Learning about other Religions

Thanks for the update (((LMo)))

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_Sky said:
I DO request that Administrators weigh in on whether they think posting links comparing their views of various religions is appropriate. It sounds like argument to me...and not personal enough of what a member believes personally.

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I think it's fine. This forum is still new and we'll have to be flexible until we figure out what works and what doesn't. As long as DocJohn is ok with links to other websites (provided they aren't other mental health communities), it's fine with me too.

The goal is to avoid hostile and hurtful posts, not to prohibit adult intellectual discussion. If members can refrain from hostility and resolve their conflicts peacefully and respectfully, then I'm all for it.

(ps - I don't go into this forum regularly due to my own opinions about religion. Therefore, if you would like me to look at a post or thread, please flag it via the Notify Moderator function or send one of us a PM. Thanks)

I do lots of reading about religion because I do lots of reading about all sorts of things and I find it fascinating to discuss. Not in a way that promotes or bashes any particular religion but in the same way you would learn about another culture. Like studying history or literature (of which religion seems to have a lot of both).

I do not affiliate myself with any particular religion or set of beliefs. I find interesting aspects in many studies and enjoy learning more about them. I've done reading on everything from Christianity to Zoroastrianism to the varieties of Buddhism and Taoism, Hinduism and Toltec practices, etc. etc..

Learning about anything fascinates me. I would very interested in reading input on various religious ideas. And I would not promote or admonish any one over another. General spirituality can be quite an interesting area to explore...any Alan Watts readers out there?

Can it be done without causing hurt feelings and flames? I don't know.

Rapunzel speaking as moderator in this post (which is to all and not to any particular one person):

Please keep in mind the purpose of this forum in all of your posts here. When this forum was created, it was intended mainly to provide a place where we could discuss and give and receive support for mental health issues that involve spirituality. There had been a number of posts of that nature appearing in other forums, and other members who were not able to deal with mention of God and religion due to their own beliefs and experiences. We felt that it was a legitimate need though, and spirituality is becoming more and more recognized as an important aspect of mental health and wellbeing.

Discussion of religion was not something that we particularly wanted to encourage on this site, and especially not religious debate, which is not permitted. That said, this thread does seem to be filling a need, and it has been allowed to continue. Personally, I like this thread, and I think that everyone who wants to should be allowed to identify what they believe, their affiliation, how their beliefs help them, etc. Posting a link (although not excessive links or links that denegrate anyone else's beliefs) to make it easy to find and access the information is fine. It should not be a repetitive thing however.

The thing that we really need to be careful about is not to confront or debate or refute someone else's beliefs. If you want to discuss a religion that someone has posted about, that really needs to happen privately. Feel free to PM someone if you want information or to talk more about what they have posted. Those discussions are not particularly appropriate in the thread, though, or in this forum.

A link to a website that lays two or more religions out, explains them, and compares their similarities and differences (without claiming that one is superior to the other, or that one of them is wrong), is also okay.

Nobody is obligated to believe the same as anyone else, or to change their beliefs. We need to remember to allow that privilege to everyone else too. This is not a Christian forum, but a forum where some members are Christian, and some are Pagan or Jewish or Moslem or something else, and that is okay. We can learn from each other. We don't need to make any statements about what we don't believe or can't accept or believe is sinful or bad or wrong.

It is okay to share what you believe, as long as it isn't excessive, but it is not okay to reply when someone else has shared their beliefs with any kind of statement that you disagree with their beliefs. That would be akin to someone posting about their experience with DID or any other mental health issue, or telling a story of their own experience, and someone responding with "I don't believe that DID (or ___) is a real mental illness" or "things like what you said happened to you are all made up," etc. It is invalidating and unsupportive.

Thanks for understanding. Let the learning continue!

I like this thread and enjoy reading about different religions. I find this one pretty interesting: http://www.wicca.com with its mysterious traditions, beliefs and rituals.

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where we could discuss and give and receive support for mental health issues that involve spirituality

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, would that include the need of it's absence?

spiritual errrrrr idk, depending on definitions, some say yeah is way to go some the opposite, anyway exploration of and reasoned logical debate of reality boosts my spirits. Perhaps a support for the community of reason is needed.
http://www.americanhumanist.org/huma...nist_views.php
http://www.secularhumanism.org/index...page=dangerous
http://viewpoint.illdill.net/111906.html
http://www.churchofvirus.org/
http://search.freefind.com/find.html?id=332246&m=0&p=0
http://users.lycaeum.org/~sputnik/Memetics/

~Down

Down, as long as you can recognize that your need for the absence of spirituality is your issue, and that others have a need for spirituality, and you can calmly discuss your issues without attacking or invalidating others who do find value in faith and spirituality, you are welcome to post. The important thing is that everyone is permitted their own beliefs, and this forum is not to be used to try to change or dismiss or deny, etc. anyone else's beliefs. You have every right to avoid spirituality in your own life, but spirituality will exist, and your right not to be spiritual ends where someone else's right to believe as they choose begins. If you have a need for the absence of spirituality, this forum is probably going to be an endless source of triggers for you, and it may not be safe for you to be here. If you choose to risk it, you will need to be responsible for the content of your posts and replies to others.

Rap