What We Really Think

[Dawnofhope]

I thought this might be a good opportunity for all of us to get to know each other... and our beliefs... better.

Its true that I've seen a lot of people just mass broadcasting what entire groups of people believe. But it seems that in most instances, no two people, even if of the same religion/nonreligion see things exactly the same.

Lets see what we all really believe, without trying to project our own opinions on others.

Its an excellent topic. Its really frustrating to have a conversation with someone who insists Hinduism, Christianity or any other ideology is X,Y and Z as if they are non-negotiable views of that faith or ideology. Its a human nature problem IMHO rather than a problem with a particular religion or worldview, though admittedly some worldviews lend themselves to dogmatic and rigid thinking more than others.

Hey, what the heck! I’ll take your test....

1. What worldview/religious title do you hold? Please be as specific as you can. If you're part of a religious movement, what denomination/tradition are you? If no title fits you well, give a brief description of your outlook.

Baha’i

2. What do you believe about the afterlife? This should be your personal beliefs, not the generic beliefs of your tradition.

We have a part of us called a soul that progresses through the world’s of God beyond this world.

3. What, if any, spiritual practices do you participate in? (This can include meditation, attending services, prayer, dietary observances, etc)

Prayer, meditation, reading from sacred scriptures, chanting and attending devotional meetings.

4. What are your feelings on modern science? How about the supernatural/paranormal?

Science and religion are like two wings of a bird and essential for our individual and collective wellbeing. Science without religion leads to materialism. Religion without science leads to superstition.

Miracles are possible but rare.

5. What, if anything, do you feel is taboo?

For me personally sexual relations with anyone but my wife and the use of illicit drugs and alcohol.

6. How do you view others outside of your worldview? How about those within?

We’re all part of the human family and I respect the nobility of each person and associate with all in a friendly manner. I avoid seeing myself as inherently superior to anyone else.

7. Does your religion/lack of have any bearing on your political outlook or choices? Why or why not?

I can vote as my conscience dictates but cannot be a member of a political party. Politics is often divisive and so am weary about becoming overly involved in discussions of a political nature.

8. Does your religion/lack of influence the way you interact with the Earth and the environment

Yes. We need to care for the environment and earth. Socioeconomic development needs to be environmentally sustainable.

9. Lastly, what are your thoughts on God/ess/s?

I believe there is One God, but that is just my belief. We all have a fundamental right to believe as we choose and we should respect those whose views differ from our own.

 

[JustGeorge]

Science and religion are like two wings of a bird and essential for our individual and collective wellbeing. Science without religion leads to materialism. Religion without science leads to superstition.

I love how you put this!

I can vote as my conscience dictates but cannot be a member of a political party.

Is not being a member of a political party a personal preference, or a Baha'i belief?

 

[Augustus]

1. What worldview/religious title do you hold? Please be as specific as you can. If you're part of a religious movement, what denomination/tradition are you? If no title fits you well, give a brief description of your outlook.

Not religious. In contrast to most Western atheists who tend to hold to some form of the Idea of Progress, I am a proponent of the classical tragic view of human society where we don't learn from our mistakes and live in cycles of rise and fall. History doesn't tend towards progress in terms of culture and morality, only in terms of knowledge and technology.

2. What do you believe about the afterlife? This should be your personal beliefs, not the generic beliefs of your tradition.

There isn't one, imo.

3. What, if any, spiritual practices do you participate in? (This can include meditation, attending services, prayer, dietary observances, etc)

Nothing formal at least.

4. What are your feelings on modern science? How about the supernatural/paranormal?

Depends on the science in question, some are more useful than others. In general, scientific advancements bring many benefits, but it's really technology that drives most progress.

Science is the best tool we have for understanding much of the world, but it is also a consistent source of false and often harmful information. I'd say we are insufficiently sceptical about the potential harms that are caused by what is ultimately a flawed human endeavour (like everything else we do).

5. What, if anything, do you feel is taboo?

In general, if it doesn't harm others it doesn't bother me too much

6. How do you view others outside of your worldview?

Depends on what their worldview is.

How about those within?

I don't meet many, so it's always nice

7. Does your religion/lack of have any bearing on your political outlook or choices? Why or why not?

With a tragic view of human history, you can't have too much faith in human rationality. As such, the key question is not 'how can we get everyone in the world to get along', but how do we create a world where we can minimise the friction of people not getting along. Thus, I'm in favour of highly decentralised political units where different groups are able to live according to their own values rather than these groups all competing in a winner takes all contest to control a centralised state.

