same questions, is a blessing in one's life. Your church community can offer comfort in troubled times, shared joy in happy times, thought provoking dialogs, and the friendship that comes from a shared vision.

    As a child growing up on Army bases around the world, there was always Chapel. 8am Catholic, 9am Protestant, 10am non-demoninational. I went to them all but I would gravitate to the ones with the best donuts during the social hour. My parents (mother Catholic, father Protestant) allowed me to attend whatever service I wanted to, when ever I wanted to. In addition to the mainstream, I have been to Johovah's Witness meetings, Quaker meetings, 7th Day Adventists - I tried them all. I attended Cathechism but also Sunday School and I memorized bible verses with the same fervor as I memorized poetry and famous speeches.

    My observations were that most of the organized religions with which I became familiar were populated with people who shared a vision but thought they, as a group, were the only ones who could see it when in reality, while their practices might have differed, their belief and intent was pretty much the same.

    Personally, I am a believer. While I still attend the occasional Catholic Mass for the sheer pageantry and familiar sights and smells, I am a more frequent attendant to Protestant services because I enjoy the sermons offered by the local minister.
     
  18. yonder

    yonder No Despot's Servant


    My own experience trying out many churches is that rather than being a gathering of people searching for answers, it is a gathering of people that believe they have the answers and that any contrary understanding is at the very least wrong if not blasphemous. Critical thinking is discouraged or even forbidden. Debate is unheard of. There is no deep thirst for exploring, picking apart, dissecting, and understanding the written Word (Bible Studies being the closest thing, but even those are usually guided towards a predetermined set of conclusions).

    Many other churches also strongly discourage me from having my children with me at worship service. I'm instead expected to dump my kids on some stranger who always promises to send for me if my kids cry but I find out later my kids have cried and nobody ever sent for me. What did Jesus say when someone tried to chase small children away that approached him? Why then should we chase our own children away at the very time that we are supposed to be closest to our Lord? If the kids are shifting in their seats and going nutty with boredom, that says more about the repetetive droning on of most worship services than it does about our children.
     
  19. RightHand

    RightHand Been There, Done That RIP 4/15/21 Moderator Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Maybe its just a matter of finding the right church for you. Many churches encourage discussion, even that which is contrary to the church's doctrine and many/most welcome children. That is strictly my experience but maybe I've just been lucky.
     
  20. Tracy

    Tracy Insatiably Curious Moderator Founding Member

    I've experienced the luck that RH speaks of, but it took a lot of searching and questioning clergy (make an appointment - they are willing to share) to find the place that I like best.

    I am the cause for debate in Bible study class, yet they still allow me to come;).

    "Children are dismissed now" doesn't apply to my kids. They will behave in every atmosphere that they're given. Church services to Board meetings. I've been challenged on this and tell whomever that if they misbehave, we will leave. Sometimes, people just want to make sure that you're willing to take responsibility for your own, because these days; so many don't.

    If you are looking for a service to attend - keep looking. You'll find it. :) Hebrews 10:25:Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
     
survivalmonkey SSL seal        survivalmonkey.com warrant canary
17282WuJHksJ9798f34razfKbPATqTq9E7