Curiosity might have killed the cat, but this cat owner is still curious :)

Purely out of curiosity?

I was thinking of something.

I wonder if anyone who would be willing to comment on what particular religion they choose (or lack thereof).

I think sometimes it is cool to meet people of "like faith" whatever that "faith" is. Myself, I am Christian and I can tell from older posts that there are other Christians here too- that's great. Now, who are ya? LOL

"For where two or three come together there I am in the midst"-  (Matt 18:20)

OR

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. (Hebrews 10:25

This is not meant as a debate thread, nor as a prying thread. It is just a "curiosity" thread. And certainly if you don't feel comfortable making anything public, feel free to pm me...

Mel

You mean, what religion I would choose right? 

My parents are Catholic so I was baptized as one when I was born, but to be honest, I do not practice it anymore. 

I admire Shinto/Buddhism religion.  "Unlike many monotheistic religious practices, Shinto and Buddhism typically do not require professing faith to be a believer or a practitioner" (from Wikipedia). I believe in Kami - that everything has a spirit. Shinto also teaches to live in harmony with nature and strive for purity.

Nebula said:

This is not meant as a debate thread,

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Everyone please keep this in mind while posting. This is not the IMO forum.

I think I'm more of an agnostic than anything. I want to believe in a higher being, but I'm just not sure what that being is. I guess I just don't know enough to be anything more. I don't know that God exists, but I also don't know that He or She doesn't. (And that doesn't make any sense....I know that.)

Winchester said:

I think I'm more of an agnostic than anything. I want to believe in a higher being, but I'm just not sure what that being is. I guess I just don't know enough to be anything more. I don't know that God exists, but I also don't know that He or She doesn't. (And that doesn't make any sense....I know that.)

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This is pretty much my stance on things as well. Many members of my family are Seventh Day Adventists, which is quite strict. That is how I was raised, but into my teens, I basically told my family that it was time to start making my own decisions.

I am a Christian and go to church every Sunday, sometimes more. My hubby is an Usher and I am one of the Greeters.

I look at the miracles in nature, and I think that all this could not have just happened. There have been miracles in my life that, to me, prove God's existence.

I dont believe in a higher power never have, I was baptised a christian, then forced to church every sunday then forced to be confirmed then when I could make my mind up myself I chose science

Proud atheist here

I was raised southern Baptist.... not quite as extreme as the Seventh-Day Adventists, but my mom's family is Pentecostal. So, almost. :lol3:

When I was 14 or so, I began to seriously question Christianity, especially organized, because of some personal developments in my life. After a lot of conflict, my parents finally relented on forcing me to go to church. Then I had a time of searching and reflection, and eventually came to the conclusion that belief in an omnipotent being and the world I observe around me are almost certainly mutually exclusive.

So that's my story

I am a Christian; charismatic-non-denominational.  My parents were both raised Catholic and I was until I was in the 3rd grade I think it was.  4th at the most.  My Mom was dating a guy who went to a First Assembly of God church and he started bringing us there.  Amazingly ( ) at pretty much the same time my Dad and then step-mom started going to the same church.  Things changed a lot for all of us over the years there and when we moved here and found our current church.  It was during those  years we first learned that our faith could be about more than religion or tradition; but about relationship.  I won't say things were perfect and definitely not always easy; but I've seen the "fruit of my faith."  I've seen the blessing on the other side of the storm/mountain.  It's a great comfort to know when I'm going through something; there is always something better and amazing on the other side. 

I'm in a lot of conflict with religion right now. My whole life, I've kind of been brainwashed by my father that there is no God. Since I've started dating my boyfriend, my views have changed a lot. It seems like I'm always back and forth and I pretty much always end up right where I started off.   

Nebula said:

This is not meant as a debate thread, nor as a prying thread. It is just a "curiosity" thread. 

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I don't consider myself to be particularly religious.

My Father was Anglican, but he didn't believe in God so really he was Athiest. My Mom was Ukranian Catholic. I was raised Catholic.

Though my life I've explored relgion and as a child of 9 years or so, took it upon myself to go to a church at the corner of my street. I think it was Anglican. Because I was a kid, I was made to take Sunday School, and was never allowed upstairs for the service. I think I went with a friend of mine for maybe a year.

Then when I was around 14 or 15 or so, I joined my friend's church. Again Anglican. I was in the choir, which is the only reason I really went.  That was for maybe 6 months.

Then I stopped going to church for many years.  When I was 19 I met a guy whose family was Penacostal. They went to a Mormon church. He wasn't particularly religious, but we often went to church with his family.  We dated and were engaged and lived together for about 4.5 years.

When I was in my mid 20's I would go occasionally with a friend to her church, a non denominational one. However, there were a number of Pentacostal members, and the feel of the service was more along the lines of Pentacostal to me.

I haven't been to church in probably 10 years.  But I have been thinking about going again. Religion is one of those things that I struggle with. I still don't believe in a higher deity but I enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling that I sometimes have after going to church. Plus I like the socialization aspect of it.  If I do start going again occasionally, it will likely be to the last church I was going to with my friend, the non denominational one.

I am a non-denominational Christian. 

