Religious survey

[detritus]

I was raised Calvinist. I generally refer to myself as a Zen atheist. Although I don't think it's possible to know definitively if there is a god or not, I see no reason to believe that there is. And if you throw out all the "woo" from Buddhism (karma, reincarnation, etc), I think you are left with a pretty good guidebook for living a good life. Ergo, Zen atheist.

[Penny]

Positive or "hard" atheist, but I have theist friends and am respectful of their views.

[Carma]

I was raised Catholic. About 5 years ago, I was probably what most would consider a devout/radical Catholic.

Ironically, it was my godfather, who ended up leaving the church and becoming an atheist, who started asking me questions. He said that according to my answers, I was a "cafeteria Catholic" (one who takes what they like, and leaves the rest). I was mortified! I thought if I learned all the rules, and followed them, life would be simple, and I would be....perfect(?!) I was NOT picking and choosing, I was determined to follow it all, to the letter.

My mother -- another devout Catholic -- said, "Honey, we're ALL cafeteria Catholics!"

My godfather had the Dawkins book, "The God Delusion," and I asked him about it. He said, "Well, basically Dawkins is the devil."
I asked him if I could borrow it. Then I asked, "As my GODFATHER, can you in good conscience recommend I read this???"
He said, "If your faith is strong, this will strenghten it; and if it's not, you will question it."

And that was the start of me, thinking for myself. When I started questioning one thing, that led to another, and another, then it all crumbled! (Thanks, Dawkins!)

It's lonely out here, without a religion, without a church full of people to meet up with. So, we finally checked out UU, and so far we are loving it. It's kind of like going to a philosophy meeting once a week!

AND -- UU has a polyamory "division" (for lack of a better word - ?) I found something about it online a few days ago. Interesting! (However -- it is kind of controversial, even within the UU community, from what I read).

Once I was brave enough to question my religion, I think it paved the way for me to question other institutions and conventions, as well. Monogamy was next, haha! I love being a freethinker, and I'm happy to see most of the people on this forum are freethinkers as well!

[marz]

I was raised Roman Catholic. Much of my family is either Roman Catholic or Born Again Christians. I am the black sheep of my family because I'm secular. I don't think I've ever quite *believed* in what the bible said, even as a child. My parents didn't take me to church much and what little "faith" I had quickly crumbled once I hit high school. I spent my freshmen year as an Agnostic and by my sophomore year I was an Atheist. Honestly, at the time most of the aspect of my Atheism was an act of rebellion, and I didn't have much of an argument for my Atheism, I simply was pissed off at the Christian god for making my life *hell* and disliked the fact that the bible condemned homosexuality (I was just figuring out I was bisexual at the time and was obsessed with a female classmate, who I believed I was madly in love with. HA.)

Anyway, nowadays my Atheism is built on the back of science and reasoning rather than teenage rebellion. My partner is split on his views. He's Agnostic, borderline Atheist, but he's much more spiritual than me.

I'm pretty happy there's a lot of secular poly peeps out there It's also interesting to see so many Burners, Wiccans, Buddhists, etc. It's a pretty diverse group and I don't think the Atheist/Wicca stereotype necessarily holds true.

[marz]

Ironically, it was my godfather, who ended up leaving the church and becoming an atheist, who started asking me questions. He said that according to my answers, I was a "cafeteria Catholic" (one who takes what they like, and leaves the rest). I was mortified! I thought if I learned all the rules, and followed them, life would be simple, and I would be....perfect(?!) I was NOT picking and choosing, I was determined to follow it all, to the letter.

"cafeteria Catholic"! I love that! I may just have to steal it if you don't mind

[Carma]

Originally Posted by marz

"cafeteria Catholic"! I love that! I may just have to steal it if you don't mind

Please steal away!

Funny, I sang at a First Communion today. I used to sing at church and they keep begging me to come back, at 3 parishes! I loooovvvveee to sing, and I'm very experienced and I have a nice high soprano voice with little vibrato. I've stayed away for several years because I felt weird singing without conviction. I'm trying to find a nice compromise (which would be terrific if that compromise was..... MONETARY, ha!!) I really do miss the music. I recently joined a (secular) band, so we'll see. But singing at church was very rewarding; lots of people were inspired by my voice, plus I booked many paid jobs singing for weddings.

So maybe I'll go back thru the cafeteria line and just take the music, thank you !

[Carma]

But it's really hard to sit through (and SING) the old "Unless you eat.... you shall not have everlasting life" stuff. I have a tough time with the idea that if I don't believe, I am condemned. For now I identify myself as a Doubting Thomas. I figure Jesus wouldn't turn him away -- in fact he let him stick his fingers in his side, right?

I don't believe in the Bible but I do believe some of the stuff they say Jesus said and did was pretty nice. So yeah, I'll pick and choose, if that's ok. (Um, I'm pretty sure it's NOT, though . How black and white IS the Catholic Church, anyway?? )

At least they're trying to get away from the "He" pronoun... My "god" would be closer to the idea of Mother Nature.

[Magdlyn]

That's great you felt ok with going back to church to sing for a family member... and that you got some paying jobs out of it!

I bet more people than you think do (and always have in 2000 years) go to church just for the music and to see their friends. I think it's hilarious Xtians use the word "fellowship" to fancy up and somehow make sacred, the act of chatting and playing with friends. Playing with as per church suppers and fundraisers, etc.

I'm allergic to sitting in rows facing an altar and being preached at on whatever random topic the pastor thinks s/he feels like talking about that week.

Eddie Izzard talking of the history of Christianity:



[speaking as an Anglican priest:]"Now the sermon today is taken from... a magazine that I found in a hedge. Now lipstick colors this season are in the frosted pink area and nail colors to match... And... this reminds me rather of our Lord Jesus! Because surely, when Jesus went into Nazareth on a donkey, he must have got tarted up a bit…”

Christianity had split into many different areas - Catholicism still has the fire and brimstone, [beating drum] "Row, you bastards!” You know... Original sin! What a hellish idea that is! People have to go,

"Father, bless me for I have sinned, I did an original sin… I poked a badger with a spoon."

"I've never heard of that one before! Five Hail Marys and two Hello Dollys."

"Oh, all right..."

"Bless me, Father, for I have slept with my next door neighbor's wife."

"Heard it! I want an original sin."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry!"

The Anglican faith doesn't have that. You'll never go,

"Vicar, I have done many bad things."

"Well, so have I."

"What shall I do?"

"Well, drink five Bloody Marys and you won't remember."

...

So... yeah. So the Pagan religion had very big festivals, remember, on Easter and Christmas. The Christian religion came along and had very big festivals, at Easter and Christmas. Jesus died on one and was born on the other. [doubting sounds] ‘Cause Jesus, I do think, did exist, and he was, I think, a guy who had interesting ideas in the Gandhi-type area, in the Nelson Mandela-type area, you know, relaxed and groovy; and the Romans thought, "Relaxed and groovy?! No, no, no, no, no!" So they murdered him.

And kids eat chocolate eggs, because of the color of the chocolate, and the color of the... wood on the cross. Well, you tell me! It's got nothing to do with it, has it? You know, people going, "Remember, kids," to the kids who're eating the chocolate eggs,

"Jesus died for your sins."

"Yeah, I know, it's great!”

“No, no no, it's bad, it's bad!”

“No, it's bad! It's very bad. It's terrible! ...Whatever you want, just keep giving me these eggs."

[Aisling]

I'm agnostic, but was raised a capitalist (thats almost a religion now right?)

[Quath]

Originally Posted by Aisling

I'm agnostic, but was raised a capitalist (thats almost a religion now right?)

I think Ayn Rand turned it into one.