Are you moving away from religion?

[Skip Intro]

Poll question: Are you moving away from religion?

I guess I"m guilty of lumping all movements of faith as "religion." When I say religion, I think evangelicals, Baptists, Catholics, uh...

I went to Southern Baptist churches as a very young child, and went to Catholic schools for eight years. I've been scared away from religion for a long time.

But what I see now. Pat Robertson calling our courts, our courts!, worse than those who are assumed guilty of the 9*11 hits, is just the thing to make me say no fucking thank you to any of it

I mean, I have been drawn toward religion at times - thinking "that's what's missing from my life - that's what will give me happines and comfort." I mean, its always been a scary world, and once you realize how finite you are, it seems natural to wonder/believe/hope, that there is something more. We're all really just lost in the woods, in some sense, imho. I can see how something offering solace, direction, forgiveness even, could be mandated and perpetuated. Religion exists because there is a need for it.

Imho.

In actuality, I began saying "no thanks" as I saw many churches not only support the unjustified slaughter in Iraq, but slander Kerry to push bush.

"Thou Shalt Not Kill" is pretty point blank.

They want to post the "Ten Comandments" but look the other way when the great fraud executes massacres.

them: "I love president bush. I love Jesus."
me: "you're a fraud"

When the American flag and Jesus started to meld into one - that's when it broke.

Now I am so, so utterly, turned off to religion, organized religion, that I really feel sorry for the next visitor at my door who wants to tell me "the good news.".

I can't ride by a church without thinking - "hypocrites."

Maybe its just me.

Or maybe its an American thing.

This doesn't have anything to do with the God or God(s) that may or may not be, this has to do with hypocritical mobs that have twisted so far what they've stolen that they and those still entranced look so pitiful and hateful.

It has moved me away. has it you?

[Az]

1. I was raised with no religion

Since then I have investigated and explored a number of them. I am a strong atheist concerning the various Abrahamic faiths. I find a good deal of wisdom in them alongside a great deal of unreasonable thinking (on occaisions).

I have found a closer fit in many eastern philosophis/religions. I stop short of accepting the more mystical notions found in some of them but their attitude towards life is comforting.

So in a sense I have moved closer and farther away from religion.

[swag]

2. I finally gave it up when I was in my early 20s

Raised a fundie, went through other more/less benign Christian sects, woke up one day and understood that it was all rubbish (no offense).

I love my freedom from religion.

Can't really answer the poll, given the way the answers are framed.

[davidinalameda]

3. not all people of faith

are Christians nor are we "religious"

I'm a Unitarian, as are a lot of others on this board.

We're a spiritual group, not necessarily religious.

We're atheists, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, pagans, etc

But getting back to your post, not all Christians are like the Falwells and the Dobsons and Pope

If the Christ described in the New Testament was around today, I doubt he'd be too happy with these guys.

There are Christian churches out there that still preach the gospel of love, and not the gospel of hatred like those fools.

[napi21]

4. My religion is my personal belief in GOD.

I was raised Catholic, and still attend Mass on Sunday, but I don't detest all other religious beliefs. I think every organized religion has some nut case extremist on TV lately, and I still have a problem with Pope John Paul shielding the child abuser priests.

I don't think I could say I'm mosing away from religion, but I am moving away from most of the extremists who insist on putting their face on TV every day with lies.

[JanMichael]

5. This is Stephanie; I think I am posting under my husband's name

but, am not sure.

No, I am moving closer to ______ (God? You name it) as I get older.

I have more to say on the subject, but I have one more paper to write for this semester of religious study.

[The Doctor.]

6. I've been piecing together a "Religion for Atheists" these last few years.

God's home is not 'in' anything.

We live in God.

We are God... or at least, we will be.

Then after that... linear time becomes irrelevant.

Therefore we are already God.


You see, the Human race has only one of two absolute destinies;

1) Oblivion.

This is to say that either we will find a way to kill ourselves, or eventually devolve into an apathetic and unambitious race... until, ultimately, we become extinct.

-or-

2) Divinity.

As is our habit, we will continue to advance our knowledge. In order to advance our knowledge, we will advance our intellect, our technology, and our physical sphere. Given that such progress can only suffer minor setbacks (for examples of major setbacks, see option '1'), there is no question that we will achieve mastery of time, space, and consciousness... we become 'God'.
After that point - it's all academic... no really.

Now about these people who want us to go for option '1'....

[KittyWampus]

14. Come To Find Out- That Is Pantheism. It's The Way Of Plato, Pythagorus

the Skeptics, Kabbalists, Alchemists etc.

Just so you know.

Not seeing God as a Being but as a CAPACITY residing in the Natural Order which Humanity slowly learns to grasp and manipulate.

I try to explain this in Intelligent Design threads but can't seem to get the point across.

[The Doctor.]

