Your Religion

[JustGeorge]

Tell me about your religion.

Not facts about the religious label you use, but what you personally believe and practice. Suppose I know nothing, and explain who or what things are that you mention.

If you have no religion, tell me about ways in which you are reverent to whatever it is you hold dear.

If you're reverent towards nothing, tell me a knock-knock joke.

 

[Eddi]

I believe that there is Upstairs and Downstairs

I believe that together these constitute the universe - Upstairs is transcendent God and Downstairs is immanent God

We humans only know Downstairs

And those who are Upstairs know both Downstairs and Upstairs

I am somewhat reverent towards those who are Upstairs but I don't grovel to them or anything like that

I don't know much about them and don't think that it is even possible to really know anything about them

 

[crossfire]

It's up to you to get your mind in order. No one else can do it for you.

 

[Heyo]

Tell me about your religion.

Not facts about the religious label you use, but what you personally believe and practice. Suppose I know nothing, and explain who or what things are that you mention.

If you have no religion, tell me about ways in which you are reverent to whatever it is you hold dear.

If you're reverent towards nothing, tell me a knock-knock joke.

No religion, but philosophies.
Being reverend to the philosophies is to check if ad-hoc formed opinions conform to the philosophies. Opinions formed from temporary emotions often don't.

 

[sun rise]

, but what you personally believe and practice. Suppose I know nothing, and explain who or what things are that you mention.

I personally believe that Meher Baba is the Avatar of the age and further Kalki who came to end the great dark (Kali) age and bring in the great golden age (Satyuga). I further believe that His life marked the end of the 50th "year" of Brahma's life and that we're entering the first "second" of the first "day" of the first "year" of Brahma's life. His mission was to bring in a New Humanity finally transcending our lower nature.

I am a member of Sufism Reoriented, a spiritual school for those who are drawn to be a member of a spiritual community where we strive to be of service to the world, to love God, to love the world and to diminish our lower natures. In our daily lives whether it be in school, at work, with family or in every day encounters with people, to work on ourselves to get closer to manifesting what Meher Baba indicated when the "Song of the New Life" was written. One note: "hopelessness" means that our goal is to attain God where there is no need for hope for something in the future.

Listen to the silent words of Meher Baba;
The life story of all lovers of God is based on the practice of these words.
If you are serious about living this New Life,
Then wholeheartedly renounce this ephemeral existence.

We have taken to this life, in which we rely only on God;
In this, our will (to do or die) is strengthened by the oath taken;
We merrily sing the song of hopelessness;
We invite all calamities and difficulties.

We neither wail over lost hopes, nor complain about broken promises;
We neither covet honor, nor shun disgrace;
Backbiting we know not, nor do we fear anyone;
This is now the tenor of our New Life.

No confusion in the mind now, nor any ties left;
Pride, anger, lust and greed are sloughed off.
No religion for any of us, nor care for physical and mental fads.
The Shaikh and the Brahmin (typifying all castes and creeds) are now sailing in the same boat.

There is no small or great now for us all;
The questions of disciple, Master nor Godhood no longer arise.
Brotherliness or fellow-feeling is the link that exists,
And this contributes to our present enjoyment of suffering.

This world or the next, hell or heaven, we are no longer concerned with.
Shaktis and siddhis (psychic powers) occultism and miracles we are no longer plagued with.
All these false impressions have been purged from the mind.
What has value and importance for us now is to live in the active present.

Dear ones, take seriously the words of Baba when he says:
"Although now I am on the same level with you all,
Yet all orders from me, good, bad, extraordinary,
You should carry out immediately, leaving the result to God.

"Even if the heavens fall,
Do not let go the Hand of Truth;
Let despair and disappointment ravage and destroy the garden of your life,
Beautify it once again by the seedlings of contentment and self-sufficiency.

"Even though your heart be cut to bits, let there be a smile on your lips.
Here I divulge to you a truth:
Hidden in your penniless hands is treasure untold;
Your beggarly life will be the envy of kings!

"God exists indeed, and true are the Prophets.
Every cycle has an Avatar, and every moment has a wali (saint).
For us, however, it is only hopelessness and helplessness,
How else can I describe to you what our New Life is?"

 

[Estro Felino]

This Christian song sums it up: spreading love and joy, and praying that suffering and pain terminate.

 

[rocala]

My beliefs are still a work in progress and probably always will be. I believe that something continues after death. I am strongly inclined towards a belief in reincarnation/rebirth. I have since early childhood, felt a strong reverence for the natural world, which as I have grown older is felt to be of a spiritual nature.

The biggest influences so far have been Buddhism and Modern Druidry.

 

[mangalavara]

Not facts about the religious label you use, but what you personally believe and practice. Suppose I know nothing, and explain who or what things are that you mention.

