Which religion do you follow? Why did you pick that one?

[eots]

Just out of curiosity.

 

[Inevitable]

If you have any formal training, I think you would be a all star champion compared to the drek I'm used to. In all honesty I believe in God, and Christ for that matter. So I don't think you and I would disagree on that much. So I doubt a debate between you and I would be very interesting.

I love debating other Christians so long as it remains amicable and all parties are enjoying the exercise. I have yet to meet two Christians who are 100% aligned in their point of view or doctrinal beliefs. A Roman Catholic and a Southern Baptist, for example, can both be devout in their faith and love God with all their hearts. But they will have broad differences of opinion on baptism, the Eucharist/Lord's Supper, and to some degree admission into heaven and hell and how somebody merits either place. And among many Christians there are broad differences in opinion on such things as the Rapture and End Times, interpretation of many points of scripture, predestination, what is and is not immoral or required in our practices, observance of various traditions, etc.

For myself, I don't get too concerned about such things as my personal belief is God is not all that interested in our theology but rather looks to the content of our hearts and minds, but I find it all intensely interesting and fascinating.

I've never come across a person that could have a friendly debate about religion.

Again you just need to get out more.

I get out plenty. There are typically deeply emotional ties one has to their religion and thus are incapable of rationally discussing it.

Sorry that such has been your experience. It is not the experience of most people of faith, however. I have found the 'prejudiced' non believer far more unwilling to discuss it on any kind of rational level. For those folks it usually boils down that if we can't prove there is a God or show evidence for a God, then God doesn't exist. And I can't imagine being much more irrational than that.

In the circles I move, I know many people of faith, many who are highly educated, some with multiple PhDs, some in the sciences and engineering fields, and all are 100% rational and can discuss all concepts of religion and religious faith quite competently.

The sad thing is, is I am a theist. It's just that I don't share beliefs and I think that is a bigger threat than a non believer.

I'm sorry that has been my experience as well.

 

[Foxfyre]

I love debating other Christians so long as it remains amicable and all parties are enjoying the exercise. I have yet to meet two Christians who are 100% aligned in their point of view or doctrinal beliefs. A Roman Catholic and a Southern Baptist, for example, can both be devout in their faith and love God with all their hearts. But they will have broad differences of opinion on baptism, the Eucharist/Lord's Supper, and to some degree admission into heaven and hell and how somebody merits either place. And among many Christians there are broad differences in opinion on such things as the Rapture and End Times, interpretation of many points of scripture, predestination, what is and is not immoral or required in our practices, observance of various traditions, etc.

For myself, I don't get too concerned about such things as my personal belief is God is not all that interested in our theology but rather looks to the content of our hearts and minds, but I find it all intensely interesting and fascinating.

I've never come across a person that could have a friendly debate about religion.

Again you just need to get out more.

I get out plenty. There are typically deeply emotional ties one has to their religion and thus are incapable of rationally discussing it.

Sorry that such has been your experience. It is not the experience of most people of faith, however. I have found the 'prejudiced' non believer far more unwilling to discuss it on any kind of rational level. For those folks it usually boils down that if we can't prove there is a God or show evidence for a God, then God doesn't exist. And I can't imagine being much more irrational than that.

In the circles I move, I know many people of faith, many who are highly educated, some with multiple PhDs, some in the sciences and engineering fields, and all are 100% rational and can discuss all concepts of religion and religious faith quite competently.

The sad thing is, is I am a theist. It's just that I don't share beliefs and I think that is a bigger threat than a non believer.

I'm sorry that has been my experience as well.

Well I hope you meet some fellow theists who aren't so judgmental and dogmatic and so unsure of their faith that they cannot tolerate having it challenged. Such in temperament are no better off than the Atheists who are equally judgmental and dogmatic. And it helps to not feel the need to challenge the beliefs of those who believe different than you do.

I am comfortable with all from the most rigidly fundamental congregation to the most glorious of high church pageanty. The only churches I feel I don't belong is in those that have strong opinions about how to do church and/or how to order society but seem to have little opinion or interest about what God's role in that should be. But with everybody else, I get along fine because I don't care if they believe things I don't believe. As long as their hearts are in the right place, I don't think God cares all that much about their theology. And neither do I except for the interest factor it provides.

 

[zaangalewa]

My religion?

I guess secular humanism mostly reflects my concepts of ethics and world view. I also have some "criticisms" of it as well, but less so than other systems of beliefs ...

My problem with humanists is Heinrich Himmler. So I would not say humanism should be less criticized.

