Religion!

[Shadow__Dweller]

itsalwaysbeentoolate

i personally am a satanist. i have no particular branch or anything. i have a specific set of beliefs that are pretty unique. im not openly prejudiced about others religions. if your a decent person i dont care what your religion is or if you even have one. i believe that religion should not affect the way people look at you because its really your choice what you want to believe in.

Agreed. I don't know anything about Satanism. Could you tell me what sort of things you believe in? I'm intereted. 3nodding  

[Airforce Soldier]

I hate organized religon most, people act horrible to each other and think they can get wiped clean by going to church. ANd functions at church! Those are horrible, at a bake sale my mom's church has, two people fought over the price of a brownie.  

[-Resurrected Writer-]

I spent most of my life as a fairly devout Catholic, ended-up turning athiest due to some ideas I eventually had. Said ideas have pretty much landed me in between two theory camps - absurdism, when I'm having a good day; or nihilism, when I'm having a bad day.

However, I don't see religion as a bad thing. I've known many good religious people, though said people do not include Fred Phelps or Osama bin Laden.  

[Shadow__Dweller]

-Resurrected Writer-

I spent most of my life as a fairly devout Catholic, ended-up turning athiest due to some ideas I eventually had. Said ideas have pretty much landed me in between two theory camps - absurdism, when I'm having a good day; or nihilism, when I'm having a bad day.

However, I don't see religion as a bad thing. I've known many good religious people, though said people do not include Fred Phelps or Osama bin Laden.

I know many good religious people too and it doesn't do any harm to them, but it can do alot of harm in the hands of other people I believe. Astrology is my "religion".  

[minimishi]

i believe that everyone should have their own personal realationship with who/whatever they consider "god" and be accepting of others religious and personal beliefs and not discriminate against or turn away from those with opposing beliefs.

I myself am a Pagan. i know that is a rather vague term, but it is the best way to describe what i believe... it is an Earth religion, and has to do with worshiping the "god" within you and the world around you. the spirits in the trees & the animals, and believing in the things that you cannot see!
I'm part Native American, and have learned alot about their culture & beliefs from my aunt growing up, and it has made the most sense to me!

i have never really been able to wrap my mind around the christian religions... the bible to be exact... same with satanism, but that is easier to understand cause it is all about greed & worshiping yourself! (which is natural instincs & human nature to do so)
the buddhist, and hindus i can understand more because they were worshiping eachother, and the love & peace that was all around if you only loved & respected eachother!

I have studied alot, and have made my own conclusions about religion, and i believe everyone should do the same! create your own oppinions about what is right for you! do not be a part of a religion just because some one has told you to... find what fits for you & follow it/ live it/ LOVE IT!  

[Shadow__Dweller]

minimishi

I have studied alot, and have made my own conclusions about religion, and i believe everyone should do the same! create your own oppinions about what is right for you! do not be a part of a religion just because some one has told you to... find what fits for you & follow it/ live it/ LOVE IT!

I definately agree. I can't understand people who have grown up following their religion because their parents taught it them and they still believe in it and haven't even questioned it. It's fine to still believe in something that you've grown up with, but some people don't even question it or think about it as they get older. That's why I don't think parents should bring up their kids with a religion..or at least they shouldn't make it a big emphasis in their lives, because kids don't understand it properly and will believe anything...you should make up your mind as an adult.  

[Pagan89]

Religion puts a handicap on all of us and it makes us harder to get along, believe what you want, knowing right from wrong matters, but when you have a tramatizing experience some people beg for god to save them, death is inevitable, Religion is a way to make time fly like computers, just some thing to stimulate the brain and make us think. religion is a circle outside of that circle we will become who we truly are and want to be.

I am pagan i believe in science i believe in mother earth and the elements. But it still is a binding to believe in a religion i cant even wear a pentacle on my neck because my family are ignorant. more and more you research each religion you learn, all have basic codes of conduct, religion is something we created to rattle the brain, make us think  

[Shadow__Dweller]

Pentalces are good symbols anyway aren't they? There is nothing negative about them like people believe just because they associate them with magic or satan. The upright pentacle has nothing to with Satan..but that's what you get for seeing it in horror movies etc..people believe what they see in the media.

I have nothing against people living their life with a way that suits their faith if it makes them feel stronger and better able to cope...but when people think that when something bad happens in their life (like their child is ill or..anything) that it's because God is punishing them...that's unhealthy...life is LIFE...bad things happen to everyone, even those that don't deserve it..and it is not God's doing..just because you follow a religion devoutly doesn't mean that you will have everything you want and won't have to suffer...that's a lousy reason for believing in a religion anyway..it's a selfish idea..  

[Taeyeon1144]

im a catholic but i dont believe in everything  

[ReshefTheDark]

This thread seems pretty dead, but I'll post out of boredom.

I do not wish to cause an argument with anyone over this post. If you wish to yell at me for what I said, or wish to prove me wrong, then please be respectful and message me about it. If you are truly offended, then ask politely, and I'll take this down.

I believe in evolution. My problem with religion, is that it inevitably becomes an excuse to do whatever you want.

For example: During the age of Dynasties, something called the Mandate of Heaven was used quite often. This Mandate was a declaration that stated "the current leader is failing. In his place, god wants me to rule." These statements could not be proven or disproven, and often the religous citizens would allow the new ruler to step up and take charge.

Example 2: When colonizing America, the colonists claimed that it was "god's will" to spread the new country from "sea to shining sea". Thus the land was pillaged and conquered until everything was taken.

Example 3: The crusades, where we tried to retake the holy land, and try to recover sacred relics.

Example 4: The United States (where I live) claim to be religously tolerant. However, during the Obama elections, a pandamonium errupted when Obama was declared a muslim by an unknown source. This was complete bull, but many voters were willing to change their vote because Obama wasn't a Christian.

In conclusion, I do not critisize people for standing firm to their beliefs. I can respect that. It's just when things get out of hand that I dislike. I don't want to force my lack of belief onto others, unlike some people force theirs. It's only when my lifestyle is effected (heavily, I may add) that I become upset with the way things are. I actually got detention once for not saying the Pledge of Allegiance in class. I just refuse to say it because it implies a god loving country. Now that is bull.