Friday Five horked from queso
Couldn't resist this one... not that there'll be much to say!
1. Do you pray? Why or why not? (If it's no feel free to skip 2, 3, and 4.)
Nope. I consider myself agnostic. If there is a God, prove it. Of course, since religion is supposed to be about having faith, somehow I don't think anyone's going to prove it. Having said all that, we've had an awful lot of good luck since we got a couple buddhist good luck charms at the Sanjusangendo Temple in Kyoto last year! So I'm not minding Buddha, and am happy to pay my respects. I'm also of the Earl school of Karma. I think it's eerie sometimes how bad things come back on you, so I try to be careful not to piss anyone off too much or do anything too awful.
2. To which deities, entities, or forces do you pray?
As I said above, I'm happy to pay my respects to Buddha from time to time. I don't really believe in it, but we have had good luck since our foray into that genre last year, so it couldn't hurt.
3. When do you pray (e.g. at set times, when in fear, when thankful)?
I don't pray. But I will go visit Sanjusangendo again this year and light a candle and buy a few good luck charms for the new year! I don't think there's much, if anything, that could get me to set foot in a Christian church these days though, and I KNOW there's nothing that could possibly get me to set foot anywhere near a Muslim place of worship.
4. How do you pray? With gestures? With words? Out loud or in your head?
I don't pray. But again, I will light that candle and get those Buddhist good luck charms!
5. How do you feel about the idea of a national or international day of prayer?
I think it should be banned. If people want to pray, I don't have any particular problem with that... aside from Muslim prayer rooms being installed at all kinds of places and having to stop the normal course of the day to let people pray in this fashion. But I don't think it should be encouraged or expected in this manner. I also don't think there should be a national babies' day, either... unless they're willing to have a "childfree 30 and 40-something happy couples day" too. Have I made myself clear?
1. Do you pray? Why or why not? (If it's no feel free to skip 2, 3, and 4.)
Nope. I consider myself agnostic. If there is a God, prove it. Of course, since religion is supposed to be about having faith, somehow I don't think anyone's going to prove it. Having said all that, we've had an awful lot of good luck since we got a couple buddhist good luck charms at the Sanjusangendo Temple in Kyoto last year! So I'm not minding Buddha, and am happy to pay my respects. I'm also of the Earl school of Karma. I think it's eerie sometimes how bad things come back on you, so I try to be careful not to piss anyone off too much or do anything too awful.
2. To which deities, entities, or forces do you pray?
As I said above, I'm happy to pay my respects to Buddha from time to time. I don't really believe in it, but we have had good luck since our foray into that genre last year, so it couldn't hurt.
3. When do you pray (e.g. at set times, when in fear, when thankful)?
I don't pray. But I will go visit Sanjusangendo again this year and light a candle and buy a few good luck charms for the new year! I don't think there's much, if anything, that could get me to set foot in a Christian church these days though, and I KNOW there's nothing that could possibly get me to set foot anywhere near a Muslim place of worship.
4. How do you pray? With gestures? With words? Out loud or in your head?
I don't pray. But again, I will light that candle and get those Buddhist good luck charms!
5. How do you feel about the idea of a national or international day of prayer?
I think it should be banned. If people want to pray, I don't have any particular problem with that... aside from Muslim prayer rooms being installed at all kinds of places and having to stop the normal course of the day to let people pray in this fashion. But I don't think it should be encouraged or expected in this manner. I also don't think there should be a national babies' day, either... unless they're willing to have a "childfree 30 and 40-something happy couples day" too. Have I made myself clear?