NationStates Jolt Archive

I wonder what the biggest religion on NS is?

God demands a poll.

I was an atheist. Now I'm more of agnostic Muslim.

God demands a poll.

Agreed. And I am an atheist.

Hellenic polytheist.

Hellenic polytheist.
You worship gods like Zeus and Athena? I've never come across this before.

Christian>Protestant>Southern Baptist

Hellenic polytheist.

Makes as much sense as anything else. At least the Greeks had sense enough not to look to their gods for moral guidance. It was more of a bribery type of worship.

Roman Rite Roman Catholic, and proud of it. W00t!

I'd consider myself a non-denominational christian, I study the bible and interpret its message for myself. I don't mean to flamebait here, but I think the penniless rabbi jesus would have disapproved of the massive, wealthy cathedrals and churches....

I'd consider myself a non-denominational christian, I study the bible and interpret its message for myself. I don't mean to flamebait here, but I think the penniless rabbi jesus would have disapproved of the massive, wealthy cathedrals and churches....
You know what, you're right. There are many within the church who feel this way, and John Paul II began the process of shedding the unnecessary wealth (for example, getting rid of that gold throne), though I don't think he went far enough.

I'm so Buddhist, it should be illegal.

You worship gods like Zeus and Athena? I've never come across this before.

It's not very common; the "reconstructionist" movements are a lot less widespread than the Neopagan ones because there's a lot more work involved, especially since you're learning about the entire culture and religion of ancient Greece. And, for most people, that's a lot of work especially considering the relative simplicity of Wicca and other earth-based beliefs.

It works, though, so I guess I'm on the right track.

Makes as much sense as anything else. At least the Greeks had sense enough not to look to their gods for moral guidance. It was more of a bribery type of worship.

More or less. As long as you honor the Gods and follow the virtues of moderation, hospitality, and piety you will end up okay. Other sources, like Aristotle or Plato can be helpful for moral issues, since the Greeks believed that morality could be discovered through logic and contemplation.

The good thing with the Gods, however, that if you offer something and ask for something reasonable in return, you're bound to get something. It's the ultimate "quid pro quo" in many ways...although sometimes, the Gods aren't always going to pull you in the same direction and aren't always going to give you what you want, because ultimately they have their own interests at heart.

It's not very common; the "reconstructionist" movements are a lot less widespread than the Neopagan ones because there's a lot more work involved, especially since you're learning about the entire culture and religion of ancient Greece. And, for most people, that's a lot of work especially considering the relative simplicity of Wicca and other earth-based beliefs.

It works, though, so I guess I'm on the right track.



More or less. As long as you honor the Gods and follow the virtues of moderation, hospitality, and piety you will end up okay. Other sources, like Aristotle or Plato can be helpful for moral issues, since the Greeks believed that morality could be discovered through logic and contemplation.

The good thing with the Gods, however, that if you offer something and ask for something reasonable in return, you're bound to get something. It's the ultimate "quid pro quo" in many ways...although sometimes, the Gods aren't always going to pull you in the same direction and aren't always going to give you what you want, because ultimately they have their own interests at heart.
not that I am converting or anything, but you have a very interesting and cool faith.

not that I am converting or anything, but you have a very interesting and cool faith.

Thanks. It's always great to inform people a little bit about what I believe. :)

not that I am converting or anything, but you have a very interesting and cool faith.

Hey! If we do manage to organize a meetup for our region, can you take me to one of those cool Southern Baptist gospel churches? Not converting, mind you, but I love those places. Some of the music that comes out of them is truly divine. [/off topic]

I'm so Buddhist, it should be illegal.
heh, what do you do?

Anglican.

heh, what do you do?

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

Hehehe

Nah, I just like saying that. Mostly I light incense in front of my shrine to Kwan Yin and meditate a lot.

atheist.

Hey! If we do manage to organize a meetup for our region, can you take me to one of those cool Southern Baptist gospel churches? Not converting, mind you, but I love those places. Some of the music that comes out of them is truly divine. [/off topic]

I attend one, you can come to church with me. You can even sing in the choir if you wanna. ;)

not that I am converting or anything, but you have a very interesting and cool faith.

Yeah, I've heard of Asatru(worshipping nordic mythology gods) but I thought the religion of the greeks had passed into history thousands of years ago....
----------------------------------------------------------------------

on another thought, I've also considered a liberal inerpretation of islam. The oneness of god thing is attractive to me, as well as the stress of modesty and humility, and the fact that its holy book is very open to interpretation. BTW Islam is a somewhat agnostic religion, no? Allah being an incorpreal, unknowable being*looks at keruvalia*

Yeah, I've heard of Asatru(worshipping nordic mythology gods) but I thought the religion of the greeks had passed into history thousands of years ago....
----------------------------------------------------------------------

on another thought, I've also considered a liberal inerpretation of islam. The oneness of god thing is attractive to me, as well as the stress of modesty and humility, and the fact that its holy book is very open to interpretation. BTW Islam is a somewhat agnostic religion, no? Allah being an incorpreal, unknowable being*looks at keruvalia*

But, but agnostic means 'one who believes that the evidence for and against the existence of God is inconclusive'. I think agnostic is not a good way to explain Islam. The thing I like about Islam is the way Jesus is described. Trinitarian beliefs and the divinity of Jesus is all very confusing for me.

I attend one, you can come to church with me. You can even sing in the choir if you wanna. ;)

Awesome! I love Southern Baptists ... so casual and accepting of others. :)

Used to be Catholic (like everyone else in my environs) for round about 15 or so years.

