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Which Choice Best Describes Your Faith (or lack thereof)?
- Thread starter TurkeyOnRye
- Start date
Emi
Proud to be a Pustra!
Thank you for your interest! Hmmm... that's a good question. I guess fundamentally is has views similar to Sikhism and Buddhism.
It supports science and acceptance among others regardless of belief, sexuality, race, gender, etc.
It promotes giving back to the community via volunteering and the like. The only deity involved is Samsus, who is believed to have sacrificed itself to start the big bang.
Emi
Proud to be a Pustra!
It was my pleasure. Thank you for showing interestThank you. I am familiar with Buddhism and Sikhism to an extent. Thank you for responding to my post..and nice to meet you.
It's nice to meet you too!
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I'm bored; so, I guess I'll add my two cents..
I'm a pagan practitioner and Buddhist. I picked Buddhist since that's what I adhere to by religion, practice, and worldview. Paganism seems very loose word to describe it as my faith. Since reverence for nature, magic practice, and folk views are pretty much common sense to me and natural, I don't know how to consider them separate from me as many do with religion.
Buddhism is a religion to me and shapes what I do and how I relate to the world. I guess you can say I am traditional pagan (being to be one), because Buddhism does believe in deities that are older abrahamic faiths, technically speaking. They are personifications.
Anyway, I hate the word "other". When I read forms that say: "Are you native american, african american, carcausian, other", I cringe. Like I'm a thing. America. That's all I got to say about that.
I am a Buddhist and I have folk practices that neopagans would consider within the pagan and witchcraft genre. I revere nature and am one with the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha within the practices of Nichiren Shonin and all the Buddhas of the Lotus and the Buddhas sutras prior to.
To add extra icing, I am an animist, spiritualist, pantheist, atheist, and, let me think am I mising an "ist" somewhere? I dont know.
My religion: Life.
To tell you honestly, I never thought I was any of those extra icings until I came RF. Making things sooo complicated.
Nam.
I'm a pagan practitioner and Buddhist. I picked Buddhist since that's what I adhere to by religion, practice, and worldview. Paganism seems very loose word to describe it as my faith. Since reverence for nature, magic practice, and folk views are pretty much common sense to me and natural, I don't know how to consider them separate from me as many do with religion.
Buddhism is a religion to me and shapes what I do and how I relate to the world. I guess you can say I am traditional pagan (being to be one), because Buddhism does believe in deities that are older abrahamic faiths, technically speaking. They are personifications.
Anyway, I hate the word "other". When I read forms that say: "Are you native american, african american, carcausian, other", I cringe. Like I'm a thing. America. That's all I got to say about that.
I am a Buddhist and I have folk practices that neopagans would consider within the pagan and witchcraft genre. I revere nature and am one with the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha within the practices of Nichiren Shonin and all the Buddhas of the Lotus and the Buddhas sutras prior to.
To add extra icing, I am an animist, spiritualist, pantheist, atheist, and, let me think
am I mising an "ist" somewhere? I dont know.My religion: Life.
To tell you honestly, I never thought I was any of those extra icings until I came RF. Making things sooo complicated.
Nam.
Kinda gets complicated when you honestly look deeply into yourself and then try to put a label on yourself doesn't it? I think maybe ,especially in the western world get too distracted by labels.I'm bored; so, I guess I'll add my two cents..
I'm a pagan practitioner and Buddhist. I picked Buddhist since that's what I adhere to by religion, practice, and worldview. Paganism seems very loose word to describe it as my faith. Since reverence for nature, magic practice, and folk views are pretty much common sense to me and natural, I don't know how to consider them separate from me as many do with religion.
Buddhism is a religion to me and shapes what I do and how I relate to the world. I guess you can say I am traditional pagan (being to be one), because Buddhism does believe in deities that are older abrahamic faiths, technically speaking. They are personifications.
Anyway, I hate the word "other". When I read forms that say: "Are you native american, african american, carcausian, other", I cringe. Like I'm a thing. America. That's all I got to say about that.
I am a Buddhist and I have folk practices that neopagans would consider within the pagan and witchcraft genre. I revere nature and am one with the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha within the practices of Nichiren Shonin and all the Buddhas of the Lotus and the Buddhas sutras prior to.
To add extra icing, I am an animist, spiritualist, pantheist, atheist, and, let me think
My religion: Life.
To tell you honestly, I never thought I was any of those extra icings until I came RF. Making things sooo complicated.
Nam.
So, what brought you back? And how is your faith better now?To my utter surprise ...Christianity.
Back to where I started...but better.
So, what brought you back? And how is your faith better now?
