Do you have a religion? Introduce me to it!

[Leyora]

Hello!

For anyone who's theistic, I'd like to hear what you believe in, and why. This meaning that I'm curious about what your theistic views are that you believe, and for what reasons you believe in them. I'd prefer you don't link me a Google or Wikipedia page if you can avoid it. I'd like to get personal accounts.

As I'll most likely have questions and I'm opening this to all religions, I've posted this in the "Debate" forum.

The presence of something that changes the way you think and makes some fundamentalists pretend that some basic things in our reality don't exist when they clearly do intrigues me. I'd like to know how you've come to this process and way of thinking. It must be something life-changing and powerful for you to have such strong feelings, regard, and firmness in what you know. So, I welcome you to share it with me.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Breathe]

What would you like to know?

 

[Leyora]

What would you like to know?

I'd like to hear what you believe in, and why.

I apologize for it not being so radiant, I tend to ramble a bit. However, since it was one of my second statements, I thought most people with basic reading comprehension would have noticed it.

My apologies.

 

[Breathe]

I apologize for it not being so radiant, I tend to ramble a bit.

Specifics.

"What you believe, and why" is incredibly broad. Are you after views of God, afterlife, soul, scripture, and so on? Or only one of these?

Are you after what the person believes, or what the religion teaches? They can differ, after all.

However, since it was one of my second statements, I thought most people with basic reading comprehension would have noticed it.

Nice start to the forum.

 

[Leyora]

Specifics.

"What you believe, and why" is incredibly broad. Are you after views of God, afterlife, soul, scripture, and so on? Or only one of these?

All of the above. What are your theistic views and why do you believe in them? I'm obviously looking for answers of your theistic beliefs, which is why I directed the question towards theists. (Or else the question "What you believe in and why" would be WAY too broad of a question as most people believe in a large variety of things!)

Are you after what the person believes, or what the religion teaches? They can differ, after all.

What you believe in. I didn't think this was that hard of a question. The question is stated as written. What YOU believe in (theistically, since I directed the question towards theists) and WHY.

Nice start to the forum.

Thank you! I try to be as polite as possible! Or are you being sarcastic? I don't see how my reply could be considered negative. You obviously misunderstood the question thus your basic reading comprehension of the question was slightly fuzzy. That's a fact and if you're implying that it's was meant as a passive-aggressive statement then you'd be mistaken, and again I apologize for the confusion. I type what I mean.. Though, you seem to have a hard time understanding that since you need clarification to what I'm requesting.

If you need any further clarification, don't be afraid to ask.

To re-answer your question again, yes, all of the above. Your religious beliefs and the teachings that go with them if you feel it's relevant to explain what you believe.

 

[Breathe]

I type what I mean.. Though, you seem to have a hard time understanding that since you need clarification to what I'm requesting.

I often ask for clarification. I don't want to waste my time answering the wrong question.

I considered informing you, but I decided not to since I don't really care for the way you have come across so far. I'll offer you this link to look at, and little else.

 

[Me Myself]

Thank you! I try to be as polite as possible! Or are you being sarcastic? I don't see how my reply could be considered negative. You obviously misunderstood the question thus your basic reading comprehension of the question was slightly fuzzy.

I do see how it is posible to get it as negative. I wont say that you meant so, but I do want to give you another point of view of what you wrote and help you note that it is not only Odion that believes it can be taken in negative light.

It will be unfair to say it was your intention, but it did certainly sound like that.

Hopefully your word´s intentions will be less confusing next time. (and I am not meaning what you asked, but the way you replied to Od )

Welcome to the forum

Thank you! I try to be as polite as possible! Or are you being sarcastic? I don't see how my reply could be considered negative. You obviously misunderstood the question thus your basic reading comprehension of the question was slightly fuzzy. That's a fact and if you're implying that it's was meant as a passive-aggressive statement then you'd be mistaken, and again I apologize for the confusion. I type what I mean.. Though, you seem to have a hard time understanding that since you need clarification to what I'm requesting.

My first reading certainly was that it was a passive aggressive comment, so without saying it was, I confirm to you that it does sound like that, and it is not just Odion´s interpretation.

 

[Leyora]

I often ask for clarification. I don't want to waste my time answering the wrong question.

I considered informing you, but I decided not to since I don't really care for the way you have come across so far. I'll offer you this link to look at, and little else.

You don't like politeness? I do believe that phrasing posts nicely and accurately is good manners on forums. Are you some sort of reverse staff member who believes that apologizing when one is at some sort of fault and that basic manners is a bad thing?

Perhaps if you'd like, you could lock this post and I could entirely start over with a 4 paragraph detailed summary of what I'm asking for... As pasting a redirect to a Google search isn't what I'm asking for.