Went atheist, then Buddhist. But as a general rule, I dislike 'religious' aspects of those things. Much more of a philosophy orientated view of life now.

Atheists please don't vote? You can ignore us, but we're not going away.

Atheists please don't vote? You can ignore us, but we're not going away.

yeah. as i protest against the segregation i voted anyway.

Christian>Protestant>Southern Baptist
Oh you baptist you!

Christian
Protestant
Southern Methobyterian
Mt Horeb United Methodist Church

I am... some sort of monotheist. Only because I believe polytheism would leave more scars (i.e., the Earth being armagghedoned every decade or something like that).

No offense to polytheists or anyone like that. You can believe what you want, just don't kill/hurt me or take my stuff w/o my permission... and please, try to keep dogs/cats/monkeys/dolphins/other fully formed humans (note the "fully formed" part... that means abortion be OK with me). Also, you can tell me about your religion (as I can to you) and you can even disapprove (as can I), just leave it out of politics.

Do that and I be cool wit u. You can abort 125 times and marry 2 husbands, 3 wives, 2 dogs, a cat, 3 cows, and a block of Gouda Feta for all I care. :)

Atheists please don't vote? You can ignore us, but we're not going away.

But Atheism isn't a religion, remember?

Never mind that Buddhism is an Atheist religion. :p

Atheists please don't vote? You can ignore us, but we're not going away.
I'm not trying to spite atheists. I just didn't have room for you on the poll.

But Atheism isn't a religion, remember?

Never mind that Buddhism is an Atheist religion. :p

Then there should be an "I'm not religious" choice. If not, it's not really an accurate poll.

Gouda Feta
Feta cheese is awesome.

But Atheism isn't a religion, remember?

yeah, but as well as not believing in gods its also a term for not following any religion. and i did not see a "none" choice, so i picked other.

Then there should be an "I'm not religious" choice. If not, it's not really an accurate poll.
It's an accurate poll of the religious people on NS.

I'm not trying to spite atheists. I just didn't have room for you on the poll.

But you had room for three different kinds of Christians, two different kinds of Jews, and two different kinds of Muslims?

Then there should be an "I'm not religious" choice. If not, it's not really an accurate poll.

If you look above, God demanded the poll. You want accuracy from God? Puhleeze!

Hehehe

It's an accurate poll of the religious people on NS.

Not any more, since multiple atheists and agnositics voted "other." Excluding entire demographics doesn't seem like the right way to run a poll.

Atheists please don't vote? You can ignore us, but we're not going away.

Hey, better they ask us not to vote in a poll than they try that ridiculous "atheism is just as faith-based as christianity is" argument.

I'm not trying to spite atheists. I just didn't have room for you on the poll.

there would be if for christianit, judaism and islam, you just pus

[]Christianity
[]Judaism
[]Islam

instead of

[]Catholic
[]Protestant
[]Other Christian
[]Judaism (reformed)
[]Judaism (conservative)
[]Sunni Muslim
[]Shia Muslim

I love the judaism 'reformed' option! Is that like Jews-for-Jesus? Convicts? Converts?

it's technically just reform or reformation, but to be honest, i like yours much better. I shall henceforth introduce myself as -Blank- the reformed jew. but not reformed enough to actually go to shul.

But you had room for three different kinds of Christians, two different kinds of Jews, and two different kinds of Muslims?
I didn't want to just make a repeat of the other religion polls I had seen.

Not any more, since multiple atheists and agnositics voted "other."
Don't blame me, blame the hijackers.

Seriously... leave me alone. I have no problem with atheists.

Hey, better they ask us not to vote in a poll than they try that ridiculous "atheism is just as faith-based as christianity is" argument.
"They"? I'm only one person.

it's technically just reform or reformation, but to be honest, i like yours much better. I shall henceforth introduce myself as -Blank- the reformed jew. but not reformed enough to actually go to shul.

Lol ... it's ok ... I refer to myself as a "Buddhist Jew" ... but I'm only Jew by birth ... I find the religion silly and ... unpleasant.

"They"? I'm only one person.

You lie!

Lol ... it's ok ... I refer to myself as a "Buddhist Jew" ... but I'm only Jew by birth ... I find the religion silly and ... unpleasant.
a religion with an established cash-for-reading policy (Bas Mitzvah)! A religion that has a holiday for gambling (Hannukah), where children are taught the value of blackmail (Pesach) and of crossdressing (Purim)!

And besides, it's free membership to the Zionist conspiracy, otherwise you have to buy tickets.

there would be if for christianit, judaism and islam, you just pus

[]Christianity
[]Judaism
[]Islam

instead of

[]Catholic
[]Protestant
[]Other Christian
[]Judaism (reformed)
[]Judaism (conservative)
[]Sunni Muslim
[]Shia Muslim

I think its quite a good break down of the major religions actually. I commend Meath Street on not sticking to the usual poll formula.

You lie!
This personality is nice and humble but be careful the other one is behind you! aaaah!

Lol ... it's ok ... I refer to myself as a "Buddhist Jew" ... but I'm only Jew by birth ... I find the religion silly and ... unpleasant.
Once a jew, always a jew? Surely that's not true? Is your ethnicity something like Ashkenazi or Israelite, because I wouldn't consider "Jewish" to be an ethnicity.

I wonder what the biggest religion on NS is?

Unitarianism.

You lie!
no they don't. they are confused.

Unitarianism.

I'd have said atheism....*shrugs*

"They"? I'm only one person.

Sorry--I was referring more to the people in a thread who tend to make that aggravating argument.