8. Does your religion/lack of influence the way you interact with the Earth and the environment?

Not really. We should certainly look after it though.

9. Lastly, what are your thoughts on God/ess/s?

They are things which are effective tools for underpinning belief systems. If you don't believe in them you still need to create your own axioms that are functionally equivalent to them although these lack the tradition and ritual that make belief systems more robust. I'm not massively confident that the decline of theistic belief systems will lead to the kind of flourishing of human society that many people take for granted. Only time will tell though.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

1. What worldview/religious title do you hold? Please be as specific as you can. If you're part of a religious movement, what denomination/tradition are you? If no title fits you well, give a brief description of your outlook.

no religious title. I believe we are all equal citizens of the world, even the stupids.

2. What do you believe about the afterlife? This should be your personal beliefs, not the generic beliefs of your tradition.

yes. i will go there to work and be useful to others for eternity.

3. What, if any, spiritual practices do you participate in? (This can include meditation, attending services, prayer, dietary observances, etc)

i guess i use prayer, even though I really don’t know what it is

4. What are your feelings on modern science? How about the supernatural/paranormal?

science is fascinating to me, all quests for knowledge is
supernatural/paranormal is equally fascinating to me

5. What, if anything, do you feel is taboo?

mind controls

6. How do you view others outside of your worldview? How about those within?

is there anyone IN my worldview?

7. Does your religion/lack of have any bearing on your political outlook or choices? Why or why not?

no religion fortunately. I’M FREE
politics and politicians are relatively useless

8. Does your religion/lack of influence the way you interact with the Earth and the environment?

yes.
i respect the earth, the environment, and the living things on it

9. Lastly, what are your thoughts on God/ess/s?

God is good

 

[JustGeorge]

Thanks for your replies, @Augustus and @Jeremiah Ames !

politics and politicians are relatively useless

We're in agreement here!

 

[Brickjectivity]

@JustGeorge
1. 'Grim liber scripta Christian' means that I see lots of pain in Christians and pain ahead for Christianity, that I do not limit canon by what someone tells me it should be and don't consider canon to be erudite or limited to books. I value books, and I value the Christian canon which I believe says that all writing, all script is for our benefit. This follows from my understanding of the books Matthew, James, John and others. So for example God can be sought through any text and can have inspiration for us in many texts including poems, literature, History (especially History) and others. I believe we are living in a dark time for Christians, a time of soul searching and feeling lost, a time of dark ignorance. Christianity is being melted down and reforged into what I cannot predict.

2. The afterlife is unimportant, because I am unimportant. The only afterlife that matters is figurative, because we align ourselfs with ideas and actions which have eternal significance, thereby joining them; but this man, this mind, this body is not eternal.

3. I consider spiritual to mean contemplative. I contemplate to the best of my ability. I forgive or practice forgiving. I try to align with ideas and actions which have eternal significance.

4. Modern Science is a discipline, and it should not be used to lead people through superstition. In other words there is danger that it could be used like fortune telling or to claim something like divinity, magical powers, special morality or other superiority to other people. This is not common in our time, however History has many examples of people doing so. I believe this is the definition of 'Divination' in scripture, and Science must never be used to encourage superstition, to make people into slaves.

5. My feelings are confused about taboo subjects. I believe taboos serve a purpose, but currently I'm not sure what is the proper set of taboos to have...at least not for everybody. I think it is a subject that should be revisited from time to time and publicly laughed about by comedians.

6. People outside my worldview are at a disadvantage, because I have the advantage of having been wrong many times. I think few people are as open to reality as I am. A person who never had to find their way doesn't appreciate maps. That's what I think about it.

7. Yes, but there is no single answer. It is always going to depend, and what seems right isn't always.

8. No, but I think that its obvious that we shouldn't litter, and a small reminder not to do that is Ok. Its obvious that someone has to go around making sure nobody is dumping, because sometimes companies will dump things into rivers or destroy other people's land or cut off other people's water supplies. Somebody has to play the Lone Ranger and save people, or the world just turns to crap. Sometimes you just have to shoot the gun in the hand of the crook.

