So, some of you may remember my plans to make a cult...

[conuly]

And if you don't, here it is. I plan to make a cult. It'd be fun.

Anyway (god I hate that word. Do NOT let me use it again), I decided that successful religions can easily be divided into two parts: their beliefs and their practices. It also occured to me that by stealing beliefs and practices from other people, I'd be saving myself a lot of trouble in the long run. I can modify other scriptures to say what I want, for example, and change the meanings of a practice to, again, say what I want.

And then I realized that the more I believed what I was saying, the easier this would be. Meaning I'm about to actually do some theological studying/dipping to see what I believe. *nodnodnod* I'm reading up on the Gnostics right now. Fascinating beliefs. Wiped out, of course, but still interesting. But I have no idea what to read when I'm done with them. Advice, reccommendations, those of you who are somewhat passionate about your religions (which always amazes me as a pretty much areligious agnostic), what is it that draws you to this specific belief? Please talk to me, I'm lonely and bored. And trying to educate myself.

Comments

[catsluvdmb.livejournal.com]

In my Japanese culture class, my teacher was talking about Daoism. We had to read little quote from the guy who founded Daoism that made no sense, and talk about how they made no sense. Finally, when someone asked our teacher if they made sense to her, she goes, "No, but that is because I don't meditate enough. If you meditate for 50 60 years, then you may begin to understand the enlightenment of Daoism."

That is when I decided that I would spout out a bunch of nonsense such as, "Only the purple monkey can see into the eyes of God," and when people say it makes no sense, I will tell them they must meditate more, and then they will reach the enlightenment of Kylism.

[nighteshade.livejournal.com]

religion is a fascinating subject, even though i don't believe in it at all... i believe in a god, or some higher power or presence in the universe or SOMETHING like that, but that's it. i don't believe the best way to get in touch with that presence is through organized religion, which is filled with silly rules and pettyness and more often than not leads to hatred and conflict.

if you're reading up on various beliefs and practices you might want to try beliefnet, and take this quiz which always provides some interesting and thought-provoking results... gives you an overview of about 20 different religions and tells you how your own beliefs compare.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html

[pehanoie.livejournal.com]

Same here. I believe in god, but not organized religion. Is that some sort of crime? /sarcasm

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

Same here...my description below.

Maybe one day I'll find a church I'm OK with.

[meghanx.livejournal.com]

Hm. I'm out of it, not really reading a lot, so I skimmed it.

How are you??

[meteorie.livejournal.com]

Wow! That's a great idea! I knew someone once who made their own religion at school, it was a food cult. And the high priestess was the person who could eat the most chocolate. It was funny n.n One thing that would draw me to a specific belief would be a lack a lot of rules. I never really cared for strict things like "pray ten times a day" and "sacrifice half your chickens" or whatever. I'm not religious, but that would be something I would look for if I was!

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

Christianity, in its unadultrated (in my opinion) form...God, Jesus, love, and that's pretty much all that matters in my opinion. As long as one is civil and treats others with kindness and respect, they have my most basic beliefs in common.

I'm not exactly sure what brought me out of atheism into liberal Christianity, from believing with all certainty that God doesn't exist to believing with all certainty that He does...it has a long-to-describe (but short time span) history of its own during fall of '96.

[morganne13.livejournal.com]

At least read the Discordians.... :D They rock!
And chaos magick is really cool cause its based on this. "Nothing is true, all is permissibly" emphasis being on the second half.

[catsluvdmb.livejournal.com]

In my Japanese culture class, my teacher was talking about Daoism. We had to read little quote from the guy who founded Daoism that made no sense, and talk about how they made no sense. Finally, when someone asked our teacher if they made sense to her, she goes, "No, but that is because I don't meditate enough. If you meditate for 50 60 years, then you may begin to understand the enlightenment of Daoism."

That is when I decided that I would spout out a bunch of nonsense such as, "Only the purple monkey can see into the eyes of God," and when people say it makes no sense, I will tell them they must meditate more, and then they will reach the enlightenment of Kylism.

[nighteshade.livejournal.com]

religion is a fascinating subject, even though i don't believe in it at all... i believe in a god, or some higher power or presence in the universe or SOMETHING like that, but that's it. i don't believe the best way to get in touch with that presence is through organized religion, which is filled with silly rules and pettyness and more often than not leads to hatred and conflict.

if you're reading up on various beliefs and practices you might want to try beliefnet, and take this quiz which always provides some interesting and thought-provoking results... gives you an overview of about 20 different religions and tells you how your own beliefs compare.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html

[pehanoie.livejournal.com]

Same here. I believe in god, but not organized religion. Is that some sort of crime? /sarcasm

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

Same here...my description below.

Maybe one day I'll find a church I'm OK with.

[meghanx.livejournal.com]

Hm. I'm out of it, not really reading a lot, so I skimmed it.

How are you??

[meteorie.livejournal.com]

Wow! That's a great idea! I knew someone once who made their own religion at school, it was a food cult. And the high priestess was the person who could eat the most chocolate. It was funny n.n One thing that would draw me to a specific belief would be a lack a lot of rules. I never really cared for strict things like "pray ten times a day" and "sacrifice half your chickens" or whatever. I'm not religious, but that would be something I would look for if I was!

[fjorab-teke.livejournal.com]

Christianity, in its unadultrated (in my opinion) form...God, Jesus, love, and that's pretty much all that matters in my opinion. As long as one is civil and treats others with kindness and respect, they have my most basic beliefs in common.

I'm not exactly sure what brought me out of atheism into liberal Christianity, from believing with all certainty that God doesn't exist to believing with all certainty that He does...it has a long-to-describe (but short time span) history of its own during fall of '96.

[morganne13.livejournal.com]

At least read the Discordians.... :D They rock!
And chaos magick is really cool cause its based on this. "Nothing is true, all is permissibly" emphasis being on the second half.