Why "Religious Forums" is such a good place

[ADigitalArtist]

Ha! Gotcha! Admitting you're not young anymore! Nya nya nya.

(Just kidding. I for one am thankful that you decided to join this forum. )

If I call myself old I'll hurt @Sunstone's feelings.

 

[sun rise]

Now I just need practice, to unlearn bad habits/mind. I believe when "dirt" is out, truth will reveil itself. No need to search; it's hidden inside behind all "funny" mental webs that slowly solve now.

I'd word it differently, but yes, I see it that the same way - practice and practice some more.

I happened on this place as a result of an internet search turning up a question that I could answer. I've stuck around because I find it a mostly interesting and fun place. I also get to practice working on my automatic and extreme reaction to certain political positions and tendency to "counter-punch" in political threads.

 

[Dawnofhope]

Why "Religious Forums" is such a good place:

I came to RF because my Master said "it's good to learn about other Belief Systems/cultures, because then you understand, and you won't judge as quick".
This really makes sense to me, and it did work this way for me. All Belief Systems [incl. humanism/atheism/... have good values in them, I can learn from.
Best Rule RF has is IMHO "Do not proselytize" [had to google it's meaning, and this definition made my day]

First coming here, I had no clue there were hundreds of different religions and denominations. So I had to google in the beginning almost every persons Belief System, because it seems all members had a different view. What struck me with Google was that Google showed only very nice and positive definitions of the specific Belief Systems [or I coincidentally selected the positive one every time; like 50 times in a row].

Reading the positive definition, recognizing their nice values every time I thought "Yes that makes sense, very nice religion/denomination". Gave a good feeling.

It works for me to believe "Its not a one size fits all when it comes to faith". Realizing this makes it easier to not judge. Thanks RF + all of you helping me reach my goal. I also get the feeling now that there is not 1 universal truth on earth.

My Goal here: Practice non-judging others' Belief Systems/Feelings; that way killing the "monkey mind" and get a clear spiritual view.

My personal journey in "bird's eye view":
I was born Christian, and at age 10 I told my mother "It feels not good that you judge others' religions. And if Jesus is on earth, I'll go and see Him. Lateron I loved non-violence as I learned from Buddhism. Few years later I read Koran, Bible, Bhagavad Gita while travelling around the world. Few years later I went to India, met my Master and there ended my search.

Now I just need practice, to unlearn bad habits/mind. I believe when "dirt" is out, truth will reveil itself. No need to search; it's hidden inside behind all "funny" mental webs that slowly solve now.

I visited recently a few times Bahai meetings in Holland. I read The Book of Bahau'llah. And recognized many teaching I learned in India. Especially embracing other religions and Belief Systems. I read in Bahau'llah's book we should not judge other Religions [same as my Master told me], which I like very much and didn't find much in the big Religions sofar. Now on RF I see that some, for me new Religions, also embrace this idea.

I met Mother Meera [Indian Saint], and She also teaches "World Peace is only possible if the Religious people stop judging others' Religion".
I met Mother Amma, another Indian Saint I had good experience with. Called Divine Hugging Mother.
Nice to see that my "words to my mother" has been woven throughout my whole life. I do not believe in coincidence any more.

That was in short my main story.

Although I signed up over four years ago, I only started posting about 1 1/2 years ago. It’s provided me with a much better appreciation of the diversity of belief. I’ve really learnt a great deal as my own views have been challenged and tested. I feel safe and comfortable posting here. I like the people here.

 

[Brickjectivity]

I like the people here, talking helps me, and its an inexpensive social app.

 

[Sunstone]

If I call myself old I'll hurt @Sunstone's feelings.

Eh? Did you call my name? It's so hard to hear at my age. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure I'm holding my hearing aid up to my mouth right when I speak into it.

Something about age, eh? Well I may be older than that @Debater Slayer kid, but from what I hear of him,. I'm still a good deal sprier! Heard tell he can't even uncork a wine bottle with his teeth no more. I sure can! My teeth are strong as ever. If I could only remember now where I put them last night. Took them out to sleep, you know.

Me sleep, not the teeth. Teeth don't sleep. You younguns don't know nothing. Back in my day we knew stuff like that. And do you mind? Could you step back off my grass?

 

[Spiderman]

I like to learn from mistakes online so I don't make as many mistakes in real life. I also like to learn from people with other views on politics and Religion.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

I like to learn from mistakes online so I don't make as many mistakes in real life. I also like to learn from people with other views on politics and Religion.

Just remember that it's all real life. Online people are just people.

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

I post here because:-
1. It’s a place to share my ideas.
2. I hope I’m open to being memed.
3. You all seem so intelligent.

 

[Sunstone]

You all seem so intelligent.

