Religion?????

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knardini

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Dec 3, 2006
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Okay, I realize this could get a bit heated if people take this thread down the wrong path. I'm not looking for a big religion debate but just thoughts from those more experienced than myself on the topic.

I've never been a religious guy - to say the least. I grew up with a very conservative christian father and a unitarian mother (polar opposites). Instead of choosing a side, I chose "none of the above". In college I became very interested in evolutionary biology which I now teach. I have no problem seeing and explaining how evolution takes place, but feel it needs more (a hand to guide it perhaps).

I get soooooooooooooooooo turned off by the new contemporary religions and the "do it our way or go to hell" mentality (however many of these new mega churches do have killer sound sytems).

This week I spent a lot of time with my Catholic family and took part in a lot of the church's ritualistic offerings and seemed to identify with it? Now understand this is a HUGE leap for me to even admit that I may be interested in church but it seems to me that Catholosism being so steeped in tradition and rituals that trace so far back must have some truth to them?

My question is this. Why do you belong to the church you do (if you do) and how can you invest so much in something that offers no proof...completely faith based?

Maybe some of your answers can help me figure out my next step.
 
I cannot answer your question, I'm pretty much the same as you Kris. Since I'm a young teenager I only show up at church for funerals, weddings, and christenings. Once in a while a Christmas or Easter mass if I'm celebrating the holiday with people who go to mass. I always pretended I didn't go to church much because I worked late Saturday night DJing, but quite frankly it bores me half to death. You got a priest speaking for a part of the mass in pig Latin (I think), which I cannot understand..What's the use of listening to something I cannot understand, I always thought to myself. The the whole sit, kneel, stand deal I never quite understood until I got older.

That being said I still have faith and believe in God, I just don't follow the traditional go to church on Sunday, don't eat meat on Friday during lent way of Catholic life. The whole priest + alter boys thing really turned me off to the Catholic church but oddly when I do go to church I do feel somehow "refreshed", it's kind of hard to explain.
 
I equate organized religion to theological politics. It's all the same, it's about the body and not the soul. Figuratively and literally. Religions as have been defined through time are too finite in thought. I wish I could remember the whole quote but I think it best describes humanity's relationship to the infinite. It starts out "We are the universe made manifest..." (if I can find the rest, I come back and finish it)
 
A subject close to my heart...

I am of the belief that religion (and faith) is not something you are BORN into. One may have had parents of a particular faith, and they may have raised their child in a particular faith, but that does not mean that once the child can think for himself that he is restricted from changing religions, beliefs or faiths.

There are a LOT of different religious beliefs. What you get out of them depends on what you are looking for. Religion can be, to the follower, for coping, for answers, for discipline, for brotherhood and camaraderie, for a social outlet, or honestly, out of fear...a fear of damnation, or a promise of an afterlife reward.

Obviously, given all the choices, not all paths lead in the same direction. It is up to each individual to study the choices, decide which best suits their mentality and lifestyle, then embrace it and learn about it, then follow. If you are forcing or faking it, it will never work. I fully have more respect for those who stay at home on Sunday and say they are not religious than I do for those who say they are religious and just go thru the motions that their parents and grandparents have taught them. I also have a huge amount of respect for anyone who fully lives to the commitment of their faith, REGARDLESS of what it may be.

There is no one correct religion, although zealots from any branch would argue that. It is an individual decision that cannot be thrust upon you. Any religion will work for you if it is applied correctly to help you with your individual goals or desires.

The fact that you are asking and seeking shows your desire, you just need to decide what is driving your thirst and what it will take to quench it.
 
Harryoke said:
A subject close to my heart...

I am of the belief that religion (and faith) is not something you are BORN into. One may have had parents of a particular faith, and they may have raised their child in a particular faith, but that does not mean that once the child can think for himself that he is restricted from changing religions, beliefs or faiths.

There are a LOT of different religious beliefs. What you get out of them depends on what you are looking for. Religion can be, to the follower, for coping, for answers, for discipline, for brotherhood and camaraderie, for a social outlet, or honestly, out of fear...a fear of damnation, or a promise of an afterlife reward.

