evolution of spirituality

[CowboyHippy]

had to post something in the religion thread, It was all sorts of empty in here

so here goes, for the as yet larger part of my life I was born and raised by strict old school catholics, still pissed about the masses not being in latin, youth groups, retreats the whole nine yards. after traveling around and meeting new people and visiting new places I have evolved to take into account a broader spectrum of beliefs, id say about 10% Native American 50% taoism (note belief, being different from religion)39% christian (not necessarily catholic) and 1% snake handler, I manage to find tons while backpacking.

i also buy into evolution and the big bang theory.

Everyone tells me it's a contradiction and i can only believe in one or the other. mostly the kind of people who love to share their opinions but dont give a damn about what others think. the way i see it, I have a fairly set ammount of time, id rather not worry so much about the mysteries of the universe, appreciate the beauty of it and focus on peace in my life and making the others around me happy. does it matter what is responsible for the cat's eye nebula or the ginko tree, or my little baby boys?, not really, is it worth arguing over?, not really, is it something marvelous and beautiful that should be appreciated and cared for? absolutely!

it's evolution and religion getting along just like they should, no energy and effort wasted on decisions, just wonderous beauty everywhere.

[Unkle_John]

I dig that. My best friend is catholic and I'm pagan. He's very open minded and often asks me questions about my faith and rituals. I've gone to mass with him and really enjoyed it, I got a very peaceful feeling. I think if I have a change of mind in the future or whatever, I could very feel close to Catholicism.

But we need more open minded people in this world. Open to the fact that not everyone believes the same way and we should just accept it and hope that the belief in something after death will bring us peace of mind knowing we will cease to exist in this plane. I think it's human nature to want to believe in an almighty creator(s), it's a want to know your parent(s) and ask "why" and such. We need that belief in something of we will go crazy. The way I see it, is why should one religion be the "right one" for everyone. Let the ones you call "heathens" go where you think they are going to go and leave them alone.

Man I'm stoned.

[Unkle_John]

Man WTF was I going with that!? LOL!!!!

I think I was basically saying we need something to believe in so we have meaning for our lives. I feel if we think there is nothing after death, then we would go insane. We are sentient beings and know we will cease to exist, but we also want to know the mighty question of "why".

[CowboyHippy]

I'm not insane, and I have the papers to prove it

I'm not so hung up on needing to believe that something lies beyond, I just trust that the spark of life cannot be extinguished. that's enough for me

are you going to revisit the stop smoking thread now that your on solid ground? he he he

[Hippie Staff]

John. LOL.



Probably a *good state* to discuss religion in. Now visit the stop smoking thread and repent. Sinner.

:p

[butterflyDancer]

I totally respect your open-mindedness -tips hat-

I was raised Jewish, and I still respect it for the underlying morals, but there were lots of things about the religion I didn't identify with so much.

Anyway, Buddhist philosophies really resonate with me, so I'm all about that these days. But my best friend's a pagan too, and hearing her talk about her rituals is super interesting ~ I've learned a lot from her

[Unkle_John]

LOL!!!

Thanks guys and gals for understanding.

[LIBRA]

LOL!!!

Thanks guys and gals for understanding.

You gotta clarify what smoke your not smoking anymore,lol!! Ciggs, right?

[Unkle_John]

Yes, I quit Tobacco. I don't smoke the other as often.

[Yossarian]

It's healthy to draw from a variety of different religions and belief systems. We're all mere humans, and to say that anyone can interperate the metaphysical flawlessly would be rather difficult to back up. But of course people have hit upon some good points - there are many positive traits to all of the religions. If I were to describe myself, I would call myself a transcendentalist existentialist humanist Christian with influence from some Eastern and Native American beliefs.

[LIBRA]

I am not full tilt on any certain religion. I do observe pagan sabats, I do not do certain rituals or cast spells. I do point my energy in certain directions. I also have a faith in God, and the story behind. Im into buddhism, I think the philosophies are right on. Im a mut as far as faiths are concerned.

[forrest]

Man WTF was I going with that!? LOL!!!!



That's why they call it dope! :D

The Church Of Humanity
http://www.churchofhumanity.org/index1.html

http://www.consciousness.arizona.edu/

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/dawno/quantummind08.jpg

[CowboyHippy]

there is a line in a song by Old Crow Medicine Show

Hear the gentle lamb of judah sleeping at the feet of buddha

pretty much sums it up

[LIBRA]

that is perfect, just perfect.

[forrest]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2104231443388682096&q=yardbirds&total=1042&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2

Shapes of things before my eyes,
Just teach me to despise.
Will time make men more wise?
Here within my lonely frame,
my eyes just heard my brain.
But will it seem the same?

(Come Tomorrow) Will I be older?
(Come Tomorrow) May be a soldier.
(Come Tomorrow) May I be bolder than today?

Now the trees are almost green.
But will they still be seen?
When time and tide have been.
Fall into your passing hands.
Please don't destroy these lands.
Don't make them desert sands.

Chorus, Lead.

