Rick O'Shez
Irishman bouncing off walls
Beliefs are often more trouble than they're worth. Better to admit we just don't know, which is usually much closer to the truth.
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What do you believe exactly?
- Thread starter Theweirdtophat
- Start date
That's nice...
s13ep
42
Forgive me oh great self of selves, I did not mean to hurt thou feelings.
We're all a part of the same ritual here,
You didn't hurt my feelings. Your posts just don't make sense most of the time, so I tend to ignore them.
s13ep
42
Not my fault your posts seem like the ramblings of someone who had too many bad acid trips.
s13ep
42
May the great one save you.
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
Fundamentally, I believe that what is true has more value than what isn't. Everything else logically flows from that belief.
Yerda
Veteran Member
I don't believe in magic
I don't believe in I-Ching
I don't believe in Bible
I don't believe in tarot
I don't believe in Hitler
I don't believe in Jesus
I don't believe in Kennedy
I don't believe in Buddha
I don't believe in mantra
I don't believe in Gita
I don't believe in yoga
I don't believe in kings
I don't believe in Elvis
I don't believe in Zimmerman
I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me
- From God, by John Lennon
I had to cut it there cause the next line is, Yoko and me. Yoko Ono is too weird to be real.
I try not to be believing things too much.
I don't believe in I-Ching
I don't believe in Bible
I don't believe in tarot
I don't believe in Hitler
I don't believe in Jesus
I don't believe in Kennedy
I don't believe in Buddha
I don't believe in mantra
I don't believe in Gita
I don't believe in yoga
I don't believe in kings
I don't believe in Elvis
I don't believe in Zimmerman
I don't believe in Beatles
I just believe in me
- From God, by John Lennon
I had to cut it there cause the next line is, Yoko and me. Yoko Ono is too weird to be real.
I try not to be believing things too much.
s13ep
42
Irony.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I was wondering exactly what you believe in, when it comes to deities, nature, the universe/multiverse, spirits, the afterlife, deities/prophets ect.
I'm a Druid who believes almost all of the deities existed at one point in time While I think they are powerful and intelligent, I don't think they were deities or had a thing to do with creation of the Earth or universe. I think they are aliens other or other dimensional entities but not creators. I think they made us what we are but didn't create us from scratch. I believe this explains our unexpected jump in evolution when many humans in the prehistoric era and messed around with tools, looked different and didn't really have a concept of "civilization" yet when Sumer came, all of a sudden humans had a concept of math, science, magic ect, when before they were living in caves and had very primitive tools. I believe he deities of old had something to do with it, but I don't think it's necessary to worship them or offer "sacrifices" of ale, corn, ect. Simply learning from them and showing respect for them if they are a noble, ethical and morally decent deity.
I don't worship deities and I am more interested in working with nature spirits, like animal, plant and stone spirits, as I am an animist. I believe each soul is different and unique. I don't think we are all just part of a deity or inside a deity. I believe we are all made of the same stuff but not necessarily the same and are individual. I believe that while we aren't automatically connected, we can become connected. Such as with the Bible, where in marriage it's explained that the two fleshes become one.
I believe if there is a source of creation, there might be more and not just one source. I believe in the Otherworld but also afterlives and stages within those afterlives. I believe in the afterlife, karma and reincarnation. If someone did more good than bad in their life, they see other afterlives, see more of the universe, and have an easier time contacting mortals and reincarnate. I believe the universe was never really created and won't be destroyed as everything gets recycled into something eventually. If someone did more bad than good in their life, the accumulated too much negativity and kind of remain in limbo and end up suffering and when they feel remorse of their actions, they reincarnate but start lower on the totem pole, so to speak.
I believe in magic as well as science and that magic is another way of working with energy. I like plant magic and believe that working with both magic and science helps us understand more of the universe. Speaking of which, I think there is more than one universe and dimension.
I believe in working with energy and I am not interested in trying to bend energy to my will and command it to do whatever I wish as I believe it's ineffective and usually ends up in serious consequences. I believe every religion has its own magic but really as long as people follow the morally right and ethical path than it doesn't really matter what religion they follow.
What about you?
I shouldn't say that I believe. Only because we can change our beliefs/practices but if we know something is true, that is something we cannot change. That's like trying to change the answer to two and two by making it five. Doesn't work that way.
Religious wise, what I know is two-fold. If I don't know my faith, how can I practice it. How can I practice (and why) if I don't know it is true (just believe it is for the sake of believing).
