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What religion do you associate yourself with?


kollision
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1. What were you born into?

 

My parents are both very intellectual and liberal, so the climate in our house was very much about learning, questioning, and taking social responsibility. They are both Christians, but we were never forced to do anything or believe anything. We were encouraged to explore religion on our own if and when we wanted to.

 

 

 

2. What are you now?

 

I attend an Episcopal church.

 

 

3. What made you change? (if you did)

 

Choosing to believe was both an intellectual and experiential journey. I ended up going to the Episcopal church that I go to because I really like the main dude- and the church itself is aesthetically amazing. Also, as an organization, the Episcopal church is socially progressive.

 

 

4. What are your ideas on religions in general?

 

Their major problem is they involve this thing called "humanity." If it weren't for people, they'd be a lot better off.

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I think my mother was christian. I remember when I was little there were these american basketball playing dudes that displayed Jesus on the TV and put grease in my hair. I later came to the understanding that I at that moment had become a mormon (is a mormon a christian?). I never really understood what a mormon was but they were nice and they had peanut butter so I didn't think much of it.

Nowadays I consider myself a christian, allthough I never go to church. I have no rational explenation for it, it just feels right.

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I am confused about what other people are meaning by agnostic and atheist. Using my definition, it seems straight forward. But using other people's definition, I'd have to say like:

 

"I am an agnostic who doesn't believe in fate, God, The Bible, Any afterlife, Zeus, The virgin birth, leprechauns, zombies, dracula, teleportation, levitation, out of body experiences, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the zodiac, santa claus, the easter bunny..."

 

My definition covers all that, it's concise. If an agnostic or an atheist CAN believe in any of those things, then what's the word for someone who DOESN'T believe in those things? I thought that was the point of the word, that you don't believe in stuff which doesn't have evidence?

 

"I'm a virgin, and also I haven't had sex from the front, or from behind, or sideways, or upside down, or in a tree, or in a car"

 

No no no no no... a virgin covers all that, same way an atheist or agnostic covers all the voodoo stuff, done and dusted right?

 

Anyway, if I am wrong, which is possible, then what word is there, or do I really need that list to accompany the word 'agnostic'?

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"I am an agnostic who doesn't believe in fate, God, The Bible, Any afterlife, Zeus, The virgin birth, leprechauns, zombies, dracula, teleportation, levitation, out of body experiences, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the zodiac, santa claus, the easter bunny..."

 

My definition covers all that, it's concise. If an agnostic or an atheist CAN believe in any of those things, then what's the word for someone who DOESN'T believe in those things? I thought that was the point of the word, that you don't believe in stuff which doesn't have evidence?

Thank you, Richard, I was thinking the same thing. Agnostic should cover all you wrote and more. You shouldn't have to put any qualifier before agnostic. Just like you shouldn't have to say:

 

"I am a vegetarian who doesn't eat aardvarks, abalones, acorn worms, ... zebras, zebra mussels or zorillas. I don't eat their milk, eggs, sweat, blood, horns, hooves, skin, hair, excrement, bile... I don't eat them morning, noon or night. I don't eat them Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday. I don't eat them on New Years, Valentines, St. Patrick's ... Winter Solstice, Hanukka or Christmas. I don't eat them whether I'm happy or sad. I don't eat them in a house, or with a mouse. Ad nauseam."

 

Vegetarian=non-animal diet

Agnostic=no knowledge of supernatural

 

Simple, concise.

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I am confused about what other people are meaning by agnostic and atheist.

 

Agnostic = doesn't know whether supernatural beings exist

Atheist = believes that supernatural beings don't exist

 

Yeah that's what I think makes most sense, with regards to definitions. What's confusing me is when people say that an atheist can be buddhist or jewish etc. I guess I deal in absolutes, like the Sith.

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Yeah that's what I think makes most sense, with regards to definitions. What's confusing me is when people say that an atheist can be buddhist or jewish etc. I guess I deal in absolutes, like the Sith.

 

I don't know very much about Buddhists. But secular Jews (or Jewish atheists/agnostics) are basically a cultural group, similar to how some people identify as being African-American, or Hispanic, etc. A person coming from a certain heritage could be Jewish and atheist in the same way that someone from a different heritage could be African-American and atheist.

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Basically, Judaisim is a religion by itself. Theres no such thing as being called a Jew as your race, thats like calling a person Muslim by their race. Most Jews today are just Europeans. The real Semetic people, that Judaism would be associated with, are not as big as the Jews of today.

 

As Will and Aaron pointed out (from what I understand), is that people claim Jew as their culture, but that shouldn't be confused with their race. More than likely, if they are a Jew, they are White by race, and Jew by either Culture or Religion.

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well people are either saying it's a religion or it isn't. If it IS a religion, then a person can't be atheist and jewish. If it ISN'T a religion, why is it being talked about as if it is?

 

A lot of people get it confused.

 

No disrespect to Jews that consider themselves Jews, but this is just from research and common sense IMO.

 

Judaism is a religion.

 

It's like me being a Muslim, that is my religion. I can't be a Muslim and an Atheist. I could come from a Muslim family and be an athiest, but I wouldn't be Muslim if I was.

 

People use Jew synonymously with the people as well as the religion, which is not correct. Now if someone practices and lives like a Jew, but doesn't believe in the religion, I think that is why he/she calls themselves a Jew. But in all actuallity, they arent.

 

Its like if I were to practice Muslim tenets, but I was an atheist. Like dress properly, not eat Pork, etc., yet I don't believe in God.

 

This is why I don't understand why you would refer to yourself as a Jew when you don't believe in the religion. But that's just how some people are. Even a lot of White people and people in general do not even think of a Jews race. All they hear is Jew and that is final. But like I said, most Jews are white. It's a religion, and perhaps culture, but that's where it ends.

 

You get me mate?

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Yeah, people are calling themselves jewish, although they don't actually believe in any of the religion, they just follow the traditions, in which case I'd describe them as agnostic / atheist, and not jewish (religion) at all

 

Same here, but I believe that even though they are atheist that they still hold strong to their cultural background, which is why they still refer to themselves as Jewish. I guess thats how powerful family is for them.

 

EDIT: Man I cant stop thinking of a Burqa haha. sorry lol.

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  • 17 years later...
4 minutes ago, fr33d0santana said:

Hey folks! I wonder What does the Bible say about happiness? Looking forward to hearing from you and thanks in advance!

The Bible addresses happiness in various ways, emphasizing that true and lasting happiness is found in a relationship with God. It often associates happiness with living in accordance with God's commandments and seeking wisdom, rather than relying on material possessions or worldly pleasures. Jesus' teachings in the New Testament also highlight the importance of humility, compassion, and forgiveness as paths to genuine biblical happiness. While the Bible acknowledges the challenges of life, it offers hope and joy through faith in God, the source of ultimate happiness and fulfillment.

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