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Are you religious?

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Renge, Dec 6, 2013.

  1. Renge

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    Just a random question pop out on my head. Are you guys religious? Still pray or go to church? I mean, no offense but, in every holy book like bible, qur'an, etc. They all prohibited/banned homosexuality.

    As for me, I do sometimes pray. But the feeling is not there and I feel guilty. Moreover, my parents complain why is it so hard for me to pray. They say if I don't pray, I will drag them along to hell. Does that mean if it's only me who go to hell then it's fine? It sounds like they only care for themself..
     
  2. Browncoat

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    Nope. Never have been either.


    Laughed at religious people telling me about it when I was 4-5 - I didn't realize it was disrespectful, just could've sworn they were making it all up. :lol:
     
  3. DrkRayne

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    Used to be. Not anymore.
     
  4. ba92

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    Nope, I've tried it but couldn't get into it. I own a bible (king James version) tho which I read from time to time. and for your other question idk religious people are really caught up in their faith, some more than others. They say pretty careless things
     
  5. Hexagon

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    No. Aside from my grandfather's funeral, I haven't been in a church in about five years. I certainly don't pray. Evidence and logic suggests it does nothing.

    And here comes the part where I actually start sounding as if I'm contradicting myself, in defence of reason. A religion's opinion of homosexuality doesn't impact on its truth. It just means the relevant deity is an evil bastard.
     
  6. Tightrope

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    Yes, and I don't have a problem saying so.

    I used to be more involved. Now, I no longer go to church, and I pray less. I still identify by my religion when asked. It isn't even the stance on sexuality that was the turn-off, which I shrug at, and many do as well. It's the large hierarchy that the religion created and the holier-than-thou, hypocritical types who go that I don't feel like sharing a pew with since I'm either overly sensitive or actually accurate, but they don't seem all too receptive having me show up on my own, without a family and a minivan.

    I don't think a person needs 100% buy-in to be part of a religion or a faith system. The 100% buy-in is the exception rather than the rule from what I see. I'm old enough to know what I think is right and wrong as to what constitutes a transgression, and am fairly comfortable with my conscience.
     
  7. My Two Wings

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    Non-religious atheist here.

    Was semi-raised Lutheran growing up. I mean, my parents were Lutheran, so we went to church, and we would read about those old Bible stories. The church got a new pastor that my parents didn't like, so we stopped going. I was glad, because I thought it was reeeeally boring. Then, sometime in middle school, I just stopped believing in a god. In high school, I was kinda into Buddhism. It's non-theistic, and I was fascinated by the concept of reincarnation. Nowadays, I don't really believe in anything and don't care much about religion.
     
  8. MrAllMonday

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    I'm a Muslim and in the process of practicing Islam. Returning to the basics.

    Islam stance on homosexuality is vague. It does not prohibit the urge but the act itself. So if two people of the same gender actually have sex then it would be considered a sin. Specifically it is referring to anal sex. The stance on lesbians is not very clear. However, what is clear is that any sex outside of marriage is unlawful. Within Islamic law marriage can only occur between a man and a woman. So it pretty much ends the debate whether homosexuality is permissible. The punishment for the sin only occurs if the sin was committed openly (having sex in public). Punishments vary from the school of thoughts.

    I have read homosexuals (Mukhannathun) were given unique positions within the Islamic governance.

    It is a very vague area. I can't wait to study it myself and find out what the scriptures actually state.

    Anyway I like Islam. Pretty much fulfills everything for me. I do dislike many Muslims for their aggressive attitudes.
     
  9. Martin

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    I'm not religious, and I have in the past been rather argumentative with people who I have debated religion with. I've never had a problem with those who have religious beliefs, but the hierarchy of organised religion just acts far too elitist and holier-than-thou for my liking, to the extent that they are completely out of touch with the people they claim to represent.

    My views on it have mellowed out in the last couple of years, and one of my closest friends on my university course is actually a rather conservative Roman Catholic (well, conservative by the standards of many people of a similar age). We've had numerous debates on religion and we aren't actually as far apart on things as you would expect considering I identify as an atheist and can't even contemplate the idea of a deity. The best thing about our friendship is that when we do have a discussion, we actually stop and listen to each others opinions rather than attempt to shut over each other. We're also not afraid to jest about our beliefs. For example, she finds it amusing that i'm so indifferent about the afterlife and what happens when we die, and I find it amusing how she can rationalise God caring about what food she eats during certain days of the year.

    Sometimes it's religious people themselves who often provide the best critical reflections on the flaws of religion, and it's one of the reasons my friend and I get on so well because she's not afraid to do that and hold religious figures accountable for being bastards.
     
  10. sysreq

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    Personally, I'm not religious, and to be brutally honest I find it funny and silly when people are extremely religious.

    "You're going to HELL for being GAY" and "[insert deity here] will never [love, accept, etc] you!" are the ones that annoy me to some extent because they can be hurtful to those who are gay.

    My sexuality, however is not the only reason I'm an atheist. I don't like that (some) christians think they're special, and that "God gets 10% so why should you get 18%" (from a Christian refusing to tip a waiter) (how can people believe that 10% of their income will actually go to God like seriously wtf does all knowing all powerful god want with petty human currency), and I dislike that Hitler (who was Roman Catholic, not athiest, CTPB*) killed millions upon millions of Jews JUST BECAUSE THEIR ANCESTORS MAY HAVE KILLED A MAN POSSIBLY 2,000 yrs AGO PERHAPS MAYBE PERHAPS KIND OF.

    I dislike that Muslims, and Islam followers have such problem with western religions, and I dislike that Middle Eastern religions think it's OK to marry 9-year-old girls to 30 year old men.

