Religion

[Cool-Points]

(before we begin I need to say a few forewords. I know this is a cliche` topic, and yes, I used the search bar. And, to no surprise whatsoever, the BBS is flooded with these. But this one is different. Why? read on.)

Whenever person A starts talking about their religion, for some reason, person B will automatically engage an argument with person A. And it doesn't matter what kind of person that person B is, whether he/she is the nicest person in the world or the meanest, a religious confrontation always occurs. The conversation naturally digresses to the point where they start either yelling at each other, or making snide little comments about what will happen to person B if person A doesn't beleive in his/her religion.

Here's the challenge: discuss religion without falling towards the same fate as 99% of all the other religious threads. Talk about the details and dynamics of your religion, what you believe, etc. and why you believe it. Yes, that's right: "why." You can post your religious symbol, ask questions about your own or other people's religion, whatever you want. The only taboo is arguing.

I'll start. I'm a Buddhist. It's a non-theistic religion as well as a philosophy. A common misconception is that "Buddha" is a god. No. "Buddha" is the word for anyone who achieves Total Realization (Enlightenment). The fat statue guy is Siddhartha Gautama; the very first Buddha, and the guy actually had a normal build when he was younger, not fat. (I have no idea where the urbanization of him being "fat" came from :/...) I practice meditation about 4 times a week. All the meditation methods are actually kind of fun and interesting. You sit there and contemplate existence and its little bells and whistles.. and the physical aspects are awesome to! Sometimes I'll sit there and I'll try to "feel" my own brain, or the "empty space between my own ears" etc.. :P

There are a lot of Buddhist symbols, but one of the major ones is the "DharmaChakra" wheel; the symbol for the four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

(All ignorant replies that are shorter than 2 sentences will be ignored.)

[slevin]

What if person A and person B are the same religion?

[ihavedreams]

I'm agnostic, have been since I discovered the term to describe my uncertainty of the cosmos.

Growing up, my parents were Presbyterian (for those who didn't know, basically it translates
to 'live a good life, follow the 10 commandments, be a good person, etc.), and religion wasn't
forced upon me. We didn't go to church, I was left to discover on my own how I felt about it.

As I get older, I just have to doubt the presence of a higher power, with the things i've seen
in the world. What other human beings do to eachother, we live in a bleak fucking state of
affairs. Additionally, i'm a realist, and I have a very hard time finding the spiritual side of
myself, and think most of the time there's a scientific explanation for everything.

At the same time, I like to think of myself as open-minded, and I don't want to be as ignorant
to outright refute the possiblity that there's something watching over us. It's possible, but i'm
so bitter and cynical, I have a hard time believing it. A very hard time.

[PaulKaiser]

At 5/23/07 01:13 PM, Cool-Points wrote: (before we begin I need to say a few forewords. I know this is a cliche` topic, and yes, I used the search bar. And, to no surprise whatsoever, the BBS is flooded with these. But this one is different. Why? read on.)

Whenever person A starts talking about their religion, for some reason, person B will automatically engage an argument with person A. And it doesn't matter what kind of person that person B is, whether he/she is the nicest person in the world or the meanest, a religious confrontation always occurs. The conversation naturally digresses to the point where they start either yelling at each other, or making snide little comments about what will happen to person B if person A doesn't beleive in his/her religion.

Wow, the above paragraph has perfectly summed up the argument I had with my friend just a few days ago, me being person B.

Epic win.

I think religion is a mental paranoia many people suffer from, or at least when they let their religion go to such an extreme it completely takes over their life.
However, my opinion will change as I grow.

[Kazzar]

At 5/23/07 01:16 PM, slevin wrote: What if person A and person B are the same religion?

Then they talk about how much they hate person C

[jesseRYU]

I'm Christian i guess i think god is real but i don't think you have to do all this bull shit just to go to heaven i think you just have to be a good person and try your best at whatever you do and you know say thanks god every now and then to show ya care.

