Believing in God without religion

[Karolina]

I have cross posted this in the Deism forum as well, since I'm not sure where it makes the most sense. There doesn't seem to be a generic "Theism". It's automatically subdivided into some other organized religion, be it Judaism, Islam, Christianity, etc. I understand the basic premise of Deism is that God is not actively involved in creation, while Theism claims just the opposite. I would like to find the sort of Theism that is like Deism in its lack of group revelations, rituals, prescriptions, mythologies, etc, but nonetheless not deny that God does care and is reachable by humanity, though the details of how that is done should be open to individual interpretation.
Do theists who do not follow organized religion fall under the "spiritual but not religious" category? I don't ever hear anyone calling themselves a Theist. It seems like this stance is more like an explanation than an identity: "I believe in God but not religion".

 

[Rival]

It sounds to me as though you're in your own category. There's no real reason to label yourself as any more than what you are. However, I do understand how isolating this can feel if you want a community

 

[Starlight]

I call myself God believer. Or just a Theist. But why do you need a label? Its not so important. God does not care about that.

 

[Salty Booger]

Do theists who do not follow organized religion fall under the "spiritual but not religious"

I view "religion" as a system of belief, or a formalization of belief through doctrine and ritual. I view Spirituality as a recognition of the other dimension of existence. I think spirituality can become a system of belief and evolve into a religion given enough time.

 

[shunyadragon]

Believing in God is the attribute of religion, but also is the disbelief in God.

 

[MonkeyFire]

God must create infinite descending and ascending times as a moral obligation, and is still in nirvana.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Perhaps we would benefit from a "General" under the Non-Revealed Religions DIR.

 

[Karolina]

I call myself God believer. Or just a Theist. But why do you need a label? Its not so important. God does not care about that.

Believe me, if I didn't feel a need for a label, I wouldn't be asking. Call it a quirk or even an obsession, but it's the same in all areas of my life. I need labels to help me navigate the world.

 

[shunyadragon]

Perhaps we would benefit from a "General" under the Non-Revealed Religions DIR.

There are many beliefs that claim we are not religion, but everyone else believes in religions.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I have cross posted this in the Deism forum as well, since I'm not sure where it makes the most sense. There doesn't seem to be a generic "Theism". It's automatically subdivided into some other organized religion, be it Judaism, Islam, Christianity, etc. I understand the basic premise of Deism is that God is not actively involved in creation, while Theism claims just the opposite. I would like to find the sort of Theism that is like Deism in its lack of group revelations, rituals, prescriptions, mythologies, etc, but nonetheless not deny that God does care and is reachable by humanity, though the details of how that is done should be open to individual interpretation.
Do theists who do not follow organized religion fall under the "spiritual but not religious" category? I don't ever hear anyone calling themselves a Theist. It seems like this stance is more like an explanation than an identity: "I believe in God but not religion".

From how I understand it theism just focuses on belief in gods but not the nature of that belief. So, Pagans are theists, Hindus, of course Abrahamics, and so forth. While deism even though there is no one to one contact with god(s), some religions say only god can be known through an intermediary whether it be gods/goddesses, ancestors, saints, so have you. The intermediary is a direct connection to god, so in that sense it's deism but in another sense it's not. But either are part of theism.

I think people who believe in gods (theists) fall under many hats. Some need religion and/or scripture to understand god. Some understand god by ritual and practice. Some are more "spiritual" I guess meaning mystic in nature. Others who are religious value the concrete stuff in life to complement the spiritual. Also, find your own words or way to describe religion and spirituality. Religion doesn't need to be bad and spirituality-only doesn't need to be good. They have their place. Both or either.

 

[SeekerOnThePath]

I find it rather an arbitrary idea

 

[Quagmire]

I have cross posted this in the Deism forum as well, since I'm not sure where it makes the most sense. There doesn't seem to be a generic "Theism". It's automatically subdivided into some other organized religion, be it Judaism, Islam, Christianity, etc. I understand the basic premise of Deism is that God is not actively involved in creation, while Theism claims just the opposite. I would like to find the sort of Theism that is like Deism in its lack of group revelations, rituals, prescriptions, mythologies, etc, but nonetheless not deny that God does care and is reachable by humanity, though the details of how that is done should be open to individual interpretation.
Do theists who do not follow organized religion fall under the "spiritual but not religious" category? I don't ever hear anyone calling themselves a Theist. It seems like this stance is more like an explanation than an identity: "I believe in God but not religion".

We actually do have a general theism forum: Theism

It has four subforms, monotheism, polytheism, etc, but you can scroll past those subcategories to post in the general Theism forum.

 

[shunyadragon]

I call myself God believer. Or just a Theist. But why do you need a label? Its not so important. God does not care about that.