I was an atheist. Now I'm more of agnostic Muslim.
What? Why?

I wonder what the biggest religion on NS is?

isn't it The Environmental Theocracy of Sun God?

This personality is nice and humble but be careful the other one is behind you! aaaah!


EEK!!!

Once a jew, always a jew? Surely that's not true? Is your ethnicity something like Ashkenazi or Israelite, because I wouldn't consider "Jewish" to be an ethnicity.

Actually, it is true. Once a Jew, always a Jew. One may be "apostate", but they're still a Jew. I don't really call myself "Jew" though unless I'm around other Jews.

I tend to refer to myself as "James" or, if pressed, "Irish".

My mother's family is Irish/Roma. Yes ... Pikeys. No, I will not sell you a caravan.

What? Why?

He likes the idea of a burqua. I'm serious.

I think its quite a good break down of the major religions actually. I commend Meath Street on not sticking to the usual poll formula.

Excluding half of the major religions isn't a very good breakdown.

He likes the idea of a burqua. I'm serious.
I hope not.

I tend to refer to myself as "James" or, if pressed, "Irish".

My mother's family is Irish/Roma. Yes ... Pikeys. No, I will not sell you a caravan.

Ah, the third 'colour'. Not black, not white... but green.

I hope not.

You know what I mean.

I'd have said atheism....*shrugs*
...is not a religion.

Excluding half of the major religions isn't a very good breakdown.
What major religions have I excluded?

Once a jew, always a jew? Surely that's not true? Is your ethnicity something like Ashkenazi or Israelite, because I wouldn't consider "Jewish" to be an ethnicity.

In Israel, for the purposes of immigration, I believe one is Jewish if the grandmother was Jewish, Orthodox/Hassids demand matrilineal descent, and [sic!] reformed Jews will take anyone that actually goes to the synagogue.

He likes the idea of a burqua. I'm serious.

I'd wear a burqua. They're sexy.

Excluding half of the major religions isn't a very good breakdown.

What 'major' religion did he miss?

Christianity? Check.
Islam? Check.
Judaism? Check.
Hinduism? Check.
Buddhism? Check.

In Israel, for the purposes of immigration, I believe one is Jewish if the grandmother was Jewish, Orthodox/Hassids demand matrilineal descent, and [sic!] reformed Jews will take anyone that actually goes to the synagogue.

Yah ... and you see sooo many of us flocking to Israel. Bad enough to be hated just for your bloodline, but imagine adding to that your nationality as well!

Oh wait ... I'm American ...

CRAP!

*plans move to Canada*

What 'major' religion did he miss?

Christianity? Check.
Islam? Check.
Judaism? Check.
Hinduism? Check.
Buddhism? Check.

according to Civilization 4, there's also Confucianism and Taoism.

I want to know the difference between Hasidic Jews, and Orthodox, and the rest.....

What 'major' religion did he miss?

Christianity? Check.
Islam? Check.
Judaism? Check.
Hinduism? Check.
Buddhism? Check.

Confucianism
Taoism
Shinto
Sikhism

Those are the remaining four of the nine major religions.

I want to know the difference between Hasidic Jews, and Orthodox, and the rest.....

Very little difference between Hassidic and Orthodox except in community structure. From what I've seen, Conservatives still hold services in Hebrew, while Reform will eat a ham sandwich on the sabbath.

In reality, the culture is still all basically there. A Jew is a Jew is a Jew for the most part, it's just the varying degrees on how serious one is about Torah.

I think religioustolerance.org has a nice page on the differences.

Sikhism


I love Sikhs! Awesome folks, them. Throw a great party, they do.

He also left out Suffism in Islam.

Confucianism
Taoism
Shinto
Sikhism

Those are the remaining four of the nine major religions.

Taoism? practiced by a tiny minority in china and somewhat in vietnam

Shinto, the national religion of one country

Sikhism is a major religion

Confucianism is more of philosophy

I want to know the difference between Hasidic Jews, and Orthodox, and the rest.....

I'd love to tell you it's the degree of circumcision, but alas this is a phallacy I will not commit.

A better definition, from personal experience, is how much noise they make in shul, and how closely they adhere to laws, especially kashrut (the kosher laws).

I'd have said atheism....*shrugs*

Yeah, but unitarianism is pretty much athesim except that there's an actual church.

I'd love to tell you it's the degree of circumcision, but alas this is a phallacy I will not commit.

OMG you're killing me ... hehehe ... I just spewed Dr Pepper on my keyboard.

Very little difference between Hassidic and Orthodox except in community structure. From what I've seen, Conservatives still hold services in Hebrew, while Reform will eat a ham sandwich on the sabbath.

In reality, the culture is still all basically there. A Jew is a Jew is a Jew for the most part, it's just the varying degrees on how serious one is about Torah.

I think religioustolerance.org has a nice page on the differences.

So the Reformed ones dont hold much in the "no pork" thing, and some other traditional rites, your saying?

So its like a bit like a "Fundie" christian, kinda thing?

One holds much more strictly to thier doctrines than the others...

Taoism? practiced by a tiny minority in china and somewhat in vietnam

Shinto, the national religion of one country

Sikhism is a major religion

Confucianism is more of philosophy

Amazingly, every last one of them outnumbers Judaism.

OMG you're killing me ... hehehe ... I just spewed Dr Pepper on my keyboard.
haha i'm sorry! i hope it wasn't a laptop...! a friend spewed kahlua on his laptop keyboard under similar circumstances.

