Religion Poll

[UniTyler]

Just doing this to grant someone's wishes in the athiest thread.

[MERCYME]

Muslim
Jewish



TYLER HOW COULD YOU PUT MUSLIM BUT NO JEWISH.....And no hinduism....

[litldude2]

Muslim
Jewish



TYLER HOW COULD YOU PUT MUSLIM BUT NO JEWISH.....And no hinduism....
Haha, i was just typing the same thing. What about Confucianism?
Anyway, I voted for Atheist, because...well...I am.

[ThisGuyIKnow]

Muslim
Jewish



TYLER HOW COULD YOU PUT MUSLIM BUT NO JEWISH.....And no hinduism....

This is Tyler we're talking about here, cut him some slack, we all know that jews are "other"

[BillyTheMountain]

Just doing this to grant someone's wishes in the Athiest thread.

Obviously to grant the wishes of an Athiest. That's why you're promoting the misinformation that Atheist means No Religion. Suppose the Christians said: Christianity is not a religion. It's a FACT......

Billy

[James_Potter]

Muslim
Jewish

TYLER HOW COULD YOU PUT MUSLIM BUT NO JEWISH.....And no hinduism....
yeah man, my best friend is a little Indian, who's Hindu!!
anyway, you all know what I put....

[dudewithasock]

I put Other...I'm an agnostic.

[boo radley]

standard judaism and also kabbalah are definitely "other", but what about agnosticism, nontheism, animism and scientology? those should be choices, as i am all of them.

[unign]

im jewish, btw, atheist means that you dont believe in god, not that you have no religion.

[boo radley]

yeah, atheism is more along the lines of denying the existence of a god rather than just having no religion

[podzol]

Taoist/animist

[chosen]

I voted for Atheist, because...well...I am.
wow, thats sad man really sad. im not gonna try to change you. you just lost all your cool points to me though.

[LikeableRodent]

wow, thats sad man really sad. im not gonna try to change you. you just lost all your cool points to me though.


That's right boy. All the cool people nowadays are Christian. W0rd to the Lord!

[Mikefule]

I'm not going to post my religion here. However, it may help those of you who only know me as "Mikefule" that my real name is Mohammed Singh Goldberg. Surprisingly, the only one in the phone book.

[cathwood]

I think that atheism is my belief system, rather than religion. Not a lack of belief. I believe. Just not in any gods.

Cathy

[James_Potter]

wow, thats sad man really sad. im not gonna try to change you. you just lost all your cool points to me though.
you shouldn't judge people on their beliefs...would Jesus have taken all his cool points away just for not believing in him?

[DK]

I'm not going to post my religion here. However, it may help those of you who only know me as "Mikefule" that my real name is Mohammed Singh Goldberg. Surprisingly, the only one in the phone book.
Muslim first name, but Jewish last name

hmmmm

[dudewithasock]

I wish my name was something cool like that. In fact, I think it deserves a thread.

[Spudman]

Just doing this to grant someone's wishes in the athiest thread.

I don't think you caught my frosty lining of sarcasm on that post.

We keep starting all these religion threads, I was just wondering how that became such a big thing. We all ride unicycles right? So aren't we all cool regardless of different religions? Just wondering....

Heh heh... look here (http://www.venganza.org/)

[dudewithasock]

I guarantee you God rides unicycles.

And the Devil rides BICYCLES! :eek:

[Mikefule]

Some religious people like to present atheism as a religion so that they can use the same arguments against it that atheists use against religion.

Religion is a systematic belief in a god or gods, or in a controlling or designing force that controls the universe and gives human life an externally-determined purpose. That rough and ready definition would reasonably well fit Christianity, Islam, Judaism, belief in the Viking gods, or the Romano-Greek gods (or Graeco-Roman!), the gods of the Pharaohs, etc.

Atheism is the absence of a belief in a god or gods.

There is a fundamental difference between atheism and religion, at least for those atheists who become atheists after long and deep thought, rather than by default - just not happening to believe, or not wanting to believe.

Most modern monotheistic religions have at their heart a belief that it is impossible to prove (or disprove) the existence of god. Belief in god can therefore only come from faith, and faith is seen as a virtue.

A considered atheist would argue that if it is impossible to prove or disprove X, that is simply another way of saying that X makes no difference.

If the difference that X made could be identified, that would go a long way to helping us to design an experiment to prove or disprove X.

