Are you religious?

[Loz]

Not a joke or something to be made fun of, but my interesting in people's beliefs has been perked up again since working in a Catholic environment.

So, where do you stand?

[shuttlecart]

god is good and no matter what anyone says, being tampered with by a priest is good for the soul.

[emef]

i have spent a lot of time toing and froing believing, not believing
i dont believe now but i wish i did cos it must be quite comforting
i should try and make myself believe cos by the time i find out its not i'll be dead and wont care
pity its such a far fetched little story, ya really would have to be a mug
i'll pray for a head injury that will make me a bit more thick than i am

[Loz]

being religious doesn't necessarily have to have anything to do with the church or any organised religion.

[emef]

yeah thanks for that loz

i dont believe in anything, its all made up
i suppose i could look at the types of long beaked birds that can only pollenate those deep flowers and see some sort of plan there
but i dont think theres any higher power of any kind


i'm not thrilled at thinking this way but i can't see any other way to think about things
the worlds an amazing and tragic place, i dont think anythings behind it
i'd be chuffed if there was
so if a god is reading, i'm open to a sign (make it easy to see)

[Loz]

@emef - that was directed at shuttlecart, not you

[emef]

try quotes then doofus

happy xmas loz btw :)

[love_tempo]

I'm Buddhist. I suppose that makes me an agnostic but that misses the point really.

[AVX23]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i43/just3578jamie/necronomicon.jpg

[Loz]

@love_tempo - thought Buddhists were all atheists?

@emef - happy christmas, mate

[mdk]

i spose i have my own brand of agnosticism. i think that 'god' or the truth about god (which is in some ways a circular concept) is essentially unknowable, particularly because no-one can express what 'god' means.

really it comes down to this :

i am my own religion.

[Sheridan]

I have always just viewed the earth and the universe as being 'alive'. I have never been down with the idea of a creator god or one that intervenes. I don't believe in heaven or hell. I think that when we die something happens to our life force, but I don't think that we will be conscience of what it is. and in all, I don't really care as it is out of my control.

[drop]

i've always believed in God
and have never been interested in fucking with this
cause theres more important things to worry about

recently i've been reading books on buddhist philosophy
and have applied, what i believe, is a buddist approach towards life
i can tell you life has been pretty good since i made certain "adjustments"

i have noticed that buddhism as a religion really depends from culture to culture. sitting in front of a buddha and meditating is the same, in my eyes, as lying prostrate before jesus on the cross and praying.

[emef]

I have always just viewed the earth and the universe as being 'alive'. I have never been down with the idea of a creator god or one that intervenes. I don't believe in heaven or hell. I think that when we die something happens to our life force, but I don't think that we will be conscience of what it is. and in all, I don't really care as it is out of my control.

aye... what he said

(not being sarcastic btw)

[love_tempo]

@love_tempo - thought Buddhists were all atheists?

Well, it's hard to make blanket statements about Buddhists because really there's so many schools of thought. So apologies if my reply is self-contradictory :)

Soooooo....on the one hand Buddhism at a superficial level has always referenced the existence of gods (plural). On the other hand, it then goes on to ignore them as irrelevant. Finally, in the philosophical schools of Buddism, nothing is held to really exist in the concrete sense.

So, I suppose you could say that it is theistic in that it holds that Gods exist in some sens. It is agnostic in that it doesn't really place any importance in them. Then it is atheistic in that it says that nothing, including gods, cats, dogs, humans, rocks etc... really has a substantial existence.

Does that make any sense?

[Sheridan]

aye... what he said

(not being sarcastic btw)


word.

[xxd]

yes i belive in god. i'm moslem and there is only 1 god.... we have all the same 1 god

i do not live like a moslem, coz i use drugs i fuck gilrs i drink alcohol and yeah in my earlyer times i eat porke.
i don't think u have to live or belive what in koran or bibel or tora stand cauz this all made by a human hand and u never know if it's the truth i even don't think god send any books to the earth otherwise someone must be seen god anytime


but i'm a muslim form my head till my feets

[JonnySpeed]

i know god doesn't exist and am quite suspicious of other adults that beleave. I put god in with Father Chritsmas, Suoerheros, Tooth Fairy etc... as a bit of fun for children

[isoprax]

I am an Atheist.

and I'm on the prowl!

[ckpqerjwrpwp]

I think I'd class myself as 'Scientific Agnostic'.

I'd be quite willing for someone to prove that god did or didn't exist, but no one has managed to do either yet. In the meantime I don't think it matters either way anyway.

I find the concept of Blasphemy hilarious, that us ants could annoy or hurt the feelings of a omnipotent being.