Confucianism
Taoism
Shinto
Sikhism

Those are the remaining four of the nine major religions.

Well actually, Taoism is not thought of as a major branch of the Chinese traditional religions as it never recovered from the Cultural Revolution. There are no fixed numbers of its membership at any rate.

I'll give you Confucianism, but with limited poll options, why bother putting in an option you know will get zero responses? How many domestic Chinese are in NS General?

Shinto? Shinto only has 4 million at a rough count. Judaism has 14 million.

Sikhism? Yeah at 23 million it may deserve a spot, but again, how many Sikhs are there on NS General? Enough to warrant it a spot on a 10 space poll?

Cut the guy some slack.

So the Reformed ones dont hold much in the "no pork" thing, and some other traditional rites, your saying?

So its like a bit like a "Fundie" christian, kinda thing?

One holds much more strictly to thier doctrines than the others...

Kinda ... it really would require its own thread for discussion, debate, and whatever. It's a long and sordid tale.

I know a Reform who keeps as near glatt kashrut as I've ever seen, but I know plenty of reform who order bacon on their cheeseburger.

Like the world, the Jewish people are as varied and distinct as any other people. We just can't be pigeon holed. I, for example, love a nice cheeseburger, but I refuse to eat pork and I have a shrine to Kwan Yin and follow the teachings of the Buddha.

So ... hey ... *shrug*

Amazingly, every last one of them outnumbers Judaism.

I'll give you that, but considering Judaism's history and the fact that many religions are based on Judaism...

Meh, by that logic Zoroastrianism should be on there too......

I'm an Agnostic-Buddhist.

But a friend of mine has given me a copy of the book Dianetics (which I haven't read yet).

Kinda ... it really would require its own thread for discussion, debate, and whatever. It's a long and sordid tale.

I know a Reform who keeps as near glatt kashrut as I've ever seen, but I know plenty of reform who order bacon on their cheeseburger.


and then there's those of us who reform to orthodoxy only when we go to mom's house, and eat bacon the rest of the time.

Kinda ... glatt kashrut *



glatt kashrut?

Is that the name for the Kosher food thing?

Meh, by that logic Zoroastrianism should be on there too......

I'd agree with that. It should be.

We need 100,000 option polls to keep the religious folks happy.

I'm an Agnostic-Buddhist.

But a friend of mine has given me a copy of the book Dianetics (which I haven't read yet).

DONT.

Thats Scientology....

I'm an Agnostic-Buddhist.

But a friend of mine has given me a copy of the book Dianetics (which I haven't read yet).

Don't. It sucks. Saying that you should burn it would be an insult to fire.

Don't. It sucks. Saying that you should burn it would be an insult to fire.

Correct.

Fire is useful.

glatt kashrut?

Is that the name for the Kosher food thing?

"glatt kashrut" means perfectly kosher.

This girl has two fridges, two sets of pots and pans, two sets of flatware. If she ate something with cheese in it, she'd brush her teeth and wait 3 hours to eat meat.

She takes kosher very, very seriously.

I tried that once, myself. Did it for about 6 months before I realised that I'm too nihilistic to care if the cow is slaughtered in front of the calf.

Don't. It sucks. Saying that you should burn it would be an insult to fire.
Fire takes prides in its status as equaliser. I think it wouldn't mind.

and then there's those of us who reform to orthodoxy only when we go to mom's house, and eat bacon the rest of the time.

Ah yes ... I don't dare eat a cheeseburger in front of my mother. I don't eat pork, so that's fine, but I love, love, love a cheeseburger and she'd rail on me for hours if she saw me eating one.

What? Why?

Too many questions about the origin of life, etc. to be Atheist. The Quran seems more truthiful than say the bible so.....

"glatt kashrut" means perfectly kosher.

This girl has two fridges, two sets of pots and pans, two sets of flatware. If she ate something with cheese in it, she'd brush her teeth and wait 3 hours to eat meat.

She takes kosher very, very seriously.

I tried that once, myself. Did it for about 6 months before I realised that I'm too nihilistic to care if the cow is slaughtered in front of the calf.

sounds almost like my life (sorta) I have 2 sets of dishes (one for gluten one for gluten free) and if my husband eats gluten he has to brush his teeth before he can kiss me.

I'm a Lutheran Prostestant Christian. ;)

Baha'i, the latest of God's revealed religions.

Christian
Protestant
Evangelical (traditional definition)
Reformed/Calvinist
Presbyterian

Roman Catholic

Catholic and proud of it.

I put Roman Catholic since that was how I was raised, but I'm a bit ambivalent on the whole religon thing right now leaning a bit to agnosticism.

Conservatibe and Orthdaox Judaism are very different. Hassidic is one of many subsets of Orthadox.

Anyway, unless you were going to make the basic 3 Judaisms, it would havebeen best to leave it all as one catagory.

Protestant Christian-- Lutheran

Uh... not sure what else to say.

Answering a question with a non-answer is normally considered rude.. But.. Hell if I know.

I don't care if there is or isn't a god (and I have no clue whether or not one exists), but I consider it immoral to follow a god as a moral leader (dodging the bullet, as it were). I beleive that every human must make an educated descision about their own moral code, and that it is abandoning their duty to take the easy answer.

Therefore I beleive in reading the Bible beside Socrates, and taking both as advice, but not moral law.

Does that make me an Anti-theist, an Agnostic, or some kind of twisted Universalist?

No option for us agnostics?

Im a mix of Anglican and a bit of my own

Hellenic polytheist.


