Choosing my religion

[SWScouter]

1. Eastern Orthodox (100%)

2. Roman Catholic (100%)

3. Orthodox Quaker (97%)

4. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (93%)

5. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (84%)

6. Seventh Day Adventist (79%)

7. Islam (73%)

8. Orthodox Judaism (73%)

9. Bah' Faith (65%)

10. Liberal Quakers (58%)

11. Sikhism (55%)

12. Reform Judaism (53%)

13. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (47%)

14. Unitarian Universalism (46%)

15. Hinduism (46%)

16. Jainism (39%)

17. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (34%)

18. Jehovah's Witness (33%)

19. Mahayana Buddhism (30%)

20. Theravada Buddhism (29%)

21. Scientology (28%)

22. Neo-Pagan (27%)

23. Nontheist (25%)

24. Secular Humanism (25%)

25. New Age (24%)

26. New Thought (23%)

27. Taoism (23%)

 

Assuming Eastern Orthodox was placed before Roman Catholic because it starts with an E instead of an R, it appears I go to the right church.

 

It seems a simple matter to adjust ones answers to get the religion one wants at the top.

 

SWScouter

[DanKroh]

Hunt: "if the parents believe that their faith is actually true, they should raise their children in that faith"

 

Again, this statement presupposes that the parent believes that their faith is somehow "better" than other faiths (i.e. "true"). My faith does not have as part of its doctrine that it is "better" than other faiths, just that it is better FOR ME. I recognize that all faiths are "true" to those people who believe in them, even if they do not represent "truth" for me.

 

Just because Wicca/Paganism is the best religion for me, and represents truths about the universe in a way that resonate best with me, doesn't mean that it will be the best religion for my children (or anyone else, for that matter).

 

If by "raising them in my faith", you mean share beliefs and celebrations with them, I certainly do that. However, I do not intend to try to convince them that they must follow those beliefs because they are "true".

 

And since I don't believe in hell, I don't believe that any sort of punishment awaits my children for following the "wrong" faith.

 

I'm not saying that my way of thinking or spiritually raising my children is better than anyone else's, just that it is not driven by the same doctrine of "being true" as other religions (such as Christianity).

[Hunt]

"Again, this statement presupposes that the parent believes that their faith is somehow "better" than other faiths (i.e. "true")."

 

Well, sure. This is the case for many religions--adherents to such religions would argue that the "best" religion is the one that most closely approximates ultimate truth. I make no apologies for having that view of my own religion. The attitude in the article, to my eye, presupposed the contrary: that religion is just therapeutic, and the best religion is what "works" best for the individual. I can certainly see that what kind of religion you have will affect what you teach your children about it. I would add that it's impossible not to "indoctrinate" your children with your own views, except perhaps by actively hiding what they are.

[evmori]

Did anyone notice atheist is on the list?

[GernBlansten]

ED: Did anyone notice atheist is on the list?

 

Sure, its the UUC silly. They accept everyone!

[evmori]

ED: Did anyone notice atheist is on the list?

 

Sure, its the UUC silly. They accept everyone!

 

I meant not on the list.

 

The UUC might accept everyone but atheists don't.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[DanKroh]

"I meant not on the list." Refering to atheist.

 

Maybe I'm missing something, but I thought this is covered by "Nontheist".(This message has been edited by DanKroh)

[DanKroh]

Hunt: "I make no apologies for having that view of my own religion."

 

Nothing wrong with having that view, if it works for you. However, I was just trying to make you aware that not all religions claim to be "ultimate truth".

[Fuzzy Bear]

Ultimate Truth is easy enough to verify. Is there anyone up to it?

[OldGreyEagle]

How do you propose such a volunteer communicate the results back to us?

[Hunt]

"Nothing wrong with having that view, if it works for you. However, I was just trying to make you aware that not all religions claim to be "ultimate truth"."

 

I'm well aware of that...but it seems to me that the author of the article doesn't have much sense of what religion means to many, if not most, seriously religious people. It's really not about what "works for you." If you look at the history of new and splinter religions, they were generally not about what works better for people and meets their needs better--they reflected the founder's insights about spiritual truths.

The "works for me" model of religion is, to me, similar to choosing an exercise regimen--it supposes that "spiritual health" is like physical health, and can be achieved through a variety of methods. This is a pretty common idea these days, it's only one way of looking at what religion is all about.

Let me make a distinction here--I'm not claiming that I or anyone else can prove that their beliefs are closer to ultimate truth than others, and that's where toleration of other beliefs comes in. Let me also say that I recognize that when searching for a faith community to join, it certainly is important to find one that's a good fit personally--but the article implies that the the actual religious beliefs of the community are secondary to the other factors, and to me that's backwards.

 

[Trevorum]

Hunt says, "... the article implies that the the actual religious beliefs of the community are secondary to the other factors, and to me that's backwards."

 

I know what you are saying, but that way of choosing a church seems to be pretty common these days. As folks move into a new community, many of them will shop around for quite a while for a church that "fits" their family. (I suspect that most of these folks whom I'm talking about are marginally-denominational Protestants and not Catholics or Jews or Buddhists). Often I hear that the deciding factor was the community offered by the church - the day care, the youth pastor, the Wednesday night dinners, the other people, and not the strict theology. A lot of mainstream Christians seem to be fairly fluid in denominational affiliation; as long as the key elements of theology are met (trinity, salvation, etc.), it does not really matter if they attend a Presbyterian, a Lutheran, a Methodist, or one of the increasingly popular generic Bible churchs.

 

(Of course this is only my own perception of things from talking to my friends, since I am not Christian. And I certainly do not mean to offend anyone here who is adamantly denominational.)

[Hunt]

"A lot of mainstream Christians seem to be fairly fluid in denominational affiliation; as long as the key elements of theology are met (trinity, salvation, etc.), it does not really matter if they attend a Presbyterian, a Lutheran, a Methodist, or one of the increasingly popular generic Bible churchs."

 

That's certainly true--but as you suggest, there isn't a lot of theological difference between many of the Protestant churches--the differences are often at the margin, and aren't central to a person's beliefs. On the other hand, just how important doctrine is is something that distinguishes different churches.

[SSScout]

((G2SS not withstanding))

 

 

A mountain climber slips and falls. He finds himself literally holding on to the rock face with his fingernails. "HELP!" he cries out, "DEAR GOD, HELP ME!!"

 

A voice comes to him: "I would not forsake you, my son".

"What? Who's up there?" says the mountaineer.

"It is I, your God" says the voice.

"Really? I thought... I mean I..."

"I understand."

"C-c-c-can you help me?"

"Yes. Just let go and I will hold you up in my loving arms..."

"..."

The mountaineer says " IS THERE ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?"

[Fuzzy Bear]

To suggest that denominations share common truth is to invite anything other than toleration. They write whole theological libraries and build seminaries to house and discern the differences no matter how small. They won't even share the same building, so the competition becomes one of size and facility for the varied activities.