Ulitmate Question!

[Blue]

Originally Posted by Basstian

PersonaNonGrata I would be pleased to answer this question if you would ask in more detail.

Peace

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I agree, Basstian.

PNG said previously: "The Quran is an exception."

Why is that PNG? An exception to what? The Bible?

[louis]

From Louis...
It was not I - it was Brian who first used the term "reductionist" -
it was his definition of the term that SEEMED to apply to me.
But YOUR definition does not describe me at all..!
Although I must disagree with the second part of your reply -
to sit on a chair and simply have faith that it will support you
seems a little foolish. An unfamiliar chair needs to be TESTED -
because in the real world, some chairs DO break.

[Kaldayen]

I could say I'm agnostic... I just hope there's "something else" but, for me, nothing significant points towards it.

Originally Posted by Mathghamhain

If I had to pick a religion I would pick Shinto, from the Chinese "Shen Tao" or "The way of the Spirit"

Mathghamhain, are you Japanese? Kami "living" exclusivly in the japanese islands, I have trouble understanding how someone from somewhere else than Japan could follow Shintoism.

[Visitor]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

Ok I want everyone to answer this question for me, I want the whole community here to take part. What I want to know is which of you practice a religion? Which of you are spiritualists? And which of you are atheists? I hope Brian will also answer this question. Basically where do you fall in terms of views?



Personally I'm a practicing Christian Greek Orthodox and respect all religions.

I'm curious as to why you want to know where everyone stands in their views? I am also interested in your understanding of the term spiritualist. Do you use it in the sense of those that act as mediums etc or is it a more general term for anyone interest in 'spirituality' (as broad a definition as that is!). Or am I way off on both counts ?
As for where I fall in terms of views: I am a follower of Jesus Christ.

[Postmaster]

Spiritualism to me means there is more then material existence.



I want to know how many people using this forum take up to faith, there seems to be less people trying to discredit religious teachings then there are people taking them up, a very good sign indeed Also everything is simply out of curiosity and for people posting all together about there religions, just goes to show that all religions practise one thing ultimately the recognition of positive and good to dominate. All religions are correct in this sense.

[Blue]

Hi PM,

I too do not really understand the question in terms of what use you think the information could be put.

I am a theist, in as much as I have a personal faith.

That does not prevent me from witnessing the horrors of blind faith in some religions, and the nonsenses of doctrines and dogmas developed by human beings in a variety of major 'Faiths', especially, perhaps Pauline christianity in which much of Christianity is based.

Your problem it seems to me is to distinguish the true nature of faith.

FAITH, as I have said on this Community a number of times now, does NOT depend upon proof in the cognitive and material domain. It only depends upon an individual's affective nature and nurture and their individual affirmation of their faith - thier personal validations. They should not be seeking proof outside of themselves... there isn't any! Nor shouold they be proclaiming they have 'truths' of a universal nature... proselytising. Certainly there isn't any external proof for my own faith and I have never seen any objective material evidence/proof beyond the assertions of any other believers in a spiritual faith.
IF there was proof beyond an individual's heart and soul, we would be dealing with objective facts, and they are amenable to investigation and evidence in the material domain... there would be NO necessity for 'Faith'.

Ultimate questions posit ultimate answers in spiritual and metaphysical terms... and so far as anyone knows, there are none... unless you would like to correct me?

[lunamoth]

For better or for worse it seems to me that religion (not faith) is a community thing. I tend to view religions as instruments and at best as God's instruments (don't jump on me Blue--must I put in a disclaimer every time I say God? ). They are a means both to help the individual grow spiritually and to help the individual serve mankind. Certainly individual's can go about doing good works without being part of a religion and certainly there can be organizations that serve humanity without acknowledging God. What is the added benefit of acknowledging God? I can't answer except to say that it appears to be ingrained in many of us. As individuals we know or experience something that is not explained by objective means. I experience a kind of gestalt by belonging to a community devoted to the worship of God.

Blue, you might agree that although we can't agree on or even adequately express what it is that we are experiencing, many people have faith in something greater than the rational, testable, material world.

Now that survivial no longer depends upon being part of particular religious group (as it did in the past, based upon my reading of Karen Armstong's The Battle for God), individuals are free to follow their own path and many do so. I sometimes think of this as off-road four-wheeling as opposed to taking the highway . Mystics are able do this within the system of a particular religion, distilling the message to a highly refined, crystalline path.

But for myself, although I don't think I am a mindless sheep, I would not know how to begin to formulate my own path. God doesn't speak to me as a voice in my head. Could I create and improve the religious thought that has evolved over millenia in my short lifetime while I'm also preoccupied by material life, raising a family, persuing a career? (Speaking of which, my two-year-old has put a lovely new art display on my wall as I've been distracted wrting this!) Better for me to stand on the shoulders of giants and reach from there.

As for why would PM want to know our religious affiliations if any, well, that is part of our basis for discussion, isn't it? It seems reasonable to me and no one has to answer if they don't want to . If we oppress all personal belief in a religous forum I don't think we'll be able to learn very much from each other. Best to just go buy a book on comparative religion.

OK i will lighten up!

[Blue]

No need to lighten up, LunaMoth, I'm going to agree with what you say, which I thought was eminently reasonable all the way through.

As you said, about the first paragraph, that I might agree... I do!

(Gosh- this must be one of my shortest posts ever! lol )