27 Jul 07
Have you seen these bumper stickers? Okay, if you're not in the U.S., maybe you haven't, but they consist of the word "coexist" and the letters are symbols of various belief systems including Islam, Wicca, science, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism and Chrisitianity.
I went to Catholic school, and one of the nuns (who was a sweetheart, by the way), told me she envisioned a tall mountain, at the top of which was God. Many people chose different paths up the mountain (the different religions), and some took longer to arrive and some took more treacherous paths to get there, but they all ended up at the same goal...God. Simplistic, but eloquent, I thought.
Peace.
27 Jul 07
1 edit
Originally posted by Evey HammondWise nun.
Have you seen these bumper stickers? Okay, if you're not in the U.S., maybe you haven't, but they consist of the word "coexist" and the letters are symbols of various belief systems including Islam, Wicca, science, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism and Chrisitianity.
I went to Catholic school, and one of the nuns (who was a sweetheart, by the way), told me ...[text shortened]... ut they all ended up at the same goal...God. Simplistic, but eloquent, I thought.
Peace.
_______________________
Clear light passes through a prism—
Now lets go to war over
whether it's many or one,
or which colors represent
its only true expression.
28 Jul 07
Originally posted by Evey HammondScience is more of a dis-belief system than a belief system.
Have you seen these bumper stickers? Okay, if you're not in the U.S., maybe you haven't, but they consist of the word "coexist" and the letters are symbols of various belief systems including Islam, Wicca, science, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism and Chrisitianity.
I went to Catholic school, and one of the nuns (who was a sweetheart, by the way), told me ...[text shortened]... ut they all ended up at the same goal...God. Simplistic, but eloquent, I thought.
Peace.
28 Jul 07
3 edits
Originally posted by Evey HammondCute story, but I'im not impressed with 'cute'! I do not believe that jesus is the messiah, the son of god. it's a myth; a fable, and therefore, christianity is rubbish! Wicca is fluff! Science, a religion?? Buddhism is not a religion! Perhaps many ignorant people make it so--it ain't so! Taoism I like! but I don't think it qualifies as a religion, either. There's this stupid attitude that we have to "respect" other people's ignorant "religious" beliefs. Bull crap! Religious belief is not a sacred cow! Most people are ignorant, stupid, superstitious cowering fools!
Have you seen these bumper stickers? Okay, if you're not in the U.S., maybe you haven't, but they consist of the word "coexist" and the letters are symbols of various belief systems including Islam, Wicca, science, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism and Chrisitianity.
I went to Catholic school, and one of the nuns (who was a sweetheart, by the way), told me ...[text shortened]... ut they all ended up at the same goal...God. Simplistic, but eloquent, I thought.
Peace.
28 Jul 07
2 edits
Originally posted by StregoneAgreed about science.
Cute story, but I'im not impressed with 'cute'! I do not believe that jesus is the messiah, the son of god. it's a myth; a fable, and therefore, christianity is rubbish! Wicca is fluff! Science, a religion?? Buddhism is not a religion! Perhaps many ignorant people make it so--it ain't so! Taoism I like! but I don't think it qualifies as a religion, either. is not a sacred cow! Most people are ignorant, stupid, superstitious cowering fools!
Wicca and other animistic pagan religions are not considered “fluff” by their adherents (so-called “New Age”—well, fluff—aside).
From your references to Buddhism and Taoism (one could add Advaita Vedanta), I infer that you are defining religion strictly as having to do with a supernatural being or beings—i.e., a god or gods. [Note: Zen is closer to Taoism than are some other Buddhist expressions in this regard, and hence less inclined to the supernatural—at least, here, the Taoism of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu.]
I tend to allow the word for the non-supernaturalist, non-dualist views (largely because they do).
There are also non-dualist (and in that sense, technically non-theistic) streams in the otherwise theistic religions (e.g., Meister Eckhart, the Sufis); some are panentheistic, though they are supernaturalistic.
To the extent that I call myself anything, it is a non-supernaturalist non-dualist—if you think Zen or Taoism (or, perhaps, some versions of Stoicism), you won’t be far off the mark, though I don’t restrict myself to the practices (or the language) of any particular system. In that sense, as well as in the supernatural-theistic sense, I am not “religious”. (However, it should be realized that non-theistic, non-dualist systems often use the “G-word.” For the Stoics, for example, theos seems generally synonymous with physis, nature.)
