what's your religion?

[Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell]

this seems to be a topic that's come up a lot recently in my real life and online, so i was curious in a purely census taking kind of way what faiths are represented in Ye Olde AIC. so...what's your religion?

[Roy Janik]

I consider myself an atheist, though Kaci says I'm agnostic. She's probably right.

[hujhax]

~ atheist, checking in ~



--
peter rogers @ home | http://hujhax.livejournal.com

I used to think that anonymity was an essential component to the idiocy of the Internet.  Then I saw facebook groups.
      -- '9bit' on reddit.com

[Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell]

Christian with Buddhist and Taoist leanings. also, honorary Jew.

(and, as my handle suggests, ordained minister in the Universal Life Church, though that's a non-denominational organization.)

[Mike]

Asatru (Old Norse Paganism)

I looked for about a year when I was in college for a faith that fit me, as the religion I was brought up in ( Catholic) had me truly doubting and even hating my faith. So I read up on the different paths and talked to those who practiced them and found one that was right for me. People sometimes have a hard time accepting it in these modern times but a persons' faith should be their own.

[Chuy!]

Reformed Baptist Atheist.

[PaGeN]

Vicki and I are members of University United Methodist Church.

I am an ordained minister with American Marriage Ministries http://www.theamm.org/

I am very, very liberal and would be considered a heretic and craven sinner in most religions on the planet, including most Christian denominations. I am open to understanding the universe from many perspectives.

Every Sunday night from 6:00-9:00 during the Fall & Spring semesters, Vicki & I feed the 50 or so college students that attend the evening services then clean up the facility. If I am in a show on Sunday and you do not see Vicki she is probably cleaning up the Church alone. (Read Paul is a Jerk.)

BTW - Thanks for inviting me to share this Jordan!

[Ryan Hill]

I find the path that the Buddha followed and taught to be extremely useful and it heavily influences my worldview. It's my current spiritual pursuit.

I find it interesting that "atheist" is considered an answer to the question of "What is your religion?" There are many Buddhist atheists...

[Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell]

Paul: don't worry, i've met plenty of Methodist heretics in my day. even dated a couple.

Ryan: i love that the wisdom of Buddhism is so enveloping, it can encompass both atheists and a Christian like me, not to mention (if legend is to be believed) a kung fu monkey. (and, y'know, much of Asia and the Indian subcontinent. but mostly the kung fu monkey. )

[Brad Hawkins]

I don't have one. Like Ryan, I feel "atheist" to be a weird response to "what is your religion?" I consider strong atheism (the positive assertion that no god exists) to be just as faith-based as theism. I am agnostic in that I do not believe the truth is knowable. I am atheist in that I do not believe in any gods.

[Ryan Austin]

Christian, but that's kind of vague I guess so I've preferred the term Disciple, lately. Jesus called his followers disciples so I identify with that.

I believe in the Bible and follow Jesus' teachings. A lot of people have been burned by Christians and the church (myself included) so I always feel two ways about telling people what I believe. I'm not one who tries to force people of other faiths to adhere to the rules of mine.

John: 13:35 pretty much states how to be recognized as a Disciple ("Love others as I've loved you, by this everyone will now that you are my disciples") so that's what I shoot for.

[happywaffle]

My love for science and fact-based knowledge has grown and grown as I've gotten older. So has my conviction that the universe operates in an almost entirely random way. All that being said, I still feel a very deep connection to… something. So the short answer is that I believe in an impersonal God, or as I like to call it, The Great Whatever. I still get a spiritual kick out of attending church, even though I disagree with the specific beliefs being expressed.

Put me down as Karen Armstrong described herself: "a freelance monotheist."

[Halyn]

I am a Baha'i. I declared, which is what we do in our faith, on April 22nd, 2009.

Baha'i's believe that every prophet from the nine major worldly religions brought a message from the same God for a certain time and people. We recognize Baha'ullah as the latest messenger. This is something I already believed to be true, I always thought that all the religions were linked to the same God. We also believe that everybody should be peaceful, honest, and kind to each other. Baha'i's are extremely devoted to world peace and bringing people together.

I wasn't raised in any religion, but somehow I've always believed in God and prayer. There's a lot about my faith that I love- there's no churches, only gatherings in people's houses. There is no persecution of members of my faith by members of my faith (that I know of), should we go against any Baha'i laws. We also link art and sciences very closely with God, which to me is so obvious and makes total sense.

There are also laws that I completely disagree with, and so like many of you, I have trouble being extremely Baha'i and making it my life. For instance, as a Baha'i I am never supposed to drink, have pre-marital intercourse, live with a man I am not married to, and also gay marriage is not recognized as a true marriage in my faith. This one in particular has caused me great pain, and so most of the time I just pray to myself.

I don't really go to many gatherings, as I don't feel it is necessary in my faith. It's one of the main reasons I got a tattoo of our nine pointed star that I water colored- so that I could feel close to God and know that I don't have to be anywhere other than where I am to have a relationship with Him.

I should also note that I completely acknowledge that I could be totally wrong. I could get to the end of my life and not be this beam of light that has no gender or body and is with God in the afterlife. It's just what I believe. I really do love the Baha'i faith, but my relationship with it is extremely complicated.

[poltergasm]

I'm an anti-theist. Which means I'm an agnostic who hopes a personal, omnipotent god doesn't exist. I find plenty to wonder at in the deths of science and the unknown machinations of the universe. There is magic in water and the stars.

[PaGeN]

I'm an anti-theist. Which means I'm an agnostic who hopes a personal, omnipotent god doesn't exist.

Andy - your comment reminded me of the lyrics from a song I sang as a child.

"Now troubles are many, they're as deep as a well
I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell"