Religious people. (are you?)

[Rolamec]

I'm a practicing Catholic (though I haven't been to mass in a while), who is actively involved in the Knights of Columbus (ironically enough), but I view the world as Plato's allegory of the cave -we simply cannot know all the truths of reality and the supernatural. Instead we are limited to the mere shadows of what actually is.

[Ermarian]

A "religious" person is someone who has a religion, nothing more, nothing less. A superior being, let alone a creator, has nothing to do with this. You may be looking for the word "theist".

An "atheist" does not "believe in science". An atheist is the logical opposite (hence "a-") of a theist, in that he does not believe in a superior deity. There are atheists who believe in ghosts and homeopathy, odd as that sounds.

"Agnosticism", from "gnosis" / "γνῶσις" / "knowledge", denies that God's existence or non-existence can be known. It's not some "wishy-washy" half atheism. You don't have to disbelieve in God to be agnostic, at that (though most agnostics seem to do so, probably because of Occam's Razor; if you can't prove it either way, God's non-existence is just a simpler assumption to make). It would be possible to be both agnostic and theist by believing that God is real but that it is impossible to know for certain (perhaps to "test their faith", though that excuse sounds kind of tired).

[Fantasy Encounter]

I am what some people would call a Christian…I believe in and adhere to the Bible. However I do not consider my way of life a religion since I am not bound to certain traditions and rituals…the Bible does in fact condemn ritualism.

Hmm... where in the bible does it condemn ritualism. Is it just after this passage?

Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.

And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them.

Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him.

In some branches of Christianity, Jesus renders the Old Testament obsolete. However, it does beg the question, why bother following any of it, if it can be simply gotten rid of on command.

But if they did that where would they get their justification for hating homosexuals?

[Georgism]

I am what some people would call a Christian…I believe in and adhere to the Bible. However I do not consider my way of life a religion since I am not bound to certain traditions and rituals…the Bible does in fact condemn ritualism.

Hmm... where in the bible does it condemn ritualism. Is it just after this passage?

Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.

And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them.

Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him.

In some branches of Christianity, Jesus renders the Old Testament obsolete. However, it does beg the question, why bother following any of it, if it can be simply gotten rid of on command.

But if they did that where would they get their justification for hating homosexuals?

"It destroys traditional values!"

[Ifreann]

This poll, like so many of its kin, does not meet with my approval.

[Dyakovo]

I am what some people would call a Christian…I believe in and adhere to the Bible. However I do not consider my way of life a religion since I am not bound to certain traditions and rituals…the Bible does in fact condemn ritualism.

Hmm... where in the bible does it condemn ritualism. Is it just after this passage?

Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.

And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them.

Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him.

In some branches of Christianity, Jesus renders the Old Testament obsolete. However, it does beg the question, why bother following any of it, if it can be simply gotten rid of on command.

But if they did that where would they get their justification for hating homosexuals?

Homophobia exist in the NT as well.

[Jbiro10]

Born and raised Jewish , and if if what I say is any insight to religion , I hope it helps ^-^
Raised Jewish I believed , but never really knew what it was to believe until I noticed everyday miracles in the world . How that so many bad things in life could lead to such wonders (Belief in "Everything happens for a reason") , or that just as we can see today that good does prevail (Me seeing the Six-Day-War .)
Such things as that are why I believe , and why I try to practice Judaism as much as possible

[Dyakovo]

Born and raised Jewish , and if if what I say is any insight to religion , I hope it helps ^-^
Raised Jewish I believed , but never really knew what it was to believe until I noticed everyday miracles in the world . How that so many bad things in life could lead to such wonders (Belief in "Everything happens for a reason") , or that just as we can see today that good does prevail (Me seeing the Six-Day-War .)
Such things as that are why I believe , and why I try to practice Judaism as much as possible

I'd hardly call the Six-Day War an example of good prevailing over evil...

[Buffett and Colbert]

Like Robert Langdon, I was raised Catholic.

