Religion/Spirituality.

[sHIP of fools]

Have you any religion or spiritualty. I'd consider myself very spiritually inclined, but i don't conform to a specific religion. When i look into the sky, in the moon especially, something just overtakes me and I start thinking- there's certainly something else out there. Whether it's other dimensions, aliens, varying planes of thought or whatever...there's certainly SOMETHING else out there. Anyway, what are your thoughts on life, religion, heaven, aliens, dimensions etc.?

[zen_arcade]

Have you any religion or spiritualty.

not really.

[Layla Nahar]

Definately. & Brother Herb helped me really get in touch with it. Sometimes, I would go for a walk, & I would see all the really slow moving things, the trees, the buildings, stones, & I could tell they were saying something & I think it was something like - yes, we know you're there. I could really feel how all matter in it's form is part of a continuum - some matter is more organized than others. Some, like us, is so organized that it can percieve. I believe that we, thinking beings - we think we are distinct and seperate beings, but we are really instances of the universe perceiveing itself.

[SunshineChild]

Yeah, I'm spiritual. I follow personal religious beliefs that are very much like the Transcendentalist Movement of the 19th century. I love nature, Earth, and consider the Sun & the Moon a yin/yang type of thing. Also, I consider Mother Earth a 'being' of some sort. The sun represents that life is made of good times, and the moon represents that life is made of bad times.

[jo_k_er_man]

I believe in a life after death... and i believe whatever i do will come back to me 10 fold... a lot of what i believe revolves around Buddhism, Astrology and my own definitions of Spirituality

[sourdiesel06]

I was raised a Catholic and I definitely consider myself a Christian, but that's not to say I don't have my own set of beliefs about religion. I guess you could say that I differ from the Catholic faith in that I believe that faith is something that has to come to you naturally and can't be forced on anyone. I also believe that not only am I capable of interpreting the bible in my own way, but that it is essential for me to do so. Also, I am fascinated by Buddhism as a philosophy. Some might say that those two cannot coexist but I disagree.

[nirmalamaya]

I have practiced Tantrik Shaivism (Hinduism) for the past 7 years. I started off being very strict on myself with the religion, but I started to follow the teachings of Osho and evolved into a very spiritually eclectic person. Even though I have my own varied beliefs, I still consider myself a Shaivite.

[jo_k_er_man]

I was raised a CatholicI was raised catholic as well.. and that's why i'm not catholic..

[natural philosophy]

I was raised catholic as well.. and that's why i'm not catholic..
lol me too. and it's definately why i am NOT catholic, or christian for that matter.

[The_Walrus]

I'm pretty spiritual at times. I was raised to be a Protestant, but my parents are okay with me exploring other religions...to an extent. I'm really into Judaism right now.

[revolution_time]

Yes, I'm very spiritual. I'm constantly thinking, philosophizing, and changing my ideas and perceptions with the world. I really think that's how it’s got to be. If you hold on to something for to long it grows old and static. Mary Jane has certainly played her role with my spirituality.

[RELAYER]

Krsna is everything :tongue:
And thats about as deep as I get, ok? Ok.

[hippieatheart]

i was raised protestant, i used to go to church until i was about 10, then my family stopped going.
i don't know a lot about my religion, and barely anything about other religions.
and thats why i came to the conclusion, that i just don't believe in any religion anymore.


the closest thing i believe in dealing with religion is karma.

[darkain]

I was brought up Christian. I have not ruled that out, but I'm very open to ideas of the spirital world.

[RELAYER]

the closest thing i believe in dealing with religion is karma.
Hai! Kore wa nan desu ka?!

[hippieatheart]

Hai! Kore wa nan desu ka?!uh.. yeah... i dunno what you just said :tongue:

[undercooked]

I think religion is a dangerous lie used to control people. Everyone in my family is religious, and "god" has given them the prerogative that justifies all of the stupid, banal things they do. I was raised Baptist but was skeptical of the church-goers and establishment as a child because Baptist adults tend to scare children into believing their hogwash; to the consternation of Jesus, I typically distrust people who seek to horrify me.

[RELAYER]

I think religion is a dangerous lie used to control people. Everyone in my family is religious, and "god" has given them the prerogative that justifies all of the stupid, banal things they do. I was raised Baptist but was skeptical of the church-goers and establishment as a child because Baptist adults tend to scare children into believing their hogwash; to the consternation of Jesus, I typically distrust people who seek to horrify me.
Religion is dangerous when used to control, true.
But, when one finds God out of love, through their own searching and understanding, and their own love gained from experience, then there is very little in the matieral nature that can equal this kind of beauty.
Fear based spirituality is a sham, agreed :)

[kar33m]

Have you any religion or spiritualty.not at all. science is my way.

[SunshineChild]

Hai! Kore wa nan desu ka?!Karma is like "what goes around, comes around".

[RELAYER]

Karma is like "what goes around, comes around".
Not entirley, this is only one mere aspect of karma.
Karma is the balance of the entire universe, and it has nothing to do with morality.
It has much more to do with actual physical, natural movement.
But your not wrong, Im just saying there is much more to it :)
Peace and love friend,
Hare Krsna :)

[SunshineChild]

I was saying from a more New Age / Theosophy Western world philosophy. Mahabharata explains it well.

