Learning about people’s faith & what they believe in, how they think about it & try to practice it

[Niatero]

NOTE: I intentionally posted this in the Interfaith forum, which I thought was a non-debate forum.

I’ll be inviting people here to ask them questions about their faith, not as representatives of their religion or other association, but about how they think about it personally and try to practice it. I have some specific people in mind, but if anyone would like to volunteer for it, I’m interested.

(later) It doesn’t have to be a religious faith. It can be any way of life a person believes in and tries to practice.

 

[Psalm23]

I practice my faith through Bible reading, singing worship songs, prayer and going to church. I was inspired by my pastor to do these movements where I go through the armor of God and do physical movements to put them on as well as putting on prayer and praise. The armor of God includes the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes for the preparation of the gospel of peace , helmet of salvation , shield of faith and sword of the Spirit which is the word of God( see Ephesians 6:10-18). I often have gone through the armor of God and did physical movements to represent me putting on each piece of the armor.

 

[Niatero]

I practice my faith through Bible reading, singing worship songs, prayer and going to church. I was inspired by my pastor to do these movements where I go through the armor of God and do physical movements to put them on as well as putting on prayer and praise. The armor of God includes the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes for the preparation of the gospel of peace , helmet of salvation , shield of faith and sword of the Spirit which is the word of God( see Ephesians 6:10-18). I often have gone through the armor of God and did physical movements to represent me puttingThan on each piece of the armor.

Thank you so much! I'm being called away, but I just wanted you to know how grateful I am for you helping me with this.

 

[Psalm23]

Thank you so much! I'm being called away, but I just wanted you to know how grateful I am for you helping me with this.

You're welcome

 

[Spice]

I try to practice mine in every aspect of my life:
Stewardship -- I do volunteer work and help my neighbors however I can. The World is changed by your example, not your opinion.
Peace -- I try to maintain calm and peaceful even in the most trying, frustrating times and situations. I even ride with my friend who has a big red Trump endorsement in her backglass.
Integrity -- I don't say everything that is true, but I do my best to make sure everything I say is true. And I'm very big on "doing the right thing" even when it doesn't appear to matter.
Community -- I mingle and pactice my faith throughout all my activities, striving to show empathy where appropriate but not judgement. A smile and a nod goes a long way in helping others.
Equality -- a crow doesn't have to be an eagle to share the skies, nor does an eagle need be a sparrow.
Simplicity -- I try to live a life I don't need a vacation from.
I practice my individual, unaffiliated faith my living with SPICES, thanks to the basic beliefs of the Society of Friends -- Quakers.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I am a peculiar person, a Hindu and a strong atheist believing in non-duality (Advaita).
I do not believe in Gods and Goddesses, soul, heaven, hell, judgment, birth, rebirth, death, or even the existence of universe. It is an illusion, maya.
What I believe in is 'dharma' (duties) and I try to fulfill my 'dharma'.

 

[mangalavara]

how they think about it personally and try to practice it.

When it comes to how I think about Hinduism, I think of it as a way of life that promotes harmony among human beings and even between humans and other creatures. At the same time, I think of it as a spiritual way of life that is not focused on the collective but on the individual. It champions inquiry into truth and the nature of reality. Further, I think of it as a way of life with lots of freedom and adaptability.

Regarding practice, there are three main things that I do. One of them is the practice of sāmānya dharma. It refers to duties and virtues common to people of all classes and ranks such as non-injury, truthfulness, cleanliness, giving, compassion, and forgiveness. The second practice is nāma japa. This is the [daily] repetition or chanting of divine names. Examples are Śiva, Ambe, Rāma, and Rādhe. The third practice is bhakti. This word means ‘devotion.’ For most of us, it refers to devotion to a god or goddess such as Śiva, Durgā, or Nārāyaṇa. According to one scripture, bhakti is characterized by genuine love toward the deity and typically involves worship.

