- Rant Shack
- →
- General Discussion
- →
- The Body Politic
- →
- Religion or lack there of
- →
- Religious experiences/beliefs/thoughts
| Welcome to the Laser Party. We are made of sex. You, on the other hand, are the embodiment sadness and are typified by your longing to matter. This amuses us. Fret not, however, for you can easily overcome this condition. In order to become the human concept of Joy, as we have done, you can do one of two things. The first is to undertake a journey to Ancient Ademadegon and return with the the 3 heads of the Awesomegret which roosts in the Crystal Caverns of Caramel Colors. Or, two, register on this site. They are basically the same thing, really. Click here for option two. <- Registration If you're already good at winning then log in below: |
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
| Religious experiences/beliefs/thoughts; Because we needed to be more specific. *Now with thoughts! | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Dec 15 2008, 11:11 AM (397 Views) | |
| DA_KLOWN | Dec 15 2008, 11:11 AM Post #1 |
Gotta catch 'em all. Yep.
  ![]](http://209.85.122.83/static/1/pip_r.png)
|
I was gonna put this in the "Does God Exist" thread, but this ended up not really being about god, so I made a new thread. I figure this might as well be a thread for any religious experience, good or bad. It can be about church, creepy camps you went too, or even personal revelations or epiphanies. I have my reasons for my point of view, and as John stated before, it's easier to relate to people's point of view if you share some experiences; jsut so you can get a better idea of where the person is coming from. So to start, here are a few of mine. -------------------------------------------------------- Whoever it was that said that there are people who believe there's a God, they just don't care, that would be me. I hate to sum up a belief via a comic I read years ago, but it's the closest example I can find to how I feel about religion. The comic Non Sequitur ran a strip years ago (I was in the 6th or 7th grade maybe) that had a man standing a the pearly gates. Next to the pearly gates was a sign that read as follows: "Welcome to Heaven. Please keep your religion to yourself." Really, that's all I ask of people usually. You believe in God? Great! That's fantastic! You're a better man/woman than I. Just keep it to yourself. You don't? Well, okay, good for you. Keep it to yourself. I knew someone in high school who actually determined who his friends were going to be by asking what religion they were minutes after meeting them. I told him that wasn't necessary, and after finding out my aforementioned beliefs, he stopped being friends with me. The church I went to when I was little had a pastor who preached prosperity, and paying tithes, etc. We stopped going when we found out that he had been molesting kids between the ages of 12 and 14. It was decided my sophomore year in high school that we would start going back to church. My family attended (and still does sometimes) a black church. And for all those who say there are no differences between black churches and the rest, go to one first. There are. When I was younger, I hated going to Church simply because it was boring. I hated getting up early, I hated dressing up, I hated sitting there uncomfortably, I hated standing up and singing. Now that I was older, I actually started listening to what the pastor said, and I personally didn't agree with it. I just didn't care for the idea of some omniscent figure dictating what was right and wrong in my life; I felt it an insult to my intelligence. To make it worse, they sent me to the teen church once a month. Most of the kids tere went to Hightower or Marshall. One girl was talking with me, and we were getting along just fine. When I told her I went to Clements, she said, "...Oh." And stopped talking to me. On top of that, the preachers in this church all preached to you assuming you were all of the same school of thinking; i.e. culturally black. Near all of you have met me and known me, and all of you can say that am not. As a result, I never related with anyone in church including the pastors, which made going to church even more difficult. I had never felt alone in a crowded room before then. My mom also decided, without me or my brothers permission, that we would be baptised at church. There was no discussion, she simply said, "Your dad and I decided that you all should be baptised Sunday after next." I had no desire to be baptised. At all. And the fact that she didn't even ask me made the whole process even worse. As far as I know, this can be a life changing decision, and my mom made that decision for me. The only perk to the whole thing was that the water was warm. For my college admission essays I wrote in