Obviously, given all the choices, not all paths lead in the same direction. It is up to each individual to study the choices, decide which best suits their mentality and lifestyle, then embrace it and learn about it, then follow. If you are forcing or faking it, it will never work. I fully have more respect for those who stay at home on Sunday and say they are not religious than I do for those who say they are religious and just go thru the motions that their parents and grandparents have taught them. I also have a huge amount of respect for anyone who fully lives to the commitment of their faith, REGARDLESS of what it may be.

There is no one correct religion, although zealots from any branch would argue that. It is an individual decision that cannot be thrust upon you. Any religion will work for you if it is applied correctly to help you with your individual goals or desires.

The fact that you are asking and seeking shows your desire, you just need to decide what is driving your thirst and what it will take to quench it.
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Wow! very well said, you pretty much summed it up as I see it. Thanks.
 
Here's the whole quote....

"I will tell you a great secret, Captain. Perhaps the greatest of all time. The molecules of your body are the same molecules that make up this station and the nebula outside, that burn inside the stars themselves. We are starstuff, we are the Universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out." -Delenn, Babylon 5 Episode A Distant Star
 
knardini said:
My question is this. Why do you belong to the church you do (if you do) and how can you invest so much in something that offers no proof...completely faith based?
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Kris, you answered the question right there. Faith is the key.

Throughout my 49 years I may have been angry with God and may have been in arguments with Him but I have never had any doubt in regard to His existence or what His Son did for me.

Deejay Dan said:
The the whole sit, kneel, stand deal I never quite understood
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Think of it as Catholic aerobics. One ... Two ... Three... Stand... Two... Three... Sit... Two... Three... Kneel...
 
Kris -

Where's a cup of coffee when you need one? (Btw... coffee was blessed by a pope sometime long before I was born, so it's okay for Catholics to drink it ;)) Seriously, it sounds like you have started a wonderful walk with God. It's about faith, and there isn't any way for us to help you "justfiy" what you invest, etc. It really is a relationship. I guess I'd really identify with what Goodknight said. LOL. God has plenty to be angry with me for, and we have disagreed on occasion, but I never questioned His presence or His love.

That being said, your question was about religion, which can be different than faith. In Micah 6:8 God basically tells man what he wants from him and advises man that God has no use for religion... after all, He is God. LOL. What God wants most from us is for us to love our fellow humans and walk with Him. Have a relationship with Him. Now, I am not saying to toss religion out the window. Rather, I'm saying that religion should be there to help you grow your relationship with God. Worship with others who are in their walk with God. Support them when they need it, be supported when you need it. A bit like wrestling (in a weird sorta way). I competed as an indivdual, but practicing as a part of a team made me a better competitor. Kind of an off the wall example... but hopefully it makes a little sense.

As for the "believe or go to hell" part... I believe that God is a fair and capable judge and does not need my help in that area. ;) I believe that God has given us pretty clear instructions NOT to judge, but rather to FORGIVE and to LOVE. So that's my take on it.

Ben
 
I believe in none of it. Religion to me us a big fairy story no more truthful or holier than a Harry Potter novel.

Moses parted the Red Sea? Yeah right......

Jesus? I believe he existed and was a preacher that the Romans didn't take too kindly to..

Religion to me is really superstition and fear.

I am an atheist and the only time I go to a church is for Rememberance Sunday to say thank you to nature and my family/contrymen that perished in past wars attempting to make the world a better place - which sad to say they didn't (besides ridding us of Nazi's)

God IMO is a figment of too many people's imagination.

Believers don't cast stones at me and "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life" ;)
 
I don't believe in anything I cant see.

So until I see one:

God, Aliens, and talking dogs are all not real.


I think I have the best chance of seeing an Alien in my life time.


Churches are another form of govenernment and organization designed to take peoples money for the best intrest of the organization, not it's members.

I would think from a business stand point if one believes in a higher power it would be in ones best intrest to worship on their own time. Instead of giving money to a church do something useful like feed homeless or do charity work.
 
This is more holy than holy

If he ever manages to actually, you know, die one of these days, Keith Richards plans to donate his body to science. "Apparently, I do have an incredible immune system. I had Hepatitis C and cured it myself. Just by being me. They (doctors) want it so they can study it and figure out how to make other people much better. I mean, I eat everything wrong. I shove terrible things inside me.
 
