What is your relligion? Your faith? Your beliefs? No judgements here.

I want to convince myself that I'm an athiest, but the truth is I find myself cursing a higher being all the time for stuff he allows to happen....like the bridge collapse. But the fact that I'm cursing him/her must mean I believe right? I'm not sure. What i do know is that respect is important. Respect and be good to your family, your friends, yourself and nature.

Even though I am not Jewish, I am an Old Testament believer. I just believe that Christianity steers itself too far away from the Old Testament and its tenets and traditions that have survived over 5000 years. To illustrate my point, the other day I was channel surfing and stopped just in time to hear a Christian Minister call the Rabbis in a couple of Old Testament books (Malachi and Ezra), priests and preachers, ouch.

I was brought up Catholic but currenly do not attend church or really pracice. My mind is really open though. Religion has torn people apart for to long. I completly agree with you when you said "Religion boils down to one simple thing. How you treat your fellow man. Period."

As for me, I've been going to church again. Eventhough im not sure im Catholic. Either way I believe in God, and i find the need to actualize a spiritual life in some ritualistic way. Well, I realized just recently why I'am so turned off by organized religion. It's because i find it alarming when religious people start believing they are the chosen ones and the path they've found is the ONLY path. I'm afraid of the repercussions it will have on the world. I think alot of people in my generation feels the same way, because this is the era of religious wars. If our parents had Nam and Cold war, we have terrorism and Al Qaeda and people dying and being killed in the name of God. I actually don't mind it when people don't follow a specific religion, but I still believe it is highly important to search for God, and actualize a relationship with God in a conscious and realistic way. I feel that believing in God but doing nothing to consciously acknowledge it is like telling yourself you love a person, but you never tell him or show him that you do. It remains inert energy. It ahs to be activated.

Hello Jack, I usually avoid these subjects as they end up tiresome in the end, but you are an intelligent friend and I'm feeling a little inspired this evening. I'm a bit like Annie, I was brought up Catholic, through the school system, went to church on Sundays like a good girl and had to attend mass on particular religious days as part of being educated in a catholic school. Of course it put me off. I could understand little of the sermons, the rantings, ravings, the fear mongering etc. When I was old enough to complain so much, my mother agreed that I didn't have to go to mass any more - yippee. In my mid to late 20's I questioned life, like most people do. I had an interest in the occult - being metaphysical realms, and my questions got bigger and bigger and I could not let them go. Eventually in my mid 30's I started reading extensively and after a breakout from the riggers of a career I never wanted, I left a well paying, very stressful job. From then I started a quest of seeking and found a set of teachings which helped me to get in touch with what I was looking for. I was looking for my self and answers to those strange questions I was asking. Of course I'm still asking and not all my questions are answerable! My main concern with teachings in the past was the dogma attached to them. This is what led me to turn my back on organized religion - RULES. Rules that clearly were not being followed to their symbolic essential meaning. And as I find their are quotients to be filled by the flocks of many religious sects - one does question the integrity of the teachings. I feel grateful that I've found teachings where I can learn to see things for myself and have experiences that I was looking for. I am learning so many things, not only about the non-physical realms, but just what makes humans tick - and that's mind blowing! But it's bringing those experiences I do believe in higher presences. It took me along time to utter the word God because of all the negative memories it brought of my catholic upbringing. I'd rather use Divine Presence or something to that effect for my own purposes and for no other reason. This has become long winded. But I've come to learn that how you treat your fellow man is measured by how you treat yourself. So the more of my own wonderful essence I find, the more I can see this in other people. (Alas, I wish more people were working on their own stuff and not being so concerned about everyone else's shortcomings!)

I grew up in a very religious family. But questioned the whole concept from a very young age. From waking up early religiously every Sunday to attend Sunday school and pray to a very cruel and blind God. Needless to say I was dragged to the Pastor to rid me from all my evilness. As is known children have the ability to ask the most shockingly logical questions. The learned Pastor did not have the answers to these questions. Eventually I refrained from questioning the whole concept in order to avoid the bible punching sessions. Later in life, after a lot of soul searching, I came to the conclusion, that there must be a Higher Force. I try to treat people in a way, that I would like to be treated. What I believe in get’s very well said in an old script Found in Old St. Paul's Church. Please forgive the lengthy post, but I can’t talk about these matters without putting up the script. Here are two links that I think you will find very interesting, when I first saw it I immediately thought of you. Especially the, "freethinker", it is excellent! http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/mathew/intro.html http://ffrf.org/nontracts/freethinker.php Desiderata -- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s -- "Found in Old St. Paul's Church"! Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

a question in answer to yours you stated that you believe there is only one God wich in effect is true there is only one we should worship yet if no othere exist why then would he warn us (Exo.20:3-17 3 "You shall have no other gods before me.

We should think as much as we can. Our brain and knowledge in brain works upto some extents. There are many layers of knowledge. Many things, many creatures and many worlds are hiden to our eyes. Our religions discover such worlds and we get the answers of our onsolved questions. Univers is very very old and our life is limited as our brains and thinkings. So we should belive on the teachings of our religions. As concerned about hell and heaven. We notice it in our life.It is time tested phenomena that Time gives rewards and time also punishes. Tine is a best teacher and also best judge. This phenmena proves that heaven and hell is also available in our present life. If we do good get good. If we do bad we collect the bad results. Time proves every thing, time will will also manage to mend your thinkings.

Jumpinjack that was very well said, I agree I think we all worship the same God just in different ways, I think hell will be just a state of mind, how well you treated others, I think all religions do some good for people as long as they are not killing people.