Aethist or Religious?

[Kromat]

I was just wondering, if religion plays a big role in your life and the decisions that you make?
I'm ROMAN CATHOLIC, and surely think that believing in the faith makes you a good
person, and know that your willing to help out others around you.
I know that for an Aethist, that something like a walking pilgrimage with catholics would be a complete waste
of time, because they gather for a cause and show how connected they all are through their beliefs.

I am so glad that I finally went to one, as I came alone, but I met so many wonderful
and caring individuals that I left with so many that I could depend on.
I'm surely going to go again next year, because of how I felt these through prayers, singing, sharing, and walking to each destination.

Knowing that you can forgive others for their mistakes, is something that we must show to one another.

P.S. Just because someone is different, doesn't mean that you still can't love them, they just take a
little longer for feelings to develop, but in the end, everyone is special in their own way.

[shh!]

I'm a relatively religious, agnostic Jew.

[DoesntMatter]

You are too Polish

[Kromat]

You are too Polish

Well, it's better to believe in something that regret feeling disappointed later.
It's not a bad thing, that you consider myself " too Polish ", since I'm appreciated
by lots of individuals for the way I treat them and give back to them.

[Lipp]

Typo, it's atheist*

And I don't need religion to make sure that I'm a good person, so no, atheism for life.

[miSSleepy]

That's what i don't understand about some religious people .They say that it makes their life better, makes them a better person and more forgiving, lets you help others, etc etc.... well... WHY? You're a real person when you realise you can do and be all those things on your own.

[Junket]

I'm already watching this thread.

Just throwin' it out there.

[shh!]

That's what i don't understand about some religious people .They say that it makes their life better, makes them a better person and more forgiving, lets you help others, etc etc.... well... WHY? You're a real person when you realise you can do and be all those things on your own.

I think most people realize they can do those things on their own, but religious organizations are very good at organizing opportunities for them...

Anyway, I belong to a religious organization, and I think it DOES make my life better, but not because of the things you mentioned. Rather, it is because they offer community and interconnectedness. My family's closest friends came from our synagogue... people who are like family to us. Also, when we have a natural disaster (fire, earthquake, flooding), I have literally dozens of calls to see if I need help or a place to stay. If I am really sick, someone will bring my family dinner. When my in-laws died, people from our synagogue came to be with us even though they didn't know my in-laws. They are the people who celebrate with us and mourn with us. Their kids go to camp and religious school with my kids; some day, we will probably see marriages and babies amongst a few of the families. Their kids are like my kids, and mine are like theirs.

Of course, we don't need the synagogue to stay connected to our closest friends, but we pay the dues anyway so that younger families who can't afford it can benefit by some of the things we have been fortunate enough to experience. Religion isn't all about prayer; it's also very social.

EDIT - Additionally, religious institutions are very political and (ours, at least) is very much about social justice. My son has even had the opportunity to lobby in front of congressmen in Washington DC on behalf of our movement, which not only was an incredible lesson in government, but also a great boost to his self esteem, and something that will look great on college applications. If he had waited for ME to teach him how to do this, he'd be waiting a LONG time, because I have no idea how to gain the ear of a congressman, let alone represent thousands of congregations. So I guess you could say that we have connections to people we never could have made on our own outside the temple.

[michzel creativ]

No religion can save our soul, its depends on you!... how you handle yourself(attitude) and others as well.

[lesa]

I was just wondering, if religion plays a big role in your life and the decisions that you make?

That is a very complicated question for me to answer fully but here is the short version:

NOPE. I make my own values to live by without religion deciding most of them for me.


Maybe I can explain further as we progress through the thread hehe.

[Illusional]

aethist... all the way.

raverboy

[agatha]

We were raised by our parents with faith in God.
My parents are both religious. They scold us though were old enough when we dont attend mass every sunday.

[Illusional]

the devil told me that he was a figment of my imagination and i believed him. then i went back to bed and i awoke with a mean hang over.

raverboy

[Lipp]

We were raised by our parents with faith in God.
My parents are both religious. They scold us though were old enough when we dont attend mass every sunday.

This is why I like Dawkin's take on how there should be no such thing as a "religious child". Indoctrination.

[Gribble]

It really is a form of child abuse.

I can see how people get hung up on these religions. They never have a chance to see the world from an unfiltered perspective.