What Religion?

[Jennifer5]

I know that we all share in many opinions, yet we all have our own opinions... we're a very varied group of people. I just thought it would be neat to see what people have to say... lets see what a wonderful combination of people we have here.:)

[Zerbie]

I clicked "other" because I DON'T KNOW!!!!!!
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I hate being asked what religion I am because I have to figure out what to say. I say either, "I don't know," or, "I don't have one," or "I don't have a religious affiliation."

Can anyone out there tell me what religion I am???!!! :confused::p :lol: :confused: :pray:

[Jennifer5]

Same as mine.... a girl I know actually named it OTHER .... weird name I know.... but people don't ask as many questions... it kind of explains itself:love:

[awediot]

Usually the term reluctant, or lousy Christian works, because 1. I am both, and 2. it tends to undermine the stereotype that pops into most peoples heads... thus the other. I don't know what Christians are anymore...

[Jennifer5]

That would probably also count as Other.... I know what you mean... a title of any sort seems horrible.... I hate having to call myself Christian, just because of a Christian school... you're right Awediot.... maybe I would feel differently if I really knew what Christian was... I just know that I don't like being connected with that name.:eek:

[Lydia]

I couldn't decide between Christian and Universalist, so I chose "other". I'm both a Christian and a Universalist that I believe that eventually everyone will accept God.

I don't believe in biblical innerancy and I think that the bible was "inspired" by man as much as it was inspired by God. I don't believe that most of the stories in the bible actually happened they way we think they did. I don't think we're suppose to take them literally, or that the truth of what happened ultimately even matters. The lessons behind the stories are much more important, IMO.

And yet God draws me closer still.

[Dash]

Post-Christian. :)

I 'spose that could use generous amplification, but don't feel like it at the moment.

[NonLemming]

Deism comes closest, though not 100%, by far.

[Daniel]

Well.... closeted no more perhaps.

Soulforce's meet and greet here in NYC before the Riders went up to West Point and got arrested was personally compelling for more than one reason: one of the Riders, when asked, identified herself as a Buddhist. That gave this writer, who is old enough to be her father, some courage. And while the title of this post is meant to be somewhat tongue in cheek, it really does describe my journey in the simplest terms possible.

Christianity vs Buddhism? Buddhists for the most part, don't see any conflict here and tend to be more concerned about practice than identification. The catholic writer Thomas Merton traversed this territory and was even known by Buddhist monks as the "Jesus Lama".

[NathanATX]

Christian Panentheism...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Shelby_Spong#Overall_Themes
One prominent theme in Spong's writing is the need to rethink the basic ideas of Christianity to make them consistent with a postmodern understanding of the universe. He believes, as did his theological predecessor, Bishop John A.T. Robinson, that theism has lost credibility as a valid conception of God's nature, preferring something more akin to panentheism. He identifies himself as a Christian because he believes that Jesus fully expressed God's presence and that Jesus was resurrected by God to "God's right hand", and that this is the meaning of the early Christian slogan of "Jesus is Lord" (Spong, 1994 and Spong, 1991). He rejects the historical truth of some Christian doctrines, such as the virgin birth (Spong, 1992) and the bodily resurrection of Jesus that he claims would define the resurrection as the literal resuscitation of the corpse of Jesus (Spong, 1994).

[revtj]

On what basis are you making a distinction between Christian and Universalist?

Unitarian Universalists, Bahai, and a few others teach that all religions are the same and if you are one of these faith traditions you would by default be a Universalist...

Universalism has different and not-same histories on the planet. Therefore I found the poll confused since I would consider myself a Universalist Christian, which relates to a definite faith tradition/history, whereas Universalism could be a Moonie, a Scientologist, a Hare Krishna, a Bahai, or a UU...all of them with radically different understandings of universalism!!

Obviously you can tell I don't identify with a vague category of "Universalist"

peace
tj

[Jennifer5]

To be honest revtj I don't know what I mean.... I probably would just check 'somewhere in there' for that...:)

[BillPLed]

I always have a hard time with this question too. I belong to an Alliance of Baptist Church. I practice mindfulness meditation and am very drawn to Buddhism. I love the teachings of such modern "mystics" as Eckhart Tolle, Gangaji, Byron Katie and Andrew Harvey. I answered Christian on the poll above since that is the one I identify with the most. I do not like categorizing myself, though. I understand why so many people like to say that they are "spiritual and not religious."

[Jennifer5]

I told you all in would be interesting to see what people say... we're all so different... yet, all so similar:love:

[Emproph]

I put “other,” because everything other than me keeps telling me that I’m a pantheist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheism).

