Religion

Raised culturally Jewish by atheists who wished they weren't atheists.

Am now an atheist yet still culturally Jewish.

Guess it worked out.

 

Christianity, no longer believe though. I still say I do around family.

 

overwhelmingly many here were brought up Catholic. i dont know why im surprised. but me too. However I've been anti-Jesus/Agnostic since I was a kid, and decidedly "Atheist" (though I never really use the label) as I've gotten older. My family is pretty religious, in general they are all good people, but only my mom knows that I no longer believe. I fear the day that I have a child and do not baptize him or her - I hope my grandparents are gone by the time that happens. Part of me is still very insecure about outwardly admitting to family that I am Athesist, it's like coming out of the closet. At the moment, I dont feel it's a priority that they be informed

 

Yeah I read about Taoist philosophy and stuff, and Eastern principles of energy and how Western religions look at them.

I notice that the Freemasons don't really sanction people of Eastern beliefs, only the Abrahamic religions.

But I suppose East v West it can be as much in the interpretation as anything else.

 

...which seems odd to me because the Universalism taught in their "secret" higher orders is very Eastern in concept. Hindu in particular.

I find comparing Eastern and Western religions about as easy as comparing apples and bicycles.

 

i have never been religious at all. my grandmother is very religious and when i was a kid always brainwashed me with the good Lord and crosses , Virgin Mary and bullshit but it never really get to me. I can say i am a strong agnostic

 

I've been thinking for a long time that most people who consider themselves agnostic would like one of the flavors of Buddhism, because it doesn't ask you to have faith in something that you can't see. It is more pragmatic and practical.

 

Yeah Kaballists have energy arts and philosophies , as do some Christians.
Likewise Roscicrucians in the Masons etc.And priests to deal with exorcisms etc.

What I meant is that you can get good *and* obnoxious people claiming to follow both Eastern *and* Western religions.

Jesus, you could argue healed people with what we would equate as an Eastern energy art.But the Vatican currently tells people to leave those things well alone.

 

I'm not familiar with those two.

The Eastern version of obnoxious is different from Western. It's more like, I'm better than you because I know more and have more self-discipline, and make more sacrifices for the common good. They will rarely say or imply that they think you are evil. They are also less rude over petty things.

I may be easier on them and their faults because I have had an overdose of Western obnoxious.

 

i've never been raised into any religion and wasn't christened. i still don't believe in any god. i've looked into several different religions and just can't see myself believing. i like the principals of animism, that the soul exists in everything and there is a spirit to be found in all living things....that seems like a nice concept without any direct belief in god.

i would probably say i'm leaning more towards athiesism, but don't want to rule out everything.....hmmm maybe i'm an egg-nog-stick after all.

 

Hindu, I'd still class myself as one but of course, I have doubts.


And for all the anti-baptism people, I had my head shaved at age 2 for a special ceremony.. woohoo!

 

Kab and Rosic. worth looking at if u are into all that.

I think there's variation across even Eastern religions or ways.
Taoism talks about Yin and Yang always combined.Which could equate to good and evil always necessarily part of one larger thing.

But there's also the concept of the laws of nature.
I suppose Taoism is very peaceful.But you also have basically "Dark Masters" who have a very Darwinistic, survival of the fittest view.
But I think thats very rare amongst Eastern religions.

I don't like the caste ideas *some* people have in Hinduism either.

 

Both my parents are atheists. My black grandmother was Catholic mixed with syncretist African spiritism.

Both influence me deeply. I have Catholic notions of boundaries, characterized by their flexibility and sense of connection (as opposed to individualistic apartness).

My pagan background game me my joie de vivre. I love being of African descent!

 

I've heard of this caste thing, from the media and internet, but no one I know in India, no Indians, not my parents, their parents... No hindus. I've heard my parents moaning about it though, saying they've never heard of people being treated in the way people say.

I'm sure it's there though, in some places.

 

i said that?

 

I didn't mean to imply that you said that, I was just offering my views on it, you know, actually being in the religion and all..

 

Yeah it was me saying that.
I've always found Hinduism to be laid back, tolerant etc.
But ontop of it, when I was in India I noticed the corruption and the extreme differences in wealth.I don't think the caste thing is a fundamental of Hinduism- probably more a political thing that a ruling class tried to bolt onto it.
In the same way that a German tosser claims to be head of a Christian Church in England..
But dunno.. I ain't a Hindu...

Anyway, it goes back to my point that a religion can look good, and then people try and corrupt it for their own agendas.Which is quite sad IMO.

 

true true. i was just trying to figure where you got that quote since it had my name on it.lol. i don't remember saying that.

 

The influence of Taoism when it encountered Buddhism led to the creation of Zen Buddhism. That's why reading more about Taoism is high on my list of things to do when I get more time this summer.

No, that is quite fucked up. And also, Hinduism asks you to belive in a collection of supernatural gods that seems unlikely to be much more than legend and superstition handed down for generations, like most other world religions. Their version of meditation is not much different from that of Buddhism because both sprang from northern India at about the same time.

 

Hindus believe all the gods are Brahman. and Buddhist meditation was influenced by Hindu meditation - what do you mean by "they both sprang at the same time" ?