Which religion do you follow?

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

Originally Posted by Operacast

I couldn't agree more that an intensive study of all creeds can potentially be the best way to grow. The only caveat I would add is the earnest hope that you don't view those who are not 100% enthusiastic at the idea of such study with the same kneejerk suspicion that I did. Intensive study turned me into an arrogant and suspicious son of a bitch who viewed any demurs at such interfaith study, even the mildest kind, as a tacit argument in favor of virulent sectarianism and inter-religious differences of the most violent sort. Absurd inference, of course, but I jumped into it with both feet (http://www.comparative-religion.com/...dy-5496-3.html

&

http://www.comparative-religion.com/...dy-5496-4.html)

So, although you seem a much more level-headed person than I am, I might still be useful as Exhibit A of what can happen when the idea of comprehensive study of all creeds is exalted above all else, even other people, by someone prone to raise old texts to the level of an idol.

With sincere regret,

Operacast

Opercast, (or exhibit A ) I am almost sure that my temper can be just as explosive as the next persons, but I am almost certain that studying faiths would not bring that side out of someone. I would certaintly think that such an endeavor would have calming effect on a person.

As far as holding it above all else was never my intent.

I basically asked the questions that I did to see if any others felt like I felt about the whole religion and religious dogma thing.

Also to try to see if others felt like I do about the act of the exploration of different faiths and "guage" (if you will) how "pious" that act is viewed by people who choose to practice and study only one faith.

Which bring me to another question...


IS IT POSSIBLE TO PRACTICE MORE THAN ONE FAITH AT A TIME?

[RubySera_Martin]

Originally Posted by YO-ELEVEN-11

Which bring me to another question...


IS IT POSSIBLE TO PRACTICE MORE THAN ONE FAITH AT A TIME?

Some people will respond with an absolute negative and quote Jesus when he said "no man can serve two masters." They will claim that you won't be devoted fully to either one. I think, however, that I can be one of several servants serving the same master.

In other words, I believe that all religions serve the same Master. There are vastly different interpretations of that "Master" but it does seem to me that there is enough overlap to make it work. Christianity and Buddhism seem to be combined, blended, or practiced simultaneously by quite a few people today.

I would venture to say that these are similar enough, and also that each of these is deficient enough in and of itself, to allow people to do this. Christianity teaches the denial of self while Buddhism teaches self-emptying. Sounds similar to me.

Christianity teaches a strong focus for one's worship and service, while Buddhism teaches the conscious awareness of reality in and of itself. It makes sense to me that a very aware Christian, or a Buddhist with a strong focus for his awareness, could fit into one person.

All of this is just my own thinking, pulling it out of thin air as I write, just sharing thoughts and ideas. Eastern thought has had a profound impact on my awareness of the beauties of nature around me. These beauties in turn have nutured my soul. The Christian in me, however, is far stronger than the Buddhist.

I was in class with a person for two years who said she is a Buddhist but Jesus is very important to her. Jesus is so important that she did a degree in Christian theology. All the same, it seemed to me that the Buddhist was stronger in her than the Christian.

Cyberpi on this forum said somewhere that he goes to a Muslim mosque on Fridays and a Christian church on Sundays. If that is not an example of practicing two relgions concurrently I don't know what it is. So I think it is definitely possible for one person to practice more than one religion at one time.

Back to what Jesus says about serving two masters. He said you can't serve God and mamon or material wealth. Neither Christianity (outside the prosperity preachers) nor Buddhism focuses on material wealth. As far as I know, all religions emphasize the spiritual. In my mind, the spiritual=God.

Nowhere in the NT does Jesus condemn other religions, and we know that other religions abounded in his day in the Middle East. He does say that God is spirit. Even the OT with all its condemnation of ancient Israel for not serving God only, does not condemn the rest of the world for serving their own gods. There is condemnation but not because they failed to serve the only true God.

Of course, some people will say that these ideas all come from the devil. So be it. Some versions of the devil are more benevolent than certain versions of God.

[Operacast]

Originally Posted by YO-ELEVEN-11

Opercast, (or exhibit A ) I am almost sure that my temper can be just as explosive as the next persons, but I am almost certain that studying faiths would not bring that side out of someone. I would certaintly think that such an endeavor would have calming effect on a person.

I imagine it usually does -- unless you're me............

Originally Posted by YO-ELEVEN-11

As far as holding it above all else was never my intent.

I realize/realized that. I am/was describing me................

Originally Posted by YO-ELEVEN-11

I basically asked the questions that I did to see if any others felt like I felt about the whole religion and religious dogma thing.

Also to try to see if others felt like I do about the act of the exploration of different faiths and "guage" (if you will) how "pious" that act is viewed by people who choose to practice and study only one faith.

Which bring me to another question...


IS IT POSSIBLE TO PRACTICE MORE THAN ONE FAITH AT A TIME?

