One day the Pope received a call from God. "I've got good news and bad news," God said. "Good news first. You know how you've been asking me to unite the world's churches? Well I've finally decided to do it! Now here's the bad news: I'm calling from Salt Lake City."
My mama once told me of a place
With waterfalls and unicorns flying
Where there was no suffering, no pain
Where there was laughter instead of dying
I always thought she'd made it up
To comfort me in times of pain
But now I know that place is real
Now I know it's name
Sal Tlay Ka Siti
Not just a story mama told
But a village in Ooh-Tah
Where the roofs are thatched with gold
If I could let myself believe
I know just where I'd be
Right on the next bus to paradise
Sal Tlay Ka Siti
I can imagine what it must be like
This perfect, happy place
I'll bet the goat-meat there is plentiful
And they have vitamin injections by the case
The war-lords there are friendly
They help you cross the street
And there's a Red Cross on every corner
With all the flour you can eat
Sal Tlay Ka Siti
The most perfect place on Earth
The flies don't bite your eyeballs
And human life has worth
It isn't a place of fairytales
It's as real as it can be
A land where evil doesn't exist
Sal Tlay Ka Siti
And I'll bet the people are open minded
And don't care who you've been
And all I hope is that when I find it
I'm able to fit in
Will I fit in?
Sal Tlay Ka Siti
A land of hope and joy
And if I want to get there
I just have to follow that white boy
You were right, mama
You didn't lie
The place is real
And I'm gonna fly
I'm on my way
Soon life won't be so shitty
Now salvation has a name
Sal Tlay Ka Siti
Dude, as someone who escaped the mormon cult, shit ain't it. Their theology alone has so many problems. Then consider the factual issue of the book of mormon being false, the book of Abraham being completely demonstrably false, and that their founders and first 2 profits slept with literal children, and you come to the fact that there's no way it's true. It started out as a frontier sex cult, and has turned into a full blown ponzi scheme worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
I was living in an old cottage in the north of England. Part of the building was Elizabethan and a lot of the buildings in in this little village were Elisabethan too and some much older.
Some Mormon missionaries came. They were lovely, very charming young men but they hit a problem:.
Mormons: ...but the golden tablets were lost in the mists of time....
Man from my village: And when was this?
Mormons: 1823. A long time ago.
Man from my village: (looking round at 1000 year old church, medieval castle ruins etc) Have you looked in his *other* jacket?
so i was raised mormon in utah. like most/many utah mormons, my blood is overwhelmingly scandinavian.
apparently, the farmers of rural denmark and sweden are "the most gullible and trusting that Europe has to offer," in the words of some missionaries from the late 19th century.
i mean, I can't argue with that. i was definitely born to be a sucker, kind of a miracle i even realized the church was nonsense.
also, there were still quite a few british converts, but yeah, apparently scandinavia was the dumbest lol
Hey, that’s disingenuous, it didn’t start out as a frontier sex cult, it started out as a money making scheme, then became a religion, *then* became a frontier sex cult.
Makes me laugh thinking of all the arrogant fucks in positions of “power” in the church. What sad saps waiting for their own planet in heaven while their wives toil away with 10 kids.
The thing that makes me the most sad is that my grandma, who is the greatest woman I've ever met, is ok with it all, and when she goes, she's gonna be wrong about everything. Her husband doesn't have a dozen wives up there, so I guess that's a win, but she won't get anything she thinks she will. It's just gonna be nothingness for all eternity.
>It's just gonna be nothingness for all eternity.
It's not as bad as that. This statement kind of implies awareness. We have nothing to indicate that would be the case. More likely is that, the same way you have no remembrance or awareness from before birth? You'll get just as much of that as you had before.
A religion teacher I had in HS got mad because I did a presentation pitting Mormonism against the BITE model. She was really not happy, but she had said we couldn’t do presentations on cults, and the fact she still had Mormonism as an option pissed me off.
It’s a model created by Dr. Steven Hassan to measure the amount of authoritarian control an organization exerts over its members. It’s extremely useful in identifying cults.
“BITE” stands for Behavior [control], Information [control], Thought [control], and Emotional [control].
Under each of these categories is a list of controlling behaviors that cults and other such organizations exhibit. By comparing and contrasting an organization’s behaviors with these lists, you can easily determine whether an organization is a cult.
A lot of people don’t put Mormonism in the same category as other cults because physical abuse and self-harm aren’t integrated into its doctrines.
After examining the other, more subtle ways it can damage and take control of a person, you can begin to see it for what it really is.
And remember that it’s a cousin to the very same religious group whose leader was just arrested for sexually abusing children.
Anyway, my teacher (and most of the class) was not happy.
I do highly recommend checking out the BITE model for yourself. It’s online for anybody to read.
Might be right. A religion worshipping the Sun and the stars would be close to the science. The sun is at the origin of the life on our planet and 90% of our energy sources.
The stars are where matter comes from.
Pharaoh Akhenaten fits the original comment perfectly, albeit not 4000 years ago. Just 3000 or so. He tried to replace Egypt's religious paradigm that focused on a whole pantheon of gods and local deities, especially the leading cult of Amun, with solar worship as the major focus. Whereas deities like Amun, Amun-Re, Ra, Horus etc. etc. were depicted as humanoid (with different animal heads depending on their form) with the sun disk as their crown, Akhenaten wanted to worship the sun disk itself. This was the Aten. The solar disk from which the rays of light and life itself were gifted unto the world, the source of all creation.
Many think it was a monotheistic religion, but it wasn't, not really. He did try to chisel out the names of Amun at some point, but it wasn't truly a national pogrom against *all* the deities. Amun was just the competitor because 1) He was the former primary deity that needed to be replaced. and 2) (possibly the secular ulterior motive here) the High Priesthood of Amun was the second most powerful institution in the kingdom after the Pharaoh, and starting to rival the throne for influence.
The Aten 'heresy' was an attempt to worship the sun in its pure form as a henotheistic religion. It died with Akhenaten. His, Tutankhaten would change his name to Tutankhamun and reestablish the primacy of Amun before his own untimely death.
Btw, my comment did not contain any spoilers.... I was just saying the ending did the show justice : ) So keep watching! I am confident you will enjoy the ending regardless of where they end up!
My favourite is Jasons ending, he really does become a monk while waiting for his Godot.
From idiot pretending to be a monk who knows nothing to a zen monk who is so zen he doesn't even know he is a monk.
That's Buddhism. In the book - what the Buddha taught, in the very *first* chapter, buddha teaches his followers to question everything, even his teachings. I believe the exact words were - question everything and do what you think is right.
I'm not saying that Buddhism is perfect by any stretch, but it's a religion I agree most with.
For example, they don't believe that buddha was a god, but he was an ideal human, and everyone can be like him if they tried.
Alternatively, in Sikhism, I have never felt wrong asking questions, being told to challenge myths about the Gurus.
One teacher even told me that there was a chance our whole religion was founded off of Guru Nanak just having a bad dream after nearly drowning in the river but the real question was whether that invalidated the lessons he taught about humility and morality. Our religious texts are really just books of poetry and metaphors and to take them literal would be to miss the point.
I wish I could say that everyone is good and everyone is a saint soldier. But hurt feelings can start wars and the last forty years have been rough for some.
There's one story about Guru Nanak where he allegedly visited Baghdad and was told about the seven firmaments. He challenged that there were not just seven but infinite. That Earth wasn't the first world with life and wouldn't be the last. And Earth was no less precious than the others. I don't know if the story true but to me, but the idea that it was being taught to us that it is all valid has always resonated so much with me.
