Describe your belief

[mahmoud mrt]

Hello,

I would like to open a thread where every one describe his belief

I don't want to go into details of laws or opinions,

i just want to know more about the basic belief of each religion, and for others to share it

I discovered that when i search about a religion, it always isn't enough to understand, so please be specific and simple as you can

Please type the name of your religion, then the description of its basic belief


Regards,
mahmoud

 

[mahmoud mrt]

i will begin

My religion is Islam

The basic belief is to worship God the one the only one,

Who created all the universe and us, who can't be seen by our weak eyes, but His existence can be felt in our hearts, in the signs of the creation of the universe and human beings that point to one God who created them

One God,

He is One "Wahed", the only one "Ahad": not composed of part or other deities.

He is not included in any creature, He just created them, so no creature represents the face of God.

Prophet Muhammed and all prophets including Jesus son of Mary, Abraham “Ibrahiem”, and Adam (Peace be upon them) are all mere human beings created by God, simple creatures

We don’t need proof of His existence, we feel Him in our Heart, we find peace with Him

He has 99 Names, from them “Allah” which literally is translated into “The God”, “Alrahman”: Most Gracious most Compassionate, “Alrahim”: Most merciful, most of them are merciful names, some describe His power and the punishment of criminals

I hope this clarifies Islam’s belief, if more illustration is needed, feel free to discuss

Regards,
mahmoud

 

[Madhuri]

Hi Mahmoud,
I will take your lead and describe my religion on the basis that you described yours. It is not always easy to begin to describe one's religion, especially when trying to avoid a long and complicated post!

My religion is Hinduism, or more accurately called Sanatan Dharma.

I will be more specific because Hinduism is an umbrella term for a number of sects. I am a Vaishnava and I consider Krishna to be my worshipful deity (ie/ God). I subscribe to the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu who preached Achintya Bhedabheda Tattva. This philosophy teaches inconcievable oneness and difference with God. I will explain this:

Most Hindus are not dualistic. We do not see God as some being far away who, using the pre-existing laws of nature, created the universe. No, God is Everything. God is the source, the origin, of everything and the creator of the laws of nature. From God's very being everything becomes manifest. Therefore there is no separation between God and His creation, although there is distinction.

I want to make it clear here, because many people become confused: one cannot say that 'I am God' but rather that 'I am a part of God's energy' and God's energy is not separate from God.

The goal of my religion is to Realise this relationship with the Divine. In this material world we are all covered by Maya, which means 'illusion'. We experience dualities and these illusions of duality cause us to have selfish desires. Selfish behaviour leads to misery and thus there is so much suffering in this world.

Being covered by illusion (maya) represents a state of ignorance. When we reach Enlightenment/Realisation (same thing) we essentially reach a state of full awareness and understanding about reality. In Hinduism there are various paths to God. The one I am most attracted to is called bhakti, which means devotion. It is the path of Love, essentially. So for me, Love is what strips away ignorance. Love is the opposite of selfishness. Love and Enlightenment are reached simultaneously. Once I am Realised, I will experience all encompassing love. I will no longer see distinction between one person and another thing. All is part of God and all are equal.

'Faith' is not quite as emphasised as it is in Abrahamic religions. There is a way to know and experience God, we do not have to follow blindly.

This is a religion that, followed genuinely, leads to selflessness, peace, joy, a sense of equality, unattachment to things material and a love for all. There is no room for hatred or violence when we see God in all things.

Some other misc beliefs:

Karma
Reincarnation
I do not believe in Hell
God does not judge or punish

Thank you for reading.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I guess I'll do Christianity first, but really my beliefs span beyond that. Christianity is a very diverse religion, with many varying sects and opinions, but the way I see Christianity is as a path to enlightenment and liberation from suffering. I think some Christians tend to look at things in the Bible too literally. Jesus was teaching a way of life, not just a belief. So many believe that you can just have faith alone, and that's all there is to Christianity. So I'll break it down. I believe in one God. I believe that this God is comprised of numberless attributes/emminations. Among these emminations, he sometimes comes to earth as a fleshly being called an avatar. Jesus Christ was God's most recent, and possibly last avatar, but I can't say that for sure. Jesus taught to do good to everyone, so I generally strive to do this. He taught to seek for the true kingdom of God within, which can lead one to enlightenment. He struggled with his carnal side all his life, and even though I don't believe the crucifixion was his choice entirely, he did submit to it. He put aside his attachment to life, and all his carnal passions. He crucified the carnal man, and that is why he was liberated from this physical matrix. His example serves as an example for others. I do not believe the cross merely to be a sacrifice for sin, I think that cheapens the true symbolism of the cross. The cross is a call to the entire world to strive for a higher state of mind like that Jesus had. This higher consciousness has been called the Christ by us, but it's been called other names by other religions. That's about it

 

[Classicus]

I'm an atheist.
Absolutely convinced there is nog god/higher power.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

I'm a Baha'i, and our most central beliefs are what we call the "Three Onenesses":

• The Oneness of God, Who is known by many different names in the various languages and cultures,
• The oneness of humanity, who are all brothers and sisters, and
• The common foundation of all the great religions, which are stages in a single ever-evolving faith, the Faith of God!

