What are your religious beliefs?

Question

What religion do you believe and why do you believe it?

Answer 1

This question does not lend itself to a sound bite answer.

I believe in what is written in the scripture.

I believe what is written in the scripture because we are told in several places not to add to nor take away from the scriptures and not to adopt pagan practices into our worship of the one true God, not to place the traditions of men over the commandments of God, Not to believe in the traditions of men nor their myths, and that man made rules that are not founded on scripture are worthless and are actually a form of trying to earn your salvation.

For instance the Baptist prohibition of drinking wine or playing cards or dancing where may I ask is that in the scripture? Is this not as Colossians 2 points out a man made tradition of touch not taste not in order to "earn" your salvation?

How about confessing your sins to a priest who tells you how many hail Marys and Lords prayers to do to absolve your sins? Do you truly believe that vain repetition of laps on your beads will earn your way into heaven?

I only pick on these two because I've been in direct contact with them. I'm sure most mainstream "Churches" have their own idiosyncrasies that have nothing or little to do with scripture.

So to sum it up I believe that God made a covenant with His people starting with Abraham extended to the Israelites during the time of Moses with and finally ratified by God himself in he form of God in the flesh through Yahshua who paid the penalty for us not keeping our part of the covenant so that we might live.

His message has always been the same (because it was the same person giving the message that is Yahshua) I love you and I want you to be happy and productive only believe in me and by the fruit of your life, obedience to my commandments, you will prove you love to me and I will give to you in return eternal life along with in this life blessings beyond your imagination. Its odd isn't it that the mercy of God is talked about twice as much in the Old Testiment than it is in the new, but most think the Old Testiment God is a harsh mean God. Guess what, still if you choose to disobey, you will be destroyed. Nothing has changed.

Answer 2

I'm a Roman Catholic. I was brought up in a devout Catholic home. But when I was a teenager, I started asking a lot of questions about religion, and began examining many different religious options. I'm still in "seeker" phase, in a sense, and am willing to attend many different types of services (both Christian and non-Christian), and examine many different philosophies (both religious and secular). However, no religion I've encountered yet has touched me spiritually like Catholicism, so I've opted to remain Catholic. Within the Catholic Church, I feel a very intense closeness to God.

Answer 3

Both my husband and I are 'adult converts' of the Catholic church. I have studied religion since I was a young teenager, and have belonged to the United Methodist, the Vedantist (a sub-culture of Hinduism that believes Jesus was an 'avatar' of God), Vietnamese Buddhist, and Episcopalian churches before I 'converted' to Catholicism. I was 'in the process of converting' when I met and married my husband. He was a 'non-denominational Christian' who said 'I will NEVER become a Catholic' ... but who DANCED AND SANG "I'm a Catholic" when we got home after his baptism and confirmation at the Easter mass. What are my 'religious beliefs?' I believe in God. I believe that Jesus was 'the Son of God' who was both 'fully human' and 'fully God' at the same time. I believe that Jesus 'died on the cross' because GOD wanted him to, and that 'act' saved ALL OF US, those born before and those born after Jesus, and that we are ALL going to go to Heaven in the end. I believe that 'Hell' and 'Purgatory' are like going to a 'school in closed building that is too warm in the summer' while the rest of us are outside enjoying the clean fresh air and are 'playing.' I am 'looking forward to' getting to Heaven and finding out 'the rest of the story' ... but I'm not in any 'great hurry' and am having a wonderful time here on Earth now, especially since I am married to my wonderful husband. We BOTH believe that our 'conversion' to Catholicism came about because we were BOTH 'truly Catholic' all along ... and yes, I do 'believe' everything I 'studied' in those non-Christian religions along the way ... because the word Catholic means UNIVERSAL and the Catholic church is the ONLY church either of us has ever been in that 'accepts everyone, even atheists' as 'members' (although not as 'full communicating Catholics') and lets them 'continue to believe' whatever they want while being totally WELCOMING to all.

Answer 4

*drink*

Officially, I'm a member of the Ethical Society, and so ethics is my religion.

Intellectually, I am an atheist.

Why? I tried very hard to find one or more gods and/or goddesses I could believe in. I finally realized that my use of pagan stories of gods and goddesses was metaphorical. I was using them as archetypes, but had no sense that they had any substantial (not to mention physical) existence. Since the Wiccans here on R&S speak as if they believe much more substantially than I ever did, I stopped calling myself a witch and "came out of the closet" as an atheist.

As to ethics, I find that more a philosophy than a religion, but the Ethical Society does meet many of the social needs of a religion, and is an excellent way to spend your Sunday morning. We don't even need to dress up!

Answer 5

I am agnostic, borderline/atheist. I hate to say it, but while people of faith have done so much good in the world, they've also done so much harm. So much so that I think we'd be better off without it, and none of them are exempt.

That being said, I think the most harmful one of all right now is the one that issues fatwas.

Watch the thumbs down pile up on this! Who know, maybe I'll even get a violation!

Answer 6

i was brought up jewish, but i don't believe in a god. it just doesn't feel right to me. i believe in being a good person, and taking care of animals and recycling. i don't believe that there is proof of a god. people's testimony does not make proof. i would not want to make my child fear hell if he misbehaves, or tell him if he doesn't believe in god, he's going to hell. (not that jewish people tell anyone that, i'm just saying) i also don't need anyone else to tell me what is right and wrong, i have seen many people who believe in god do things that are wrong, i have seen racists who are religious, and met people who would have no problem hitting you for looking them, even though they wear a cross around thier neck. so i don't believe it provides a moral compass either, it's not too hard to know what you should and shouldn't do.

Answer 7

No religion because I do not find the idea of God to be reasonable nor comforting. I believe there is a thing called inner spirituality, something one can harness and express through music, art, and other personal expressions with time and practice.

People should have faith in THEMSELVES before having faith in something so seemingly abstract and elusive. It is amazing how much one can accomplish through self confidence and persistence...

Answer 8

I believe a God exists. I don't believe in organized religion, though.

Answer 9

I was raised Catholic, but today I simply have a Higher Power that guides me. I don't go to church, but I do pray for others and for the ability to be helpful to my fellows. I have no interest in anyone else's religious convictions, and I appreciate it when people do not try to force their beliefs on me. Live and let live.

Answer 10

I don't believe in any religion.