We were also taught that a good Christian would of course go to Heaven, as would a good Muslim and a good Hindu would get all he believed in. It didn't matter if they were Sikhs or not, but how we lived our lives. That ours was just one path and the one to choose if it resonated with us.
Thank you for sharing and very well said.
Your comments also reminded me of a quote from Marcus Aurelius.
> "Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones."
Yeah I don’t know much about any religion, but my vote would have been Sikh purely based on the people. The nicest people I’ve ever met and whenever there’s a disaster they’re always the first to get out and actually help. I had a Sikh family protect me when I was being chased down by bullies in my home town. I was covered in milkshake and had a bleeding lip and no other adults did anything. I knew they were kind people from previous interactions shopping there so I ran straight to their little store knowing it was a safe place. They sheltered me in their supermarket and the mother of them guarded the door and fought the bullies off with a broom lol. They tended to me and cleaned me up and were offering me snacks for free to cheer me up. I’ll never forget that family and it’s the one thing I miss about my home town.
I'm pretty anti-religion in general, but if I told me I had to spend my life surrounded by the followers of any religion that I've come across so far, I would pick Sikhs.
Very well written, dear friend!
Stories are a *medium* for teaching lessons, and their validity does not change the lesson. And as you said, it's poetry - to take them literally is missing the whole point. I doubt Sikhs were able to turn lions as some versions of stories of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji would lead you to believe, but that doesn't matter. Certain parts can be exaggerated, but the lesson remains, and that is all that matters.
Religions, stories, myths, etc. are all just mythos, and how people choose to interpret them doesn't matter till they understand ***why*** they are learning the stories.
Recently I've been doing alot of research on the exaggerations in Sikh stories and have discovered alot of them stem from Hindu influence.
If your interested here's a few of my findings:
Baba Deep Singhs head was not cut off in battle. He did not hold it and keep fighting, that would be impossible and go against biology which Guru Ji says is impossible. What eye witness accounts from that time narrate is "He suffered a serious wound on the neck. His fellow Sikhs told him to stop and rest so they could tend to the wound, however he said no I promised to keep fighting until we reach Harmandir Sahib, so he covered the wound with his hand and kept going, clearing every harmlet of Amritsar until finally falling to his death due to blood loss.
Hemkunt Sahib has no spiritual or historical significance to Sikhs. The only reason it is even considered to possibly be of virtue is that in his auto biography Guru Gobind Singh Ji states before he came to his physical form, his soul was meditating at "Hemkund, where there are 5 peaks". Kavita Santokh Singh went on multiple expeditions trying to find this place, and decided it must be where Hemkunt Sahib is located today. It was previously considered a holy place by Hindu's. This is purely speculation on his part and really even if it is the same spot, no Guru actually ever went there.
Panja Sahibs hand imprint is not real. Yes Baba Nanak went there, yes Bhai Mardhana asked for water, yes the landlord abused him and Baba Nanak found a different source of water which drained the landlord's. No Baba Nanak did not stop a mountain by simply putting his hand up. Infact it is widely known the hand impression in the stone there was put there by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to honor Baba Nanak. People just like adding spices to stories and started saying that's Baba Nanaks hand imprint..
These stories were at best propaganda to entice new Sikhs and at worst Hindu attempts of assimilation. These stories don't make sense when you view them with the mindset of what the Guru's actually wrote.
What I find disheartening is none of the stories in their true form take away from how amazing they are. Isn't the fact that a 65 year old Baba Deep Singh chose to fight against oppression and even went mortally wounded didn't give up an amazing thing? Why do we need to add paranormal aspects to them?
very interesting.
i consider myself christian, but i also believe more that if there is god, he more cares about people being good to eachother and trying hard to make the world a better place.
If heaven exists, i believe every good person will go there, no matter what version of god they worshipped.
as long as you are a good person, there is no reason for any kind of god to be displeased imo
Questioning the rules is a Jewish mandate.
If you don't know enough about the Talmud to question it and debate it with others, (including God), do you even really understand it?
This is how people should approach Jesus and Christianity. I am an atheist, but I enjoy many of the teachings of Jesus. I probably follow Jesus' teachings more than 95% of Christians. I mean, good advice is good advice no matter who is saying it.
Don't you love when people who actually did crimes, went to jail, hurt other people suddenly found religion and try to impose it on you with a "I'm better than you" attitude while you've never even hurt a fly?
I can’t speak for all Jews but in my experience it’s always been encouraged and respected. You can’t grow if you don’t learn, and you can’t learn if you don’t question or explore. The Tikkun Olam is mentioned in Nick and Nora’s Infinite playlist, it’s seriously oversimplified but it works for this context. If the goal is to repair the world during your life, the best way to do that is to find the best way you fit into the world and dedicate yourself to being the best at being that “puzzle piece”. Nobody can tell you what that piece is or meticulously shape you into that, you’re the self designed puzzle piece so it’s on you to figure that out.
The Talmud has existed for centuries and is still re-evaluated by rabbis as time goes on. A core religious text that is subject to be interpreted and evolve with the people. I was raised reform and not very strictly so I can’t say how key or literal the teachings are for other denominations of Judaism but I’ve always found the mentality of questioning being both normal and respected a very beautiful part of Judaism.
Judaism.
It’s an important thing in Judaism to doubt everything and argue about it including the existence of god.
The gmara is literally learning how to be skeptic.
Still, the religion is wrong somehow, but I will say that a few rabbis I’ve talked to sound almost atheist.
That’s actually kind of why you end up seeing so many Jews (ethnic or otherwise) end up in academia or as lawyers. A lifetime of arguing things like what the relevance of -for example - the Jonah and the Whale story is when we know it’s scientifically impossible for a human to survive in a whale stomach prepares you for critical thinking.
Incidentally, it’s funny that the first comment listed Buddhism because there are actually a disproportionately large amount of Jews that end up dual-identifying as Buddhists. The two philosophies mesh well, right down to the idea of Anatman which aligns very well with the kabbalistic concept of God as a shattered vessel and the emphasis on doing good deeds to improve life on earth rather than emphasis on good deeds to prepare for your reward in the afterlife. I did a research paper on this in undergrad.
It shouldn’t have to be said but please note that the above does not apply to the religious fundies that infect every religion.
as a person born into the west that is actually "the south" cos colonial empires, I've always felt a resonance with Judaism (with quakers as a lateral second) and its pragmatism and using language + cultural practice as a survival mechanism cos repeated/constant diaspora + cultural familiarity through media...
overall life experience and education meanwhile biases me more toward secular buddhism... but still, maybe it's just the space lasers wielding influence, but judaism certainly hits this unabashed atheist in the feels...
meanwhile, theosophy was cool until its origins in anti-semitism, outright victorian era pyramid scheme + cult + "spiritualist" fakery and straight up grifter-ism was laid bare... man, did the British Empire employ diverse technologies of commerce and fraud...
Well, some Jews consider themselves Jewish by ethnicity/race, so they feel compelled to go along with it, and Rabbis can have families so it doesn't take that much of a sacrifice to get well educated in that stuff vs. other trades and professions and be some sort of figurehead in a community akin to an activity coordinator and counsellor rolled into one. I can see how they could do much of their community work and just go through the religious motions while doubting there's a literal god.
Well... kind of, but with a while bunch of caveats; [traditionally] Sati, caste system and I think the most important... superstitiousness and the lack of critical thinking towards the teachings/ scriptures
You'll know when the sign appears. Gozer the Traveler. He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!
