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I was introduced to my "religion" about 50 years ago while fishing. I was sitting on an old, moss-covered log and got the distinct sense that it was aware of me. That was the first domino to topple that led, some decades later, to semi-reluctantly dubbing myself an animist. I say "semi-reluctantly" because, like everyone else in the world, I'm unique - and labels are not.
Simply let all of your hard-wired irrational tendencies run wild. The human brain is hard wired for logical fallacies and magical thinking. If you want to become religious, simply give in to your deepest, darkest instincts. Ignore anyone who tells you that you are going off the deep end, and consider such people as enemies of the faith.
Except that's not really how it went down with me. I was an avowed atheist who held logical proof and reason above all else. Now I'm chair of the worship committee at church and still hold those values of logical proof and reason above all else. There are religions that require no suspension of rational thinking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
Isn't "Liberal Quaker" redundant?
I suspect within any group there will be a spectrum of belief. Among the Quakers I know there are those who believe in the divinity of Jesus (arguably: "conservative") as well as at least one who is non-theist (arguably: "liberal").
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pleroo
Religion is born out of a fear of that power, I think.
That was the most significant driving force at one point, but I believe things have changed. Many seek out religion, now, motivated by other things. From my unique vantage point (watching people grudgingly accompanying spouses into our church), I see a lot more fear of what it might mean to open one's mind up to the power of a living faith (which still allows you to value logical proof and reason above all else) in the context of all the absolutist declarations those people may have hinged so much on, previously,
Except that's not really how it went down with me. I was an avowed atheist who held logical proof and reason above all else. Now I'm chair of the worship committee at church and still hold those values of logical proof and reason above all else. There are religions that require no suspension of rational thinking.
I suspect within any group there will be a spectrum of belief. Among the Quakers I know there are those who believe in the divinity of Jesus (arguably: "conservative") as well as at least one who is non-theist (arguably: "liberal").
That was the most significant driving force at one point, but I believe things have changed. Many seek out religion, now, motivated by other things. From my unique vantage point (watching people grudgingly accompanying spouses into our church), I see a lot more fear of what it might mean to open one's mind up to the power of a living faith (which still allows you to value logical proof and reason above all else) in the context of all the absolutist declarations those people may have hinged so much on, previously,
I was speaking specifically about the religions similar to the one I came out of which hasn't progressed in 500+ years and holds to very fundamentalist type beliefs of an angry God that needed to be appeased and placated.
I was speaking specifically about the religions similar to the one I came out of which hasn't progressed in 500+ years and holds to very fundamentalist type beliefs of an angry God that needed to be appeased and placated.
Isn't "Liberal Quaker" redundant? Seem to me so with the folks in my local Meeting.
No, actually the largest branch of "Quaker" is Evangelical. Some consider that a contradiction in terms.
For anyone who may be looking, if the Meeting has a set program of worship it is most likely Evangelical. If it is entirely unprogrammed it is most likely Liberal, but there are a smaller number of Conservatives.
Last edited by nateswift; 09-10-2018 at 04:17 PM..
Reason: additional information for any who may be curious.
I'm a person going through a sort of personal crisis/revolution. I was raised SBC, but never believed a word of it. I've always had a hard time of believing anything but the hard scenes and anything without physical evidence.
I'm not asking how did you believe the doctrines of your specific faith. How did you merely dip your toes into the waters of general religious faith and mind, especially if you were never a person of faith, or lost your childhood faith altogether?
Except that's not really how it went down with me. I was an avowed atheist who held logical proof and reason above all else. Now I'm chair of the worship committee at church and still hold those values of logical proof and reason above all else. There are religions that require no suspension of rational thinking.
I suspect within any group there will be a spectrum of belief. Among the Quakers I know there are those who believe in the divinity of Jesus (arguably: "conservative") as well as at least one who is non-theist (arguably: "liberal").
That was the most significant driving force at one point, but I believe things have changed. Many seek out religion, now, motivated by other things. From my unique vantage point (watching people grudgingly accompanying spouses into our church), I see a lot more fear of what it might mean to open one's mind up to the power of a living faith (which still allows you to value logical proof and reason above all else) in the context of all the absolutist declarations those people may have hinged so much on, previously,
You rudely made fun of me for thinking that you were a christian ("As I said, I've never been Christian, so there must be something awry with your "sense"-ing of such things while reading posts).
Now you post that: "I'm chair of the worship committee at church..."
The definition of church is: "a building used for public Christian worship".
Perhaps you'll rudely favor this moron with four university degrees with an explanation. Of course, you don't have to; it's your right to decline.
You rudely made fun of me for thinking that you were a christian ("As I said, I've never been Christian, so there must be something awry with your "sense"-ing of such things while reading posts).
Now you post that: "I'm chair of the worship committee at church..."
The definition of church is: "a building used for public Christian worship".
Perhaps you'll rudely favor this moron with four university degrees with an explanation. Of course, you don't have to; it's your right to decline.
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