8. "Only God is real, and the purpose of life is to be united with God through love." is written in my wallet, a quote that I obtained from Sunrise who is a member here. Every time I open my wallet I read it.

 

[Vouthon]

1. What worldview/religious title do you hold? Please be as specific as you can. If you're part of a religious movement, what denomination/tradition are you? If no title fits you well, give a brief description of your outlook.

Catholic Christian.

2. What do you believe about the afterlife? This should be your personal beliefs, not the generic beliefs of your tradition.

I believe in the post-mortem survival of the spiritual soul, which can subsist in at least three different conditions: purgatory (an interim condition of purification), hell (a state of definitive self-exclusion from God) and heaven (the enjoyment of the Beatific Vision of the essence of God, unmediated, and assimilation to it/union with it).

3. What, if any, spiritual practices do you participate in? (This can include meditation, attending services, prayer, dietary observances, etc)

In non-covid times, I attend Sunday Mass to participate in the sacred liturgy according the Roman Rite, which involves public and private prayer, hymn singing, scriptural readings from the Tanakh and New Testament, the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice by the priest etc.

Every time I pray, I recite at the beginning and end: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen" as is customary for all Catholics, being a strongly Trinitarian tradition.

I practise both meditative prayer (discursive reflection, which can include Lectio Divina) and contemplative prayer (non-discursive, imageless elevation of the mind to God), and use sacramentals such as the Rosary, statutes of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and the saints to help my focus.

My three most important 'set prayers' are the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be, which I say every single day. Like most Catholics, I celebrate important feasts and holy days of obligation such as Christmas, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. I also strive to go to confession at least once every year.

I observe fasting and abstinence from time-to-time: such as, one full meal on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and not eating meat on Fridays during Lent.

4. What are your feelings on modern science? How about the supernatural/paranormal?

St Anselm’s phrase, "faith seeking understanding" (fides quaerens intellectum) is my lodestone.

I believe in a "twofold order of knowledge": natural reason (philosophical speculation and scientific enquiry) and divine revelation, which in my tradition are regarded as the "two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth", both equally important and irreplaceable in their very distinct orders.

From the canons of the First Vatican Council (1869-1870):

This council was summoned by Pope Pius IX by the bull Aeterni Patris of 29 June 1868. The first session was held in St. Peter's basilica on 8 December 1869 in the presence and under the presidency of the Pope.


Chapter 4


On faith and reason



1. The perpetual agreement of the Catholic Church has maintained and maintains this too: that there is a twofold order of knowledge, distinct not only as regards its source, but also as regards its object.

2. With regard to the source, we know at the one level by natural reason, at the other level by divine faith.

Hence, so far is the Church from hindering the development of human arts and studies, that in fact she assists and promotes them in many ways. For she is neither ignorant nor contemptuous of the advantages which derive from this source for human life, rather she acknowledges that those things flow from God, the lord of sciences, and, if they are properly used, lead to God by the help of his grace.

12. Nor does the Church forbid these studies to employ, each within its own area, its own proper principles and method...​

5. What, if anything, do you feel is taboo?

There aren't many taboos in my faith akin to say, certain foods being contraband for violating halal or kosher or ritual impurities as in a number of other paths. Which is to say, there are no real restrictions on what I can choose to eat (outside fasting days), dress like, drink, or who I can associate with and so on.

I generally adhere to St. Paul's dictum that, "I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself" (Romans 14:14) and "To the pure, all things are pure" (Titus 1:15).

A few religious taboos would be desecration of holy objects that have been blessed by a cleric and forced baptism, which has been condemned in my tradition since the times of the Church Fathers. Also ethical 'taboos' such as opposition to practices like euthanasia, incest, suicide and the death penalty.

Cremation used to be 'taboo' in my church, granted, but no longer is.

(continued...)

 

[Vouthon]

6. How do you view others outside of your worldview? How about those within?

Respectfully, with open-mindedness, civility and charity in both cases.

As Pope Nicholas wrote to a pagan convert in the ninth century: "God commands that willing service be performed only by the willing...listen to the apostle Paul who, when he wrote to the Corinthians, says: Why indeed is it my business to judge concerning those who are outside [our faith]? [I Cor. 5:12-13] It is as if he said: Concerning those who are outside our religion, I shall judge nothing." (The Responses of Pope Nicholas I to the Questions of the Bulgars A.D. 866).