With that said, in Nichiren Buddhism, we know that to practice the Buddha's teachings, we need faith, practice, and study.
Our faith (I lean towards Nichiren Shu; but, I don't know it enough to say that's what sect I practice from):
Nichiren Shu, SGI, and other sects (excluding Shoshu who believes Nichiren is a reincarnation of the Buddha), know that the Buddha's teachings are the inherit Law of life. We know that when we give offerings to the Lotus Sutra (the Gohonzon), we receive blessings in return. We know when we chant, our Buddhanature (or true nature) will come out. We know that by our practice in front of the Gohonzon is the same practice we natually have away from it. Nichiren says that the Gohonzon is inside you not outside of you. This is what we know.
I know that each of us have a true nature: all human beings. I know that if we live our true nature, we live as Buddhas. Our Buddhanature consist of compassion towards others, wisdom, purity, true self, and peace. All of these and more free us from suffering of the cycle of rebirth.
I know that All the Buddha's teachings leads to enlightenment. Nichiren says that only through the Lotus Sutra, it does. I agree in that the Lotus Sutra summarizes the Buddha's teachings. All of which does lead to enlightenment. We are a part of the Gohonzon.
What I know are not philsophies. They are religious because this knowledge is what I practice. Each above has a specific practice and as a whole, we chant to not only do what we know is true, but apply it as well.
Our practice:
I know that to adopt a faith means to practice it.
For example, when I wake up, I usually do my chanting routine. We offer water to the Gohonzon for purity. We offer fruits and incense. We offer ourselves. We also take this out into the world because the Gohonzon is shows us (to those who don't understand the language, it gives us a means to focus) on who we are--as compassionate, peaceful, and loving human beings. We communicate with people differently on a more "higher" level of understanding. We are one with life.
In our practice we chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo to the Gohonzon. As this is the title (Renge Kyo) of the Lotus Sutra in Japanese. Many Nichiren Buddhist find it enough to chant the title as Nichiren says chanting the title in faith is akin to reading the full sutra. I personally read the full sutra and the Gosho (Nichiren's letters). I find that strenthens my knowledge. When I'm out and about, I remember what the Buddha and Nichiren said about X; and,, I think of the situation in the light of how both would explain it. It's all about the mind.
Our study:
I know that all the teaching of the Buddha are true.
I just find this common sense. Puting it into practice is hard; that is why we believe in the Gohonzon. We don't just read it. We apply it. I love to study and learn. The sutras give me inspiration to apply what I learn to my everday life. They don't say "you should do this not that" they, the Buddha, uses similies and stories to make you think of how to apply his message to our life.
---
If you asked me about paganism, I woul draw a blank face. To me, paganism is a default. Nature takes care of us. I see this, I know this, and I apply this to my everyday life by taking care of myself, others, and my environment.
Getting to know my environment and those who live and have lived here is a plus. I am living with the seasons. That is what our bodies are made to do. It's not a religion. It's just life. There is no theology, to me, in paganism. It's living with the earth and nothing more.
I do practice what neopagans call witchcraft. From giving offerings to the Gohonzon to consulting oracles for guidence sometimes helps me out. I do folk magic. Which is a fancy word for holistic healing, means of protection, self care, and prayer among other things. I find ways to create my own practices in regards to witchcraft. This is not a religion for me. It's a lifestyle. Buddhism is my practice and both Buddhism and paganism shape my life.
This is what I know is true. What I believe? Well, I believe my mother loves me. When she says it or hugs me, I know it's true.
There's nothing wrong with saying belief. Belief and practice go together. I just say if we have a faith, we should know that faith is true. That is our worldview.
All faiths I am aware of, I am inspired by the messages behind their practices. However, they are not part of my life in regards to religion.
Nam.
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Sand Dancer
Crazy Cat Lady
God is a force that is in all parts of the universe, a force that makes things happen. We are part of the universe, no more or less important than any other creation, just different, but we do cause more good and bad karma than most other creatures. Having God's presence in us, we can tap into that for good, but that is our choice to recognize and use it. I don't know what happens after death, but I think that if we did not learn how to be a positive force in the world, we go through rebirths to learn lessons on how to become more positive. Some may never learn, unfortunately.