Soon I hope that I will find,
Thoughts deep within my mind.
That won't displace my kind

[PEACE FROG]

I think it is absolutely wonderful that everyone is open about their beliefs. I spend alot of time, A LOT, thinking, reading and talking about spirituality. I think it's whatever resonates as truth in you. You are the one walking it out. you are responsible for your own choices. So it ought to be a flavor you at least like. I for one dont really identify with a group of folks that use fear to motivate. We are all attending to the same task, the task of figuring out why, what for, who dat? I just wana love and be loved and experience myself in a higher version than I am. Please dont sweat the Christians. They recieve in part so they behave in part. The teachings of Jesus are life, the religion mankind has created around his teaching blows.... religiously. :bandit:

[Unkle_John]

Well said brother! :heff2:

[CowboyHippy]

I think it is absolutely wonderful that everyone is open about their beliefs. I spend alot of time, A LOT, thinking, reading and talking about spirituality. I think it's whatever resonates as truth in you. You are the one walking it out. you are responsible for your own choices. So it ought to be a flavor you at least like. I for one dont really identify with a group of folks that use fear to motivate. We are all attending to the same task, the task of figuring out why, what for, who dat? I just wana love and be loved and experience myself in a higher version than I am. Please dont sweat the Christians. They recieve in part so they behave in part. The teachings of Jesus are life, the religion mankind has created around his teaching blows.... religiously. :bandit:

just as bad as heavy handed fear is the burden of tradition i suffered from, i think the only reason my family did what they did and believed what they did is cause grandpa snuck a bible out from some european country when the communists were searching everybody and killing and burning. i'd go to church, sit kneel stand, sing sit kneel and go home. thats what i got out of it torturous exercise. whatever someone beleives i thiink the only way it will work is if the do it because it gives them real enjoyment and happiness. I can tell you right now id rather listen to the monks in tibet pray and not understand a bit of it, rather than going to the local catholic church with over-zealous give us money and do what we say priest in the pulpit.

but since china is that-a-way and church is a lot closer i can go through the motions for the social aspect of it.

[PEACE FROG]

I grew up in Catholic Church. We actually were mostly Easter/ Christmas Catholics, but Mom sent us kids regular. I did the whole program till I was 12, I am very familiar with sit, stand and kneel, Actually I learned about God and Jesus from my mom at a very early age. So I guess I’ve always been a Christian. That is to say, I believe what Jesus taught to be the truth. That’s it; they can keep the rest of it. Something I consider to be absolutely fascinating is all the unlikely creeps that rise up to positions of authority in the Christian church. I guess to know the word is power. Not in the spiritual sense per se', but if you can recite a lot of scriptures and come up with some cleaver “things that make you go hmmm” people tend to believe you to be a godly man. And when they perceive you to be a godly man they'll offer up their necks to you. I see incredibly inept, stupid hustlers, always at the ready with a hearty “God bless you” or “we’ll have to pray about that” or "let me pray for you". Then proceed to fill the air with empty words like they are down with the ancients, trying to sound like holy men. And I am absolutely in awe watching them work. They contradict themselves and misquote, misspeak all the time, but people are so hungry spiritually, so desperate to know something of God they don’t notice or are unwilling to acknowledge the emperor is wearing no clothes. Sometimes I feel like a freak in’ 12 year old standing in line to see Santa. So you guys are all on the right track, follow, explore, and seek your truth as it speaks to you.

[crazylegs]

I say live and let live unless they come a buggin' me or vote Republican. :37:

[LIBRA]

There is something so shady to me about the catholic religion. Lots of history, and lots that does not add up.

[crazylegs]

Seems like whenever you get some big system going there's going to be people who are hungry for power and then the corruption and abuse follows.

[CowboyHippy]

There is something so shady to me about the catholic religion. Lots of history, and lots that does not add up.

what i dont get is that a few hundred years ago they just sorta thought, hey we don't need these books in the bible, lets pull them out and just teach this stuff

so why the hell was it good for a thousand + years and all of a sudden they nix it? i brought that up to one of the other teachers when we were in youth group and it was greek to them, so i brought in an old bible (1870's) and they wer fascinated and dumbfounded.

smells to high heaven of a conspiracy if you ask me

[PEACE FROG]

just to clarify; when I make comentary like I have been, I'm almost always referring to the Born again Christians or Evangelical Christians. Catholic was so long ago for me I really don't have an opinion. :) :engel016:

[LIBRA]

what i dont get is that a few hundred years ago they just sorta thought, hey we don't need these books in the bible, lets pull them out and just teach this stuff

so why the hell was it good for a thousand + years and all of a sudden they nix it? i brought that up to one of the other teachers when we were in youth group and it was greek to them, so i brought in an old bible (1870's) and they wer fascinated and dumbfounded.

smells to high heaven of a conspiracy if you ask me


Ya it does to me too. And the whole pagan bit with the catholics, what happened there?

And Froggy, I got that from what your saying. I think ive threadjacked. But hey religion talk is envolved so its not to jacked.

[EarthEden]

I was raised in JW. Now my beliefs are Moderate/Progressive Christian (non-Fundamental/non-far) Native American Hopi, tuch of Bahia. :hippie: