Religion Survey (for me)

[Erizhoul]

Hello, I am Erizhoul. A bit of an introduction here...

I'm agnostic, though I was Christian for the first 15 or so years of my life. In order to graduate from high school where I live, I must do extensive research on a topic of my choosing and write a paper among other various activities. The topic I chose is very connected with religion (the exact specifics I cannot say as it would unduly bias the results).

Now on to the survey. I understand and realize that this is very much NOT a random sample, but I, being a poor man, have only my dreams. That is, I do not have the resources to properly conduct this survey, BUT as the results need only show general trend, I hope they will still be applicable. As it would make no sense to have you answer in the thread, please send your answers to [removed] and post in the thread saying you have sent it to me. Also please don't comment on the survey as that would cause influence on other people's answers. Thanks in advance.

(numerical shortcuts):
1 - Buddhism
2 - Christianity
3 - Confucianism
4 - Hinduism
5 - Islam
6 - Judaism
7 - Shinto
8 - Sikhism
9 - Taoism
10 - Zoroastrianism
Q - None
If other, specify.

General Questions (one religion answer):
1. What religion do you practice?

What religion would you say is the….
2. Most different from Christianity?
3. Most different from Hinduism?
4. Most peaceful religion?
5. Most warlike religion?

Specific Questions (one or more religion answer)

Which religion contains the belief that…
6. Man/Man’s soul was created in the image of a powerful deity?
7. The evil are punished upon death and the good rewarded?
8. The ultimate divine being is a paradox, unchanging yet flexible,
peaceful yet wrathful, etc.
9. Humans should embark on a path to discover the ultimate truth?
10. The world began good but later was corrupted/made less good.
11. a Nirvana exists which is a land of bliss and perfection.
12. Acceptance of this religion causes a purification of past actions?
13. The ultimate divine-being is known by many different names?
14. The world/earth is inevitably headed towards apocalypse?


When sending to me just do:

1. 4
2. 5
3. Wicca

And so on.

[I, Brian]

Hi Erizhoul, and welcome to CR.

I've taken the liberty of removing your e-mail address, because e-mail harvesting is a real issue on the internet. Even though that may not be your intention, I cannot encourage people to actively send their e-mail addersses so carelessly.

You may find it easier to conduct the survey online here on this thread only - after all, people's opinions on religious matters are not usually changed very easily.

[barefootgal9]

General Questions (one religion answer):
1. What religion do you practice? Other: Baha'i

What religion would you say is the….
2. Most different from Christianity?
3. Most different from Hinduism?
4. Most peaceful religion?
5. Most warlike religion?

2. and 3. Other: Christianity/Hinduism- Vedanta/Islam/Judaism/ Buddhism/Baha'i all one unfolding Ancient Faith of God. Spiritual principles the same -- dogmas and practices are result of place, time, culture of appearance. And understandings get cluttered with human ideas over time.

4. and 5. All religious texts teach peace (how far the peace extends, you will find, depends on the chronology of the text -- early faiths - tribe - nation -- later faiths more broadly -- latest (Baha'i) all mankind.) followers interpret to suit their own agendas. The highest praiseworthy work, and the most reprehensible acts have been done in the name of all the faiths.

Specific Questions (one or more religion answer)