regards to meeting new people in college, that "Should I find that my religion doesn't satisfy my spiritual needs, I can find and pursue another, or just live without." My mother asked which I would prefer, and I chose live without. The fact that my faith at the time was wavering bothered her a lot, more than it should of in my opinion. SHe explained that a Christian's faith is absolute, and should be your be all and end all. I didn't like that idea, but I didn't tell her that. When I first got my facebook, under religion I wrote: "I believe there is a God. Not sure if I believe in him though." My mother saw it and went out her way to email me, telling me how hurt she was that I did not accept Christianity, even after being Baptised. My dad talked with me about it when I got home, and I could tell he really didn't care, he was just doing it to make my mom feel better. I ended up just taking the religion portion off. The summer before my senior year, I went to Kenya on a missionary trip. Again, it was another decision made by my parents without discussion. The trip itself was miserable for me; I never slept, I couldn't shower so I felt disgusting, we had to go to these bible sessions where I knew if I talked about how I really felt I would get jumped on. I didn't mind that they were helping them, giving them food and school supplies for the kids, but I didn't like that they were pushing religion on the people. At the end of the trip I'd had it and I finally just snapped at someone, telling them to shut up and quit bothering me, and the person snapped at asked "Why aren't you Christlike? As a Christian you should be Christlike." I told him that I wasn't Christ, and I didn't want to be. I was happy the way I was. When I started going to college, my mom asked if I had been going to a church. I told her no. SHe asked why, and I told her I saw no reason to. That, and I liked sleeping in. Easter weekend my mom and I got into an argument about me coming home for Easter so we could all go to church as a family. 1) Ive never been a family person, EVER. Now that I'm in college it's ok, but I probably never will be. If given a choice (and not having to pay $200 extra) I wouldn't even go home. 2) Church blows, and now that I was 18, I was really sick and tired of having all these decisions made for me. I ended up going home, and my dad talked to me (again probably jsut to make mom feel better). I find out he was never really religious himself, and he only became so when he met mom (to this day, he isn't really). For me, when it comes down to it, fundementalist Christians, radical Musilims, the Olsteens etc., were not what really bugged me about religion in the first place. It was namely the fact that I'd never had any positive experiences with religion at all, so I never saw what people got out of it. As a whole, it jsut seemed like religion never accepted me, so I never accepted it.The other stuff was just icing on the cake, so to speak. As of now I've met people who are able to balance their beliefs with other aspects of their lives and have a sincere, profound belief in God, but are well adjusted enough that they don't let it get in the way of their social and academic lives A good example are a number of you on this forum; you are people who happen to be christian/mormon/whatever, as opposed to christians who just happen to be people if that makes any sense. There are more and more of these people cropping up, and that alone gives me some semblance of hope for religion, that maybe there will be a time when religion won't be such a hot button. Your post was too long, and I am in no mood, I know. /get off soapbox |
|
My Shelf. Of books. | |
 |
 
|
| Haithar | Dec 15 2008, 11:45 AM Post #2 |
weeeeeeee
|
good thing you started a new thread, or else I'd go Your post was too long, and I am in no mood on you, but I read it all. it's nice when someone is in a similar point of view shoe. I've never picked up religion, really, I tried to for a while since it's suppose to be the comfort of the heart or whatever, but I could never accept the way Christianity works, I didn't like the Baptist church, the nondenominational Church was amazing though, but none of it really made sense to me. Buddhism, however, is great, lol, well since it's more of a way of life, and we aren't exactly Buddhist 'cause it became a mixture of Dao and Confucius. I felt that if you're content with life, you aren't exactly religious. It became pretty stupid when people would blame God or ask God for certain things when they are really the one to blame or to try. Didn't want to get into the whole religion issue 'cause it just slaps me silly. |
|
,___, ,___,, [O.o] (-, -)' /)__) (__ (\ -"--"- -"--"- O RLY? YA RLY. | |
|
|
|
| DarkSteele | Dec 16 2008, 12:07 AM Post #3 |
My chest hair makes a bird.
