Help Me Decide!

[cardero]

I outlined my basic beliefs above; I don't pretend to be the founder of my own religion because I don't pretend to have complete (or even mostly complete) truth.

Truth is not a requisite for religion, just belief and a few supporters doesn’t hurt either which I am sure you have around you. So you see you have been your own religion all your life and haven’t realized it. Congratulations, I shall PM you shortly with the proper tax exempt forms and I will keep an eye out for your future posts.

 

[HopefulNikki]

Truth is not a requisite for religion

So Patrickism isn't true? I would find it interesting that you would consciously follow an admittedly false religion...

 

[cardero]

So Patrickism isn't true? ..

I am very real (just like you) and if you ask me what I believe, I will honestly provide you with what I know.

HopefulNikki writes: I would find it interesting that you would consciously follow an admittedly false religion.

Well, I admit that I am the only one who can be accountable for my mistakes but trust me, that is one of the "hard Truths" of BEing one's own religion.

 

[HopefulNikki]

I am very real (just like you) and if you ask me what I believe, I will honestly provide you with what I know.

That doesn't answer my question...is your religion true or not? Or at least, do you believe it to be true?

Well, I admit that I am the only one who can be accountable for my mistakes but trust me, that is one of the "hard Truths" of BEing one's own religion

It's one of the hard truths of being a human being; you don't have to invent your own religion to discover that.

 

[cardero]

That doesn't answer my question...is your religion true or not?

If you are asking if I have proven all my beliefs True or Untrue, I have not. That does not make my religion or beliefs false or my existence less purposeful.

HopefulNikki writes: It's one of the hard truths of being a human being; you don't have to invent your own religion to discover that.

Nor do you have to seek someone else’s religion to discover this Truth. So here endeth the lesson. You pass!

 

[HopefulNikki]

If you are asking if I have proven all my beliefs True or Untrue, I have not. That does not make my religion or beliefs false or my existence less purposeful.

By saying that your religion or beliefs are not false, then you are implicitly saying that they are true; so your religion does appear to have truth as a requisite.

Nor do you have to seek someone else’s religion to discover this Truth.

I don't have my own religion, and religions don't "belong" to any one person in the first place (aside from perhaps their founders), so the framework of your reply seems off from the start. I'm not looking for "someone else's" truth...I'm simply looking for truth, wherever it lies.

 

[cardero]

HopefulNikki writes: By saying that your religion or beliefs are not false, then you are implicitly saying that they are true;

What I am implying is if my religion had the Truth then I wouldn’t have need for beliefs. If I don’t know the answer to something, I would say so and still speak the Truth.

HopefulNikki writes: so your religion does appear to have truth as a requisite

My religion has an appeal for Truth, not a requisite. Belief systems don't begin with Truths, they begin with beliefs. Nikkism and Patrickism also may not converge on the same Truths, which is why I have not sent my invitation out to you. I could not in good conscious ask you to follow Patrickism any more than you could invite me to follow Nikkism. Doesn’t make any of our religions false, it just makes our religions unique.

HopefulNikki writes: I don't have my own religion, and religions don't "belong" to any one person in the first place (aside from perhaps their founders),

Surely you don’t expect Nikkism to believe in the same exact way as another person or group do you? If you are involving GOD into your religion, then you are your own founder. GOD is going to view as an individual no matter what company you keep or religious organization you attend.

HopefulNikki writes: so the framework of your reply seems off from the start. I'm not looking for "someone else's" truth...I'm simply looking for truth, wherever it lies.

It would probably be in your best interest to research it for yourself rather than relying on others (keep in mind that other people are on the same pursuit for their own Truths). You won’t find Truth just lying around, you have to search for it and it will always begin with you. Only you know what Truth you want to know at this moment in this lifetime.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Well, my path isn't for everyone. You do alot of studying and research in the fields of Mysticism and the Occult, and you are often looked at like your nuts for talking about such things. But the feeling of knowledge, wisdom, and empowerment is well worth it though.

 

[HopefulNikki]

What I am implying is if my religion had the Truth then I wouldn’t have need for beliefs.

That implies that beliefs are untrue, which is a false assumption.

My religion has an appeal for Truth, not a requisite. Belief systems don't begin with Truths, they begin with beliefs. Nikkism and Patrickism also may not converge on the same Truths, which is why I have not sent my invitation out to you. I could not in good conscious ask you to follow Patrickism any more than you could invite me to follow Nikkism. Doesn’t make any of our religions false, it just makes our religions unique.

Nikkism isn't a religion, so I don't see your point.

Surely you don’t expect Nikkism to believe in the same exact way as another person or group do you?

Since it doesn't exist, I guess not

If you are involving GOD into your religion, then you are your own founder.

How are you reaching that conclusion? 99.99% of the world's population follow a religion that they did not found.

GOD is going to view as an individual no matter what company you keep or religious organization you attend.

Sure. That doesn't make it logical to make up your own religion or pretend like the truth is automatically accessible to you within yourself, or that you should simply believe "what feels right."

It would probably be in your best interest to research it for yourself rather than relying on others (keep in mind that other people are on the same pursuit for their own Truths). You won’t find Truth just lying around, you have to search for it and it will always begin with you. Only you know what Truth you want to know at this moment in this lifetime.

The whole point of asking others is because of my search for truth. No man is an island unto himself. Truth does not contradict itself, yet people do, so obviously truth (or at least complete truth) is not found within each individual.

 

[may]

Hi May! I don't think I've ever spoken to you before on here? Are you a Jehovah's Witness?