Wow, Where"s the love? If you seek goodness,you will experience love,and love is positive ,truth that only comes from above.We were born to sin,thats why alot of us dont understand,alot dont have a bible study to understand what I mean.There are phone books,training manuals etc, to enhance our education,so there"s the holy bible to guide us thru this short life of ours.Love kindness,help the needy,or just smile at people will give you an understanding of gods love for the human race.If you dont seek,you wont find...Kabeish
 
God, Aliens, and talking dogs are all not real.
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You have not experienced "The Farm" Cam. And I mean that seriously.


You do not walk in a room here, or even out in the garden, without God walking with you. You may choose to ignore Him, but He will not ignore you.


Mind you, I am a Deist (or at least that's the closest I have come to describing myself). I was raised in a RC seminary, since it was next to my house, and there was nobody else to hang out with. I went to all the classes, learned to say Mass, felt the Power of the Lord, and graduated "honorably" with the class. I wasn't officially enrolled though.

By then, racing motocross, the military, and babes caught my eye.

A number of years later, I find myself having been through a few years of regular college, and something in the back of my head, sorta pushes me towards a bunch of religion and ethics classes. I totally enjoyed it and embraced it -- I learned tons of stuff -- amazing stuff.

Then, the gov't/corporate world shined its big light on me :sqerr:

Then, Grandma needed some help. I came to the Farm -- the rest is history.



The moral of the story:

The Lord works in mysterious ways. He has given you the tools, reasoning and knowledge, that you need to survive. If you embrace Him, no matter your religion, your politics, whatever -- He will always be there for you, when you are ready.

But, he may also call upon you, when He needs you...
 
We have not attended church services in many years. Mom's probably rolling in her grave, lol.

Like many others, my experiences with large, organized religion are less-than-satisfactory. This is my opinion only but I happen to feel that taking a verse or chapter from the good book and building a following around it is unfair. My reasoning ~ everything else is dismissed in favor of an agenda. The church is filled with self-appointed, tinpot dictators, each one thinking he or she is the ultimate authority. And there's no check on them.

For my part, I don't care for the way the Catholic faith has taken such a beating from people who have no understanding of it. That's unwarranted and unnecessary in this country. It was going on when I was a pup and it's still going on. I have known countless Catholics during my lifetime and one couldn't ask for people who are more decent and compassionate.

For us older folks, our parents made us go to church every Sunday. It was forced upon us. As a result of this, none of us pups care for regular church services to this day. This is no reflection on the church ~ it's simply a matter of growing up and being able to decide for ourselves.

It was a turbulent time in the late '60s and early '70s. The original KJV was being reinterpreted and printed in several versions. The rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar was causing an uproar. Religious zealots were chasing students around college campuses and trying to save 'em from themselves. Younger pastors and speakers were getting the youth's attention. These things and others caused a generational rift in the church.

I wholeheartedly agree with the Bill of Rights. Religious practice is personal and sacred for most. The guv'mint has no place interfering with it. On the same token, organized religion has no place in guv'mint. I am proud to be an American and like the Bill of Rights the way it is. I may not necessarily agree with every doctrine but I back the individual's right to worship as he pleases 100%.

That being said, I disagree with people who use their religious beliefs as an excuse for unpopular actions and decisions or to disrespect the beliefs of others. I also happen to believe that no church (nor anyone else for that matter) has any business whatsoever in people's bedrooms or doctor's offices.

Just an old dog's thoughts. :)
 
I definitely believe in a superior being. The fallacies of man speak favorably for something a bit more sophisticated. Due to the mental limits of man its my belief that we could never truly fathom the realm of the superior being. One day hopefully when we leave this State we shall find out.

I attempt to be honest and a caring soul ( some might have missed that part of me) However its through our imperfections in which we can choose to attempt to improve.
Kris you are searching it sounds as if you are feeling a hunger. I suggest you contiinue searching for the food for thought that nourishes you individually.
One mans diet is another mans weight loss program.
 
Davy we all have a very minuet sense of what it likely is all about. If it comforts you then its good for you. I wont argue whats right for another man.
 
*Not trying to derail the thread here but...*

You know, this is the ONLY place that I have been where there is 19+ posts into a religion topic and flame wars haven't started....

Congrats ODJT! There is patients and tolerance here, very scarce elsewhere.

Groovielou
 
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