You just described yourself with a label.

 

[Father Heathen]

Panentheism, maybe?

 

[Brian2]

I have cross posted this in the Deism forum as well, since I'm not sure where it makes the most sense. There doesn't seem to be a generic "Theism". It's automatically subdivided into some other organized religion, be it Judaism, Islam, Christianity, etc. I understand the basic premise of Deism is that God is not actively involved in creation, while Theism claims just the opposite. I would like to find the sort of Theism that is like Deism in its lack of group revelations, rituals, prescriptions, mythologies, etc, but nonetheless not deny that God does care and is reachable by humanity, though the details of how that is done should be open to individual interpretation.
Do theists who do not follow organized religion fall under the "spiritual but not religious" category? I don't ever hear anyone calling themselves a Theist. It seems like this stance is more like an explanation than an identity: "I believe in God but not religion".

I posted this in the other place you put this OP so now I'm transferring it here and deleting it from the other thread.
At it's basic level Christianity is probably like what you are looking for. Meeting with other Christians however is helpful and suggested in the Bible for mutual encouragement etc. This of course can mean rituals etc. I used to fellowship with a group that called itself a fellowship in that it was not aligned with any particular denomination.
I go to an Anglican Church at the moment and we also have what we call home groups where some people meet regularly at one person's home for social interaction, Bible study, prayer, discussion etc. Maybe that sort of things is what you need.
But of course Christianity is belief in Jesus as Lord and not just in a personal creator God.
Many theologians do say that Jesus did not come to start a new religion like the others, but that is what people do and it has it's up sides and down sides.
I hope you find what you need.

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

I have cross posted this in the Deism forum as well, since I'm not sure where it makes the most sense. There doesn't seem to be a generic "Theism". It's automatically subdivided into some other organized religion, be it Judaism, Islam, Christianity, etc. I understand the basic premise of Deism is that God is not actively involved in creation, while Theism claims just the opposite. I would like to find the sort of Theism that is like Deism in its lack of group revelations, rituals, prescriptions, mythologies, etc, but nonetheless not deny that God does care and is reachable by humanity, though the details of how that is done should be open to individual interpretation.
Do theists who do not follow organized religion fall under the "spiritual but not religious" category? I don't ever hear anyone calling themselves a Theist. It seems like this stance is more like an explanation than an identity: "I believe in God but not religion".

There are lots of people who don't follow any formal religion but believe in God, and yeah, they are usually the ones who say "spiritual not religious".

 

[InChrist]

I have cross posted this in the Deism forum as well, since I'm not sure where it makes the most sense. There doesn't seem to be a generic "Theism". It's automatically subdivided into some other organized religion, be it Judaism, Islam, Christianity, etc. I understand the basic premise of Deism is that God is not actively involved in creation, while Theism claims just the opposite. I would like to find the sort of Theism that is like Deism in its lack of group revelations, rituals, prescriptions, mythologies, etc, but nonetheless not deny that God does care and is reachable by humanity, though the details of how that is done should be open to individual interpretation.
Do theists who do not follow organized religion fall under the "spiritual but not religious" category? I don't ever hear anyone calling themselves a Theist. It seems like this stance is more like an explanation than an identity: "I believe in God but not religion".

I believe in God, not religion. My experience is that Jesus Christ is the Creator God who became human to relate and for relationship with humans. God is not a practice, ritual, or religion.

 

[danieldemol]

I have cross posted this in the Deism forum as well, since I'm not sure where it makes the most sense. There doesn't seem to be a generic "Theism". It's automatically subdivided into some other organized religion, be it Judaism, Islam, Christianity, etc. I understand the basic premise of Deism is that God is not actively involved in creation, while Theism claims just the opposite. I would like to find the sort of Theism that is like Deism in its lack of group revelations, rituals, prescriptions, mythologies, etc, but nonetheless not deny that God does care and is reachable by humanity, though the details of how that is done should be open to individual interpretation.
Do theists who do not follow organized religion fall under the "spiritual but not religious" category? I don't ever hear anyone calling themselves a Theist. It seems like this stance is more like an explanation than an identity: "I believe in God but not religion".

I'm spiritual not religious. I would call myself a theist, but i'm more specifically a monotheist, and it just saves people asking the next logical question "what type of theist are you" to describe myself as a monotheist.

 

[DagonVarunaMitraApolloZan]

I'm spiritual not religious. I would call myself a theist, but i'm more specifically a monotheist, and it just saves people asking the next logical question "what type of theist are you" to describe myself as a monotheist.

Haha yeah, me too!

 

[shunyadragon]

There are lots of people who don't follow any formal religion but believe in God, and yeah, they are usually the ones who say "spiritual not religious".

Unbelievable over the top egocentric hypocrisy.