The Second Vatican Council's decree, Nostra Aetate (1965) defines Catholicism as a pluralist expression of orthodox Christianity (I like to think of us as "inclusive exclusivists", somewhat paradoxically), with the council fathers and Pope Paul VI stating in one paragraph:

Nostra aetate (vatican.va)

"The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in [other] religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings, which through different in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of truth which enlightens all men.

The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men...

The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion."​

The declaration begins by acknowledging that humanity "is being drawn closer together and the ties between different people are becoming stronger." In subsequent paragraphs, it specifically addresses Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism.

In his encyclical Letter, Redemptoris missio (1990), Pope St. John Paul II, insisting on the dialogue between Christian faith and non Christian religions, states that: “through dialogue, the Church seeks to uncover the seeds of the Word (semina verbi), a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men; these are found in individuals and in their religious traditions of mankind.”

In terms of those within the Church itself, fellow Catholics, we have a dictum that goes back to the medieval period: In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis (or, dubiis) libertas, in utrisque (or, omnibus) caritas [IN ESSENTIALS UNITY, IN NON-ESSENTIALS LIBERTY, IN ALL THINGS CHARITY].

7. Does your religion/lack of have any bearing on your political outlook or choices? Why or why not?

My religion certainly exerts an influence on my political beliefs, most definitely. As Pope Pius XI stated in Quadragesimo Anno (1931): “It is Our right and Our duty to deal authoritatively with social and economic problems."

There are roughly 3,600 biblical verses concerned solely with poverty and social injustice, as highlighted in bright orange in the Bible Society's "Poverty and Justice Bible".

Unjust social situations, unequal laws and material conditions which deprive other human beings of their dignity or the access to basic goods of life (food and water, lodging, healthcare, a basic income / living wage, the right to unionise for strike action etc.) are all covered by my church's "Social Doctrine" which has the exact same binding force as her moral doctrine (its a subset of it dealing with 'social and structural sin').

My tradition - in addition to 'personal sin' - thus explicitly recognises "structures of sin" which arise from personal sin. One of these prevalent in the world today, according to Pope Francis, is tax cuts for the wealthy, emanating from an ideology of 'trickle-down' economics as part of the present inequitable economic system. These structures of sin are "the systemic defects or problems in society", or as Pope St. John Paul II phrased it in his 1987 encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis: "one must denounce the existence of economic, financial and social mechanisms which, although they are manipulated by people, often function almost automatically, thus accentuating the situation of wealth for some and poverty for the rest" (Sollicitudo rei socialis, #16).

8. Does your religion/lack of influence the way you interact with the Earth and the environment?

Again most definitely: environmentalism, nature mysticism and care for God's creation have a long pedigree in my tradition, with St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century perhaps being the most famous example.

In 2015, Pope Francis promulgated an entire doctrinal encyclical on the environment:


Laudato si' - Wikipedia

Laudato si' (Praise Be to You) is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. The encyclical has the subtitle "on care for our common home".[1] In it, the pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take "swift and unified global action."[2]

The title of the social encyclical is an Umbrian phrase[4] from Francis of Assisi's 13th-century "Canticle of the Sun" (also called the Canticle of the Creatures), a poem and prayer in which God is praised for the creation of the different creatures and aspects of the Earth.[6]...

The real problem, according to Francis, lies in the fact that humans no longer see God as the Creator.[10] Thus we see "other living beings as mere objects subjected to arbitrary human domination" and do not realize that "the ultimate purpose of other creatures is not found in us."[10] Francis says that instead of viewing humanity as having "dominion" over the earth, we must see that everything is interconnected and that all of creation is a "kind of universal family".[8] Nature cannot be seen as something apart from humanity, or merely the place where we live.[8] He says that our social and environmental crises are thus one complex crisis that must be solved holistically.[8]...

Francis "pulls no punches" when lamenting pollution, climate change, a lack of clean water, loss of biodiversity, and an overall decline in human life and a breakdown of society.[8] "Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last two hundred years," he states.[1]

He "describes a relentless exploitation and destruction of the environment, for which he blamed apathy, the reckless pursuit of profits, excessive faith in technology and political shortsightedness." Laudato si' "unambiguously accepts the scientific consensus that changes in the climate are largely man-made" and states that "climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods. It represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day" and warns of "unprecedented destruction of ecosystems, with serious consequence for all of us" if prompt climate change mitigation efforts are not undertaken.

