Ahira's Hangar

David Zindell's Neverness, A Requiem for Homo Sapiens and all things Science Fiction and Fantasy
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 Post subject: Religion - no disclaimers :)
PostPosted: Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:46 am 
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Along the lines of the "New sheriff in town" thread, I'd like to invite some religion. Once over at kevinswatch, in response to a post of mine, Hearthcoal quoted the Bible. Interesting how very seldom that happens at these sites. And no sig that I've seen is a verse from the Bible. Are there truly so few people who believe the way Hearthcoal does? She was the only one on her side of the debate on the old "religion, what is it?" thread, so maybe. Or are more of you like that, but have been attacked so many times when you've declared your faith in an open forum that you just do that kind of thing on the sites/chatrooms that are based on your religion?

I sure hope the atmosphere at The Fravashi District becomes famous for acceptance and tolerance, so that those who believe will freely talk about their faith. In The Word of Unbinding, Le Guin wrote:Quote:The water ran timelessly from its clear spring. He lay on the sand of the pool’s bottom letting running water, stronger than any spell of healing, sooth his wound and with its coolness wash away the bleaker cold that had entered him.I hope nobody would feel reluctant to say, "That reminds me of John 7:38. 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"

I'm an atheist, so it might seem strange for me to encourage religion. But religion is one of the most pervasive aspects of our species. I'm not into people trying to convince me of the Truth of their faith (I can pretty much guarantee it isn't going to happen), but I enjoy it when the joy that someone's faith brings them is apparent.

Also, I've always been very interested in the topic in general, and, at times, various specific religions. Understanding our species isn't possible without understanding the way we believe. Plus, there is beauty and wisdom in just about all of them - universal ideas. "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you" is an obvious one. Pure logic. (At least my logic. ) But also things like Matthew 6:5-6Quote:"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."That can apply to me too. Even before I read Ayn Rand, I figured out that I don't need to impress anyone in order to have self-worth.

So if any of you are strong into any religion, I hope you aren't worried about at least mentioning it when something connects with it. Fist and Faith<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Religion - no disclaimers :)
PostPosted: Tue Mar 18, 2003 1:07 pm 
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Here here!

Myself, I'm somewhere between a Buddhist, an agnostic, and a universal unitarian, I guess. The term I use most often which is probably completely misleading is Zen Solipsist.

If you guys have never seen the belief-o-matic... www.belief.net/story/76/s...665_1.html ________________
I wanna feel the metamorphosis and cleansing I've endured within my shadow. Change is coming. Now is my time. Listen to my muscle memory. Contemplate what I've been clinging to. -Tool, "Forty-Six & Two"<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Religion - no disclaimers :)
PostPosted: Wed Mar 19, 2003 3:11 am 
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I am a-religious, that just means I don't believe in organized religion. Historically the older the 'regilion' bcomes it's mayahanna completely occludes the devout with dogma, hippocracy and political agenda. Symbols give me the willies...I have studied many world religions and continue 2 do so, at 1 point I considered myself a 'Pantheist" by it's much more personal and complex than that. I am turned on by the whole thing, I dance in the light of discovery, I am an eternal optimist, I am humbled by...something And now Danlo looked in that direction, too. He remembered that snowy owls mate in the darkest part of deep winter, and so along with this beautiful white bird perched in a tree a hundred feet away, he turned to face the sea as he watched and waited.

Ahira, Ahira, he called out silently to the sky. Ahira, Ahira<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 1/24/04 11:29 pm
</i>


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 Post subject: Re: Religion - no disclaimers :)
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2003 7:31 am 
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I'm slowly working my way through the old posts. Very interesting topics you have here. I share many of the same views as several of you. Most of my life I was an Atheist who believed that organized religions not only full of it but also very very dangerous.

These days though, I like to believe in the idea that the Universe itself is conscious and that IT is God and so, we too are all God.

Kind of levels the playing field I feel and strips through all the my God is bigger than your God BS that Humanity seems to have seriously played out and led us down some pretty destructive paths.

Frav
<i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Religion - no disclaimers :)
PostPosted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 8:15 pm 
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I too am not religious. I tried out the belief-o-matic that Syl posted and here is what it says about me:
1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Secular Humanism (92%)
3. Theravada Buddhism (91%)

lately though I am feeling that something is missing in my life, maybe call it spiritualism, but I haven't yet defined to myself what spiritualism actually means. So I guess I'm still a seeker.

-pitch <i></i>


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 Post subject: Re: Religion - no disclaimers :)
PostPosted: Sat Mar 27, 2004 1:31 am 
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Location: Chicago suburbs
For myself, I have spent a good amount of time reading some of the deeper things a sampling Be here now by Baba Ram Dass (aka Richard Alpert), Carlos Castenada (was it a continuing 40 yr. hoax or not), Allan Watts (IMO, the real deal, author of The Book, and others),Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, Three Pillars of Zen. Oh, well an impressive reading list.

Another question does anyone think there might be some organic connection between these areas of interest and interest in SF? For example, from recent empirical observation I can vouch that the fan community has a much higher incident of pagans (definition pagan = wiccan, shamanist, dieist, pantheist, etc), religious seekers, unorthodox thinkers than one might find in the in the populace at large. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i></i>


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