[skosh]

whats difference between agnostic and atheist? i've forgotten

i dont believe

[ckpqerjwrpwp]

Atheists are 100% sure god does not exist.

Agnostics think that being 100% sure about anything which is impossible to prove is arrogant and deluded :)

[skosh]

guess i'm agnostic then :D

[ckpqerjwrpwp]

heheh... BE AGNOSTIC OR DIE!

[nempsey]

god is a kind of floaty gas

[ckpqerjwrpwp]

It's about now someone needs to say that religions cause everything that is wrong with the world, and then someone else can bring up Hitler and Stalin to prove them wrong. How about we do that at 11am GMT?

[skosh]

god is a dj

[JonnySpeed]

spirital hippies need stabbing

[ckpqerjwrpwp]

Spectral hippies need inverting.

[skosh]

spectrum zippies need converting

[spoon]

oh it's this thread again.

[Jeniffer Mills]

i spose i have my own brand of agnosticism. i think that 'god' or the truth about god (which is in some ways a circular concept) is essentially unknowable, particularly because no-one can express what 'god' means.

really it comes down to this :

i am my own religion.

...Good point.

[ckpqerjwrpwp]

I've decided to become a follower of MDK.

ALL HAIL MDK. GLORIOUS LEADER.

[JonnySpeed]

goth is the true lord our saviour.. it was just a typo

[Jeniffer Mills]

Jonny, how does your GF feel about that avi?

[thembuzz]

i'm agnostic. to say that there absolutely is a god, yes sir, strikes me as both foolish and conceited. are we that important? to say categorically that there isn't seems arrogant to me

[nempsey]

Jonny, how does your GF feel about that avi?

well i for one feel pretty good about it.

im not his girlfriend tho

[leatherface]

love is the message

[Whuffle]

erutufon is god. Hail Erutufon!

[JonnySpeed]

Jonny, how does your GF feel about that avi?

its not my gf, its my baby sister.

[leatherface]

i love your baby sitter

[Jeniffer Mills]

i love your baby sitter

he said babySISTER not "sitter" you dicknose..

[leatherface]

ok i love his baby sister too
warren : GO FUCK A DUCK

[V Knid esq]

http://www.skierpage.com/images/southparkgod.jpg

[Loz]

I am an atheist, 100%. Although I couldn't say whether I'll be an atheist for all of my life or not. Something may happen to make me change my mind, but right now, I don't believe in anything.

[soulcheck]

I don't believe in god in most popular meanings of this world. Just because it sucks to believe in supernatural (what does that mean anyway?) being that has planned all your life and which you will never fully understand.

There is a set of rules, that we discovering all the time, but putting any intelligence in them is a bit naive to me.

I don't believe, and i live somehow, so i don't need god.

[JonnySpeed]

jesus is an astronaut

http://www.actiontoys.de/catalog/images/jesus.gif

[wheezer]

everybody in the club get tipsy

[marcel]

I've decided to become a follower of MDK.

ALL HAIL MDK. GLORIOUS LEADER.
ALL HAIL MDK!

[Ladytron]

follow your god's way!

for mdk followers only (http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=7b2c5d6ce9278b3e6605ed 7G06122214)

[mdk]

DANCE MY CHILDREN. DANCE.

for i am the lord of the dance said he and i lead you all wherever you may be....

[al.x.e]

Love to one only is a barbarity, for it is exercised at the expense of all others.
Love to God also!

[thomas hooked]

wisdom and war for me.
http://www.sciencesnaturelles.be/cb/birdspictures/images/Athene%20noctua%201.JPG

"god is a word and the arguement ends there" said smog on his last album and i liked that.

[garew]

This subject has been on my mind a lot lately and its so strange that I have seen it brought up many times recently and even television shows are playing specials on it. Maybe there is a thought wave length that people tune into like the radio. Probably cause Christmas is coming, but I don't remember other Christmases like this.

[Loz]

know what you mean, garew. I just thought I was more attuned to it this year, being around so many religious people for a change. I found myself realising that I almost assume people are atheists, when in fact probably more people believe in a god or something than don't.

[ckpqerjwrpwp]

More people in Britain think religion causes harm than believe it does good, according to a Guardian/ICM poll published today. It shows that an overwhelming majority see religion as a cause of division and tension - greatly outnumbering the smaller majority who also believe that it can be a force for good.

The poll also reveals that non-believers outnumber believers in Britain by almost two to one. It paints a picture of a sceptical nation with massive doubts about the effect religion has on society: 82% of those questioned say they see religion as a cause of division and tension between people. Only 16% disagree. The findings are at odds with attempts by some religious leaders to define the country as one made up of many faith communities.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1978046,00.html

[al.x.e]

there is no god, but a lot o prophets...
BELIEVE ME!











is there any cheese surroundin us?

