Do you allow others to define you, do you define yourself, or do you allow yourself to remain undefined?

Question

I have seen Christains telling other Christians that they are not "true" or "real" and there are many denominations with varying degrees of liberalism and conservativeness in each.

I have seen (on rare occasions) some atheists tell other atheists that they aren't atheists because they believe in an afterlife, or something else that isn't scientifically proven.

Agnostics are even subdivided into weak, strong, deist/theist, or atheist.

And, please forgive me if I am wrong as this is outside my experience, isn't there 3 types of Buddhism?

I ask, not to cause trouble, but out of curiosity.

Do you allow your beliefs to define you or do you define your beliefs?
Are they subject to change with experience, or do you deny yourself experiences that may cause change?

Answer 1

I define myself, but my definition grows and changes with me... others will define me as they see me, but that matters little to me...

you get to decide who you are and what you believe... and you don't have to fit neatly into any category... you can be a pantheist/muslim/agnostic if you want to... it's up to you...!! Have fun with it and do what's right for you!

Answer 2

Change is a sign of life cause everything that is alive must go thru changes. Personally i stick to the facts of everything. As a follower othe Egiptian culture, i have about 99 different gods but anyone i meet who is in Egyptology, always share the same views as i do and u can safely say we have 1 accord of thinking.

Religious people have 1 god (most of them claim to) but have like 99 different accords of thinking. The problem is that a belief system leaves little room for mental unity if facts are ignored and opinions step in to replace the facts. Facts cannot be denied and belief is not the same as knowledge.

The acceptance of facts is the only solution to this problem.

Answer 3

Great Question, you get a star. My beliefs do define me, but they are subject to minor changes from experiences. I listen to a lot of Christian radio and I have learned a lot that tends to "hone" or "sharpen" my understanding of my beliefs. I would never deny any experience that might cause change. I want to keep an open mind. So far, nothing, I have read, heard or seen has changed my basic, fundamental Christian beliefs.

Answer 4

im just this guy, i talk to people, if they listen great, if they wanna talk great,

if they dont wan to talk, oh well, theres others i wanted to talk to anyway

label me label you whatever

believe this believe that whatever

true this true that false this false that whatever

im here
im a person

thoughts
feelings

i dont meet some guys checklist for the heaven im on the hell list

so what

so what really

if we listed all the little checklists with what was needed to get to the good afterlife, thered probably be some conflicts,

we can't all get into one anothers happy afterlife,

we can't just go on some stupid book some dude wrote just cause he says he had some vision

we do a gut check

who are we

who am i

who are you

we make a little mental list

do i like cheese
do i wear blue

do i do these things, who do i talk to

we define our own reality

we give attention to our friends and family

we show them love

does anything else matter

if i have to stand before their stupid god and he says sean you are a sinner and you didn't believe that (fill in the blank with whatever im supposed to have believed) oh darn,

and should i have believed in this or that to have been true this or true that

i dont know

i dont have time to examine every single checklist of what i am supposed to believe or not believe,

im going to die

im 30, not today

probably at age 81,

ok, so in 51 years im going to spend my time loveing my family and friends

go to work, play around make new friends

eat cheese
wear blue

if some checklist of belief hits me and it describes me so be it

spiriutal atheist or budhist whatever

label me whatever

i dont care

the outside observer doesn't affect my reality

I do.

I am master of "my" destiny.

People talk to me, email me, text me, call me, im me, hug me love me tell me they miss me tell me they want to go on a bike ride,

i shall go before whatever happens in the after life and stand my ground,

i have no shame no regrets,
did i make mistakes sure who hasnt

im not perfect

if im to be punished because my checklist was wrong, i didn't have the right checklist,

oh well,

i can't control that right now im too busy,

got to finish this thing im doing now,

then go home,

my son will want a bike ride and dinner

ill read some stuff about religion but if it don't make sense to me i wont believe it

i shall apply reason and the scientific method and the presumption of atheism to all of it

thank you

Answer 5

Sin and Evil are just mental activities....We can have a spiritual experience. Rather than finding the best definition for sin and evil, a more satisfying quest can be found by seeking the inclusive experience just below the level of thinking. Beyond the barrier of personal ego to the inclusive experience that is universal bedrock truth. The process of living is richer than the mental images left by its passage...the life that is left over is only suitable for robots. The spiritual life in contrast has more mystery and wonder.

Answer 6

I have been "Defining myself " since I gave Jesus My Heart, and I will surely give a testimoney, and lift Christ up in a Moments notice! Jesus has Made me what I am today, and Is still working On Me! He makes me Bold and excited to talk about Him, and tell everyone How much He loves You. Jesus Turns Your Life around and Gives you something to Live for. We have no REASON to be WEAK or UNDEFINED. Amen + + +

Answer 7

I prefer to not be defined by others, but to define myself. I do find that my beliefs are open to change based upon experiences that I have had.

Accept everything about yourself--I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end--no apologies, no regrets.--Clark Moustakas

Answer 8

"I am the dreamer of my own dream, not a passive character in someone else's dream."

Not sure why I put that in quotes, but I do this work as I listen for guidance.

It (the quote) is from what I learn as I study A Course In Miracles.

I have held beliefs that turned out to be untrue, so I am always searching; but my basic premise stands solid on that old rock.

Answer 9

My beliefs help define my conduct and manner, but I still like what I like and dislike what I dislike. I don't want to be put into a group. That's why clothes with brand names on the outside are a no-no for me.

Answer 10

I think people naturally want to be define and define others. It makes people comfortable because everyone it "titled". I on the other hand am agaisnt it. I try not to label anything about myself or others. But most people still will define others and theres no stopping them

Answer 11

I will write in response to your question about three types of Buddhism. Yes. There are three types of Buddhism. In the gross sense, there is Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana; but it might be better to describe these "vehicles" as the teachings relate to the being who practices them - a being of small capacity, middling capacity or great capacity. A being of small capacity seeks for happiness in this life and to avoid rebirth in lower realms. A being of medium capacity seeks liberation from cyclic existence (nirvana) and beings of great capacity seek unsurpassable, true, complete enlightenment. There are 84,000 collections of teachings in hundreds and hundreds of volumes - some attributed to the Buddha, some realizational doctrine propounded by scholars since the Buddha's day - but they can all be divided into these three categories: teachings for beings of small capacity, medium capacity and great capacity.