Not sure where else to put this...

[GKDAIR]

Ok, so first off lemme say this.

I do believe that some form of higher power exist in the world. I am pretty much against all of the bigger religions like Muslim and Christianity. I've looked at the evidence and all throughout history and there has been nothing to prove me that the christian god exists.

The thing is I'm not even really looking for proof. It's just the bible itself contradicts itself so many times and we don't even have a lot of records for most of the people in the bible outside of the bible itself, but anyway.

I've been looking into a lot of eastern religions and religions that are paganistic in general. Basically looking at a religion that doesn't act like it knows it all.

The thing is, while I see no harm in looking up this stuff, my family and community in which I live is seriously hardcore southern baptist. I live in north east texas aka the bible belt. I'm worried if I start looking at information about not just different gods but more than 1 god that my family will try to have me excerised or something.

Finally, is there a religion that has a higher power but doesn't pretend to know everything? Like i'm fine with you know if they say that when you die you go on into the afterlife, im fine with that. I just hate it when religions can't explain anything so they do the whole "God did it" thing. Also, when religion blatantly ignores facts like the age of the earth and evolution, etc. Again im looking into eastern religions and pagan beliefs, there are just so many.

Heres basically a brief summary of what I believe

1) Support gay rights
2) Tend to be liberal on most things
3) Would rather have questions without answers then answers that shall not be questioned
4) Have no problem believing in more than one god.
5) Don't care for mainstream religions (Christian and Muslim, Mormonism, etc.)

 

[Sunstone]

What do you wish to debate? Would your thread be more appropriately placed in "religious discussions"?

 

[GKDAIR]

I'm really just looking for a "Hey maybe you could look into Religion X" kinda thing.

Was mostly going to let the people debate on which would fit me more and this seemed like the most active forum.

 

[Me Myself]

No religion "pretends to know everything". That said A LOT of people pretend their religion knows everything.

Learn about yourself and your beliefs, but putting labels on you may hinder your grow. If you don´t feel any fits to you currently, be yourself and don´t put any of those unnecesary labels.

What do you aim to accomplish by "having" a "religion"? Can´t you acomplish it by other means? Why do you want to accomplish it specificaly by religion?

 

[Me Myself]

I´d say look into and most of all PRACTICE meditation

I´d say it´s more important than any religion in the world.

I feel religion is asking for directions, and meditation is letting the GPS drive

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Ok, so first off lemme say this.

I do believe that some form of higher power exist in the world. I am pretty much against all of the bigger religions like Muslim and Christianity. I've looked at the evidence and all throughout history and there has been nothing to prove me that the christian god exists.

The thing is I'm not even really looking for proof. It's just the bible itself contradicts itself so many times and we don't even have a lot of records for most of the people in the bible outside of the bible itself, but anyway.

I've been looking into a lot of eastern religions and religions that are paganistic in general. Basically looking at a religion that doesn't act like it knows it all.

The thing is, while I see no harm in looking up this stuff, my family and community in which I live is seriously hardcore southern baptist. I live in north east texas aka the bible belt. I'm worried if I start looking at information about not just different gods but more than 1 god that my family will try to have me excerised or something.

Finally, is there a religion that has a higher power but doesn't pretend to know everything? Like i'm fine with you know if they say that when you die you go on into the afterlife, im fine with that. I just hate it when religions can't explain anything so they do the whole "God did it" thing. Also, when religion blatantly ignores facts like the age of the earth and evolution, etc. Again im looking into eastern religions and pagan beliefs, there are just so many.

Heres basically a brief summary of what I believe

1) Support gay rights
2) Tend to be liberal on most things
3) Would rather have questions without answers then answers that shall not be questioned
4) Have no problem believing in more than one god.
5) Don't care for mainstream religions (Christian and Muslim, Mormonism, etc.)