|
I guess I already posted mine. But, yeah, I went to some of those teen crossfire things and I pretty much hated them... the kids there were all clicked up just like school and everyone was rude to me. Plus, straight off the bat, I didn't know any of the songs and shit they sang so I felt like an idiot- that was awesome. I dunno, I went with the mormon group to their prom dinner does that count? Lol. |
The fabulous Rantshack store /  /  /  /  /  | |
|
|
| Palmer | Dec 16 2008, 01:09 AM Post #4 |
Lvl 8 Admiral
|
I found this post awkward and thus removed it.
Edited by Palmer, Feb 25 2010, 05:51 PM.
|
|
|
|
| DarkSteele | Dec 16 2008, 02:51 AM Post #5 |
|
My chest hair makes a bird.
|
off... topic? |
|
The fabulous Rantshack store / / / / / | |
|
|
|
| Palmer | Dec 16 2008, 11:17 AM Post #6 |
|
Lvl 8 Admiral
|
I'm telling you how I came to believe in my Church, and why I believe in it. Religious experience. |
|
|
|
| DarkSteele | Dec 16 2008, 12:54 PM Post #7 |
|
My chest hair makes a bird.
|
oh, was mostly we and the church and lds says- reread it and I'll let it slide |
|
The fabulous Rantshack store / / / / / | |
|
|
|
| Palmer | Dec 16 2008, 01:38 PM Post #8 |
|
Lvl 8 Admiral
|
Yeah I know, my apologies. But it's different for me in circumstances like this because I'm subscribing to a belief that I think has it all correct, where as most of you guys are forming your own opinions and beliefs on individual subjects. Edit: Point taken Steele, edited to be less textbook-ish. Edited by Palmer, Dec 16 2008, 01:41 PM.
|
|
|
|
| DA_KLOWN | Feb 25 2010, 01:37 PM Post #9 |
|
Gotta catch 'em all. Yep.
|
THREAD REVIVAL GOOOOOOOOOOOO. Was orginally going to be in the Mormon thread, but it was off topic, so it's going here. In the light of the recent thread, it is at this point that I am reminded why I don't practice/don't care about religion. I believe in the tangible and things that can definitely be achieved (i.e. I've seen it/experienced it). I've never felt any faith for any deity at all, and religion in my opinion, just gets in the way of any real relationship one could have with God/Allah/Tyr or whatever. Perhaps there are people who maybe need that structure, but it seems to me that all it does is manipulate people into a way of thinking that they may or may not have had if they found God on their own.
I am indulgent and weak-willed by my very nature, being carnal or sensual does not bother me in the least. If this were a real job, and she a real goddess I'd be allllllll over this. But I can't because it isn't, and she's not, so LE FUCKING SIGH. As far as terrible goes...eh. I wouldn't say I'm terrible. But I guess compared to an omniscient being whom we can possibly comprehend perhaps, maybe. |
|
My Shelf. Of books. | |
|
|
|
| Pyroclasm | Feb 25 2010, 02:44 PM Post #10 |
STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM
|
(epic necro is epic.) I guess I'll go with agnostic atheist? I don't know if there's a god, I don't even know if it's possible to know if there's a god. I have spent a good deal of time thinking about the issue, looking at the arguments on both sides, and frankly, I'm just not convinced. I also don't believe in: heaven, hell, an afterlife of any sort, souls, ghosts, angels, demons, etc. I've just never seen any evidence for them, so I'm not going to go around pretending they exist. But I really don't like defining myself by what I don't believe. I do believe that since this is the only life I know for sure I'm going to get, that I should live to enjoy it. I do believe that people have a right to live their lives as they see fit, so long as it doesn't interfere with someone else's life, which is why you'll never see me bitching someone else out over what the believe without first being provoked. I do believe that people should question everything, and not shrink away from finding out the truth because it scares them. I do believe that all people, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, orientation, or what-the-fuck-ever are still fundamentally people, and deserve to be treated as such. I can't say that I've ever had a bad spiritual experience, because I can't say that I've ever had a spiritual experience. Oh, I went to church when I was younger, but only because my parents went (which was only because my mom wanted to). I can't ever honestly remember believing too much of it, but I knew it was important to my parents, so I didn't question it too closely. College kind of kicked me in the ass. Now that I