NationStates Jolt Archive

I made Part I several months ago and I suddenly thought "Let's do it again!"

This is a thread where you will post your religion (whether it is yours by practice or merely by birth) and will then say something good about a different religion. I don't care what religion you speak about, whether it is one of the three main Judeo-Christian Faiths or some cult with seven people, but just say something good. It can even be a dead religion, going back to the Gods of Greece and Rome if you like. Just post something good.

This is a thread which will undoubtedly end in flaming. I do not try to delude myself by thinking otherwise. You'd be smart to have a Moderation post already written up for when this goes to flames. I actually do. However, until then let's try to make the best of things and show how not all NS'ers are bigots who can't view other religions with anything but contempt.

I'll start.

I am Jewish (both by birth and by practice) and will say my good thing Islam. Islam is a religion founded on Peace. The name Islam itself is a derivation of the word Salaam, which is Arabic for peace. It does not teach hatred, it does not command you to kill others, it does not even curse "The Infidels". It focuses on praising God, not condeming those who don't.

Now you go!

I am a Unitarian Universalist. I like being one, so that's taken care of. I happen to really love some of the catholic churches I've seen. The architecture is simply wonderful. Also, this priest at the church my dad goes to (he is catholic) speaks very well. Doesn't get wound up in all the unimportant crap and focuses on christ's message of love.

I also think the buddhist relgion is pretty cool. Why? because it just seems so laid back and non-confrontational.

I think the Zoroastrians did a really good job defining dualism. Makes a lot more sense than other, later takes on the same matter. Good on them.

Also, Quakers are thoughtful people.

I'm ok with Buddhists. They strive for self improvement from within and try to become better people. While not actually having to believe in any god. I respect that.

Judaism (sp?) - Hold to their traditions quite well.
Islam - Very devout and faithfull to their God. Even in the face of danger. (Radical Muslim doesn't really count in my book because they have the maniac advantage)
Buddisht - Most peacefull people you'll ever meet.
Hindu - Also very peacefull, heavy sense of community.

I could keep going but, I'm lazy.

I think the Zoroastrians did a really good job defining dualism. Makes a lot more sense than other, later takes on the same matter. Good on them.

So zoroastrians are a religion? Are they all called Vilhelm?

Bhuddists dont excuse violence. They dont have double standards like t'other religions.

Buddhist here.

Sufism: Extraordinaryly peaceful people.
FWIW, Sufism (http://www.uga.edu/islam/sufismintro.html) is very close to Buddhism. If it weren't for the whole God thing, I might have ended up a Sufi instead. (My teacher does include Sufi teachings in his teaching.)

Bhuddists dont excuse violence.

Unfortunately not always true. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/ethics/war/buddhism.shtml)
:(
Some Buddhist (http://www.buddhistinformation.com/place_for_a_righteous_war_in_bud.htm) do believe there may be a place for war...
I even have trouble reconciling certain belifes about the place of violence between nations and my Buddhist beliefs.

mindfulness is the good thing that all beliefs are at least
supposedly about.

anything that motivates people to want to avoid causing harm
is good to the extent of its doing so.

it is only when belief also motivates people to blind
themselves as to how harm is actualy caused and avoided and
to rely upon cook book assumptions about it instead of
actual honest and objective study that they sort of become
their own self defeating antithisis.

=^^=
.../\...

I'm Jewish.

I find some of the Eastern philosophies/religions quite fascinating, such as Shintoism and Taoism. The idea of ancestor-worship and pesonal codes of conduct in Confucianism are also very interesting.

I'm also intruiged by the various Native American religions and religious practices.

I'm agnostic..

EDIT: removed atheists, i'll do another religion.

Catholics - I admire their plans to take over the world by condemning contraception. means the world will be catholic if they can keep it up... :D

Is Atheism considered a "religion"?

Is Atheism considered a "religion"?

Nope. Most atheists are quite adamant about that. However it is quite possible for religious people to be atheists. Buddhism for example.

