Religious affiliation

[Chiara_searches]

I'm sure this topic has been done before, but since there are new people here (myself included), I thought I'd ask the question. And come to think of it, I may have answered the question on another thread...but I couldn't find that thread today.

I was reading on a different site today (yes, something other than Lit - shock, gasp). A writer there identifies as atheist. I've heard from a few people here in the BDSM forums how they identify on the religious question. That unscientific sampling implies there are more agnostics and atheists in BDSM. Yes, I know...research must be conducted under much more strenuous circumstances. But it made me curious what everyone else here might say.

I call myself a spiritual agnostic. I believe there is a higher power. I believe it could exist in the parts of our brains that we don't use. I also believe it could exist as a life force in the universe in general. There are too many commonalities among religions to say any one is right. There are too many unknowns that still exist to say something "more" isn't out there.

I don't subscribe to any one church. I try to be charitable and when I have the means I "tithe" to charities a set portion of my income (but I favor non-religious charities). But there is way too much hypocrisy in the religions to which I have been exposed to make me a "believer." I mean, if they say do unto others but turn around and do the opposite of what they would want done, how can you not call them out for it.

So what do you call yourself if asked the inevitable question "What religion are you"? Why is that the label you use?

 

[Stella_Omega]

I'm not religious. I am not affiliated with any religion, or any church.

I am not "spiritual" in the sense that most Americans and English seem to mean by the word.

I don't believe things without something to warrant the belief-- once a fact has been proven, of course, then it's no longer a matter of belief anyways.

I do not believe in a god, or in any sort of "higher power" and I don't see what difference one would make in this universe. I can imagine beings exist that have bigger powers of manipulation than humans do, but that does not make them gods-- or, necessarily, higher powers-- just bigger.

There is no afterlife, and that's just fine with me-- although for sure I would love to extend this life a few hundred extra years. I want people to take responsibility for this life, and this earth that represents the only world and only life any of us will live.

I've seen the interconnectedness of everything-- via LSD, and also via meditation-- and it's cute, and the sight is certainly exhilarating, and the exhilaration can last a long long time after the experience. It's a fantastical artifact of the structure of our brains, IMO, no more meaningful than a trip to Disneyland--but every bit as pleasurable.

I guess I could say that I'm a rationalist, an emotionalist, and a compassionalist

 

[catalina_francisco]

Closest belief/philosophical system I subscribe to would be Buddhist. I have reached an age where I no longer see the point in calling people out for their religious beliefs and how their behaviour contradicts it....after all, I, like everyone else am far from perfect, nor have I been appointed to be the one to demand people try and live up to an ideal and exhibit perfection...it is a myth. As to charity, I am not so much interested in whether they are religious based or not, more whether they do what they promise to do and not pocket most of the funds for themselves or wasted via too much red tape and organisation.

I have also lived and experienced enough, (though not via drugs or substance abuse of any kind as I am not sure how that applies to proof or disproof of anything spiritual, quite the opposite I would think) to believe there is more to conciousness than this time we have on this planet. There is far too much documented from people who have died and been brought back to life to discount it as nonsense...and yes, I am sure there are some who will jump up and down and say the people weren't really dead, or it was a matter of suggestion through what they had read or heard of others, but given some of the documented experiences are from children far too young to have been exposed to any influencing knowledge I tend to believe what they have said, especially when the experiences are so similar as have been the knowledge they were given.

LOL, I only recently discovered that in my family, (as in cousins) I am not alone in this, nor am I the only one who has had an experience after a loved one passing and certainly only seemingly explained through a conciousness beyond the physical life...and in all cases in my family including my own, we were not looking or hoping for something to happen, it just did. There are a lot of things in this world which cannot be explained...doesn't make them false as the medical field themselves have discovered after discounting some things as impossible because they could not explain how they worked, only to now be using the methods or medications themselves as they have found a way to prove the truth of what many already knew. Having an open and accepting mind can be a valuable thing.

Catalina

 

[Kajira Callista]

I am roman catholic and proud. Im forever baited into arguments and put down for what I believe. People just dont get that it really doesnt matter what they think, my beliefs stay the same.

 

[teknight]

Atheist. Don't feel the need for the divine and I don't care for the stories. For what it's worth, I had to study religion for 9 years (Christian Orthodoxy), but that didn't turn me off in and of itself.

 

[Avellan13]

I`m Atheist. I understand what you mean nd how you fell Kajire. Where I live, about 90% of the population is Catholic or Christian (too many different groups to list) and they all think I`m ignorant and should follow their beliefs and ways. They don`t respect my views and won`t listen to me.

I only believe in what I can see, and in what can be proven real with actual physical evidence. I admire CERN and there research into the Big Bang theory.

 

[rekane]

I was raised in a very dogmatic religion and was practicing until about 6 years ago.

