Poll-but-Not

[active_apathy]

Just like it says on the box, we have a kind of poll-esque thingy, but using comments.

So, seeing as how I have little of interest to post at the moment, I thought I'd ask such folk as feel inclined to tell me about their particular flavour of religiosity in a comment.

In more depth: This is entirely optional, but I think it'd be interesting and fun to learn what the people who read my journal think and believe about life, the universe and everything. Feel free to include anything you feel is interesting, noteworthy or pertinent, don't hesitate to mix in links as desired, and don't feel like you have to say anything you don't particularly want to.

The comments will be screened; if you'd like yours to be unscreened, then just say so.

Needless to say, those who use others' comments to spark flamewars will be hacked to bits by hungry, angry cannibals. You have been warned. Hungry, angry cannibals are standing by.

Comments

[mrpyro.livejournal.com]

I'm an agnostic, leaning towards atheism.

I'm agnostic because I don't believe that it is possible to prove or disprove the existence of any supernatural entity (because proofs tend to live within the domain of science, and a supernatural entity is by definition outside of science's area).

I lean towards atheism because I don't really think there is anything else out there, but I'm always willing to admit the possibility that I'm wrong.

[mrpyro.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, this also means that I don't believe in life after death; I believe that when we die, that's it. Just a blinking out of existence. This is possibly why it terrifies me so much.

I am unbothered as to whether these comments are screened or not.

[photosinensis.livejournal.com]

Well. That's an interesting question, and I wouldn't mind my comments being unscreened.

That said, I'm a religious oddball. Most of my personal theology is liberal Christian (so I'm totally down with peace, love, and buttsecks), but there are a few additional elements that I've picked up from my less traditional friends. For example, I reject the notion of there being only one god. Sure, there's one god that I worship (and call God), but the rest of 'em? They're handy to have around and to ask for favors every now and then, even if I don't serve them. Honestly, there's plenty of Biblical evidence suggesting the existance of angels, who, as far as I can tell, are gods, except for the fact that they're not actually running anything.

I'm also a firm believer in supernatural phenomena. If you've ever seen Ghostbusters, that's about how my Thursday nights go, except that we are usually able to stop things before Gozer the Gozerian sets the Stay Puft Marshmellow Man loose to destroy the world. Currently, I'm working with a lesbian who's dating a guy--how's that for supernatural? (To be honest, I think she's messing with him, which wouldn't be surprising, as he really deserves it.) Once you've seen that kind of thing on a regular basis, it's really not all that eye-raising. On a side note, we've never seen what happened in Ghostbusters II, and we're not exactly sure that the necessary subterranian facilities can exist in my area, considering that the water table here is about four feet below the surface.

[fluffworld.livejournal.com]

Feel free to unscreen, I’ve never been the retiring type in my opinions, or been shy about exposing my TOTAL lack of facts.

I’m an agnostic, veering towards atheism, but I still have this fuzzy spot at the back of my brain that insists in believing that everything works out fine and that what goes around comes around. I believe in karma as an actual real life thing – if you are a decent human being and try to help people, you will be surrounded by people who appreciate that and do the same for you.

I’m a pessimistic optimist – plan for the worst, but I do believe that everything works out okay in the end, and the thing that traumatises the hell out of you one week leads to an opportunity that you wouldn’t have had otherwise the next.

As regards life after death, I don’t believe in a soul or heaven or sitting for all eternity on a cloud – but I do believe that, like the physics principle of the conservation of energy says, energy can be converted from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed. I think something from us goes on in some way. Bugger, have gone on a bit. A mate of mine puts the gist of my argument far better in this thread (http://fluffworld.livejournal.com/152292.html?thread=1127652#t1127652) on my LJ when I asked the same questions a few weeks back.

Unscreen this if you want... whatever

[maggiebloome.livejournal.com]

I think it's important to realise that people have several levels of belief.

There's your regular rock-solid "I know this is true" beliefs that join gravity and whatnot in being not so much beliefs as knowledge - that is, you could be wrong, but it's extremely unlikely.

Then you've got the beliefs that aren't knowledge, but are really really ingrained in your personality so that while you might admit that they don't have such solid foundations, you're not going to stop believing them because that would mean a midlife crisis/nervous breakdown/brain transplant equivalent.

After that are the things that you choose to believe until further notice - that is, big life questions that don't have factual answers, things science might prove in a couple of years, or by 2020 for certain, srsly - whatever: you're fairly confident as to what the right answer will be, but you're aware that it hasn't been proven and it's just a matter of faith. If more religious people placed their beliefs in this category, there would be much less conflict and stuff.

Closely linked with that are things that you choose to believe simply because it's a useful way to think. For instance, philosophically speaking, there is no real value on individual human lives, let alone that of animals - but society would be royally fucked if everyone went around killing people, so you choose to make life sacred because it eliminates a whole heap of problems, vis a vis jail and the breakdown of civilisation. I mean, most people have "thou shalt not kill" in the second category ANYWAY, but I'm just using it as an example. This more usually applies to things on a please and thank you level, up to petty theft.