Lets see, catholics um, write good. also good at metaphysics, though theire wrong of course...
oh, and Koreshanity has to get points for inspiredness!
http://faculty.mansfield.edu/skaspere/Restricted/koreshan.html

WOW almost no flames yet

Christianity: wrote the best selling book ever

I am am atheist.

I used to read a lot about buddahism, very interesting history.

Eclectic Pagan Witch here:

Buddhists have an excellent world-view, with non-violence taken to its logical conclusion. Oddly, I spent 6 years in the US Air Force with a Buddhist master Sergeant supervisor (?!)...

Christians have an excellent sense of what is good and evil, along with Judaists and Muslims.
Muslims respect science and learning - have a long history of such.
Judaists have respect for tradition and history. I have a great interest in history.
That's a start!

I'm agnostic, until things convince me otherwise :)

I've always admired Buddhism, both for its view of suffering and the over coming of it by self improvement.

Christianity, mainly because of the magnificence of the cathederals and churches around the world, not to keen on the religion per se...

Islam for allowing the advancement of science and mathematics, and pestering the catholics in europe to do the same :)

I'm from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, many people call us the nickname Mormon that I dislike.

Now Jews are cool people. While they may have had a couple set backs here and there due to sin and listening problem they eventually found their way back. They created through Abraham and the 12 tribes, of which I am from Joseph. They found Heavenly Father first. They got the Preisthood and used it well.
Islam: Great robbers back in the day (Muhammed had followers due so to get money he needed for church) Off shoot from Judism. Believe Chirst is a Prophet.
Christians: Wacky offshoot from Christ's church. They had there up and downs, lost there way but they kept most of the message intact.(I hope lol)

ah yes, the Moslems really had to force science down the Catholics throats...
http://web.maths.unsw.edu.au/~jim/renaissance.html
sorry about the sarcasm, it just hurts to be a medivalist sometimes (especially if youre protestant ;)

Nice idea Klonor!

I'm a Jew and I think buddhists are good because no conflicts (to my knowledge) have involved buddhists. They are the only religion to claim being peaceful and hold to it throughout their history!

hm, and the Jehovas witnesses for being so stubbornly materialist (in the old, anti - gnostic sense of the word)... and the Taoists for "The Monkey King"

Roman Catholic here...

Judaism: Persistence in holding to the one God, the high value on literacy and learning, and not needing to push their beliefs on others.

Islam: Keeping alive the learning of the Greeks and Romans when, as one historian noted, "the members of Charlemagne's court were dabbling in the art
of writing their names".

Buddhism/Hinduism: at the higher levels, seeing the unity of all things and all people.

"Islam: Keeping alive the learning of the Greeks and Romans when, as one historian noted, "the members of Charlemagne's court were dabbling in the art
of writing their names".
well, thats close enough i guess... of course, you risk praising the Greek Orthodox too then ;).
hey, what about urantia?
http://www.urantia.org/
they have a cool online book!

Eclectic Pagan Witch here:

Buddhists have an excellent world-view, with non-violence taken to its logical conclusion. Oddly, I spent 6 years in the US Air Force with a Buddhist master Sergeant supervisor (?!)...

Christians have an excellent sense of what is good and evil, along with Judaists and Muslims.
Muslims respect science and learning - have a long history of such.
Judaists have respect for tradition and history. I have a great interest in history.
That's a start!

Just one point- I don't think anyone uses the term "Judaists"- I'm not sure if it's even a word.

Religion- Judaism

Practionners- Jews.

Back to the thread. :)

Nope. Most atheists are quite adamant about that. However it is quite possible for religious people to be atheists. Buddhism for example.

Not rue. In Buddhism, there are gods, but they also seek enlightenment.

So zoroastrians are a religion? Are they all called Vilhelm?Huh, this makes little sense unless you personally know a few Zoroastorians named Vilhelm. Of course they are a religion. not as numerous as they were when they were the state religion in ancient Persia, but they have always been a religion. If for some reason you are picking on the spelling, Zoroastrian is a perfectly acceptable term for followers of the prophet Zoraster/Zorathustra. coming from the Greek form the name of Zorathusra.

and the Taoists for "The Monkey King"

Taoism gets a bad rap in "The Monkey King." Buddhists were responsible for it.