[JonnySpeed]

i'm agnostic. to say that there absolutely is a god, yes sir, strikes me as both foolish and conceited. are we that important? to say categorically that there isn't seems arrogant to me

i'd prefer to be sure about a few things in my life. god is one of those things that the balance of probablity is such that it/he/she does not exist and does not warant further consideration...

QED

[wheezer]

an omnipotent being would necessarily exist on some completely other plane of existance, your proof is like squinting hard trying to make out a single quark

[JonnySpeed]

squitting where?

[wheezer]

don't really matter much with quarks, does it?

[soulcheck]

Allright, here's the truth.

I am God.

MDK is my son. He was born to his mother which i never slept with, but it doesn't really matter.

Apparently we are one person too.

[JonnySpeed]

the quarks care the most, man.

[JonnySpeed]

Climber's Widow On The Tragedy

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[mdk]

Allright, here's the truth.

I am God.

MDK is my son. He was born to his mother which i never slept with, but it doesn't really matter.

Apparently we are one person too.

alright dad.

hows tricks?

[V Knid esq]

There is no Soulcheck but Soulcheck and MDK is his prophet.

http://www.dici.org/dl/fichiers/prostration.jpg

[thembuzz]

i'd prefer to be sure about a few things in my life. god is one of those things that the balance of probablity is such that it/he/she does not exist and does not warant further consideration...

QED

if we're talking god as in some big humanoid thing, looking down on all creation from a point somewhere outside the universe, then yes, on the balance of probability, maybe not so. but the idea that god would bear any resemblance to humans is a perfect example of the kind of conceit of which i think unquestioning believers are guilty

but taking a broader view - say, god as a kind of sentient force, with no physical manifestation... like gaia, for example - i don't know if i can rule that out. when i think about life on this planet - and the fact that not just life, but a series of varied, balanced and complex ecosystems even came into being on this planet in the first place - it doesn't seem so ridiculous to me that there might be some sort of 'force' (for want of a better word) driving it all. of course it might actually all be a total fluke, and everything that ever existed has done so in a state of chaos, and that's what i'm more inclined to believe. but in the total absence of proof one way or another, i have to keep an open mind

[soulcheck]

alright dad.

hows tricks?

Ahh, allright sonny.

Just came back from vacations on another astral plane, and noticed how fucked up things have gone here. I'm thinking about destroying the world and starting again. Are you up to it?

[lowerlevels]

When lightening split trees and howling wind snapped branches, our poor ancestors ran for shelter and huddled around each other screaming out that the gods are angry. Today, thunder and lightening and gale forces are understood through science. Religion always lies beyond what can be explained. As our sphere of understanding increases , religion is forced to become more abstract, to climb further back into the shadows of the unknown universe and continually position itself to explain totality. Christianity has failed, outstripped of it's bronze age mysteries with an inability to hold hands with science. The result is a vacuum that is appearing as classic spiritual traditions are rotting to mush. Either we charge into that vacuum and evolve new systems, overcoming this age of philisophical BLANK
or we stay prisoner to ignorance, like a baby chick that cannot break through the egg shell.

[gypsy_cream]

:-0

[spoon]

*head explodes*

[garew]

Im not totally against the idea of reincarnation, either. Just being born here on earth is amazing enough. Why couldn't it happen again? Id like to come back as a rock star. Mick Jagger maybe. It will most likely be a toad bovine crusher on some distant planet or Gerald, an overwieght balding male working in IT.

[Loz]

or Gerald, an overwieght balding male working in IT.


can you be reincarnated as yourself?

[leatherface]

lol@loz

[gypsy_cream]

lol@letherface

[al.x.e]

