Who does not believe in freedom of choice in religion?

[ppp]

well, that is not true with Abrahamic religions. Good deeds are not enough to save one from eternal hell.

Unless he is a Christian universalist. Or Jewish.

 

[robocop (actually)]

Confessions? I hear some here don't believe in it.... Come out come out wherever you are..

You can also just name one from the last 1000 years and that way safely divert attention from yourself.

I don't believe in free will at all, but we should be consciously deciding things at the moment. I don't believe in time. I do believe in God.

 

[Jimmy]

Scooby Dooby Doo!!!

 

[Spirit of Light]

Scooby Dooby Doo!!!

Scooby dooby who

 

[Polymath257]

Freedom of Religion means to me a Pagan is free to choose and exercise his beliefs, unless he goes against the Law in the country
As long as you keep your religion in your mind, then there is no problem. The moment you exhibit, impose or hurt others, then other Laws apply

And if the law of the country is that anything other than the 'accepted' religion is an insult to that 'accepted' religion?

Criticizing ideas is not imposing nor is it hurting. On the other hand, blasphemy laws certainly *do* impose and hurt people.

 

[Spirit of Light]

And if the law of the country is that anything other than the 'accepted' religion is an insult to that 'accepted' religion?

Criticizing ideas is not imposing nor is it hurting. On the other hand, blasphemy laws certainly *do* impose and hurt people.

Your question here is valid in my own experience if you ask question they might be a critique but formed as a question I think you mainly get two form of answers.
1: person will answer : in my understanding. Or
2: person will answer: the teaching say. Then give answer according to the teaching.

But yes sometimes the answer could come back in a wrong angry way. It shouldn't but it happens

 

[Mock Turtle]

Scooby Dooby Doo!!!

Have you been at the orgasmatron again?

 

[Jimmy]

Have you been at the orgasmatron again?

Scooby dooby doo

 

[Mock Turtle]

Scooby dooby doo

We'll take that as a yes then.

 

[Tambourine]

I don't believe that people freely choose their beliefs.

 

[sun rise]

Do (should) people have free choice what to believe? Sure.

Do (should) people have freedom to do anything they believe religion asks them to do? No

 

[eik]

Who does not believe in freedom of choice in religion

It's a question begging question, because there are three entirely different answers depending on whether "freedom of choice" relates to the freedom (a) given you by the political system, (b) given you by God, (c) you create for yourself through your enlightenment, education, lifestyle etc.

As to (a) you have infinite freedom theoretically, except in Islamic countries. You don't have freedom to break the law.

As to (b) you are constrained: the way to God is predetermined by your particular prophet, which in my case is Christ (I know of no other valid prophet).

As to (c) it will be entirely variable. For an increasing number of people the only religious choice is atheism because it is the only one which is compatible with their non-religious education and their heathen lifestyle.

 

[stvdv]

What if someone has pagan beliefs? is there freedom to choose and exercise such beliefs?

Freedom of Religion means to me a Pagan is free to choose and exercise his beliefs, unless he goes against the Law in the country
As long as you keep your religion in your mind, then there is no problem. The moment you exhibit, impose or hurt others, then other Laws apply

And if the law of the country is that anything other than the 'accepted' religion is an insult to that 'accepted' religion?

I don't know much about Pagan religion. If I speak for myself, then my religion is nobody's business (it's about my own transformation, to become a better human and (un)learn things). So I need not tell anyone, nor exhibit anything. Nobody need to know. Living in such a country would not be fun for me though (and not my choice). But the alternatives are no fun either.
Because then you might be in trouble:
a)Obey the Law; least troublesome
b)Face the consequences of not obeying
c)Change the Law
d)Get the Hell out of that country

And then there is the possibility they force you to become Muslim. Or they force you to do their rituals.
I am happy, I live in Holland. Seeing the above "we only need to take care that we don't let Muslims impose their religion on us".

 

[Spirit of Light]

It's a question begging question, because there are three entirely different answers depending on whether "freedom of choice" relates to the freedom (a) given you by the political system, (b) given you by God, (c) you create for yourself through your enlightenment, education, lifestyle etc.

As to (a) you have infinite freedom theoretically, except in Islamic countries. You don't have freedom to break the law.

As to (b) you are constrained: the way to God is predetermined by your particular prophet, which in my case is Christ (I know of no other valid prophet).

As to (c) it will be entirely variable. For an increasing number of people the only religious choice is atheism because it is the only one which is compatible with their non-religious education and their heathen lifestyle.

I agree with most of what you say. But a question come to me.
Are we not supposed to not break any law in religion or cultivation practice? Isn't spiritual practice to remove our ego to "break the law spiritually" ?

 

[ppp]

As to (c) it will be entirely variable. For an increasing number of people the only religious choice is atheism because it is the only one which is compatible with their non-religious education and their heathen lifestyle.

Christians keep talking about my "heathen" lifestyle. Yet there is nothing in my lifestyle that I could not do if I were a Christian. While some individual Christians measure up, Christianity itself does not rise to my minimum moral standards.

 

[stvdv]

Criticizing ideas is not imposing nor is it hurting.

I have no problem with "someone criticizing my ideas", makes me only stronger and better.
Certain religious people go one step further and say "you are wrong" + "you goto Hell". Then it becomes imposing.
Other religious people go even x steps further, and say "you are wrong" + "I cut your head off". Then it becomes hurting.

 

[stvdv]

On the other hand, blasphemy laws certainly *do* impose and hurt people.

My Master taught us "all humans are embodiments of the Divine"
So never impose on others your belief, and never hurt people
Because when doing so, you commit blasphemy

Seems the blasphemy laws you mention are blasphemy themselves, according to my Master

 

[stvdv]

I don't believe that people freely choose their beliefs.

IF you believe that "God" is the doer of everything, and not 1 blade of grass moves without Him Willing it, then what can I say?

But in this world of duality, we do have the option to use "Self Effort"
When I have no belief system, and I go to a Master and study, then belief might grow
Whereas if I never did any effort to study a belief system, I would not belief in that way

Belief has to do with feelings, with conscience. My conscience is evolving I have seen.
Certain things I did in the past, I don't do anymore, because my belief/feeling/conscience tells me it's better not to do so

I started out as a Christian, and studied Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and a few others
Finally I decided to follow the Master I met in India, and I like His Teachings (I believe what He is teaching)

Some things He taught were a bit (180 degrees) different from what I believed before
But, He gave a good reason, so now I accept a new belief about those things

So, I think in this world of duality, we can freely choose our beliefs, because we have "Self Effort" at our disposal.

 

[Tambourine]

Okay, now could you please believe the exact opposite for me?

 

[Jimmy]

We'll take that as a yes then.

Don't assume and definitely don't assume for other people