I'm aware of what religions and beliefs exist. I'm asking for what YOU believe in, and for WHAT REASON. For each person and their personal attributes.

Though, I can see that... if that's what you believe in, word for word... You wouldn't want to re-type the entire though. Though, your own personal description of it would have been nice.

I'm going to take it that you believe everything on the Wikipedia page "Sikhism", as well as the content found on the Wikipedia page named "Sikh beliefs," which clarifies the beliefs. A link would have been easier, but I haven't required the sufficient amount of pages to post legitimate urls yet. Regardless, I'll use those as a reference then.

My query was a two-part one... So my 2nd question to you since you didn't post it is... Why?

 

[Me Myself]

And to be honest, I haven´t answered this question for a number of reasons, which definetley include that it is incredibly wide questioning. So I understand how Odion wanted to reduce or narrow the scope of it.

I mean I have a lot of supernatural beliefs and they are not necessarily tied to my believe in God. In some way, everything is tied to my believe in God, and nothing is.

 

[Leyora]

My first reading certainly was that it was a passive aggressive comment, so without saying it was, I confirm to you that it does sound like that, and it is not just Odion´s interpretation.

My apologies. I'm a rather literal and logical person in some cases when I'm not being a complete goofball. =P

I assure you, everything in my head sounds perfectly polite and straight-foward. There's rarely any double-meaning when I type. If someone overlooks the first question in the 2nd sentence that I typed, I tend to think their reading comprehension has failed. I'm not saying this is a bad thing 'nor am I making fun of that person for their ability to overlook something... It is early in the morning (where I'm from at least) so it's perfectly reasonable for one's reading comprehension to fail on occasion. Like I said, I did apologize, for not being clearer and I tried to make the statement in italics for future readers. It's one of those queries that didn't require a question mark so I guess it could be hard to figure out "what the question was that I was asking."

I'll edit my post to make it clearer for any new readers, however.

And to be honest, I haven´t answered this question for a number of reasons, which definetley include that it is incredibly wide questioning. So I understand how Odion wanted to reduce or narrow the scope of it.

The question is what theistic views do you believe in, (if any) and why. It's only as broad as you reply makes it. It shouldn't be that hard to explain what you believe in, if you believe in it.

Not a theistic response, but for example: "I believe I am typing on a forum community about religion, because the page is open and I'm typing on my keyboard right now." -- I instantly know this because my brain has this knowledge available. Just like yours should have the knowledge of whatever theistic belief you hold true. If it's not readily available... It's quite disturbing to not recall the facts of how you perceive reality.

 

[Me Myself]

I assure you, everything in my head sounds perfectly polite and straight-foward.

I think the benefit of the doubt that I will grant you extents even to the fact that I may even believe you are telling the truth in my mind. The only reason for this, is that I tend to have the exact same problem yo describe .

That said, you sounded terribly sarcastic and pretentious, and your apologies didn´t sound sincere at all

But well, no need to waste not-at-all ink writting 100 apologies. It sometimes ends up sounding even more forced (I know it sucks, it has happened to me)

I'm not saying this is a bad thing 'nor am I making fun of that person for their ability to overlook something... It is early in the morning (where I'm from at least) so it's perfectly reasonable for one's reading comprehension to fail on occasion. Like I said, I did apologize, for not being clearer and I tried to make the statement in italics for future readers. It's one of those queries that didn't require a question mark so I guess it could be hard to figure out "what the question was that I was asking."

I'll edit my post to make it clearer for any new readers, however.

As a regular rule of thumbs, try not to question the basic reading comprehension skills of a staff member on your very second post to a new forum

 

[Me Myself]

The question is what theistic views do you believe in, (if any) and why. It's only as broad as you reply makes it. It shouldn't be that hard to explain what you believe in, if you believe in it.

It really depends. I view myself as an animistic panentheist.

I believe everything is consciousness. I believe perception and reality are one and the same. I call the sum of all perception "God".

Not a theistic response, but for example: "I believe I am typing on a forum community about religion, because the page is open and I'm typing on my keyboard right now." -- I instantly know this because my brain has this knowledge available. Just like yours should have the knowledge of whatever theistic belief you hold true. If it's not readily available... It's quite disturbing to not recall the facts of how you perceive reality.

Not so much not readily available as "hard to put into words"

Try explaining blue to someone who was born blind. Is not that you cannot see blue, is that you just don´t know how to explain it.

 

[Leyora]

As a regular rule of thumbs, try not to question the basic reading comprehension skills of a staff member on your very second post to a new forum

Why not? If it's flawed and they can't understand what someone is asking when it's there clear as day, the fact that their staff or not means nothing to me. If they're offended that I pointed out that they overlooked something they should have read and figured out the first time, that's not my fault. What are they going to do? Ban me? Not only should understanding the posts that you're reading be required for anyone in a moderation position, but abusing one's powers and moderation tools over being annoyed at someone shows poor judge of character and lack of restraint. Moderation tools should only be used for unruly behavior. Being embarrassed by overlooking the meat of a post should not be a valid reason.