Agnostic theism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An agnostic theist believes in the existence of at least one deity, but regards the truth or falsehood of this proposition as unknown or inherently unknowable.[1] The agnostic theist may also or alternatively be agnostic regarding the properties of the God(s) they believe in.

 

[Sunstone]

I'm really just looking for a "Hey maybe you could look into Religion X" kinda thing.

Was mostly going to let the people debate on which would fit me more and this seemed like the most active forum.

I've moved your thread to "Comparative Religion" to decrease the chance that it might turn into a debate over your views.

 

[Sunstone]

I´d say look into and most of all PRACTICE meditation

I would agree with this.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I´d say look into and most of all PRACTICE meditation

Can I ask why you think Meditation will help this man find his religion?

 

[HerDotness]

Unitarian Universalism or Paganism may be what you need.

However, if you want a church that you can attend in order to tell your family that yes, I AM going to church, the UU church may work for you. Northeast TX is a pretty big area. Are you close to any sizable town with a college or university? UU churches in Texas are mostly in the larger cities or college towns although there might be a UU fellowship within a reasonable distance.

Unitarian Universalism would cover all five of the things you've listed that you believe as well as encouraging you to study various religions and decide what exactly you believe. UU's are not given a list and told the things on it are what they must believe. It's called a "non-creedal faith" for that reason.

Basic information is most readily available on the site for the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship.
www.clf.uua.org

It is an online church intended for those too far from an actual church or fellowship to attend. I belonged to it for about 15 years when I lived over 200 miles from the nearest UU church/fellowship. Click on "Join CLF" for more specific information about UUism and the 3-month trial membership. The trial membership is great! Absolutely no pressure to join. You'll only get an email shortly before the three months is up asking if you are interested in joining and telling you what to do if you are. What else you get is explained.

Also, the main denominational site www.uua.org may provide other helpful information. There's a church locator on this site which can point you to a church or fellowship near you if there is one.
The church magazine which is issued seasonally might be useful to you, too. www.uuworld.org

Or PM me with specific questions if you wish.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

From personal experience, Meditation confused me more about what I believed, since it combined my subconscious ideals and my conscious ideals.

 

[GKDAIR]

See the biggest problem is that I don't know what all is out there. I know the big religions, and I know a few smaller ones, but the pagan ones really interest me, yet I literally know almost nothing about them. I can't seem to find any articles on the internet about them either.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

See the biggest problem is that I don't know what all is out there. I know the big religions, and I know a few smaller ones, but the pagan ones really interest me, yet I literally know almost nothing about them. I can't seem to find any articles on the internet about them either.

Which one interests you the most?

 

[Me Myself]

Can I ask why you think Meditation will help this man find his religion?

It´s not that I think it will help him find his religion, is that I think it will help him find himself.

about your other post of making you more "confused"... well, when you are reorganizing something, there tends to be a mess before having an even better order.

I´ve also feeled this "confusion", and peace lies beneath it.

Meditation has shown to be good in general to help us deal with our emotions, raise peacefulness, cooperation between both hemispheres of the brain and others.

I said meditation when he asks religion because I think it fullfills things that religion promises to fulfill, but many times just cannot, and because you may change religion 100 times, but you can always sit down for 15 minutes, and just be you.

Whatever you believe in, you are going to be in your own skin, so gfet comfortable with it, and find peace there.

So I do ask, what are you looking for when you look for religion?

 

[Breathe]

Finally, is there a religion that has a higher power but doesn't pretend to know everything? Like i'm fine with you know if they say that when you die you go on into the afterlife, im fine with that. I just hate it when religions can't explain anything so they do the whole "God did it" thing. Also, when religion blatantly ignores facts like the age of the earth and evolution, etc. Again im looking into eastern religions and pagan beliefs, there are just so many.

Heres basically a brief summary of what I believe

1) Support gay rights
2) Tend to be liberal on most things
3) Would rather have questions without answers then answers that shall not be questioned
4) Have no problem believing in more than one god.
5) Don't care for mainstream religions (Christian and Muslim, Mormonism, etc.)

