Did you convert?

[Dark Luther]

Just wondering how many of you guys out there converted to your religion - and how many remained...


If your agnostic or atheist - you don't count, as you didn't change views instead just dropped the belief of organized religion all together.
But on that note - those who are - did you become one - or was your family agnostic/atheist as well...

[Dark Marmosett]

Nope. Have always been roman catholic. Probably always will be...just won't attend church though anymore cause of the way they do stuff tehre.

[horrible]

Atheist, born into a christian family, put some thought into the history of the religion and how much sense it actually makes...and had myself a nice laugh that I believed in that stuff at some point

[Jack The Ripper]

I haven't converted. Been a jew my whole life.

[Irving1992]

I haven't converted. Been a jew my whole life.

Seriously? Never would've guessed.

I was Christian, lost faith, then went atheist. But if I were to convert to another religion, then I'd go Morman.

[horrible]

If I were to convert, I'd probably choose Buddhism

[Jack The Ripper]

Seriously? Never would've guessed.

I was Christian, lost faith, then went atheist. But if I were to convert to another religion, then I'd go Morman.


What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

[king kuppy]

i'm lutheran.. just never goto church. my mom is agnostic

[Chicken Little]

Mother is a Roman Catholic, Father is agnostic, mother decided that a catholic school would be best for me so I went through the whole purge with holy water routine before dropping the faith because to me it was a crock of shit, so I've been agnostic ever since.

If I were to convert, I would choose Jedi, because listening to voices in your head is A-OK and those who wrong you are filled with evil that must be purged from existence!

[Dark Luther]

i'm lutheran.. just never goto church. my mom is agnostic

Hey, you too..?
I was born deeply into the Roman Catholic church - and semi converted to the Lutheran Church...,
though I study all religions...

[Irving1992]

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

Cool down dude, I meant I didn't know you had a religion. I didn't mean any offense by it. Sorry if I insulted you.

[Bloozilla]

My family is Catholic, and I used to be. I'm agnostic now... I'm going to spare you my rant on the Catholic religion though.

[Rainbow Dash]

I'm probably about to convert. Need my friend to get me that book first though. But from what he's told me, Wiccan sounds like the perfect religion for me.

Gunny, if you dont like the way they do things at the Catholic Church... maybe you should find a different one. Catholicism is probably the most outdated religon out there anyway.

I was Christian, lost faith, then went atheist. But if I were to convert to another religion, then I'd go Morman.
Are you fucking serious? I still dont get how people can believe that some guy found religous scriptures by Jesus in his backyard. It's all way too convenient for me. I also tend to be skeptical when, following a religous discovery, the so called religous leader then tries to acquire power in the government (see China somewhere around the 19th century as well as the Yellow Turban Rebellion of Romance of the Three kingdoms fame.)

[Night]

Dude, you'd buy that you can channel spiritual energy and all that "wiccan" bullshit faster than you'd believe somebody found a piece of paper.

Any acceptance of christianity admits that Jesus could put paper wherever he wants.

[horrible]

If I were to convert, I would choose Jedi, because listening to voices in your head is A-OK and those who wrong you are filled with evil that must be purged from existence!

"fuck with me and I'll kill you" ... can anyone guess which religion follows that philosophy? <_<

[Rainbow Dash]

You know what, fuck it, this is not a good time for this.

[horrible]

You know what, fuck it, this is not a good time for this.

not a good time for what?

[Rainbow Dash]

Debating Religon. It's already a touchy subject and I'm in a very irritable mood these days.

[Tirk Renard]

Sorry to hear that, alas, as they say; It is on.
- - Atheist, although I observe most other religions. I like to at least study what I hate so I know why i am hating it ^^ Like gunny said "The way they do things" I have tried to sit down and consider "god" but that causes me to think of how the people of the religion treat it, then makes me want to proceed in hurling. It's no different from any religion in a sense, hell, Muslim could have been a respectable religion if its imagine had not been tarnished by some extremists. It sounds rather nice actually, meditation every day would do this world some good. Everyone needs to slow the fuck down and relax =3
- - I would have to make a note tho. Roman Catholic (and other religions, I keep on mixing up Christian, but I think this is true for that too) will talk about a "reward in the afterlife" that they receive for accepting God as their "Lord and savior" and being good people (Yet equally good or even better people who do not accept god as their savior have their souls 'terminated') Which is total bullshit. I plan on getting my reward while I am alive, and not waiting for it while rotting in some ditch or sitting in a jar on the Hearth getting cigarette butts shoved into me because I look like a fancy ashtray. Oh and apparently, animals don't have souls either ._. Sucks to be them eh?
- - On a last note, I would say that if god were real I would not be shocked, but, if he exsisted as portrayed in the Christian/Catholic religion I would still not follow him. I believe that there is a possibility of a creator at least. Lets say... 7%

