Day 09 - Your beliefs, in great detail

[fera_festiva]

Back to this, then. I promised myself I'd finish it, and finish it I will, although it will take - fuck it, has taken - almost two months to do the first eight days of it. Hurm.

Comments

[tough_as_petals]

I agree with you:) I'm against organized Religion (to the point of being an anti-theist) but am a-okay with people's spiritual and individual beliefs. Also, like you said, the sense of community is incredibly important. I think volunteering in a significant way can foster that sort of community feeling just as well or better.

[fera_festiva]

Yes, I agree - in fact, I've been thinking of volunteering for something for a while (it's just finding the time, isn't it). Still, though, there are things that, say, church brings that I don't think one single other place can bring - for instance, group singing is something that most churches have and very few other environments do, you know?

[lefaym]

I don't think it will surprise you that I pretty much agree with all of this. :)

[fera_festiva]

It doesn't, to be honest. :)

[matt_writer]

To do so is, in my view, a million times more mind-blowing than believing yourself to be the centre of the universe, your wishes listened to by an omnipotent being.
I really like this. It reminds me of how people often thank God or Jesus when they win awards. I mean. I'm pretty sure God and Jesus would have better things to do than help Miley Cyrus become famous. :P

[fera_festiva]

Ugh, yes, that really annoys me too! What, this God dude can't prevent genocide or earthquakes, but he can sort out an MTV award for some godawful country-R'n'B warbler? If this guy exists then he's a douche.

[matt_writer]

If this guy exists then he's a douche.
Pretty much :D If there is a god, it's not the Christian one. He's too temperamental. He'd have killed us off in some random outburst of Anger, I think :)

Personally, I consider myself agnostic, in the sense that I think it's ignorant to say that such or such religion is THE ULTIMATE ANSEWR LOL, but I also think shutting out possibilities, which we can't prove to be false, of, for instance, higher beings - it's a bit close-minded, right? Saying "I don't believe there is a god," as you did, I have no problem with, at all, but it rubs me the wrong way when people are too assured of it, say things like "I hate religion" or consider our era's science to be perfect. Mostly, though, I think this is all irrelevant, because what's important is living life according to your own morals/views. For instance, even if it was proven that Christianity was true, I don't think we'd all go out and murder gay people, or people of other religions; we'd still do what we think is right.

[epithalamium]

I'd probably quote the whole entry back to you because I agree so much!

I'm Roman Catholic, although my family probably calls me agnostic (if they even know what that means), but I think religion is a template for belief, and it doesn't matter what template one uses as long as it makes one a better person or as long as one is happy. Belief and religion are all right as long as people don't use them as crutches.

[fera_festiva]

as long as it makes one a better person or as long as one is happy

Yes, exactly. I feel like so often it gets used for things that don't make people happy and don't make the world a better place - and that has little to do with personal faith, IMO, but a lot to do with the power of groups and of authority.

[fera_festiva]

Ack, that's a little awkward. It's nice that she was thinking of you, but... yeah. :/ It's a bit like when you have bad news and people tell you they'll pray for you - thanks, but really, I don't care if you do or not. Does that make me ungrateful? IDK, maybe it does, but it's not like being prayed for is particularly useful or comforting to me.