I'm just wondering because people seem to be citing the scriptures of the new and old testiment and all and so I was wondering how other people are doing?

[bandia]

Darn good question, Alexandra!
As I was going through the threads, I was wondering if I should start a new one for non-Christians. I'm not a Christian myself & would love to chat back & forth with fellow spiritual travelers.

[Perna]

I have my own spiritual beliefs rather than a named religion or other known belief system. Kind of hard to quote from myself though :-) versus the Bible/Koran, other known religious/spiritual works which other people would recognize.

[mlyn]

I started my journey back believing in the "Great Spirit" creator of our land, water, sky, all creatures and wind. It ended up they called it Christianity since God to others was as I believed "Great Spirit". I think too many including myself get Christianity and religion mixed up. Two total different things IMO.
Today I see the wisdom in the scriptures but it has nothing to do with religion but with God/Great Spirit.
mlyn

[DenVII]

Recently, on another forum (Xn Forums) I was identified as a "Cult of One."

This may be true and as I thought about it, I realized that going through life as a cult of one may be more common than we think.

It may be a realistic and honest way.

We all have at least a few unique beliefs that set us apart......we disagree with even our own named faith or denomination in SOME area, at least.

I have aspects of Daoism and Native American belief in my spirituality, I think......and I tend to see God as powerful, but fallible (and obviously a poor communicator).

[LMo]

I align myself with secular humanism

Secular_humanism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Secular humanism is a humanist philosophy that upholds reason, ethics, and justice and specifically rejects the supernatural and the spiritual as warrants of moral reflection and decision-making. Like other types of humanism, secular humanism is a life stance or a praxis focusing on the way human beings can lead good and happy lives (eupraxsophy). The term was coined in the 20th century to make a clear distinction from "religious humanism". A related concept is scientific humanism, which the biologist Edward O. Wilson claimed to be "the only worldview compatible with science's growing knowledge of the real world and the laws of nature".

Wow. Thanks for the posts, guys. It has been interesting to hear about what people believe.

I guess that what I believe is similar to LMo...

I'm kinda interested in this (which is similar to secular humanism in its rejection of the supernatural):

http://www.the-brights.net/

I'm not sure how well it is working to unify people under an umbrella, though... It is founded by Daniel Dennett ('Freedom Evolves', 'Darwins Dangerous Ideas') and Richard Dawkins ('The Selfish Gene' and recently 'The God Delusion'). Dawkins, in particular is unlikely to win converts with his most recent effort...

But I guess, like you, I think I have a positive belief system that consists in a whole lot more than just a denial of others positions...

Anyone else with views out there?

(Great thread guys)

[LMo]

That's what I think is interesting about it -- it isn't an obvious attempt (at least not to me) to provide a unifying umbrella. I didn't even realize that there were others who thought the way I do, but I stumbled upon this when researching what it would take to become licensed to perform marriage ceremonies in my state (heh - that's another topic...)

"People generally discover they are humanists, rather than seek the path toward humanism. It's not something they create or invent; it's something they discover"

That's exactly how I felt. I wasn't trying to "find" anything -- I don't feel any void in my life and I'm not trying to fill it with a community or a dogma or anything like that. I just found it interesting that my beliefs are actually philosophized and documented in a public manner.

Here is more information about Humanist beliefs:
"Humanists believe in a scientific, rather than a supernatural or divine, explanation for how we all (plants, animals, planets, stars, galaxies) got to where we are.
Humanists believe that people are capable of both good and evil all on their own, and we work hard for the good.
Humanists believe it is our purpose to become our very best selves, take care of each other, and to take good care of the planet where we live. We act this way not to earn some eternal reward, or to avoid some eternal punishment, but because it's ethical."

[LMo]

Yes, Alexandra, Humanism does sound very much like Brights. That's a beautiful website, btw, from an aesthetic perspective. I hadn't heard of Brights before you posted about them here a few months back, but yes, it does sound comparable and compatible.

