[Se7enMeister]

just wondering, if anyone else on the .org was religious, dosent matter what. and PLEASE no negative posts

EDIT: ok i am not a methodist my self but my family is, i belive in living a good life with god as an example and personal experiances as a means to get closer to him

[The Dark Wolf]

Hell no. I was raised with that shit.

That said, I definitely am a believer in God, and feel I have a lifelong relationship with him. I feel life is about discovering these mysteries, and my relationship and faith in God is, I believe, one of the greatest positives in my life.

I just do not in any way trust religion to... facilitate that relationship. Religion is "God is telling you...", whereas relationship is, "God is telling me." Subtle, but dramatically important difference.

[Zepp88]

I've never been religious myself, although I think that faith in something can be a good thing for some people. I think people should find that something on their own, and I don't really like organised religion.

Sometimes I can have some "spiritual" leanings, I feel that there is definetly "something else" Heaven? Hell? I don't know, but I feel that it is there.

I also have little use for the bible, but I think that The Ten Commandments is one of the most important things ever written.

[Gilbucci]

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

Hell no. I was raised with that shit.

That said, I definitely am a believer in God, and feel I have a lifelong relationship with him. I feel life is about discovering these mysteries, and my relationship and faith in God is, I believe, one of the greatest positives in my life.

I just do not in any way trust religion to... facilitate that relationship. Religion is "God is telling you...", whereas relationship is, "God is telling me." Subtle, but dramatically important difference.

This is exactly how I'd describe my relationship with God. I don't really believe that you have to be in a 'fixed' religious 'group' to have a relationship with him. I have my own unique relationship with him, and I think that's what people should ultimately look for.

[Metal Ken]

I too, like boober, was raised on it. And that was more than enough for me. Difference between me and him is that i'm a spiteful motherfucker.

Though, i'm a strong follower of the crowlean thelema philosophy. Once again, its a personal thing and not a 'fixed religious group' thing.

[The Dark Wolf]

^ To Gilbucci. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that any serious pursuit of developing that relationship USING religious channels can in fact be detrimental to it.

Religion, in spite of some of its benefits, is almost always exclusionary and limiting. How can anyone, let alone human beings, apply that kind of dogmatic thinking to something and someone as... transcendent as God?

It so often ends up being divisive and the root of all kinds of conflict.

[Zepp88]

Exactly Boober

Nobody really know's the truth, or has all the answers, so indoctrinating it and controlling people by it is just silly and dangerous.

[Gilbucci]

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

^ To Gilbucci. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that any serious pursuit of developing that relationship USING religious channels can in fact be detrimental to it.

Religion, in spite of some of its benefits, is almost always exclusionary and limiting. How can anyone, let alone human beings, apply that kind of dogmatic thinking to something and someone as... transcendent as God?

It so often ends up being divisive and the root of all kinds of conflict.

Nailed it, man, once again.

I know quite a few people that firmly stand by whatever the bible says, and while they think it's completely normal, from my point of view it seems pretty much insane. It is extremely limiting, like you said, and really gives you no room to do much of anything. While I believe in trying to be the best overall person you can be, I do NOT believe in trying to be the 'perfect' human being, because that doesn't exist.

[Naren]

I was raised in a Christian household and went to a non-denomination Christian elementary and a private Baptist high school, but I don't believe in any religion. I personally don't believe in the existance in God (I've always been a very analytical scientific minded person -- or, as the Christians would say, a "doubting Thomas" ).

However, I am not an atheist. I would say that I'm more like an agnostic. I cannot completely outrule the existence of God, but I have personally never experienced anything that would convince me he's there, he's never spoken to me, and - for many reasons - the existence of God does not seem logical. However, human's have been wrong so many times in history that I would never say anything absolute in regards to it.

[Zepp88]

Originally Posted by Naren

I was raised in a Christian household and went to a non-denomination Christian elementary and a private Baptist high school, but I don't believe in any religion. I personally don't believe in the existance in God (I've always been a very analytical scientific minded person -- or, as the Christians would say, a "doubting Thomas" ).

However, I am not an atheist. I would say that I'm more like an agnostic. I cannot completely outrule the existence of God, but I have personally never experienced anything that would convince me he's there, he's never spoken to me, and - for many reasons - the existence of God does not seem logical. However, human's have been wrong so many times in history that I would never say anything absolute in regards to it.

That's also a good summary of how I feel on the subject