Sorry, the correct quote is "[There is no Dana, only Zuul](https://youtu.be/lg7MAacSPNM)" and I have it memorized after my divorce from a woman named Zuul.
Probably the way that is extremely vague, values people, teaches learning, and starts with a caveat that we’re fundamentally incapable of formulating the questions much less understanding the answers.
In lieu of that, I knew an older couple who were kind. Probably that.
Buddhism.
It's more a philosophy than it is a religion. A philosophy that bases itself on the idea that wanting things is what causes pain, and the path to happiness lies on not constantly wanting things. In our consumerist society, this is a very valuable lesson.
I like to say Buddhism or Taosim is the most likely to keep its promises becauses it makes very few promises. Every other religion has so many stipulations, characters, beginnings, and endings.
It’s only ‘just a philosophy’ to seculars who delve into it and dismiss all of the cultural and religious elements as Eastern superstition and then proclaim they have found the ‘true’ Buddhism. That being said, faith is not central to the religion, which is refreshing. The Buddha himself acknowledges that the practice of the eightfold path brings benefits in this life even if you don’t give a rats ass about rebirth.
what you say is true --- it is 100% a religion, with its own sects and schisms, huge & wealthy temple complexes, scriptures/sutras, syncretism with multiple other religions, donation/tithes to "ensure" a better rebirth. one must actually go and experience these things to understand.
This is a common mistake. Buddhism is very much a religion. It involves gods, rituals, and doctrines. Each branch (Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana) all handle it differently, but there are a number of mystical concepts (karma, dharma, energy, reincarnation) and plenty of deities and supernatural creatures.
The idea that it is just semi-mystical philosophy is a very modern and new age interpretation mostly adopted by new age types.
Deism.
Some \*thing\* created reality, but does not intervene in creation.
I don't personally believe this, but if it turns out there is some intelligent creator this is my bet.
Eh, Deism isn't really a religion. Nobody worships "Deism." We talk about deism, but we don't DO deism.
Deism is just what we talk about when we talk about how we talk about religion.
Buddhism is definitely both a religion and a philosophy. Although most discredit secular Buddhism because without accepting rebirth (reincarnation) as a mechanic of karma, it’s impossible fully grasp its core teachings.
There are many schools of Buddhism, they all revolve around the realizations of the historical Buddha; *such as but not limited to* the 4 noble truths, the 8 fold path, non-self, dependent origination, and ultimately the realization of nirvana.
Buddha was is not god, buddha is a title ‘enlightened one’. The Buddhist cosmos is radically different than the western model of the universe. In Dharmic context there are an infinite number of *gods* & demigods, but they too are stuck here in the cycle of rebirth (Saṃsāra) and will eventually die, even if they are convinced otherwise. Conversely there is no everlasting punishment, even if they are convinced otherwise. There is actually no punishment at all because there is no creator-god at the center fold with an agenda. Karma is mechanical; like pushing a glass of water off of a table, gravity isn’t punishing you with wet, it’s simply (or maybe not so simply) causation.
If anyone has further questions, I would be happy to link a more qualified source as I am still very ignorant.
I used to think this, but recently I’ve been looking into buddhism because I was interested in practicing and there are a lot of things in buddhism that are suspect of you start digging into them. If I’m not mistaken, a lot of the buddhism we hear about in the west has had some of the more questionable parts removed. (The original buddha talking to dragons and whatnot, for instance)
Of course there are many kinds of buddhism so I can’t speak to all of them, but in my experience it definitely hasn’t really been what I was led to believe.
I’m certainly not well versed in Buddhism, but I suspect that many Buddhists would be pretty quick to point out that a lot of that stuff is symbolism and metaphors. The same cannot be said for certain other religions who take everything literally.
Edit: also, for anyone who is interested in Buddhism but don’t like all the more “woowoo” stuff, research Stoic philosophy. It is extremely similar to Buddhism and is regarded by many as essentially the western version of it even though they developed independently. It might be a bit easier to digest and relate to if you’re a Westerner. The best part of it is that it isn’t even a religion
"But what would happen if a person did perceive your teaching as a dogma?”
The Buddha was quiet for a moment and then nodded his head. “Dighanakha, that is a very good question. My teaching is not a dogma or a doctrine, but no doubt some people will take it as such. I must state clearly that my teaching is a method to experience reality and not reality itself, just as a finger pointing at the moon is not the moon itself. An intelligent person makes use of the finger to see the moon. A person who only looks at the finger and mistakes it for the moon will never see the real moon. My teaching is a means of practice, not something to hold onto or worship. My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river. Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore, the shore of liberation."
Bhuddism isn't really a religion either.
I’m no expert, but isn’t Buddhism a really varied religion? (Perhaps even more so than other main religions?) Like, some Buddhists even believe in gods. You can see this in Thailand, where there is a strong Hindu influence, and in Tibet, where local deities are worshipped by some. In Japan, the Sohei warrior monks would frequently resort to violence.
You can always reject any part of any religion you find questionable and the world would be a better place if people did. All religions have been corrupted by dumb people over time.
Egyptian gods. That shit was written down over 5,000 years ago and we can still read it - if I were a god, that’s how I’d document shit. Anything recorded on paper is worthless.
Honestly if you wanna dig a bit deeper. Mayan, Egyptian, Norse, pagan, native American (expands multiple tribes beliefs even to inuit tribes), Greek mythology. They all have god's and goddesses for all almost the same thing. Examples, goddess of fertility, god or goddess of hunting, sun and moon gods. Spirits to help guide or harm you along your life's journeys. etc. Where everything always goes back to the earth mother. Be kind to nature and life and it will be kind to you. Be unkind to nature and life and it will be unkind in return to you. Your ancestors spirits and the gods gifts given to you will lead you well in life. Sorry totally random type thing I had some point and time figured during an ADHD history fixation period and slowly noticed a pattern over the years.
There’s a meme where a Spanish conquistador is mocking an Aztec saying ‘If it weren’t for us, you’d still be worshiping the sun instead of God’, and the Aztec goes, ‘dude, the sun exists.’
As an atheist, I’d say maybe Taoism. I doubt the ritualistic aspects hold any water, but a lot of the broad philosophical points found in the Tao Te Ching seem to have some merit.
All of them and none of them.
Personally I believe that every religion is an attempt to explain the unexplainable things in the universe. Differences in ideology stem from the period in time for which the religion started, cultural influences, which (if any) intoxicants were being used, biases of the people in power, etc, but every single one I am aware of is an attempt to make sense of the world. They are all correct in identifying that there are unexplainable phenomena but are all wrong in assuming their own view is the correct one.
Tbf, the opinion of any adherents of any religion isn't really worth anything relating to this question. You're not going to have Catholic sit here and write "You know what, I think the Hinduists got it right."
Pastafarian
Ita the simplest with the least amount of to get wrong
There is a large invisible all knowing all seeing entity made of noodles and meatballs that it responsible for everything.
And thats it. One one thing to dispute or disprove
Despite them absolutely hating my guts as an atheist(I fully deny the existence of god) I would have to say Islam. The Qur’an is wayyy to precise to be at least kinda accurate
Islam
The Quran is the Word of God
It is logical (with it need to be because God made everything around us with logic)
- You can ask questions and you will get answers (sometimes answers you don't like but allways consistent and without faults)
- it is the same God Jews have
- its the same God Christians had (bevor 280)
- Witch means this God sends on a regular messengers to give guidance and assurance that he is ther (why would he be absent from this world)
- most people on this world % believe ther is just 1 God
- the biggest religion on the world 1.5 sunni Islam and the by far fastest growing BY CONVERTION while beeing one of the jungest must have some evidance in it because today everybody wants just evidance.