Heh, same here... There's a few of us hiding in the woodwork then :)

pastafarian YARRRR!

Remember - International Talk Like A Pirate Day is coming:

http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html

pagan-leaning Unitarian Universalist.

Vulpinism!

I'm a Presbytarian christian.

I'd consider myself a non-denominational christian, I study the bible and interpret its message for myself. I don't mean to flamebait here, but I think the penniless rabbi jesus would have disapproved of the massive, wealthy cathedrals and churches....

Hey y'know that was pretty much what I was going to do for myself one of these days. As a denominational christian I'm always told what the bible says and means by preachers. Sometimes I'm told something that doesn't sound quite right or something that seems to conflict. Someday I'm going to read the whole bible for myself and interpret it my way.

Traditional Satanist.

~Satanic Reverend Medivh~

Christian Gnostic. Which is funny because my wife and her family are Catholic. Makes for some interesting discussions.

I'm a Presbytarian christian.

Yay for Presbies!

I love all the rest of you, too, but I gotta encourage those with whom I agree the most.

Christian Gnostic. Which is funny because my wife and her family are Catholic. Makes for some interesting discussions.


I imagine it does, to say the least. But discussion and debate is a positive thing *s*

LaVeyan Satanist.

Irish Polytheist!

:D

Pan-Indo-European Heathen/Pagan/Shaman.

Irish Polytheist!

:D

Does that mean you believe that there are multiple Irish people??? :p

Does that mean you believe that there are multiple Irish people??? :p

Yes! I have proof! My family is all Irish people!

I was a atheist now im pagan.

Yes! I have proof! My family is all Irish people!

That's ancestor worship then! *s*

You worship gods like Zeus and Athena? I've never come across this before.

Have you been living under a ROCK?

Christian Gnostic. Which is funny because my wife and her family are Catholic. Makes for some interesting discussions.

I imagine it does.

I am a gnostic, as opposed to a Gnostic. I have no faith. Nor do I need any. It makes all religious discussions odd. A knowledge of god eliminates any spiritual need for a religion.

Have you been living under a ROCK?


Don't start throwing golden apples.

That's ancestor worship then! *s*

Well of course it is. That's a very important part of it. ;)

Have you been living under a ROCK?

Hey, rocks can be great to live under. Cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Keeps the rain off and doesn't get too sunny. Quite nice, actually.

:D

I believe there is a gawd, but am still skeptical about some things. I spose I can categorize myself as Agnostic.

Have you been living under a ROCK?

You'd be surprised at how many people have never heard of us or think we worship the devil (and that devil is, of course, a propaganda piece meant to attack paganism). I mean, people see a statue of Pan and think Satan...even though they're about an infinite distance apart from one another in virtually all aspects.

And then there are the people who think I worship Baphomet...I don't practice Thelema. :confused:

I find it funny that atheists weren't allowed to vote, because atheism is a religion, but apparently just one you don't like. :-D

And yes, atheism is a
1. set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
and a
3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices

Atheists, or "Brights" as I like to be called, have all of these beliefs. Our set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe... and our set of beliefs in regards to the universe as a creation of God is simple. Our set of beliefs for the first part of the definition is the supremity of empirical observation as a means of determining the cause of the universe, the use of both art and science as equally valuable methods of observing and describing the nature of the universe, the recognition on a philosophical, physical, and metaphysical level that the universe has no "purpose" other than that ascribed to it by the intelligent life that has evolved inside of it.

Our set of beliefs in regards to the universe as a creation of God is even simpler. Our belief is that, simply, the universe had no creator, and that, at least for me, Hawking's quantum cosmological model of the Big Bang accurately and rationally describes a process by which the universe could have "created itself." This model is fully in synch with the laws of thermodynamics, unlike certain models as those proposed by Steady-State Theory, and is also in complete agreement with the Law of Conservation, unlike the matter-field partices of certain mid-century theoretical physicists.

And yes, a set of beliefs that amount to "we belive in no God" is still a set of beliefs. At question in that statement is, "is a set with a mereological sum of zero still a set?" Well, yes it is, for example, the set of "all odd numbers that can be reached by multiplying two even numbers" does not exist, but it is not a zero-sum mereology, it is a null-set mereology. On the other hand, the set of "we believe that there have been no female presidents" is not a null-set mereological set because it describes real information- there have been no female presidents, and conversely, that all presidents have been male. So, the "we believe in no God" set is still a real set because it describes real information- that, contrary to popular mythology, we believe that God does not exist. Not "we do not believe in God," but, "we believe in no God." The difference is subtle but, we are in fact, a religion.

Thanks for not letting us vote. Jerk.

AIM- ChrisRay6000

Sikh Sikh Sikh......!;)

I'd consider myself a non-denominational christian, I study the bible and interpret its message for myself. I don't mean to flamebait here, but I think the penniless rabbi jesus would have disapproved of the massive, wealthy cathedrals and churches....

Whole-heartedly agree. I think it's about what you interpret from the Bible, not what someone tells you it is.

I find it funny that atheists weren't allowed to vote, because atheism is a religion, but apparently just one you don't like. :-D
Snipped coz it was waaaay tooo long.

Heh funny that coz most Atheist I kow hit the roof when you accuse them of having a faith based belife system!:rolleyes:

Sikh Sikh Sikh......!;)

Sikh and ye shall find?

Sikh and ye shall find?

Hehe indeed that is what the very word means.

I am Roman Catholic, but there are a few things I have trouble resolving, so eh I'm looking around.