 

[JustGeorge]

I practice my faith through Bible reading, singing worship songs, prayer and going to church. I was inspired by my pastor to do these movements where I go through the armor of God and do physical movements to put them on as well as putting on prayer and praise. The armor of God includes the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes for the preparation of the gospel of peace , helmet of salvation , shield of faith and sword of the Spirit which is the word of God( see Ephesians 6:10-18). I often have gone through the armor of God and did physical movements to represent me putting on each piece of the armor.

I really like that armor idea!

We have mantras in Hinduism that are considered 'armor'. Sometimes if I am worried, I will listen to one of these kavachams... I think the one I use most the the Sita Kavacham(armor of Sita).

I try to practice mine in every aspect of my life:
Stewardship -- I do volunteer work and help my neighbors however I can. The World is changed by your example, not your opinion.
Peace -- I try to maintain calm and peaceful even in the most trying, frustrating times and situations. I even ride with my friend who has a big red Trump endorsement in her backglass.
Integrity -- I don't say everything that is true, but I do my best to make sure everything I say is true. And I'm very big on "doing the right thing" even when it doesn't appear to matter.
Community -- I mingle and pactice my faith throughout all my activities, striving to show empathy where appropriate but not judgement. A smile and a nod goes a long way in helping others.
Equality -- a crow doesn't have to be an eagle to share the skies, nor does an eagle need be a sparrow.
Simplicity -- I try to live a life I don't need a vacation from.
I practice my individual, unaffiliated faith my living with SPICES, thanks to the basic beliefs of the Society of Friends -- Quakers.

I love your practice!

 

[Vinayaka]

I’l be inviting people here to ask them questions about their faith, not as representatives of their religion or other association, but about how they think about it personally and try to practice it. I have some specific people in mind, but if anyone would like to volunteer for it, I’m interested.

I'm sure you will get many people volunteering to share. I really enjoy JustGeorge's interview thread as we get to know an individual, so it's more like a case study. This one will be more just random thoughts, and some of us have heard it all before. Best wishes on bringing out new stuff.

 

[Niatero]

I practice my faith through Bible reading, singing worship songs, prayer and going to church. I was inspired by my pastor to do these movements where I go through the armor of God and do physical movements to put them on as well as putting on prayer and praise. The armor of God includes the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes for the preparation of the gospel of peace , helmet of salvation , shield of faith and sword of the Spirit which is the word of God( see Ephesians 6:10-18). I often have gone through the armor of God and did physical movements to represent me putting on each piece of the armor.

Thank you. Are there things that your faith inspires you to practice in every part of your life, wherever you go and whatever you do, for example in your interactions with people, at work, and when you’re out and about?

 

[Niatero]

I try to practice mine in every aspect of my life:
Stewardship -- I do volunteer work and help my neighbors however I can. The World is changed by your example, not your opinion.
Peace -- I try to maintain calm and peaceful even in the most trying, frustrating times and situations. I even ride with my friend who has a big red Trump endorsement in her backglass.
Integrity -- I don't say everything that is true, but I do my best to make sure everything I say is true. And I'm very big on "doing the right thing" even when it doesn't appear to matter.
Community -- I mingle and pactice my faith throughout all my activities, striving to show empathy where appropriate but not judgement. A smile and a nod goes a long way in helping others.
Equality -- a crow doesn't have to be an eagle to share the skies, nor does an eagle need be a sparrow.
Simplicity -- I try to live a life I don't need a vacation from.
I practice my individual, unaffiliated faith my living with SPICES, thanks to the basic beliefs of the Society of Friends -- Quakers.

Thank you. Do you have any ideas about why you do these things, what moves or motivates you to want to do them?

 

[Spice]

Thank you. Do you have any ideas abut why you do these things, what moves or motivates you to want to do them?

I see the acronym and the tenets applied by the Society of Friends, as an accurate To Do List for the Great Commandment. But most importantly living with SPICES works -- for me, my family, and my community.