    I don't like that EVERY SINGLE Abrahamic religion (middle-eastern) has started at least one war.
    I dislike that Christian/Catholic/Baptist/whathaveyou faiths cause mentally damaging gay reversion therapy, and break little kid's wrists for being effeminate.

    And, above all, I prefer the logic and reliability of Science and technology. I don't think that anything that needs to be 'believed' in is actually real, or is worth believing in.

    If you need to have faith in order for it work/be true, it probably isn't.


    Those words up there may make me sound like a a militant atheist, which is correct.
    It also makes me sound like I hate all religion, which ISN'T.

    I have respect for actually peaceful religion. Religion that's accepting of differences and that works to a common good. Like Pope Francis' ideas. Though still somewhat refutable (there's nothing wrong with being gay (Okay!) Treat them like you would any other sinner (...) you're all sinners any way, homosexuality's no different (Okay!) But they're still sinners just for that (Aww)) they're better than the common Catholic beliefs.

    And I respect religion on a personal level. Your religion is...well, it's YOURS. Like sexuality. To each their own. I don't try to convert you to Atheism, so why try to convert me to Catholicism?
    I find more sense in religions like Wicca, Paganism, and those mini-faiths held by First Peoples. They think homosexuals and non-cis-het-folk are SACRED! Awesome!

    Know something else that's Awesome? Norse and Greek Mythology. Their gods were human, and imperfect and not monocratic. Each had separate traits to make up a belief system.
    AND THERE WERE WOMEN (Athena, god of love (and homosexual love, too :grin:)! I find Christianity and most modern religion to be sexist, xenophobic, and misogynistic.

    So if I were religious I'd be a Norse-Mythologist or Greek-Mythologist.
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    thatathattahathatahtahathathathathathathathatahtahathahahhahahayesthatyessirsireyessire
     
    #10 sysreq, Dec 6, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2013
  11. gibson234

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    Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  12. sysreq

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    Yes, AND, organised religion (churches, mosques, etc) EXIST SOLELY FOR MONEY AND POWER! Where d'you think they got the money for them?
     
  13. Alinaers

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    No, I am not religious. I try to believe in 'something' but that is just my own little religion in my mind and I don't always believe in it. I find it hard to distinguish the difference between hoping for and believing in something. But sometimes I feel like I need that kind of guidance, even if I made it up myself.
     
  14. AKTodd

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    Nope. Atheist here. Never went in for the religion thing.
     
  15. musicgirl18

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    Other than he fact that I'd like to point out that Athena was the goddess of wisdom and intelligence, and I think you meant Aphrodite, yeah, this comment was pretty funny. :grin:

    Okay, I know this might shock the other people who've posted on here, but I actually am religious. :slight_smile: I proclaim to be a Christian, and I go to a Christian church. Basically, I;m that stereotypical home-schooled, youth groupee, geeky, daddy's girl... Except for the fact that I'm attracted to women, which, currently, no one knows. I truely and honestly hope that when I come out, that it won't change anything, though of course I know it will. I live conflicted everyday because of it, but I also have to stand by Jesus' words "23 Jesus answered and said unto him, “If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him and make Our abode with him." He also said that the greatest of the commandments is to love, and that is what I strive to do more than anything, is to love everyone. I believe that when Jesus said that, he meant it to be followed more than any of the Old Testament laws.

    So, yeah, sorry for going on my little Bible rant there. :slight_smile: But, that's what I believe. Does that make sense?:rolle:


    ---------- Post added 6th Dec 2013 at 01:44 PM ----------

    I think I went off track of what I was trying to say. I believe that the New Testament scriptures negate the Old Testament laws because while Jesus was on Earth he gave us one law, love everyone, no matter what. So, in light of that, while I still struggle a lot, specifically with other people bringing up the "clobber passages", this is what I stand by, and so, I do not believe that how is feel is sinful, most of the times. (At this point, I just try to avoid talking to my Mother about it at all. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:)
     
  16. clockworkfox

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    I'm not religious. I was raised roman catholic and it just never stuck. It used to scare me more than it ever comforted me, and I could never see how my family was so comfortable with it. By the time I was twelve I had had enough of the church and the catholic worldview, and took to being agnostic on a good day and full-on atheist on a cynical one.

    For a while I took an interest in neopaganism and modern spiritual beliefs. It became sort of a hobby, though I never ascribed myself to anything. Neowicca left a bad taste in my mouth from the start. Modern day druidry was somewhat interesting to me. Voudou was always fascinating. I found some neopagans to be particularly sensible, and others to be batshit crazy, much like assorted other religious individuals that fall under various religious belief systems.

    While I never ascribed myself to any particular neopagan religion and still uphold my non-religious views, I did find myself with something of a muse in the Norse god Loki. Maybe because he's so unlike the image of a God that I was exposed to when I was young? He's not strict, or trigger happy, and he doesn't set up arbitrary rules and shun people for being human. He's queer, and he's sarcastic, and he talks back to other gods whose names carry more weight than his own, he's morally ambiguous and ascribes to no one but himself. In short, he's relatable, and I've never found a god-figure so likeable.
     
  17. dano218

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    I find it sad how some churches push people away from them and drag god's name through the mud. I know that is not the only reason people don't believe in him but it is a big issue for me. God does not belong to any church and his image has been stepped on too many times by fundalmentalists.
     
  18. MrAllMonday

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    If your referring to Abrahamic religions, the leaders of those religions do not claim to represent the people. They are supposed to be representing God's word/law.
     
  19. LongMayIReign

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    I'm Jewish (Ashkenazic reform) and go to synagogue often still. I don't think my sexual orientation ever interfered with my religious beliefs. Ironically, the Torah portion I read at my Bat Mitzvah was one of the more homophobic parshahs (Leviticus 20:13).
     
  20. lukeluvznicki13

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