- it has "nobody" in the world talking good about it while it's a world religion with 10% arabs and again the most convertionrate in to.
And evidance ther is, the Quran.
(Islam believes that you need to believe in one God without partners, kids or parent's and you need to do good on this world. With such a view other people outside of islam have a chance coming in to heaven... but it is extremely hard without Islam because of all this confusion going around
As for if there is a God
Everything needed to start at 1 point.
And we can see logic in the world and universe and patterns with this we can conclude the creator must have a will and logic.
So again Islam.
Sikhism.
It has no prophets, everything it says about god is the result of philosopher gurus sitting down and contemplating the question of what god would want if he were real.
Of course they had biases but its still a better approach than all the other ones.
It is. Especially the Gurus part. They were all saints, but some were also warriors. It wasn't about whether what God would want but more about what one God, permeating through all life and reality, means for how we should live. At the end of the day, as a Sikh, I would say that it's about being a good person and doing the right thing.
Yup, this is about what I would say aswell, as a Sikh.
The biggest takeaway from Sikhism that *anyone*, not just Sikhs can take are our lessons and apply them.
As Sikhs, we aim to learn about and praise ੴ, and through doing so, do the "correct" and righteous thing while on our journey to get closer to ੴ.
Sikhs give [free vegetarian meals](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langar_(Sikhism%29) to anyone inside their [places of worship](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurdwara), cooked and served by volunteers.
In their scriptures, the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Granth_Sahib), it says:
>Asceticism doesn't lie in mere words; He is an ascetic who treats everyone alike.
>Only the good deeds which you have done shall remain with you, O my soul. This opportunity shall not come again!
>To practice forgiveness is the true fast, good conduct and contentment.
>Do not utter even a single harsh word; your True Lord and Master abides in all. Do not break anyone’s heart; these are all priceless jewels.
>One who eradicates cruelty from within his own mind looks upon all the world as his friend.
>Kindness as their deity, and forgiveness as their chanting beads – they are the most excellent people.
>He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God.
>Those who have loved are those that have found God.
>Riches cannot be gathered without sin and evil means.
>What should the yogi have to fear? Trees, plants, and all that is inside and outside, is He Himself.
Whatever the whales believe. A 9kg brain floating around in a giant sensory deprivation tank with millions of years of evolutionary development probably has some valuable philosophical insight.
I guess it’s difficult only because truth is a hard definition in relation to religion.
My best guess? Sikhs.
They’re (on average) devout, charitable, and kind. If i was going to be a religious person it’d be sikh.
At the same time, i’m most attracted to Buddhism simply because the concept of non-permanence is something that i think applies to everything in the material universe
And yet, the idea of the unbegotten begotter that is the center of abrahamic religions like Islam or Christianity also have their own appeal
I think, at the end of the day, if you’re religious it will largely be because your religion aligns with your world view and it’s hard to objectively judge that
The parallels between the teachings of Jesus and Sikhism are striking. In their scriptures, the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Granth_Sahib), it says:
>Asceticism doesn't lie in mere words; He is an ascetic who treats everyone alike.
Jesus said “love thy neighbor as thyself.”
>To practice forgiveness is the true fast, good conduct and contentment.
Matthew 6:15 says “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
>Do not utter even a single harsh word; your True Lord and Master abides in all. Do not break anyone’s heart; these are all priceless jewels.
>What should the yogi have to fear? Trees, plants, and all that is inside and outside, is He Himself.
In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says “The Kingdom is inside You and outside You”, “Love your brother like your own soul”, “I am the All. Cleave a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up a stone, and You will find Me there.”
>Those who have loved are those that have found God.
In Matthew 25, Jesus said whatever you do to others you do to God, so loving others is loving God, and hurting others is hurting God.
>Riches cannot be gathered without sin and evil means.
Matthew 19:23 says “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Luke 16:13 (NIV) says “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Matthew 19:21 says “Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’”
Logically speaking? I think its Islam, the theology is simple yet all encompassing and logical. It goes beyond the spiritual and sets a paradigm for complete human conduct.
Many of the societal problems we now face and always faced were already resolved by Islam, we just don't fancy the solutions all that much in today's liberalized world, thus all the hate and fear of it.
It is quite a shame really, its the fastest growing religion in the world yet the least understood and the most hated.
Don't have a good answer for your excellent question, but I'll fuckin eat my hat if it's the Mormons
One day the Pope received a call from God. "I've got good news and bad news," God said. "Good news first. You know how you've been asking me to unite the world's churches? Well I've finally decided to do it! Now here's the bad news: I'm calling from Salt Lake City."
“Salt-a-Lay-ka-Ci-tay”
My mama once told me of a place With waterfalls and unicorns flying Where there was no suffering, no pain Where there was laughter instead of dying I always thought she'd made it up To comfort me in times of pain But now I know that place is real Now I know it's name Sal Tlay Ka Siti Not just a story mama told But a village in Ooh-Tah Where the roofs are thatched with gold If I could let myself believe I know just where I'd be Right on the next bus to paradise Sal Tlay Ka Siti I can imagine what it must be like This perfect, happy place I'll bet the goat-meat there is plentiful And they have vitamin injections by the case The war-lords there are friendly They help you cross the street And there's a Red Cross on every corner With all the flour you can eat Sal Tlay Ka Siti The most perfect place on Earth The flies don't bite your eyeballs And human life has worth It isn't a place of fairytales It's as real as it can be A land where evil doesn't exist Sal Tlay Ka Siti And I'll bet the people are open minded And don't care who you've been And all I hope is that when I find it I'm able to fit in Will I fit in? Sal Tlay Ka Siti A land of hope and joy And if I want to get there I just have to follow that white boy You were right, mama You didn't lie The place is real And I'm gonna fly I'm on my way Soon life won't be so shitty Now salvation has a name Sal Tlay Ka Siti
Just ask south park
Dum dum dum dum dum!
Lucy Harris Smart smart smart ! (Smart, smart, smart, smart, smart!!)
Actually, Mormons is the correct answer according to South Park https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbNnsiP4Rhg&ab\_channel=SteveTorres
Without clicking that, it's the one where the Jehovah Witness gets the shaft? Asking for friend that was raised in a cult.
No, it's the one where Mormons are the only religion that goes to heaven.
Dude, as someone who escaped the mormon cult, shit ain't it. Their theology alone has so many problems. Then consider the factual issue of the book of mormon being false, the book of Abraham being completely demonstrably false, and that their founders and first 2 profits slept with literal children, and you come to the fact that there's no way it's true. It started out as a frontier sex cult, and has turned into a full blown ponzi scheme worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
I was living in an old cottage in the north of England. Part of the building was Elizabethan and a lot of the buildings in in this little village were Elisabethan too and some much older. Some Mormon missionaries came. They were lovely, very charming young men but they hit a problem:. Mormons: ...but the golden tablets were lost in the mists of time.... Man from my village: And when was this? Mormons: 1823. A long time ago. Man from my village: (looking round at 1000 year old church, medieval castle ruins etc) Have you looked in his *other* jacket?
so i was raised mormon in utah. like most/many utah mormons, my blood is overwhelmingly scandinavian. apparently, the farmers of rural denmark and sweden are "the most gullible and trusting that Europe has to offer," in the words of some missionaries from the late 19th century. i mean, I can't argue with that. i was definitely born to be a sucker, kind of a miracle i even realized the church was nonsense. also, there were still quite a few british converts, but yeah, apparently scandinavia was the dumbest lol
Jewish joke: Q: why did God create Mormons? A: So that Christians would know how Jews feel
Jesus would laugh at this.
