NationStates Jolt Archive

(Skip to the bottom if you don't care to know what's happening in my life.I wouldn't blame you if you didn't read it.)

I'm kind of going through a minor spiritual quest for knowledge.As you may or may not know,I have Muslim background,but I am at the moment leaning toward agnosticism.At the moment,I have been discovering Bahai'ism(not sure about the subject form of that,but you can correct me if you want),and it seems like a fairly well balanced and thought provoking.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahai#Summary )

I've also been exploring the various messages of religous musicians,who much better spread the word than missionaries,I beleive.I've listened to Matisyahu,Sami Yusuf,Creed,etc.Though I wouldn't necessarily count them as missionary,they make their messages much simpler.

I myself don't see anything that would make me want to convert to Christianity,and Judiasm is an exclusive club,it seems.Something about birth and God's chosen or something.Anyways,Bhuddism and Hinduism,I think,are rather illogical,because of a couple of reason,but I'd rather not offend anyone.You can ask me if you really want to know.So,that leaves me with a couple of mostly indigenous Far Eastern faiths and the old and new world cults and old pagan religions.Nothing that I've fully seen as correct.The closest has been Islam.On the outside,Islam seems fairly logical,but some of the laws and such are rather redundent or just stupid or just plain random.Also,Sheiks and other Islamic religous figures aren't particularly simple with some of their answers to my questions,which always tend to end up into a rant of idolizing Mohammed and such.While it is important to know certain things,I didn't quite understand the answer to "If God is all knowing,and he made the Jews his 'chosen people',then he must have known they would eventually kill the Messiah(if you are christian and beleive that)and stop being the 'Chosen people'(Islam and,I think,most Christians beleive that),why did he do that in the first place,and not just make the first religion he sent from the heavens to earth open to all people?"

Supposedly the answer was that the Jews were not 'Chosen' as being superior ,but chosen by God's blessings and guidance.Didn't answer my question,but hey,what the hell...Oh,and something about Mohammed being all good and stuff.

But I've got loads of questions.I myself haven't read Catch 22,but I randomly thought of a question which my brother told me was a question in there.("Can God kill himself?")Ponder that for a moment.


My only question for Bahai'ism is why God would keep sending new messengers all over the world,not have them identify with each other as all being God's messengers and continually change his message to Humanity?
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Anyways,what do you guys call yourself/identify yourselves as?And what would you preach to me,if you had a chance?Because at the moment,you do.I'm lost on God and all things spiritual.

"If God is all knowing,and he made the Jews his 'chosen people',then he must have known they would eventually kill the Messiah(if you are christian and beleive that)

ummm...Well actually if you are Christian then you would know that God meant for Jesus to die. He sent him there. Anyways I'm sure quite a lot of people are going through what you're going through and I'm sure that you'll make the best decision in your mind. Good luck

I'd identify myself as a spiritual Christian, as opposed to a religious one.
I like the ideas of Christianity, and I use it as a base for my beliefs, but I don't buy into the dogma of any of the religious groups, and think about things and question things that religious institutes just gloss over, or ignore. I look to other religions as well to find common points between all the religious ideas, in order to make a more universal belief for myself. I've always hated the idea that various groups believe they're 100% right, and others are wrong. Black and white thinkers aren't much fun to talk to, and generally annoy me.

I'd identify myself as a spiritual Christian, as opposed to a religious one.
I like the ideas of Christianity, and I use it as a base for my beliefs, but I don't buy into the dogma of any of the religious groups, and think about things and question things that religious institutes just gloss over, or ignore. I look to other religions as well to find common points between all the religious ideas, in order to make a more universal belief for myself. I've always hated the idea that various groups believe they're 100% right, and others are wrong. Black and white thinkers aren't much fun to talk to, and generally annoy me.

Well,that is one of the points of Bahai'ism.Oneness and Unity of Religion.Part of the reason I'm attracted to Bahai'ism.

I'm Sikh, come over to the turban side! :cool:

Well,that is one of the point of Bahai'ism.Oneness and Unity of Religion.Part of the reason I'm attracted to Bahai'ism.

I just don't see why I need a specific religion to do this, when I can go about it on my own. I've heard people say "Oh, my Christian group is like that! You should join us!" And then I start telling them more things that I beleive, and suddenly we don't mesh 100%, and I say, "Well, good thing I didn't join your club."

I don't really trust organized religion. Anywhere that people come together to share 'the word' as they see it, generally isn't open.
It's nice to think that there may be a religion out there that's open to religious integration, but at the same time, I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon. I enjoy the journey I've taken on my own. :) If I want to discuss religious quirks, people of those groups are always easy to find to talk to about them, and I avoid being labeled. People turn off some part of their brain every time someone says, "I'm a ..."
I know I do it myself. Someone says they're a catholic, I slap on my assumptions. It's just something people do... and I prefer to avoid that. :)

I'm a Christian.