I think you should look into:

Hinduism
Ásatrú (avoid folkish ones though; this can be quite hard)
Druids
I would have included Sikhism on here, but most Sikhs are somewhat conservative. It may be worth checking out.
Possibly Taoism?

One can follow any religion and support GBLT rights. Whether one is conservative or liberal does not depend on the religion, as such.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

It´s not that I think it will help him find his religion, is that I think it will help him find himself.

about your other post of making you more "confused"... well, when you are reorganizing something, there tends to be a mess before having an even better order.

I´ve also feeled this "confusion", and peace lies beneath it.

Meditation has shown to be good in general to help us deal with our emotions, raise peacefulness, cooperation between both hemispheres of the brain and others.

I said meditation when he asks religion because I think it fullfills things that religion promises to fulfill, but many times just cannot, and because you may change religion 100 times, but you can always sit down for 15 minutes, and just be you.

Whatever you believe in, you are going to be in your own skin, so gfet comfortable with it, and find peace there.

So I do ask, what are you looking for when you look for religion?

I still don't see the point in meditation. I mean, masturbation does the same exact thing, but is more pleasureful. In fact, I hated meditation until I did those OBE tricks... and they began to bore me when I found out it was all just psychological


But if he wants to take your advice I guess he can if he wants, it's his path he's finding

 

[HerDotness]

Here's a good all-purpose site for information on Pagan faiths. It includes general information as well as sections for most of the commonly practiced ones.

A Pagan Primer -- For Those New to Paganism (The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum)

The catch is that you're probably going to be on your own where you live. It might be difficult to find very many Pagans in NE Texas unless you're near a college town.

Incidentally, if you don't find any Pagans to get involved with but do have a UU church or fellowship within a reasonable distance, you'd likely feel welcome as a Pagan among UU's.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I think you should look into:

Hinduism
Ásatrú (avoid folkish ones though; this can be quite hard)
Druids
I would have included Sikhism on here, but most Sikhs are somewhat conservative. It may be worth checking out.
Possibly Taoism?

One can follow any religion and support GBLT rights. Whether one is conservative or liberal does not depend on the religion, as such.

Hehe, even Conservatives can support GBLT

 

[Breathe]

Hehe, even Conservatives can support GBLT

Of course.

 

[FearGod]

Ok, so first off lemme say this.

I do believe that some form of higher power exist in the world. I am pretty much against all of the bigger religions like Muslim and Christianity. I've looked at the evidence and all throughout history and there has been nothing to prove me that the christian god exists.

The thing is I'm not even really looking for proof. It's just the bible itself contradicts itself so many times and we don't even have a lot of records for most of the people in the bible outside of the bible itself, but anyway.

I've been looking into a lot of eastern religions and religions that are paganistic in general. Basically looking at a religion that doesn't act like it knows it all.

The thing is, while I see no harm in looking up this stuff, my family and community in which I live is seriously hardcore southern baptist. I live in north east texas aka the bible belt. I'm worried if I start looking at information about not just different gods but more than 1 god that my family will try to have me excerised or something.

Finally, is there a religion that has a higher power but doesn't pretend to know everything? Like i'm fine with you know if they say that when you die you go on into the afterlife, im fine with that. I just hate it when religions can't explain anything so they do the whole "God did it" thing. Also, when religion blatantly ignores facts like the age of the earth and evolution, etc. Again im looking into eastern religions and pagan beliefs, there are just so many.

Heres basically a brief summary of what I believe

1) Support gay rights
2) Tend to be liberal on most things
3) Would rather have questions without answers then answers that shall not be questioned
4) Have no problem believing in more than one god.
5) Don't care for mainstream religions (Christian and Muslim, Mormonism, etc.)

Your thoughts is similar to deism,believing on god and to be liberal on most things.

if you found yourself on it,then it's your choice , good luck.