There is an old adage that the way to test someone's knowledge of a subject is to invite them to make a profit by betting on future events in that field. If you understand the oil industry, you should be able to use your knowledge to make predictions about the oil industry and do better at trading oil shares than if you made random trading decisions. If you understand football, you should be able to predict with reasonable accuracy which teams will do well or badly over the course of a season. And so on.

But if it is impossible to prove or disprove the existence of god, then that is an acknowledgement that there are no circumstances that can only be explained by the existence of god. Belief in God doesn't not help you to predict things, even in a rough and ready way. Will the sick child live or die? If he lives, God has saved him; if he dies, God hass taken him to his bosom. God moves in mysterious ways. The idea of God can be used to explain things retrospectively.

Faith is not knowledge, but simply belief, and your belief (however reassuring, and however much it helps you to be a better human being) will not help you to predict anything at all.

In short, a considered atheist's position is to say that, "Is there a God?" is simply a meaningless question. "Does something that you can't possibly prove exists exist?"

Strictly speaking agnostic ("a" = "without", "gnosis" = "knowledge") is not simply someone who says they don't know whether God exists, but someoene who says that it is impossible to know. You can therefore be an agnostic who chooses to believe, through faith, or an agnostic who chooses not to believe.

But even if you believe in God, you still make your own decisions. The word of God appears in the Bible, or the Koran, or the Book of Mormon, or a vision in your sleep, or whatever, but it is still up to you to decide (a) is it really the word of God, or has there been human intervention to distort it? (b) What does it mean? (c) How do you apply it to a given set of circumstances? Thus, the existentialist says that belief in God doesn't really help because you're still the one in the hot seat when it comes to making the decision.

On the whole, most religious people are no better or worse than irreligious people. Their belief sometimes makes them happy, sometimes messes them up. It sometimes makes them do wonderful things, and sometimes makes them do the most evil things. I've no problem with people choosing to be religious, or choosing to believe stuff that I think is nonsense, but there are three things I dislike: people who use their religious beliefs to try to determine how I should behave; people who refuse to accept that it is perfectly possible for me to have a philosophy rather than a religion; and people who exploit and manipulate other people's religious beliefs for their own financial or political ends.

[boo radley]

wow, thats sad man really sad. im not gonna try to change you. you just lost all your cool points to me though.

now that is sad

[forrestunifreak]

I'm christian.

Religion sorta means a couple different things. There is the kind of religion as in this thread title, and then there's 'being religious' or doing religion, were most people think of as were you have to be good and holy, go to church every sunday blah blah blah. Which isn't true.

[Fuego]

meh. I voted Buddhist, because that's what I aspire to be, but I think I would be more accurate had I put my vote for other as an agnostic.

Buddhism as practiced by monks is more a pelief system than a religion, actually, though it's kinda hard to tell the difference. Buddhism doesn't really have a higher power, as far as I can tell.

(at least the type I aspire towards. That just has a lot of zen and introspectiveness.)

[BillyTheMountain]

Some religious people like to present atheism as a religion so that they can use the same arguments against it that atheists use against religion.

Atheism is the absence of a belief in a god or gods.

There is a fundamental difference between atheism and religion, at least for those atheists who become atheists after long and deep thought, rather than by default - just not happening to believe, or not wanting to believe.

Most modern monotheistic religions have at their heart a belief that it is impossible to prove (or disprove) the existence of god. Belief in god can therefore only come from faith, and faith is seen as a virtue.

A considered atheist would argue that if it is impossible to prove or disprove X, that is simply another way of saying that X makes no difference.

If the difference that X made could be identified, that would go a long way to helping us to design an experiment to prove or disprove X.

But if it is impossible to prove or disprove the existence of god, then that is an acknowledgement that there are no circumstances that can only be explained by the existence of god. Belief in God doesn't not help you to predict things, even in a rough and ready way. Will the sick child live or die? If he lives, God has saved him; if he dies, God hass taken him to his bosom. God moves in mysterious ways. The idea of God can be used to explain things retrospectively.

Faith is not knowledge, but simply belief, and your belief (however reassuring, and however much it helps you to be a better human being) will not help you to predict anything at all.

In short, a considered atheist's position is to say that, "Is there a God?" is simply a meaningless question. "Does something that you can't possibly prove exists exist?"

Mike,

1. Other religions reject Atheism as a religion in order to prevent Atheists from getting the same benefits they get. We've mainly seen self-hating Atheists on this site, who are colluding with the Other religions against the rights of Atheists.

2. Are you a Cynic, or do you believe in love? Do you use the old standard ways of getting your girl to "prove" she loves you? How do you prove the existence of love? Is: "Is there love?" a meaningless question to you?