Mackerni
Libertarian Unitarian
I faith my faith in The Omega Point. I agree with most futurist studies. I'm a transhumanist, and a posthumanist. I believe that extropy will be the causation of The Omega Point. I have a set of secular beliefs - as I reject all supernatural, spiritual, or superstitious concepts. My secular beliefs however are extremely optimistic. I believe it is only inevitable that you, and everything else will exist, after they're dead. But I don't believe in spiritual things to do this - I simply believe there will be some currently unknown technology that will "raise the dead", and not just a copy of them either, I mean literal reassembling. I believe there are three major milestones to occur to reach The Omega Point. The first is raising the dead. The second is developing another technology that can perform hylozoism. Everything will be alive, and everything that has existed will come back to life. Finally, the ascension for all to be deified. All that exists will have the ability to be alive and do whatever it wants to do, to develop a hyper-conscious hyper-intelligent universe. I believe in eventual monotheism, as the universe itself as one being will become God. I believe in pantheism because I believe everything in the universe will become God. I believe in polytheism because with everything becoming God there will be more than one God. I believe atheism exists right now. In other words, I believe all forms of theism are not just possible but probable one day.
tl;dr
I reject the supernatural but I'm also anti-nihilist.
That's specific beliefs. My religion is Unitarian Universalist. I sincerely believe in liberal theology, but my politics are Libertarian. I considered joining the Baha'i Faith because there's a lot in there I agree with ... I just can't wrap my head around the supernatural things. If there was some sort of secular Baha'i Faith (oxymoron) I would consider following it. I was thinking about joining the Unitarian Baha'is - seems like a perfect fit, but besides one website I can't find any more information on them. See, the thing is, there's no religion out there that perfectly matches with the beliefs I have, but everything Baha'u'llah says I agree with. However that may be, I'd rather adore him for what he is - a visionary inspired by his own tremulousness situation than someone who can hear God. I believe that e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶b̶o̶d̶y, well almost everybody can hear the voice of God and that's your own super-ego/sub-conscious talking to you. I do believe that he is a prophet in the sense that everything he says comes from his super-ego sub-conscious, and I don't believe everybody can be as well articulated as him, nor speak from the same voice that comes within. I'm like an atheist Baha'i.
tl;dr
I'm a Unitarian that is influenced by the Baha'i Faith.
tl;dr
I reject the supernatural but I'm also anti-nihilist.
That's specific beliefs. My religion is Unitarian Universalist. I sincerely believe in liberal theology, but my politics are Libertarian. I considered joining the Baha'i Faith because there's a lot in there I agree with ... I just can't wrap my head around the supernatural things. If there was some sort of secular Baha'i Faith (oxymoron) I would consider following it. I was thinking about joining the Unitarian Baha'is - seems like a perfect fit, but besides one website I can't find any more information on them. See, the thing is, there's no religion out there that perfectly matches with the beliefs I have, but everything Baha'u'llah says I agree with. However that may be, I'd rather adore him for what he is - a visionary inspired by his own tremulousness situation than someone who can hear God. I believe that e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶b̶o̶d̶y, well almost everybody can hear the voice of God and that's your own super-ego/sub-conscious talking to you. I do believe that he is a prophet in the sense that everything he says comes from his super-ego sub-conscious, and I don't believe everybody can be as well articulated as him, nor speak from the same voice that comes within. I'm like an atheist Baha'i.
tl;dr
I'm a Unitarian that is influenced by the Baha'i Faith.
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arthra
Baha'i
I'm Baha'i and so accept the Prophets and Messengers of the great religions and the most recent Manifestation of God Baha'u'llah... God is one and we believe in the oneness of humanity and that racial, class prejudices should be eliminated. We believe in the principle of the equality of men and women and that extremes of wealth and poverty should be reduced. Further we believe that there needs to be a representative world parliament and an internal court of arbitration to resolve conflicts...an end to war.
We also believe there needs to be universal education available to everyone.
Muffled
Jesus in me
Manifest -
able to be seen : clearly shown or visible
: easy to understand or recognize - Webster's dictionary.
I believe the Baha'u'llah is neither clearly shown nor easy to understand.
Muffled
Jesus in me
I believe He may or may not depending on what He thinks is best. Who do you say the great one is?
Sand Dancer
Crazy Cat Lady
Everyone.
arthra
Baha'i
Thanks for your post "Muffled"! I was responding to the opening post as you know as to exactly what is my religion and I gave the specific principles taught by Baha'u'llah...
If you wish to learn more about Baha'u'llah you can visit this site
http://www.bahai.org/bahaullah/
and I'll also be pleased to respond to your questions regarding the history of the Faith and the utterances and Writings of Baha'u'llah...anything you'd like to ask..
Your servant,
Arthur
psychoslice
Veteran Member
I believe in absolutely nothing.