Hah! Hah! Gotcha fooled! The only smart one in the whole bunch of us is @ADigitalArtist, and she's only smart every other week and on Sundays!

Say, you look like someone who'd appreciate a deal. Tell you what,. if you'll give me a tiny little old dime, I'll give you a big old nickle back nearly twice the size! Whatdayasay?

 

[dfnj]

The police state is growing, the surveillance state is growing, the Patriot Act, Agenda 21, guns everywhere, police with military tanks, endless war, on and on it goes South of Heaven.

I came here looking for a shred of hope from my fellow man.

Liveleak.com - Dudes React to New Sheriffs Rig

"Has our city got that *#($&(#$ bad?"

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

Hah! Hah! Gotcha fooled! The only smart one in the whole bunch of us is @ADigitalArtist, and she's only smart every other week and on Sundays!

Say, you look like someone who'd appreciate a deal. Tell you what,. if you'll give me a tiny little old dime, I'll give you a big old nickle back nearly twice the size! Whatdayasay?

I have no idea concerning dimes and nickels. It’s all euros and cents over here.

 

[Sunstone]

I have no idea concerning dimes and nickels. It’s all euros and cents over here.

It's kind of a cross between a joke and an almost rite of passage for little kids here. An American dime is made of silver and though it's worth twice as much as an American nickle, it's about half the size because the nickle is -- just as it sounds -- made of a less precious metal, nickle So slightly older kids of a certain very young age tend to dupe slightly younger kids into swapping big nickles for small dimes,. knowing the younger kids haven't yet learned that dimes are smaller but worth more than nickles. This is so nearly universal in America that almost every kid as gone through it, and the event comes nearly as close as Americans ever come to an official rite of passage.

I was attempting to imply I was dumb enough to try pulling that trick on you, and obvious adult.

 

[Trailblazer]

You younguns don't know nothing. Back in my day we knew stuff like that. And do you mind? Could you step back off my grass?

You are not old by any standard. On the other forums I used to post on, most of the posters were older than you, in their 70s and 80s, and they were still as sharp as a tack.

Of course I am a little prejudiced since I am a bit older than you are. But I can still ride my bike to work as far as I did 20 years ago and my memory is as good or better than it was when I was young-er.

 

[Sunstone]

...and my memory is as good or better than it was when I was young-er.

Are you absolutely certain you correctly remember how good your memory was?

 

[stvdv]

Just remember that it's all real life. Online people are just people.

Thanks for the good reminder. I recently had the thought "virtual life as different from real life". So easy to fool myself and forget "reality" [both ways].

My Master would not hesitate in a moment as this [we learned a valuable lesson here] to use the opportunity to take it one notch up.
"But do remember the world you see is unreal, called maya. Never forget who you really are .... divine embodyments"
[coming from the advaita idea that only consciousness is real. The world is just a superimposition on consciousness]
[so as "virtual life" might seem unreal to people in the real world [esp. elders], "real worldly life" is seen as unreal to the saints]

 

[stvdv]

But more than anything, I do not enjoy cocktail party conversation, having to put on airs when I do not feel all happy, like most people seem to be. It only makes me feel worse to be around such people and I feel I would be a drag on them if I was really myself.

That's a good one to contemplate on.

You can easily turn it all around. Just live life "true to your feeling" and all people "you used to feel uncomfortable with" will vanish IMHO.

 

[Trailblazer]

Are you absolutely certain you correctly remember how good your memory was?

I am absolutely certain.
I have always had an eidetic memory but it is even better now.
Then again, I am using my mind constantly, since I begged off TV and started on forums.

 

[sun rise]

older than you, in their 70s and 80s, and they were still as sharp as a tack.

Thanks for the compliment as I'm 73.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Years ago, like many young atheists in their 'angry atheist' stage, I mainly came here to berate Christians and knock down straw versions of their beliefs. But I did it with a feigned air of progressive, logical thinking and concern. When I got here and spent some honest time reflecting I concluded two things:
One, that the vast majority of theists or indeed Christians I was berating didn't actually have the beliefs I was attacking.
Two, that arguing with those that did have extreme beliefs only seemed to entrench them further. And I learned much more, had more positive exchanges, and saw more real progress when I just talked to moderates. Discussed, not debated, and dispensed with the 'more logical than thou.'

These days my interest in learning about religions, while still academic, is much more honest. And RF is the best site I've ever known for getting a myriad of beliefs from the horses mouth, so to speak.

Methinks your 'angry atheist' period must have been more like a 'quietly smug atheist' period. I don't remember you being rude to anyone. Even people like me who commonly deserve it.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I like the forums here because it's more active than other forums with the same theme.

People's opinions and views vary and are diverse here as well as the demographics from where people live and come from. It provides perspective.