How Many People Here Are Religious, And How Many Not?

[sayak83]

Labels must at least carry some meaning though, or else they become totally irrelevant. You can't just go around calling yourself whatever you want. If one Christian is a monotheist and believes on Jesus as his lord and saviour, and another is a polytheist and believes Jesus was just a bloke, what does the word 'Christian' even mean anymore?

It means a follower of Jesus, in some form and in some capacity in their lives.

 

[siti]

I've concluded that Christians just aren't up to defending all the challenges thrown at them. While they believe X, Y, and Z, few know the ramifications of their belief, and are therefore vulnerable to the challenges by non-Christians who do know them.

I think you've got a point there. I am not a Christian and have not even pretended to be one for almost twenty years now and yet I find that the Christians who do post on RF (and some of my real life Christian friends) are less aware than I am of some of the fundamental scriptural passages on which their faith hangs.

I thought I'd check out the DIRs to see what was going on there - since Christian faith most critically hinges on who/what Christ is believed to be I thought the Christology DIR might be informative to look at to see how different Christians view Christ - there are just 18 threads in that forum - some are not even about Christ at all and not a single post so far this year! It does seem rather odd that people of faith seem far more intent on atheist- and science-bashing in the general forums than discussing what they understand about the key figure in their own religion among themselves.

Anyway, I'm not religious in the sense of "believing" or "practicing" any kind of faith-based religion - but I do think the concepts of 'religion' and 'God' are very interesting topics to think and learn about - that's why I am here. And if some think my comments are "barbed" (as someone complained the other day) or even cynical - that's because I am trying my best to exercise critical thinking faculties in my quest for knowledge and understanding about this thing called "religion". It isn't just because I am a grumpy and cynical old git (well OK - it might be a bit of that as well).

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I'd like to see if the other staff members agree with your assessment of their beliefs. You got mine wrong...

I can see some incorrect ones. Mine, however, is accurate.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I doubt it. This forum has had people who work with computers and IT of all sorts of religious affiliations.

I work with computers and IT, and am also an atheist. However, I'm completely useless at tech (for a geek) so this Saturday is me from being a complete cliche.

I hope.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I'm not an atheist.

C'mon now...you know you wanna join us. We already convinced the monkey, although he insists on saying humans devolved from a common ancestor.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I'm not religious in that I do not assign myself to any particular faith or church or religion. I don't worship anything, I don't preach anyone else's schtick, I don't place any special consideration on any holy books or writings or anything else like that.

I'm no atheist, though. That label comes with too much douche-baggage. That is I don't want to be associated with the overwhelming level of douche-baggery I see from those that self-apply the label.

I don't really like the term agnostic either but I'd bet its the closest to what I am.

The reason I post here is because I like to argue. I enjoy debating and discussing religious topics. People's ideas are fascinating. Its amazing to me how firmly people will hold on to what they believe. The mental back-flips they do to remain 'right'. Its the most entertaining topic to debate by a long shot.

I'm an atheist, so also carrying around douche-baggery...

*Ponders*

Probably fair enough. I would say, letting a label define you is dumb, but if I tell people I'm an atheist, they know I don't believe in God. They can, of course, assume I'm a douche bag, but there's only about a 50% chance that's right, depending on my mood.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Its better than philosophy forums where people talk all kinds of complicated rubbish to make obscure, fanciful points.

Agreed. I'm suspicious of people who are incapable of communicating clearly. At least when they're well educated and working in their first language.

Here on this forum you can be more down to earth, and the rubbish is far more appealing.

This is almost sig worthy!!

Religion appeals, thats why atheists love it so much. A shooter needs a target to be happy.

I can speak only for myself, but that's rubbish. I'm not interested in shooting religion, even metaphorically. But it is a major motivating factor in many peoples peopl, and even at a national/international level. That puts it on a short list. My belief in God is completely beside the point.

Full tilt religious subjectivity and speculation keeps free speech alive and well.

Interesting point.

 

[Father Heathen]

We do this over and over again.

For some reason, we have lots of atheists and Hindus, and quite a few heretical Christians.

Most of the staff are either atheists or Hindus or vaguely spiritual.

I sort of wish there were more conventional religious people here.

This is basically a liberal atheist board.

Some more variety would be nice. I prefer debate to just preaching to the choir.

 

[Rival]

It means a follower of Jesus, in some form and in some capacity in their lives.

You can't follow Jesus and be a polytheist. Jesus himself was against that.

I guess people just want to go around calling themselves whatever they want nowadays without any consideration as to any actual meaning.

 

[sayak83]

You can't follow Jesus and be a polytheist. Jesus himself was against that.

I guess people just want to go around calling themselves whatever they want nowadays without any consideration as to any actual meaning.