[Unchecked Expansion]

Born and raised Jewish , and if if what I say is any insight to religion , I hope it helps ^-^
Raised Jewish I believed , but never really knew what it was to believe until I noticed everyday miracles in the world . How that so many bad things in life could lead to such wonders (Belief in "Everything happens for a reason") , or that just as we can see today that good does prevail (Me seeing the Six-Day-War .)
Such things as that are why I believe , and why I try to practice Judaism as much as possible

I'd hardly call the Six-Day War an example of good prevailing over evil...

And a lot of bad things just lead to more bad things

[Buffett and Colbert]

Born and raised Jewish , and if if what I say is any insight to religion , I hope it helps ^-^
Raised Jewish I believed , but never really knew what it was to believe until I noticed everyday miracles in the world . How that so many bad things in life could lead to such wonders (Belief in "Everything happens for a reason") , or that just as we can see today that good does prevail (Me seeing the Six-Day-War .)
Such things as that are why I believe , and why I try to practice Judaism as much as possible

I'd hardly call the Six-Day War an example of good prevailing over evil...

I would say a slight evil prevailing over evil...

[Fantasy Encounter]

I am what some people would call a Christian…I believe in and adhere to the Bible. However I do not consider my way of life a religion since I am not bound to certain traditions and rituals…the Bible does in fact condemn ritualism.

Hmm... where in the bible does it condemn ritualism. Is it just after this passage?

Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.

And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them.

Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him.

In some branches of Christianity, Jesus renders the Old Testament obsolete. However, it does beg the question, why bother following any of it, if it can be simply gotten rid of on command.

But if they did that where would they get their justification for hating homosexuals?

Homophobia exist in the NT as well.

I don't know, "love thy neighbor" sounds like a resounding endorsement to me.

[Dyakovo]

Born and raised Jewish , and if if what I say is any insight to religion , I hope it helps ^-^
Raised Jewish I believed , but never really knew what it was to believe until I noticed everyday miracles in the world . How that so many bad things in life could lead to such wonders (Belief in "Everything happens for a reason") , or that just as we can see today that good does prevail (Me seeing the Six-Day-War .)
Such things as that are why I believe , and why I try to practice Judaism as much as possible

I'd hardly call the Six-Day War an example of good prevailing over evil...

I would say a slight evil prevailing over evil...

Pretty much what I was going for...
I.e. its an example of evil triumphing over possibly worse evil.

[Buffett and Colbert]

Born and raised Jewish , and if if what I say is any insight to religion , I hope it helps ^-^
Raised Jewish I believed , but never really knew what it was to believe until I noticed everyday miracles in the world . How that so many bad things in life could lead to such wonders (Belief in "Everything happens for a reason") , or that just as we can see today that good does prevail (Me seeing the Six-Day-War .)
Such things as that are why I believe , and why I try to practice Judaism as much as possible

I'd hardly call the Six-Day War an example of good prevailing over evil...

I would say a slight evil prevailing over evil...

Pretty much what I was going for...
I.e. its an example of evil triumphing over possibly worse evil.

I don't know why I'm hesitant to call Israel evil, however... Am I subconsciously trying to be politically correct?

[Kamsaki]

Just so OP knows, agnosticism isn't some third option between theism and atheism. All agnostics are theists or atheists, but their faith or whatever isn't as strong as those who claim to know that God exists or doesn't exist.

Ah, another one of you people! Maybe you can enlighten me on this.

Where does this idea that agnostics are bifurcated into the two actually come from? Is there a popular thinker or a paper that it originates from?

[Ravea]

Sufi Islam mixed with Yazidi, Sikh, Zoroastrian, Gnostic Christianity, Zen, sprinkled with Shamanistic and Polytheistic beliefs.

So yeah, I'm religious, but I don't limit myself to just one. Also, organized religious institutions are bullshit.

[New Manvir]

Agnostic, leaning toward atheism (there PROBABLY isn't a god).

[EvilDarkMagicians]

Raised by my mum as a Christian(Pentecostal), my dad raised me secular.
I believed in god until I went into secondary school where I had religious lessons and after philosophical debates in the lessons I decided I had no reason to believe in a God. So currently I am atheist.

[Arkinesia]

I am what some people would call a Christian…I believe in and adhere to the Bible. However I do not consider my way of life a religion since I am not bound to certain traditions and rituals…the Bible does in fact condemn ritualism.