[passittotheleft]

I don't like religion, cause of too many wars/conflicts. I am kinda spiritual you could say in the sense that I like nature and the such and can appreciate the good things in the world. My personal belief about religion is it was created to control the masses and make them fear something.

[jimaug87]

Atheist. I follow Darwin

[smokindude]

Religion doesnt cause any wars. Its the people who do, and the others that follow. Religion isnt physical, humans are so i believe they are to blaim.

Anyways i believe in God, 100%. Only the ones that dont believe are the ones that miss out on his works and wonder, because their faith is weak, my friend. Faith can move mountains, remember that.

[undercooked]

Religion doesnt cause any wars. Its the people who do, and the others that follow. Religion isnt physical, humans are so i believe they are to blaim.

Anyways i believe in God, 100%. Only the ones that dont believe are the ones that miss out on his works and wonder, because their faith is weak, my friend. Faith can move mountains, remember that.So which mountains has faith moved so far? and didn't people create religion? (I guess this is on the same corollary as the cliche, "Guns don't kill people; people do"). Even if religion is the word of "god," wouldn't people skew something so "righteous," given their roles as intermediaries? After all, there is a large amount of debate among believers, especially among the most similar factions. I definitely think that religion is to blame for or is at least a major contributor to most of the world's famous problems throughout history. Just to name a few: Pharaoh oppressed the Jews; the Jews oppressed the Canaanites, Midianites, Amorites, etc; the crusades; the Spanish inquisition and subjugation of the American peoples in an attempt to convert them to Catholicism; the Salem witch trials; the Jewish colonization of Palestine; the genocide in Darfur; and the list goes on.

Even though I do not believe in "god," I understand that other people do, but how can anybody believe in theology, especially that of any Abrahamic religion? The Old Testament is a maniacal, genocidal book of tribal history and myths, and the only thing notable about it is that it is old and pervades the world.

[Hamfoot]

i'm a very spiritual person. i acquire my views on this reality through my own experience though, not predisposed faith.

[RELAYER]

I was saying from a more New Age / Theosophy Western world philosophy. Mahabharata explains it well.
New Age? What?! By the beard of Zues...
Do you really know what the Mahabharata is?! lol
Sorry man I dont know how you are coming up with this stuff :tongue:

[SunshineChild]

New Age? What?! By the beard of Zues...
Do you really know what the Mahabharata is?! lol
Sorry man I dont know how you are coming up with this stuff :tongue:I was stoned when I wrote that, I don't know what I was trying to say now. Maybe at the time I could of elaborated something... but that was yesterday so it's fair game for interpreting how you want. You know, like religion. ;)

[RELAYER]

I was stoned when I wrote that, I don't know what I was trying to say now. Maybe at the time I could of elaborated something... but that was yesterday so it's fair game for interpreting how you want. You know, like religion. ;)
by the beard of Zues...
Your a chill guy man, ya know that?
I hope I didnt annoy you with my BS
Peace and Love friend :)

[Layla Nahar]

Hai! Kore wa nan desu ka?!nani mo naaaaiiii

[HenryDude]

Hai! Kore wa nan desu ka?! Tawakeru na!!!

nani mo naaaaiiiiPfft. . . mie-sugita uso ...

[natural philosophy]

Religion doesnt cause any wars. Its the people who do, and the others that follow. Religion isnt physical, humans are so i believe they are to blaim.


what about when god told moses to go and kill old people and babies and rape women? was that the people's fault even though it was a direct order from god? or what about where god said that it is a moral obligation to kill witches? who is to blame for atrocities like this? remember that man wrote that bible you hold so dear. just people, no different than you or me...well, maybe different in that they were simple bronze age nomads that could only guess at the mysteries of the world. you know, the kinds of people that didn't brush their teeth or wipe their ass. those kinds of folk.

tell me, who is more foolish: the fool, or the fool that follows him?

[wonderboy]

Karma is the "golden handcuffs".

[natural philosophy]

o snap smokindude got banned again LOL

[SunshineChild]

what about when god told moses to go and kill old people and babies and rape women? was that the people's fault even though it was a direct order from god? or what about where god said that it is a moral obligation to kill witches?Well, assuming that smokindude is Christian in a way, why would he follow that? That is all in the Old Testament and was done away with when Jesus spoke of peace and love.

remember that man wrote that bible you hold so dear. just people, no different than you or meI don't know if you were trying to or not, but you just proved his point right there.