Which religion contains the belief that…
6. Man/Man’s soul was created in the image of a powerful deity?
All
7. The evil are punished upon death and the good rewarded?
All (or "after death" or "next life" -- i.e. death does not release us from responsibility for our deeds)
8. The ultimate divine being is a paradox, unchanging yet flexible,
peaceful yet wrathful, etc.
All. Yes. The "ultimate" exceeds human understanding. Any conception of the human mind will fall short of It's true nature. The "All Possissing" must possess all qualities.
9. Humans should embark on a path to discover the ultimate truth?
All. Yes. Knowledge is better for one than ignorance.
10. The world began good but later was corrupted/made less good.
All, if one is willing to read symbolically -- the Origin is all good -- we inevitably are less "good" because we are "contingent beings" with a learning/developing process to go through -- most Faiths, in practice, have focused on our process of becoming, while others (branches or sects, not the generality) have (in my own very small opinion) equated "less good" with irreparably, unpardonably "sinful."
11. a Nirvana exists which is a land of bliss and perfection.
All -- Baha'i (and possibly others) equate "Heaven/Nirvana" with the spiritual condition of "nearness to God" -- a condition which continues beyond death. Baha'i teaches that the life beyond this one is not a physical/geographic reality, but a spiritual one.
12. Acceptance of this religion causes a purification of past actions?
Not necessarily. One has to change one's direction toward the Divine and away from the fetters of the world. Acceptance of a Revealer generally provides the knowledge, guidance, and motivation to accomplish this.
13. The ultimate divine-being is known by many different names?
All. (Of course, we all speak different languages, and live in different times and cultures.)
14. The world/earth is inevitably headed towards apocalypse?
All. And all religions have their factions which insist on literal "destruction" -- Baha'i teaches that the world/earth IS headed towards the end of one age and transition to a new age. (And always will be.) Imperialism had to die in order for colonial nations to become sovereign. Chavinism must die to give way to the equality of women and men. Dogmas must die to allow scientific truths to carry us forward. Giving birth to a new age is a painful process.)

[i]When sending to me just do:

1. 4
2. 5
3. Wicca
Sorry -- um -- can't stick to the numbers/options and give you the answers as I believe them.

Good luck on your research project!

barefootgal

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

(numerical shortcuts):
1 - Buddhism
2 - Christianity
3 - Confucianism
4 - Hinduism
5 - Islam
6 - Judaism
7 - Shinto
8 - Sikhism
9 - Taoism
10 - Zoroastrianism
Q - None
If other, specify.

General Questions (one religion answer):
1. What religion do you practice?

Baha'i Faith.

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

What religion would you say is the….
2. Most different from Christianity?

Taoism

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

3. Most different from Hinduism?

Taoism

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

4. Most peaceful religion?

Baha'i

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

5. Most warlike religion?

Islam, Sikh?

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

Specific Questions (one or more religion answer)

Which religion contains the belief that…
6. Man/Man’s soul was created in the image of a powerful deity?

A moderately common teaching, easily Judeo-Christian-Islam-Baha'i. Perhaps Hindu and Buddhism as well.

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

7. The evil are punished upon death and the good rewarded?

Common among all religions.

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

8. The ultimate divine being is a paradox, unchanging yet flexible,
peaceful yet wrathful, etc.

Common among all religions.

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

9. Humans should embark on a path to discover the ultimate truth?

Common among all religions.

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

10. The world began good but later was corrupted/made less good.

Again common among all religions.

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

11. a Nirvana exists which is a land of bliss and perfection.

Again common among all religions.

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

12. Acceptance of this religion causes a purification of past actions?

ditto....

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

13. The ultimate divine-being is known by many different names?

yeah.... ditto....

Originally Posted by Erizhoul

14. The world/earth is inevitably headed towards apocalypse?

Again pretty much ditto though some Baha'is view the battle of armageddon as history (cf WWI, battle of Migidon, and General Allenby.)

[gluadys]

General Questions (one religion answer):
1. What religion do you practice?

Christian

What religion would you say is the….
2. Most different from Christianity?
3. Most different from Hinduism?

I don't think there are significant differences between religions. Before I got to know something about it, I would have said Hinduism was most different from Christianity and vice versa, but when I studied it, I found much in Hinduism that is very similar to Christianity.


4. Most peaceful religion?

Buddhism

5. Most warlike religion?

Tie: Christianity and Islam

Specific Questions (one or more religion answer)

Which religion contains the belief that…
6. Man/Man’s soul was created in the image of a powerful deity?

Judaism, Christianity

7. The evil are punished upon death and the good rewarded?

Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam. In a different sense this is also true of Hinduism and Buddhism which envisage a hellish next life or between lives for the wicked. But unlike the western faiths do not see this as a permanent condition.

