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Religion/spirituality

My beliefs

(55 Posts)
vampirequeen Mon 25-Feb-13 14:39:21

There seem to be assumptions being made about people's beliefs. So I decided to put the record straight on what I believe.

I'm technically a Roman Catholic but I don't believe the Church truly follows the simple messages given by Christ which was love God and love other people.

So what am I?

Well I believe that Christ was a good man who had suggested a way to live a good life but I have no idea whether or not the was the Son of God. It would be nice to think that there is a God who watches over us and cares about us but that's not in my life experience so if God does exist he's not the nice guy that I was taught he was.

God or the gods are much more fickle than that simplistic 'all loving' view. I'm more inclined to the ancient beliefs that God/the gods too have faults and sometimes play games with human lives for their own amusement or maybe that is the coincidences caused all the interactions that take place everyday between humans and the natural world.

I do believe there is more to existance than we can see. I believe in natural spirits (fairies and sprites if you want to give them a name). I believe that spirits can inhabit special places. I believe that after physical death the human spirit continues to exist in some form but I have no idea what that form is so maybe it's just wishful thinking.

I believe in ghosts either as a sort of spiritual recording (that a place can somehow absorb strong emotions and replay the images when somehow triggered) or as a trapped spirit that needs help to move on to wherever a spirit goes.

These are my basic beliefs. Feel free to discuss and debate them. I will not take offence if you don't agree with me or think I'm delusional. I will try to justify them but sometimes a belief can't be proved as no facts exist to provide concrete evidence.

MiceElf Tue 26-Feb-13 13:29:28

I have set out my position on another thread but the essence of what I as a Christian believe is summed up in this quote from the NT:

No one has seen God at any time, if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

The theme of 'one another' runs through the NT and is a constant reminder that we are members one of another and it's by striving to love each other that we begin to understand the love of God.

I am completely agnostic about an 'afterlife'. It doesn't matter. It's how we live in this life that is important. And as God is beyond time and space, 'after' becomes meaningless.

It's in the strength of parish life where ordinary people - sinners all - try to support each other and live, as best they can, by the principles of the Gospels that enables me to try to live as I believe I should. I think it's very hard to do it on your own.

I always remember a message given by a very learned Jesuit. He described God as the ultimate Love, Truth and Beauty. Peoples of goodwill, whatever their religious or cultural traditions strive to reach that knowledge of love and truth. The path and the journey will be different for all of us, but at the end of striving comes the peace which passes all understanding.

celebgran Tue 26-Feb-13 14:22:41

Very interesting!

I gain peace from catholic mass not strict one however and not really sure what I believe other than I know there are spirits who live on after death due to visiting spiritualist. She told me facts about my late mother no one could have known.

I also firmly believe there must be. Greater life force than hans use to our ability to destroy so Much And mess up in general!
Lot of gaps but I firmly believe you feel more at peace the kinder you are to people !

glassortwo Tue 26-Feb-13 14:27:20

I was brought up C of E but think I am agnostic, but reading the post from goose maybe I am humanist....

My beliefs are to try to help anyone who needs it...
to try not to judge others, be happy in my own skin...
to try to leave as little an imprint on the environment as I can in the time I am here.

I feel that everyone to their own and should have the chance to believe in whatever God or anything else they hold precious.

I feel that since the beginning Religion has been a way of controlling us.

bags I think that it exactly right "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal" – Albert Pike.

janthea Tue 26-Feb-13 19:18:42

glassortwo grin