What are you're beliefs? For me I'm agnostic (for those of you who dont know, I believe in the concept for a "higher power", but for me I just indirectly reference belief in god). But before that I was Muslim (my dad was and I just "inherited" it). The only reason Im agnostic is simply lack of time to pray or do religious values. But instead of Atheism, I sometimes have does moments when you feel like a higher force intervened (like when my cat was dying, I called out for help and as my dad said in Islam "god helps you only if you work for it" I looked up cures and good vets, and oddly enough, we found a vet that treats cats using ancient Chinese methods, no joke!). There were others, but my prayers may have been heard non the less. Also mods PLEASE remove any insightful comments from anyone here that discriminate against others' beliefs. Religion is a belief system, not a matter of who right or wrong...
You heard the man, this is just a place to speak your beliefs not criticize those of other posters. There are other threads on religion to get into a debate. I am a Christian, I was raised one. However I do not believe that the bible in it's current form are the exact words of God, unaffected by the beliefs of those who wrote/translated it. For example, I do not believe that God hates homosexuals or bisexuals. After all, God made all of us so why would he make us that which he hates? I also don't believe that it is a test, as it's not much of a test if there can't be any attraction to the opposite sex and I don't believe that he would hate his children for things they can't change. I am a Christian but I try to have more of an open mind on certain issues.
I was raised in a Muslim household, but I consider myself an Agnostic-Deist. I am agnostic because while you can not disprove the existence of a deity, there is absolutely no evidence supporting its existence. The Deist part comes in because I hold hope that there is a god, and if one exists, that god is what Deists refer to as the "Divine Watchmaker" who simply created the Universe, but does not actively interfere in it.
I've rarely stopped to think about defining my beliefs, but I guess I am a deist/nonreligious(as in not caring).
I'm Agnostic at the moment, could change my belief, but i'm quite happy with what i got now. I'm a person that doesn't go out first time and denies the existence of God without proof (Even though right now you can't get proof for such a concept)
I am Catholic. I believe in God. The Bible is the word of God, but it has been tainted by man. (Along the same lines as Chelsea but not that specific). I believe that belief should not be forced because then the person forced to believe lives a lie. I also believe that we will all find out eventually. Edit- Also, I know that this is not a debate thread, but could we be allowed to ask for clarification of another's beliefs?
I believe that religions should preach tolerance and not intolerance (I am very accepting of others who have different beliefs as long as they do not try to bash mine). I also believe that everyone should have a mind of their own when it comes to their beliefs, not just believe what is fed to them by the church or a holy book or by friends or family or whoever else. I don't see why not, Co.
I used to be a reformist Jew, although in was raised in an a-religious household, my dad is Lutheran and my mom is Jewish (neither of which had even been to an organized religious service in the 19 years I lived there). I was interested in religion at a young age, I have read the old and new testament, the Koran, and the book of Mormon. After I could drive I started going to temple (there was an orthodox, a conservitive and a reformist temple) I hated the local orthodox and conservative temples so I choose to go Reformist. There we several problems with this: I think the Reformist movement has gone a long ways down since it's creating (you don't even have to believe the Torah is divinely inspired, I do), conversions are not even recognized by Isreal but if you really want you can convert before you even finish reading this post. So I have gone to Temple for 3 years now. And have moved upwards to a Conservative temple (I might go Orthodox, but atleast I can get Israeli citizenship even if several Orthodox rabbis aren't too keen on conservative). I think the biggest par of being Jewish becomes explaining Judism to everyone else, I can't even sing Springtime for Hitler with having to offer up some sort of explanation and the constant holocaust jokes (my philosophy is to tell a worse one and then threaten to evict them from their homes) but I would say is the recycled arguments i getfrom athiests (if you people think Christians are ignorant just don't be Christian for a day and you quickly realize Athiests are stuck with some narrow talking points), when things start to diverge their argument become weaker and much more wrong. I see Jesus and Muhammed as prophets and have no real problem with either Christianity or Islam, Mormonism on the other hand I do see and more fiction than reality. I hope this was long enough for you people, I'll add more later.
I was baptised at a church but more for tradition than anything. I was not really raised to follow any kind of religion, I was allowed to choose for myself. It isn't really because my family wanted me to be a free-thinker, they just don't give a shit about what beliefs people have. I think that is the case with many in the UK, we don't care about people's belief in a God and rarely bring it up. I guess I am agnostic....agnostic atheism.......
Catholic. I go to church most Sundays and try to follow what the Bible lays down. However, I do recognize that people are stupid, the Pope is not infallible, and all that good stuff. I don't believe in forcing belief on others.
I'm spiritual, and I don't denounce the existence of god, I do not judge other people who are hardcore religious, and I am open to any conversation about history which will eventually turn into a discussion of beliefs, I feel no negative feelings towards any religion, or its people. I'm agnostic.
Ostensibly I'm a Catholic, born and raised. For a long time I didn't know how to answer the difficult questions concerning God, like why evil existed or why God needs to exist at all, but eventually came to the independent conclusion that answered all of those questions. If God is perfectly good (and powerful, and knowledgeable, and the Creator) then the only possible conclusion that can be reached regarding the existence of evil is that evil has to exist, even in the best of all possible worlds. Turns out some old German bastard (and if I recall correctly, a Muslim before him and a Greek before him) named Gottfried Leibniz thought this up first, and called it 'theological Optimism.' The solution is impossible to deny, but Leibniz was criticized (and later caved) for it because whiny bitches thought that "Ohhh but there's too much suuuuuffering for this to be the best world, waaaaah!" Turns out though, that if you're not a complete imbecile like our jerkass friend Mr. Leibniz, that that argument is worthless, because that claim is being made from a position of gross philosophical (as well as physical) incompetence and using it to dispute the capabilities of an all-knowing and all-powerful deity makes about as much sense as claiming your grandma can't afford to live alone because her coinpurse can only a few dollars in change. I'm not even asking you to think out of the box, you German bastard! Anyways... I don't care for the particulars of religion all that much, and find justifying most of them damn near impossible. But I try anyways, because in this den of atheistic iniquity and woefully unprepared religious apologism, someone has to stand up against those thrice-damned Positivists!
I have not come to certainity of what I believe about the world, it's forces and it's meaning. I'm still searching for my spirit if I may say so. I guess agnostisism is what I'm closest to currently.