SUPPOSING that Truth is a woman--what then? Is there not ground
for suspecting that all philosophers, in so far as they have been
dogmatists, have failed to understand women--that the terrible
seriousness and clumsy importunity with which they have usually
paid their addresses to Truth, have been unskilled and unseemly
methods for winning a woman? Certainly she has never allowed
herself to be won; and at present every kind of dogma stands with
sad and discouraged mien--IF, indeed, it stands at all! For there
are scoffers who maintain that it has fallen, that all dogma lies
on the ground--nay more, that it is at its last gasp. But to
speak seriously, there are good grounds for hoping that all
dogmatizing in philosophy, whatever solemn, whatever conclusive
and decided airs it has assumed, may have been only a noble
puerilism and tyronism; and probably the time is at hand when it
will be once and again understood WHAT has actually sufficed for
the basis of such imposing and absolute philosophical edifices as
the dogmatists have hitherto reared: perhaps some popular
superstition of immemorial time (such as the soul-superstition,
which, in the form of subject- and ego-superstition, has not yet
ceased doing mischief): perhaps some play upon words, a deception
on the part of grammar, or an audacious generalization of very
restricted, very personal, very human--all-too-human facts. The
philosophy of the dogmatists, it is to be hoped, was only a
promise for thousands of years afterwards, as was astrology in
still earlier times, in the service of which probably more
labour, gold, acuteness, and patience have been spent than on any
actual science hitherto: we owe to it, and to its "super-
terrestrial" pretensions in Asia and Egypt, the grand style of
architecture. It seems that in order to inscribe themselves upon
the heart of humanity with everlasting claims, all great things
have first to wander about the earth as enormous and awe-
inspiring caricatures: dogmatic philosophy has been a caricature
of this kind--for instance, the Vedanta doctrine in Asia, and
Platonism in Europe. Let us not be ungrateful to it, although it
must certainly be confessed that the worst, the most tiresome,
and the most dangerous of errors hitherto has been a dogmatist
error--namely, Plato's invention of Pure Spirit and the Good in
Itself. But now when it has been surmounted, when Europe, rid of
this nightmare, can again draw breath freely and at least enjoy a
healthier--sleep, we, WHOSE DUTY IS WAKEFULNESS ITSELF, are the
heirs of all the strength which the struggle against this error
has fostered. It amounted to the very inversion of truth, and the
denial of the PERSPECTIVE--the fundamental condition--of life, to
speak of Spirit and the Good as Plato spoke of them; indeed one
might ask, as a physician: "How did such a malady attack that
finest product of antiquity, Plato? Had the wicked Socrates
really corrupted him? Was Socrates after all a corrupter of
youths, and deserved his hemlock?" But the struggle against
Plato, or--to speak plainer, and for the "people"--the struggle
against the ecclesiastical oppression of millenniums of
Christianity (FOR CHRISTIANITY IS PLATONISM FOR THE "PEOPLE"),
produced in Europe a magnificent tension of soul, such as had not
existed anywhere previously; with such a tensely strained bow one
can now aim at the furthest goals. As a matter of fact, the
European feels this tension as a state of distress, and twice
attempts have been made in grand style to unbend the bow: once by
means of Jesuitism, and the second time by means of democratic
enlightenment--which, with the aid of liberty of the press and
newspaper-reading, might, in fact, bring it about that the spirit
would not so easily find itself in "distress"! (The Germans
invented gunpowder--all credit to them! but they again made things
square--they invented printing.) But we, who are neither Jesuits,
nor democrats, nor even sufficiently Germans, we GOOD EUROPEANS,
and free, VERY free spirits--we have it still, all the distress
of spirit and all the tension of its bow! And perhaps also the
arrow, the duty, and, who knows? THE GOAL TO AIM AT. . . .

F. Nietzsche, Sils Maria Upper Engadine, JUNE, 1885.

[skosh]

at xmas i think we'd be just as well celebrating some fictitious character's birthday like alice in wonderland or bilbo baggins, then i suppose it wouldn't be called xmas anymore eh

[JonnySpeed]

shut up. of course bilbo is real. he lives in wales.

[soulcheck]

I prefer xxxmas anyway ;)

[skosh]

i meant fictitious in inverted commas

[Weishaupt]

i believe

[V Knid esq]

My instinctive feeling is that consciousness is not something that is localised in individual packets in individual entities, but is an intrinsic property of space-time-matter-energy that concentrates and dissipates in accordance with its own rules... so there isn't A universal consciousness, but there is consciousness throughout the universe which can be more or less self aware... and in accordance with the theory of dynamic boundaries, different entities can be said to 'exist' at different scales...

also I think cities are gods.

[drop]

yer all crazy

[V Knid esq]

yer all crazy



come on and have shome

[stak_etop]

who ever brakes out with the nature, that they ignore, soon, or possible they got stuck with it and never it bothers humans, nature for sure

[JonnySpeed]

cybermen are gay

[Dave Sofa]

As a Buddhist I try to rely on my own experience to form the basis for what I believe. God isn't in my experience therefore I don't know that he exists, so I chose agnostic. It aint something I bother myself with though, life's too short and whilst there are millions of questions I could ask it kinda seems to detract from being alive to what's going at this moment in time, I mean this, one, sorry this one, nnnnnnrrgh!!

[nempsey]

My instinctive feeling is that consciousness is not something that is localised in individual packets in individual entities, but is an intrinsic property of space-time-matter-energy that concentrates and dissipates in accordance with its own rules... .

BRING BACK THE ETHER all is forgiven

[V Knid esq]

BRING BACK THE ETHER all is forgiven


I'll stick with nitrous, ta 8-()