What religion are you?

We will just have to agree to disagree over the definition of "religion".

Sometimes the term "religion" is used to describe something like devotion to a football team, but I regard that as a "joke" exaggeration rather than a serious description.

From my perspective, all religions involve the supernatural - almost all have a god or gods, or believe in reincarnation, or something similar.

If a belief system about how and why the world is as it is, doesn't involve the supernatural, then it's a philosophy, not a religion.

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

 

Whee! I did state a debate (although quite a short one so far)


One issue is - the term Religion (or more specifically 'Religious') has changed somewhat. It now refers more to the ceremonies and structures of a religion or faith than to the religion or faith itself. As with Tony's example, fervent football fans are said to have a religious devotion to their teams. Is you do something regularly, you are said to be doing it 'religiously'.

This change did bring about a small reaction with some Christians, who when being asked 'Are you Religious?' would say 'No, I am a Christian'

The intended distinction is this:

Religious has big negative connotations linked to dry ceremony and institutionalism. Or in other words a meaningless, tokenist faith.

 

Agreed Ricky. Even within the church this dry ceremony type system is not well receieved, as far as have experienced it. Much rather people are after a personal relationship with God, a real, relating personality who we can come to know, and enjoy, even.

 

This is not right! There are many cults in each religion that are not (and cannot be) sorted in this poll. In example, the orthodox church is quite different from the catholic but both of them are christian.

PS: I am orthodox as you might have understood

 

That is True Zeratul... But its the same for all other religions... You'd have to add Sunni and Shiite option for Islam and god knows what else for all other religions and I simply don't know enough about Buddhism to include all the different schools of thought on the subject...

I am actually suprised that we are ALL either Christian or non-believers... At the very least I thought we'd have some Jewish members

 

We used to have Isaak Stern, but he does not apear on the forum for some time now.

 

You have to believe in christianity in order to believe in the existence of satan. It is the only religion that refers to satan in the form that satanists believe into. So it satanism shoud not \ cannot be sorted

1. As a independent religion
2. As a non believer religion

It is just a worship of a part of the christian church, satan. (At least here in Greece)

PS: I believe that you know that paganism is entirely different from satanism

PS 2: There are more major religions not listed in the poll such as dodecatheism (hey! we have many believers of this here!)

PS 3: I had visitied a page once that listed all religions that are acknowledged by the papacy. If I find it I will note you.

 

Hello, Zeratul. I agree that there are many more groups in all categories, and I will also say this is the first time I have met an orthodox person. By the way, which orthodox group do you belong to? Russian, eastern, or some other that I am not aware of?
As far as Satanism being part of the Christian faith, I am not sure I agree from the point of view that Satan exists outside of our 'christian ' limitations on him. As such, I think that any of the pagan/ witchy/ occultic groups come under his domain.
But then, that is only my opinion?

 

All these subtle distinctions between branches of religions remind me of this joke:

Man sees another about to jump off a bridge, and tries to dissuade him by finding common ground:

I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?" He said, "A Christian."
I said, "Me too. Protestant or Catholic?" He said, "Protestant."
I said, "Me too. What franchise?" He says, "Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?" He says, "Northern Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?" He says, "Northern Conservative Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist or Northern Conservative Reformed Baptist?" He says, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist, Eastern Region?" He says, "Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region."
I said, "Me too. Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region, Council of 1879 or Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region, Council of 1912?" He says, Northern Conservative Fundamentalist Baptist, Great Lakes Region, Council of 1912."
I said, "Die, heretic!" and I pushed him over.

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

 

Holy War!!! I am Greek! Therefore it is not difficult to assume that I am part of the Greek Orthodox church! LOL
As for the pagan.. etc. religions, the christian church has declared them to be heretic therefore satan-whorships.
In example, dodecatheism is shorted as a pagan religion, but it has no relation to satan.

PS: Tony: I have heard this one before but it always makes me laugh!!! ROFLOL!!!

 

Briefly, what is dodecatheism, anyway I have never heard of it???

 

It is the religion of the ancient Greeks. Parts of it still remain in the modern greek orthodox religion.

 

but, surely the old Greek religions and gods are incompatable with christianity? I know that there is a lot of pagan ideas still in the church - christmas trees , Santa , easter eggs etc. Is this dodeatheism ion that line, or more like a mixture of faiths as found in places like south America where both aztec/inca faith is mixed with catholiscism. ( This is not intended to be an insult to our catholic bretheren.)

 

Consider these:

- Many orthodox chapels and temples were built upon the ruins of (sometimes expanding) ancient Greek temples.
- The birth of Christ is favored to be on 25th of December, date on which the ancient Greeks favored the birth of Dionisus.
- There are many active festives like the "apokries" (kinda like the halloween). Another one from the ancient Greek religion.
etc...