3. If: Atheism is the absence of a belief in a god or gods.
Then: Cynicism is the absence of a belief in a love or loves.

Cynics actually have many opinions about love, and Atheists seem to have opinions/beliefs about God.

If Atheists had no belief in a god or gods, then they could not enter the debate, or have any opinion about those who do have a belief in God (including those who have a strong belief that there is no God--whatever you want to call those people.)
Please come up with a word for those people who strongly believe there is no God, so they can enter the discussion and identify themselves.

Billy

[tyler_cochrane]

...
Please come up with a word for those people who strongly believe there is no God, so they can enter the discussion and identify themselves.

Billy

we'll call them "Leute, die an Gott nicht glauben"
(it's in german)

[BillyTheMountain]

Muslim first name, but Jewish last name

hmmmm

And Sikh middle name....

Do you have a beard or turban?

Billy

[aleksi.palola]

Well, I have been baptised to christianity and I still belong to it officially. But I could say that I´m an atheist, because I don´t actually believe in jesus, god etc.
I have thought of leaving the church but it´s more of an habit to be christian so I haven´t officially left the church.

[uni57]

Guess how I voted, Billy!

[Mikefule]

If Atheists had no belief in a god or gods, then they could not enter the debate, or have any opinion about those who do have a belief in God

I live in a country where the hereditary head of state is automatically the head of the established church. As a result, the head of state is obliged to be an Anglican Christian, whatever his or her personal conscience dictates.

The democratically elected Prime Minister has the right and legal duty to appoint archbishops (whatever his/her own religious views) and it is widely acknowledged that an openly atheist person could not be voted in as prime minister - ask Neil Kinnock if you don't believe me.

And by the way, it's still illegal for a Roman Catholic to be Prime Minister. (Although, to be fair, if it ever seemed likely, I'm sure they'd find a way to change the law in time.)

There is a law against blasphemy which applies only to comments made about one religion: Christianity. All churches have charitable status and therefore are indirectly subsidised from my taxes. It is a legal requirement for all schools to provide an act of collective worship for the students.

Plays are pulled from theatres by religious groups - who don't have to watch them. Films are picketed and boycotted by people who don't have to watch them, as a result of which, some cinemas won't show them.

Shopping hours and drinking hours are partly governed by Christian religious laws - even after the democratically elected secular parliament considered the issue, they had to compromise, and most shops can only open for a few hours on a Sunday.

Colleagues at work who profess Muslim beliefs are entitled to walk away from their desks a set number of times a day to pray (whilst I'm still working.) My holidays are partly directed by religious heritage: I have to have Christmas Day off, like it or not, but can't necessarily get off a specific day that is more important to me for cultural reasons - yes, I have a genuine example in mind.

Meanwhile, I'm told my country is allegedly under siege by religiously motivated nutcases willing to kill strangers (and themselves) for the glory of their god.

I think I am entitled to <<have any opinion about those who do have a belief in God >> My opinion is that most of them are harmless, but collectively people who "have a belief in god" affect my life in many ways, culturally, financially, politically, and possibly might even threaten it.

Perhaps it's different in the land of the free.

[johnfoss]

Looks like it'll be another waste of a poll. To do a useful poll, it always helps to include not only all the likely responses, down to whatever low percentage you don't wish to track. Surely you did not intend to leave out Judiasm and agnostic? Those are likely to get a lot of votes. Instead those people must all pile under "other."

For a more useful poll, perhaps start by getting a list from everyone of what they think needs to be listed, then run the poll.

Some of us will argue about the definitions of those choices probably, no matter what descriptions you also include with the poll, but you can always try. :)

BTW, yes, I *am* working (not just reading/posting)! Today I'm burning a lot of archive discs, with some down-time in-between...

[mscalisi]

Here's a start:

Agnostic
Atheist
Bahai
Buddhist
Christian
Hindu
Jewish
Muslim
Scientology
Seventh Day Adventist
Spiritual person
Unitarian
Taoist
other/not disclosed

Looks like it'll be another waste of a poll. To do a useful poll, it always helps to include not only all the likely responses, down to whatever low percentage you don't wish to track. Surely you did not intend to leave out Judiasm and agnostic? Those are likely to get a lot of votes. Instead those people must all pile under "other."

For a more useful poll, perhaps start by getting a list from everyone of what they think needs to be listed, then run the poll.

Some of us will argue about the definitions of those choices probably, no matter what descriptions you also include with the poll, but you can always try. :)

BTW, yes, I *am* working (not just reading/posting)! Today I'm burning a lot of archive discs, with some down-time in-between...

