Holidays and Religion

Link: Dancing with Dogs: Comment on Religion...some questions.

I was checking my referral stats this evening, wondering if anyone was still reading my blog, especially considering how much I'm NOT writing these days -- (I think it's the television robbing me of my voice.) -- when I noticed someone had Googled one of my alternate personalities, of which I have several.  At about page 4 or 5 (there were over 10 pages listed by Google for this one particular personality), I came across a discussion about God, aka The Skye Fairie.  The discussion took place on a blog I monitored for a few months, Dancing with Dogs, before moving on.  However the conversation was interesting in both the questions asked, and the various comments left.  After monitoring the discussion and argument by many divergent interests and groups this past month about the true nature of Christmas versus "the holidays.", I thought it might be interesting for us to ask ourselves these questions and hear the answers of our friends.

Here are the questions asked by Shanti, the moderator of Dancing with Dogs.

1. Do you believe in God?

2. Do you believe in religion?

3. Do you believe religion is required to find God?

4. Why do you believe in the religion you believe in?

5. What motivates you to be religious?

6. Do you consider yourself spiritual, religious or both?

7. What kind of a being do you think God is?

I'm just curious, that's all.

 

Comments

[Houston]

I'll start the ball arolling.

1. Not really, at least not as a personality.
2. Irrelevant. It exists regardless of whether I believe in it or not.
3. More relevant. No.
4. I was raised to be observant in a religion, and while I no longer consider it necessary, I find it culturally comfortable. Its rituals remind me of my desire to be a spiritually enlightened being.
5. May have been answered in #4.
6. Spiritual development makes a person feel whole. It grows from within. Some people find religion aids in this spiritual growth. In my past it was more relevant than in my present. See answer #4.
7. If I answer anything, I contradict my answer to question #1. If there is such a thing as a God, it has to be the totality of creation, but it would not have a personality. Each of us holds a mirror into which is reflected the idea of god from within our spiritual selves. Those who have nothing, see nothing.

Thanks for asking the question. The asking of the question is as important as the answers received.

Two major faiths celebrate their essence this week. May all who seek spiritual enlilghtenment find peace.

[Linda]

1. Do you believe in God? Yes.

2. Do you believe in religion? Yes, though I believe it is very rigid in even the most liberal forms.

3. Do you believe religion is required to find God? Absolutely not.

4. Why do you believe in the religion you believe in? Because it "fits" me better than any other.

5. What motivates you to be religious? Community and the importance I place on ritual in every day life.

6. Do you consider yourself spiritual, religious or both? Both, but more spiritual than religious.

7. What kind of a being do you think God is? I don't think God is a being at all....just a big bundle of energy/an entity.

I think it is important to point out that I believe that every God is just part of one God, whether we call it God, Allah, Buddha, Jesus, Zeus, Goddess Spirit, etc. My catch phrase is, "It's all the same guy." (No offense to those who believe the entity to be female. Masculizing the entity is just my comfort level.)