Best!

Bruce

 

[*Anne*]

I fall into the category of "Agnostic".

I believe we cannot know if a higher being exists. I don't think it's out of the question, but knowing for sure is beyond our capabilities at the moment.

 

[Storm]

I believe in the roth, what someone cleverer than I dubbed "the living Godiverse." That God is a sapient organism whose body is the cosmos.

I further believe that this being is a juvenile, and reality as we know it is the Becoming, the process of God growing up.

There are three primal elements to the roth: matter (which is no less divine than the others), rhys (consciousness), and arn (life force).

The closest I get to theistic concepts of God are the Elders, individual rhys who have fully Become. They serve as guides for their younger siblings (that would be us), much like the boddhisattvas of Buddhism.

I'm also a Unitarian Universalist. Ours is a covenantal faith based on the 7 Prinicples. We affirm and promote:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Rather than worry about theological conformity, UU works to create the Beloved Community so eloquently described by MLK. IOW, we're less concerned with The Truth (TM) than joining the fight to leave the world better than we found it.

This aligns with my theology beautifully. I don't believe in morality handed down from on high, but a divine mandate to figure it out for yourself and then put it into action.

 

[ChristineES]

I follow the teachings of Jesus/Y'shua. I don't really fit into any Christian denomination(I believe that no one really does but...). Some of Jesus teachings: 1. The Golden Rule (although other cultures have the same/similar teaching) 2. Looking at yourself before you start condemning others (the whole log/splinter in the eye teaching). 3. Loving your neighbor as yourself, loving your siblings in Jesus, loving your enemies, loving God, etc. 4. Showing mercy. 5. Giving to the poor and needy.
I don't always measure up, but God is merciful and loves His people even if they fall short sometimes.
Other ideas: I don't believe hell is a literal place, but a separation from God.

 

[Beyondo]

I believe in chaos as the foundation of everything and from this chaos a virtual universe spawned. I don't have a name for this belief and I don't qualify it as a religion, but it is a theory of everything that is consistent from the bottom up. Its premise is founded on a simple eternal single type of elements whose attributes explain its behavior. These elements have finite states and by virtue of their interacton form a chaotic system. The chaotic system converges to an ordered system. The ordered system is a computational universe and because it is everything has a degree of intelligence. This intelligence allows matter to form swarms that can form atoms, molecules, stars, galaxies, DNA, neurons, etc. This concept provides a self similar recursion in that the swarms are chaotic systems that converge to form more complex systems or layers of abstraction.

I hope one day that I will discover a way to validate my belief or hypothesis. My faith is in the observation of particle behavior and the fact that reality conforms to mathematics. In fact I believe that the very reason our universe exists is due to mathematics and this stems from the simple premise that something eternal has at least two states, from there everything can be dervived...

 

[zenzero]

Friend M m,

Describe your belief

Have no beliefs.
Only understanding.
Beliefs are of the mind and religion is the way to no-mind or a still mind which is through understanding and karma.

Understand that am part of that *whole* and that everything we see and do not see are also part of the same *whole* and so all are the same.

Love & rgds

 

[Beyondo]

In fact I believe that the very reason our universe exists is due to mathematics and this stems from the simple premise that something eternal has at least two states, from there everything can be dervived...

That's inclusive of consciousness, emotions and morality ...

 

[Riverwolf]

I am a Hindu; more specifically, currently a Shaiva Smarta Vedantin. ^_^ (I honestly don't have a fully accurate name; I don't follow any set religion.)

Copied from a word document that I made about a month ago:

What do I believe?​

I believe in the overall Oneness of all things, and that this Oneness is ultimately Brahman. I do not know whether or not Brahman is independently conscious.

I primarily worship God through Siva's family: Siva, Sakti, Murugan, and Ganesha. These gods are self-projections on certain aspects of reality, and do not physically exist.

I believe that the Vedas are the accumulated knowledge of mankind, both secular and spiritual, and not limited to the traditional Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva Vedas.

I accept the traditional Vedas and their offshoots as the highest spiritual authorities, though I do accept that they may not be useful for all people.

I accept Scriptures as guidebooks, not inerrant words of God to be followed blindly; religion is found primarily through reflection, meditation, and contemplation.

I believe in following my own path rather than being limited by a traditionally set path that is not flexible, while honoring such paths as the bedrock of my own.

I believe that the scientific method is the best method by which secular knowledge may be obtained, and that knowledge gained by it supersedes any previous, contradicting secular knowledge.

I believe that there are two truths: objective and subjective. Objective truth deals with facts, which can only be correct or incorrect. Subjective truth is religion and philosophy, in which correctness doesn't apply.