The encyclical highlights the role of fossil fuels in causing climate change.

9. Lastly, what are your thoughts on God/ess/s?

To quote a creedal statement from the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, which summarises my own beliefs:


Fourth Lateran Council : 1215 Council Fathers - Papal Encyclicals


We firmly believe and simply confess that there is only one true God, eternal and immeasurable, almighty, unchangeable, incomprehensible and ineffable, Father, Son and holy Spirit, three persons but one absolutely simple essence, substance or nature...

With the approval of this sacred and universal council, believe and confess that there exists a certain supreme reality, incomprehensible and ineffable, which truly is the Father and the Son and the holy Spirit, the three persons together and each one of them separately.

Therefore in God there is only a Trinity, not a quaternity, since each of the three persons is that reality — that is to say substance, essence or divine nature- which alone is the principle of all things, besides which no other principle can be found. This reality neither begets nor is begotten nor proceeds; the Father begets, the Son is begotten and the holy Spirit proceeds.

​

 

[JustGeorge]

Thanks for your replies, @Brickjectivity and @Vouthon !

@JustGeorge
1. 'Grim liber scripta Christian' means that I see lots of pain in Christians and pain ahead for Christianity, that I do not limit canon by what someone tells me it should be and don't consider canon to be erudite or limited to books.

I've always wondered what that meant, but was too bashful to ask. Thanks for clarifying.

And I think that's really cool that you've got a quote from @sun rise in your wallet.

 

[osgart]

1: I believe that eternal, natural, non living intelligence is responsible for our existence, life and reality. I believe in an unconditioned absolute fundamental reality that is intelligent. The source of such intelligence is of eternal minds, and life is eternal. So non living intelligence goes hand in hand with living intelligence throughout eternity.

2: I believe all life is eternal, and we live veiled from ultimate reality.

3: self reflection, meditation

4:. Nothing supernatural exists. Science is mostly reliable and methodological naturalism is its mode of operation. Science must stick to evidence. The interpretation of evidence is philosophy. I'm fascinated by science. Religion and science should never mix.

5:. Adultery, cheating is forbidden.

6: life is a fight for reliable information. Nothing is taken for granted. Doom religions that condemn non believers are immoral. Physicalists are an interesting bunch. All other worldviews aside from cults are benign. Some religions are beneficial.

7:. I believe in truthes founded on love, peace, charity, and wisdom. I feel that for life to be independent and free we are all responsible to each other for that to happen.

8:. Earth is a sacred place. We need to treat the environment with the utmost respect.

9:. God is too omniscient to be real. I don't subscribe to the concept.

 

[JustGeorge]

Thanks for your reply, @osgart !

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Earlier, in another thread, @SigurdReginson said:



I thought this might be a good opportunity for all of us to get to know each other... and our beliefs... better.

Its true that I've seen a lot of people just mass broadcasting what entire groups of people believe. But it seems that in most instances, no two people, even if of the same religion/nonreligion see things exactly the same.

Lets see what we all really believe, without trying to project our own opinions on others.

So, some questions for any who have the time or interest to reply.

1. What worldview/religious title do you hold? Please be as specific as you can. If you're part of a religious movement, what denomination/tradition are you? If no title fits you well, give a brief description of your outlook.

2. What do you believe about the afterlife? This should be your personal beliefs, not the generic beliefs of your tradition.

3. What, if any, spiritual practices do you participate in? (This can include meditation, attending services, prayer, dietary observances, etc)

4. What are your feelings on modern science? How about the supernatural/paranormal?

5. What, if anything, do you feel is taboo?

6. How do you view others outside of your worldview? How about those within?

7. Does your religion/lack of have any bearing on your political outlook or choices? Why or why not?

8. Does your religion/lack of influence the way you interact with the Earth and the environment?

9. Lastly, what are your thoughts on God/ess/s?


This is a place to listen. Question if you want, get clarification, but no poo flinging please!

1. Wannabe healer, spiritualist, and animist. I attracted to energy and inner child work. Purpose is to practice and experience self healing and possibly help others.

2. No. I believe the energies or auras of people are kept by loved ones who remember us, things we own, and places we've been.

