Learning about people’s faith & what they believe in, how they think about it & try to practice it

[Kathryn]

Would you like to use my bathroom?

LOL probably not. Ah well, such is life.

 

[Niatero]

I practice my beliefs at the foundation first of a Universalist philosophy. The first assumption is the limitations of the fallible human nature. No individual ancient or present religion is adequate in and of itself frr a basis for belief or universal nature of humanity and our physical existence. The Universalist view considers the different religions and belief systems objectively first as their place in history and culture where the originated. Science is the only objective basis for the evolving knowledge of the nature of our physical existence. Scientific knowledge is subject to change with new knowledge, where ancient religions and and beleif systems are less open to change based on new information

The traditional tribal nature of humans desire for a sense of of belonging and identity dominates human choices and justification of one belief over another. Most often a version of the religion they were raised in.

From the Universalist perspective I believe in an evolving nature of the human potential for spiritual evolution, This evolving spiritual nature of humanity is expressed as a potential, because most ancient world views are resistant or refuses to change. Clinging to one ancient religion or belief system limits the potential limited freedom of choices,

More to follow . . .

Does your way of thinking say anything to you about how to live your life?

 

[Niatero]

I try to find ways to justify the behaviours my brain dictates.

Does that give you any ideas about how to live your life?

 

[Niatero]

I try to live my life by bettering each place I go into. Clean a sink, smile and compliment someone, volunteer, that sort of thing.

Do you have any ideas about what inspires and motivates you to do those things? What else can you tell me about your faith, how you think about it? I don't mean the Faith you belong to in general, I mean what it means to you personally. If that isn't too personal. Is there anything in it about God or the stories in your scriptures?

 

[Niatero]

Just standard life progression from dependent to independent to interdependent.... faith in yourself - your higher brain's capacity to figure it out (not guess, use superstition) develops with experience.

Your faith is faith in your brain's higher capacity to figure it out? Anything else?

 

[Nakosis]

NOTE: I intentionally posted this in the Interfaith forum, which I thought was a non-debate forum.

I’ll be inviting people here to ask them questions about their faith, not as representatives of their religion or other association, but about how they think about it personally and try to practice it. I have some specific people in mind, but if anyone would like to volunteer for it, I’m interested.

(later) It doesn’t have to be a religious faith. It can be any way of life a person believes in and tries to practice.

My only rule, that could be stated as a rule, is to cause no unnecessary harm.
The caveat to that however is that I get to decide what is necessary.

 

[Niatero]

I'm currently thinking of my faith as thinking that there are good lessons to learn about living the best life we can by immersing in the stories of Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, the past official religions of China, Judaism, the past official religions of Greece and Rome, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, the Babi and Baha'i Faiths and possibly a few others.

(later) I have a kind of faith in some of the teachers in those stories. Use their lives and teachings as a key to understand everything else in the stories.

 

[Niatero]

My only rule, that could be stated as a rule, is to cause no unnecessary harm.
The caveat to that however is that I get to decide what is necessary.

Do you have any principles or policies that you derive from that? Can you think of anything else to say about your faith or what you believe in? Do you have any ideas about what makes you want to not cause any unnecessary harm?

 

[Tomef]

Does that give you any ideas about how to live your life?

I try to be more reflective.

 

[Niatero]

I have a faith, but no rituals nor practices. My faith is internalized with the hope and understanding that will produce my actions naturally. I figure if I can reach my heart with right understandings then my actions will flow from that.

What do you do, to try to reach your heart with the right understandings?

 

[Niatero]

I try to be more reflective.

Is there anything else you can tell me about how you want to live your life?

 

[Nakosis]

Can you think of anything else to say about your faith or what you belief in? Do you have any ideas about what makes you want to not cause any unnecessary harm?

I find causing any harm is usually detrimental to my wellbeing. Perhaps the counter to the Golden Rule.
Cause no harm lest harm be caused upon you.

So if I've cause no harm, I feel justified in resisting any harm being caused against me. A way to avoid feeling guilt. I find feeling guilt is not useful to my main goal which is being happy. Guilt is counter productive to being happy. Causing unnecessary harm leads to feeling guilt.

I accept that what makes me happy is not necessarily the same as what makes others happy. I've no problem with that as long as people don't go about imposing on my happiness.

 

[osgart]

What do you do, to try to reach your heart with the right understandings?

Any positive character trait in the dictionary is what I study. There's about 100 virtues I've counted. I try to approach them logically and objectively. I find good morality ranges from consequentialist to the highest moral charity and benevolence. Every moral is about trustworthiness and deserve I find, and good judgment depends on that. Other then that it would get personal. Even things like objectivity is a virtue.

 

[Tomef]

Is there anything else you can tell me about how you want to live your life?

That could get fairly long. The short version is interesting, and with changes when I want to make them.

 

[idea]

Your faith is faith in your brain's higher capacity to figure it out? Anything else?

Brain + research.
Input to brain needs to include reputable, reproducible, universally agreed upon data.

 

[Kathryn]

Do you have any ideas about what inspires and motivates you to do those things? What else can you tell me about your faith, how you think about it? I don't mean the Faith you belong to in general, I mean what it means to you personally. If that isn't too personal. Is there anything in it about God or the stories in your scriptures?

I believe that God inspires me. I think about my faith regularly, like several times a day, and it's always about God and His mercy toward me. I am amazed that He loves me so much. I also talk to God on a regular basis, like every day and sometimes several times a day.

 

[Kathryn]

What about your faith, OP? Tell us what or who inspires you, for instance.

 

[Niatero]

Any positive character trait in the dictionary is what I study. There's about 100 virtues I've counted. I try to approach them logically and objectively. I find good morality ranges from consequentialist to the highest moral charity and benevolence. Every moral is about trustworthiness and deserve I find, and good judgment depends on that. Other then that it would get personal. Even things like objectivity is a virtue.

That’s interesting. Abdu’l-Baha says something similar about truthfulness. “Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues. Without truthfulness progress and success, in all the worlds of God, are impossible for any soul. When this holy attribute is established in man, all the divine qualities will also be acquired.”

How do you study? Do you use any kind of meditation, visualization, exercise or practice?

 

[Niatero]

What about your faith, OP? Tell us what or who inspires you, for instance.

That’s funny, I just posted about that a few hours ago. Post #67

 

[osgart]

That’s interesting. Abdu’l-Baha says something similar about truthfulness. “Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues. Without truthfulness progress and success, in all the worlds of God, are impossible for any soul. When this holy attribute is established in man, all the divine qualities will also be acquired.”

How do you study? Do you use any kind of meditation, visualization, exercise or practice?

I keep a journal, contemplate, self reflection, but the big one is reflecting on others. I center on objectivity, empathy, non assumption, and something I call virtue logic. I get alone and see where my emotions take me.

My positive attitude can be maximally challenged by some people so it's important to have alone time, reset, and heal.

Trying to be understanding of others is the prime thing, while not forgetting myself. Self control is so very, very important.

Yeah I actually work on my moral senses that way. I have my own dictionary where I've defined my virtues in detail. I do visualize often.

The biggest challenge is not to let people exhaust my emotions. The hardest thing is to handle dysfunctional people and bring about the best available outcomes.