What Are Your Beliefs?

[Saxifrage]

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?

[priceyfatprude]

I believe I'll have another beer.

[craig johnston]

(in a weird vocoder voice)

i belieeeeeeeeeve in love after love!

[Smartypants]

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

[Feed the Monkey]

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.....

[karma_queen]

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.

[Saxifrage]

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.

[Smartypants]

Originally Posted by Feed the Monkey

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 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...

[ShopaholicChick]

As I see religion as a whole, I view it from many angles, and this is what I have come up with:

If a person was to stand in the center of a large room, and the crowd gathers around, High above the heads the person hold a box of many sides. Fully sealed. No one can see what is inside. This person then states that on each side of this box is a word written to describe what is in the box. As people read the sides they see they begin to yell out guesses as to the contents of the box. One calls out God, and other Allah, yet another yells Buddah. Many people do not move their spots, they simply take guessing by viewing the box for the side they are standing on. Still more people walk aroudn the box, examining all the sides and taking what they feel to be an educated guess. Is the box filled with one large entity who encompasses all descrition, or it is many, like a box of marbles? We will never know. Does it truly matter what is in the box? I don't think it does. As long as we know there is a box, we will each be given the chance to believe in what we feel in our hearts.

[Smartypants]

The more inquisitive seeker of truth would rather figure out how to open the box and see for himself what's REALLY inside. And in finding the answer, would relieve the hapless creature from standing there like a boob, holding a box over his head -- plus, it would free up his hands to enjoy the canapes and cocktails being handed out by the roving waiters.

[Brynn]

Snaps for that. I think it's a far more intelligent response than debating the fact that the box is actually there in the first place.

(mouth is full) try the calamari...

[lapietra]

Someone just posted this on Julia Sweeney's blog comments - wonderful! (check out the author at the bottom )

I believe that there is no God. I'm beyond Atheism.
Atheism is not believing in God. Not believing in God
is easy -- you can't prove a negative, so there's no
work to do. You can't prove that there isn't an
elephant inside the trunk of my car. You sure? How
about now? Maybe he was just hiding before. Check
again. Did I mention that my personal heartfelt
definition of the word "elephant" includes mystery,
order, goodness, love and a spare tire?

So, anyone with a love for truth outside of herself
has to start with no belief in God and then look for
evidence of God. She needs to search for some
objective evidence of a supernatural power. All the
people I write e-mails to often are still stuck at
this searching stage. The Atheism part is easy.
But, this "This I Believe" thing seems to demand
something more personal, some leap of faith that helps
one see life's big picture, some rules to live by. So,
I'm saying, "This I believe: I believe there is no
God."

Having taken that step, it informs every moment of my
life. I'm not greedy. I have love, blue skies,
rainbows and Hallmark cards, and that has to be
enough. It has to be enough, but it's everything in
the world and everything in the world is plenty for
me. It seems just rude to beg the invisible for more.
Just the love of my family that raised me and the
family I'm raising now is enough that I don't need
heaven. I won the huge genetic lottery and I get joy
every day.

Believing there's no God means I can't really be
forgiven except by kindness and faulty memories.
That's good; it makes me want to be more thoughtful. I
have to try to treat people right the first time
around.

Believing there's no God stops me from being
solipsistic. I can read ideas from all different
people from all different cultures. Without God, we
can agree on reality, and I can keep learning where
I'm wrong. We can all keep adjusting, so we can really
communicate. I don't travel in circles where people
say, "I have faith, I believe this in my heart and
nothing you can say or do can shake my faith." That's
just a long-winded religious way to say, "shut up," or
another two words that the FCC likes less. But all
obscenity is less insulting than, "How I was brought
up and my imaginary friend means more to me than
anything you can ever say or do." So, believing there
is no God lets me be proven wrong and that's always
fun. It means I'm learning something.

Believing there is no God means the suffering I've
seen in my family, and indeed all the suffering in the
world, isn't caused by an omniscient, omnipresent,
omnipotent force that isn't bothered to help or is
just testing us, but rather something we all may be
able to help others with in the future. No God means
the possibility of less suffering in the future.

Believing there is no God gives me more room for
belief in family, people, love, truth, beauty, sex,
Jell-o and all the other things I can prove and that
make this life the best life I will ever have.

- Penn Gillette (of Penn and Teller) for "This I Believe" (NPR)

[Smartypants]

^^^ I posted this earlier. (Not a criticism; I think it's worth the occasional reminder! Where's the "autobump" scheduling feature on this board?! )

You can also listen to the audio of Jillette reading the piece on NPR's site. The link's imbedded in myprevious post.

[pookie]

I believe in balance of all - its funny but thats what life is all about.
Like the way the female body is slowly evolving to be more masculine, and male's are becoming more efeminate and how you should not be too agressive or too passive just...in the middle.

so, nature is balance. belief is balance. good is not good or evil. its a mix of both. grey is perfection. so are pastels.
and so on. but not in a too committed way.
am i making sense? oops. no iv been drinking honey mead. sorry.

[bangbangsami]

'God' is a bottle of ketchup.... only use it when you need it.