3. Meditation, running,inner child work, spending time on nature (woods, trails, etc)

4. I'm indiferent

5. I don't know

6. I only care about other religions of they lead believers to hurt others

7. No. I choose not to have political involvement unless it's something to do with my immediate enviorment and emergency such as COVID and updates from our govorner.

8.Yes. Profoundly.

9. God/deity I find an personified concept to attribute ones answers to life's questions.
Brahma etc I don't see anything specific to critic. It just is.
Pagan. It depends. I understand worshiping nature. Not Zues and Thor.

 

[JustGeorge]

1. Wannabe healer, spiritualist, and animist. I attracted to energy and inner child work. Purpose is to practice and experience self healing and possibly help others.

2. No. I believe the energies or auras of people are kept by loved ones who remember us, things we own, and places we've been.

3. Meditation, running,inner child work, spending time on mature (woods, trails, etc)

4. I'm indiferent

5. I don't know

6. I only care about other religions of they lead believers to hurt others

7. No. I choose not to have political involvement unless it's something to do with my immediate enviorment and emergency such as COVID and updates from our govorner.

8.Yes. Profoundly.

9. God/deity I find an personified concept to attribute ones concerns
Brahma etc I don't see anything specific to critic. It just is.
Pagan. It depends. I understand worshiping nature. Not Zues and Thor.

Can you elaborate on inner child work?

 

[Dawnofhope]

I love how you put this!

Thanks. I’m essentially paraphrasing what ‘Abdu’l-Baha said. The harmony between science and religion is a particularly attractive teaching of the Baha’i faith that made it easier for me to join.

Is not being a member of a political party a personal preference, or a Baha'i belief?

Its both. My natural inclination is to become much more politically involved so the Baha’i Faith causes me to be somewhat restrained. American politics over the past few years has affirmed the wisdom of stepping back from the political realm.

Each of the main political parties where I live have policies I both agree and disagree with.

 

[JoshuaTree]

Earlier, in another thread, @SigurdReginson said:



I thought this might be a good opportunity for all of us to get to know each other... and our beliefs... better.

Its true that I've seen a lot of people just mass broadcasting what entire groups of people believe. But it seems that in most instances, no two people, even if of the same religion/nonreligion see things exactly the same.

Lets see what we all really believe, without trying to project our own opinions on others.

So, some questions for any who have the time or interest to reply.

1. What worldview/religious title do you hold? Please be as specific as you can. If you're part of a religious movement, what denomination/tradition are you? If no title fits you well, give a brief description of your outlook.

2. What do you believe about the afterlife? This should be your personal beliefs, not the generic beliefs of your tradition.

3. What, if any, spiritual practices do you participate in? (This can include meditation, attending services, prayer, dietary observances, etc)

4. What are your feelings on modern science? How about the supernatural/paranormal?

5. What, if anything, do you feel is taboo?

6. How do you view others outside of your worldview? How about those within?

7. Does your religion/lack of have any bearing on your political outlook or choices? Why or why not?

8. Does your religion/lack of influence the way you interact with the Earth and the environment?

9. Lastly, what are your thoughts on God/ess/s?


This is a place to listen. Question if you want, get clarification, but no poo flinging please!

I'm just thankful I'm a puppet on a string in this play.

 

[PoetPhilosopher]

My choosing to slowly enter a Left Hand Path mindset slowly came about, about a year ago, due to a number of things. Something expressed in the OP is people speaking for everyone, or multiple people. I was that way politically. I became a bit of an activist in my pursuit of the light. My personal definition of activism is thinking with the collective mind or collective spiritual energy, rather than individualism. My talking with an activist spirit on RF for a few months, didn't actually get me any complaints when I did it in my own circle. I found, if I'm understanding correctly, people of my own kind politically, nodding their head in agreement to my posts. And if memory serves me right, I mostly kept it to the Liberal circles. I think it did upset a few people who didn't understand what I was doing, that weren't of my political party. And I didn't mean to, but it was at a time when I found things a bit fast and politically focused on RF. Okay so, I took a look at myself after that, and realized that maybe activism isn't always the right thing. I saw myself as slowly becoming an empath, and I didn't really like it much. That was when I changed course, a sort of inversion of beliefs. When I started incorporating more Left Hand Path philosophies, I was bad at it at first. But I think I got better. How I approach the subject is that I do actually focus on being a bit worldly and material as part of my Left Hand Path ideas, and unconventional too.... but I don't interpret following the twilight, so to speak, the same as being evil. It's important to focus on strengthening your character and have strong convictions in such a path, but allows more freedom in religious practices, I think.

