re:re:my religious steak. aka re: matt's bite of my steak.
To give perspective to the things I say, I'll talk about them how they've specifically applied to my quest in religion. First off, I've loved all religions initially because I felt like it was a place where people opened up. When people are in touch with their spirit they are generally happier, even the dreaded Catholic mass gave me a sense of inner peace as a child.
ON FAITH PROPHECY LOVE AND BELIEF:
I have been constantly pushed away from religions like an orphaned child because, despite my convictions, I do not profess beliefs. I think it's useless. What's worse, I think professing Faith is an excuse for lack of action therein. I never recited the Creed which, in unison, Catholics chant their belief in the set of principles. It's the act of saying, "I believe!!! I believe ___" and these words alone make one religious.
Baha'is said specifically in the writings that "Faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds." This is profoundly my exact feelings. However, I have been told that there are indeed sets of principles which the Baha'is believe. So regardless of my love of the founders, or adherence to the writings, my disbelief in certain miracles of old nullify my status. Suddenly I have been clumped into the category of the "godless".
What you believe is uniquely expressed by how you act. A belief is worth less'n a sack'a beans if it doesn't change the way you live your life. I think these famous thinkers and philosophers have wasted so much time trying to prove prophecy. A prophet is someone whom you love... like agape love. If they establish a code of ethics, you obey it out of love of them.
I can't say that zealousness, fascism, and isolationism can be entirely chalked up to the individual believers. I believe in each religion, there are principles traced exactly to the sacred writings which enforce these principles in one way or another. This needs no explanation in the Islam case. And Baha'is, while they practice non-violence, eschew the "ungodly" (like I said, straight from the writings). Jesus lectured deeply on the kingdom of heaven which I feel isolated the "religion of politics", but in many ways I feel modern Christianity has become a religion about Jesus and not a religion of Jesus... in the same right, many of the purist Christian denominations have proclamation issues that I brought up before.
What this all makes me think is what's the point of religion at all? Isn't it possible to have a fulfilling relationship with God without the guise of a religion? Even more, is it possible to organize a union of people that just want the sense of community without the proclamation and proselytizing? Rikki left a comment about the UU church which I highly agree with.
ON FAITH PROPHECY LOVE AND BELIEF:
I have been constantly pushed away from religions like an orphaned child because, despite my convictions, I do not profess beliefs. I think it's useless. What's worse, I think professing Faith is an excuse for lack of action therein. I never recited the Creed which, in unison, Catholics chant their belief in the set of principles. It's the act of saying, "I believe!!! I believe ___" and these words alone make one religious.
Baha'is said specifically in the writings that "Faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds." This is profoundly my exact feelings. However, I have been told that there are indeed sets of principles which the Baha'is believe. So regardless of my love of the founders, or adherence to the writings, my disbelief in certain miracles of old nullify my status. Suddenly I have been clumped into the category of the "godless".
What you believe is uniquely expressed by how you act. A belief is worth less'n a sack'a beans if it doesn't change the way you live your life. I think these famous thinkers and philosophers have wasted so much time trying to prove prophecy. A prophet is someone whom you love... like agape love. If they establish a code of ethics, you obey it out of love of them.
I can't say that zealousness, fascism, and isolationism can be entirely chalked up to the individual believers. I believe in each religion, there are principles traced exactly to the sacred writings which enforce these principles in one way or another. This needs no explanation in the Islam case. And Baha'is, while they practice non-violence, eschew the "ungodly" (like I said, straight from the writings). Jesus lectured deeply on the kingdom of heaven which I feel isolated the "religion of politics", but in many ways I feel modern Christianity has become a religion about Jesus and not a religion of Jesus... in the same right, many of the purist Christian denominations have proclamation issues that I brought up before.
What this all makes me think is what's the point of religion at all? Isn't it possible to have a fulfilling relationship with God without the guise of a religion? Even more, is it possible to organize a union of people that just want the sense of community without the proclamation and proselytizing? Rikki left a comment about the UU church which I highly agree with.