religion or Lifestyle

[Hades69]

It's just, between the two, I've seen plenty of people vote one way or another, and I find it vastly interesting.  So,  what do you good people think?

[Greenthorn]

Live by your own beliefs.

I am Roman Catholic, yet I have a Buddhist outlook *winks*

[Hades69]

Cool, cool...any other takers?

[Sherona]

I am not sure I see the point in this poll. even most logical ultra-religious people will say to live by your own beliefs...this is because that is what they are doing and logically they will want to be left alone to live by what works for them. Perhaps I am just not getting it...*wanders off*

[Kalen]

Just by the nature of what we do here, I'm doubting you'll get many votes for religion...

[Sherona]

I also have to say you can be religious and still enjoy the entertainments of E. :)

[Kalen]

Oh, that's very true.  But he's asking for extremes.. one, or the other.  *shrugs*  Just an opinion.

[Greenthorn]

*points to option for "both" then leaves*

[ShrowdedPoet]

Well I picked both.  My religion and lifestyle both work together and make me very very happy.  I am Wiccan and I live a free wholesome life. . .and I enjoy E because that is completely OK!   ;)

[The Overlord]

As virtually every religion I know of would have a few to major issues with my lifestyle, and I do not care to see if there are others that do agree with it, as I choose to remain agnostic, I can answer only one way.

[robitusinz]

  I'm Cuban, and thus being Catholic is pretty much entwined with my cultural background (as is Santeria, but that's another story altogether).  So I chose lifestyle because I feel that Catholic morality just happens to be my natural philosophy.  I *could* be a lot more religious, and at one point in my life, I was, being part of youth groups and missionary trips abroad, but now that's been toned down so that everything I've learned has synthesized with everything I know, and everything I desire.  In the end, my moral beliefs are just one facet of how I live.

[Tiberius Reign]

It's very tempting to soap box about religion and how it is the cause of many ills and much evil in this world. Yet to do so wouldn't be fair to others because it would take pages and pages of material and sourcing. Suffice it to say that organized religion is bad, because it eventually takes ona life of its own that is different from the original intention.

I feel that lifestyle and religion are personal choices, and no one should ever gain say another for their choices unless those choices lead to the harm of another individual. People should be free to live their lives as they see fit to the point where it does not negatively impact another huan being (John Locke).

[The Overlord]

It's very tempting to soap box about religion and how it is the cause of many ills and much evil in this world. Yet to do so wouldn't be fair to others because it would take pages and pages of material and sourcing. Suffice it to say that organized religion is bad, because it eventually takes ona life of its own that is different from the original intention.

I feel that lifestyle and religion are personal choices, and no one should ever gain say another for their choices unless those choices lead to the harm of another individual. People should be free to live their lives as they see fit to the point where it does not negatively impact another huan being (John Locke).

At heart, at the base fundamentals, most religions begin with good intent. Love thy neighbor, or at least visit no ill will or deeds on them, etc. Most have a conduct code, Ten Commandments or otherwise. The problem is, religion is for humans, but ultimately fucks up because it's by humans.

Galileo Galilei is firstly known for his astronomical discoveries, but he was a religious man as well, and among the best theologians of his time or any other time. He understood that the Bible was meant to show believers how to go to heaven, and not how the heavens go.

Problem is, most faiths are more interested in laying down man's law on earth, not god's, but they're all to quick to stamp it with god's will and word to give it ultimate validity.

Many are just as fast to define the universe and existence for us, but none of them are up the task. If you follow up on cosmology at all, it doesn't take an overly keen mind to figure out that one frame of reference is far too narrow and lacking to truly understand the great mysteries.


Far too many are willing to take it on faith alone that they're actually hearing the true word of god, and not just the mere word his would-be representatives on earth. If you pose this topic to some, you'll hear that proof is never needed, as faith is all they need. An extremely dangerous thing.

But faith is believing, not knowing, and there is a critical difference between the two. You can't argue it with them; it's like having a conversation with a brick wall. It seriously brings into focus that the line between a 'true' religion and a cult is a very, very fine thing, but that's a thread onto itself and an avenue I'm not going to venture down at this time.

Without citing pages of research, the one point that I am making is that one does not need an organized faith in their life to be fulfilled on some level, or to seek the big answers. I know this to be fact through personal experience. But religions like team players; they love people who will fall in line with them without asking too many questions. Sadly, what never enters the minds of many is that you don't need to choose a team. As agnostics, we don't necessarily deny god, an educated mind never rules out anything, but we do deny man.

[Trieste]

The quote I like most from the Bible is (loosely) 'judge not, lest ye be judged'. It is not my right to judge the decisions that other make regarding their lives, and it is not their place to judge me on the same unless I somehow give them that power (like an employer passing judgement on work history). I don't like anyone deciding what's right and what's wrong for me, aside from my own conscience. In that vein, I'm not a big fan of organized religion. At the same time, I'm a huge believer in karma. I don't know the mechanism. I don't know if it's some huge cosmic force, or if it's just simple physics. By that logic, I live my life giving out what I'd like to get back, not what I think people deserve. If they deserve less than what I give them, they will lose something along the way. Life, reality, the universe, quantum mechanics ... whatever. The point is that it will take care of itself, and it's not my job to make sure that happens.

So... I'm not sure that religion necessarily dictatesmy lifestyle, but spirituality does. I pretty much live by the golden rule, and leave it at that. If a friend needs a job, I work my contact network as strongly for them as I would for myself, because I enjoy being able to call someone and say "Hey, I found this internship that's right near you, and you can apply with X, Y and Z..." And while I do hope (and sometimes wish) that the same would happen in return, I don't expect it. I do it because if I were in the same position, I would appreciate the same being done for me. Compassion? Maybe. Enlightened self interest? Possibly. But it works for me... and that's pretty much what counts.

[The Overlord]

Actually, this thought has occurred to me before-

As I'm in the Atlanta metro, which is a very cosmopolitan area but still sits smack-dab in the Bible Belt, there is a fair amount of vehicles on the roads here emblazoned with the 'Jesus Fish'.


At some point I'm going to get just enough inspiration to sit down and sketch out some sort of symbol or logo. Something not too overt, but maybe just 'pagan' enough. Something I can slap on the back of the car and get all sorts of confuzzled looks from other drivers on what secret organization or temple to which I belong.  ;D

[The Overlord]

IMO, one of the most admirable and entertaining perspectives on religion and lifestyle is from Grandmaster Carlin.


Disclaimer- Profuse profanity, so turn the volume down if the kids are still up.  ;)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o

[calamity]

At some point I'm going to get just enough inspiration to sit down and sketch out some sort of symbol or logo. Something not too overt, but maybe just 'pagan' enough. Something I can slap on the back of the car and get all sorts of confuzzled looks from other drivers on what secret organization or temple to which I belong.  ;D

I'm rather fond of the Darwin fish-frog, myself.  :D

[Tiberius Reign]

I have to say, the Darwin Fish Frog is one of the greatest parody symbols ever.

Overlord: I  quite agree with you. It's the argument I make all the time. I thank you for doing my soap boxing for me, rather than being the one to do it again. BTW: I really love your signature quote.

Trieste: Perhaps the best version of that quote is the passage, "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. John 8:7" (Google is wonderful thing). It's the origin of the glass houses analogy, that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. It's everywhere, and yet hardly anyone listens. It also dates and places this Mythos as having been born in the Middle East where the practice of stoning originated.

[Haibane]

Um, this has turned into another 'religion bashing' thread  ::)

[Trieste]

Thread necromancy is no.