32. Yes, but I take it a step further than Pantheism.

You could say that... well... I believe that perhaps we were, are, and will be the very architects of that 'Natural Order which Humanity slowly learns to grasp and manipulate.'.

Yes, much in the fashion of the Universe as an "Inverse Spheroid" is the notion that we have (will) very much(ed) fashion(ed) the Universe for the ezpress purpose of our transcendance.

After all... once we do that - the question of which came first becomes moot.

[KittyWampus]

41. Any Suggested Reading?

[marions ghost]

39. that requires some abstract thinking

a lot of people have limited imaginations. God as a concrete Being is the only thing that they can imagine or relate to. This puts God outside them, so they constantly aspire to be "like" God.

It would be nice to have a spiritual focus that is truly pantheistic--I dont mean ecumenical or including all concepts of god--but just about the idea that the universal spirit is already in everything, and we need have no fear of being separate from it. I don't really feel drawn to any of the existing concepts of God in any religion.
The idea that you don't have to buy any such concept, but you can still be spiritual appeals to me. I'm not proposing yet another religion, but just a way to support the pantheist philosophy.

[KittyWampus]

40. God In Concrete- Yes, We Do Need Handles... It's Just Sometimes The

handles become the object.

I think that's what 'idol worship' refers to.

When we take the symbol at face value only and forget to look inside it.

[pscot]

7. I'd like to move as far away from religion as I can get

but I feel like these right wing ayatollahs and their lunatic following are crowding me. I seem to be moving from tolerant indifference to rage and resentment, and that is felling is spilling over to include all believers.

[caligirl]

8. I'm not one to listen to superstition. Thats Bush's mantel.

[Spazito]

9. Having been baptized, confirmed and raised as a Catholic I can

unreservedly say I have turned against all organized religion. The hypocrisy inherent in organized religions is breathtaking. The real mantra is do as I say not as I do.

The abuse horrors that have come to light not only in the Catholic church but in many others shows in stark terms why organized religions serve none but those who hold the purse strings, imo.

I do have faith, however, that if one lives one life on the principles of do no harm and help those less fortunate as well as do unto others as you would have them do unto you, you can die content having lived a life of purpose.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

25. Absolutely...

ORGANIZED Religion is what turns me off. The power it takes away from the individual, the hypocracy, the critisizm and judgemental attitudes! Repulsive.
My God is a God/Godess of love and acceptance and he/she lives somewhere deep inside of me, unseen by anyone else. He/She jabs me with a sharp stick when I do wrong, and wraps me in warm fuzzies when I do something good.

"if one lives one life on the principles of do no harm and help those less fortunate as well as do unto others as you would have them do unto you, you can die content having lived a life of purpose."

Nuff said.

:-)

[Democrats_win]

10. Organized religion is out.

[Dr Ron]

11. Goes along with the numbers

I'm sure everyone has seen the polls showing that religious observance is the best predictor of party affiliation, replacing socioeconomic factors. It is also a unique situation that what matters is how religious someone is, and not which religion, in prediction party.

[Sabriel]

12. Moving away? I'd like to get a Restraining Order!

Maybe I can find one of those activist judges to do it for me....

[youthere]

36. Somebody say Amenuh!

:rofl:

[marmar]

13. I believe in God...

I don't believe in organized religion. I attended Lutheran schools all of my life, and in hindsight, it was more about mind control than anything else.

[Digit]

15. I am moving away from THEIR view of religion...

As a visual, picture a person slamming a door in someone's face.

I think religion is personal, and not to be politicized or imposed on others. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs or non-beliefs. We are all members of the human race and brothers and sisters...we need to treat each other that way.

[devinsgram]

16. Getting rid of religion was the most freeing feeling

I've ever had. It was like have a yoke removed from around my neck.

[erinlough]

21. wow, me too

Someone asked me recently, "don't you feel frightened not to have God to turn to?" I laughed, I have never felt so safe. Terms from my religious journey: all powerful god who is a vengeful god, jealous god, angry god, not much to miss.

[Bill McBlueState]

17. what I wish I could say

is "Religion is not part of my world." But I live in a country where people aren't content to keep their religion private and have to use it as an excuse for their power fantasies.

So as much as I wish it were otherwise, religion is a part of my world.

[isweetpotatol]

18. never worshiped never will

While I appreciate and respect everyone else's religion, I find it increasingly hard to be respected as an athiest in America. Every friend I've ever had has pretty much told me I'm going to hell for not believing, instead of respecting my beliefs (or not-beliefs..). Are there any other atheists who feel the same?

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

19. If by religion, you mean the man-made rituals and superstitions that we

put ourselves into, then I've never been that religious. You can be religious, and not know God. I;m a Christian, and Christianity is my religious faith, but a lot of hypocrisy, and legalism, and politics, and traditions I don't get into. Really, in its true form, Christianity isn't a religion at all. It's about a personal walk with God, through Christ. Jesus died on the Cross to do away with a lot of the religious hypocrisy of his day.