 

[Abishai100]

Realms of Religiosity

How is Agnoticism related to the cult deification of vigilantism-fervor fantasy American comic book characters such as Batman (DC Comics) and Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)?

If you are an agnostic, are you open to the philosophical (or metaphysical) possibility of the existence of creatures existing in alternative dimensions/universes and hence undetectable (and not simply fantasy-rich) --- fairies, Loch Ness Monster, mermaids, etc?





Nigthcrawler (Comics - Wikipedia)

 

[sealybobo]

Realms of Religiosity

How is Agnoticism related to the cult deification of vigilantism-fervor fantasy American comic book characters such as Batman (DC Comics) and Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)?

If you are an agnostic, are you open to the philosophical (or metaphysical) possibility of the existence of creatures existing in alternative dimensions/universes and hence undetectable (and not simply fantasy-rich) --- fairies, Loch Ness Monster, mermaids, etc?





Nigthcrawler (Comics - Wikipedia)

View attachment 40716

Anythings possible. We're simply unconvinced a god exists. And unless you're dumb enough to belong to a religion that says not believing sends you to hell for eternity, what's it matter?

 

[PratchettFan]

Realms of Religiosity

How is Agnoticism related to the cult deification of vigilantism-fervor fantasy American comic book characters such as Batman (DC Comics) and Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)?

If you are an agnostic, are you open to the philosophical (or metaphysical) possibility of the existence of creatures existing in alternative dimensions/universes and hence undetectable (and not simply fantasy-rich) --- fairies, Loch Ness Monster, mermaids, etc?





Nigthcrawler (Comics - Wikipedia)

View attachment 40716

I'll bite. How is Agnosticism related to the cult deification....?

Open? Of course. I'm willing to examine any evidence you might have. In the absence of evidence, however, the only rational position is neutral.

 

[Abishai100]

The Marxism-Monk Message

Sure.

The Los Angeles ethnic street gangs are rather sentimentalized and impassioned modern urban youth gangs.

Don't they have their own 'pseudo-religion?'

I saw a gangsta-rap MTV music video presenting an image of African-American inner-city youth gangs engaging in street competitions involving water-guns instead of real guns (as a statement of irony).

Paganism seems to be loosely allusory to various realms of modern social organizations. Populism catalyzes connections between street-lingo and social intrigue sentimentalism.

I like Catholicism, since it is conducive for the marketing of modern-era iconography-rich Hollywood (USA) movies such as "The Devil's Own" (1997).

There's plenty of room for the profiteerism-shamanism Lucky Charms Irish Leprechaun (the fortune-sneaky breakfast cereal company avatar).

 

[Toro]

Because Christianity is awesome.

You can live a life of deprivation and sin your whole life, then repent on your deathbed and get into heaven.

How great is that?

 

[Meriweather]

Because Christianity is awesome.

You can live a life of deprivation and sin your whole life, then repent on your deathbed and get into heaven.

How great is that?

Repentance is turning away from sin, not apologizing for sin. It is not, "I am too weak to sin, so now is the time to apologize." The death bed is a lonely place to come to the realization one has wasted his life--and it would have been better if one had never been born.

 

[Foxfyre]

Because Christianity is awesome.

You can live a life of deprivation and sin your whole life, then repent on your deathbed and get into heaven.

How great is that?

Repentance is turning away from sin, not apologizing for sin. It is not, "I am too weak to sin, so now is the time to apologize." The death bed is a lonely place to come to the realization one has wasted his life--and it would have been better if one had never been born.

At the same time, the lesson of the workers in the vineyard is that it is never too late to repent. But I'm not sure it is wise to assume that one can immediately achieve a change of heart at the last minute when they realize their number is up.

And I agree. Repentence is true regret for one's sinful nature and an intentional turning away from those things that harm us and others. One can't live a destructive life for himself/herself and/or others and think just saying the words "I'm sorry, forgive me" will make everything all right. There has to be a genuine change of heart, a willingness to live according to God's plan for our lives regardless of what stage of life that happens.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Just out of curiosity.

'None of the Above.'

Because none of the above has never killed anyone in the name of itself, never condemned another, never causes a problem anywhere.

While I find myself agreeing with pretty much all of the humanist philosophy, but as something with a name I don't identify as one. Think the label thing is the root of all our problems and if we labelled ourselves less specificly things would be a lot better.

I'm...Human. Middle-Aged (gads heh.) And alive. Only labels I'm comfortable wearing.

 

[hipeter924]

Still an atheist, though I don't like most other atheists, as most I met online were contrary to my political or ideological views i.e. so they were basically against same-sex marriage, thought disabled people should receive no support, or were racist Europhiles.