I consider myself very close to achieving enlightenment on my current path. I seem to think it could happen in 3-6 years with focus and dedication. While if I pursue through to completion the "light", I'm not as far along, and might have to make some sacrifices I'd rather not make.

I feel I've experienced greater love inside and less worry upon going down this path, the only bad thing is that not all my convictions may match some of my peers, they may look at me and not like my style... but after awhile, people warning you you're destined for fire and brimstone, loses its meaning.

So yeah, I'm trying out some unconventional things. While some people of more orthodox beliefs might consider their spiritual role models to be older wise men who claim to have discovered enlightenment... I thought it over, and my role models are mostly people who developed a brand, and trust from that brand, who don't always follow a conventional path, sweet but worldly, carnal. A couple of my modern role models are Avril Lavigne and Billie Eilish. And I also sometimes use my Hindu teachings for guidance - brushing up on those through some books that I read.

Also, it isn't really the case that RF "seduced" me to Left Hand Path, didn't happen like that. I just prefer to focus on the things going on, some of the incidences, in this post, rather than get more personal and try to discuss my whole entire train of thought.

I just kind of consider myself the "anti-hero" to my life story, a now little sister of Lord Shiva, and so on and so forth. And there were some ways I feel life was pulling me that way in general.

Also, I find I do have to be considerate when I post this stuff too. Some view me as on the same path as those who face a mental darkness / depression that has happened to some people upon entering Alcoholics Anonymous before they improve. I'd say if it comes up a lot, I'm willing to talk about that too, and point out how it isn't really like that for me, but for us, me and them, to take it to another thread or something.

Oh boy, it's rare for me to make such a serious post. I decided to write more because others were, making my post before look terse, haha. On a more light-hearted note, @Vouthon - thanks for the follow.

 

[MonkeyFire]

Earlier, in another thread, @SigurdReginson said:



I thought this might be a good opportunity for all of us to get to know each other... and our beliefs... better.

Its true that I've seen a lot of people just mass broadcasting what entire groups of people believe. But it seems that in most instances, no two people, even if of the same religion/nonreligion see things exactly the same.

Lets see what we all really believe, without trying to project our own opinions on others.

So, some questions for any who have the time or interest to reply.

1. What worldview/religious title do you hold? Please be as specific as you can. If you're part of a religious movement, what denomination/tradition are you? If no title fits you well, give a brief description of your outlook.

2. What do you believe about the afterlife? This should be your personal beliefs, not the generic beliefs of your tradition.

3. What, if any, spiritual practices do you participate in? (This can include meditation, attending services, prayer, dietary observances, etc)

4. What are your feelings on modern science? How about the supernatural/paranormal?

5. What, if anything, do you feel is taboo?

6. How do you view others outside of your worldview? How about those within?

7. Does your religion/lack of have any bearing on your political outlook or choices? Why or why not?

8. Does your religion/lack of influence the way you interact with the Earth and the environment?

9. Lastly, what are your thoughts on God/ess/s?


This is a place to listen. Question if you want, get clarification, but no poo flinging please!

1. I is a faithful pacifist.

2. Heaven in samsara is merely an after life, to experience the full thing you must complete nirvana

3. I created my own spiritual teaching called the Lamb of God. The wisdom boils down to this, equanimity doesn’t protect compassion with mental violence, it’s the simple fact that if I am calm and you are not, I will be happy and you won’t be.

4. I believe in both divine and the mundane.

6. My religion is open to all people as long as they can live passed suffering. I have compassion for those who feel, not those who (are) suffering.

7. I feel like the independent party is right for me, after that liberal, then once we splice the republic from the establishment there is will conservatives in Juddha.

8. I am an ancient earth deity, all life is based on the existence of faith, that is me.

9. I believe in God 100%

 

[JustGeorge]

Thanks for your reply, @MonkeyFire !

 

[Vouthon]

On a more light-hearted note, @Vouthon - thanks for the follow.

 

[RestlessSoul]

No. I was a socialist well before I bumped into Buddhism. Apparently you can be a Buddhist and hold rightwing views. Crazy I know.

Apparently there's a phenomenon in America called the "religious right". Christian, it seems.

I mean, wtaf? Read the Gospels, guys. But who am I to say?