The Koran says no more than 10 Percent taxes

None are currently and actively trying to burn me. Thats pretty good, even if a few would like to.

Definitely Buddhist

None are currently and actively trying to burn me. Thats pretty good, even if a few would like to.
Dear Jim:

Please change "trying to burn" to burning. Some religions use different means of actualizing you imolation than the plain vanilla 'pour gasoline on 'em and light a match'.



Yours in Kali
Squi

Squi, what's another method of imolation? I must admit to being out of touch with the whole burning oneself to death dealie.

Dear Jim:

Please change "trying to burn" to burning. Some religions use different means of actualizing you imolation than the plain vanilla 'pour gasoline on 'em and light a match'.



Yours in Kali
Squi

No none are actually trying to burn me, as of now. I've been burned so many times before that I qualify as "extra-crispy"

Squi, what's another method of imolation? I must admit to being out of touch with the whole burning oneself to death dealie.
various religions believe that enough people concentrating/praying/chanting/imagining a single idea can make it occur in the real world. The most common type you are likely to experience are the Transcentental Meditation types who believe that if enough people believe and meditate for world peace, it will occur (as well as other things, but they want to do world peace right now). There are more harmful things peoples' religions can cause them to do than gather in parks meditating for world peace.


edit**Does this qualify as a nice thing to say about other religions than my own?**

None are currently and actively trying to burn me. Thats pretty good, even if a few would like to.


One good thing about another religion aye?

My Jim! :)

Well, I think I'm an atheist, or an agnostic. I mean, I don't believe in a god, even though I accept the possibility that one exists. As I don't know if something exists or not, I don't believe it. Does that make sense? Anyway, you can decide what I am.

I think some of the Christians produced incredible art (e.g. Bach and Michaelangelo) and presumably wouldn't have done so without that religious inspiration, so that's something good about Christianity.

"Taoism gets a bad rap in "The Monkey King." Buddhists were responsible for it. "
yes, all the many Taoist enteties in it are described as foolish at best, demonic (as in Chinese "hungry ghost" of course) at worst.
however, considering the respective track records of Taoist & Buddist humour, i think i know wich religions culture to thank for it (of course, i should have made that clear right away, its a complicated point come to think of it... oh, sod it :gundge:

Buddhists.

"What did Buddha do when the taliban destroyed those two buddhas? Nothing. What does a buddhist terrorist do? Goes in the middle of the street with some gasoline and a match. Foosh. Self-barbecue. Other fundamentalists killing eachother in the name of god go, 'What the f*ck are you doing?!?' Buddhist replies, 'Making you deal with your shit!' " -Robin Williams.

Buddhism contains a philosophy of life that is elegant and solid.

Hinduism contains the power of ancient mysticism passed down through the ages.

Islam is beautiful in it's sparse simplicity of worship and community.

Judaism is a more rational theism and steeped in pragmatic tradition.


That's all off the top of my head.

I'm a protestant.

Catholicism: I love a good ceremony, so all the candles and incense appeals to me. They also have monks. I don't know why I admire monks, maybe its their dedication to their faith. Architecture is good, but on the other hand, of Liverpool's two cathedrals the Anglican (protestant) one is the most gothic, whereas the catholic one looks like a big concrete wigwam. Also see Van Helsing & the Exorcist.

Wicca/Magick: Witchcraft is cool. Featured in many fatasy stories (which often give withces a bad rep). I was born on halloween and I have some affinity with witchcraft and anything else you might read about in a fairytale. Also see Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Charmed.

Quakers: Cadbury's chocolate founded by Quakers. 'nuff said.

ah yes, the Moslems really had to force science down the Catholics throats...
http://web.maths.unsw.edu.au/~jim/renaissance.html
sorry about the sarcasm, it just hurts to be a medivalist sometimes (especially if youre protestant ;)


was only referring to my limited knowledge (GCSE History of Medicine), i really only meant medicine and that to a certain extent (disection, blood circulation etc etc), instead of science as a broad sweep...apologies