Well, nominally Catholic. I tend to get offended when Catholicism is insulted on this forum by people who know only centuries-old Reformation propaganda and don't bother to learn anything about what Catholicism really is and what catholics believe (had you noticed that? I thought I noticed you noticing), but I have my own problems with it (which I won't enumerate here) and haven't been a practicing Catholic for years, so if I were totally honest about it, I'm not really much of anything. I have been on a spiritual quest of my own for quite some time, and lately, after studying everything from Sufi Islam to the Kabballah to Zen Buddhism, I have begun to lean more toward Taoism than anything else.

, after studying everything from Sufi Islam to the Kabballah to Zen Buddhism, I have begun to lean more toward Taoism than anything else.

Meh, i like confucianism better. I prefer strict moral codes to live by, cause im a weak-willed lemming :-P

Well, nominally Catholic. I tend to get offended when Catholicism is insulted on this forum by people who know only centuries-old Reformation propaganda and don't bother to learn anything about what Catholicism really is and what catholics believe (had you noticed that? I thought I noticed you noticing), but I have my own problems with it (which I won't enumerate here) and haven't been a practicing Catholic for years, so if I were totally honest about it, I'm not really much of anything. I have been on a spiritual quest of my own for quite some time, and lately, after studying everything from Sufi Islam to the Kabballah to Zen Buddhism, I have begun to lean more toward Taoism than anything else.

Heh, thats a bit like me although I'm just really not that spiritual, so skiped the religous search and am kind of flirting with agnosticism.

Meh, i like confucianism better. I prefer strict moral codes to live by, cause im a weak-willed lemming :-P

I kind of like confucianism to, but mainly from the perspective that it recognises that those in power have responsibilities to those beneath them.

I think its quite a good break down of the major religions actually. I commend Meath Street on not sticking to the usual poll formula.

no its not. breaking it down is what actuallt posting is for. and you should want more people to actually post in your thread, as that keeps it alive.

Deism ftw.

The general theory that god just wants us to be cool with eachother and his ultimate hope is for everyone to hang out with him on a giant couch.

atheist.


also just for those who are throwing around agnosticism, it's not a statement of belief, it's about knowlege. Agnosticism just means you don't know. That's why there were Gnostics who seemed to think they KNEW exactly what god was or wanted. It's like this, you can be agnostic and atheist, or agnostic and theist. You could also theoretically be gnostic and atheist, but gnosticism is pretty arrogant as it is, even more so to be arrogant to say you know there's nothing.

I'm the sort of science-loving guy that believes that:


The Universe needed a First Cause;
due to said cause being transcendent, that's what I call "God".
But I don't necessarily believe that "God" still exists.


Because I believe that there's a perfectly valid scientifically provable reason for God (existence), and I don't put faith in religious texts and the like (but I don't systematically deny miracles) I think that would make me a Deist.

(Although my favourite religion of all time is Sikhism :))

To be totally honest deism really feels to me like an atheistic cop out. I mean, sure it's plausable there was a cause to the universe, but I don't feel that it really is proper to call this cause 'god' just because of the connotations of the word. Although I do feel that if any type of theism was right, it would be deism, because I don't feel there is anything outside the laws of probability and determinism playing any role in our lives, or universe.

according to Civilization 4, there's also Confucianism and Taoism.
It would be pointless to put them on the poll. They only exist in China, and if I was a religious person in China I wouldn't be advertising the fact on the internet.

Confucianism
Taoism
Shinto
Sikhism

Those are the remaining four of the nine major religions.
True Shinto is not practiced by that many people in Japan. Most are either non-religious or practice a Shinto-influenced form of Buddhism.

How big is Sikhism?

Shinto, the national religion of one country

Shinto was encouraged by the Japanese nationalist government of the war, but I don't think Japan has a national religion anymore.

Amazingly, every last one of them outnumbers Judaism.
Good point, but Judaism has had such a disproportionately large effect on the world.

Like the world, the Jewish people are as varied and distinct as any other people. We just can't be pigeon holed. I, for example, love a nice cheeseburger, but I refuse to eat pork and I have a shrine to Kwan Yin and follow the teachings of the Buddha.

So ... hey ... *shrug*
Are Buddhists not meant to be vegetarian? And pro-compassion?

No option for us agnostics?
Hardly a religion, is it?

LaVeyan Satanist.
Traditional Satanist.

~Satanic Reverend Medivh~
Does Satanism simply translate to hedonism?

Have you been living under a ROCK?
How many Zeus worshippers are there around today? I thought they had all disappeared after ancient Greece and Rome.

I am Roman Catholic, but there are a few things I have trouble resolving, so eh I'm looking around.
If I may be so bold I think you'll become a fundamentalist protestant.

Religions that are larger than some of those mentioned in the poll:

Juche
Spiritism
The unified African Diaspora religion
Confucianism
Taoism

What about Scientology? Xenu FTW!

How many Zeus worshippers are there around today? I thought they had all disappeared after ancient Greece and Rome.


Actually I know a few as well.

How big is Sikhism?
Big. 23 million+ practitioners. It's the fifth largest organized religion in the world.


Good point, but Judaism has had such a disproportionately large effect on the world.
On the Western world. Sikhism had a huge impact on the Eastern world.

Incidentally, I was wrong about Shinto being larger than Judaism. Taoism and Confucianism are arguable, because there are no clear cut numbers as to the size. Taoism could conceivably number in the hundred millions.

