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How much do you express your spirituality or just interest in the topic of religion in person?

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
I hear people talking about politics constantly in person, but never religion or philosophy. It's unfortunate, there's so many interesting questions. I've tried bringing it up a few times and people have the tendency to avoid going deep into the conversation.

Whether you're an atheist, spiritual, or religious, you're a part of a religiousforum so I presume you are well informed and have an interest in the topic. How often does that show in your life outside of the forum?
 

CharmingOwl

Member
I express the kami or the gods in passing but it's not for everyone to understand. I find theology and talks about it seem to be mostly Christian in nature even on this forum where you see threads expressing christonormative sentiments like anti LGBT or anti abortion. I will tell people about how to clear evil spirits and ghosts and other functional stuff like that, but I don't want to get into the whole thing too deeply.
 

Exaltist Ethan

Bridging the Gap Between Believers and Skeptics
I used to have this "What religion are you?" Quiz that I had everybody I knew take, even my neighbors. It was massive: at its peak it was 60 questions and 60 results, but unfortunately the website that hosted it shut it down because I didn't convert into a paid account, which would have been $50 a month. I wasn't looking to create quizzes all the time, and didn't feel like it was worth the money for one or two silly quizzes. Now I typically use a website called Select Smart to make quizzes, the only problem with that, while being free and actually better overall than the other quiz maker, is that it's very sensitive and if you type a word like "Baháʼí Faith" it will reject it... Not because it hates that religion, but because you can't have any weird symbols or accents on your results. I tried making elaborate quizzes before and always ended up the work getting rejected, so I avoid making quizzes on the Internet because 1 - I can't afford a paid account and 2 - the free versions suck.

But why am I talking about this, might you ask? Because that was probably the last time I was really engaged in spiritual discussion with other people. I do throw in syntheist / Earthseed stuff with my parents, and I even bought a syntheist t-shirt quite recently, but, my parents are just quiet atheists: they don't want to believe in God, but don't really care if anyone else believes - including me. So, while I'm this hyper-excited individual for the beliefs I hold here and in public, I typically don't share them with people in person, because they simply don't understand where I'm coming from. My best friends, Dan and Hayley, know what I believe, and we talk about these matters intimately, but I don't expect most people to follow what I'm trying to explain when I say simple but true syntheists platitudes to them. I've done it to my parents before and all it does is alienate them.
 
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Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
I hear people talking about politics constantly in person, but never religion or philosophy. It's unfortunate, there's so many interesting questions. I've tried bringing it up a few times and people have the tendency to avoid going deep into the conversation.

Whether you're an atheist, spiritual, or religious, you're a part of a religiousforum so I presume you are well informed and have an interest in the topic. How often does that show in your life outside of the forum?
I discuss religion in my life so little that even people who know me well tend to not know my thoughts or positions or views on it. Politics I'm inclined to not because it's rude to discuss politics (and religion) outside of familiar circles. Philosophy I'm all for, but rarely do I ever get such a discussion.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
Part of why this disconnect happens is because religion in the West is not viewed as it traditionally was - as an expression of who you are (both as an individual and a member of a community) and what you do. I'm old school and reject the more modern understanding of religion, because it doesn't make sense for Paganism anyway. Who I am and what I do is an expression of my religion and I can't not be who I am. Whether or not others around me understand this is not up to me. I generally assume others won't understand - not a wrong assumption in a culture stuck in the morass of Christian influences and their atheist detractors - and avoid talking about things in ways that would confuse outsiders. But that doesn't mean that when I talk about politics for example that every word out of my mouth isn't rooted in my religion (it is).
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
I would much rather talk religion or philosophy than politics. I get uncomfortable when politics get brought up. Religion is fun, even if a person doesn't share my views. Its fun hearing how, if at all, it affects their life. I enjoy hearing about different practices as well.

I just find it all fascinating and beautiful.

If I have a close relationship with a person, its probably impossible that you don't hear about religion from me. Its my most beloved topic. I never push my views on others, but its a central part of my life.
 

JDMS

Academic Workhorse
As a cognitive biology major and a religious studies major, I bring up religion as often as I bring up discussions about science and living beings.

I don't bring up religion as a believer though, I bring up religion the same way I would bring up history. Most often it is just me sharing things I found interesting in my studies, or me pointing out religious concepts in movies and books that were used to create meaningful art. Like all the Japanese religious symbology in Elden Ring, a video game based in a fantasy world that is meant to resemble Medieval Europe. Religious symbology is everywhere, and it's fun to learn about. Like a little puzzle.

I find that most people enjoy this educational approach to religion. It's not taken the same way as proselytization.
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Whether you're an atheist, spiritual, or religious, you're a part of a religious forum so I presume you are well informed and have an interest in the topic. How often does that show in your life outside of the forum?
According to my belief, I live in two realities. 'Absolute' and 'Pragmatic'.
In Absolute reality, only Brahman exists and nothing else. No need to do anything.
In Pragmatic reality (the world), I act according to its requirements, that is squash the mosquito, etc.
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
According to my belief, I live in two realities. 'Absolute' and 'Pragmatic'.
In Absolute reality, only Brahman exists and nothing else. No need to do anything.
In Pragmatic reality (the world), I act according to its requirements, that is squash the mosquito, etc.
:D:cool::heart:

In Absolute reality I (ego) does not exist, nor the mosquito nor Putin...no killing, no war.

Absolute reality:heart: realization 'solves' the non existing Pragmatic reality:brokenheart: problems 'best'
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
I hear people talking about politics constantly in person, but never religion or philosophy. It's unfortunate, there's so many interesting questions. I've tried bringing it up a few times and people have the tendency to avoid going deep into the conversation.

Whether you're an atheist, spiritual, or religious, you're a part of a religiousforum so I presume you are well informed and have an interest in the topic. How often does that show in your life outside of the forum?
I usually don't have religion on my mind and don't start discussions. But when the subject comes up, I also don't avoid it.
 

Hermit Philosopher

Selflessly here for you
I hear people talking about politics constantly in person, but never religion or philosophy. It's unfortunate, there's so many interesting questions. I've tried bringing it up a few times and people have the tendency to avoid going deep into the conversation.

Whether you're an atheist, spiritual, or religious, you're a part of a religiousforum so I presume you are well informed and have an interest in the topic. How often does that show in your life outside of the forum?

I do not interact with people on a daily basis but whenever I do, my interactions are on the subject of faith.

Humbly,
Hermit
 

Koldo

Outstanding Member
I hear people talking about politics constantly in person, but never religion or philosophy. It's unfortunate, there's so many interesting questions. I've tried bringing it up a few times and people have the tendency to avoid going deep into the conversation.

Whether you're an atheist, spiritual, or religious, you're a part of a religiousforum so I presume you are well informed and have an interest in the topic. How often does that show in your life outside of the forum?

Rarely.
In my experience, people are generally only interested in hearing others talk about religion when it agrees what they believe.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Whether you're an atheist, spiritual, or religious, you're a part of a religiousforum so I presume you are well informed and have an interest in the topic. How often does that show in your life outside of the forum?

Very rarely. People know I'm atheiest because of the one time i was asked my faith and word spread. Not that it matters, laïcité (secularism) is a big thing in France.
 

syo

Well-Known Member
In person? Never. In real life, people do not care about religion. I try to start conversations and they cut me off.
 
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