I was baptised and raised evangelist and was taught religion in school, but am a strict practicing Orthodox Atheist.  Being a history buff, learning about the Greek and Roman and all the other many deities man has worshiped over the years, it just became apparent to me that today's religion is tomorrow's mythology.  

Catkiki said:

..I look at the miracles in nature, and I think that all this could not have just happened. There have been miracles in my life that, to me, prove God's existence.

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yayi said:

...I admire Shinto/Buddhism religion.  "Unlike many monotheistic religious practices, Shinto and Buddhism typically do not require professing faith to be a believer or a practitioner" (from Wikipedia). I believe in Kami - that everything has a spirit. Shinto also teaches to live in harmony with nature and strive for purity...

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Natalie_ca said:

....I still don't believe in a higher deity but I enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling that I sometimes have after going to church. Plus I like the socialization aspect of it.... 

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I think that generally speaking "God" is an invention of man, but organized religion provides a moral structure and social interaction that many people enjoy and need. I believe in "God" like I believe in "the Universe." I don't believe in a deity of any kind (or I believe everything is a manifestation of "God:" either way works for me). But I don't think of "God" as some all-knowing, all-seeing "uber person." I think that like the Universe, "G-d" is beyond our comprehension.

I believe in "God," as I believe in "Oneness," "Universal Energy," "the Paw" (as Winchester calls it ), the "Light" and/or "the Way." I don't think the name matters, and I don't think how you "package" it matters - only to the extent of personal taste or cultural upbringing. I'm as comfortable using the word "prayer" as I am the word "vibes." I believe we ("we" being all things) are all united in Spirit whether we're aware of it or not. I believe we are all children of God, and that we are (literally) stardust. I believe the universe wastes nothing, therefore I believe in transformation, in life beyond death, in eternal energy. I believe we are a ripple in time, and our souls vibrate eternally.

I think life, consciousness, and awareness of self, is in and of itself a miracle.

:heart3:

Wow what different views, pretty cool how we can all come together for the love of cats lol.

@ Catiki- That is my stance on it as well. I can't look at the life around me, the world around me- creation points to a creator. The Mona lisa didn't paint itself, nor did the painter throw some random paint on a canvas that formed her- she was thought out, painted, and planned.

To quote CS Lewis:

"I believe in God as I believe in the sun. Not that I can see it, but that by it I see everything else"

I think that sums it up (at least for me)

I respect all religions really. Me personally, I was raised a pastors child and never turned from it. I run a full time ministry and don't know how I would live my life without God.

Anyway I guess the main reason I posted this here is becasue I don't have IMO permissions lol

@MoochNNoodles- Very awesome

Mel

Nebula said:

Wow what different views, pretty cool how we can all come together for the love of cats lol.

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:nod: :bigthumb:

Nebula said:

To quote CS Lewis:

"I believe in God as I believe in the sun. Not that I can see it, but that by it I see everything else"

I think that sums it up (at least for me)

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Sums it up for me too.

Nebula said:

I respect all religions really. Me personally, I was raised a pastors child and never turned from it. I run a full time ministry and don't know how I would live my life without God.

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I wasn't a pastor's child. I went to Episcopalian Sunday School. I didn't find God (only) in church or only in the Bible, but I wouldn't want to live my life without God either. :heart3:

To me, staying in his word is most important. Even more important than church.

I feel I had been "indoctrinated' so long, which is why i have reservations abotu organized churches.

I feel Christians would be much better off, if they focused on what the Bible says, and then found a church that backs it up- not find a church they like that twists scripture into what they want.

I'm not touching that one, because this isn't IMO. :lol3:

Nebula said:

To me, staying in his word is most important. Even more important than church.

I feel I had been "indoctrinated' so long, which is why i have reservations about organized churches.

I feel Christians would be much better off, if they focused on what the Bible says, and then found a church that backs it up- not find a church they like that twists scripture into what they want.

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That sums it up for me too. My church is a charismatic  non-denominational church also. Our Pastors teach directly from the Bible, not some doctrine.

I'm christian from birth BUT I beleive in many other concepts that exist in other religions too. I believe that people should concentrate not so much on religion but on being good, moral people. I think that's what most religions and/or beleifs want you to be anyways. If you just concentrate on being good then you'll be rewarded when you die no matter what religion you are.   I also kind of believe that every religion could be the same. If you compare most religions to each other, there are too many similarities. Who's to say, we could all be worshipping the same higher being and that higher being just has presented itself differently to better relate to people of a specific region or time. I think this could be even for religions that have multiple gods/goddesses, even those relgions have a "King of the Gods" or the ultimate God and then the smaller gods, or sprirts that tend to smaller matters. My family has a very old bible, I can't say which version because its cover is so worn you can make out much more than BIBLE on the cover but it says along the lines of  "Thou shall not worship any god higher than myself" so if you take that literal than he's not saying that there's not any other gods but he doesn't want you to worship any of them over Himself.      I guess everything is how you interpet though. One person may read something and take it one way and another might take it another way.

Anyways point being, be a good person, be tolerent, be kind and you'll be rewarded for it no matter what religion.  Just being you call yourself a "good" Christian or "good" Catholic or a "good"  whatever, if you treat others badly, if you condemn someone for their beleifs then you aren't being a "good" what ever religion you are.