Incidentally, I was wrong about Shinto being larger than Judaism. Taoism and Confucianism are arguable, because there are no clear cut numbers as to the size. Taoism could conceivably number in the hundred millions.

are you counting the japanese who are split between shinto and buddhism?(shinto wedding, buddhist funeral)

I am Roman Catholic, but there are a few things I have trouble resolving, so eh I'm looking around.

really? I surprised because I thought it was the one thing you wouldn't comprise on.

Religion is a crutch for the weak-minded.

And yet, I have a soft spot for Norse Pagans.

Are Buddhists not meant to be vegetarian? And pro-compassion?


Nah ... even the Dalai Lama eats meat.

I'm very compassionate.

I am a drunkard!

The Invisible Pink Unicorn demands that the creator of this poll open it to Her flock: Freethinkers, Atheists, Agnostics, Anti-theists and Ignostics.

Pastafarian.

The Invisible Pink Unicorn demands that the creator of this poll open it to Her flock: Freethinkers, Atheists, Agnostics, Anti-theists and Ignostics.
Blessed be her holy hooves.

I'm very compassionate.
Except when people get killed for expressing their beliefs? (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=11579972&postcount=70)

Except when people get killed for expressing their beliefs? (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=11579972&postcount=70)

Forgive me, but I cannot find any advocations of religious murder in that post....

I'm Roman Catholic.

Religion is a crutch for the weak-minded.

And yet, I have a soft spot for Norse Pagans.

agreed. Minus the norse pagans thing, I don't really have a soft spot for any.

It says atheists don't vote... what about us agnostics?

agreed. Minus the norse pagans thing, I don't really have a soft spot for any.

ahhh come on you know the Norse Pagans are the best ones.

Cradle Catholic!! I’v made it to my 2nd year collage and still believe most of the things I was thought. However if anyone has time they should read Mark Ch.11 and take note of the merciful, loving Jesus withering a fig tree because it had no fruit. p.s. it was not time for it to bare fruit.

ahhh come on you know the Norse Pagans are the best ones.

My Zeus could pwn your Odin any day! :p

I consider myself Christian, but since I am a little more heretical than Shelby Spong, I chose "other Christian." :D

In my observation, however, freethinkers from all starting points tend to end up with more in common with each other than traditionalists do even with others in the same tradition.

Catholic represent! Haha. Indeed.

I'm a Peisanidist.

And then there are the people who think I worship Baphomet...I don't practice Thelema. :confused:

:confused: huh? What has Baphomet got to do with our beliefs? Some people out there must have some very confused information...

geesh people, just read a history book sometime...

It says atheists don't vote... what about us agnostics?
Also not a religion.

Atheism isn't a faith that there is no god. That's antitheism.

Is there a religion where you read Chick publications and laugh? (mini radical religious cartoon/pamphlet) Cause im that.

Raised Catholic, but really more agnostic than anything.

Vaguely neopagan.

Atheist, nuff' said.

Don't start throwing golden apples.

Why not? Especialy if the gold is of the Aucopoco (ok I can't spell that) variety?

Sikh Sikh Sikh......!;)

Damn I'm a geek. I read that as Sith Sith Sith . . ..

I dunno what my religion is. I believe in the spirit of the universe. I like to call it Mass (just a name I made up). I suppose it's a bit like the Force, except with no Force powers. :p

It would be pointless to put them on the poll. They only exist in China, and if I was a religious person in China I wouldn't be advertising the fact on the internet.

Because as we all know no one in China ever moves to a diferent country.

Does Satanism simply translate to hedonism?


The Levayan variety is esential worship of ones self.


How many Zeus worshippers are there around today? I thought they had all disappeared after ancient Greece and Rome.


There are an aproximate fuckload of Neo-Pagans who worship the Greco-roman pantheon.

Atheism

I am a missionary, a missonary to make people atheist, currently i have converted 17 people. They never went to church again! MUHAHAHAHA!

Atheism

I am a missionary, a missonary to make people atheist, currently i have converted 17 people. They never went to church again! MUHAHAHAHA!

I want to shake your hand because more atheists is always a good thing. But I'm going to where one of those electrical hand buzzers because proselytism pisses me off.

Deal?

Religion is a crutch for the weak-minded.

And yet, I have a soft spot for Norse Pagans.

hehe yeah I hear that a lot, funny thing though I don't think I'm weak minded at all, and anyhoo everybody has/needs a crutch

How big is Sikhism?

There are more Sikhs in the World than Jews.

To be totally honest deism really feels to me like an atheistic cop out. I mean, sure it's plausable there was a cause to the universe, but I don't feel that it really is proper to call this cause 'god' just because of the connotations of the word. Although I do feel that if any type of theism was right, it would be deism, because I don't feel there is anything outside the laws of probability and determinism playing any role in our lives, or universe.

It's nothing like athiesm. Athiesm is flat-out "There is no god, and I'm fine with it."

Deism is "There probably is a god, but he's most likely got nothing to do with anything going on down here, except for being the source of the first knock-knock joke."

It's more like agnosticism with optimism and separatism.

:confused: huh? What has Baphomet got to do with our beliefs? Some people out there must have some very confused information...

I think they're people who have learned about paganism from biased sources and mixed in some shallow research on their own to try and slander our beliefs; they might have read a little bit of mythology, read some anti-pagan literature, and drawn up some shallow paralles between the various concepts and ran with it (and those parallels were, of course, intentionally created in the Middle Ages). Generally, you only hear about Baphomet from the Jack Chick readers...and yes, there are people who take them seriously even though they're nothing but propaganda.

geesh people, just read a history book sometime...