EDIT: Let's not dismiss myth too readily. The real problem is when myth is treated as being something other than—well, mythological.
EDIT 2:
Religious belief is not a sacred cow!
It is to the—cow-erers. 😉
28 Jul 07
Originally posted by StregoneThx, I think.
Cute story, but I'im not impressed with 'cute'! I do not believe that jesus is the messiah, the son of god. it's a myth; a fable, and therefore, christianity is rubbish! Wicca is fluff! Science, a religion?? Buddhism is not a religion! Perhaps many ignorant people make it so--it ain't so! Taoism I like! but I don't think it qualifies as a religion, either. ...[text shortened]... is not a sacred cow! Most people are ignorant, stupid, superstitious cowering fools!
I'm not talking about Jesus...I'm talking about reaching God...The Source, if you will.
Having been raised Christian, I've had enough and have decided to explore other beliefs.
Points taken as to religion.
Taoism? I really liked what I read regarding that.
Anyway, respect, to me, however ignorgant a person may be, is a good thing. 🙂
28 Jul 07
1 edit
Originally posted by Evey HammondPerhaps I was too strident. Religious arguments do that! I, too, was raised christian. converted to catholism as a teen. left, came back, and left again. tried the protestant thing for awhile. left that. & tried judaism, then, realizing that the orthodox would never accept me as jewish, i left that. basically i'm just a pagan. i dig witchcraft (not wicca!).
Thx, I think.
I'm not talking about Jesus...I'm talking about reaching God...The Source, if you will.
Having been raised Christian, I've had enough and have decided to explore other beliefs.
Points taken as to religion.
Taoism? I really liked what I read regarding that.
Anyway, respect, to me, however ignorgant a person may be, is a good thing. 🙂
"stregone" is italian for male witch! http://www.angelfire.com/magic/faerygrove/
28 Jul 07
Originally posted by StregoneWhat a coincidence. I was raised a pagan and converted to wicca as a teen, left, came back, and left again, tried the witchcraft thing for a while, left that, and tried orthadox Satanism. Then I thought to myself, your just plain stupid. I mean, worshiping Satan is just plain nuts!!!! Then I converted to Christianity and never looked back.
Perhaps I was too strident. Religious arguments do that! I, too, was raised christian. converted to catholism as a teen. left, came back, and left again. tried the protestant thing for awhile. left that. & tried judaism, then, realizing that the orthodox would never accept me as jewish, i left that. basically i'm just a pagan. i dig witchcraft (not wicca!).
"stregone" is italian for male witch!
28 Jul 07
Originally posted by whodeyI predict that you WILL look back.
What a coincidence. I was raised a pagan and converted to wicca as a teen, left, came back, and left again, tried the witchcraft thing for a while, left that, and tried orthadox Satanism. Then I thought to myself, your just plain stupid. I mean, worshiping Satan is just plain nuts!!!! Then I converted to Christianity and never looked back.
28 Jul 07
Originally posted by Stregonei dig witchcraft (not wicca!).
Perhaps I was too strident. Religious arguments do that! I, too, was raised christian. converted to catholism as a teen. left, came back, and left again. tried the protestant thing for awhile. left that. & tried judaism, then, realizing that the orthodox would never accept me as jewish, i left that. basically i'm just a pagan. i dig witchcraft (not wicca!).
"stregone" is italian for male witch! http://www.angelfire.com/magic/faerygrove/
I used “wicca” generically in my prior post for certain older, pagan paths (Celtic). I realize that that is probably incorrect, as it is not what they may have called it. (I believe there is some controversy over the origination of the term.)
28 Jul 07
Originally posted by whodeyOrthodox Satanism?
What a coincidence. I was raised a pagan and converted to wicca as a teen, left, came back, and left again, tried the witchcraft thing for a while, left that, and tried orthadox Satanism. Then I thought to myself, your just plain stupid. I mean, worshiping Satan is just plain nuts!!!! Then I converted to Christianity and never looked back.
What do they do with heretics? Hose them down with water?