Do I need to have a religion/belief?

aggierocker · 03-19-2006, 03:37 PM

I don't really have a religion. I was raised a Jehovah's Witness. That was a horrible experience. Now that I'm in college and on my own, I've been going to friends' different churches. One of my friends said I need to believe in something. And that just got me thinking.

I believe in freedom. I believe in justice for everyone. But I don't really have a religion. I don't believe we should owe our allegience to some God.

Liam Weic · 03-19-2006, 03:43 PM

there you go. that's what you believe.

you don't have to have blindly follow any religion.

don't let other people convince you of what you yourself don't believe.

Dako · 03-19-2006, 03:55 PM

Or, like author and former nun Karen Armstrong, you can draw strength and wisdom from all religions. I consider religion not a science, but an artform that humans use to make sense of it all. Like life, you can choose what has meaning and avoid the fluff.

Empathy · 03-19-2006, 03:55 PM

This is where I come in and say that not believing in God makes you just as blind as believing in God. There is no concrete evidence to prove or disprove the existence of a higher power. Which is why I'm agnostic.

Empathy · 03-19-2006, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dako

Or, like author and former nun Karen Armstrong, you can draw strength and wisdom from all religions. I consider religion not a science, but an artform that humans use to make sense of it all. Like life, you can choose what has meaning and avoid the fluff.

Very good point.

DN · 03-19-2006, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empathy

This is where I come in and say that not believing in God makes you just as blind as believing in God. There is no concrete evidence to prove or disprove the existence of a higher power. Which is why I'm agnostic.

I agree - which is why I too am agnostic. I think as human beings it is possible to be a just, kind and honest person without needing a god or religion to be a necessary teacher or disciplinary authority.

Liam Weic · 03-19-2006, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DN

I agree - which is why I too am agnostic. I think as human beings it is possible to be a just, kind and honest person without needing a god or religion to be a necessary teacher or disciplinary authority.

I agree...however...there are many of those that think otherwise, and will try to lure you to their religion. As much as I love my family, most of them know my stance, and yet a few of them still try to just force their religion down my throat. They lecture me on my life whilst quoting passages from the bible. I don't understand why they just can't leave me be.

That's usually why i have such a negative spin on religion, but I know that not EVERYONE is like that.

aggierocker · 03-19-2006, 04:08 PM

That's why I say, I don't think we should owe our worship or allegiance to any higher being. Does that make me a free spirited anarchist?

BBHFutureAllAmerican · 03-19-2006, 04:09 PM

i believed in God until the last year or so and I felt, if he's really out there why is everyone suffering? i know we are supposed to be able to take care of ourselves but doesn't this higher power know what we are doing is wrong? but then i found buddhism and it has opened my eyes to a whole bunch of doors and my mind to new things that i never knew existed before, but like liam said you believe in all those things you don't need to believe in something you don't want to

Dako · 03-19-2006, 04:13 PM

I've seen atheists insult believers, too.
I was raised without a religion, and my uncles were ministers.
Over time I saw them condemn my parents, but when one of them had their life collapse over some severely painful life events, my mother became the helpful person that gave them solace. Go figure.

03-19-2006, 03:37 PM	#1
aggierocker Offline Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 487	Do I need to have a religion/belief? I don't really have a religion. I was raised a Jehovah's Witness. That was a horrible experience. Now that I'm in college and on my own, I've been going to friends' different churches. One of my friends said I need to believe in something. And that just got me thinking. I believe in freedom. I believe in justice for everyone. But I don't really have a religion. I don't believe we should owe our allegience to some God.

03-19-2006, 03:43 PM	#2
Liam Weic Offline Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: CA Gender: Male Posts: 66	there you go. that's what you believe. you don't have to have blindly follow any religion. don't let other people convince you of what you yourself don't believe. __________________ Living in a Mad World. Everything's Inanely Convoluted.

03-19-2006, 03:55 PM	#4
Empathy Offline Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Z51Pegasi Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 669	This is where I come in and say that not believing in God makes you just as blind as believing in God. There is no concrete evidence to prove or disprove the existence of a higher power. Which is why I'm agnostic. __________________ "What is done cannot be undone, but what is lost can sometimes be found." -from the book "Taliesin" by Stephen R. Lawhead

03-19-2006, 04:09 PM	#9
BBHFutureAllAmerican Offline Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Iowa Gender: Male Age: 19 Posts: 203	i believed in God until the last year or so and I felt, if he's really out there why is everyone suffering? i know we are supposed to be able to take care of ourselves but doesn't this higher power know what we are doing is wrong? but then i found buddhism and it has opened my eyes to a whole bunch of doors and my mind to new things that i never knew existed before, but like liam said you believe in all those things you don't need to believe in something you don't want to __________________ Baby when you touch me I can feel how much you love me And it just blows me away I've never been this close to anyone or anything I can hear your thoughts I can see your dreams I don't know how you do what you do I'm so in love with you It just keeps getting better I wanna spend the rest of my life with you by my side forever and ever

03-19-2006, 03:55 PM	#3
Dako Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Gender: None Specified Posts: 9,113	Or, like author and former nun Karen Armstrong, you can draw strength and wisdom from all religions. I consider religion not a science, but an artform that humans use to make sense of it all. Like life, you can choose what has meaning and avoid the fluff.

03-19-2006, 04:08 PM	#8
aggierocker Offline Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 487	That's why I say, I don't think we should owe our worship or allegiance to any higher being. Does that make me a free spirited anarchist?

03-19-2006, 04:13 PM	#10
Dako Offline Platinum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Gender: None Specified Posts: 9,113	I've seen atheists insult believers, too. I was raised without a religion, and my uncles were ministers. Over time I saw them condemn my parents, but when one of them had their life collapse over some severely painful life events, my mother became the helpful person that gave them solace. Go figure.