was away from the church I'd gone to most of my life, I kind of decided to check out Christianity myself, in detail. I was not impressed with what I discovered. Also, quite a few of the people I met claimed to be Christian, but acted like huge dicks. Lubbock kind of sucks that way, fundamentalism out the ears. I did go through a hardcore atheist phase, reading anything by Dawkins, Hitchens, or Harris I could get my hands on, but after a while I just stopped caring. Most people are too set in their beliefs to really change, regardless of how right my position might be. Also, there's this perception of the "new atheists" as being a bunch of pushy dicks, and it's right to an extent. I don't like pushy dicks, so I don't want to be associated with that movement. Do still have a bit of a man crush on Dawkins, though. I think it's the accent. My parents were sort of... meh, I guess. My mom freaked out, but she's kind of calmed down about it now. My dad didn't give a damn, but he told me not to talk about it to mom, because it made her upset. (We haven't talked much about religion, but I'm pretty sure he thinks it's all bullshit too.) Honestly, they were both more freaked out by the revelation that their son was a giant queer than that he was an atheist. That's... still kind of an issue, but whatever. TL:DR - Religion is generally not true, or at least unprovable, but I don't care what anyone else believes in their spare time. There might be a god, but it sure as hell doesn't interact with us, so why care? |
| "Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world - "No, you move."" | |
|
|
|
| Palmer | Feb 25 2010, 02:54 PM Post #11 |
|
Lvl 8 Admiral
|
THE RANTSHACK: WHERE TRUE RELIGION ARE IS HAD. Using our top team of funsketeers, we've set out to find the real truth and existence of Godly beings and if they even matter. Once we have reached our conclusion we will share with with the plants so they may admit toxic fumes that will teach everyone of our beliefs once inhaled. But for now, we persevere. Edited by Palmer, Feb 25 2010, 03:07 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Palmer | Feb 25 2010, 03:07 PM Post #12 |
|
Lvl 8 Admiral
|
Now for a more serious answer. Everybody wants a concrete experience. Like, "Well if I could just see God, then of course I would believe." People talked to Jesus. They heard him teach. They saw him heal the blind, and raise people from the dead. And they still didn't believe, and then killed him. What more can you ask for than that? It's my opinion that belief takes a significant amount more dedication than that. If an angel appeared in your living room and said "It is God's will that you should not watch tv anymore. but everyone else in the world can." Would you really stop watching tv forever? I mean, this is a concrete experience is it not? My guess is that after several years of not watching tv, we would just say "Ugh, that angel didn't even know what he was talking about. I'm so tired of not watching tv. I'm going to watch tv again." It takes more and just a "sign", imo. Besides, asking for scientific proof for a religion is like asking a musician to share his same feelings in a painting. It's probably going to suck. Also, the Bible exists. In a very concrete and physical way. |
|
|
|
| Pyroclasm | Feb 25 2010, 03:20 PM Post #13 |
|
STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM
|
I'm not those people. I can't tell you how I'd react to god popping up in my dorm room, but I can guarantee I wouldn't try to kill him. That'd be stupid. What I can say is that I'd appreciate the attempt. I'd be genuinely thrilled (and terrified) to meet god in person. And you're right. It wouldn't really be 100% convincing to see someone perform a miracle. Hell, David Blane made a helicopter disappear, and we don't worship him. But that's not what I'm asking for. If you're god, you're all powerful or very near to it. You could pretty easily pop in to every person's living room and have a chat with them, or pull them into a giant white room with two easy chairs, like in the matrix, and just discuss life and everything with them. People keep talking about their "relationship with god", but as far as I can tell, that seems to mostly consist of talking to yourself infrequently and singing in large groups every Sunday. That's not a relationship. |
| "Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world - "No, you move."" | |
|
|
|
| DA_KLOWN | Feb 25 2010, 03:32 PM Post #14 |
|
Gotta catch 'em all. Yep.
