becuase in practice there is no separation of church and state. it's only in theory

2/23/2006 2:34:46 PM

I am the world leader of the Church of Theoretical Buddhism and Particle Physics.

2/23/2006 2:36:17 PM

So far.....

(includes changes and additions)

kbbrown3 : Agnostic
Stiletto : Atheist
Mindstorm : Christian - [unspecified]
smheath : Christian - [unspecified]
bmdurham : Evolutionary Humanist, Satanist, Existentialist
Ronny : Jedi
YanTheManV : Jewish - [non-practicing]
joe17669 : Agnostic
SaabTurbo : Agnostic
qntmfred : Christian - [nondenominational]
Amsterdam718 : Christian - Catholic
LadyWolff : Neo-Pagan - Wiccan
hempster : Frisbeetarian, Agnostic - [Pythagorean leaning]
puck_it : Christian - Catholic
Kitty B : Agnostic, Neo-Pagan - Eclectic Pagan
bottombaby : Christian - Free Will Baptist
coolguy1335 : Agnostic - [Buddhist tendencies]
Kodiak : Atheist
drunknloaded : Christian - Catholic
amazon : Agnostic
Shank : Fremen - [Zensunni?]
Cherokee : Agnostic - [Atheist leaning]
spaced guy : Agnostic
‡ Lutra : ??? [former Southern Baptist?]
Jere : Agnostic
msb2ncsu : Christian - United Methodist
Lutz : Christian - Baptist
CalledToArms : Christian - [nondenominational]
jimb0 : Agnostic - [theist leaning?]
Natalie0628 : Agnostic
Beardawg61 : Christian - Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
Supplanter : Agnostic
zxappeal : Agnostic
abcdefg13 : Scientologist
strudle66 : Atheist
chembob : Christian - [nondenominational]
bigTHEW : Christian - Baptist
tdwhitlo : Agnostic, Neo-Pagan - Wiccan
bgmims : Christian - Catholic
tartsquid : Agnostic - [Catholic leaning]
darkmage : Christian - [nondenominational]
ncsutiger : Christian - [nondenominational, Sabbatarian?]
ShawnaC123 : Atheist
E30turbo : Agnostic
SouthPaW12 : Christian - [nondenominational]
RJCNCSU : Christian - Presbyterian, [nondenominational]
Lelacake : Agnostic
Gamecat : Agnostic, Buddhist - [Sufi practices]
BelowMe : Christian - Baptist
‡ salsta415 : Christian?? Galactophasic Determinist?? - Zen Baptist
Sayer : Agnostic
Boss DJ : Christian - Presbyterian
‡ Turnip : [none] Theist? Atheist? Neither?
pablo_price : Agnostic - [Atheist leaning]
Garthok : Christian - United Methodist, [nondenominational]
robster : Christian - Mormon
HayleyToye : Unitarian Universalist
cyrion : Agnostic - [Deist leaning?]
Queti : Christian - Southern Baptist, Church of Christ
quiet guy : Agnostic
Wolfpacker06 : Christian - [nondenominational]
AxlBonBach : Christian - Baptist
bassman803 : Christian - [nondenominational with Jainist, Bhuddist, Daoist, and Hindu beliefs]
TheTabbyCat : Christian - United Church of Christ
Snewf : Atheist, Agnostic, Humanist
NyM410 : Christian - Roman Catholic
scrabz : Christian - Roman Catholic

(Sorry if I got anything wrong....just LMK.)


The count:

Agnostic: 24
Atheist: 5
Christian: 29
Humanist: 2
Satanist: 1
Existentialist: 1
Jedi: 1
Jewish: 1
Neo-Pagan: 3
Frisbeetarian: 1
Buddhist: 2
Fremen: 1
Scientologist: 1
Unitarian: 1

(‡ Not in the count--too little information.)


[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 2:43 PM. Reason : spaces]

2/23/2006 2:39:26 PM

Christian - Roman Catholic

2/23/2006 2:40:38 PM

I can't believe no one has said Islam yet.

2/23/2006 2:43:23 PM

^ I know. WTF?

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 2:44 PM. Reason : and only 1 Jew???]

2/23/2006 2:44:01 PM

greco-roman polytheism is where its at.

2/23/2006 2:50:45 PM

Quote :

"I reject the notion that a religion gets to choose who "belongs"."

I don't agree with it, but obviously there are religions that include certain requirements for who can and cannot be a part of their religion. For instance, if you do not believe in Jesus Christ as your lord and savior then you have no valid reason to call yourself a Christian.

Now, I think the whole thing with excommunication is fucking ridiculous, and I think when you have to resort to that then you've probably got a shitty little religion, but I'm just saying that I don't think it's unacceptible for a religion to expect certian things out of people who want to be a part of it.


