How strongly do you believe in your religion?

[UrbScotty]

How Christan, Islamic, Jewish, Atheist, etc., are you?

[YellowRubberDuckie]

1. I'm not really religious....I don't believe in organized religion...

The question and poll don't take into account people like me, and I know there are several here, into account.
Duckie

[LiberalVoice]

5. Born Muslim

But, I have lost my 'faith' in the past year or so...So I don't really consider myself anything at this point.

:)

[SmileyBoy]

18. My father's a mainstream Muslim, my mother is agnostic.

I chose my father's religion, because I wanted to follow a religious belief.

[IronLionZion]

21. don't take this the wrong way

but has Americans' attitudes about Islam made you lose your faith? Like with Sep. 11 and such.

no offense

[Journeyman]

6. It most definitely does take you and yours into account. . .

the question is how strongly people believe in their religion. You don't believe in religion. Therefore, you -- by definition --- have no strongly held beliefs about a religion. Are there any other points of your cosmology you need explained?

[kiahzero]

22. Not necessarily

Not believing in organized religion does not prevent one from having 'a religion.' It'd just be a personal one...

Then again, I don't see how this disqualifies the OP from the poll.

[MAlibdem]

2. Most of the moral code

Is good. But I see G-d as more a mystery to be explored than anything else, so i dunno if i want it revealed to me.

btw-jewish

[asthmaticeog]

13. I guessed!

The "G-d" spelling is an immediate giveaway of Jewishness, though I assume that's probably news to DU's Goyim. ;-)

[baldguy]

3. Faith over dogma

Spirituality over religion.

[Nikia]

4. My beliefs are very Christian

I have some different theological beliefs though than many organized denominations though. Christ came to bring God to the believer without the need for an intermediary priest. I am not saying that I don't benefit by going to church or listening to sermons. I see the minister as a spiritual person who has studied the subject closely and has a valid opinion woth considering. I don't consider his words to be necessarily the word of God though nor do I feel that way about any organized doctorine.
My theology is not set in stone though. New experiences and the words of others have given me differnt ways of looking at things. I think of myself as being on a spiritual quest.

[ComerPerro]

8. That is a really good way to look at it

My biggest problem with organized religions is that they insist on having some sort of human intervention wedged between the person and their relationship with God.

[KCDem]

9. my dad's a pastor, and he's my dad, not god's direct mouthpiece

Anyone who thinks that pastors are direct links to God is, well, deluded. I do believe that certain people are called to be God's "messengers"... just like some people are called to be dickheads to humanity.

[Lostmessage]

7. I go to Church once a year

Thats how much I believe in my religion.

[Pegleg Thd]

12. As one who has spent over

45 years in the study of religion and have a degree in Theology I can tell you that you do not need to sign on with any of the organized 'churches' to be a believer. The biggest detriment to a believer is "organized religion". This is basically what Martin Luther was teaching when he left the Catholic church.
The 'americanized religions' are the worst as far as distorting the real truths found in the Bible,Koran and other religious writings. If you are really searching for the truth look into the writings of other religions and decide which one comes the closest to what you think is right.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

27. i am curious as to what you studied in theology courses

because one of the foundations of Christianity is the corporate worship structure and the concept of the Body of Christ. Would love to know how you came to that conclusion..but that would be threadjacking!!! :-)

Hope all is well!
theProdigal

[kalashnikov]

10. I didnt know atheism was a religion.

It's more of a lack of religion.

[Edge]

11. As a Christian...

quite a bit. I'm not a fundie, though. I do swear and use God's name in vain and such.

[rasputin1952]

14. As a practicing Christian...

I lean to what Jesus taught; I have reservations about the Pauline Letters, although there is wisdom there as well. I also find that there are problems with translations and versions of the Bible that show glaring contradictions.

I have found that keeping to a line of forgiveness, love, charity and compassion, pretty well sums up a pretty good life. I do not force my beliefs on anyone, and try to walk the walk. I make mistakes, but who doesn't. I try to learn from those mistakes, and move forward.

For me, this works rather well.

As I have stated before, if you are motivated by love, you cannot be far from truth.

In a nutshell theology!

O8)

[nemo137]

23. sounds about right to me.

[mvd]

15. I voted quite a bit

Believe in God and Jesus and many of the basics told in the Bible, but I'm open to re-incarnation, think God is a force and isn't either gender, and I certainly don't take the whole Bible literally.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. I'm a devout practitioner

but my religion has no name. It isn't confined to a particular building or limited to practice on any one day of the week.

And I don't really care if I'm the only practitioner. O8)

[SmileyBoy]

17. I'm not a very devout Muslim. I try to be, though.

I need to start fasting throughout the whole Ramadan instead of quitting after day 6 or 7, and I need to go to mosque and pray at least once a week.

[IronLionZion]

19. I'm Catholic so...

well sometimes my faith wavers. why the hell can't priests get married like everyone else? Then more good people would be priests and there would be fewer child molesters. And the church I grew up in was flaming right-wing Republican all the way. They bashed Democrats as baby-killing gay-lovers almost every Sunday. hmm...WWJD?

The Catholic church I go to now is like the opposite. very liberal and they welcome liberals and gays and anyone to come worship.

[skippysmom]

28. Me too

I was raised Catholic, and have lapsed into a Christmas and Easter Catholic over the past 10 years. I even got married in a Catholic church.

But my political beliefs seem to be so much in conflict with Catholicism. I was distressed to see so many Catholics and Catholic leaders spouting anti-gay rhetoric up in Boston yesterday.

I am about ready to abandon ship and become an Episcopalian.

[populistmom]

20. I'm a practicing Christian, but not dogmatic about things

I love the teachings of Christ, but I don't like to get hung up on technicalities like whether his mom was a virgin or not. I think the message is important. I also appreciate the many wise teachers throughout time of other faiths as well. I read an excellent book a few years ago called Jesus and Buddha (I think that was the title or it was pretty close anyway) and it parallel many of the teachings and theorized Christ likely had some Buddhist study along the way. I find it an interesting concept anyway.

[Shanty Oilish]

24. I'd have been a priest if they'd allowed it

But they didn't. :(
The Church still discriminates as to who can be a priest---child molester, ok; woman, not ok---and I am selective about what doctrine I accept and what I won't.

[RebelOne]

25. I'm an atheist and it is not a religion.

[DemExpat]

26. I turned my back on my Christian religion when I was about 13....

and have never been inclined to go back to it.
I was raised Baptist and Presbyterian - and as a child was really "into" it.

Since then I have read much about spirituality and have practiced Zen Meditation for 3 years....that was 8 years ago.

I also checked out Unitarian services for a year, but that did not inspire me enough to commit.

I fervently believe in a universal power that we are all part of, and the soul that 'survives' beyond our physical deaths.

So I do strongly believe in my personal beliefs - that there is much more here than meets the eye - but not at all in any organized religion. I would never consider pastors, ministers, priests, rabbis or Imans as more "godly" than anyone of us!


DemEx

[mvd]

30. I'm pretty much that way

I'm spiritual, but not really religious. I would rather have a private relationship with God, and I don't follow all the Catholic doctrine. I don't think going to Church hurts, as it can make you feel good, but I don't think God cares if you worship in your own ways.

[radwriter0555]

29. What religion?

whatta I need that for?

[AlFrankenFan]

31. Not a very good Jew

oy vey!