Consider James 1:25-27:

"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

[TheFarseer]

20. You have to remember these bung-holes don't speak for Jesus

they just think they do. Worship God or Jesus in your own way and forget what Pat Robertson says. Read the bible and determine what is meant in it's passages for yourself. Don't listen to these frauds and don't turn away from Jesus just because some bad people are do their evil in his name.

[Nobody]

34. Even the book they claim to follow names them

Pharisees. And Jesus had no respect for the rules-lawyering Pharisees.

[riverwalker]

22. running like a rabbit

All religions are just fingers pointing at the moon. We don't need them to see the moon.

[scarletwoman]

26. "...fingers pointing at the moon." Wow, that's excellent!

"We don't need them to see the moon."

Absolute truth, beautifully put!

sw

[StepfordWife]

23. I was raised with no religion.

My parents always told me that they detested the childhoods that they spent in the Catholic Church, but if I ever had a desire to join any religion, they'd support it. I never considered practicing any kind of religion.

[Doc Bottom]

24. I am a believer

And I would say I feel closer to religion. But not to religious groups. I am arrogant enough to think most of them have got it quite wrong.

When I say "God" I mean, "The ground of being and underlying structure of reality, not a person but not less than a person, for God contains all the attributes of personness and thensome, in a manner somewhat similar to the way the ocean contains all the attributes of fishness."

Most people say "God" they mean, "A large opinionated white beard that lives in the sky." Or sometimes, "Jesus."

I believe that the big angry beard in the sky is wholly imaginary, and that Jesus was not and is not God. So by most people's reckoning, I'm an atheist.

[mmonk]

27. Actually, I kept religion

around in my life on the perifery but have had problems intellectually with it. But lately, it left me rather than any concerted effort on my part, with this darkness it seems to endorse that is ruining my country and threatens my way of life.

[enigmatic]

28. I'm a Buddhist

so its semi-moot. But I think that what the Fundies are doing now is their own D.W. Griffith epic production of The End Days.

You ever know a person who deliberately sabotage relationships/friendships/jobs in order to get themselves fired/dumped? That's what the Fundies are doing for (in their mind) a sure ticket to Heaven.

They are deliberately sabotaging this civilization to speed up their own little Rapture. The rest of us are just collateral damage.

[quaker bill]

29. I have increased my committment

I have taken on a leadership role. But then Quakers are rather different.

[mmonk]

30. true

[Lugnut]

31. I moved away a long time ago

I was raised Catholic. The hypocrisy among other things did it.

[T_i_B]

33. Not in the slightest

[toddaa]

35. Taoist Pantheist

Which makes me a devout humanist and naturalist. Religion and God are superfluous and irrelevant to me.

[deutsey]

37. Online Spiritual Progressives Conference

Are the words progressive and faith polar opposites? Of course not. But
in America, the word "religious" seemingly has become synonymous with
conservatism. The fact is that the religious right has spent 30 years
melding Christian language with conservative political ideology. And
they have been very successful. The influence of extreme right-wing
religious organizations in politics and public discourse has taken
America backwards, and has contributed to a divisive and coarsened
politics. It has overshadowed progressives who are also people of
faith. And it has created a divide of alienation between secular and
religious progressives. We say enough is enough.

An Online Dialogue
------------------

On May 9th through the 20th, the Rockridge Institute, together with
People for the American Way, Tikkun, Christian Alliance for Progress,
Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Muslim Peace Fellowship and a coalition of
religious organizations, will be hosting an online dialogue on religious
values and progressive political debate. Also joining us in the
conversation will be scholars and noted leaders in the religious and
spiritual community. Progressives from all faiths and perspectives are
invited to participate.

We want to explore the common ground between spiritual and secular
progressives—to talk about who we are and why we believe what we do.
What do spiritually progressive values have to say about policy issues
like the environment, healthcare and war? How do spiritual progressives
frame their beliefs? What unites the progressive movement? Why has this
unity been so difficult to achieve? And what action can we take to
promote our shared values?

United We Stand
---------------

Together we will come away from this conference with a renewed sense of
unity and fresh sense of purpose. Please join us for this exciting
experience—we have much to learn from each other! Participating is as easy as signing up for an account. Find out more at the links below:

Forum registration:
http://forum.rockridgeinstitute.org/?q=user/register&aff=1

(NOTE: if you are already a member of our forums, you don't need to do
anything else to participate!)

Event Announcement:
http://forum.rockridgeinstitute.org/?q=dialogue05&aff=1

[scarlet_owl]

38. No. I have moved closer to my faith.

It is an important part of my life. One of my parents is an athiest, the other is a Wiccan, and I was raised without religion. I entered the Church on March 26 of this year, and I couldn't be happier. I strive every day to live the Word of the Lord and to love others as I love myself. I don't push my faith on others, nor do I condemn anyone to hell, as that would be a grave sin for me to do so.