As for Mormonism, aside from it being batshit insane (even in the context of Christianity, plenty of which seems absolutely crazy to me), has major disagreements with other sects of Christianity. They claim to be the one true church of Jesus Christ and the only body capable of making somebody a priest capable of saving a person's soul. They believe that people in heaven can one day become Gods of their own, which implies that their God is not neccessarily the one true god. For a long time they wouldn't accept black people as priests and would not allow black people to marry in the temple. This lasted, I believe, until the 1970's.

Quote :

"And [God] had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people, the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. And thus saith the Lord God; I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities."

Second Book of Nephi 5:21 (1981 ed.)


That being said, all the mormons I've known have been nice as shit, and although I think their religion is stupid as hell I have no problem with them as people.

2/23/2006 2:54:30 PM

I was raised one of Jehovah's Witnesses but now consider myself gnostic in the 1st Century Christian sense. I believe in God but not the authoritative and vengeful father figure of the Old Testament. My beliefs are more along an eastern religion/naturalist point of view. And I most definitely believe in Karma.

2/23/2006 3:28:48 PM

atheist.

2/23/2006 3:33:43 PM

Quote :

"I don't agree with it, but obviously there are religions that include certain requirements for who can and cannot be a part of their religion."

A particular church could dictate who is and isn't a member because a church is a private entity, but a religion is immaterial--it's an idea, a way of life, a personal choice. There are homosexual Catholics right? I suspect that most, if not all, Catholic churches in America disallow openly gay members--but that doesn't make the homosexual any less Catholic. If they consider themselves Catholic, then they are.

Quote :

"For instance, if you do not believe in Jesus Christ as your lord and savior then you have no valid reason to call yourself a Christian."

Why not? Is the word Christian copyrighted or trademarked? I've met plenty of Christians who go to church, etc. but admit that they don't believe in Jesus Christ's divinity. Are they not Christian? If that's how they identify themselves, then that's what they are.

Quote :

"I don't think it's unacceptible for a religion to expect certian things out of people who want to be a part of it."

How can a religion "expect"? Religions aren't sentient.

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 4:03 PM. Reason : Long story short: robster identifies as a Christian. That's good enough for me......]

2/23/2006 4:02:21 PM

SEMATICS FIGHT.

p.s. I can call myself a duck, but that doesn't mean I am one.

2/23/2006 4:13:32 PM

then again humans define what arbitrary cut off point is a duck & how much genetic variation is allowed... in view of the arbitrariness of cut offs allowing for tolerance for people on the edge of the acceptable range seems to make sense.

are mormons christians, the answer is yes, no, or maybe depending on how you define your terms. there is no objective decider on the issue to turn to.

my point being that it doesn't matter what others think you are, just post what you think you are for the tallying.

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 4:35 PM. Reason : .]

2/23/2006 4:27:18 PM

This thread has gotten significantly stupider.

2/23/2006 4:31:48 PM

This thread has gotten significantly stupider. If you want a discussion on semiotics, you could make a thread about semiotics.

2/23/2006 4:32:48 PM

^^^^No, it's not a semantics fight.
And your duck comparison is completely invalid.
A duck is a material object, not an attribute.
A religion is an immaterial attribute of an individual human.
Calling yourself a particular religion does make you that religion.
Why?
Because you get choose that attribute.
You cannot choose to be a different material object, unless you're that superhero.


The detail that's been left out is how organized religions exercise authority over their members. But, just as theocratic ideology is diminishing around the world, the idea of religion needing to be organized by an authority is also diminishing—and being replaced by the notion of individuality and individual religious self-determination.

Quote :

"This thread has gotten significantly stupider. If you want a discussion on semiotics, you could make a thread about semiotics"

Then quit double posting and GTFO.



[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 4:41 PM. Reason : ]

2/23/2006 4:35:04 PM

well if you're a materialist, then choosing to be a different religion could just cause different electrochemical things to happen in your brain w/o need of an appeal to an immaterial substance. but it would still have the effect of "Calling yourself a particular religion does make you that religion"
but this is still going down the wrong path of what the thread is about which is posting your religion & tallying it up.

(oh & can i switch to greco-roman polythiest... i just would like to see it on the list )

2/23/2006 4:38:40 PM

baptist by birth...

"whatever" by choice.

2/23/2006 4:38:44 PM

I wish hempster would die in the same horrible accident that should claim drunknloaded's life.

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 4:39 PM. Reason : ...]