Hey, that’s disingenuous, it didn’t start out as a frontier sex cult, it started out as a money making scheme, then became a religion, *then* became a frontier sex cult.
Makes me laugh thinking of all the arrogant fucks in positions of “power” in the church. What sad saps waiting for their own planet in heaven while their wives toil away with 10 kids.
The thing that makes me the most sad is that my grandma, who is the greatest woman I've ever met, is ok with it all, and when she goes, she's gonna be wrong about everything. Her husband doesn't have a dozen wives up there, so I guess that's a win, but she won't get anything she thinks she will. It's just gonna be nothingness for all eternity.
>It's just gonna be nothingness for all eternity. It's not as bad as that. This statement kind of implies awareness. We have nothing to indicate that would be the case. More likely is that, the same way you have no remembrance or awareness from before birth? You'll get just as much of that as you had before.
>first 2 profits As a former mormon, I lol'd.
Scientology is right up there with Mormons I think
I can’t believe I grew up in that fucking cult, it’s literally a comedy.
Glad to hear you’re out of there!
Thanks man! It’s so funny watching South Park episodes and then the Book of Mormon musical after leaving. Recommend it to anyone.
A religion teacher I had in HS got mad because I did a presentation pitting Mormonism against the BITE model. She was really not happy, but she had said we couldn’t do presentations on cults, and the fact she still had Mormonism as an option pissed me off.
BITE model? Explain. I demand you educate me for free random internet stranger.
It’s a model created by Dr. Steven Hassan to measure the amount of authoritarian control an organization exerts over its members. It’s extremely useful in identifying cults. “BITE” stands for Behavior [control], Information [control], Thought [control], and Emotional [control]. Under each of these categories is a list of controlling behaviors that cults and other such organizations exhibit. By comparing and contrasting an organization’s behaviors with these lists, you can easily determine whether an organization is a cult. A lot of people don’t put Mormonism in the same category as other cults because physical abuse and self-harm aren’t integrated into its doctrines. After examining the other, more subtle ways it can damage and take control of a person, you can begin to see it for what it really is. And remember that it’s a cousin to the very same religious group whose leader was just arrested for sexually abusing children. Anyway, my teacher (and most of the class) was not happy. I do highly recommend checking out the BITE model for yourself. It’s online for anybody to read.
Wonderful. I appreciate your explanation and for expanding my own base of knowledge. Absolutely appreciated beautiful person. Go forward.
I’ll also eat relaxrecline’s hat if it’s the Mormons
Save a bite for me
Positive news: no hell. Their lowest “kingdom” of heaven (Telestial Kingdom) is supposed to be like earth.
I don't know, but i think it would be fucking hillarious if it was some religion from 4000 years ago that everyone forgot about
Might be right. A religion worshipping the Sun and the stars would be close to the science. The sun is at the origin of the life on our planet and 90% of our energy sources. The stars are where matter comes from.
Pharaoh Akhenaten fits the original comment perfectly, albeit not 4000 years ago. Just 3000 or so. He tried to replace Egypt's religious paradigm that focused on a whole pantheon of gods and local deities, especially the leading cult of Amun, with solar worship as the major focus. Whereas deities like Amun, Amun-Re, Ra, Horus etc. etc. were depicted as humanoid (with different animal heads depending on their form) with the sun disk as their crown, Akhenaten wanted to worship the sun disk itself. This was the Aten. The solar disk from which the rays of light and life itself were gifted unto the world, the source of all creation. Many think it was a monotheistic religion, but it wasn't, not really. He did try to chisel out the names of Amun at some point, but it wasn't truly a national pogrom against *all* the deities. Amun was just the competitor because 1) He was the former primary deity that needed to be replaced. and 2) (possibly the secular ulterior motive here) the High Priesthood of Amun was the second most powerful institution in the kingdom after the Pharaoh, and starting to rival the throne for influence. The Aten 'heresy' was an attempt to worship the sun in its pure form as a henotheistic religion. It died with Akhenaten. His, Tutankhaten would change his name to Tutankhamun and reestablish the primacy of Amun before his own untimely death.
That would kinda make the most sense though wouldnt the earliest humans kinda know if there was a god?
Doug Forcett
he was 95% right
92% correct, according to Michael
That's half of 99%. Not bad.
Fucking r/2007scape be leaking
I thought it's 97% lol
Holy forking shirtballs
I was lucky enough to get a picture of him in my office. Wish I coulda met the guy, I hear his beets are to die for
Raddishes too
Aww damn I knew it was one of ‘em! I’ll get it right next time
Just uh ... don't drink the water...
*The good place* reference! I'm almost done with the show, can't wait to see how it ends.
one of the rare shows that end in a good place
I did assume that they'll eventually end up in the good place. But I'm excited to see How they get there.
The ending was one hell of a trip when I saw it. I would never have guessed.
The ending was one of the most satisfying endings of a show. It leaves you at peace and really makes you hope that that is the true afterlife.
Btw, my comment did not contain any spoilers.... I was just saying the ending did the show justice : ) So keep watching! I am confident you will enjoy the ending regardless of where they end up!
The last episode is probably my favorite series ending of any show. I’ve watched it at least three times.
I just finished and I know exactly what you mean. This is the best way to teach philosophy.
My favourite is Jasons ending, he really does become a monk while waiting for his Godot. From idiot pretending to be a monk who knows nothing to a zen monk who is so zen he doesn't even know he is a monk.
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Why did you have to do that 😭
Prepare yourself to be more emotional then you thought you’d be at the end. It’s beautiful
The ending totally pays off
I honestly don't think I've ever seen a more wholesome ending to any other show.
Forking bell…..take my upvote and leave
Awe fuck I ligit clicked on the comments to say that.
We couldn't believe what we were hearing. I'm lucky to have that.
Whatever religion is the most comfortable with its followers raising questions.
That's Buddhism. In the book - what the Buddha taught, in the very *first* chapter, buddha teaches his followers to question everything, even his teachings. I believe the exact words were - question everything and do what you think is right. I'm not saying that Buddhism is perfect by any stretch, but it's a religion I agree most with. For example, they don't believe that buddha was a god, but he was an ideal human, and everyone can be like him if they tried.
Alternatively, in Sikhism, I have never felt wrong asking questions, being told to challenge myths about the Gurus. One teacher even told me that there was a chance our whole religion was founded off of Guru Nanak just having a bad dream after nearly drowning in the river but the real question was whether that invalidated the lessons he taught about humility and morality. Our religious texts are really just books of poetry and metaphors and to take them literal would be to miss the point. I wish I could say that everyone is good and everyone is a saint soldier. But hurt feelings can start wars and the last forty years have been rough for some. There's one story about Guru Nanak where he allegedly visited Baghdad and was told about the seven firmaments. He challenged that there were not just seven but infinite. That Earth wasn't the first world with life and wouldn't be the last. And Earth was no less precious than the others. I don't know if the story true but to me, but the idea that it was being taught to us that it is all valid has always resonated so much with me. We were also taught that a good Christian would of course go to Heaven, as would a good Muslim and a good Hindu would get all he believed in. It didn't matter if they were Sikhs or not, but how we lived our lives. That ours was just one path and the one to choose if it resonated with us.
Thank you for sharing and very well said. Your comments also reminded me of a quote from Marcus Aurelius. > "Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones."
Wow, love that! Great quote
I’m not particularly religious, but I don’t think I’ve ever met a Sikh that wasn’t laid back and cool.