Thanks. Yeah, I guess I call myself a humanist much of the time... People worry that the term 'brights' implies that anyone who isn't a bright is 'dull' or 'stupid'. They take pains to say that they aren't intending that. That the term 'gay' doesn't imply that anyone who isn't gay (as in homosexual) is 'dull' or 'dreary'. But the trouble can come of brights themselves implying that :-(

I heard somewhere that trying to get atheists / agnostics / humanists etc to accept some umbrella term (to show their similarities) was like trying to herd a bunch of cats. Lol.

I do think there is room for... What I guess I think of as 'mystical' experiences in that world view, however.

Wittgenstein talks about this in the Tractatus... The feeling of the mystical.

It can be hard to get into the spirit of it... Wonder. That there is something rather than nothing. The feeling of hitting up against the limits of sense... Hard to convey. Of course I don't attribute such experiences to a supernatural entity. But... I do think there is a place for spirituality / the mystical experience. I also think... However... That just as it is important for science to not overstep its bounds it is equally important for religon / religous faith to not overstep its bounds.

Balance is probably a good thing.

[LMo]

Yeah, as someone who considers myself to be a free thinker, joining a group is a little too prescriptivist for me.

Hey - I thought YOU were Wittgenstein! You mean you're not?

Yeah on the balance concept.

[LMo]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
alexandra_k said:
I do think there is room for... What I guess I think of as 'mystical' experiences in that world view, however.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I agree with this, although I would be hard-pressed to consider something to be 'mystical'. There are moments when my spine tingles because I'm witnessing or experiencing something beautiful, but I attribute it to appreciation of nature, either about our world or the hearts of people.

Lol. That is the reason most people give for not liking the idea of the group!

The notion behind the umbrella is to try and show people that you don't need to believe in supernatural beings in order to live a ethical life and you don't need to believe in supernatural beings in order to be charitable to others.

E.g.,

http://www.the-brights.net/people/en...tic/index.html

But I take your point that you don't need to accept the umbrella term 'the brights' in order to live an ethical life and to be charitable to others either...

One of my professors says that he doesn't see what is wrong with 'Humanist' and thus he chooses that term.

I don't really mind... But I am a Dennett fan so...

Re the Wittgenstein thing... That used to be my posting name, yeah.

But this dude came first:

http://www.iep.utm.edu/w/wittgens.htm

I found his book 'The Tractatus' online. It has a structure and so the following link provides a structure map. If you click on the sections it takes you to the text:

http://www.kfs.org/~jonathan/witt/mapen.html

[January]

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. Although we may not share the same views, I love to learn about new things.

Jan

THanks.

What do you believe January?

(I don't mind if you are Jewish or Christian)

;-)

[Rapunzel]

I just want to add that I think this is a great thread too. I am glad that everyone can share their beliefs if they want to in this forum, whether or not those beliefs are held by the majority of the people who post here.

Rap

i have a higher power. i do not go to church. i believe that i have a goddess, from a past generation, who guides me in my endeavors to do right for myself and others. i also believe that "Mother Earth" guides me always and i work hard to be a steward for our world.

thanks for the thread, alex......xoxoxo pat

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
fayerody said:
i have a higher power. i do not go to church. i believe that i have a goddess, from a past generation, who guides me in my endeavors to do right for myself and others. i also believe that "Mother Earth" guides me always and i work hard to be a steward for our world.

thanks for the thread, alex......xoxoxo pat

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

wow faye we have very similar veiws. Interesting to see!

I would not be able to pin myself down to one religeon. I have mostly new age wicca and buddhist ideals with some native american shamanism as well. I beileve in the power of the earth and i beileve there is energy all around us that we can work with or against.

i've had some moments that were so "mystical" that i felt transported briefly......standing in the middle of nowhere, in a beautiful landscape, not a sound anywhere..except my breathing........i've also had the same experience in the middle of The Navajo Nation Fair with 60,000 people. i definitely believe in the mystical.

i seriously believe that i'm here as a steward. towards many things, ideas, etc. i'm supposed to do/be as good as i can personally do/be and provide support......whether it is for another soul, a toad or a small tree that needs a lift........xoxoxo pat

[Gemstone]

I grew up in a Jewish household, and I guess if someone asked me I would probably still say I am Jewish although I am no longer practicing.

I'm not really sure what I am. I'm not an athiest, I believe in g-d, but I guess I have no set beliefs at this point. I just try to be a good person.