How do you pick a religion?

Greetings!

wallaby said:

i dont see the need for you to subscribe to a pre-existent religion; why not just develop your beliefs individually and feed growth through study of similar and dissimilar systems?

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Basically, because this tends to lead to scattered results, with everyone cooking up his or her own random beliefs, many of which may be extremely wrong if not outright harmful! And the result of having everybody doing this can be pure chaos. Further, one not infrequently tends unconsciously to "bend" such conclusions & beliefs to fit one's own prejudices and preferences.

Personally, I'm honest enough to admit I don't come anywhere near knowing it all, and am more than happy to subscribe to a religion that, after thorough investigation, I have concluded to be the best path not only for myself but for humanity generally!

Peace,

Bruce

BruceDLimber said:

Basically, because this tends to lead to scattered results, with everyone cooking up his or her own random beliefs, many of which may be extremely wrong if not outright harmful!

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But this must be balanced with the observation that:

1) You aren't creating "random" beliefs, but beliefs that make good sense to you, and often in light of the failure of established religious beliefs.

2) Currently established religious beliefs are sometimes extremely wrong if not outright harmful!

And the result of having everybody doing this can be pure chaos.

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I don't see this "pure chaos" among people who already do this.

Diversity, yes. Chaos, no.

Further, one not infrequently tends unconsciously to "bend" such conclusions & beliefs to fit one's own prejudices and preferences.

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And this takes place in the major religions already. How many denominations of Christianity are there, for instance? And how many differing individual interpretations even within those denominations?

There is a flawed belief that just because a religion is old it has weeded out bad ideas. Nothing could be further from the truth. Faith in the dogma of one's religion can preserve harmful ideas for millenia. Only an exceptionally rational religion can hope to improve over time, because only this sort of religion will tolerate change.

Personally, I'm honest enough to admit I don't come anywhere near knowing it all, and am more than happy to subscribe to a religion that, after thorough investigation, I have concluded to be the best path not only for myself but for humanity generally!

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That's great for you. Other people may conclude, after thorough investigation, that their own set of beliefs is the best path not only for themselves but for humanity generally!


eudaimonia,

Mark

BruceDLimber said:

Greetings!



Basically, because this tends to lead to scattered results, with everyone cooking up his or her own random beliefs, many of which may be extremely wrong if not outright harmful! And the result of having everybody doing this can be pure chaos. Further, one not infrequently tends unconsciously to "bend" such conclusions & beliefs to fit one's own prejudices and preferences.

Personally, I'm honest enough to admit I don't come anywhere near knowing it all, and am more than happy to subscribe to a religion that, after thorough investigation, I have concluded to be the best path not only for myself but for humanity generally!

Peace,

Bruce

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The Baha'i faith: The Borg, but more Abrahamic.

MQTA said:

So you had them all, and unpicked one at a time ?

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LOL. No. I researched them one at a time, and noticed a pattern.

Eudaimonist said:

You could have fooled me. Your statements are inflamatory, and you don't understand what Objectivism actually means to living, breathing Objectivists.

Now you have met one, though you are straining my usually friendly demeanor.

eudaimonia, Mark

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Yeah, I realized that came off a bit rough. Probably should have just deleted it. Sorry, I really didn't mean anything against you. I've only known two Objectivists personally, and both were, well, unique. One had an elitist thing going on. Thankfully I don't work there anymore. The other was a pretty good friend in high-school, but he was pretty anti-social, although he turned into a libertarian later on.

Purely philosophically, it IS a nice idea. Or at least it has nice parts. Rational thought is a good thing to promote. Disavowing the magical world is a move in the right direction. I just don't like everything else bundled with it. Rand wanted her followers to abandon society. She had a personality cult going. I kinda associate it with runaway capitalism. Not that capitalism is bad, it just needs some checks and balances, which is exactly what got Rand's blood boiling.

But yeah, I really haven't researched it or anything. I guess most of what I know is from arguments with the high-school friend. Couldn't even suffer through "the fountainhead".

Penumbra said:

With the diversity on this part of the board, I am curious as to how people select a religion to follow.

I was raised in a home that identified a belief in "God" but I never really identified with any religion. I read some of the scriptures of several major world religions, and although some of them appealed to me more than others, none of them really brought me in.

I tried prayer and meditation of MANY different kinds, but none of that had any effect either.

I'm not sure what to do with regards to spirituality at this point. Nothing I've tried has lead me to any sort of conclusion, and over time, I've moved farther and farther from spiritual beliefs and closer and closer to atheism.

Does anyone have any advice? It doesn't matter if you are Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Pagan, Atheist, Bahai, or something else I've missed; I'd like to hear what you think would be the next place to look or the next place to try.

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GOD listens to your heart, so ask GOD to guide you to the fullness of the truth.

Let me recommend you one place which tries to address this an many other life challenging questions: http://www.peterkreeft.com/home.htm

Greetings!

Eudaimonist said:

Currently established religious beliefs are sometimes extremely wrong if not outright harmful!

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Some are as practiced, yes, but IMV this is due to human coruption and alteration away from what was originally taught.

[T]his takes place in the major religions already. How many denominations of Christianity are there, for instance? And how many differing individual interpretations even within those denominations?