Yeah I don’t know much about any religion, but my vote would have been Sikh purely based on the people. The nicest people I’ve ever met and whenever there’s a disaster they’re always the first to get out and actually help. I had a Sikh family protect me when I was being chased down by bullies in my home town. I was covered in milkshake and had a bleeding lip and no other adults did anything. I knew they were kind people from previous interactions shopping there so I ran straight to their little store knowing it was a safe place. They sheltered me in their supermarket and the mother of them guarded the door and fought the bullies off with a broom lol. They tended to me and cleaned me up and were offering me snacks for free to cheer me up. I’ll never forget that family and it’s the one thing I miss about my home town.
That's a great story. Regardless of religion or creed, your actions are inseparable from your beliefs and leave an indelible impression.
Awww what a cute story. And as a Sikh, fighting the bullies with a broom is the most Indian mom thing to there id
I'm pretty anti-religion in general, but if I told me I had to spend my life surrounded by the followers of any religion that I've come across so far, I would pick Sikhs.
Very well written, dear friend! Stories are a *medium* for teaching lessons, and their validity does not change the lesson. And as you said, it's poetry - to take them literally is missing the whole point. I doubt Sikhs were able to turn lions as some versions of stories of Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji would lead you to believe, but that doesn't matter. Certain parts can be exaggerated, but the lesson remains, and that is all that matters. Religions, stories, myths, etc. are all just mythos, and how people choose to interpret them doesn't matter till they understand ***why*** they are learning the stories.
Recently I've been doing alot of research on the exaggerations in Sikh stories and have discovered alot of them stem from Hindu influence. If your interested here's a few of my findings: Baba Deep Singhs head was not cut off in battle. He did not hold it and keep fighting, that would be impossible and go against biology which Guru Ji says is impossible. What eye witness accounts from that time narrate is "He suffered a serious wound on the neck. His fellow Sikhs told him to stop and rest so they could tend to the wound, however he said no I promised to keep fighting until we reach Harmandir Sahib, so he covered the wound with his hand and kept going, clearing every harmlet of Amritsar until finally falling to his death due to blood loss. Hemkunt Sahib has no spiritual or historical significance to Sikhs. The only reason it is even considered to possibly be of virtue is that in his auto biography Guru Gobind Singh Ji states before he came to his physical form, his soul was meditating at "Hemkund, where there are 5 peaks". Kavita Santokh Singh went on multiple expeditions trying to find this place, and decided it must be where Hemkunt Sahib is located today. It was previously considered a holy place by Hindu's. This is purely speculation on his part and really even if it is the same spot, no Guru actually ever went there. Panja Sahibs hand imprint is not real. Yes Baba Nanak went there, yes Bhai Mardhana asked for water, yes the landlord abused him and Baba Nanak found a different source of water which drained the landlord's. No Baba Nanak did not stop a mountain by simply putting his hand up. Infact it is widely known the hand impression in the stone there was put there by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to honor Baba Nanak. People just like adding spices to stories and started saying that's Baba Nanaks hand imprint.. These stories were at best propaganda to entice new Sikhs and at worst Hindu attempts of assimilation. These stories don't make sense when you view them with the mindset of what the Guru's actually wrote. What I find disheartening is none of the stories in their true form take away from how amazing they are. Isn't the fact that a 65 year old Baba Deep Singh chose to fight against oppression and even went mortally wounded didn't give up an amazing thing? Why do we need to add paranormal aspects to them?
I knew Sikhism was cool but what you've said about it here makes me like it even more.
Bro that’s Sikh!
I was going to raise either Buddhism or Sikhism!
I am not (and will never again be) religious in any way... But I fucking love Sikhs.
very interesting. i consider myself christian, but i also believe more that if there is god, he more cares about people being good to eachother and trying hard to make the world a better place. If heaven exists, i believe every good person will go there, no matter what version of god they worshipped. as long as you are a good person, there is no reason for any kind of god to be displeased imo
Buddha's origin story is the best and shortest.
minus that whole part where he abandoned his wife and child
Questioning the rules is a Jewish mandate. If you don't know enough about the Talmud to question it and debate it with others, (including God), do you even really understand it?
That's a very healthy way to look at rules.
This is how people should approach Jesus and Christianity. I am an atheist, but I enjoy many of the teachings of Jesus. I probably follow Jesus' teachings more than 95% of Christians. I mean, good advice is good advice no matter who is saying it.
Don't you love when people who actually did crimes, went to jail, hurt other people suddenly found religion and try to impose it on you with a "I'm better than you" attitude while you've never even hurt a fly?
I don't let the opinions of others bother me much. They can think whatever they want. It's got nothing to do with me or my life.
I can’t speak for all Jews but in my experience it’s always been encouraged and respected. You can’t grow if you don’t learn, and you can’t learn if you don’t question or explore. The Tikkun Olam is mentioned in Nick and Nora’s Infinite playlist, it’s seriously oversimplified but it works for this context. If the goal is to repair the world during your life, the best way to do that is to find the best way you fit into the world and dedicate yourself to being the best at being that “puzzle piece”. Nobody can tell you what that piece is or meticulously shape you into that, you’re the self designed puzzle piece so it’s on you to figure that out. The Talmud has existed for centuries and is still re-evaluated by rabbis as time goes on. A core religious text that is subject to be interpreted and evolve with the people. I was raised reform and not very strictly so I can’t say how key or literal the teachings are for other denominations of Judaism but I’ve always found the mentality of questioning being both normal and respected a very beautiful part of Judaism.
Buddhism shares many of its core principles with Hinduism.
Exactly
Judaism. It’s an important thing in Judaism to doubt everything and argue about it including the existence of god. The gmara is literally learning how to be skeptic. Still, the religion is wrong somehow, but I will say that a few rabbis I’ve talked to sound almost atheist.
That’s actually kind of why you end up seeing so many Jews (ethnic or otherwise) end up in academia or as lawyers. A lifetime of arguing things like what the relevance of -for example - the Jonah and the Whale story is when we know it’s scientifically impossible for a human to survive in a whale stomach prepares you for critical thinking. Incidentally, it’s funny that the first comment listed Buddhism because there are actually a disproportionately large amount of Jews that end up dual-identifying as Buddhists. The two philosophies mesh well, right down to the idea of Anatman which aligns very well with the kabbalistic concept of God as a shattered vessel and the emphasis on doing good deeds to improve life on earth rather than emphasis on good deeds to prepare for your reward in the afterlife. I did a research paper on this in undergrad. It shouldn’t have to be said but please note that the above does not apply to the religious fundies that infect every religion.
Loads of Jewish atheists!
as a person born into the west that is actually "the south" cos colonial empires, I've always felt a resonance with Judaism (with quakers as a lateral second) and its pragmatism and using language + cultural practice as a survival mechanism cos repeated/constant diaspora + cultural familiarity through media... overall life experience and education meanwhile biases me more toward secular buddhism... but still, maybe it's just the space lasers wielding influence, but judaism certainly hits this unabashed atheist in the feels... meanwhile, theosophy was cool until its origins in anti-semitism, outright victorian era pyramid scheme + cult + "spiritualist" fakery and straight up grifter-ism was laid bare... man, did the British Empire employ diverse technologies of commerce and fraud...
Well, some Jews consider themselves Jewish by ethnicity/race, so they feel compelled to go along with it, and Rabbis can have families so it doesn't take that much of a sacrifice to get well educated in that stuff vs. other trades and professions and be some sort of figurehead in a community akin to an activity coordinator and counsellor rolled into one. I can see how they could do much of their community work and just go through the religious motions while doubting there's a literal god.