I am currently, and happily, uninvolved with any religion.

I do believe in some higher power, the universe, or what you will - a big picture PYL. But I am loathe to define it much beyond that.

 

[intothewoods]

Agnostic jew.

 

[JMohegan]

Agnostic, period.

 

[Skaoi]

I’m an atheist and have been so for around 12yrs. I usually try to stay away from religious talk with friends and family because of how deeply personal a subject it is for people. It took a long time for me to have enough guts to admit out loud I’m an atheist when asked what religion I was. (The look on some people’s faces made me feel like I had just admitted to murdering puppies) I don’t care what other views people subscribe to, as long as they don’t try to shove it down my throat or “save me”. Although I will say I have found myself being a smidge condescending to people who discuss their belief in a God at times. Character flaw, working on it. But really, you really believe there was an ark with two of every kind on it?

You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.
L. Ron Hubbard

 

[Et_Tu_Brute]

Nontheist Quaker here - I don't harm anyone unless they ask me to first.

 

[ImOnIt]

Atheist. I had a few days (fuck you, religious pamphlets) where I was terrified of hell and eternal burning. I mean, taking something out of the oven is SECONDS of burning and eternity is longer than from now until lunchtime! I am semi-pissed that various religious groups dominate the 'community' groups around here, because otherwise I fucking love community groups.

Minus remove the reverence and carryings on that religion is silly and ludicrous. Case in point: look at Middle Eastern law. here Doesn't help that I've seen people my own age go into training for the clergy.

Also the catholic church is rich and their pope lives in luxury.
Aristotle's ideas about virtue makes plenty of sense.

TLDR: practicioners of religion also have a lack of internal consistency.

 

[subish2009]

Recovering Catholic. On my more rational, confident, all-is-fairly-right-with-my-world days, atheist. On my more emotional, needy, less rational days, agnostic.

 

[teknight]

Agnostic, period.

This will be a cheap shot, but: you're not sure about the nature of periods?

 

[BiBunny]

I've got a weird mix of Christian and Eastern religious beliefs (mostly Hindu). I don't subscribe to any sort of affiliation, though.

 

[JamieJ424]

I don't really support the idea of religion. I agree with certain religious teachings, but it seems like, generally speaking, religion causes more problems and misunderstandings between people than it resolves.

That said, I also can't accept the notion that a string of coincidences dating back 4 billion years resulted in...me. My kids.

I guess that makes me an agnostic too.

 

[welkin]

Leaning towards atheism, but agnostic because I can't prove it. =)

 

[teknight]

Leaning towards atheism, but agnostic because I can't prove it. =)

Neither can the other side. I'm an atheist because I refuse to believe.

 

[Flintvoyager]

I'm a Christian and proud of it!

 

[Lizzie_Borden]

I don't believe in religion, or god.

I'm been thinking about looking into some personal spirituality type things though.

 

[Primalex]

As scientists can't tell me where the Big Bang mass came from and priests can't tell me where God came from, I will still pray to God when my airplane is about to crash but yet violate the ninth commandment of the roman catholic church, without worrying too much about my afterlife.

The religion that would get my "Like" click, would be the roman catholic church, for their persistence/stubbornness in refusing the change of their dogma just because people in the 21st century have a problem with it.

 

[FurryFury]

According to the Belief o matic quiz I'm a Secular Humanism type of person. I like the term. I also like the term Freethinker.

I believe in nothing that I can't feel or which can't be proven.

I believe in personal responsibility for actions and freedom of thought.

I believe in being honest but as kindly as possible.

I do not believe in any higher being.

I do not believe in an after life.

I'd love it if some sort of tolerant cosmic consciousness were to exist, perhaps even rebirth. If such a thing was, I think it would only be fair if you got an instruction booklet. One that clearly listed how you excelled or fucked up in a previous life so you could understand why you had been rewarded or penalized rather than having to blindly accept the life you were born into.

Really, to me, that's what most religions and belief systems are, ways to make you accept the life you are born into, rather than overcome. I'm not into that.

FF

 

[BunnyHopper]

... I've heard from a few people here in the BDSM forums how they identify on the religious question. That unscientific sampling implies there are more agnostics and atheists in BDSM. ...

I *think* (not know), there are loads of religious people into BDSM. Isn't there like separate Christian BDSM sites? I'm also quite sure it would be pretty inherent in Islam as well. In fact, I'd venture to say that what we call BDSM is just part of many religions.

Myself? Ignostic with a Buddhist streak.

 

[Etoile]

Jewish by ethnicity, Unitarian Universalist by upbringing, atheist as an adult.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

United Church of Nonsense (reformed), owing to the Taoist/Unitarian/Anglican splinter of 1859.

Also, I believe strongly that the chairs on one's porch should be made of actual wood, and not molded plastic.