There is a flawed belief that just because a religion is old it has weeded out bad ideas. Nothing could be further from the truth.

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I agree entirely!

But what you're overlooking is that I'm Baha'i, and from this viewpoint the divisions and ongoing alterations/bad ideas in certain other religions (again, as practiced0 are obvious.

My statement stands, though, in re having investigated the Faith and decided it's maximally beneficial for myself and humanity generally! (If I'd concluded otherwise, I wouldn't have been one for the past 37 years.)

Best regards,

Bruce

Mere hot air, Sidhe, in no way reflective of the facts (save for the fact that we are indeed Abrahamic).

You will forgive me, I trust, if I'm not impressed.

Bruce

BruceDLimber said:

Mere hot air, Sidhe, in no way reflective of the facts (save for the fact that we are indeed Abrahamic).

You will forgive me, I trust, if I'm not impressed.

Bruce

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It's a joke, modified. There's a comic called "Oh My Gods!" which has a character known as UU of 8 - "All Your Religions Are Belong To Us!" Unitarians and Baha'i espouse similar ideals, so I made a joke. Those are things meant to induce amusement in people who don't take everything seriously. I can post a lengthy definition of "humor" if you'd like.

How 'bout realizing that different people have different spiritual temperaments and saying things about a religion being best for humanity in general is pretty arrogant? One of the things that I'd describe as a twisted teaching in any religion is the idea that it is best for everyone.

Penumbra said:

With the diversity on this part of the board, I am curious as to how people select a religion to follow.

I was raised in a home that identified a belief in "God" but I never really identified with any religion. I read some of the scriptures of several major world religions, and although some of them appealed to me more than others, none of them really brought me in.

I tried prayer and meditation of MANY different kinds, but none of that had any effect either.

I'm not sure what to do with regards to spirituality at this point. Nothing I've tried has lead me to any sort of conclusion, and over time, I've moved farther and farther from spiritual beliefs and closer and closer to atheism.

Does anyone have any advice? It doesn't matter if you are Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Pagan, Atheist, Bahai, or something else I've missed; I'd like to hear what you think would be the next place to look or the next place to try.

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YOU SEEK GOD! Seek Him with ALL of your Heart. Continually seek the face of the Lord and be the blessing He created you to be. You will find the Truth, the Way and the Life. You will go in and come out and find pasture GOD IS GOOD!



Jn 10:9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.


With Love,
- Jefell

Jefell said:

YOU SEEK GOD! Seek Him with ALL of your Heart. Continually seek the face of the Lord and be the blessing He created you to be. You will find the Truth, the Way and the Life. You will go in and come out and find pasture GOD IS GOOD!

With Love,
- Jefell

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I find the opposite to be true.

sacredsin said:

I find the opposite to be true.

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I find my particular goddess kinda stalked me like a cat looking at a mouse.

sidhe said:

I find my particular goddess kinda stalked me like a cat looking at a mouse.

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i can understand this idea; i've never sought out my gods, they've always found me.

LadyDeflora said:

i can understand this idea; i've never sought out my gods, they've always found me.

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Well, actually, it was more like realizing that "they" had been there all along, without me realizing it up to that point - at least as far as I am concerned.

Jane_the_Bane said:

Well, actually, it was more like realizing that "they" had been there all along, without me realizing it up to that point - at least as far as I am concerned.

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Probably more accurate, but the day I realized she was there was like turning around and finding something hunting you.

Greetings.

sidhe said:

aying things about a religion being best for humanity in general is pretty arrogant.... One of the things that I'd describe as a twisted teaching in any religion is the idea that it is best for everyone.

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And if I actually presumed to say that, you might have a point. But I don't, so you don't.

Peace,

Bruce

BruceDLimber said:

And if I actually presumed to say that, you might have a point. But I don't, so you don't.

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Sorry, Bruce, but I interpreted what you wrote the same way sidhe did.


eudaimonia,

Mark

BruceDLimber said:

Greetings.



And if I actually presumed to say that, you might have a point. But I don't, so you don't.

Peace,

Bruce

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So, you didn't say this?

Personally, I'm honest enough to admit I don't come anywhere near knowing it all, and am more than happy to subscribe to a religion that, after thorough investigation, I have concluded to be the best path not only for myself but for humanity generally!

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I'm sorry, it was just posted under your name. I assumed you said it.

Jane_the_Bane said:

Well, actually, it was more like realizing that "they" had been there all along, without me realizing it up to that point - at least as far as I am concerned.

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that's the hardest part for me to explain, i've always known there were gods, devils and other things that not everyone can see or hear, the Lord i worship now is the first one that shocked me though, when He presented His offer.

i'd accepted He was as done with me as I was with Him at that point in my life, imagine progressive's flo saying "Surprise!" when the wife discovers all the large items her husband is insuring.

god/desses are funny creatures.

sidhe said:

So, you didn't say this?

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I said it, but only as my strictly personal opinion--nothing binding on anyone else or anyone else's opinion!

Everyone else is fully free to make up his or her mind, as always! I wouldn't presume to try to dictate anything.
Peace,

Bruce