Not sure if you will believe me but...I had what I consider to be an 'encounter' or experience with the Holy Spirit week before last week. I was done with Christianity, done with the Bible, this is going to sound weird, but it's as though I don't ''need'' faith anymore. I just know that Christ is real. I'm filled with an inexplicable joy and peace. Sadly, I never felt this way as an atheist...or even when I looked into Buddhism, and meditated for a time. This is only to mean that path wasn't my path. (but it may be someone else's)
This sounds crazy, I know. But...you asked
I now have no doubts, that is how it is 'better.' (there are areas of the Bible I choose to find metaphorical but I don't doubt the Gospels anymore) This feeling hasn't washed away or waned either. It gets stronger daily, and it's so hard to describe, and hard to believe that I would even consider coming back to Christianity. One could call it a miracle? (to someone who doesn't believe I know this sounds insane lol)
It makes perfect sense. Each persons spiritual experience is unique and custom made for the individual. I don't think your insane, just very fortunate to have this joy and peace. May you continue to have it. Thank you for sharingNot sure if you will believe me but...I had what I consider to be an 'encounter' or experience with the Holy Spirit week before last week. I was done with Christianity, done with the Bible, this is going to sound weird, but it's as though I don't ''need'' faith anymore. I just know that Christ is real. I'm filled with an inexplicable joy and peace. Sadly, I never felt this way as an atheist...or even when I looked into Buddhism, and meditated for a time. This is only to mean that path wasn't my path. (but it may be someone else's)
This sounds crazy, I know. But...you asked
I now have no doubts, that is how it is 'better.' (there are areas of the Bible I choose to find metaphorical but I don't doubt the Gospels anymore) This feeling hasn't washed away or waned either. It gets stronger daily, and it's so hard to describe, and hard to believe that I would even consider coming back to Christianity. One could call it a miracle? (to someone who doesn't believe I know this sounds insane lol)
And one more thing..Who cares if anyone else believes you? This is your experience. Cherish it and continue to grow in it. Don't let anyone take that peace from you.Not sure if you will believe me but...I had what I consider to be an 'encounter' or experience with the Holy Spirit week before last week. I was done with Christianity, done with the Bible, this is going to sound weird, but it's as though I don't ''need'' faith anymore. I just know that Christ is real. I'm filled with an inexplicable joy and peace. Sadly, I never felt this way as an atheist...or even when I looked into Buddhism, and meditated for a time. This is only to mean that path wasn't my path. (but it may be someone else's)
This sounds crazy, I know. But...you asked
I now have no doubts, that is how it is 'better.' (there are areas of the Bible I choose to find metaphorical but I don't doubt the Gospels anymore) This feeling hasn't washed away or waned either. It gets stronger daily, and it's so hard to describe, and hard to believe that I would even consider coming back to Christianity. One could call it a miracle? (to someone who doesn't believe I know this sounds insane lol)
And actually what you are describing is Faith in a very pure form.It makes perfect sense. Each persons spiritual experience is unique and custom made for the individual. I don't think your insane, just very fortunate to have this joy and peace. May you continue to have it. Thank you for sharing
It makes perfect sense. Each persons spiritual experience is unique and custom made for the individual. I don't think your insane, just very fortunate to have this joy and peace. May you continue to have it. Thank you for sharing
Thank you for asking
Yes, I feel grateful. I remember when there were days as a Christian before, that I struggled to believe. Had a lot of doubts, but fear, or obligation or something pulled me to church, to prayer, to worship. Then there were days where I felt joy and peace, but not like this. This happened to me. I don't need to read about it, to believe it happened to someone else. It really happened, and now when I read the Bible, I'm reading the stories with 'new eyes.' Still much of it is illogical lol but, the Gospels have taken on an entirely new meaning.
And one more thing..Who cares if anyone else believes you? This is your experience. Cherish it and continue to grow in it. Don't let anyone take that peace from you.
That's just it. lol You're right. I don't have this desire to get buy in from people but when friends of mine ask me in my offline life ...or my mom and dad for example have asked me why I came back, and I tell them, they look at me with an odd look lol but they also know that I turned away for a while, and so they wonder...could it be? It's been interesting in my life these past few weeks since this happened.
Saint_of_Me
Member
Not sure if you will believe me but...I had what I consider to be an 'encounter' or experience with the Holy Spirit week before last week. I was done with Christianity, done with the Bible, this is going to sound weird, but it's as though I don't ''need'' faith anymore. I just know that Christ is real. I'm filled with an inexplicable joy and peace. Sadly, I never felt this way as an atheist...or even when I looked into Buddhism, and meditated for a time. This is only to mean that path wasn't my path. (but it may be someone else's)
This sounds crazy, I know. But...you asked
I now have no doubts, that is how it is 'better.' (there are areas of the Bible I choose to find metaphorical but I don't doubt the Gospels anymore) This feeling hasn't washed away or waned either. It gets stronger daily, and it's so hard to describe, and hard to believe that I would even consider coming back to Christianity. One could call it a miracle? (to someone who doesn't believe I know this sounds insane lol)
Oh, I believe that you believe you had an encounter with the holy ghostie.
It's called the placebo effect. If you believe something is working for you, even if it is only the theological equivalent of a sugar pill, LOL, than it CAN cause you to experience tangible affects. Well, tangible to you, that is.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/epiphenom/2010/02/personal-god-boosts-placebo-effect.html
Even the turning away you speak of can be a growing experience. Often times we don't realize just how important to us something is till we get away for a while and come to know what a good thing we are missing.That's just it. lol You're right. I don't have this desire to get buy in from people but when friends of mine ask me in my offline life ...or my mom and dad for example have asked me why I came back, and I tell them, they look at me with an odd look lol but they also know that I turned away for a while, and so they wonder...could it be? It's been interesting in my life these past few weeks since this happened.
leibowde84
Veteran Member
Cool thread. Looks like a lot more theists than atheists. I guess some people's assumptions were wrong ...
it isn't a placebo effect. i stopped believing for a time. for me to come back to Christianity, that's not a placebo.
who knows, maybe you will START believing.
(and it's effects, with an e) Sorry, that's a pet peeve of mine.
leibowde84
Veteran Member
How can you (the subject) know whether it's a placebo effect?it isn't a placebo effect. i stopped believing for a time. for me to come back to Christianity, that's not a placebo.
who knows, maybe you will START believing.
(and it's effects, with an e) Sorry, that's a pet peeve of mine.