What do you believe in - and why?

[fionas]

I have a hard time believing in God but believe that Jesus existed, really like what he stood for and broadly speaking try to live my life around Christian principles (kindness, treating others as you would like to be treated etc.)

Would like to learn more about Buddhism too. The little I have read made an enormous impression on me.

Really struggle with the afterlife concept given that I find the concept of "God" difficult to have faith in. Am afraid of death and this being IT but don't want to force myself to have faith in God as an insurance policy.

However, Buddhism believes in reincarnation which is partly its attraction for me as is its belief that there is no supreme being. So it ticks both boxes for me as well as obviously its teachings on how to live your daily life.

[slyder]

Ace thread, love it.

Raised by parents who seem to have no firm opinion on the topic, and are thus agnostic I suppose. Many of the older generations in my extended family have some form of belief I think, but I don't really know.

Personally, I have a very low regard for all religion and am a firm athiest.

Here is my favouite quote on these matters:

"The telescope...we weren't ready for that one. Up to that point the Earth was the centre of the universe, and humanity was the centre of God's attention. And then along came the telescope and Galileo and Copernicus and we weren't special any more. We were just desolate dust floating, fragments of bits and bobs that didn't mean a damn thing on a galactic ball of nonsense that didn't mean very much either. God just wasn't that interested. Four hundred years later, I don't think we've ever gotten over the shock" - Blánaid McKinney, 'These Important Messages'.

Peace.

[Matryoshka]

I don't believe in any religion (although "catholic", only got half way with the processes though).

I believe in the power of the universe... that there is an energy that created us, and continues to connect us.

When i need to ask for guidance, i ask the universe to leave me in the right direction, or to give me the knowledge i need.

I also respect the power of water, i believe it to have taken part in our creation and our continual nourishment. It ihas a life force that i believe is healing. This is the exact reason we moved to the coast, we are a couple of minutes from the beach, and i feel no where better than being close to the ocean.

edit:

Oh in regards to the after life.... i believe that we are a spirit, that continues to another body (just a physical shell) and with continue to travel from one life to another. I believe our bodies decompose and go back in to the earth and re-energise creating new life.

[Winter]

Raised by parents who seem to have no firm opinion on the topic, and are thus agnostic I suppose.

Personally, I have a very low regard for all religion and am a firm athiest.

:yeahthat: Please don't shoot me! I just find it impossible to believe in anything...

[Inanna]

Aaaah my Wintery friend you won't get shot in here my love!

I also wanted to here here Nettie - I am with you all the way there...

[Fleur]

:yeahthat: Please don't shoot me! I just find it impossible to believe in anything...

Lol Winter... no shooting
My DD1 is the same as you, she just cannot believe, and we struggle to understand eachother. I don't understand how she can't believe in anything, something...to me it is just so obvious that there is something more, something bigger & yet to her, it's just not there BUT we have learnt to be respectful of our different beliefs & can discuss it just fine (phew!)

[Rowellen]

Ace thread, love it.

Raised by parents who seem to have no firm opinion on the topic, and are thus agnostic I suppose. Many of the older generations in my extended family have some form of belief I think, but I don't really know.

Personally, I have a very low regard for all religion and am a firm athiest.

Here is my favouite quote on these matters:

"The telescope...we weren't ready for that one. Up to that point the Earth was the centre of the universe, and humanity was the centre of God's attention. And then along came the telescope and Galileo and Copernicus and we weren't special any more. We were just desolate dust floating, fragments of bits and bobs that didn't mean a damn thing on a galactic ball of nonsense that didn't mean very much either. God just wasn't that interested. Four hundred years later, I don't think we've ever gotten over the shock" - Blánaid McKinney, 'These Important Messages'.

Peace.

That's me also. I love that quote Slyder. Kind of sum's things up nicely.

Having said that, I am interested in learning more about many different religions especially paganism but it's not high on the to do list. I sort of imagine myself being a little old lady with a walking stick before I have the time to learn anything! I have been browsing on BB, & learnt a bit already though.