Yeah, really...other than the use of Baphomet to slam the Knights Templar back in the Middle Ages and the importance of Baphoment in Crowley's writings and the Thelemic cosmology, Baphomet doesn't really appear anywhere except in some 19th-century occult works, anti-pagan/anti-Freemason propaganda and the illustrious writings of Jack T. Chick. And even that interpretation owes more to the conventions of 19th-century culture than any real history...if anything, it seems to be a copy of the gargoyles used in medieval and Gothic churches.

I guess people see horns and the hindquarters of a goat (in the case of Pan) and think "omg Satan"...honestly, there's no connection between them other than some medieval artwork that used him as a model for Satan, and that was little more than a ploy meant to crack down on the pagan remnants in much of Europe. Nature deities and spirits do not equal Satan/demons...I guess I'll have to keep proving them wrong until I die?

Non-affiliated reconstructionist euro-animist. IOW, I just do my own thing. :)

Religious upbringing: The extended family is Roman Catholic but the immediate family was dominated by fierce anti-estabilishment pope-haters, so there was zero churchliness in the Muravyets household. However, apparently, when my mom, at age 6, announced that she wanted to go to the Congregationalist Sunday School with her best friend from down the street, her parents/my grandparents said OK. And since the Sunday School was also the children's choir, they went to the Congregationalist Church (across the street from the RC church) to hear her sing. And it became a habit. And that's how I got born a Congregationalist and automatically enrolled in the Sunday School, until I, at age 6, announced that I did not want to sing in the choir or to go the school anymore, and my mother said OK, and the whole family suddenly stopped going to church altogether. The only discussion of religion that ever happened in my house from that day forward were debates similar to what goes on here. Meanwhile the extended family knows nothing about this, and to this day, the RC cousins think my mother and I attended Catholic schools the same as they did. We've never bothered to correct them. Also, to this day, I have no idea what my parents and grandparents believe (other than that popes are jackasses), though I suspect my mother may be a closet Unitarian.

However, I did not opt out of Sunday School because I was a junior atheist; just because the Christian thing did not make sense to me. So I spent the rest of my life shopping for any kind of religion that would make sense to me, and animism has turned out to be it. However, since animist religions are so personal and place/people specific, I don't belong to any particular one. Instead, I deal with the spirits of the places I'm from/live in, and with my own ancestors -- who are a mixed bunch -- Italian, German, French/Alsatian, Russian and Polish. My home shrine is fairly cluttered.

It's nothing like athiesm. Athiesm is flat-out "There is no god, and I'm fine with it."

Deism is "There probably is a god, but he's most likely got nothing to do with anything going on down here, except for being the source of the first knock-knock joke."

It's more like agnosticism with optimism and separatism.

I understand what deism is, I just also feel it's a cop out. Strong atheism is as you say, there is no god, end. An atheist doesn't have to mean that they wholely except the no-god idea, a weak atheist is one that the majority dub an agnostic, someone who says 'well there's no proof either way, so I don't think I'll believe in one' Deism says that if there is one, he went away, and I understand that as a valid concept... it just seems to me to be an atheist struggling with the no-god concept, and is still holding onto the god concept just in the only sense he can; there used to be a god, he just doesn't interfere.

I don't have a religion as such. I was raised Christian but I do not follow any church nor do I attend them except for weddings and funerals.
I do appreciate all religions and as long as someone finds solace in them then it's a good thing for them.

Pastafarian.


Same.

It's nothing like athiesm. Athiesm is flat-out "There is no god, and I'm fine with it."

Deism is "There probably is a god, but he's most likely got nothing to do with anything going on down here, except for being the source of the first knock-knock joke."

It's more like agnosticism with optimism and separatism.

What you called atheism is antitheism. Atheism is simply the lack of a belief in a god(s).

Deism is not that. Deism is the belief that there is/was a god that created the universe, and has done jack shit since.

Agnosticism is simply the position that it is impossible to truly know whether or not a god or gods exist.

People find my religious timeline funny:
First I was a very devout Mormon
then my friends who would take me to church moved
so I became Methodist
but the people there weren't very nice
so I became agnostic
then people tried to convert me to Christianity
so I became agnostic
but I still believed in spirits
so I created my own religion
then I worshipped Galileo and Bach and the like
and all was great and good in the world of me.

Are there any Rastafaris here?

I'm an agnostic, but if I wanted to have a religion, I'd be Buddhist. Buddhism is a sensible religion.

I'm an agnostic, but if I wanted to have a religion, I'd be Buddhist. Buddhism is a sensible religion.

Buddhist tradition says Siddhartha teleported himself out of his mother's womb....no religion is sensible

well i was baptized as an orthodox christian when i was a baby, converted to greek-catholicism (quite devoutly) in my early teens and now i am an atheist/left hand path -ist... i don't call myself a satanist but most people do it for me:rolleyes:

*fights atheist urge to vote 'other'*

Christian Gnostic. Which is funny because my wife and her family are Catholic. Makes for some interesting discussions.

I imagine it does.

I am a gnostic, as opposed to a Gnostic. I have no faith. Nor do I need any. It makes all religious discussions odd. A knowledge of god eliminates any spiritual need for a religion.
Fair enough. :D I gave my wife a book on ancient gnosticism and Christian gnosticism. She said that they were interesting, but I got the idea that she thought she'd have to go to confession just for reading them.

I had to sign an agreement with the Catholic Church before my wife and I got married that I wouldn't try to convert her away from Catholicism and that all our children would be raised Catholic. But I told my wife that it's not going to prevent me from teaching the kids what daddy believes when they're old enough to make their own decision.