8. The ultimate divine being is a paradox, unchanging yet flexible,
peaceful yet wrathful, etc.

all--except non-theistic Buddhism


9. Humans should embark on a path to discover the ultimate truth?

all

10. The world began good but later was corrupted/made less good.

Christianity.

11. a Nirvana exists which is a land of bliss and perfection.

Buddhism

12. Acceptance of this religion causes a purification of past actions?

None that I know of. Hinduism and Christianity have teachings about how past actions are purified/forgiven, but neither bases these on accepting the religion.

13. The ultimate divine-being is known by many different names?

almost all. If there are exceptions, I don't know of them.

14. The world/earth is inevitably headed towards apocalypse?

Some sects of Christianity. It is not a mainstream Christian belief.

[Ddraig44goch]

Hail and Greetings

General Questions (one religion answer):
1. What religion do you practice?
Asatru

What religion would you say is the….
2. Most different from Christianity?
Shinto
3. Most different from Hinduism?
Islam
4. Most peaceful religion?
Jainism
5. Most warlike religion?
Islam

Specific Questions (one or more religion answer)

Which religion contains the belief that…
6. Man/Man’s soul was created in the image of a powerful deity?
Judaism, Christianity
7. The evil are punished upon death and the good rewarded?
Islam, Christianity
8. The ultimate divine being is a paradox, unchanging yet flexible,
peaceful yet wrathful, etc.
Taoism
9. Humans should embark on a path to discover the ultimate truth?
all
10. The world began good but later was corrupted/made less good.
Judaism, Christianity
11. a Nirvana exists which is a land of bliss and perfection.
Buddhism
12. Acceptance of this religion causes a purification of past actions?
Hinduism
13. The ultimate divine-being is known by many different names?
all
14. The world/earth is inevitably headed towards apocalypse?
Asatru, Christianity


When sending to me just do:

1. 4
2. 5
3. Wicca

And so on.

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

1. What religion do you practice?
Striving to practice all of them before I die. May not make though.

2. Most different from Christianity?
Satanism

3. Most different from Hinduism?
Judaism

4. Most peaceful religion?
Islam

5. Most warlike religion?
Christianity

6. Man/Man’s soul was created in the image of a powerful deity?
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism

7. The evil are punished upon death and the good rewarded?
ALL RELIGIONS

8. The ultimate divine being is a paradox, unchanging yet flexible,
peaceful yet wrathful, etc.
ALL RELIGIONS

9. Humans should embark on a path to discover the ultimate truth?
ALL RELIGIONS

10. The world began good but later was corrupted/made less good.
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism


11. a Nirvana exists which is a land of bliss and perfection.
Hinduism, Shinto, Sikhism,Taoism

12. Acceptance of this religion causes a purification of past actions?
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism


13. The ultimate divine-being is known by many different names?
ALL RELIGIONS

14. The world/earth is inevitably headed towards apocalypse?
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism

[Karimarie]

General Questions (one religion answer):
1. What religion do you practice? I'm not Jewish, but I appreciate Judaism and would like to convert someday.

What religion would you say is the…
2. Most different from Christianity? Hinduism
3. Most different from Hinduism? Christianity
4. Most peaceful religion? Buddhism
5. Most warlike religion? Christianity

Specific Questions (one or more religion answer)

Which religion contains the belief that…
6. Man/Man’s soul was created in the image of a powerful deity? Judaism, Christianity, Islam
7. The evil are punished upon death and the good rewarded? ...Every religion.
8. The ultimate divine being is a paradox, unchanging yet flexible, peaceful yet wrathful, etc.
9. Humans should embark on a path to discover the ultimate truth? Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam
10. The world began good but later was corrupted/made less good. Christianity
11. a Nirvana exists which is a land of bliss and perfection. ...No religion believes in this.
12. Acceptance of this religion causes a purification of past actions? Christianity
13. The ultimate divine-being is known by many different names? Judaism, Hinduism
14. The world/earth is inevitably headed towards apocalypse? All religions have eschatological ideas.

[Eudaimonist]

1. Q - a nontheistic philosophical path called Eudaimonism. Call me an atheist instead, if you prefer.

2. 3 - I find it difficult to imagine similarities between Christianity and Confucianism.