Sorry, but I had enough of that over at the VFX forums when it existed. (IE. "u offended me, ur banned i showed you!")

Since Odion is in a position of power and has a lot of posts on his shoulders, I'm going to take a gamble that he's humble and wouldn't abuse such abilities in a childish manner.

Regardless... I'd like to hear feedback on my question instead of responding to the faux-hostility you perceive from someone simply clarifying and responding to the confusion you have over misunderstanding a simple statement.

The question is: What do YOU believe in (as a theist), and WHY? It's not a broad question at all. I'm not asking for if you believe your dog exists, or that the sun shines... I'm asking about what you believe in theistic terms... Which is something you should be able to recall of the bat... Especially when signed up and active on forums which main topic is religion.

It really depends. I view myself as an animistic panentheist.

I believe everything is consciousness. I believe perception and reality are one and the same. I call the sum of all perception "God".

You believe everything is the consciousness of what? Your consciousness or my own? Or both? The wall I see in front of me... It's part of consciousness? If I were to combine my consciousness with yours, that would be "God?"

Also, thank you for answering my question... but you left out the "why" as well.

 

[Breathe]

My query was a two-part one... So my 2nd question to you since you didn't post it is... Why?

Sikhism is only part of my path. My beliefs are quite varied, really, and are occasionally different. I say Sikhism since I think Sikhism's philosophy makes a lot of sense and fits me quite well, although I do not follow the Reht Maryādā or the panjkakke ("five ks"), and I hold the Sikh gurūs in high regards, the text is amazing to read and fits in with my conception of Divinity, and I don't believe in the concept of avatāras. Consequently I suppose one could fit me somewhere between Sikhism, Ārya Samāj Hinduism, Śaiva Hinduism, and Confucianism.

Since I'm feeling a bit more generous now (and less grumpy) after having a cup of tea and I'm no longer as preoccupied as I was, I'll share a bit more:

One Supreme Divinity, somewhere on the scale of panentheism and panendeism. This means I do not conceive of God as a 'man in the clouds hurling lightning bolts out towards sinners'. What do I see God as? Everything.

An afterlife: I'm inclined to say reincarnation is a possibility, but not definitely. Perhaps there is only one life. Perhaps there is no afterlife. I live for this life, however.

I accept the existence of spirits, which may also be lesser gods (or, if you prefer, angels).

Why? Personal reasons that made me think otherwise and fit my experiences. I was raised irreligious, and was irreligious for some time. I don't pretend to have all the answers and they change regularly. I wouldn't tell someone my experiences, even if I wanted to, because they are deeply personal and difficult to convey to another.

 

[Shuddhasattva]

I believe in god as consciousness which generates, and is, the energy, the space, the time which compose this phenomenal world, a universal and single consciousness which, true the alchemy of duality, gives birth to infinite realities, some eternal, some temporal, and infinite being, none less than itself.

I believe this because I have experienced it as the individual mind merges into the cosmic mind in periods of spontaneous realization brought about as a result of practicing my religion which offers replicable means for achieving such states, and is built on this ideal as its core.

 

[Leyora]

I believe in god as consciousness which generates, and is, the energy, the space, the time which compose this phenomenal world, a universal and single consciousness which, true the alchemy of duality, gives birth to infinite realities, some eternal, some temporal, and infinite being, none less than itself.

As essentially you're saying "god" is everything? Is "god" conscious and self-aware or are you just defining everything in existence as "god?"

I believe this because I have experienced it as the individual mind merges into the cosmic mind in periods of spontaneous realization brought about as a result of practicing my religion which offers replicable means for achieving such states, and is built on this ideal as its core.

Interesting. How exactly does your mind merge with the "cosmic mind" and practice in your religion do you do to achieve this state?

This means I do not conceive of God as a 'man in the clouds hurling lightning bolts out towards sinners'. What do I see God as? Everything.

Again I ask you too, if you conceive "everything" as "God," why call it "God" and not just "everything?" What's the difference between "Everything" and "God," and what puts them together? Does "everything" have a consciousness therefore can be "God?" I'm just not understanding how "everything = god." I can understand everything BEING a part of an entity known as "God" or "god"
but to believe in everything and have it be called "god" is quite different. I'm just curious if your label of "God" is conscious or not. For example, what classifies "everything" as being "God."

I accept the existence of spirits, which may also be lesser gods (or, if you prefer, angels).

So these entities are conscious, or apart / connected to the "everything" you label as "God?"

I wouldn't tell someone my experiences, even if I wanted to, because they are deeply personal and difficult to convey to another.

