I was just wondering. What do you tell people when they ask about your religion? Lately I've answered using things like:
I grew up Christian.
I believe in one God who comes to different cultures in different ways.
I tend to resonate with New Age style beliefs.
I like them all actually. My favorite is Rastafarianism.
Love and Peace
I love Jesus, but I just can't see 2/3 of the world going to hell.
I believe in God, Allah, Jehovah, Guanyin, Oneness, Buddha, Jah, the Universe, Source, Jesus, Gaia, etc.
So, what about you? I'm curious to hear your answers.
Namaste
I say I am a Baha'i and most people respond with "What's that?" One response might be that a Baha'i is a follower of Baha'u'llah(meaning 'Glory of God') who lived in the 19th century and revealed a new body of teachings for this age.
The central principle of His message is the Oneness of Mankind. This is the day of uniting the whole earth and His teachings reveal how we are to accomplish this long, arduous, task. And, yes, it will be accomplished!
He tells us that all the religions come from the One God and they come to teach us and cause our advancement both individually and collectively. When people become corrupt, and selfishness and unrighteousness set in, then a new Messenger is sent to set us straight and help us advance. This means there is no cause to fight because you belong to a different 'religion.' It's all the same source. This is the time to work with all people in unity, cooperation, and harmony,
In other words we are all one and we are one with the universe. Our differences are manmade and are the stuff of the illusions we create in this limited material plane.
Another one of the central principles of the Baha'i Faith is the 'Independent investigation of truth.'
In other words - use your own mind.
It's a great journey - Peace!
Now I say, "I used to go to a Christian church, but I don't go to church anymore." Sometimes I tell people I meditate or otherwise commune with God on a personal level. If they tell me I need to be saved, I ask them from what.
I'd like to tell such people that all organized religions are systematic brainwashing operations or that the Vatican is an evil pedophiliac, Luceriferian, drug-dealing farce and that the Bible has been altered by so many rulers and churches to suit their agendas... (oh btw, which version do you think is the Word of God?)... but it doesn't do much good to try to change people's cherished paradigms. Cognitive Dissonance doesn't leave much room for receiving new information that is contrary to one's ingrained beliefs.
I tell people, who must ask me, what church I attend,
"I am a Progressive Earther. I sometimes attend a local UU church. I seek church in nature for the Glory of the Source is everywhere. I have a deep belief in ethical science. I deeply believe in the power of Love and Kindness. The Universe is a Great Mystery to be explored with awe and wonder, respect and sacredness, seeking of knowlege and understanding, and synthesis of expansion of awareness and Love. I bless you with Love."
I steer away from talking about Christianity-- although I share many beliefs with liberal Christians. I steer away from talking about Paganism--- although I share many beliefs with the Neo-Pagans. Instead I speak to the Truth that is found within all the words and that is Love is Source, Source is Love. Source is within all things. There is nowhere or now here is where Source is.
I speak of the attributes of Love and the inherent creativity and intelligence of nature and the Univers. I speak of considering that we are part of something much bigger than just our body. I speak about considering that one is more than the body...
Humanist hate my answer as do Athiests and try to talk me out of what they consider to be my primative beliefs.
They get very angry when I point out to them they are being Dogmatically Athesiest/Humanist.
I bless us all with Love.
Fairy
Nickmiller you could create for yourself a word web. Begin with the word Religion and place around this word religion other words that relate, such as Belief, Faith, Trust, Understanding, Meaning, etc whatever words arise for you......Then begining with the first word "Religion" and as each word presents itself to you, look them up, each word in a good dictionary.
Perhaps you will be drawn to contemplate, meditate on certain words that arise for you. Perhaps you will find this a wonderful and enlightening exercise.
An interesting Tale.
There was once a mortal sitting on the banks watching a man fishing from a boat out in the middle of a great river...... God was sitting on his left and the Devil on his right, as they watched, the fisherman was pulled from his boat by the might of a huge fish...... Clearly the man could not swim and was flailing about in the water, it was clear that he would surely drown...... The mortal turned to the Divine God and asked God to save the drowning man, God said "there is nothing I can do to save this man" The mortal turned to the Great Satan and asked "is there anything you can do to help this man" whose reply came the same, "There is no way to save this man.".....Why asked the Mortal sadly......God and the Devil replied at once Because he does not BELIEVE in us.
Very well put Viveka, I ponder and question does this mean we are lost in our disbeliefs ?... hmmmmm.....
For myself Nick, I was raised as a Roman Catholic, in my early teens I was a "Charasmatic Catholic" in my late teens I was dunked in the Huna River (great place not far from where I now live) and became a "Born Again Christian".
Now I am Ian, I am Love, I am and live in God's House, the dwelling place of the Glorious Spirit I am. Many people who ask struggle with this concept. It is right for me though and so it shall be for me.
