How many believe in religion here?

Just wondering what the consensus is on the psychedelic forums about organized religion, and a god in general, post what you think.

Personally for me, I think believing in an organized religion and praying to god makes as much sense as a child wishing to santa.

However, I think there is some sort of 'being' or a 'force' that had to create the universe and existence in general. However, I bet my life that if there is a god, it is a female. In every species, the females are the ones that bring new life, so it would make sense that the creator of the universe was a female who gave birth to this mystery. Its interesting how on many breakthrough DMT trips, people always report a strong female presence, even I have experienced that on non breakthrough trips.

Here is a good quote from Carl Sagan which I would like to share also-
The idea that God is an oversized white male with a flowing beard who sits in the sky and tallies the fall of every sparrow is ludicrous. But if by God one means the set of physical laws that govern the universe, then clearly there is such a God. This God is emotionally unsatisfying... it does not make much sense to pray to the law of gravity. [Carl Sagan]

So what are your opinions on religion?

 

go take a gander at my post in Philosophy and Religion. its about the difference between organized religion and spirituality. which is about what your talking about. spirituality is what your discussing.

religion is all the different spiritualities of the world fighting for power of the land/resources/people.

religion is politics.

spirituality is life.

=]

 

I don't believe in the supernatural, I never understood why people classify certain emotions or feelings as "spiritual".

I believe our ability to dread eventual death is the only reason we seek a supernatural answer to the unknown.

 

religion and god isnt for me but it is for some people, it gives hope that there might be somthing after death or that everything happens for a reason which isnt bad, but its kinda an impossible dream in my perspective.

in the religion i was raised (mormon) we belive that there was a fight in heaven between "good" and "bad". lucifer preached that he would make all the right choices for us, while god belives that we should have the right to our own choices, but theres a catch 22 to this. if you dont obey gods rules then your either sent to a not as heavenly part of heaven or hell. but i think to myself if we fought a prexistence war about wether or not we could make choices wouldnt it be hipocritical to let god tell us which part of "heaven" we dwell in eternaly or even if we have to see him again at all.

religion seems like a lot of rules to keep people from going to close the line between "good" and "bad". but some of the "bad" decisions (according to my mom) have actually led me to really good friends, times, and weed .

im not saying that i hated being part of a religion but i think its somthing that needs to be grown out of. it taught me a lot good moral lessons, it was great for meeting new people. but the thought of somone livng there entire life by one groups beliefs is a complete waste. what if there is no afterlife what if the afterlife you thought was coming was completely different, would you not regret every second of it, knowing that you didnt live a life to its fullest.

heaven, hell, life, death, god, world....who are you to decide whats best for me, just becuase its wrong in your book doesnt mean its wrong in mine. but i will keep in mind that im making an impression on people and i wont abuse the power to live.

 

Yeah, SOMETIMES religions can teach good moral values, that's sometimes though. Look at all those rednecks who take the bible word for word, or any religion really.

I just think religion is for the weak who are too afraid to really wonder of what will happen after death, and instead they just choose to live in their spiritual bubble and pretend that they'll go to heaven as long as they are good people. Instead people should not be acting good in fear that the 'devil' will punish them otherwise, but instead act good just to be a good human being.


I just think the whole concept of 'heaven' and 'hell' is the most ridiculous thing someone could allow themselves to believe. Imagine being stuck in some 'happy land' for eternity, I would go fucking nuts.

 

Eh, I used to think that religion was for the weak as well. Then I had a religious experience on acid. Could be that I was just hallucinating, but it changed my outlook on life. I don't belong to any religion, but I do believe in God and Christ.

 

I believe in Jesus Like ways...and Karma :cheers2:

 

I think that organized religion is as a general rule counter productive and a negative force in society. I do not support anything that systematically attempts to stifle rationality.

I do not believe that anything remotely resembling the Abrahamic god exists, and I am only slightly less skeptical of esoteric definitions of 'god.' I think that life and consciousness are inevitable results of the conditions of the universe.

 

It was Buddha who said that one should rely on the spirt and meaning of the teachings and not the words or the personality of the teacher. Too often in religion, people focus too much on the words and personality. All major religions preach the same ideals, Peace, love, and understanding, but yet we still have all this fighting about who’s heaven is real.

Psychedelics have convinced me that something happens to you when you die. There is a "soul", an energy that you have. It won’t show up on a medical X-Ray and it can’t be explained by science but it is there.

 

I am not denying the existence of an afterlife AT ALL, I personally also believe in some sort of one, probably a transition to other dimensions. However I think anyone who lets themselves believe in actual 'heaven' and 'hell' really needs to do a reality check.

 

I don't believe in the afterlife, I imagine that whatever happens after death is a lot like the time spent before birth.

 

Good and evil have no self nature;
Holy and unholy are empty names;
In front of the door is the land of stillness and quiet;
Spring comes, grass grows by itself.
Master Seung Sahn

 

I cant believe in religion. Like, i sort of believe in heaven and hell (mainly just heaven) becuase thats how i was brought up, but now a days im just like confused by crazy people who follow their religion exactly, it usually just pisses me off. If you put religion away you can actually see what is right and wrong. (Thats how i feel, and i feel that people who believe in religion often ignore something thats obviously right, or wrong) .

All i can do is wonder what happens when we die. If i think about it with out religious view, its like, your life just ends, everything is black (but you wouldnt know) but i cant comprehend how that would be like. I sort of think like you would still have that voice in your head, like consious thought. Soul?

 

I think that would make you a "christian". :tongue:

 

"Right" and "wrong" are opinions bro. There is none. It is just part of the human brain.

 

fuck organized religion, its a method of mass control and brainwashing.

But I would be lying if I said I dont believe in God, but I know for a fact he's not an old white guy chilling on a cloud watching your every thought and action.

 

I believe in God the Father Almighty and in Jesus Christ his son, our Lord.

 

Lol, ya. I was just saying I didn't belong to any sub group (i.e. Catholic, Mormon, Baptist, etc).

 

same

 

i believe in spirituality, but when one has to organize it into a coherent system in order to share it/relate it to others, it becomes religion - with religion, comes politic, there's just no way around it - aye, there's the rub!

"I believe in God, and I believe that God believes in Claude.....that's he"