Which is the most tolerant religion?

[Recidiva]

Although there is a nice Zen drinking glass you can get:

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/82253/2/istockphoto_82253_cupped_hands.jpg

I actually had someone perform a Zen tarot reading. Pretended to flip over cards and read my fortune.

There's some interesting fornication between philosophies.

 

[Monkey_Face]

I don't want the religion that's the most tolerant, I just want the religion that's right. I mean, if you hold the secrets of the universe, you're doing everyone else a favor by making them do what you say, right?

 

[Recidiva]

I don't want the religion that's the most tolerant, I just want the religion that's right. I mean, if you hold the secrets of the universe, you're doing everyone else a favor by making them do what you say, right?

I think the best religions tend to deal with the subject matter of "Don't Panic: It's okay if you don't know the secrets of the Universe."

 

[tactful]

Are there any cheap religions out there, because all the ones I see want money, I always thought faith was suppose to be free?

 

[SemiColon]

Are there any cheap religions out there, because all the ones I see want money, I always thought faith was suppose to be free?

My grnadmother broke with the Catholic church over money and my grandfather left the Jewish temple over money. I was raised Unitarian, and while it is totally the most tolerant religon (believing in God or any diety is purely optional) they do ask for money and it does piss me off. I understand that it costs money to run the place, but if I'm seeking a religous or intellecutal experience, I don't want to be "reminded" to put money in the collection plate. Just pass it and shut up.

 

[Recidiva]

Are there any cheap religions out there, because all the ones I see want money, I always thought faith was suppose to be free?

Faith is free. But render unto Caesar.

If you want a place to meet and coffee to drink while you're being faithful, you're dealing with rent and construction materials, taxes, maintenance and a grocery bill.

I think going to Church and not contributing even on that basis is fairly rude.

It's like going to a pot luck dinner every week and not bringing any food of your own.

 

[Recidiva]

My grnadmother broke with the Catholic church over money and my grandfather left the Jewish temple over money. I was raised Unitarian, and while it is totally the most tolerant religon (believing in God or any diety is purely optional) they do ask for money and it does piss me off. I understand that it costs money to run the place, but if I'm seeking a religous or intellecutal experience, I don't want to be "reminded" to put money in the collection plate. Just pass it and shut up.

Unitarians are pretty tolerant of people who want to learn and are "enlightened" intellectually.

Put a Unitarian in a room with an ignorant person with poor spelling, and someone's gonna die.

 

[breakwall]

Unitarians are pretty tolerant of people who want to learn and are "enlightened" intellectually.

Put a Unitarian in a room with an ignorant person with poor spelling, and someone's gonna die.

I've often felt that Unitarianism is hobbled by their over-inclusiveness. They are so determined to include everyone that they water their beliefs down into a rather thin gruel of "okay whatever".

I can do "okay whatever" at home.

 

[Recidiva]

I've often felt that Unitarianism is hobbled by their over-inclusiveness. They are so determined to include everyone that they water their beliefs down into a rather thin gruel of "okay whatever".

I can do "okay whatever" at home.

Yes, Unitarians are intolerant of those who think they know the absolute answers.

It's intellectual athleticism. "How many ideas can I juggle at once without saying "Oh come on, that's bullshit" to any of them and thus insult my neighbor."

I did belong to a Unitarian congregation in Massachussetts for a brief amount of time. Might as well show up with your brain in a track suit. It wasn't comforting or restful, it was competitive and so open minded I feared often that the exhausted brains had fallen out.

"The thuggee cult...what does that really mean spiritually?"
"I think it meant robbing and murdering travelers."
"I'm sure that is a distortion of history. There must be some deep, spiritual meaning..."

No, I didn't have this exact conversation, but I swear I had a lot like it.

 

[breakwall]

Yes, Unitarians are intolerant of those who think they know the absolute answers.

It's intellectual athleticism. "How many ideas can I juggle at once without saying "Oh come on, that's bullshit" to any of them and thus insult my neighbor."

I did belong to a Unitarian congregation in Massachussetts for a brief amount of time. Might as well show up with your brain in a track suit. It wasn't comforting or restful, it was competitive and so open minded I feared often that the exhausted brains had fallen out.

"The thuggee cult...what does that really mean spiritually?"
"I think it meant robbing and murdering travelers."
"I'm sure that is a distortion of history. There must be some deep, spiritual meaning..."