The last one (I think) is casual beliefs - things you pick up and throw down as the weather changes, that you're not too attached to, you're just believing it until something contradictory comes your way.

I suppose you might count the things that you don't actually believe, you're just using as a starting point for speculation - for instance you don't belive in global warming, but think like you do for a little to write a story about it.

[laurenmitchell.livejournal.com]

How many lives on the planet? How many lives in the universe?

One.

(Richard Bach, Messiah's Handbook)

I believe we are all one, that these physical bodies are just temporary bodies for our souls, which travel and learn and live through many lifetimes before we realise that the lives we live are all leading us to one goal: the realisation that we're more than our bodies, and that we'll live forever, whether the bodies die or not.

I believe in reincarnation.

I believe that the bad and evil things that happen to us in our lives are sent to us to give us a reason to appreciate the good and happy things, because life would be very boring if everything was rainbows and kittens all the time.

I believe that we're here to learn.

I believe that we can recognise souls to whom we were particularly close in previous lives, that we're drawn to them again and again. Each soul-spark that inhabits a body is just a part of the One, but those parts can become distinct from one another, recognisable for a time regardless of the physical body they inhabit, and that's why we so often meet people for the first time who we feel we've known forever.

I believe that we're here to teach.

I believe that it's not as easy as just saying 'Yes, of course, we are all one'. I feel strongly that I'm at a position in this life where I can not only speak the words We are one, but believe them and know in my heart, in myself, that they are true.

I believe that we're here to love.

I believe that there are other worlds than this, other dimensions and times where different choices played out. That dragons exist, and aliens, and phoenixes and everything else. I believe it's possible for people to identify as a creature other than the sort their body currently happens to be, and I think for the most part it's the soul remembering a time when it used to be something else.

I believe time is a linear construct that got made up just to make it easier for us poor beings to make sense of things, so they happen in order, but sometimes it doesn't work properly (deja vu, presque vu) and that's because everything's happening here and now.

I believe that everyone's entitled to their religious beliefs. It makes me sad that people feel the need to fight over them.

Over my years as Lauren Elizabeth Burge, brown-haired grey-eyed human female, I've read a lot of books and listened to a lot of music, and I've found a kind of resonance, words which ring with a certain sense of truth to me, in so many places. Christopher Pike's Sati. Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Illusions and One. The Clan memories in Jean Auel's Earth's Children series. Music by Live and by Alanis Morissette. Books by Stephen King. I see no reason for the beliefs I've picked up, directly or indirectly, via these avenues, to be any more valid or invalid than the beliefs expressed by Christians or Jews or Muslims.

I don't have a label for what bits and pieces form my 'religious beliefs'. I call myself pagan from time to time because it happens to fit some of them together. I celebrate the major Christian holidays (Christmas and Easter). I also observe the sabbats and esbats, but not always, and not with huge elaborate rituals; I take note of them from time to time because I sometimes need a reminder of my spiritual status, that I'm more than my body and my job and my possessions.

And to misquote Richard Bach by way of conclusion: Everything in this comment may be wrong.

Feel free to ask questions, or to unscreen if you like, I don't mind at all.

[raptor-au.livejournal.com]

Call it agnostic, call it atheism, I just consider what I feel a flat-out dislike of all religion.

I admit I'm very jaded - I've had bad experiences with religious folk. The majority, sadly, are very narrow minded and pushy in their beliefs. I have a few gay and lesbian friends, and, well...it amazes me how a religion based on a man who taught peace, love, and understanding manage to be so hateful when it comes to another person's beliefs.

Recent world events haven't helped. Not so much the 'terrorists doing bad in the name of Allah' part. More the 'world leader decides that god told him to go to war and act like a monkey in a suit' part. Creationism in schools. A certain Oprah-choking, placenta-eating Scientologist.

(It could also be related to the fact that a family friend used to drive me around Bairnsdale on a Saturday morning as a young un to play a game called 'Hunt The Mormon' - it involved swerving towards them, honking the horn, and screaming loudly. You got ten points for every one you got to fall off their bike. Our record was seventy points, but granted that included scaring the same man three times.)

I try to avoid being friends with religious people, I have to admit. I mean, I don't mind it terribly if they actually use their brains, and their faith is there as a guide and not a crutch or a shield, but I find it's better to steer clear than have someone finding out a few months down the track just exactly how I feel and trying to 'convert' me or just defriend me.

I do like the idea of heaven. I kinda hope it exists, even. But logic tells me since there aren't any signs of The Big Man, that heaven most likely doesn't exist. I'm quite happy for a burning bush or voice from the heavens style revelation telling me I'm mistaken, and I'll happily admit I was wrong. But for the most part, I find that faith in my friends, family, and myself (unsteady though it may be at times) to be more than enough comfort.

I have no problem with religion in theory. It's just that no one wants to keep their beliefs to themselves.

[raptor-au.livejournal.com]

Oh, and naturally, my opinion is okay to be unscreened. Heck, shout it from the rooftops! Perhaps you could breed some sort of albino shouting gorilla...

[active-apathy.livejournal.com]

What about a man-ape-thing-gone-wrong? *offers Jayne*