I am almost (not entirely) allergic to religious dogma, if by that one means various traditions within one tradition that tend to spring up generations or more after the initial impetus proveded a discrete creed by its original inspirer/founder/conceiver/seer/prophet. Such subsequent traditions as do spring up under one ostensible umbrella strike me, as often as not, as efforts at keeping and maintaining earthly power (frequently brutally so) than efforts at sustaining enlightenment. This is why I can be so impossibly prickly at the least implication that the original texts that embody any creed's original insights might be equally or less critical for deep study than the lazy assumptions and frequently more familiar (sadly) traditions that people default to when glibly summing up a creed.

I'm guessing I feel precisely how you do about "the act of the exploration of different faiths". Unfortunately, no matter how often I've encountered people of one faith who smilingly assert the validity of studying all faiths, I've invariably found it to be the case that only the smallest give-and-take will inevitably reveal that smiling individual as one who ultimately views multi-credal study as distinctly less than pious after all -- if not downright detrimental to one's spiritual enlightenment altogether! Hence, my extremely bitter and jaundiced and untrusting attitude these days.....

Of course, it's possible to practice more than one faith in a way. But perhaps that one way isn't really practicing any single faith as such at all. In other words, one could make a lifetime study of as many different creeds/faiths as possible, studying strictly their earliest texts only, and then extracting only the heartbreaking abundance of similarities among them (assiduously ignored by 99.9% of the most orthodox "believers" in all the faiths on this planet), and then applying what has been extracted as common to all faiths to one's own life. But that hasn't yet been done, for the simple reason that there's just too much to read and to assimilate now for any one individual to take it all in efficiently, unless that individual starts in at a terrifically young age.

Instead, it would need a huge panoply of scholars and specialists and cultural historians from every conceivable background, all working together, to accomplish such a task within a reasonable time period...........

Operacast

[Pope Jaimie]

None of the religions I follow were listed.

I usually identify myself as either a Discordian or a Subgenius, or both. If I'm feeling somewhat misanthropic, I'll occasionally consider myself a Satanist (LaVeyan), but usually I love everybody so that doesn't happen much.

By the way, new to these forums. My name's Jaimie and I'm a chick. I mention that because people always think I'm male. I guess it's the "Pope", huh?

[Ddraig44goch]

Hail and Greetings

I'm new to this forum and so far, I likes what I sees!

I'm a little ol' Heathen girl. Used to be Russian Orthodox until this summer. Discovered that Asatru makes more sense and appeals to my sense of morality. My patron is Heimdall, the watcher of Bifrost and sounder of the horn which will mark the beginning of Ragnarok. I'm beginning to learn about the Prose Eddas and the Havamal. Good thing I love to read, because much of being Asatruar is studying.

Hail the Aesir; Hail the Vanir

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by Pope Jaimie

None of the religions I follow were listed.

I usually identify myself as either a Discordian or a Subgenius, or both.

Fnord!

[flowperson]

Originally Posted by Pope Jaimie

None of the religions I follow were listed.

I usually identify myself as either a Discordian or a Subgenius, or both. If I'm feeling somewhat misanthropic, I'll occasionally consider myself a Satanist (LaVeyan), but usually I love everybody so that doesn't happen much.

By the way, new to these forums. My name's Jaimie and I'm a chick. I mention that because people always think I'm male. I guess it's the "Pope", huh?

Popette ? Welcome....flow...

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

Originally Posted by Pope Jaimie

My name's Jaimie and I'm a chick. I mention that because people always think I'm male. I guess it's the "Pope", huh?

The pope with a skirt???
Nice!!!!!

[Pope Jaimie]

Originally Posted by flowperson

Popette ?

Originally Posted by YO-ELEVEN-11

The pope with a skirt???
Nice!!!!!

Like I said, I'm a Discordian. I use the sn for secular forums as well, though. (Google "Pope card" under images, it's a business card-looking thing)

Technically, women have the option of using "Mome" instead of "Pope", but I don't like doing that. No one knows what a "Mome" is.

Originally Posted by seattlegal

Fnord!

[flowperson]

Is a Mome anything like a Meme?

Glad you're here !

flow....

[Booko]

Originally Posted by YO-ELEVEN-11

IS IT POSSIBLE TO PRACTICE MORE THAN ONE FAITH AT A TIME?

Asians do it all the time. Many them think we're odd because we insist on choosing only one, which means you miss out on the wisdom of others.

[flowperson]

Hi Booko !

Haven't had a chance to say welcome...so...welcome. Love your avatar. Are you a French hen, as in "three french hens"...?

flow....

[Pope Jaimie]

Originally Posted by flowperson

Is a Mome anything like a Meme?

Glad you're here !

flow....

Nah, just a female version of a Pope.

[tommy]

These poll results are pretty cool here so far. 23% Christian 21% not listed, and 16% not sure. This tells me that Brian is really running a true comparative site here that is not slanted one way or another.

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

Originally Posted by Booko

Asians do it all the time. Many them think we're odd because we insist on choosing only one, which means you miss out on the wisdom of others.

Wow, what continent is this on?