|
I never asked for anything like that. I know that if I were an omniscient being in charge of the CONSTANTLY EXPANDING UNIVERSE, I wouldn't take time out of my day just to give some infinitesimal group skeptics on a pale blue dot in a brown stream of space farts in a solar system in a galaxy among the LIMITLESS number of OTHER galaxies a spiritual revelation. I'm sure God and his angels have better things to do/think about. Like keep the universe constantly expanding. Personally, at this point in my life, I don't really care whether God exists or not. If he doesn't, sweet, I get to get away with all the tiny little sins, weak-willed indulgence, and genuinely liking the tv show Oz. If he does, then when I die, I get to try and convince God that I should get into heaven because I've never been on 4chan in earnest, and be sent to the City of Dis anyway.
I SEEN 'EM. THEY'S REAL. Then there's the thing where I believe that religion and God merely stem from a deep seated terror of being alone, but I'm pretty sure I made that post already. -edit- Found the post. Edited by DA_KLOWN, Feb 25 2010, 03:38 PM.
|
|
My Shelf. Of books. | |
|
|
|
| DarkSteele | Feb 25 2010, 03:35 PM Post #15 |
|
My chest hair makes a bird.
|
Speak for yourself, you insensitive asshole. |
|
The fabulous Rantshack store / / / / / | |
|
|
|
| Palmer | Feb 25 2010, 05:49 PM Post #16 |
|
Lvl 8 Admiral
|
@Klown: Sorry if you thought I was saying you were whining or something. Not what I meant at all. Just when you said that you believe in the "tangible", that's immediately what I took it as. I would first like to clarify my post that you quoted that says we are "terrible" compared to God. Well, I believe he loves us no matter who we are or how we act. The Old Testament says that we will always be unprofitable to God because he will never get any gain from making us. In fact, it says that we're no better than the dust he made us out of. So God (who I believe exists) would have to be doing this completely out of free will and nothing less than love. /soap box Yeah, religion has quite the past. Here's a step by step belief of why I think religion needs to exist, but often does it wrong: 1. God: "Here guys, these are the ten commandments, follow them and you're good." Us: "Sweet!" A few years later... 2. Us: "Well, I'll just follow commandments 1,2,7, and 9. Good enough for God and me." Then... 3. God: "Looks like you're having trouble keeping the commandments. Here's a prophet, and a church to go to. He'll let you know what's good or bad." Us: "Alright, cool." Suddenly... 4. Prophet: "Alright guys make sure you come to church next week." Random person: "I don't really like the prophet telling me not to kill. I want to start my own church. I'm a priest now." Later... 5. Priest: "Alright guys, here's my new religion. We keep the ten commandments, but we can kill. Oh and pay me every Sunday." 6. ??? 7. PROFIT! (Even though he already profited. This means DOUBLE PROFIT.) So you see, I believe religion has the purpose of helping us align ourselves with God. But people are greedy and realize church can be a cash cow. Those jerks! @Pyro: That's funny that you should want God to pop into this world and chat with you. Let me tell you about a boy named Joseph Smith... .... cue Mormon thread. Curse our religious cross-threading! Edited by Palmer, Feb 25 2010, 05:49 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Pyroclasm | Feb 25 2010, 05:58 PM Post #17 |
|
STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM
|
wait this exists what i don't even
Is my name Joseph Smith? I think not. And please don't try to convince me that it's selfish to want god to talk to me, personally. He's got infinite time and infinite power. It's not like I'm asking for something really hard for him to do. Edited by Pyroclasm, Feb 25 2010, 05:59 PM.
|
| "Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world - "No, you move."" | |
|
|
|
| Palmer | Feb 25 2010, 06:49 PM Post #18 |
|
Lvl 8 Admiral
|
No, no, you have a perfectly legitimate claim. I don't want to turn this into the Mormon thread, but this is pertaining to receiving concrete evidence of God his existence. This is an excerpt from a Mormon min-reference book. This is the explanation under the "Signs" section.