3. 3 - Same for Hinduism.

4. 1 - Possibly Buddhism, but I don't know how to explain Zen samurai.

5. 5 - Given the divine permission to Jihad, it's difficult to select even Christianity over Islam.

6. 2, 4, 5, 6, 8. I don't know about the others.

7. Most or all, if karma counts as "rewarded".

8. All except Buddhism and Taoism, which I don't think have divine beings as such.

9. All.

10. Not sure.

11. Nirvana is a poor example, since that isn't a place, except maybe in Pure Land Buddhism. Maybe only half of the religions apply.

12. 2, 5. Only a few -- Christianity, and maybe Islam.

13. Only those religions that have ultimate divine beings.

14. 2, 5, 10

[tommy]

Originally Posted by YO-ELEVEN-11

5. Most warlike religion?
Christianity

I think of who the founder of Christianity was, Jesus Christ, and if anything about him was warlike? However, I also think about how man says they are dying in war in the name of God in a Christianity sense and perhaps they are following false teachings.

Would Jesus die in a war for a particular nation? He told stories and representated God's Kingdom that would be free from war and didn't support anything warlike.

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

Originally Posted by tommy

I think of who the founder of Christianity was, Jesus Christ, and if anything about him was warlike? However, I also think about how man says they are dying in war in the name of God in a Christianity sense and perhaps they are following false teachings.

Would Jesus die in a war for a particular nation? He told stories and representated God's Kingdom that would be free from war and didn't support anything warlike.

Just an opinion my friend.

[Blue Jay]

Originally Posted by tommy

I think of who the founder of Christianity was, Jesus Christ, and if anything about him was warlike? However, I also think about how man says they are dying in war in the name of God in a Christianity sense and perhaps they are following false teachings.

Would Jesus die in a war for a particular nation? He told stories and representated God's Kingdom that would be free from war and didn't support anything warlike.

The mental picture I have of a man called Jesus of Nazareth throwing over tables and money boxes in the Temple is warlike of sorts. If it happened in our land we'd call the police in short order.

[Amica]

1) Most different from Christianity: satanism
2) Most different from 'Hinduism: Islam
3) Most warlike: Judaism and Islam
4) Most peaceful: Baha'i

5) I practice Islam.
6)Humans created in an image of a diety: Judaism, Christianity
7) Christianity and Islam
8)Christianity and Islam
9) Judaism and Islam.
10) Buddhism
11)Judaism
12) Catholicism, New Age
13)Judaism and Islam
14) Islam and Christianity

[Seeker_of_truth]

I practice Baha'i.

In my opinion no religion is warlike. By this i mean that the greater founders of the great world religions did not preach war but kindness.
Of course there are adherents that label themselves as X religion, no argument there.

[Abubakar]

(numerical shortcuts):
1 - Buddhism
2 - Christianity
3 - Confucianism
4 - Hinduism
5 - Islam
6 - Judaism
7 - Shinto
8 - Sikhism
9 - Taoism
10 - Zoroastrianism
Q - None
If other, specify.

General Questions (one religion answer):
1. What religion do you practice? Islam

What religion would you say is the….
2. Most different from Christianity? Taoism
3. Most different from Hinduism? Shinto
4. Most peaceful religion? Zoroastrianism
5. Most warlike religion? Christianity

Specific Questions (one or more religion answer)

Which religion contains the belief that…
6. Man/Man’s soul was created in the image of a powerful deity?
7. The evil are punished upon death and the good rewarded? 2 5 6
8. The ultimate divine being is a paradox, unchanging yet flexible,
peaceful yet wrathful, etc. 4
9. Humans should embark on a path to discover the ultimate truth? All
10. The world began good but later was corrupted/made less good. Christianity
11. a Nirvana exists which is a land of bliss and perfection. All
12. Acceptance of this religion causes a purification of past actions? All
13. The ultimate divine-being is known by many different names? Islam and Hinduism
14. The world/earth is inevitably headed towards apocalypse? Christianity