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What is your religion?
ProwlAmongUs:
I was raised Baptist, and although Baptists have many distinctions; some are more liberal, while others belong to specific associations; for example, American Baptist, etc., all are not kind toward gays. I found the worst to be the fundamentalist/independent sect which take the Bible literally (when it suits them). I became so consumed by guilt, and later disgust, that I got out while I could still run. Since then, my spiritual life is, sadly, non-existent. Are they are denominations that welcome gays? Thanks.
ednbarby:
--- Quote from: isabelle on April 28, 2006, 06:29:40 pm ---
--- Quote from: ednbarby on April 28, 2006, 04:15:34 pm ---So who am I to say that one thing is more probable and another isn't? No one has unequivocal proof either way, after all.
--- End quote ---
OK, try this one then (again, I hope it's not completely known and has been since the onst of humanity round your end, and I thought this was the right place for it ::)):
It's official: Jesus was Irish
* He had 12 drinking friends
* He trained as a carpenter to work on the buildings
* He was unemployed
* He lived with his mother till he was 33
* He thought his mother was a virgin
* His mother thought he was God
Found this in Ireland. So it's official: The Irish have humour.
--- End quote ---
Hey, now - as an Irish American (sort of - by descent, anyway), I resemble these remarks!
ednbarby:
--- Quote from: prowlamongus on April 28, 2006, 06:58:48 pm ---I was raised Baptist, and although Baptists have many distinctions; some are more liberal, while others belong to specific associations; for example, American Baptist, etc., all are not kind toward gays. I found the worst to be the fundamentalist/independent sect which take the Bible literally (when it suits them). I became so consumed by guilt, and later disgust, that I got out while I could still run. Since then, my spiritual life is, sadly, non-existent. Are they are denominations that welcome gays? Thanks.
--- End quote ---
A gay man I know is an ex-Southern Baptist. He said the sect his family was in was like that Footloose town - they actually thought dancing was a sin. He's been attending a Methodist church for a while that welcomes (or that at least doesn't exclude) gays. But he says he doesn't like it because they always make him feel like he owes them something - more of his money or more of his time than he can give. A friend of mine in California works at a Unitarian Universalist church whose pastor is a lesbian and that is obviously very welcoming of gays. Often it's not the denomination but the leadership of the particular church, at least so far as I've heard.
Aussie Chris:
--- Quote from: ednbarby on April 28, 2006, 04:15:34 pm ---Honey, I don't think you're the least bit ignorant (I know that's not quite what you meant, but humor me :)). The fact that you're posting here speaks volumes for your lack of ignorance, actually. And I don't think what I believe is the only possibility and that everyone else is wrong. Actually one of my mantras is that anything is possible. So who am I to say that one thing is more probable and another isn't? No one has unequivocal proof either way, after all.
--- End quote ---
In a very real way, we're all ignorant - it's the point of the word faith. Back in my religious ed days in high-school, the best lesson I remember actually came from one of the science teachers who said: "as rational beings we know that we came from our parents, they from theirs, and so on. We talk about evolution as the mechanism that leads to our humanity, and the big bang being the beginning of the universe. What we find difficult to talk about however is what created the big bang. That unknown, he said, is God". Now to a 15 year old this was a real wow experience, and I've always been amazed that so many see science and spirituality as opposite ends of the spectrum when in my mind they are really one and the same. A famous quote by Albert Einstein was: "There are two kinds of people in the world. Those that do not believe in miracles and those that believe everything is a miracle".
Now the two groups that just amaze the hell out of me (pun intended) are the fundamentalist Christians and the splinter group of "intelligent designers". The problem with these groups is they feel the need to believe that the Christian Bible is word-for-word literal and true. When I went to Sunday school it was always talked about the Bible as a book of parables to be used as lessons for life. So when did it become true exactly, and why does it have to be true in order for the lessons to work? This to me is the fundamental problem (another pun) with religions generally, and why religion is so inaccessible to most people. So they have a book that says God hates me because I'm gay? Well gee, I thought you told me that God made me in his image? Make up your mind. Strangely, I don't feel like God hates me. I wonder what's in it for these people to say that he does?
I find it sad that religion hasn't really progress much past the inquisition days. All this hatred and condemnation and accusations about how others live their lives on a day to day basis just snaps my brain, being the exact opposite of all religious texts in the first place. Religion and religious doctrine is the creation of humans, and in my mind, the most evil thing that humans have come up with. This is what John Lennon meant when he suggested "imagine... no religion too". I dream of a day without religion, where all people take personal responsibility for everything they do, and none for everyone else. Once this happens, and only then, will religion have served its purpose.
My religion: Believe in a higher power, but not in organized religion of any kind
slayers_creek_oth:
Born into a conservative Catholic family....not real active but I guess I'm Catholic...
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