What Are Your Beliefs?
 

It seems that much of the debate about religion is oriented on a either christianity or nothing line of conversation. In this thread I would like to talk about personal spiritual beliefs. I am not an atheist, believing that there is nothing beyond the world we see every day withhard science being all there is. I want to know what your personal belief systems are, how you follow them.

To start off I will give an overview of my beliefs:

It is based on what I call a Macro/microcosmic existence. I believe that everything is infinite in nature, ever atom houses a universe and our universe being just another atom to something larger. Infinity, everything is possible, if you can imagine it it exists somewhere somehow because everything exists. Sure there could be a Yahweh floating about watching this particular section of existence but I don't care much for his attitude so he gets no reverence from me. Quantum Physics, in my opinion, is opening the door between what we see as real and what could be. It's all out there somewhere, anything, everything, never ending. We are simply flesh based solid sentients who have limited perceptions of our surroundings, there is so much more.

Now come on folks, what do you believe?

I believe I'll have another beer.

(in a weird vocoder voice)

i belieeeeeeeeeve in love after love!
:)

I believe it's a bit early for Peef-pea to be hitting the bottle. Now, Peef: Back away from the fridge.

I find it so re assuring that the two voices who are so outspoken it seems against christianity on another debate (CR and SP) find it so difficult to commit to a debate on beliefs. What are they I wonder? Do they actually have any? Come on guys, what DO you beleive?

I love your view saxifrage. It's really lovely, and actually very close to my own.

Anyway, as I may have mentioned in another post somewhere, I'm a Buddhist. I belong to a strain of Buddhism that oriented in Japan in the 12th Century. I beleive that all life contains Buddhahood, a state of complete wisdom, courage and compassion, that is truly one with the state of the universe. I beleive in Karma, the infinite debit/credit account that is with us from time without begining. I beleive in re incarnation, a life energy that returns to the universe when this shell 'dies' and resurfaces again at another point. I beleive in the innate ability to change Karma by having the realisation that ones life is Buddha, ones environment is Buddha, the whole universe is Buddha. I believe that we all are all from the same source and are intrinsically good beings. I beleive that life creates it's enviroment, so that when we change our lives, our environment changes too. I beleive in constant challenge and constant struggle to accomplish what it is that we really need to accomplish. This is the only way I'm on the right track.
I beleive that my life and the universe are esssentially the same thing, so I can choose to comminicate with my universe.

I beleive that prayer is a really strong force.

I beleive that happiness is attainable within this lifetime.

I beleive that peace is attainable.

Anyway, that's just a tip of an iceburg. I'm sure I'll end up getting into a sticky debate later on.....

i believe in karma. not so much as a spiritual thing, just simply that if you do nice things, nice things will come back to you.

Thank you for that reply FTM, I can appreciate that. I believe in personal Karma. When I have went against my personal code of ethics I have always suffered for it, when I have done good to others I have always recieved good back. I don't know if it works for everyone but it has always balanced that way for me.

Come on people, it doesn't have to be a theological belief, what is your personal code of ethics? We all have one whether we know it or not. What about life philosophies? Everyone believes in something no matter how insignificant.

I have a deep and abiding belief that some things may be unknowable, and that this is all right.

I agree with that but it seems to be human nature to strive to understand. We have limited brains with limited senses, there is so much out there to know and I want to know it. :D

True enough. Some things, though, I don't really want to know unless it becomes necessary. Like how people can chitchat with friends while knowing there are pulmonary metastases seeding away inside them. Or get up every morning and go to work after seeing their children tortured to death on videotape. Or whether you have a chance to register pain before the bullet destroys enough of your brain. Or what things are like after death. I've been dead, prior to birth. I don't remember it. That's all right.

I sort of had the feeling when I posted that that I would get a response like that! (Was it the voice of God telling me, "Now don't be a smartypants, Buster!"??)

Sorry. I was in a rush. (Still am.) I will try to add something of substance when I have the appropriate time...

:)

LOL! Cool...

look forward to it mate!

Here are some things I believe, in no particular order, and only a partial list:

1) I believe that science, when confronted with information that disproves its theories, accepts the evidence and continues in other directions to seek the truth, whereas religion does not.

