atheism ftw!!

I chose atheism, but I must correct myself. An atheist is a person who denies all gods and spiritual forces. I don't deny of it, but just don't believe in them personally. I think religions are just big scams based on money and power.

I would consider myself to be an agnostic. I don't give any of the Western faiths much credence at all and I agree with Acousolysis that they are corrupt. If I was to lean towards any doctrine it would be Zen Buddhism (peace, love and good happiness stuff!)

I'm pretty big on my Quantum Physics theories but still believe in a higher force so I'm just gonna have to sit on the fence on this one. ;)

Christianity though I really hate how the Church runs. A lot of controlling and guilt going on.

Yeah, I only believe in the scientific explanations; the Big Bang theory.

Agree with Neo and Acousolysis. I think the bible is nothing more than a complete work of paradox in the extreme. :(

I don't follow any particular religion but i beleive in a god.

I have a similar outlook.

I'm deeply spiritual, but im not religious.

Religion unfortunatly seems to be less about spirituality and more about politics.

A guy at my school was a Zorastrianist. Hard name to get out after a few Jack D's.

I bet all the people who chose other are probably agnostic.

ya i was goign to change it but noticed the same thing and people can't change their vote.

I chose other and im not an agnositc.

It just seemed easyer than attempting to explain what i follow.
Lest just leave it as Eastern in terms of much of it stemming from Hindu and Buddhist ideals... more Hindu than Buddhist mind.

You know, just to set the record straight.

Peace

very impressed that you make your own religious views and not follow anyone.

Well converntional spiritual teachings all do come from someone, but i know what resonates within my deepest inner being, it took me a long time to get to a point where i had found teachings i was comfortable with and longer still is the journey from that point, but ultimatly it all becomes theory.

In Buddhisim they have a saying that there are three forms of wisdom in ascending order of purity and aspirational quality:

The heard
The thought on
The known/experianced

when you know something it is, and that cannot be changed unless you create an act of pure self delusion... so in a nut shell what im saying is i flow what i KNOW works for me... rather than what i THINK works for me like some.

If you get me.
To be frank i dont talk to many about this kind of buisness...

Peace

you should write a book

I consider myself to be a taoist

I am atheist, but I feel some sympathy towards buddhism and shinto. In fact, there is people who practices those religions at the same time: that would be impossible to do with other religions.

I chose atheist, but that's probably not entirely correct. I can't say that I'm smart enough to know if there's a supreme being or not (agnostic), but in all honesty, even if there is, I feel no reason to worship and submit myself to another being's will, just because they are my creator. Unreasonable/unjustified control really doesn't sit well with me. Although if I learned that I really never had any free will and I was under direct control for my entire life, I would probably end up depressed, because I believe very strongly in free will, knowledge, etc. This is more of an apathetic belief. My beliefs for how the world works are largely dictated by scientific empirical evidence and the scientific method (humankind's best invention? I think so), and lower subsystems make the most sense to me on a logic and evolutionary based system. In other words, science is awesome. If anything is a god to me, it's the natural laws (this would be aligned with naturalistic views).

In terms of moral views, I find them to be highly subjective amongst people and cultures, within the boundaries of consent. In other words, mass genocide is not moral, because the victims have no say, but consensual murder? Under the circumstance that all parties involved (those related to the victim count) actually consent, I suppose there isn't much that I find wrong with it, but the chances of this happening are slim to none. For more realistic examples, though, I don't care much if one culture thinks that being selfish is a virtue, rather than the standard, religiously-oriented selflessness-is-virtue position widely held in most places, because the entire culture would be oriented around individualism, and it doesn't directly put anyone in harm's way. It would just be widely seen as inconsiderate here, but who knows, what if the rest of the world is wrong? Yes, I have read Nietzsche, thank you very much. Most of my outer behavior is guided by a simple principle, summarized into doing no harm without reason. It's a more reasonable (my opinion) alternative to treating others the way you want to be treated, because really, how often do people treat others literally this way, all of the time? If I treat you badly, there are generally consequences that I am willing to deal with, I don't have to suppress emotions (worsening the state of mind, see more below) just to feel like I get a metaphysical pat on the back from it.