[MelvnDoo]

I believe that we, thinking beings - we think we are distinct and seperate beings, but we are really instances of the universe perceiveing itself.very well put. i couldnt agree more http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif


I love nature, Earth, and consider the Sun & the Moon a yin/yang type of thing. Also, I consider Mother Earth a 'being' of some sort. The sun represents that life is made of good times, and the moon represents that life is made of bad times.Have you ever read anything by Andrew Weil? if not, you should really check out "The Natural Mind" and "The Marriage of the Sun and Moon." (his first 2 books) although they´re more or less separate books, they kinda complement eachother (strangely - or not strangely - enough). very easy reads because they´re so interesting. you´d love "The Marriage of the Sun and Moon," i would imagine.


during my first year of college, i had written a paper on religions and locked hair (dreads) for a class. while back home during christmas, my very religious grandparents read this paper (given to them by my parents, who had already read it and liked it). my grandfather only asked me 2 things: "did you have to do a lot of research for this paper?" and "what kind of research was it?" Then he said something about how it was well-written or some other positive note. my grandmother, on the other hand, came up to me in a hallway in my parent´s house (where it was just the 2 of us) and said, "I read your paper you wrote for your class. It was good, but..." then she literally pointed her finger at me and shook it in rhythm, while sternly asking this: "Are you still a Christian?"

i think they were unsettled by the fact that i would even go so far as to LEARN about other religions because then there would be a chance of converting, or something. my grandparents had told me that they think that people of other religions are going to hell because they´re not Christians, and if i´m not still a christian, i´m going to hell, too. it´s a weird feeling when your grandmother basically tells you you´re going to hell.

up until that point, i never really questioned things that much. i wasnt "religious" at all - it was due to my youth group from church in high school that i first got high and was able to aquire alcohol (age 14/15). after hearing that from my grandma, i DID start to think about things, which i´m sure wasnt exactly her intent.

when i first started learning about buddhism and taoism, it just started to feel right. not like i was saying to myself, "yeah, i can see that..." or "that makes sense, so i can believe in that...", but rather i was being told about something that i was already aligned with. it was putting into words what i could only feel and perceive to be true.
the religion that i grew up with certainly never did that. when i started learning more about christianity, i realized how much i didnt believe in it. it was just around me growing up.

i dont necessarily believe in EVERY aspect of these religions, but it sums up a lot of things of what i believe. i think that there´s a naturalness to everything... man, i just realized that i cant explain what i feel because it´s a feeling/perception thing. you can only feel feelings and perceive perceptions, not talk about them.

i guess i kinda rambled there... my thoughts on religion, kinda. that´s what happens when you start writing while sober, smoke, then continue writing.

[SunshineChild]

double post

[SunshineChild]

very well put. i couldnt agree more http://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif


Have you ever read anything by Andrew Weil? if not, you should really check out "The Natural Mind" and "The Marriage of the Sun and Moon." (his first 2 books) although they´re more or less separate books, they kinda complement eachother (strangely - or not strangely - enough). very easy reads because they´re so interesting. you´d love "The Marriage of the Sun and Moon," i would imagine.


during my first year of college, i had written a paper on religions and locked hair (dreads) for a class. while back home during christmas, my very religious grandparents read this paper (given to them by my parents, who had already read it and liked it). my grandfather only asked me 2 things: "did you have to do a lot of research for this paper?" and "what kind of research was it?" Then he said something about how it was well-written or some other positive note. my grandmother, on the other hand, came up to me in a hallway in my parent´s house (where it was just the 2 of us) and said, "I read your paper you wrote for your class. It was good, but..." then she literally pointed her finger at me and shook it in rhythm, while sternly asking this: "Are you still a Christian?"

i think they were unsettled by the fact that i would even go so far as to LEARN about other religions because then there would be a chance of converting, or something. my grandparents had told me that they think that people of other religions are going to hell because they´re not Christians, and if i´m not still a christian, i´m going to hell, too. it´s a weird feeling when your grandmother basically tells you you´re going to hell.

up until that point, i never really questioned things that much. i wasnt "religious" at all - it was due to my youth group from church that i first got high and was able to aquire alcohol. after hearing that from my grandma, i DID start to think about things, which i´m sure wasnt exactly her intent.

when i first started learning about buddhism and taoism, it just started to feel right. not like i was saying to myself, "yeah, i can see that..." or "that makes sense, so i can believe in that...", but rather i was being told about something that i was already aligned with. it was putting into words what i could only feel and perceive to be true.
the religion that i grew up with certainly never did that. when i started learning more about christianity, i realized how much i didnt believe in it. it was just around me growing up.

i guess i kinda rambled there... my thoughts on religion, kinda. that´s what happens when you start writing while sober, smoke, then
continue writing.Yeah I've heard of Andrew Weil, but not read anything by him. I'd have to see if my library has him at some point.

And wasn't it the same Bible your grandmother read that says "it is not good to have zeal without knowledge"?

[natural philosophy]

Well, assuming that smokindude is Christian in a way, why would he follow that? That is all in the Old Testament and was done away with when Jesus spoke of peace and love.


are you telling me christ wasn't a jew? christians don't follow the ten commandments? or any of the other teachings in the OT?

oh, yea, i forgot... jesus got rid of those silly commandments and it's all peace and love now. that's what christianity's about.

[SunshineChild]

Umm, no dude.. I only meant about the killing. Jesus undid several things in the OT, like eating kosher. The Ten Commandments was not one of them. Neither of us are Christians, so why argue?

[natural philosophy]

so god changed his mind about the whole killing thing? halfway into things he thought it over real good and decided not to tell people to kill each other anymore? wow i wonder what made him change his mind