Out of curiosity, how would one become part of that "great crowd"?

tell me ? what made you think that i was a JW was it the great crowd bit. but then again it does say i am at the top there, by my name . The great crowd are waving their symbolic palm branches to welcome Jesus and give praise to his father Jehovah. and it does say in john 17;3 that everlasting life means taking in knowledge about Jehovah the true God and his son Jesus christ . so becoming part of this great crowd would have a lot to do with that .

 

[Aasimar]

My advice on choosing a religion?

Examine any religion you are interested in. Read everything you can find about it. Check for things that don't make sense, promises that seem too good to be true, any form of discrimination (i.e. only people who agree with x get bonus points (heaven).) Check your own moral compass (I hope you have one.) For things that don't seem logical (i.e. homosexuals are evil.) Make sure you understand any large spooky words used in the description, they are generally used to throw people off the questioning path (i.e. OMNIPOTENT OOOOH. Oh wait, what does that even mean?) I advise immediately dismissing any sort of intrinsically negative qualities of the religion (i.e. We all have a "Burden" on us, and must pay reparations because of "original sin.") Any time you are asked to "Take something on faith" ask why. If they say because only the faithful get bonus points, then ask them why. Then ask why after that answer, and so on.

The whole point of asking others is because of my search for truth. No man is an island unto himself. Truth does not contradict itself, yet people do, so obviously truth (or at least complete truth) is not found within each individual.

Accept the fact that you may never find the truth. You may never locate any religion that is true. I'm an atheist, my views will tend to favor atheism. A theist will lean towards theism, a druid will lean towards the occult and natural occurances. Somewhere within lies the truth.

I guess what I could sum this up as is if you must have something you call your religion, make the search for truth itself your religion. And absolutely never, ever, stop questioning. Once you assume you know the chance to learn dies.

 

[neves]

Sorry, didn't mean to ignore you! Yes, ask away.

Your examples offer a sort of quandry in terms of what you mean by divine revelation. Written Scriptures are physical, objective, public things; dreams are subjective and incredibly personal, private things. Those are two very different forms of communication.
I have not seen sufficient evidence to convince me beyond reasonable doubt that any Scriptures are divinely "revealed," and I've never had a dream in which God has appeared to me or spoken to me. That being said, I also cannot say that such things are impossible, and don't see any reason to rule them out.

Okay... so far you know that you believe to be true...

1 there is One God
2. All religions have some truth to it.
3. God communicating to human beings might be possible, though unsure.

The reasons I posted such differing examples, is to cover the whole spectrum of God communicating with us…

Another question;

Do you think God would want us to be involved with [FONT=&quot][/FONT]good endeavors such as ( Giving charity, volunteering at a soup kitchen, saving a life, smiling at other people…etc)… and as an extension, not want us to be involved with bad endeavors such as (stealing, murder, rape, being mean to others, back biting...etc)...? Otherwise, do believe the opposite is true...?...Or do you believe that God is indifferent...?

 

[Muffled]

Right here.

I came out as an Orthodox Jew with Conservative Christian 9th. It depends on which quiz you take. The last one I took said I should be a Muslim.

You should become a Christian to receive Eternal Life from Jesus. Eternal life is a condition of the spirit. Every time you sin, your spirit dies to some extent. Repent your sins and it starts to bring your spirit back to life.

 

[Muffled]

And that kind of illustration is exactly what I think invalidates the use (or, at least, exclusive use) of "gut" or "spiritual" feeling over and above intellect and use of logic and objective evidence. Which one of you has really been spoken to by the Holy Spirit, you or Victor? Both? Neither? There's no way that I can think of to objectify that, and such experiences and feelings are only sufficient to convince one person: you, and very subjectively at that.


Fair enough; the author admits it's more about understanding than conversion.

I agree. Thanks so much for your thoughts, Katz!

If you think you would like to look into Christian denominations, there are over 10,000 of them. Joe Smith didn't think any of them were right so he started his own. It may have made perfect snse to him to say that his way was The Way but I do not find it so but I do agree with him that it is unlikely that anyone has got it completely right.

For instance I do not believe in the Doctrine of the Trinity which means that I am at odds with many denominations. I can't say that I have found any denomination that has it right, so I am forced to abide with other's imperfections and hope that they will abide with their view of mine. Sometimes this doesn't work and I have to leave.

 

[Katzpur]

Joe Smith didn't think any of them were right so he started his own. It may have made perfect snse to him to say that his way was The Way but I do not find it so but I do agree with him that it is unlikely that anyone has got it completely right.

That's not what happened, Muffled. Reject Mormonism if it's not for you, but don't misinterpret his story just because you don't accept it.

 

[Kcnorwood]

This might sound like a repeat to you in someways but here it goes.
Everyone here has told you to research each belief that you find yourself being drawn towards. Look at the pros & cons of them all NEVER trust ANY religion that tells you that their religion is the only or the right one. I'm not just talking about christianity, not all christians believe that. There are other's that believe they are right & the rest of us are wrong. Stay away from them! Use what common sence you have to decide what sounds right to you. Never let fear motive you towards anything

Good Luck! Blessed BE!

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

Nikki I must say I am impressed with the way you have gone about this whole thing. It seems to me you are interested in the truth, rather than what may sound good at this time. This is a good base to start from and I can pretty much guarantee that if you remain sincere throughout your spritual journey you will be guided rightly.

Reading through this thread it appears to me that you have concluded a few logical things that so many people never figure out. I pray to Allah that He guide into the truth you seek ameen.

 

[*Paul*]

Reading through this thread it appears to me that you have concluded a few logical things that so many people never figure out. I pray to Allah that He guide into the truth you seek ameen.

If she becomes a Christian will you join her?

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

This ain't about me it's about her.

 

[may]

what does God require of us ? rather than what do i want . thats how i look at it .