I believe that Śivaḥ is the ultimate reality: he is true existence, consciousness, and bliss. At the highest degree, he is without form and qualities. At a lower degree, he is with form and has qualities. Śivaḥ having form and qualities and acting is due to Śaktiḥ, the feminine aspect of this ultimate reality. She is to him as the sunlight is to the sun. The universe emanates from Śaktiḥ and ultimately from Śivaḥ. The universe is real because it is essentially Śivaḥ. All of it is blessed by him. There is male and female because Śivaḥ and Śaktiḥ are male and female. Other than these metaphysical views, I believe in reincarnation or the transmigration of the soul and that we receive the fruits of our karmas or deeds throughout our innumerable lifetimes. Further, I believe that the best way out of this cycle of life, death, and rebirth is to practice dharma, which is the right way of living, to practice bhakti, which is true love/affection toward Śivaḥ, and to practice śivanāmajapa, which is the chanting or repetition of the names of Śivaḥ, especially the one with the two syllables śi and va. The chanting or repetition of the names of Śaktiḥ will lead to the same thing. All of this is found in a scripture called Śiva-purāṇa.

 

[SalixIncendium]

In a nutshell...There is only Brahman - eternal, auspicious, consciousness-bliss.

As to my practice...I "practice" being that.

 

[Debater Slayer]

My beliefs center around causing no harm to others and living in the present moment so fully that asking about an "ultimate purpose" either becomes pointless or turns into a fleeting thought rather than a point of focus.

My worldview doesn't rely on reverence for anything except for human life and the well-being of conscious creatures.

 

[PureX]

I don't know anything about God. I don't know if God exists or what that would even entail. But I need a way to find hope in this life. I know better than to think I am in control of anything and this scares me. And depresses me. And that makes living even more difficult. So I choose to trust that a God of my own preference and understanding does exist, and I try to act on that hope because doing that helps to keep me sane, and positive in a world that is anything but.

I do this by looking for the "divine" in the world around me. In the people, and in what they can accomplish, and in nature. And I try to take the time to appreciate these, as reflections of that God of my own presumption. I am not a 'believer' and because of this, I hold on as tightly as I can to faith. Because without it, I'd just fall into the insanity of egotism, and fear, and resentment. And I've been there. It's a hellish and stupid way to live.

 

[Mock Turtle]

No religion, and no desire to have any, although I have no problems with all others who do have such - with all the usual provisos - as to such not harming others and not being imposed upon them, for example.

If I have any general trends towards a religious belief it might be in avoiding placing belief where such might not be appropriate (not enough evidence) - hence why I am less likely to believe in life-after-death, the paranormal, alien visitation, or anything where my desires might be a large factor, and in essence being more open-minded as to what existence on Earth might actually be for humans. I guess such leaves a large hole as to what I should be doing and thinking, but as mentioned by others, not harming others - and particularly for my own benefit - would play a large part in this.

And there is enough beauty and life in the world to stimulate one without finding foes with whom to squabble - shame so many with religious beliefs often don't feel the same way.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Upstairs is transcendent God and Downstairs is immanent God
I don't know much about them and don't think that it is even possible to really know anything about them

If it is not possible to really know anything about what is upstairs, then why do you term that as transcendent God.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

If I figure it out I'll let you know.

Something to do with doing more with less effort, behave in a way that is most harmonious with my environment and situation to increase happiness and wellbeing all around. Do what is reasonable, discard what is unreasonable. Remembering that reason and emotions aren't mutually exclusive and shouldn't be considered independently.

My spirituality is holistic, spirit having to do with physical, mental and emotional wellbeing working in tandem. (i.e. to be in good spirits.) To that end I have some directed meditations, body scans, card readings and other rituals that help me keep in touch with myself, my emotions, and my place within my environment, and most importantly, where I'm going and what will change. Because change tends to needlessly stress me out.

I also think that there is something deeply satisfying to the nature of being human that desires third places and am seeking to build up community spaces and outreach programs, which helps foster feelings of unity that are less abstract than online communities can be.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Religion is an untethered story of placedness and purpose. In my opinion, Judaism predicates this story on a monotheistic and democratic call to holiness.

 

[Quintessence]

I believe all is sacred and worthy of worship.

I practice this through perpetual learning and celebration.

The rest is just details.

 

[ChristineM]

Knock knock
Who’s there?
Goliath.
Goliath who?
Goliath down, you look tired!

Actually i hold my family and friends dear to me.

 

[Eddi]

If it is not possible to really know anything about what is upstairs, then why do you term that as transcendent God.

I think we can know that we don't know certain things, but cannot really know what those things are!

 

[PureX]

I think we can know that we don't know certain things, but cannot really know what those things are!

If we couldn’t, we would just presume we know everything there is to know.

 

[Quagmire]

Haven't posted this in a while:

Don'tworrybehappyism

Here's how this works; A). Don't worry... B). And you will be happy Some of the core precepts of DWBHism; Things are never as bad as you think, so stop thinking. There are only two teachers in life; pain and humility (and all pain teaches you is humility). You are already happy...

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