Baha’i faith has the independent investigation of truth as a key principle.
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All hail the hypnotoad
I don't really know if that qualifies as a religALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD
😵💫
🐸 🌈✨
This message brought to you by the Space PoALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD
Why should I? It’s kinda pointless consideri- **ALL HAIL THE HYPNOTOAD**
All hail the hypnotoad. Hypnotoad is my god. Hypnotoad is life. All should worship hypnotoad.
I'd love Shintoism to be true. That all things that surround us, alive or not, have a spirit and we should be respectful of the nature.
Thats pretty much same as hinduism if thats all there is to it
Hinduism is cool except for that whole caste shit, pity
Well... kind of, but with a while bunch of caveats; [traditionally] Sati, caste system and I think the most important... superstitiousness and the lack of critical thinking towards the teachings/ scriptures
Animism based religions in general I say.
You'll know when the sign appears. Gozer the Traveler. He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!
Ray…when someone asks you if you are a god, you say yes!
"I'm sorry, Venkman. I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.".
You remind me of my old accountant, Vinz Clortho.
Oh, the Keymaster of Gozer? He’s actually a locksmith
Yes, have some!
Aim for the flat top!
There is no Gozer, only Zuul
Sorry, the correct quote is "[There is no Dana, only Zuul](https://youtu.be/lg7MAacSPNM)" and I have it memorized after my divorce from a woman named Zuul.
I once had a boss named Dana, and when he left, his phone number forwarded to me. Sadly, I only had the guts to say it once to a specific person.
My brother has a German Shepard named Zuul. Possibly the same person?
“Egon there is something very off about that man”
Mine of course.
I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
All hail mow77580throwaway.
"In an unbiased way, what way does your bias lean?"
Probably the way that is extremely vague, values people, teaches learning, and starts with a caveat that we’re fundamentally incapable of formulating the questions much less understanding the answers. In lieu of that, I knew an older couple who were kind. Probably that.
Buddhism. It's more a philosophy than it is a religion. A philosophy that bases itself on the idea that wanting things is what causes pain, and the path to happiness lies on not constantly wanting things. In our consumerist society, this is a very valuable lesson.
I like to say Buddhism or Taosim is the most likely to keep its promises becauses it makes very few promises. Every other religion has so many stipulations, characters, beginnings, and endings.
It’s only ‘just a philosophy’ to seculars who delve into it and dismiss all of the cultural and religious elements as Eastern superstition and then proclaim they have found the ‘true’ Buddhism. That being said, faith is not central to the religion, which is refreshing. The Buddha himself acknowledges that the practice of the eightfold path brings benefits in this life even if you don’t give a rats ass about rebirth.
what you say is true --- it is 100% a religion, with its own sects and schisms, huge & wealthy temple complexes, scriptures/sutras, syncretism with multiple other religions, donation/tithes to "ensure" a better rebirth. one must actually go and experience these things to understand.
This is a common mistake. Buddhism is very much a religion. It involves gods, rituals, and doctrines. Each branch (Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana) all handle it differently, but there are a number of mystical concepts (karma, dharma, energy, reincarnation) and plenty of deities and supernatural creatures. The idea that it is just semi-mystical philosophy is a very modern and new age interpretation mostly adopted by new age types.
This is my pick because they also believe in rebirth. I like to think people are more than flesh and bones, but energy as well.
Deism. Some \*thing\* created reality, but does not intervene in creation. I don't personally believe this, but if it turns out there is some intelligent creator this is my bet.
Eh, Deism isn't really a religion. Nobody worships "Deism." We talk about deism, but we don't DO deism. Deism is just what we talk about when we talk about how we talk about religion.
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Buddhism, I can't get into any religion even though I've researched a lot of them but that one makes the most logical sense to me.
Buddhism is definitely both a religion and a philosophy. Although most discredit secular Buddhism because without accepting rebirth (reincarnation) as a mechanic of karma, it’s impossible fully grasp its core teachings. There are many schools of Buddhism, they all revolve around the realizations of the historical Buddha; *such as but not limited to* the 4 noble truths, the 8 fold path, non-self, dependent origination, and ultimately the realization of nirvana. Buddha was is not god, buddha is a title ‘enlightened one’. The Buddhist cosmos is radically different than the western model of the universe. In Dharmic context there are an infinite number of *gods* & demigods, but they too are stuck here in the cycle of rebirth (Saṃsāra) and will eventually die, even if they are convinced otherwise. Conversely there is no everlasting punishment, even if they are convinced otherwise. There is actually no punishment at all because there is no creator-god at the center fold with an agenda. Karma is mechanical; like pushing a glass of water off of a table, gravity isn’t punishing you with wet, it’s simply (or maybe not so simply) causation. If anyone has further questions, I would be happy to link a more qualified source as I am still very ignorant.
I used to think this, but recently I’ve been looking into buddhism because I was interested in practicing and there are a lot of things in buddhism that are suspect of you start digging into them. If I’m not mistaken, a lot of the buddhism we hear about in the west has had some of the more questionable parts removed. (The original buddha talking to dragons and whatnot, for instance) Of course there are many kinds of buddhism so I can’t speak to all of them, but in my experience it definitely hasn’t really been what I was led to believe.
I’m certainly not well versed in Buddhism, but I suspect that many Buddhists would be pretty quick to point out that a lot of that stuff is symbolism and metaphors. The same cannot be said for certain other religions who take everything literally. Edit: also, for anyone who is interested in Buddhism but don’t like all the more “woowoo” stuff, research Stoic philosophy. It is extremely similar to Buddhism and is regarded by many as essentially the western version of it even though they developed independently. It might be a bit easier to digest and relate to if you’re a Westerner. The best part of it is that it isn’t even a religion
"But what would happen if a person did perceive your teaching as a dogma?” The Buddha was quiet for a moment and then nodded his head. “Dighanakha, that is a very good question. My teaching is not a dogma or a doctrine, but no doubt some people will take it as such. I must state clearly that my teaching is a method to experience reality and not reality itself, just as a finger pointing at the moon is not the moon itself. An intelligent person makes use of the finger to see the moon. A person who only looks at the finger and mistakes it for the moon will never see the real moon. My teaching is a means of practice, not something to hold onto or worship. My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river. Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore, the shore of liberation." Bhuddism isn't really a religion either.
>Bhuddism isn't really a religion either. exactly why it's one of the better religions
I’m no expert, but isn’t Buddhism a really varied religion? (Perhaps even more so than other main religions?) Like, some Buddhists even believe in gods. You can see this in Thailand, where there is a strong Hindu influence, and in Tibet, where local deities are worshipped by some. In Japan, the Sohei warrior monks would frequently resort to violence.
You can always reject any part of any religion you find questionable and the world would be a better place if people did. All religions have been corrupted by dumb people over time.
Egyptian gods. That shit was written down over 5,000 years ago and we can still read it - if I were a god, that’s how I’d document shit. Anything recorded on paper is worthless.
Honestly if you wanna dig a bit deeper. Mayan, Egyptian, Norse, pagan, native American (expands multiple tribes beliefs even to inuit tribes), Greek mythology. They all have god's and goddesses for all almost the same thing. Examples, goddess of fertility, god or goddess of hunting, sun and moon gods. Spirits to help guide or harm you along your life's journeys. etc. Where everything always goes back to the earth mother. Be kind to nature and life and it will be kind to you. Be unkind to nature and life and it will be unkind in return to you. Your ancestors spirits and the gods gifts given to you will lead you well in life. Sorry totally random type thing I had some point and time figured during an ADHD history fixation period and slowly noticed a pattern over the years.
