RELIGION

Religion= bad.

Religion is such a diversed topic. I can't really say much of anything.
I don't agree with the usual ancient religions if you are talking about grecian, egyptian, and roman religions that is. Now if your talking about Christianity, which has been around since AD, in that case I am a Christian, so that answers that question. LOL
~anne~

organized relgions= stupid.

god= not real.

yourself= the only one person/ting you can realyl believe in. the only person/thing that can make your decisions for you. the only person/thing that can run YOUR life.

you shouldnt have to live by what someone else would do, what someone else beileves, and just because you make a wrong choice DOESNT mean you are going to hell becuz some made up character that supposedly lives above us is watching.

thats just my opinon.

Does nature control man, or does man control nature?
Religion is sujective. Politics and science are objective.
In my opinion, religion is a belief system and one cannot escape belief
*nihilism = belief in nothing. and belief in nothing is stiil a belief

"*nihilism = belief in nothing. and belief in nothing is stiil a belief"

hmm interesting quote. I like it

Though, it also bothers me that people tend to give those who are not religous, religous titles. Such as being Atheist. A person is not religous by choice, chooses not to partake in any form of practice which represents this choice (such as preaching God isn't real and such....I know there are some, but not most) so how can a person be classified into a group which has no action which represents itself?

That is a good point pink but atheist can be as passionate about there belief as any other religion. they are offended by prayer, they want 'Under God taken out of the pleadge of allegiance.

Then how can we the people be protected by a group that we have no allegence to?

Well, then perhaps I need to study Atheism more, because I wasn't aware that they took things to that extreme.

I myself am not religous, but i think it's a great thing if it encourages you to be a better person. I'm kind of "so what" about it. But I have been told I am indeed atheist

Wow, i feel like such a 13 year old right now.

Ok excuse me while I study Atheism..., I shall return

The so what attitude sounds more agnostic to me.I have had people try to label me also. But if the shoe does not fit I won't wear it

"Atheism is characterized by an absence of belief in the existence of gods. This absence of belief generally comes about either through deliberate choice, or from an inherent inability to believe religious teachings which seem literally incredible. It is not a lack of belief born out of simple ignorance of religious teachings.

Some atheists go beyond a mere absence of belief in gods: they actively believe that particular gods, or all gods, do not exist. Just lacking belief in Gods is often referred to as the "weak atheist" position; whereas believing that gods do not (or cannot) exist is known as "strong atheism".

Regarding people who have never been exposed to the concept of 'god': Whether they are 'atheists' or not is a matter of debate. Since you're unlikely to meet anyone who has never encountered religion, it's not a very important debate...

It is important, however, to note the difference between the strong and weak atheist positions. "Weak atheism" is simple scepticism; disbelief in the existence of God. "Strong atheism" is an explicitly held belief that God does not exist. Please do not fall into the trap of assuming that all atheists are "strong atheists". There is a qualitative difference in the "strong" and "weak" positions; it's not just a matter of degree."

I'm sure you all knew that
(http://www.infidels.org/news/atheism/intro.html#atheisms)

Alright I haven't found anything relating that Atheists practice the exclusion of God from our society all together. I'm not saying atheists don't do it, I'm sure they do, in fact I have no doubt (note: the hill billy who told his son not to stand for the pledge because it had "allegiance to God" in it).

Perhaps then Atheists shouldn't be so easily labeled. I hardly think that NOT believing in something calls for a title. those who actually make it a practice to not believe in God, and go to extremes to exclude the concept are qualified to be given a name considering they do indeed exercise their beliefs (or non-beliefs if you will)

But honestly, what reason is there in giving a group name for not participating in something?

"The term 'agnosticism' was coined by Professor T.H. Huxley at a meeting of the Metaphysical Society in 1876. He defined an agnostic as someone who disclaimed both ("strong") atheism and theism, and who believed that the question of whether a higher power existed was unsolved and insoluble. Another way of putting it is that an agnostic is someone who believes that we do not know for sure whether God exists. Some agnostics believe that we can never know."

(same source)

mmm I wouldn't classify myself as an agnostic considering that it includes, "we can never know whether or not God exists"
In my mind, (meaning of no offence to religous people on this site) I don't think it's truly possible for God to exist. Perhaps a higher, much more evolved and intellectual race which we had somehow decended from (that's a whole different theory) but not God.

Hmm That is interesting that you find it offensive to be labeled. I wrote a poem for a very close friend of mine who told me she was agnostic. It is posted on this site under the title' Helper OF Men.' I asked her if she was offended, and she said; no she loved the poem ....even if we were evolved we would have a standard of conduct which would envolve a belief system

If anyone bothered to read the poem 'Helper of Men' , when they read the last lines of the first quatrain ‘She new many of the people that I knew way back when. I met the one I would think of again and again'. They think ‘the one’ is God, which works just fine. But when I wrote the poem I was thinking a woman that I was deeply infatuated with. She took her own standard of conduct to extremes. When she got a ‘ten year’ prison sentence, she found herself in a predicament that she could not get out of by herself. She became a Christian, which some might suspect was to get out of prison. I am not saying that all nonbelievers do not follow the standards of conduct known as manmade laws. Anyway, to make a long story short she was granted a parole, and eventually murdered by people, or a person who did not follow any standard of conduct. She wore many labels, surprisingly enough one of them was Christian

Bob:
I see your point, but i don't think that's the best example, considering that if you were to say "that black man" / "that white man" you are using it as a physical description to point out someone. (same could call for "that blond" "that brunette"

you wouldn't hear someone using a title to pick out someone of a croud, "see that atheist over there..."

OOooh, oooh!! Me, me!! I know!!!

I'd be more than happy to answer your question for you. The reason that we must all have "labels" because religion is based upon dividing us all into two categories, right or wrong, their particular religion being "right," and all others being "wrong."

It seperates the "good" from the "bad" and it allows for people to relate to each other.

The original reason for the seperating of the sects and denominations in the first place was actually because it had to do with control and numbers. Religion can infiltrate any government, any country, and any race, which gives people power over mass amounts of people. If there isnt a name for it, how is the number accounted for? Where does the money come from? We all have labels, American, Christian, feminist, republican, etc. if we didnt it would cause problems in our social system and economic system.

Labels and signs have been a part of religion since man has looked to the sky and felt a universal connection. Astrology and greek mythology are ancient religions that show it is the nature of man to group and label even the stars. I think it is interesting to note that the Magi were Gentiles not Jews. And that in the course of history only God has remained constant. Only man's understanding changes, and our relationship to God should be personal. The world has a unity in diversity Speaking of labels and titles I don't mind being called a poet. I think Bob is more of a joker than a 'cut throat' and has prayed the Lords prayer many times.

Speaking only from a natural point of view, I would say that life itself is dubious in the long run. I believe in the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. RELIGION is a spiritual path,and a fruit of the Holy Spirit is humility. When mankind completely unites with the peace we seek. HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL UNITE religions are now, in the spirit of unity, looking to the things that we are in agreement on.

Religion is Everything. I write a lot about Religion and love hearing other people's opinions. I Also think and write poetry about a very controversial topic, "When Religion Turns Evil."

It's important to see how far one's into the belief of religion before taking an opinion as a fact.

~Hina

People need to STOP misconstruing RELIGION and SPIRITUALITY. There is really NOTHING that makes a person more ignorant than that, and it proves how eerily cultish religion is.

And Michael, Astrology has NEVER in itself been a religion.

This was the case in Mesopotamia and Egypt, the oldest centres of civilization known to us in the East. The most ancient dwellers on the Euphrates the Akkado-Sumerians were believers in judicial astrology which was closely Interwoven with their worship of the stars. The same is true of their successors, the Babylonians and Assyrians, who were the chief exponents of astrology in antiquity. The Babylonians and Assyrians developed astrology, especially judicial, to the status of a science, and thus advanced in pure astronomical knowledge by a circuitous course through the labyrinth of astrological predictions. The Assyro-Babylonian priests (Chaldeans) were the professional astrologers of classic antiquity. In its origin Chaldaic astrology also goes back to the worship of stars; this is proved by the religious symbolism of the most ancient cuneiform texts of the zodiac. The oldest astrological document extant is the work called "Namar-Beli" (Illumination of Bel) composed for King Sargon I (end of the third millennium B.C.) and contained in the cuneiform library of King Asurbanipal (668-626 B.C.). It includes astronomical observations and calculations of solar and lunar eclipses combined with astrological predictions, to which the interpretation of dreams already belonged. Even in the time of Chaldean, which should be called Assyrian, astrology [source.. CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEPIA]

All that may be true, but that is not the complete and total history and that also does not say how Astrology itself was EVER a religion, as it has not been.

Astrology is so old that they dont know who originated it. Astrological systems and symbols were found on an underwater grotto near France a while ago and they are said to be the oldest artifacts known to man, dating back past Egyptian times.

Astrology has NEVER been a RELIGION, although people in history have worshipped the Sun God or Goddess of the Moon. Astrology (as a metaphysical science) is an understanding, not the basis of any dogmatic "religion."

By the way, citing the history of Astrology with a Catholic encycopedia is rich indeed.

Yes astrology is not before scripture I know that you are a libra on the cusp of scorpio i used to call myself an astrologer and have done quite a bit of research in defense of the belief that we are influenced by the position of the stars I was torn when my charismatic catholic prayer partners indentified it as a cult. i would remind you that all of the planets are named a after greek gods and godess most of the dates of christian celebrations were originally decided by the stars

Your charismatic Catholic prayer partners need to look in the mirror.

Regardless, I dont think that scripture comes before anything, so obviously you and I have different stances.

Bottom line, and not getting into my personal belief systems but FACT: Astrology has never been, is not, and will never be a religion in itself. It's very basis is not dogmatic. It would take a lot to convert it into any sort of religion.

And the reason that I said it was "rich" that you cited a Catholic encyclopedia on the history of Astrology is because it is biased and tainted, look at what your Catholic friends said about it- the perception is totally skewed.

There were were many farmers in the early years of our history that plainted their crops religiously by astrology maybe not dogmatically. Believe it or not you can still purchase a farmers almanac here in Tennessee

The farmers almanac is based upon the phases of the moon and it is proven that it WORKS. That's why farmers still use it, however saying that they do it "religiously" means that they do it consistantly, like people go to Church EVERY Sunday. You and I both know that's a figure of speech.

Astrology is simply not a religion, it is a metaphysical scientific understanding.

Kaitlin don’t you think that we are getting into semantics of the word religion and the word astrology. And how much we know about history. There is not a culture that I know of that I know for sure does not have a form of astrology
Nadi Astrology

These Siddhas are an esoteric group of enlightened saints from the distant past. The stories of many of them are not yet well-known in the West. They founded Nadi astrology. Lord Shiva, pleased with their devotion, bestowed upon them some exclusive powers. He gave them the incredible clairvoyance to know the past, present and future. The Siddhas have etched their priceless knowledge on ancient palm leaves called Nadis. If they were associated with you in your 'Poorva Janma' (previous birth), they promised to help you in a future life, i.e. now. By the Nadi law, you will be involuntarily attracted to the leaves by destiny only. Not everyone has a leaf, so it is an interesting omen that you are reading this far. From what I can assume about
my ancient ancestors the evidence they left behind at Stonehenge suggest that Stonehenge was built astrologically

I dont think that this is semantics, I think it's important to seperate what defines RELIGION from SPIRITUALITY and UNDERSTANDING.

Astrology is something that many belief systems use, but it is not in ITSELF a religion.

There is no way that you'll be able to prove that it is either. I just want to make sure that they are seperated, because they are NOT the same thing.

It may be a principle I'm hung up on, but regardless, the fact is that Astrology is not religion. Astrology does not interfere with any religion (for instance, the 3 wise men were Astrologers), or take away from it, as it teaches nothing of God, heaven, hell, or the devil.

The reason that it's important to seperate it from religion or "cults" is because they have no correlation (refer to the example you posted about your friends and what they thought of it).

Anyway, it's not semantics, it's misrepresentation. There are no churches, bibles, or temples that are for the worship of Astrology, ephasis on WORSHIP. You can have any religious belief and still understand how Astrology works.

answer
I dont think that this is semantics, I think it's important to seperate what defines RELIGION from SPIRITUALITY and UNDERSTANDING.

God is something that many belief systems use, but God is not a religion.

The problem that religion has, is that many are focused on the path and not the destination.
May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung. and may you stay forever young

Understanding is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit

Astrology in no way defines God, which ALL religions do.

Astrology is not based around the worship of anything, which all religions are.

Astrology does not give a "punishment" for bad or good actions and it does not give a "reward" for them either, which all religions do.

It's not a religion.

Astrology has never been my religion I HAVE NO DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF ANYONE WHO CLAIMS IT AS A RELIGION so I stand corrected if you will pardon the pun I have no desire to build another Tower of Babel
read' Back from Iraq'..... Babylon has fallen

Cool, that's all I wanted ;)