2) I believe that the bible was written by men to record an oral history of storytelling. I believe it can be entertaining literature, but isn't nearly as well written or believable as Hamlet, Death of a Salesman, or any episode of The West Wing or the Sopranos.

3) I believe that man by nature is curious -- about our origins and how things work and about the meaning of life, if there is one. And I believe that science offers the only hope of satisfying our curiosity. Religion, while perhaps comforting to ignorant and/or frightened people, provides no answers in these matters.

4) I believe that even if there turns out to be intelligent life on other planets, it will not be in the form of humanoid figures with pointy ears and large foreheads, but something heretofore unimaginable. They certainly will have evolved to whatever state of development without the aid of a god nor having ever heard the name Jesus Christ.

5) I believe that Christians who believe only the "good" parts of the bible in order to justify their Christianity are either ignorant of the bible's contents or in an amazing state of denial.

6) I believe that if it were not for man's insistence on his fellow man's adherence to outdated religious teachings, the world would be a more peaceful place.

7) I believe that had primitive man invented pants, the sun appearing each morning on the horizon would have scared those pants off of him, and so it would have been reasonable for him to assume the sun was some great power worthy of worship. And while I might understand that in Moses' time Christianity may have seemed more enlightened, I cannot for the life of me understand why modern man clings to those beliefs any more than I would understand if he still quivered in fear each morning when the sun appeared on the horizon.

There's more, I'm sure, but I have to run. The above will have to suffice for now.

Love it. Going to church makes you a Christian about as much as sitting in a garage makes you a Buick. There are parts in the Bible about having more than one wife & selling your daughters into slavery. Those are swept under the rug. I believe, like any other book, the key is in the interpretation.

I believe you should treat people how you would like to be treated. This does not mean I think you shouldn't speak up if you're having issues, nor should you let people walk all over you. But karma is alive & well & bitchslaps me on a regular basis. I believe that sometimes you have to sit back & let the universe take care of people that truly get under your skin. If you feel the universe needs your help doing that, think again you water droplet in the endless fathom of ocean that is the universe.

I believe homosexuals are born 'that way'. I believe religious protestors who show up with signs to shout horrible things at people attending Pridefest should crack open that ****ing book they put so much stock into & re-read the passages where it says God will be the one to judge, and that he who is w/o sin (no one!) should cast the first stone. I believe they are missing the point. Then again, the God I was taught about growing up in the church doesn't seem to be the same vengeful prick that 'Christians' tell me about. I don't believe He is sitting there w/ a 'naughty' and 'nice' list, like Santa Claus. I believe it is not up to us to judge, so we shouldn't. Period. I love my brother and I love my friends. God is love, is He not? Love your fellow man, leave the judgement to Him.

I believe it's wrong to beat your wife & then show up in church every Sunday to absolve yourself.

I believe it's wrong to abuse children in any way, shape or form. I believe it's wrong to look the other way when you have overwhelming evidence that someone in a position of authority has abused children in some way. I believe it's wrong NOT to remove them from such a position, IMMEDIATELY. I believe it's wrong to transfer them to another state, where they can abuse MORE children. I believe the same people who did this cannot...CANNOT...possibly sit in judgement over anyone else. Period.

I believe NOT removing such people from positions where they are dealing w/children sends the message that it's ok to abuse children, so long as no one knows about it. I believe sending such a message is absolutely deplorable, despicable, and unforgiveable. This is why I can't listen to anything the church has to say anymore. I can't take them seriously after that mess.

I believe everyone who has ever protested abortion ought to adopt a crack baby, or better yet, an older child who has only been in foster homes where they are abused or neglected. I believe an abortion is something between a woman & her maker. Again, not my place to judge. I believe there is a special place for those who take it upon themselves to harrass people (paging service operators, nurses, doctors, clinic managers, receptionists, etc) who are just doing their jobs. This is the same place where healthcare professionals who refuse to do their jobs on the basis of moral grounds go. If you have such high moral standards, maybe you should be at a pulpit preaching, not refusing to fill prescriptions at a pharmacy. Or picking & choosing which surgeries you'll assist in.

I believe I'll take that second beer now.

::uploading second beer to the Peef:: xoxo