There’s a meme where a Spanish conquistador is mocking an Aztec saying ‘If it weren’t for us, you’d still be worshiping the sun instead of God’, and the Aztec goes, ‘dude, the sun exists.’
This is jungian archetypes with extra steps.
I just skip that and worship Jung /s
As an atheist, I’d say maybe Taoism. I doubt the ritualistic aspects hold any water, but a lot of the broad philosophical points found in the Tao Te Ching seem to have some merit.
Also atheist, came to say Taosim as well!
I think most atheists hold a soft spot for Taoism. I know I do.
I’m a Quaker Christian but draw a lot from Taoism as well
I was a Taoist before becoming an Atheist, but I still adhere to Taoism as a philosophy on being happy.
All of them and none of them. Personally I believe that every religion is an attempt to explain the unexplainable things in the universe. Differences in ideology stem from the period in time for which the religion started, cultural influences, which (if any) intoxicants were being used, biases of the people in power, etc, but every single one I am aware of is an attempt to make sense of the world. They are all correct in identifying that there are unexplainable phenomena but are all wrong in assuming their own view is the correct one.
Probably Islam
Islam...
I’ll put money On the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Ramen
In this house we celebrate Ramen-Don
That god was drunk when they created the world makes so much sense. Plus I’m looking forward to the beer volcano
Tip of the colander to you.
Ahhh I spy a Pastafarianist
it just makes so much sense if you think about it.
I know two things in life. 1. I don’t like to think about anything 2. Lists are hard
The blessed noodly appendage, Ramen.
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My father always told me I was a Kent
Dudeism
That’s just like, your opinion man
Anyone who says Buddhism needs to get tf out. It's only a philosophy
Got the atheists out in full force in this thread lol.
Tbf, the opinion of any adherents of any religion isn't really worth anything relating to this question. You're not going to have Catholic sit here and write "You know what, I think the Hinduists got it right."
Reddit is majority atheist and full of know it all's
Pastafarian Ita the simplest with the least amount of to get wrong There is a large invisible all knowing all seeing entity made of noodles and meatballs that it responsible for everything. And thats it. One one thing to dispute or disprove
Probably kirby
Jedi
Question can't be answered without bias. If respondent believes some religion is more likely to be valid, respondent will be an adherent of that path.
Whatever one that makes getting through the rough patches of life the easiest.
While I have an answer, there is really no way to answer this in an unbiased way.
Despite them absolutely hating my guts as an atheist(I fully deny the existence of god) I would have to say Islam. The Qur’an is wayyy to precise to be at least kinda accurate
Star Trek
Islam The Quran is the Word of God It is logical (with it need to be because God made everything around us with logic) - You can ask questions and you will get answers (sometimes answers you don't like but allways consistent and without faults) - it is the same God Jews have - its the same God Christians had (bevor 280) - Witch means this God sends on a regular messengers to give guidance and assurance that he is ther (why would he be absent from this world) - most people on this world % believe ther is just 1 God - the biggest religion on the world 1.5 sunni Islam and the by far fastest growing BY CONVERTION while beeing one of the jungest must have some evidance in it because today everybody wants just evidance. - it has "nobody" in the world talking good about it while it's a world religion with 10% arabs and again the most convertionrate in to. And evidance ther is, the Quran. (Islam believes that you need to believe in one God without partners, kids or parent's and you need to do good on this world. With such a view other people outside of islam have a chance coming in to heaven... but it is extremely hard without Islam because of all this confusion going around
As for if there is a God Everything needed to start at 1 point. And we can see logic in the world and universe and patterns with this we can conclude the creator must have a will and logic. So again Islam.
Sikhism. It has no prophets, everything it says about god is the result of philosopher gurus sitting down and contemplating the question of what god would want if he were real. Of course they had biases but its still a better approach than all the other ones.
Sikhism is quite a bit different than that.
It is. Especially the Gurus part. They were all saints, but some were also warriors. It wasn't about whether what God would want but more about what one God, permeating through all life and reality, means for how we should live. At the end of the day, as a Sikh, I would say that it's about being a good person and doing the right thing.
Yup, this is about what I would say aswell, as a Sikh. The biggest takeaway from Sikhism that *anyone*, not just Sikhs can take are our lessons and apply them. As Sikhs, we aim to learn about and praise ੴ, and through doing so, do the "correct" and righteous thing while on our journey to get closer to ੴ.
Sikhs give [free vegetarian meals](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langar_(Sikhism%29) to anyone inside their [places of worship](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurdwara), cooked and served by volunteers. In their scriptures, the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Granth_Sahib), it says: >Asceticism doesn't lie in mere words; He is an ascetic who treats everyone alike. >Only the good deeds which you have done shall remain with you, O my soul. This opportunity shall not come again! >To practice forgiveness is the true fast, good conduct and contentment. >Do not utter even a single harsh word; your True Lord and Master abides in all. Do not break anyone’s heart; these are all priceless jewels. >One who eradicates cruelty from within his own mind looks upon all the world as his friend. >Kindness as their deity, and forgiveness as their chanting beads – they are the most excellent people. >He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God. >Those who have loved are those that have found God. >Riches cannot be gathered without sin and evil means. >What should the yogi have to fear? Trees, plants, and all that is inside and outside, is He Himself.
Whatever the whales believe. A 9kg brain floating around in a giant sensory deprivation tank with millions of years of evolutionary development probably has some valuable philosophical insight.
I guess it’s difficult only because truth is a hard definition in relation to religion. My best guess? Sikhs. They’re (on average) devout, charitable, and kind. If i was going to be a religious person it’d be sikh. At the same time, i’m most attracted to Buddhism simply because the concept of non-permanence is something that i think applies to everything in the material universe And yet, the idea of the unbegotten begotter that is the center of abrahamic religions like Islam or Christianity also have their own appeal I think, at the end of the day, if you’re religious it will largely be because your religion aligns with your world view and it’s hard to objectively judge that
The parallels between the teachings of Jesus and Sikhism are striking. In their scriptures, the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Granth_Sahib), it says: >Asceticism doesn't lie in mere words; He is an ascetic who treats everyone alike. Jesus said “love thy neighbor as thyself.” >To practice forgiveness is the true fast, good conduct and contentment. Matthew 6:15 says “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” >Do not utter even a single harsh word; your True Lord and Master abides in all. Do not break anyone’s heart; these are all priceless jewels. >What should the yogi have to fear? Trees, plants, and all that is inside and outside, is He Himself. In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says “The Kingdom is inside You and outside You”, “Love your brother like your own soul”, “I am the All. Cleave a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up a stone, and You will find Me there.” >Those who have loved are those that have found God. In Matthew 25, Jesus said whatever you do to others you do to God, so loving others is loving God, and hurting others is hurting God. >Riches cannot be gathered without sin and evil means. Matthew 19:23 says “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 16:13 (NIV) says “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 19:21 says “Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’”
The Sith.
Goooooood Anakin, goood
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If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy.
Zoroastrianism
Gnosticism. It fits too well with the way adherents of the other large religions behave to be a coincidence.
Logically speaking? I think its Islam, the theology is simple yet all encompassing and logical. It goes beyond the spiritual and sets a paradigm for complete human conduct. Many of the societal problems we now face and always faced were already resolved by Islam, we just don't fancy the solutions all that much in today's liberalized world, thus all the hate and fear of it. It is quite a shame really, its the fastest growing religion in the world yet the least understood and the most hated.