That's fine. I wouldn't be able to verify a personal experience anyway. Though, I'd be interested in hearing it. (Just exclaiming I'd find it interesting, I know you don't want to share.)

 

[Shuddhasattva]

As essentially you're saying "god" is everything? Is "god" conscious and self-aware or are you just defining everything in existence as "god?"

Complex. In an absolute subtle sense, god conscious and self-aware, though not in a way that acts or expresses itself as the material structures which are its face or mask in the provisional, dimensionally limited reality. Think of a membrane containing all possible dimensions and reality at once upon its 'surface,' fully aware without any process of cognition occurring to be limited in time or space.

Interesting. How exactly does your mind merge with the "cosmic mind" and practice in your religion do you do to achieve this state?

There are many methods. It comes down to meditation: the orientation of that mind, fixated on the object, or non-object, of the Supreme whether conceived as having attributes (a personal god), or no attributes, or both. Many methods are employed to achieve this.

Again I ask you too, if you conceive "everything" as "God," why call it "God" and not just "everything?"

[Not my question, I know...]

Because we are in the world of words, a wilderness of smoke and mirrors where the forest cannot be seen for the trees. Everything is mundane, God is transcendent and reverential. Deep reverence, adoration and worship of God, as God, is necessary to achieve such states.

Let me put it this way: do you want to live in the everyday ratrace consuming the world like a cancer, or do you want to live in a blissoaked reality where you feel reverence, worship and adoration for everything, anyone, and nothing at all.

What's the difference between "Everything" and "God," and what puts them together? Does "everything" have a consciousness therefore can be "God?" I'm just not understanding how "everything = god." I can understand everything BEING a part of an entity known as "God" or "god"

[Not a question directed at me, but taking the liberty to answer from my view:]

Subsets. God is everything, but everything is not god. Everything is composed of God in an absolute sense, seen by us as a collection of differentiated objects designated by biological inheritance and cultural, personal conditioning, due to our simulated, biologically bound consciousness entrapped in an unreal simulation seemingly devoid of the higher dimensions, though constructed entirely of them.

So these entities are conscious, or apart / connected to the "everything" you label as "God?"

[Not fielded to me, but answering it anyway from my perspective of deities]

Are conscious, and compose these "everythings" as the quantum foam composes it, as strings compose it, as bosons compose it, as quarks compose it, as energy composes it, as space composes it. And so forth.

 

[Me Myself]

The question is: What do YOU believe in (as a theist), and WHY?

If I took the very literal form of this question it is actually very narrow:

As a theist, I believe there is that which I call "God".

The "why" becomes a weird question, because that which I call God is everything, so my only reply could be why would I distrust that the everything exists?

You believe everything is the consciousness of what? Your consciousness or my own? Or both? The wall I see in front of me... It's part of consciousness? If I were to combine my consciousness with yours, that would be "God?"

You and I are both part of God. That wall is part of you. Everything is part of you.

 

[Vinayaka]

I understand what these guys are trying to say. If I were to tell you what I believe, and how I came to believe it, it would be a 500 page essay that might be my autobiography, but would be incredible boring to you. Belief is an intricate complex process of mind, soul, emotions, and more.

For many religious folk, especially those who think for themselves, and don't just follow some dogma blindly because they can't think for themselves. it is indeed very long and convoluted.

 

[Breathe]

Again I ask you too, if you conceive "everything" as "God," why call it "God" and not just "everything?" What's the difference between "Everything" and "God," and what puts them together?

I'm a panentheist: all-in-God.
Why do I call it God? Well, because I believe it is God, of course.
What puts them together? I believe they all emanate from the same Source; that source being the Divine.

Does "everything" have a consciousness therefore can be "God?" I'm just not understanding how "everything = god."

Yes, I believe the Divine has a Consciousness, but it is different to the way we would experience consciousness which relies on a mind and physical and mental aggregates.

I can understand everything BEING a part of an entity known as "God" or "god" but to believe in everything and have it be called "god" is quite different. I'm just curious if your label of "God" is conscious or not. For example, what classifies "everything" as being "God."

I do not believe one can point to something and say "This is not (part of) God". Naturally, I do not believe I am all of the Divine.

As answered above, I do believe the Divine is Conscious. I suppose "Super-Consciousness" sounds kind of, well, right.

So these entities are conscious, or apart / connected to the "everything" you label as "God?"

In a similar way to us, although perhaps they aren't. Maybe they're just different forms of the Divine on a more personal level. I don't pretend to know.

That's fine. I wouldn't be able to verify a personal experience anyway. Though, I'd be interested in hearing it. (Just exclaiming I'd find it interesting, I know you don't want to share.)

I couldn't even if I wanted to. I'm not the best at describing things at the best of times, and my brief experiences, well, words fail me.