Hmm... where in the bible does it condemn ritualism. Is it just after this passage?

Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.

And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them.

Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him.

In some branches of Christianity, Jesus renders the Old Testament obsolete. However, it does beg the question, why bother following any of it, if it can be simply gotten rid of on command.

But if they did that where would they get their justification for hating homosexuals?

Couple of fine points to make…

Jesus is God's son and was God's representative on Earth, also his sacrifice. Hence I think Jesus has the right to talk…

Also I do not hate homosexuals, and I am deeply troubled by those who do. It is uncalled for according to Paul, who writes that the only wrong in homosexuality is homosexual activity. Much like any heterosexual lust, homosexuality is genetic (typically) and should be treated as such—a natural, subconscious reaction. There is no wrong in lust as long as it is not intentional.

[Pope Joan]

A friend of mine was asked whether he supported organized religion and he said "No. I'm a Mennonite."

There's a grain or two of truth in that. We are to the Southern Baptists or the Church of Rome as anarchists are to the governments of the US or Russia.

But if placed in a forced-choice situation, we;d probably admit to coming down on the religious side.

Without evangelism or proselytizing.

[Treznor]

But if they did that where would they get their justification for hating homosexuals?

Couple of fine points to make…

Jesus is God's son and was God's representative on Earth, also his sacrifice. Hence I think Jesus has the right to talk…

Also I do not hate homosexuals, and I am deeply troubled by those who do. It is uncalled for according to Paul, who writes that the only wrong in homosexuality is homosexual activity. Much like any heterosexual lust, homosexuality is genetic (typically) and should be treated as such—a natural, subconscious reaction. There is no wrong in lust as long as it is not intentional.

Couple of fine points to make in response: a lot of people here don't believe in Jesus, or God, or that Jesus was God's representative on Earth. Consequently, we don't recognize his authority. Also, I challenge you to find any passage in the Bible where Jesus is alleged to have made a concrete statement regarding homosexuality. Yes, he talked about a man leaving his parents to join with a woman to be one flesh, but that was it. No condemnation of homosexuality whatsoever until the ultra-reactionary Paul came around. Last but not least, what's wrong with lust? Why must it be differentiated from any other human drive? And why in the world would you worship a god who gives us these drives and then tells us not to enjoy them?

[The chrisman union]

I'm agnostic as I am fed up of these argument about whether god exists, and feels there are more important things to argue with.

[Treznor]

I'm agnostic as I am fed up of these argument about whether god exists, and feels there are more important things to argue with.

Given how much importance people attach to the question, and what we're supposed to do based on the answer, I can't imagine anything that's much more important to argue.

[Unchecked Expansion]

I'm agnostic as I am fed up of these argument about whether god exists, and feels there are more important things to argue with.

Post your own debate. If you're right, it'll get more attention than this

[Ravea]

I am what some people would call a Christian…I believe in and adhere to the Bible. However I do not consider my way of life a religion since I am not bound to certain traditions and rituals…the Bible does in fact condemn ritualism.

Hmm... where in the bible does it condemn ritualism. Is it just after this passage?

Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.

And he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them.

Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him.

In some branches of Christianity, Jesus renders the Old Testament obsolete. However, it does beg the question, why bother following any of it, if it can be simply gotten rid of on command.

But if they did that where would they get their justification for hating homosexuals?

Couple of fine points to make…

Jesus is God's son and was God's representative on Earth, also his sacrifice. Hence I think Jesus has the right to talk…

Also I do not hate homosexuals, and I am deeply troubled by those who do. It is uncalled for according to Paul, who writes that the only wrong in homosexuality is homosexual activity. Much like any heterosexual lust, homosexuality is genetic (typically) and should be treated as such—a natural, subconscious reaction. There is no wrong in lust as long as it is not intentional.

The thing I've never gotten about Christians who say they don't hate homosexuals is that the bible specifically states that gays should die. I mean, it's right there in Leviticus; I don't see how you can reconcile with that. If you're going to use the Bible as justification for being against homosexuality, shouldn't you go all the way with it?

Also, Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.