It's kinda weird to be invited to preach to someone...not really my forte, but if you have any questions about Christianity, I can try to answer them. Good luck with your quest.

I'm a Christian.

It's kinda weird to be invited to preach to someone...not really my forte, but if you have any questions about Christianity, I can try to answer them. Good luck with your quest.

Um...well...thank you.

Why should I beleive that Jesus Christ is my savior?Besides the fact he said so or he is reported to have said so?Is there any evidence of any sort which points me to him?

Hope you can answer that.

Um,I know this is rather stupid,but I'm going Bump this thread,as they say.I'd just like to get more people to reply.I'd really like to hear anything,so long as it's not mocking me.

Anyways,what do you guys call yourself/identify yourselves as?And what would you preach to me,if you had a chance?Because at the moment,you do.I'm lost on God and all things spiritual.
There's no God. If there is, no one knows anything about him/her/it. Everyone who thinks they do is completely wrong.

LOL
If you're not prepared for mockery... I wouldn't suggest becoming religious. :) Mockery goes with the territory.

While it is important to know certain things,I didn't quite understand the answer to "If God is all knowing,and he made the Jews his 'chosen people',then he must have known they would eventually kill the Messiah(if you are christian and beleive that)and stop being the 'Chosen people'(Islam and,I think,most Christians beleive that),why did he do that in the first place,and not just make the first religion he sent from the heavens to earth open to all people?"

Supposedly the answer was that the Jews were not 'Chosen' as being superior ,but chosen by God's blessings and guidance.

I never liked the whole "chosen people" thing, myself.

Um...well...thank you.

Why should I beleive that Jesus Christ is my savior?Besides the fact he said so or he is reported to have said so?Is there any evidence of any sort which points me to him?

Hope you can answer that.


Maybe you shouldn't? From most Christian perspectives, a conversion that isn't motivated by the actions of the Holy Spirit isn't much of a conversion at all. Christians (ideally) have faith because of the subjective influence of God on their inner lives, not because somebody convinced them to. I converted to Christianity when I was 17...if I had claimed to be a Christian when I was 14, it would have been a false conversion because I had not yet been called by God to that faith.

So no, I can't answer that. If you have any questions about Christian beliefs and practices, I can probably hook you up with some decent answers.

Oh yes,that reminds me of another question to Christians.

What is the holy spirit?I know the father is God,Jesus is the son.Now,what is the holy spirit in that trinity?

It's sort of the means through which God interacts with people on a personal level. Things like conscience and spiritual inclination are often attributed to the Holy Spirit. It's admittedly kind of abstract.

http://www.beliefnet.org/story/76/story_7665_1.html

Have you tried getting that to do your spiritual quest FOR you??

Do you believe that there is an actual true answer out there that can be found, or are you just looking for something comfortable to believe in?

Hmm...so,the fact that I am conscious and think for myself,and have brought this whole subject of religion is because of the holy spirit?Or have I misread that?

Um,I know this is rather stupid,but I'm going Bump this thread,as they say.I'd just like to get more people to reply.I'd really like to hear anything,so long as it's not mocking me.


I guess it depends on what you percive God to be and what you percive God's plan to be?

For instance, my belife is that we all come to God eventualy, and that because of this and because of God being a loving God then there is no eternal hell, nor any form of punishment. If you don't find God this time, then you will come back again and again, and again untill you do.

How do you find God? The Sikh way rather like the Muslim way is one of total surrendering of your will to God, when you can live as a true servant of God then you'll find God, again it is the belife of my faith that you need to do this whilst alive, so that means there is no heaven either.

So I ask what is your perception of God, and what is your perception of Gods plan for you?

Do you believe that there is an actual true answer out there that can be found, or are you just looking for something comfortable to believe in?

Well,I partially don't know.I observe all these people being so comfortable with their own faiths(or lack of faith) and I wonder why I haven't discovered that as of yet.I feel no particular reverance...to anything in general.

Hmm...so,the fact that I am conscious and think for myself,and have brought this whole subject of religion is because of the holy spirit?Or have I misread that?


I said conscience, not consciousness. As far as this thread being a product of the Holy Spirit's guidance...yeah, that's possible. I wouldn't say it definitely is or isn't, but as a Christian, I certainly wouldn't rule it out.

I guess it depends on what you percive God to be and what you percive God's plan to be?

For instance, my belife is that we all come to God eventualy, and that because of this and because of God being a loving God then there is no eternal hell, nor any form of punishment. If you don't find God this time, then you will come back again and again, and again untill you do.