The last usual area covered by religion is one's own inner state. The moral guideline that I mentioned above keeps me largely in check, because it covers a lot of the bases related to guilt. I also try to stay closer to peaceful and natural mindsets, influenced by both eastern philosophy/spirituality and the martial arts I've taken (in other words, more eastern philosophy/spirituality). I don't really have a lot to say on this because I don't really transfer it to words. I do what feels natural and right to me, and keep an open mind. I haven't gotten this all worked out yet, so I've been studying more of that fancy CaptainDOOM-esque philosophies, especially since most western philosophical views on inner peace are fairly depressing and useless to me. When I first looked into Buddhism, I found myself already following the basic principles, so I guess it's a big fit.

In other words, I voted wrong, I'm an other. A big, fat, preaching-to-nobody other. The good news is, I kept most of my thoughts to myself, this stuff interests me. Truly :P

Lektro, I, in all honesty, find your opinions extremely interesting and precise. I really must ask you if you've ever, ever thought about writing a book of some sort? I'd be one to recommend it, haha!

This brought something to me... Have you read Aldous Huxley's, George Orwell's or Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's works? I've just began reading Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and am dedicated to reading most of Huxley's and Orwell's novels.

My opinions on religion seem to fit yours pretty good, so I say you should read them books too if you haven't.

Religion? Look no further than Ibanez guitars!! :lol:

... you mean in terms of an over inflated sence of self worth based on a deluded philosophy that they are giving people what they want?

I have been an Atheist for around 10 years now. I am an Atheist because I do not believe in any form of "god", "Deity", whatever you would call it. I personally believe all religion is a way to force the masses into Conformity. and that the christian church is the best example of a Greedy, Corrupted, Manipulative, Power hungry, and most inconsistent religion out of all of them. If you think about how this country clings to religion you can obviously see it isn't healthy, some would say that without religion you would not know the difference between right and wrong. I believe that if you properly raise your children they will not need to be scared into a false sense of Morals by a religion that promises them nothing but be good or burn in hell for all Eternity. Religion itself has to many inconsistencies. many religions claim that there was a god who fathered a son through a virgin woman, and that that son died and was resurrected on the following Sunday, but after this point each of those different religions trails off into an individual topic henceforth. religion says that the Earth is only around 6,000 years old or so? I don't know the actual amount of time. but Science has proved that the generally accepted age for the Earth and the rest of the solar system is about 4.55 billion years (plus or minus about 1%). Personally until the day it can be scientifically proven without a shadow of a doubt to me that one or more religions are true, that there really is a God. that there is a Hell or Heaven, a Purgatory, that the 9 rings from Dante' Inferno are real. I will remain a sound and insatiable Atheist.

Thanks for reading my Religious Rant Volume #1

Toth

After reading these post i feel totally secure in the utter and complete destruction of this once great and MORAL country.Sure people think thier the smartest creatures on this planet.Sure read Huxley.Then realize it's coming true.Ask yourselves WHY

Sorry, but most of us are not north-american.

Anyway, you are blaming people of destroying the moral of a country... Can you explain your reasons?

I am atheist. Do you think atheists are inmoral and dangerous for our countries?

I remember some user disagreed with you on "Barack'n roll" post and all you could say was "grow up, kid". Do you think that can be taken seriously?

I am not the smartest people on earth, but you really speak as if you were.

I know the North Korean missiles are scary, but it's ok - they couldn't hit America if they were launched from Texas.

I feel compelled to post this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRiQ6Ksw7xo

You'll find the other 2 parts in the related videos.

Funny show, yet true.

Amazing stuff.

Ummm, errrr...ummmm...you forgot Pagan...which I am....