Topic: What are your religious views?

This is not the place for a religious discussion. It's just a good way to start an argument that nobody can win.

Sounds like a challenge. lol

I do not believe in Creation.

as long as we can all keep this in mind, i think this thread will be okay. :3

Anything I could say about my position regarding the divine would reduce important matters to the commonplace. That's the best indication I can really give; there's a certain reverence for the unspoken.

Richard Dawkins types, on the one hand, and literalists / fundamentalists, on the other, I find equally absurd and hostile to real acknowledged of a sacred dimension in human life. I can't even say whether I believe in God, since that term, to me, is incoherent and confuses so many different levels. I also won't say that I'm an atheist though, as I regard that as a reductionist standpoint that attempts to stand on a 'naturalist' certainty that is a farce.

I'll say that one part of what I'm calling reverence is best indicated by Heidegger when he points to the fundamental question, "why is there something when there could just as easily be nothing?" That level of thought is itself somewhat sacred to me, and enormously important. Cynicism towards that dimension of things I find as abhorrent as I do fundamentalist certainty.

I guess that doesn't help, but suffice to say that I'm neither a theist, an atheist, nor an agnostic.

EDIT: and I'd like to stress that I have no interest in carrying on a debate either, but just to give a brief indication of where I'm coming from. I agree that this isn't really a place for a debate... it is, however, useful and interesting to hear a brief statement from everyone regarding where they stand.

@Link79-I REALLY do not want a debate,maybe on another website,but I REALLY DO NOT want to debate here. Can we express our beliefs without debating?

I was about to say something to this effect, but you beat me to it, Adam.

I think its pretty cool to see how everyone here believes. No matter what or how it is. Its kinda the escence of what makes us who we are. Obviously we are all here to talk games and are gamers but its cool to see what everyones else has in the philisophical side of thier lives.

@ Corbie.....Dude if its a Final Fantasy Summons that comes and takes me off my Gaming Earth into Gaming Heaven I hope its Shiva cause Im sunburned and it really sucks so im avoiding the whole fire thing.

Yes, I win!

This is an acceptable place for a religious discussion being that it is in the "General Discussion" section. Anyway no one is asking for a discussion, the thread just says to state your views, not argue on behalf of them.

@ Corbie.....Dude if its a Final Fantasy Summons that comes and takes me off my Gaming Earth into Gaming Heaven I hope its Shiva cause Im sunburned and it really sucks so im avoiding the whole fire thing.

Actually Shiva would be alright, or even Anima. Although I'd more attribute Anima to the Summons you wouldn't want to come get you.

@ Corbie....Im racking my brain right now.....Wich game was a there an Anima Summons?

How could you forget the spine-chilling Anima? That was one scary mo-fo!

Instead of my views on religion, I'll give my views on views of religion: Anyone who feels like they can adequately describe their views of the function of the universe in a length that anyone else would actually bother reading through has not thought through their views enough. There is no single label that applies perfectly to any given person, unless A- that person has intentionally shaped their views to fit the label, instead of thinking on the matter, or B- that label is one invented solely to suit the individual, and that individual's views do not change.

It's less about not being settled and more about that I believe that religion, or organized religion rather, is dangerous. I can't just sit on my hands and do nothing if something is shoved in my face. And since I've come to learn that brute logic does nothing, mocking atleast gives me some temporary enjoyment and who knows, maybe, albeit unlikely, people will realize the absurdity of their beliefs. On the other hand, if people have carefully and logically though about existance and such themselves and come up with a belief system that while it might not exactly resemble any conventional religion, is still very much a spiritual belief system then I'll have much less problem with it. I perhaps won't understand how a person could ever end up with such a conclusion but atleast that person spent the effort to figure it out for themselves instead of getting a the prepackaged goods.

And if by settled you mean absolutely firm in their belief system then I see my "unsettledness" as my biggest strength. That I'm not completely locked onto one set of ideas. So while I'm basically some sort of absurdist/atheist mixture, that doesn't seem likely to change, the specifics of my beliefs are ever evolving. I'm always questioning both what I know to be true and what "common wisdom" says to be true. Only if something is backed up by mutually independent proof I'll accept something but not even then can you be sure that it's completely true. Most things point towards that for example Einstein's law of special relativity is true because it's been implemented millions of times with the expected results but you there's always a chance that that's still just coincidence and a person needs to be ready for that. Things like string theory might be really neato idea and all but since there's no proof it's just a neato idea that works mathematically which definitely isn't the same thing as truth. This is religions two biggest weaknesses, they are completely rigid (cause they claim to already know "the truth") and there's no tactile proof for any of it. So yeah, to not be settled, I see that as a good thing. In fact, no one should be settled with their beliefs, everyone should always re-examine themselves.

But I'll do the right thing from now on and just not visit this topic anymore. I've warned everyone involved about the risks, cause if it's not me it's someone else and that person might not be interested in raising any warning flags, so my work is done.

EDIT: Edited to reduce the amount of wall of textiness...

I don't have time to re-examine myself. I have reviews to write. I'll just keep waiting for Bahamut to come. He'll know when.

I'm an atheist, although I was baptized presbyterian. I even went to services and such when I was little, but it never stuck with me. The only thing I believe is that we're here because of one giant coincidence. Would that make Lady Luck my goddess? Hm.

I was raised Catholic, but I don't go to church anymore. I believe that you can be spiritual and not be part of an organized church. Religion in itself doesn't make you a good person.

I always think it's ironic that so many hardcore Christians politically support the Republicans! They only give tax breaks to the wealthy, are against regulating the unfair practices of banks and business, rush into war for oil, not security, they are short sighted on the issue of outsourcing jobs, they are ignorant of science, they wage a war on morals, but are full of hypocrites, they allow Wall Street to destroy the American Dream, they wave the flag as they shred our Constitution, their political candidates are anti-intellectual, and the list goes on and on..

I'm convinced that wise and loving Jesus would vote Democrat.

I used to be pretty militant about my lack of belief in a god, but after ticking off a lot of my Christian friends two years ago, I've learned to be more accepting of religion. Also, I think Richard Dawkins is a douche. He forces his beliefs onto others without allowing them room to come to their own conclusions about the origin of life. I came to many of the same conclusions that Dawkins preaches, but it took many years of confusion and discovery that he denies his readers.

@Turbo Genesis 64,
Republicans actively targeted evangelicals to get their votes. shrug

You hear the same stories. But the real reason we are here is for life. That's what I believe.