How do you find God? The Sikh way rather like the Muslim way is one of total surrendering of your will to God, when you can live as a true servant of God then you'll find God, again it is the belife of my faith that you need to do this whilst alive, so that means there is no heaven either.

So I ask what is your perception of God, and what is your perception of Gods plan for you?

Well,I think a higher power is out there.Not necessarily,per se,the traditional Judeo-Christian-Islamic all-mighty omnipotent God,but something.I don't know what it plans with me.And I'm not sure why it requires me to worship it,if it knows I beleive in it.

(EDIT:Sorry,that last sentence was messed-up.I'm tired,excuse my weakness.)

(EDIT:Dammit,I keep writing him instead of it.Probably cause Islam always refers to God as a him,though we're told it isn't necessarily male or female.Because there's no word for 'it' in Arabic.)

Well, if you want my take on it, although I say I am Buddhist, I believe in only myself & those around me, I take it upon myself to do my best & to live honourbly, not for a reward of some eternal paradise, not for salvation, but for myself. The problem with religion now-a-days is that people lose sight of what it was made for, & take it often for granted. The purpose of religion was to relieve the sorrows of the people, to grant them a distraction from the failing goverments & to give them peace of mind of the fallen. But, I lost my faith long ago when I realized how unfair life truthfully is. This may sound cold, but I believe that anything a person can do for him or herself is just as good as what any god can do.

I never thought I would encounter a Buddhist who abandoned the faith because life is "unfair".

Well, if you want my take on it, although I say I am Buddhist, I believe in only myself & those around me, I take it upon myself to do my best & to live honourbly, not for a reward of some eternal paradise, not for salvation, but for myself. The problem with religion now-a-days is that people lose sight of what it was made for, & take it often for granted. The purpose of religion was to relieve the sorrows of the people, to grant them a distraction from the failing goverments & to give them peace of mind of the fallen. But, I lost my faith long ago when I realized how unfair life truthfully is. This may sound cold, but I believe that anything a person can do for him or herself is just as good as what any god can do.

Hmm...well,are you athiest or Bhuddist?Because I wasn't sure from that post.

Dude there is an answer for people like you.
There is a religion that is more of a philosophy but is still a religion.
for more information email me at darkkrath@hotmail.com

Aw, let everyone in on it!

Dude there is an answer for people like you.
There is a religion that is more of a philosophy but is still a religion.
for more information email me at darkkrath@hotmail.com

Saaaaaay It aint that ego wank called Sataism is it? I fucking hate them, egotiscal wankers.

Sorry sorry ranting again, jeeez man as I get older I get angryer haha go figure huh!?

Dude there is an answer for people like you.
There is a religion that is more of a philosophy but is still a religion.
for more information email me at darkkrath@hotmail.com

Why not just tell me here?Just curious why.:confused:

Saaaaaay It aint that ego wank called Sataism is it? I fucking hate them, egotiscal wankers.

Sorry sorry ranting again, jeeez man as I get older I get angryer haha go figure huh!?

*anticipates backlash*

Well,I think a higher power is out there.Not necessarily,per se,the traditional Judeo-Christian-Islamic all-mighty omnipotent God,but something.I don't know what it plans with me.And I'm not sure why it requires me to worship it,if it knows I beleive in it.

(EDIT:Sorry,that last sentence was messed-up.I'm tired,excuse my weakness.)

(EDIT:Dammit,I keep writing him instead of it.Probably cause Islam always refers to God as a him,though we're told it isn't necessarily male or female.Because there's no word for 'it' in Arabic.)

Heh sort of the reason why I'm an agnostic theist myself. I believe something's out there in this huge universe, but I'm most likely not gonna know what while alive or maybe even not when I'm dead what it is so I might as well live my life in my own way and worry about that stuff when I'm dead and it actually matters.

Anyways,what do you guys call yourself/identify yourselves as?And what would you preach to me,if you had a chance?Because at the moment,you do.I'm lost on God and all things spiritual.

I'm an orthodox Presbyterian.

I won't preach to you. Others will say or have said what I want to and have probably either piqued your interest or destroyed it. I will encourage you to investigate Christianity, however. If you want to talk about it, you can telegram me any time.

I'm an agnostic with Buddhist leanings who has never believed in organized religion. I believe in karma, fate, destiny, peace, freedom, faith, hope and love. I also believe that everything happens for a reason, just not necessarily because some higher power makes it so.

I'm not going to preach to you because i think people need to go on their own journeys and discover things for themselves, and they need to make their own mistakes. If you believe in something just because i convince you, then it's not true. You have to believe in something because it speaks to you, because you can find yourself in it, because it encompasses your own ideals.