[andrew_carter]

wow, thats sad man really sad. im not gonna try to change you. you just lost all your cool points to me though.
Are you being serious?

[BillyTheMountain]

"http://www.lexhixon.org/simplesite/simplefrm.html

You forgot to list Open Space:
Everything that spiritual traditions long for,
supplicate for, envision,
and have envisioned profoundly and authentically
from the very beginning of consciousness,
all this richness is the plenitude of Open Space.
–Lex Hixon. Lex was a Lakota Sioux, Zen Buddhist, Hindu, Sufi Muslim, Greek Othodox, etc, and a leader in a number of these traditions.

Billy

[johnfoss]

And maybe you should add Universalist, Unitarian, and any other religious groups that start with "uni".

[chosen]

Are you being serious?
completely.

[alchemicfredrick]

i'm IPU(invisable pink unicorn)
the IPU(pbuh) is not on the poll either
although it technicly falls under atiest because athiest know about IPU

[juggle508]

Well, I have been baptised to christianity and I still belong to it officially. But I could say that I´m an atheist, because I don´t actually believe in jesus, god etc.
I have thought of leaving the church but it´s more of an habit to be christian so I haven´t officially left the church.


What do you mean when you say baptized into Christianity? Baptism is something to show the world that you have been saved. Being baptized does not save you...


Christianity. Look at the sig.......v
KH

[Spudman]

i'm IPU(invisable pink unicorn)
the IPU(pbuh) is not on the poll either
although it technicly falls under atiest because athiest know about IPU

Yeah, there was one in the hallway at my school today, but noone belived me oddly enough.

[boo radley]

Are you being serious?
completely.

somebody should start a poll on whether or not bigotry in christianity is a good thing.

[alchemicfredrick]

Yeah, there was one in the hallway at my school today, but noone belived me oddly enough.
(there is onlyone ipu)
i have converted 10 or so people to IPU

[Loosemoose]

Jedi

Loose.

[alchemicfredrick]

you meen jedi census phenomenom right?

[James_Potter]

a fewsuggestions for poll options:

Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant
Orthodox Quaker
Eastern Orthodox
Roman Catholic
Seventh Day Adventist
Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
Orthodox Judaism
Hinduism
Jehovah's Witness
Islam
Liberal Quakers
Sikhism
Unitarian Universalism
Jainism
Bahá'í Faith
Mahayana Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism
Reform Judaism
Neo-Pagan
New Age
Secular Humanism
Christian Science
Nontheist
Taoism
Scientology
New Thought

just a couple to get you started....
by the way, these came from an interesting site, http://beliefnet.com. take the belief-o-matic quiz and see how your results compare to your true beliefs.

[alchemicfredrick]

intristing quiz

[maestro8]

a fewsuggestions for poll options:
don't forget flying (http://www.venganza.org/) spaghetti (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster) monsterism (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/09/11/wfsm11.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/09/11/ixworld.html)!

[alchemicfredrick]

NO ninjas are WAY better than pirates.
the flying spagheti monster should know that

[BillyTheMountain]

And maybe you should add Universalist, Unitarian, and any other religious groups that start with "uni".
You are definitely on to something here!!

One wheel.....One GOD.....I feel a consensus is imminent!

Billy

[carsonpalooza]

Jedi

Loose.

I was about to say the same thing. There's a bunch of people in Europe(I think) that are Jedi

[alchemicfredrick]

yeah i remember reading that somewhere

[James_Potter]

I was about to say the same thing. There's a bunch of people in Europe(I think) that are Jedi
really? I thought they were on Tatooine....

[uni57]

really? I thought they were on Tatooine....That was a long time ago...

[alchemicfredrick]

in a galaxy far far away?

[MuniOrBust]

I thought this poll might already exist.

Is the religion such a hot topic on other non-religion based forums?

[johnfoss]

Hot topic? This thread was safely dormant since 2005 until you resurfaced it. Don't get me wrong, resurrecting relevant threads is usually the way to go, but in this case it's a poll, and a badly-constructed one at that. Most of them are badly constructed, but of the generally recognized 3 major religions, one is missing from the choices!

[MuniOrBust]

Hot topic? This thread was safely dormant since 2005 until you resurfaced it. Don't get me wrong, resurrecting relevant threads is usually the way to go, but in this case it's a poll, and a badly-constructed one at that. Most of them are badly constructed, but of the generally recognized 3 major religions, one is missing from the choices!

Damn... it's hard to do anything right around here.