Don't take that last part to mean you guys are adulterous and evil. Not what I was getting at. Rather, just wanted you to see my thoughts on the matter. Kthxbye! Edited by Palmer, Feb 25 2010, 06:50 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Fed FFS | Feb 25 2010, 08:08 PM Post #19 |
Lvl 8 Admiral
|
Palmer, what do you think of "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: For I the lord thy god am a jealous god, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me" Exodus 20-5 One of the biggest beefs I've had with Christianity from an early age is the profoundly wicked concept of hereditary sin. For it's own sake the New Testament hardly taps into this cruel worldview were grandchildren bear the burden of shame and guilt from the sins of their forefathers. But it's still central to yours and general Christian doctrine. 4,000 hungry children leave us per hour from starvation, while billions are spent on bombs creating deathshowers (C IT?). What of their souls? Jesus spoke very clearly, "I am the way the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the father except through me" John 14-6. So what of children who are the sons of idolaters and pagan tradition, and never had a chance to meet our friendly neighborhood Jesus? the billions of africans who die in pain, strife, and hunger. Is this object of a divine plan? I know Judaism and Pre-America Christianity can't account for any of this, but maybe mormonism can... |
|
To be is to do. -Socrates To do is to be. -Sartre Do be do be do. -Sinatra | |
|
|
|
| Wastrel | Feb 25 2010, 08:27 PM Post #20 |
Fry-to-the-Maximum "The Original Black Man" (the artist formerly known as Sex) LaKillsio
|
I'll just leave this here... |
| |
|
|
|
| DA_KLOWN | Feb 25 2010, 08:36 PM Post #21 |
|
Gotta catch 'em all. Yep.
|
I'M GONNA HAVE RAPE FOR DINNER. I heart Patton Oswalt. |
|
My Shelf. Of books. | |
|
|
|
| Palmer | Feb 25 2010, 08:50 PM Post #22 |
|
Lvl 8 Admiral
|
Fed: Because you asked that questions with Mormon subjection, I am answering it in the Mormon thread. I will quote you. |
|
|
|
| Pyroclasm | Feb 25 2010, 09:20 PM Post #23 |
|
STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM
|
I'm not mocking anyone. I'd genuinely like to have some proof of the existence of a benevolent deity. That mostly sounds like a bunch of excuses to me. Also, what's the big deal with faith? Why is faith so important? I can think of a bunch of things that are better than faith; love, compassion, honesty, trust, generosity... why is faith the big one on god's list? |
| "Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world - "No, you move."" | |
|
|
|
| DarkSteele | Feb 25 2010, 09:26 PM Post #24 |
|
My chest hair makes a bird.
|
Jesus guys (HAHA GET IT) making individual new threads (RYAN) or posting in the right place (FED) is not hard. |
|
The fabulous Rantshack store / / / / / | |
|
|
|
| Wastrel | Feb 25 2010, 09:29 PM Post #25 |
|
Fry-to-the-Maximum "The Original Black Man" (the artist formerly known as Sex) LaKillsio
|
fuck you man do you think there's a whole separate debate that's unrelated to religious beliefs that starts with that video |
|
| |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Religion or lack there of · Next Topic » |
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
| Track Topic · E-mail Topic |
 7:44 PM Jul 30
|
Theme by James... of the ZBTZ and themeszetaboards.com