I believe that there are four primary tendencies that have uncountable offshoots: intellectual, competitor, economist, and worker.

I believe that each person has varying degrees of these tendencies, and having an abundance of one does not create superiority; an intellectual is not superior to a worker.

I believe in the four steps of the spiritual path, which go by various names in other religions: Karma Yoga (Selfless Service), Bhakti Yoga(Loving Devotion), Raja Yoga(Meditation), and Jñana Yoga(Knowledge and Wisdom).

I believe that the first step on the spiritual path is Karma Yoga; it is through this Yoga that devotion and love can fully mature.

I believe that different types of people have varying degrees of spiritual requirements for progression; some must give lots, some only a little; the individual should know for sure.

I believe that worship should be natural; no form of worship should be based on fear, nor should it be forced; a devotee wants to worship; one who is not inclined to such actions should not be forced.

I believe that atheism is a legitimate philosophy, as it is based on objective reality; it is through such people that unbiased secular knowledge can be obtained.

I believe that the underlying teaching in all religions is Love; without unconditional Love for all things, there can be no Love for God.

 

[jmvizanko]

As a weak atheist, I do not believe any deities exist, but do not believe that a deity's existence is an impossibility or even unlikely. I believe the only two probable options are, in descending order of probability, physicalism or deism. I do, however, lean towards there not being a god, since there is plenty of help we could use from a god if there was one, and I cannot think of any reason why if there was a god, it would be unwilling to do so. As for the revealed religions contained in ancient texts, they are to me so apparently rubbish stacked upon rubbish.

 

[dawny0826]

I am a Trinitarian Christian and the Nicene Creed summarizes my belief perfectly.

You can find it here. I believe the "Catholic Church" is simply the body of Christ - all who choose to follow him. I don't believe that any singular religious denomination has it all together and I choose to identify as non-denominational, though I'd feel quite comfortable worshipping in any Christian church, really.

I try to take a simple approach to the Word. There's much that I interpret literally. There's much that I don't understand. There's much that I think is taken too literally and distorts simple truths...like...God is Love and when we love we fulfill the law to the fullest. I don't think that it has to be complicated and I find organized religion to be horribly complicated at times.

I believe wholeheartedly that God is a good, wonderful God. I am His creation and I should live for Him. When I die, my heart desires to return to Him.

 

[mahmoud mrt]

Thanks a lot guys for these responses; I’m proud that this forum have such compassionate, good hearted persons, although i differ from them in belief,

I'm sorry my reply is late,

I’ll comment on some posts by God willing

Thanks for each one who posted; the thread is still open for discussion

Regards
mahmoud

 

[mho123]

i am also an athesit ,, totally convinced there is no god,,

 

[Tiapan]

My natural religion

I believe we live in a closed oscillating universe that is in a continually changing equilibria between matter and energy. That prior to the big bang there was a previous collapsing universe (proved if the universe is rotating), so that matter + energy is always constant. It was never created and will never end, it simply exists. In the billions of years since the hot protouniverse expanded increasing in complexity as it cooled, obeying the laws of physics and chemistry universally for as far as we can see. From the complexity (Entropy) and a series of inevitable physical events biological life develops fairly quickly regularly (within a couple of billion years), when the appropriate mix of some very common chemicals are put together at the right temperature. Further from the complexity and many eons of time later, intelligence in various forms arises, the neocortex develops eventually sentience and self awareness giving some the ability that we may now marvel at ourselves and the universe. The process has not finished although with humans it has slowed significantly. Because of our technology we now live well past our breeding age, so in the gene pool any beneficial trait is usually diluted out of existence with plentiful ordinary genotypes. We may for a hybrid if and when we can interface our biology with digital number crunching and processing, or imbed a gene computer using plasmids. who knows. It is a universe full of amazing surprises, without any need for fairies, gnomes, vampires, devils, angels or gods.

Cheers

 

[sandandfoam]

I believe in God, unknowable and merciful, above understanding. Awesome and wonderful.
I believe Christ offers a way to reconcile my being with the wonder in which I find myself.

 

[mahmoud mrt]

I follow the teachings of Jesus/Y'shua. I don't really fit into any Christian denomination(I believe that no one really does but...).

So Jesus for you is God, or just a prophet creature?

Some of Jesus teachings: 1. The Golden Rule (although other cultures have the same/similar teaching) 2. Looking at yourself before you start condemning others (the whole log/splinter in the eye teaching). 3. Loving your neighbor as yourself, loving your siblings in Jesus, loving your enemies, loving God, etc. 4. Showing mercy. 5. Giving to the poor and needy.

Great Teachings

I don't always measure up, but God is merciful and loves His people even if they fall short sometimes.

Agree

Other ideas: I don't believe hell is a literal place, but a separation from God.

Very near to my personal belief, hell I not a place for eternal punishment, it’s a place for punishment for a period of time, then a place for only separation from God, not torture

Thanks,

Regards,
mahmoud