No, I didn't have this exact conversation, but I swear I had a lot like it.

You know what really threw me off?
The hymns.

Here is a group of finely educated intellectuals, expounding on the validity of faith and conviction, of the underlying sanctity of mythology and spiritual narrative...

And they become so unable to self-criticize that they include hymns. And they are traditional hymns re-written with an inclusive, non-deity language that makes them practically parody.

 

[Recidiva]

You know what really threw me off?
The hymns.

Here is a group of finely educated intellectuals, expounding on the validity of faith and conviction, of the underlying sanctity of mythology and spiritual narrative...

And they become so unable to self-criticize that they include hymns. And they are traditional hymns re-written with an inclusive, non-deity language that makes them practically parody.

I know! It's actually creepy. It has a real censorship vibe. It's like knocking off David's penis and drawing in a happy face.

You wonder why they don't make their own statues? A Unitarian statue would have to include all walks of life and all facial expressions and all gender possibilities. Too much work. Better to just knock off bits of other works of art.

I gained an appreciation for specificity. Believing in everything can be just as counterproductive as believing in only one thing.

 

[breakwall]

I know! It's actually creepy. It has a real censorship vibe. It's like knocking off David's penis and drawing in a happy face.

You wonder why they don't make their own statues? A Unitarian statue would have to include all walks of life and all facial expressions and all gender possibilities. Too much work. Better to just knock off bits of other works of art.

I gained an appreciation for specificity. Believing in everything can be just as counterproductive as believing in only one thing.

The wishy-washy nature put me off.
I've never known a group to argue so passionately about something and yet come to absolutely no conclusion.

Except for every board meeting I've ever been in.

 

[marshalt]

I like how everyone thinks that God doesn't have standards.

 

[breakwall]

I like how everyone thinks that God doesn't have standards.

Which God?

 

[Recidiva]

The wishy-washy nature put me off.
I've never known a group to argue so passionately about something and yet come to absolutely no conclusion.

Except for every board meeting I've ever been in.

Me too. I thought it was such a great idea.

Turns out that being inclusive as a principle of faith instead of reason...is messed up in practice. Nice idea, but it reminded me of some of my other spiritual experiments:

I'd try to make peace with roaches in my apartment. I'd meditate on it, welcome them to my space, but ask them to leave me and my food alone. First night I woke up with one of them on my face, I poisoned the lot. Ungrateful wretches. Not listening, either. Not interested in inclusion. At least not inclusion that left me with anything of my own.

When I was younger I remembered reading that only the female mosquito fed on humans. I felt humbled, compassionate...mosquitos would light on me and I'd let them feed, thinking I was contributing to the circle of life.

Then one day I thought "Who the hell wants more mosquitos?" and I started slapping and poisoning them again.

Being entirely inclusive is not often in the best interest of the individual. Particularly when you're placing yourself at risk of accepting parasitic thoughts, parasitic individuals, as partners somehow.

Again, nice thought, but entirely stupid to apply across the board as an article of faith.

It's okay for roaches and mosquitos to exist - out there. Not on my stuff.

 

[marshalt]

Which God?

Any god.

 

[Recidiva]

Any god.

I bet even the Flying Spaghetti Monster insists on durum wheat composition.

 

[LMT]

I vote for the Church of the Subgenius or the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

 

[renard_ruse]

Which religion do you feel is overall the most tolerant in it's beliefs toward other religions, lack of other's religious beliefs, human sexuality, and equality between sexes?

Let me guess? You think these are good things? I do not agree with you those are good things in the first place, so I think your thread is STUPID.

 

[LMT]

One more nomination: The Pontifical Harrier Parish.

 

[Hester]

http://www.google.com/custom?domain...0000FF;GFNT:0000FF;GIMP:0000FF;FORID:1;&hl=en

 

[Hester]

http://www.religioustolerance.org/

 

[GreyPriapus]

The most tolerant religion is no religion!

I contend that we are all atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you.

When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

 

[Monkey_Face]

I think the best religions tend to deal with the subject matter of "Don't Panic: It's okay if you don't know the secrets of the Universe."

But I waaaaant to!

 

[iceburg1]

I don't want the religion that's the most tolerant, I just want the religion that's right. I mean, if you hold the secrets of the universe, you're doing everyone else a favor by making them do what you say, right?

I don't want religion full stop.