How do YOU approach religion?

[huajiro]

Have you ever encountered a time when your beliefs didn't fit reality? How did you handle it?

Most of my beliefs have fit reality fortunately. The others wont be validated or disputed until I die....there is no way to know.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Have you ever encountered a time when your beliefs didn't fit reality? How did you handle it?

You know that IS an excellent question Ceridwen! I can't believe that I missed it!

I have ALWAYS been a science buff. My senior year in High School saw me take, Chem II, Biology II, Advanced Physics and Computer Science. So when I converted in College, imagine my dismay at how many Christians completely rejected evolution!

They did it with such authority and passion too, that I just kept my inklings to myself. But I saw that even those I learned from could be in error. Never being one to not throw myself into something %110, I became very evangelistic in my dorm and in my classes. I invited people to Bible Studies we called "Soul Talks" as well as to church, or for lunch etc. etc.

Well, there were a few in my dorm who were always trying to "prove me wrong". One was Jewish and one was agnostic and they were gifted students and always up for a good debate. So one day I walked into their room, and was hit in the face with a magazine (Time???) that discussed evolution vs. creationism. This was about 1977 or so, mind you and I had been a Christian for over a year. So, I sat down and thouroughly enjoyed the read.

"What do you have to say about that?" (or words similar, I am paraphrasing here) was the opening volley after I had finished reading.
"Great article"
"That's all you have to say? It's a great article?" cried the agnostic in utter disbelief.
"Well it is, why?"
"You're a Christian you aren't supposed to believe in evolution!"
"Says who?"
"Says that article!"
"And I am supposed to base my faith on a magazine article?"
"Yeah, well no, hey it's not fair to debate you if you don't follow the rules!"

So we discussed evolution for several days and how it did or didn't apply to Christianity. There were a couple of things that came out of those dorm debates.

1) God probably didn't create a "false" fossil record. That is just so unlike God.

2) If Jews can believe in evolution (like his roomie) then why can't Christians?

3) I didn't understand the book of Genesis at all (and I still don't).

4) My belief in Christianity centered around an empty tomb. Not on the probability of evolution, aliens or the existence of Elvis.

5) No one understands it all! Those who claim to are incredibly deluded and not to be trusted!

6) Any one who says "It clearly shows", clearly fits under #5 (Actually, I think I learned that from Deut or TVOR)

 

[jewscout]

I try to fit my beliefs with the reality around me.....

 

[Scuba Pete]

As a caveat to the above story... I often used the "Creation denotes a creator" theory, even back then. Part of that is the notion of putting all the pieces of a watch in a shoe box and then seeing how long it would take for the pieces to "fall" together to accidentally form a watch. Yes it's simplistic, but as I entered their room one day, I had a watch thrown at me (throwing things in your direction was tantamount to throwing down the gauntlet... it was a definite challenge).
(Again I paraphrase) "There you go Pete! Proof for your watch theory!"
"Proof?"
"Yeah even assembled it doesn't work!"
(then a neighbor who was there chimed in)
"Hey if you can heal that watch we'll all come to "Soul Talk" with you!"
"Really?"
"Really!" (There were about six in the room and they all agreed to this)
So I showed Kevin the WORKING watch he had just thrown at me.
"Clearly it's "TIME" to listen to this sign from God!"
So they all came, and one of them... Rusty Morgan kept coming and eventually became a Christian as well. I know he lives up in Rochester now, and would surely love to se him again! If I remember rightly, sometime during the Soul Talk, the watch stopped working.

So, that gives me...

7) NEVER underestimate God.

 

[anders]

I approach religion as a subject for scientific research on an academic level. For my own requirements, I prefer to think that what guides me in everyday decisions is more of a philosophy of life than a religion. And don't you ask me what a "philosophy" is. I have spent many hours, probably days, investigating dictionaries, university course books, and the Internet, trying to find out what "philosophy" means, but so far, the answers that I have found amount to no more than "philosophy is that what isn't science." (from a high school philosophy book).

To be more specific, this "philosophy" (or whatever) of mine goes something like "Have as good a time as possible, but preferrably without harming anyone or anything".

Using the most important criterion put forth by the Buddhah, "Don't rely on anyone's teachings, including mine. Check them out to see if they work", I am quite confident in living according to my tenets. I'd just want to add to the "ahimsa" ('non-violence' according to e.g. "Mahatma" Gandhi) bit that if you are a Spanish forest snail aka killer snail or similar garden pest, you'd better stay away from my garden.

 

[Christopher Krajewski]

I'd rather understand reality on each discoursive SET.
Religion can help in the conception of Other's Beliefs. In a sense I already am like another to the Creator who also needs to be understood.
Therefore, in Religion my beliefs fit the reality of being understood by God.:woohoo:

That may be government to a dismay.:tsk:


Ohhh, the Blessed Trinity. There I am at the unity of the sacred and profane. Blessedness would eventually be accomplished, however, when I can fine the truer ultimate Reality to fit my Beliefs. But in all of This I'm more "THEO..".