Religion that appeals to you?

hongi · Post by **hongi** » 2007-07-09 12:38am

If you didn't hold the same religious beliefs as you have now, what other religion would you convert to? For example, if you're a Christian, what other religion appeals to you the most? If you're an atheist and you can magically get over the problem of evidence of God, what would you convert to?

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 2007-07-09 12:55am

probably buddhism or one of the native american religions

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2007-07-09 01:12am

Eh, my doc is a Buddhist, and he's about the most rational guy I know... it can't be all bad.

Starglider · Post by **Starglider** » 2007-07-09 01:19am

I would worship Chibi Satan.

chitoryu12 · Post by **chitoryu12** » 2007-07-09 01:29am

I currently have my own religion. Basically, I believe in God and Heaven, but no Hell. If you're bad enough to not deserve to get into Heaven, you get tossed right back down to Earth for another lifetime. However, if you get into Heaven (which comes in the form of whatever you would enjoy the most), you may feel free at any time in eternity to be reincarnated. I also believe in karma, but not in the Buddhist sense. In fact, my version of karma is basically that for every good deed you do, something good of equal value will occur to you, while for every bad deed you do something of equal value will happen as well. Take, for example, a man in the first Darwin Awards book. He stole from a church's collection basket, ran out onto the highway to escape, and was promptly splattered by a bus. Also, my version of God just gave us the Big Bang and took a backseat to the rest of creation, so yes, I believe in evolution. He's more of a manager-type now. It's simple, encompasses most beliefs, and keeps me happy.

I am considering a change to Pastafarianism, however.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2007-07-09 01:31am

Buddhism is one of the less repulsive religions out there, at least the Chinese version. Barring that, I'd go with my own flavor of religion, Caffeinology.

Pelranius · Post by **Pelranius** » 2007-07-09 01:34am

I assume that means that I have to choose a wholly different religion, instead of simply another denomination.

I'll probably go with Buddhism and the various Chinese folk beliefs mixed up with it, since that's what my family mostly does. Hinduism, Islam and Judaism all have their good points, but they seem to throw a lot of complications into the mix as well.

Metatwaddle · Post by **Metatwaddle** » 2007-07-09 01:34am

The Quakers always seemed pretty cool to me. I just saw an editorial about some facets of Quaker ideology in the American Physical Society newsletter, of all places, and the ed rubbed me the wrong way, but at least "be extra extra nice to people" is much better than "you're going to hell". The religion is way too touchy-feely for me, but it's probably the best I can do.

Buddhism might work as well.

Pick · Post by **Pick** » 2007-07-09 01:36am

Holy crap, Mab's art has actually gotten worse! [size=0]Since 2001, when I last saw her work.[/size]

Anyway, back on track: I'd go to Buddhism. End of story. I've actually considered it in the past.

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2007-07-09 01:49am

I don't see the need for religion and I certainly don't see anyone which appeals to me. There are some extremists Buddhists as well as there are Christian fundies.

Doctor Why · Post by **Doctor Why** » 2007-07-09 02:03am

Discordianism, I have actually used to hand out Discordian POPE cards and the like to Christians, who took me seriously half of the time. Though Buddhism appeals to me as well, and would be my religion of choice if I were to convert to a mainstream religion.

Plekhanov · Post by **Plekhanov** » 2007-07-09 02:49am

I'd go for some form of pantheism don't really know which as I've never really looked at them in any detail.

Less seriously Pastafarianism looks quite fun as do some of the older polytheistic systems.

Singular Intellect · Post by **Singular Intellect** » 2007-07-09 08:38am

It's beyond my ability to comprehend chosing a religion. It would require such a major change in my way of thinking and personality that being religious effectively destroys the person I am already.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2007-07-09 09:26am

Mange wrote:I don't see the need for religion and I certainly don't see anyone which appeals to me. There are some extremists Buddhists as well as there are Christian fundies.

When was the last time you heard of Buddhists burning down Churches that didn't agree with them? Methinks that the nutter ratio makes Buddhism easily the more palatable version.

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2007-07-09 10:20am

General Zod wrote:
Mange wrote:I don't see the need for religion and I certainly don't see anyone which appeals to me. There are some extremists Buddhists as well as there are Christian fundies.
When was the last time you heard of Buddhists burning down Churches that didn't agree with them? Methinks that the nutter ratio makes Buddhism easily the more palatable version.

Well, IIRC it was on the news some time ago that Buddhists burned down some churches in an Asian country (Cambodia or Bangladesh as well as churches in Sri Lanka).