It's not difficult, especially once you get used to it. The 2 "S"s may be the most difficult for today's world. Most are fearful that doing for others sets you up to be taken advantage of. Stewardship doesn't mean you can't say no. It means putting yourself out there where you're comfortable. Simplicity doesn't mean living without indoor plumbing and electricity. But it does mean living mindfully and well within your means so that you have blessings to share. Both are wonderful stress reducers!

 

[Niatero]

I am a peculiar person, a Hindu and a strong atheist believing in non-duality (Advaita).
I do not believe in Gods and Goddesses, soul, heaven, hell, judgment, birth, rebirth, death, or even the existence of universe. It is an illusion, maya.
What I believe in is 'dharma' (duties) and I try to fulfill my 'dharma'.

Thank you. Can you think of any good questions for me to ask, about your way of life?

 

[Niatero]

I see the acronym and the tenets applied by the Society of Friends, as an accurate To Do List for the Great Commandment. But most importantly living with SPICES works -- for me, my family, and my community.

It's not difficult, especially once you get used to it. The 2 "S"s may be the most difficult for today's world. Most are fearful that doing for others sets you up to be taken advantage of. Stewardship doesn't mean you can't say no. It means putting yourself out there where you're comfortable. Simplicity doesn't mean living without indoor plumbing and electricity. But it does mean living mindfully and well within your means so that you have blessings to share. Both are wonderful stress reducers!

Thanks. I have a kind of To Do List too, but the list items are paragraphs instead of words, so I don’t have an acronym for it. I’ll think about that.

 

[idea]

I used to follow "faith" - which I now see as following the limbic impulse part of my brain. Now I try to act more from the prefrontal cortex part of my brain (which sometimes disagrees with limbic).

Everything is uncertain, requires hope and a little guess work, but its no longer "give the charismatic guy that tells a good story $$" to, research charity organization financial records and then donate - or better yet - donate to those you know need it, no middlemen.

Covenant bonds to everyone bond, everyone is my brother /sister.
Personal authority and self-reliance over pretending some priest has better advice (we're all just people, no one knows better our circumstances than ourselves).

Follow learning from diverse sources. Listen, experiment, do the best I can for those around me, try to lift them to become self-reliant too as much as possible.

 

[Niatero]

I used to follow "faith" - which I now see as following the limbic impulse part of my brain. Now I try to act more from the prefrontal cortex part of my brain (which sometimes disagrees with limbic).

Everything is uncertain, requires hope and a little guess work, but its no longer "give the charismatic guy that tells a good story $$" to, research charity organization financial records and then donate - or better yet - donate to those you know need it, no middlemen.

Covenant bonds to everyone bond, everyone is my brother /sister.
Personal authority and self-reliance over pretending some priest has better advice (we're all just people, no one knows better our circumstances than ourselves).

Follow learning from diverse sources. Listen, experiment, do the best I can for those around me, try to lift them to become self-reliant too as much as possible.

Do you have any ideas about why you want to live that way, what moves or motivates you to live that way?

 

[Psalm23]

Thank you. Are there things that your faith inspires you to practice in every part of your life, wherever you go and whatever you do, for example in your interactions with people, at work, and when you’re out and about?

I pray at home and out and about. I'm encouraged by my Lord Jesus to love one another and pray for people. I have a practice of forgiveness and I often pray for people who offend me. I am led by my Lord to practice this. I like to sing both in the house and out in about.

 

[Niatero]

I pray at home and out and about. I'm encouraged by my Lord Jesus to love one another and pray for people. I have a practice of forgiveness and I often pray for people who offend me. I am led by my Lord to practice this. I like to sing both in the house and out in about.

Have you always had the faith that you have now, and if not, how did it come to you?

 

[Psalm23]

Have you always had the faith that you have now, and if not, how did it come to you?

I have had faith since I was a child . I have become stronger in my faith since then.

 

[Niatero]

I have had faith since I was a child . I have become stronger in my faith since then.

Can you think of anything else to tell me about your faith, how you think about it and how you practice it?