I respect every other religion though and everyone else who doesn't believe some of my best friends are non believers so I don't care in any way I dont try to convert or anything

so yay im a skater PIE! @#$%

[WillPostForFood]

I am a Atheist. I find it illogical and unnecessary to have a omnipotent being present in the universe. I find that scientific reasoning has shown that God most likely is just the dream of humans. I think that a person can be happy without religion.

Though being an Atheist has some social down sides. I can't even begin to count the amount of Christians that have told me 'Your atheist? You must worship the devil and have no morals!!!!' or something along those lines.

*sigh*

[Phase-X-807]

I guess im atheist,but im kind of inspired by Buddhism too.

[jesseRYU]

those bastards fuck them.

damn funny sig to.

[yoshiclass]

whatif people argue anyways buddists can't control people/!!!!!!or can they? NO THEY CAN'T

[NISMOelite]

Newgrounds and religion are like oil and water. They will never mix. Ya feel me?

[WillPostForFood]

At 5/23/07 02:16 PM, NISMOelite wrote: Newgrounds and religion are like oil and water. They will never mix. Ya feel me?

I think its just the fact that Newgrounds BBS is a diverse place. Arguments will occur because everyone here is different.

[Cool-Points]

At 5/23/07 02:12 PM, WillPostForFood wrote:

Though being an Atheist has some social down sides. I can't even begin to count the amount of Christians that have told me 'Your atheist? You must worship the devil and have no morals!!!!' or something along those lines.

*sigh*

Yeah, I think most religions can vouch for that :/.. it sucks when people blindly and arbitrarily argue against your religion just because you don't share the same opinion as them. I think the religions should be unified simply in the concept that all religions share the same morals and concepts of love. They all teach positivity and the exercise and building of better feelings and emotions, they're just written in different ways :/... Same for Atheism. Although you may not believe in a god, you still think it's better to be good to people right? (sorry if it sounds like I'm telling you what you think :[...). If such is true, then I guess I'm safe in implying that "love" is the only universal "religion" :P.. but again, it's just speculation. Doesn't mean I'm right :]

[sheffgb]

I don't know if I would count as agnostic, because I have decided my views. I've decided it doesn't matter if there is a God, because there's nothing I can do about it, and I can't know how he would want me to act. I don't think it would be Atheism, because I'm not denying a god, I just don't...care.

[WillPostForFood]

At 5/23/07 02:22 PM, Cool-Points wrote: Same for Atheism. Although you may not believe in a god, you still think it's better to be good to people right? (sorry if it sounds like I'm telling you what you think :[...). If such is true, then I guess I'm safe in implying that "love" is the only universal "religion" :P.. but again, it's just speculation. Doesn't mean I'm right :]

Of course. I'm fairly sure that most Atheists would agree that being good to others and having morals is part of life.

[jesseRYU]

At 5/23/07 02:23 PM, sheffgb wrote: I don't know if I would count as agnostic, because I have decided my views. I've decided it doesn't matter if there is a God, because there's nothing I can do about it, and I can't know how he would want me to act. I don't think it would be Atheism, because I'm not denying a god, I just don't...care.

damn thats a good point christians could have lied for thousands of years (seriously) i mean catholics a long time ago lied so they could make money....so why couldn't christians just lie? who knows maybe god doesn't want us to act good...maybe he just doesn't care aether.... anyway i'll still act good just to be safe....but good point though.

[unowned]

my god is the sun and zeus, just that and him ok

[ianianian1111]

i have no religion, i just think its all bullshit. i mean if "god" is real, then why is he so perfect? I mean seriosly, if you created the world, would you want everyone to be perfect and nice. That's just boring.

Is there any proof god even exists, if so, please tell me, cause i havent found any. I mean jesus could be just some guy that said his dad was god lol. You don't know.....

Anyways my religion, is pissing people off. Have any questions, or want to join, just ask me on this thread.

[SouthAsian]

I respect the Eastern relgions, (Buddhism Hinduism) they take a more wholesome approach to life, humanity, our behaviors.It can be a very fulfillng and sobering experience.