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2007-07-09 10:56am

Mange wrote:
General Zod wrote:
Mange wrote:I don't see the need for religion and I certainly don't see anyone which appeals to me. There are some extremists Buddhists as well as there are Christian fundies.
When was the last time you heard of Buddhists burning down Churches that didn't agree with them? Methinks that the nutter ratio makes Buddhism easily the more palatable version.
Well, IIRC it was on the news some time ago that Buddhists burned down some churches in an Asian country (Cambodia or Bangladesh as well as churches in Sri Lanka).

Compared to how many Christians bombing abortion clinics, picketing military funerals and beating up gays because they felt like it again?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2007-07-09 10:58am

Mange wrote:Well, IIRC it was on the news some time ago that Buddhists burned down some churches in an Asian country (Cambodia or Bangladesh as well as churches in Sri Lanka).

Did they do it in the name of Buddhism, or did they just happen to be nominally Buddhist the way 90% of Americans are nominally Christian? You could replace pretty much any American crime story with "Christian does <insert crime here>" if you wanted to. It's different when you can actually tie the crime to the religion.

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2007-07-09 12:03pm

General Zod wrote:
Mange wrote:
General Zod wrote: When was the last time you heard of Buddhists burning down Churches that didn't agree with them? Methinks that the nutter ratio makes Buddhism easily the more palatable version.
Well, IIRC it was on the news some time ago that Buddhists burned down some churches in an Asian country (Cambodia or Bangladesh as well as churches in Sri Lanka).
Compared to how many Christians bombing abortion clinics, picketing military funerals and beating up gays because they felt like it again?

I certainly don't dispute that (Christianity is deplorable in that sense), what I meant was that religion tends to spawn extremism. But I agree, Buddhism is much, much more moderate and tolerant compared with any of the Abrahamic faiths.

Darth Wong wrote:Did they do it in the name of Buddhism, or did they just happen to be nominally Buddhist the way 90% of Americans are nominally Christian?

IIRC, it was Buddhist monks who carried out the attacks in Sri Lanka. However, to be fair, I'm convinced that it has more to do with ethnic tensions than religious (particularly in the case with Sri Lanka) despite what BS Christian fundies spouts.

Darth Wong wrote:You could replace pretty much any American crime story with "Christian does <insert crime here>" if you wanted to. It's different when you can actually tie the crime to the religion.

Yes, I do realize that.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2007-07-09 12:15pm

Mange wrote: I certainly don't dispute that (Christianity is deplorable in that sense), what I meant was that religion tends to spawn extremism. But I agree, Buddhism is much, much more moderate and tolerant compared with any of the Abrahamic faiths.

Saying that a religion spawns extremism because it's a religion is a worthless statement without actual examples to back it up.

IIRC, it was Buddhist monks who carried out the attacks in Sri Lanka. However, to be fair, I'm convinced that it has more to do with ethnic tensions than religious (particularly in the case with Sri Lanka) despite what BS Christian fundies spouts.

See, this is why I specified Chinese Buddhism. There's less ethnic tensions and no idiotic caste system with that particular version of the religion. Hindu Buddhism is somewhat more restrictive in that regard.

Zixinus · Post by **Zixinus** » 2007-07-09 12:53pm

I'd worship his divine Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Seriously? I'd make up my own. I couldn't bear to take another person's ideology and beliefs. I'm sure that I could whip up some amusing mythology.

I'd say that free will is Godesses's (why are most gods referred to as male anyway?) gift to Humanity, and that love is birthright and reflection of Her divine power. Oh, and priests could marry.

chitoryu12 · Post by **chitoryu12** » 2007-07-09 01:14pm

Zixinus wrote:I'd worship his divine Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Seriously? I'd make up my own. I couldn't bear to take another person's ideology and beliefs. I'm sure that I could whip up some amusing mythology.

I'd say that free will is Godesses's (why are most gods referred to as male anyway?) gift to Humanity, and that love is birthright and reflection of Her divine power. Oh, and priests could marry.

Did you by any chance read my post?

Zixinus · Post by **Zixinus** » 2007-07-09 01:21pm

Did you by any chance read my post?

Yes. And?

darthbob88 · Post by **darthbob88** » 2007-07-09 02:56pm

Presently, I categorize myself as a polytheistic alatrist--there is a god, probably a whole slew of them, but they're all too big a bunch of bastards for me to seriously consider worshiping. I might very easily pray to them in time of need, of course, but that's the extent of it.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2007-07-09 03:35pm

I don't know of any religions that appeal.
The whole supernatural business is anathema to me...

...let me know if there's a First Congregational Church of Naked Cowboy Crisco Twister, Reformed, and I'll get back to you.

chitoryu12 · Post by **chitoryu12** » 2007-07-09 04:57pm

Zixinus wrote:
Did you by any chance read my post?
Yes. And?

No reason...