[Zerbie]

So, Emproph, "Naturalistic" pantheist, or "classical" pantheist? (Skimmed the wikipedia article. . .)

[Jennifer5]

Zerbie.... we'll never be able to catch up to you.... you post non-stop:eek: But don't take that the wrong way...that's a good thing:love:

[Jennifer5]

just on a note.

Thanks again Jamie for watching these forums.... I say what light had tried to post... thanks for removing it:love:

[Zerbie]

Zerbie.... we'll never be able to catch up to you.... you post non-stop:eek: d thing:love:

:eek:

I do NOT!! :lol:

I didn't make a SINGLE post yesterday. Nada. Zilch. Niente. Nichts. Rien. And if ya hadnt'a posted THAT, I wouldn't 'a posted THIS. Nyah nyah nyah. :p

:lol:

[Jennifer5]

Fine, you're right.... you were good... but you don't have to do that... we all like having you around!:love:

[loveforall]

Dear Jennifer and all,

I am just a plain out-and-out Christian! I just believe that whatever the Bible says is what it means! Jesus is the greatest human being that ever lived! I look forward to bowing at his feet when I see Him face to face!

Remember, all of you are special in God's eyes! Doesn't mean you're right, but it does mean that he loves you with a love that won't quit!

I love you and God loves you! God bless you very much!

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death!
This scripture is found in Proverbs 14:6 and Proverbs 16:25.

Think about it!

[Jennifer5]

I hear what your saying, but I think I could understand more where you're coming from if you told us more about what you believe.:)

[loveforall]

Dear Jennifer,

I believe that Jesus is the Jewish and Gentile Messiah. I believe he died for the entire world. I beleive there is only one way to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. And I believe it is very important to take the Bible at face value.

That's it in a nutshell.

[Jennifer5]

Thanks! I'm just always interested in where people are coming from.:love:

[awediot]

It is interesting how frequently being a Christian is qualified, even excused... Good thing we've got closet experience. Love the simple forthrightness loveforall...

[Emproph]

Think about it! I think we do think about death and what is right and wrong. But sometimes the death of right and wrong is what's required to see (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOkxRLzBf0)...Him face to face!Enough Love, like your name. You get it. :tup: :)


So, Emproph, "Naturalistic" pantheist, or "classical" pantheist?Oh, classical definitely. The sun is a sentient being, My monitor is alive, I am the air, all is one, reincarnation, karma, the whole shebang. Did I mention that we’re inside th mind of God right now and we never left heaven?

But honestly, if I’d known I’d had to skim over an article to find out about my own "religion," I never would have joined. I didn't know you people actually clicked on those things? :eek: :shifty: :lol:

The whole point is that everything is all One. The idea of “which ONE" kind of defeats the purpose.

You know what, I'm coming out of the closet right now, Everything is God all the time forever no matter what, amen. So if you disagree with me, well, since you're God too, I guess you're free to believe that you're not God.

I think I’m just going to go back to everything is God, and is alive, we’re all one, we’ve always been alive, we never left heaven, etc., etc., etc.

You can see the appeal of the simplicity of just "Pantheism" now can't ya? :lol:

Besides too, the whole ‘theism’ thing makes it sound like there's something to think about, and who likes to think about God let alone about a god who is everything? Let alone about everything that a god who is everything implies? ...See what I mean? :eek:

[Zerbie]

Oh, classical definitely. The sun is a sentient being, My monitor is alive, I am the air, all is one, reincarnation, karma, the whole shebang. Did I mention that we’re inside th mind of God right now and we never left heaven?

But honestly, if I’d known I’d had to skim over an article to find out about my own "religion," I never would have joined. I didn't know you people actually clicked on those things? :eek: :shifty: :lol:

The whole point is that everything is all One. The idea of “which ONE" kind of defeats the purpose.

You know what, I'm coming out of the closet right now, Everything is God all the time forever no matter what, amen. So if you disagree with me, well, since you're God too, I guess you're free to believe that you're not God.

I think I’m just going to go back to everything is God, and is alive, we’re all one, we’ve always been alive, we never left heaven, etc., etc., etc.

You can see the appeal of the title "Pantheism" now can't ya? :lol:

Besides too, the whole ‘theism’ thing makes it sound like something to think about, and who wants to think about God? :eek:

:lol:

Thanks Emproph. We love you. :love:

[awediot]

and god said...

http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/spezial/Fool/kngt.gif