do you believe all of your religion?

[Eddi]

Do you personally agree with all the beliefs that are a part of your religion?

I don't

I call myself a Christian and go to church, but:

I'm agnostic about the existence of God

For a while I used to believe in multiple Gods but I have now reverted to monotheism

I think all that End Times stuff is a bit daft

I'm a Universalist, I believe that all good people are in some way "saved", which is counter to the teachings of my religion

I believe that a person is good because of their deeds and character and that these are what matter to God

I think the whole of a bible is a gigantic epic work of historical fiction with its own fictitious universe although I believe it is loosely based on real events

I don't believe that the bible is a historic text or a scientific text and I believe in evolution/abiogenesis and that the universe is billions of years old etc.

There is probably more but that's all I can think of right now

 

[JustGeorge]

Part of the beauty(in my opinion) of Hinduism is it doesn't have a rigid set up. Beliefs vary(from slightly to notably) between sects(which one need not belong to in order to consider themselves Hindu).

I believe all of my religion, because its something very personal.

 

[Quintessence]

Paganism (contemporary or otherwise) doesn't work that way - it's not creedal and certainly not dogmatic. Pagans generally build their own theology and traditions, with practice and ritual and experience taking priority over what is "believed" about anything. As such, you'll "believe" all of it, I guess, because it is who and what you are that changes as your life does?

Early on I did ask a lot of questions like this, though, because our mainstream culture really obsesses about religion as something that is "believed in" because of the dominance of Protestant Christianity where acceptance of certain ideas is seen as central. The more I deprogrammed myself from Protestant Christian and Western assumptions the less and less I cared about the "believed in" questions. The more and more I understood that Paganism is about live and living, about doing and being.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Do you personally agree with all the beliefs that are a part of your religion?

I don't

I call myself a Christian and go to church, but:

I'm agnostic about the existence of God

For a while I used to believe in multiple Gods but I have now reverted to monotheism

I think all that End Times stuff is a bit daft

I'm a Universalist, I believe that all good people are in some way "saved", which is counter to the teachings of my religion

I believe that a person is good because of their deeds and character and that these are what matter to God

I think the whole of a bible is a gigantic epic work of historical fiction with its own fictitious universe although I believe it is loosely based on real events

I don't believe that the bible is a historic text or a scientific text and I believe in evolution/abiogenesis and that the universe is billions of years old etc.

There is probably more but that's all I can think of right now

I'm lucky to not have that problem.

My practice is completely man made with no guarantees or promises.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Do you personally agree with all the beliefs that are a part of your religion?

Yes 100% I embrace all that God has given, even if there are aspects, that I am, or many others are yet to understand.

Faith is submission to a wisdom greater than our own, after we have determined the teachings are trustworthy, truthful and the cause of unity and Love.

Regards Tony

 

[Secret Chief]

Same as @Quintessence and @JustGeorge essentially. There is no dogma to adhere to and Buddhism is so varied that differences are bound to be present. The literature is also vast, so you'd have to live a long time to read it all, think about it all and decide if you agreed with it. Also, Buddhism is not something fixed in time, like an insect in amber. Two thousand years on and ideas develop and are critiqued. If Siddy was alive today I'd be wanting a serious chat with him about meat consumption, fully enlightened being or not. Accepting the Four Dharma Seals as true, or not, are what makes one a Buddhist (or not), if one is so inclined, imo. Beyond that.... Buddhism is, like any religion, a vehicle for living.

 

[mangalavara]

Part of the beauty(in my opinion) of Hinduism is it doesn't have a rigid set up.

Your opinion is one that I agree with. One of many things that makes Hinduism a beautiful religion and way of life is that there is flexibility rather than rigidity. Even how many specific forms of worship are done are not rigid. There’s stuff like, ‘In order to do this pūjā, you have to do steps A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. However, if you are unable to do all the steps, at least do E, F, and G.’

our mainstream culture really obsesses about religion as something that is "believed in" because of the dominance of Protestant Christianity where acceptance of certain ideas is seen as central.

This is well said. One time, a co-worker asked me something about ‘the Hindu faith.’ For her (and many others), religions are faiths because in her culture, creedal and confessional religions are mainstream.

The more I deprogrammed myself from Protestant Christian and Western assumptions the less and less I cared about the "believed in" questions. The more and more I understood that Paganism is about live and living, about doing and being.

I can say the same thing about Hinduism that you wonderfully said about Paganism: it ‘is about live [life?] and living, about doing and being.’ In my own experience, an emphasis on dharma (the right way of living) and a mystic spirituality made me much less concerned with the ‘right beliefs.’

 

[mangalavara]

Do you personally agree with all the beliefs that are a part of your religion?

From my perspective, the word beliefs suggests that there are creeds and confessions. In Hinduism, there are many different philosophies instead. I find that I can subscribe to one philosophy while acknowledging that the other philosophies are part of the overall tradition and helpful to other Hindus.

 

[JustGeorge]

Your opinion is one that I agree with. One of many things that makes Hinduism a beautiful religion and way of life is that there is flexibility rather than rigidity. Even how many specific forms of worship are done are not rigid. There’s stuff like, ‘In order to do this pūjā, you have to do steps A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. However, if you are unable to do all the steps, at least do E, F, and G.’

And sometimes I've even seen "and if unable to do E, F, and G... just hold the name of [deity] in your heart".

 

[The Hammer]

Part of the beauty(in my opinion) of Hinduism is it doesn't have a rigid set up. Beliefs vary(from slightly to notably) between sects(which one need not belong to in order to consider themselves Hindu).

I believe all of my religion, because its something very personal.

Paganism (contemporary or otherwise) doesn't work that way - it's not creedal and certainly not dogmatic. Pagans generally build their own theology and traditions, with practice and ritual and experience taking priority over what is "believed" about anything. As such, you'll "believe" all of it, I guess, because it is who and what you are that changes as your life does?

Early on I did ask a lot of questions like this, though, because our mainstream culture really obsesses about religion as something that is "believed in" because of the dominance of Protestant Christianity where acceptance of certain ideas is seen as central. The more I deprogrammed myself from Protestant Christian and Western assumptions the less and less I cared about the "believed in" questions. The more and more I understood that Paganism is about live and living, about doing and being.

Same as @Quintessence and @JustGeorge essentially. There is no dogma to adhere to and Buddhism is so varied that differences are bound to be present. The literature is also vast, so you'd have to live a long time to read it all, think about it all and decide if you agreed with it. Also, Buddhism is not something fixed in time, like an insect in amber. Two thousand years on and ideas develop and are critiqued. If Siddy was alive today I'd be wanting a serious chat with him about meat consumption, fully enlightened being or not. Accepting the Four Dharma Seals as true, or not, are what makes one a Buddhist (or not), if one is so inclined, imo. Beyond that.... Buddhism is, like any religion, a vehicle for living.

It seems this has been pretty well hashed, but I'll be the fourth. In my Pagan perspective, "belief" is not really important. Ones behaviour and actions with how they interact with the world around them, is though. Such as the reciprocity we engage with others, the care we offer to the world around us. Etc.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

It seems this has been pretty well hashed, but I'll be the fourth. In my Pagan perspective, "belief" is not really important. Ones behaviour and actions with how they interact with the world around them, is though. Such as the reciprocity we engage with others, the care we offer to the world around us. Etc.

^ This. Well said.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Do you personally agree with all the beliefs that are a part of your religion?

Yes. Otherwise, it wouldn't be my religion.