A Gnostic Christian will believe your NT gospels are forgeries etc. The Jesus of various folks are very different from each other, this I have found. Of course everyone wants his Jesus to be the the Jesus. So Christians have called other Christians heretics from the very beginning and this will continue till the very end of the religion. That's how it is. was and will be.

 

[Rival]

A Gnostic Christian will believe your NT gospels are forgeries etc. The Jesus of various folks are very different from each other, this I have found. Of course everyone wants his Jesus to be the the Jesus. So Christians have called other Christians heretics from the very beginning and this will continue till the very end of the religion. That's how it is. was and will be.

My NT?

I agree Christianity is particularly prone to this, but there should ideally be certain parametres that one should follow. The term Christian has become meaningless and it makes discussion hard.

All I'm saying is that labels ought to mean something. I mean, in a perfect world the religious term 'Hindu' should have been dropped years ago.

 

[sayak83]

My NT?

I agree Christianity is particularly prone to this, but there should ideally be certain parametres that one should follow. The term Christian has become meaningless and it makes discussion hard.

All I'm saying is that labels ought to mean something. I mean, in a perfect world the religious term 'Hindu' should have been dropped years ago.

in a perfect word everyone would have his/her own well developed and unique worldview and none shall match with another.

 

[Rival]

in a perfect word everyone would have his/her own well developed and unique worldview and none shall match with another.

Now I disagree! Lol.

 

[danieldemol]

I describe myself as liberal religious because I don’t believe in fundamentalism

 

[Sir Doom]

I'm an atheist, so also carrying around douche-baggery...

*Ponders*

Probably fair enough. I would say, letting a label define you is dumb, but if I tell people I'm an atheist, they know I don't believe in God. They can, of course, assume I'm a douche bag, but there's only about a 50% chance that's right, depending on my mood.

It was meant jokingly, of course. I love everyone. Even douchebags!

In the 'real' world I rarely discuss the topic as it is often a hot button in my current environment. I do a lot of smiling and nodding when it comes to religion. I enjoy this place and I've missed it.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

The term Christian has become meaningless and it makes discussion hard.

I've met some that admit they have never read the Bible. There's even a rap song by Yella Wolf, saying he's from the Bible Belt, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are his best friends, but he doesn't know much about the Bible.
I think LaVey was wrong, in that Satan isn't the best friend of the Church, it's ignorance.

 

[Quintessence]

• 9-10ths_Penguin - Atheist
  1/10 Riboflavin
• ADigitalArtist - Atheist
  Well-Known Member
• beenie -- Agnostic
  Veteran Member
• Brent W - -?
  Resident Tech Guy
• Brickjectivity - Christian
  simple man
• Chakra - Hindu
  Well-Known Member
• Debater Slayer - Atheist
  Born-again Glompist
• Falvlun - Atheist
  Earthbending Lemur
• idav -- ??
  Being
• Infinitum - LHP ??
  Possessed Bookworm
• Iti oj -- Atheist
  Global warming is real and we need to act
• Jainarayan -- Hindu
  ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
• Jesster - Atheist
  Friendly skeptic
• Kirran -- Hindu
  ॐ
• lewisnotmiller -- Atheist
  Grand Hat
• LuisDantas - Atheist
  Aura of atheification
• Madhuri -- Hindu
  RF Goddess
• michel - ??
  Administrator Emeritus
• Mister Emu - Christian
  Emu Extraordinaire
• Polymath257 -- Atheist
  Think & Care
• Quagmire -- Atheist
  Imaginary talking monkey
• Quagmire2.0 -??
  New Member
• Quintessence -- Spiritual/Pagan
  Tale Weaver
• SageTree -- Spiritual
  Spiritual Friend
• SalixIncendium -- Atheist
  Resident Hermit
• sayak83 --- Hindu
  Well-Known Member
• Shiranui117 - Christian
  Pronounced Shee-ra-noo-ee
• Sunstone -- Atheist
  De Diablo Del Fora
• Terese --- Hindu
  Mangalam Pundari Kakshah.
• Vee -- Christian
  Active Member

That's a whole lot of atheists and Hindus.

For the record, I am not "spiritual." I kind of hate the word "spiritual." I go on rants about the word "spiritual."

Religious. Re-lig-ious. It's not a dirty word.

 

[SomeRandom]

All I'm saying is that labels ought to mean something. I mean, in a perfect world the religious term 'Hindu' should have been dropped years ago.

To be fair, the term "Hindu" is used primarily by Westerners. People who identify as "Hindu" usually do so for translation purposes. But I know quite a few who despise the term as it's seen as a reminder of Colonialism.

 

[Rival]

For the record, I am not "spiritual." I kind of hate the word "spiritual." I go on rants about the word "spiritual."

Religious. Re-lig-ious. It's not a dirty word.

Noted