2/23/2006 4:39:15 PM

i have a strong belief in the greater Faiths, but i detest the bastardization known as 'organized religion'

i'll read my Bible, but you will seldom ever see me in a church

2/23/2006 4:44:48 PM

christian

and I am not going to say what denomination.

2/23/2006 4:48:43 PM

Why not?

2/23/2006 4:49:06 PM

cause it doesnt matter

2/23/2006 4:50:04 PM

If you were Muslim, would you really advertise it in a thread full of Christians?? Thus is the main problem I have with religions. I have recently really enjoyed reading about Buddha lately, but I see it more as a philosophy.

2/23/2006 4:53:46 PM

i like asking catholic people what it's like being a non-christian.

2/23/2006 4:53:58 PM

Quote :

"I have recently really enjoyed reading about Buddha lately, but I see it more as a philosophy. "

Bhuddism is a philosophy

2/23/2006 4:54:58 PM

just for the record spookyjon -- "the only body capable of making somebody a priest capable of saving a person's soul" Thats bullshit... never believed that in my life... we dont have priests that are capable of saving someones soul. -- Just wanted to clear the air... the otherstuff was borderline... but that quote was totally bs. Thanks

2/23/2006 4:55:09 PM

denominations are just something built by man to create sects in the christian faith, that ppl get more caught up in, than the teachings themselves. I also want to be known as a Christian, bc I follow christ and not a baptist, presbyterian, methodist, etc whatever else there is a break down into traditions.

I think if we follow what christ teaches, the whole denominaition part just labels what type of worship we are comfortable with-which is ok, but if I am gonna be labeled, I want to be labeled by who I follow and not what organization I am a part of.

2/23/2006 4:55:32 PM

yes, it is but most people think it is a hard-core religion. (buddhism)

2/23/2006 4:55:41 PM

^^ I agree... although part of an organized religion... but if those in the organized religion themselves dont believe that, which is in many ways of the greatest importance, then they are misled and extremist

2/23/2006 4:58:46 PM

Quote :

"we dont have priests that are capable of saving someones soul."

I was under the impression, based on what I have read, that Mormon's believe for somebody to be saved they have to be baptized by a priest. Catholics believe this. Many/most protestants do not. If all mormons require is a person's acceptance of Jesus regardless of a rite performed by an official figure, then I was wrong and I apologize.

2/23/2006 5:00:46 PM

I'm Christian ( non-denominational), In response to TheTabbyCat, alot of Christians do not view mormanism as christianity. I myself have a difficult time believing it, my mom used to me morman, my aunt is and i've been a couple times to their church...it's hard to say they are chrisitan b/c along w/ worshiping Jesus, they also worship Joseph Smith, the founder of their religion.

2/23/2006 5:01:05 PM

My religion is against misspelling.

2/23/2006 5:02:30 PM

Our god is a god of vengeance.

2/23/2006 5:04:14 PM

Hindu

2/23/2006 5:05:46 PM

The following is mostly a tangent stream of consciousness train of thought that doesn’t fit well with the thread, so I’m giving you advanced warning incase you don’t want to read it.

Either you calling yourself a certain religion makes you that religion, someone else calling you that religion makes you that religion, having enough knowledge about a particular religion makes you that religion, or having a religious experience in the religion makes you that religion.

An atheist would certainly believe it would have to be one of the first three cases since there wouldn’t be true cases of “religious experience.”

I’ve wondered from time to time what counts as a religious experience, particularly with dreams after hearing a woman speak on NPR about how she became Christian after Jesus saved her from mermaids in her dream.

Certainly most people require dreams of a more serious nature before they will count them & they may have to have some effect or correspondence with the waking world.

As a philosophy major (concentrated on ancient philosophy), who has had multiple classes on ancient greek & roman history, languages, archeology, & mythology, I certainly know a fair amount about the Greco-roman polytheistic religion.

I had a dream recently that I was fighting off night terrors (doing it really well, & its in the nature of the Greco-roman gods to tend to get envious & punish ppl who do things well), so as punishment the night terrors got much worse, & just before becoming overwhelming Aphrodite appeared in my dream and reached out her hand to assist & I awoke to the person I had been dating for 3 years reaching out to wake me up. This dream seems to fit with the nature of the particular gods, & having a waking world correspondent of Aphrodite (goddess of love) rescuing me & the person I love in real life waking me.

the 4 criteria for being a religion that I could think of were
1) calling yourself a certain religion (which I could easily do)
2) having someone else call you that religion (doesn’t apply in case where other believers of the religion have died out)
3) knowledge of the religion (which my education certainly gives me some, I probably know more about Greco-roman polytheism than does the average southern Baptist I grew up with in Mt Airy knows about Christianity)
4) having a religious experience (not claiming my dream was one, but I’m not sure how a real “religious dream” varies in any interesting ways… I know the mermaid lady certainly believe hers was real)

It seems to me that any definition of who counts as a particular religion leads to absurd results. No definition I can think of would exclude me from being a Greco-roman polytheist (which I think most ppl would consider an absurd result)… so any arguing about who counts where seems kind of silly.