The reason I asked is that I am explaining to my mother (who is a die hard Christian) little by little how I believe. It has been an interesting conversation to say the least. I explained that I loved Christianity and Jesus, but I pointed out specific fallacies in the religion as a whole.
That was a large step for me. I respect my mother's faith a great deal and I believe her eyes are beginning to open. There is still a great deal for me to learn and I respect and love all religions. I believe they are all paths to the same Love.
Now, that doesn't mean I don't want to shake them every now and them and tell them how ignorant and closed minded they all are. But that isn't my job. My job is to love them and live a life that worthy of questions from those around me.
If I answer those questions to their liking, maybe I can expand their mind. If not, at least I tried. Thank you all for your answers and I love them all.
Peace and Love
I had a thought pop into my mind this morning. I have come to an understanding that the Cosmos is in constant flux toward novelty. Organized religions are conformist by nature. This would imply that any organized form of conformist thought and dogma is in direct opposition to the true Nature of the Living Cosmos. Most of us have been taught by our parents and teachers that non-conformist behavior is rebellion against authority. Submit to the authorities that presume to be or become a social outcast.
The makers of culture have put things backwards and the collective sheepish we have fallen for it to a large degree. This also gets into the chicken or egg thing. Did this come to be as a result of some nefarious intent by the PTB or did it happen because we as a human species prefer to have the emotional safety net of something to conform to???
Regardless of the answer, it remains incumbent upon each of us to rediscover personal sovereignty and personal response ability that does not end up on the psyche trash heap of projection upon others...
The alleged PTB consume the power and energy that the collective we afford them. For example - how could they fight their wars for profit and geopolitical advantage if we did not join their military machines in the name of bullshit national patriotism??? etc. etc. etc.....
Organized patriotism is a religion
Organized vetted sanctioned Science is a religion
Money is a religion
Peer Pressure is
Fashion is
Consumerism is
Organized nonconformity is a religious oxymoron
Fear may be the biggest religion of all
etc. etc. etc......
But Chris some religions take an organized approach to teaching non-conformity and anti-authoritarianism. Quakerism and Unitarian Universalism (at their best) both reject dogma and inspire open mindedness, diversity and to some extent taking personal responsibility for the religious experience. These are the religions that appeal to me, however I admit they don't always live up to what they are meant to be. But I agree that many religions are so close to mind control that you may as well label any form of mind control as religion.
exceptions to the rule in general
Personally, I'm more of an "unorganized nonconformist."
I heard Bonnie Raitt say once, "Religion is for people that are afraid to go to hell and Spirituality is for those of us that have already been there." That may not be verbatim, and it may not be original either, but I have to agree with her.
I have studied many religions, I have visited many many different churches, I am in my 54th year and can't say that I 'belong' to any of them and yet, I am an ordained 'Minister'. Dogma and scripture are something I've learned never to argue. There are worthy lessons in each of the Worlds many religions and there are those who misuse them in every one as well.
When asked by my fellowship what my Ministry would be ie. would I teach, heal, work with the dying-I had no answer. I still don't.
Ministry is in living everyday, but so is just plain 'living'. In each moment, each thought, each prayer and with the meeting of each person that we pass on the street. All are opportunities to see the Creator in another. I believe that is our mission here. To see through the 'crap' and even the 'joy' into the eyes of another with total acceptance and non judgement.
Your religion doesn't matter to me. Your salvation is in your own hands. Nobody can do it for you. Jesus said we may do even greater things than he, and that he didn't 'do' the work; that he 'did the work of Him that sent me'. So what is our 'work', whatever the day gives us. What is our prayer? Every thought and the energy that lies within it.
A friend said the word religion is a misnomer that it was meant to be re-legion. Think about it. We let religion separate us when Creator guides us to be One with All. It makes more sense to me that way.
Re-legion. One family of man, different ideas, but who always agrees with everyone in the family?? Just love 'em all anyway,learn to forgive their errors (they are their own as well as a lesson for us)-
I'm being simplistic, I know, but why always make everything so blasted difficult. When we seek so hard outside ourselves we fail to see what's right before our eyes, and in spite of some imperfections it is one beautiful world and one beautiful ride. It's over way to fast. (And then I believe we do it all over again.)
Read, meditate, study what feels right-but don't knock yourself out, busy yourself with living. Not just going through the motions-really living-touching deeply what it is you feel inside and getting to really know it.
In the process, God/Creator/Source is always working in every instance, even if we think we've washed our hands completely of the total concept.
We don't know how we got here, we don't know how to facilitate traveling from there to here and back again, but man, we're working on it.
Beam me up Scotty-my transformer will soon be in perfect working order ;).
rev. kristyne
oh and by the way...i tell people i feel most aligned with the Christian Mystics (I am a Coptic Minister). i believe in ONE GOD no matter what name you choose...and in His/Her House there are many mansions. Bless you and us ALL on our way.
I don't really even believe in God anymore, let alone a religon.