Or maybe you have to feel some sort of connection... not really sure If I could pull that off though. Maybe with apollo (god of archery, music, & urban living). I was the 2nd born of a set of twins (his sister artemis is more the woodsy type), with coming to college i've taken an archery class, joined a music fraternity, and sworn myself to urban living (then again i did come from a much less city like place mt airy, apollo came from a smaller place Delos & ended up spending alot of his time in city-like like places such as Dephi which the greeks considered the navel or center of the world) & apollo had the most male-male relationships of any greek god( & i've certainly had more male-male than male-female relations)

Then again maybe I’m just a false idolater sense I have a bust of Socrates & am considering getting piercing in my ear with a gold arrow (like Apollo & Eros sometimes use) as an industrial (I think, I’m not real sure about piercing terminology) on the top of my left ear.


[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 5:17 PM. Reason : .]

2/23/2006 5:07:49 PM

Quote :

"If you were Muslim, would you really advertise it in a thread full of Christians?? Thus is the main problem I have with religions"

Why wouldn't they? And is it really "advertising"?

This isn't a contest.

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 5:18 PM. Reason : Also, it's not really full of Christians, not even a majority. (yet?)]

2/23/2006 5:11:26 PM

Christian - Roman Catholic

Quote :

"No definition I can think of would exclude me from being a Greco-roman polytheist (which I think most ppl would consider an absurd result)… so any arguing about who counts where seems kind of silly."

How about you don't actually think that Aphrodite exists? There's a difference between KNOWING about a religion and having faith that it's true.

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 5:21 PM. Reason : .]

2/23/2006 5:15:57 PM

Why would someone have a hard time saying they are muslim?

2/23/2006 5:16:57 PM

can you add that I have Catholic tendencies?

2/23/2006 5:17:30 PM

They would have a hard time because somebody, im sure, would lay some off-color insult on them.

2/23/2006 5:19:33 PM

Christian - Baptist

2/23/2006 5:20:20 PM

"How about you don't actually think that Aphrodite exists?"

Sure Venus does

I even know what she looks like
Theres the lady of cyprus right there



Heres some ppl who might "actually think that Aphrodite exists?"
http://winterscapes.com/kyklosapollon/
http://winterscapes.com/

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 5:41 PM. Reason : .]

2/23/2006 5:26:03 PM

I've been on both sides of this many times, as people who know me will attest to.

Bounce between Catholicism and being agnostic (leaning towards atheist) all the time, it seems, but I think I've bounced for the last time over to agnostic.

I feel like religious beliefs hamstring the intellect, and keep people from achieving their potential. In a way, I resent the fact that I have a religious framework burned into my brain from conditioning in early life. The only thing ever tugging me back towards religion is fear and guilt -- pretty piss poor, if you ask me.

2/23/2006 5:32:08 PM

Hinduism....

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 5:32 PM. Reason : a]

2/23/2006 5:32:08 PM

Christian - nondenominational Protestant.

2/23/2006 5:34:08 PM

Christian - Baptist

2/23/2006 5:38:53 PM

To clarify by "no religion"

I guess you could say "weak atheism"

I don't firmly believe in god(s), but I don't firmly believe they don't exist.

I don't consider myself agnostic though because I don't believe that it can't be proven one way or another.

I just don't really need anything to fill in the blanks for me.

2/23/2006 6:00:29 PM

transitional

2/23/2006 6:11:03 PM

Kind of off topic again, but since this is the only place I’ve mentioned the idea of getting a piercing I figured I’d ask about it here.

I don’t have any piercing & have never really been into piercing/tattoo stuff.

This is the sort of thing I’m thinking about getting



Would the goldish color or the fact that its an arrow make it too effeminate. I know wearing any piece of jewelry might be effeminizing to some extent, but I don’t want to go overboard. Its in a chicks ear in the picture so it might not be so bad on me. Some people have said it would be fine, & some said stainless steel instead of goldish colored would make it fine (I prefer the idea of a gold arrow though).

I’m not worried about it making people think I’m gay, but I’d prefer not to look effeminate. This would be the only piercing I have/only jewelry I wear. (rarely wear any kind of necklace & never bracelets anklets or anything of that sort).

Would this arrow of Apollo be too strange?

[Edited on February 23, 2006 at 7:09 PM. Reason : .]

2/23/2006 7:02:24 PM