[Altima]

I'd say i'm athiest but im not too sure on it all yet. There are too many religions out there to choose from. It is just too much to know everything about each and everyone and then choose the one for me. So I will just sit back and forget about religion for a while longer.

[horrible]

- - I would have to make a note tho. Roman Catholic (and other religions, I keep on mixing up Christian, but I think this is true for that too)

I do too >_<

will talk about a "reward in the afterlife" that they receive for accepting God as their "Lord and savior" and being good people (Yet equally good or even better people who do not accept god as their savior have their souls 'terminated') Which is total bullshit.

there are a hell of a lot of "vague" spots in the bible (all of em), what about the mentally challenged? What about the criminally insane; keep in mind, these people truly believe that what they're doing is 'god's work/will' so in they're own mind's they are working their hardest to be "good", but in the eyes of society what they're doing is mass-homicide and/or manslaughter, will these people be punished just because they tried too hard to believe? I could go on about stuff like this, for a long long time (and will at some point in time go off topic...so I'll stop here)

I plan on getting my reward while I am alive, and not waiting for it while rotting in some ditch or sitting in a jar on the Hearth getting cigarette butts shoved into me because I look like a fancy ashtray.

Thats the basic conclusion I arrived at, when we die, we're just going to be a rotting corpse (or a pile of ashes), enjoy it now...because from a logical standpoint...theres nothing afterwards.

Oh and apparently, animals don't have souls either ._. Sucks to be them eh?

funny how a living creature can function without a soul, ain't it? <_<

- - On a last note, I would say that if god were real I would not be shocked, but, if he exsisted as portrayed in the Christian/Catholic religion I would still not follow him. I believe that there is a possibility of a creator at least. Lets say... 7%

If there is a god that is truly as christians/catholics believe, then I will more than likely die from hysterical laughter.

The whole reason I don't believe in either interpretation of god/gods "will" is because it makes us all out to be hillbillies -meaning we're all technically related- <_<, hence marriage, dating, and our entire race has revolved around incest...I don't know about you guys, but to me, that is a sickening thought...

[Rainbow Dash]

because from a logical standpoint...theres nothing afterwards.
How is that logic?

it makes us all out to be hillbillies -meaning we're all technically related- <_<, hence marriage, dating, and our entire race has revolved around incest...I don't know about you guys, but to me, that is a sickening thought...
Indeed, but they would argue that God divinely intervened at some point.

What about the criminally insane; keep in mind, these people truly believe that what they're doing is 'god's work/will' so in they're own mind's they are working their hardest to be "good", but in the eyes of society what they're doing is mass-homicide and/or manslaughter, will these people be punished just because they tried too hard to believe?
Yes, they would be, in theory. Though Christianity does indeed totally ignore any mental disabilities and physical conditions (esp sexuality) which is my main issue with it atm. The religon really should only appeal to those who wish for a utpoian, monogenous society, yet somehow people ignore this major flaw and follow it anyway because its either what their parents did or they are fooling themselves.

Though there is an increasing number of people who are choosing to opt out of any sect of Christianity and interpret the Bible in their own words, which is perfectly fine with me. It's also why I am fervently opposed to Catholics and Evangelicals.

[horrible]

How is that logic?

In order for a sentient being to keep it's consciousness, there would have to be some form of a physical medium (for example; the brain). In the theory of 'life' after death, basically states that "you are sent to a higher plain (transcendence). The problem being that, without keeping some form of a physical medium your consciousness (assuming that it does in fact leave your body) will simply disintegrate.

And, because in order for transcendence to occur, there must be some to transcend and since nothing extra-ordinary happens to your body upon death, its logical to assume that no part of you transcends. Therefore, without a solid medium to hold your consciousness down (again, assuming it doesn't just disappear when you go brain dead), there is no possible way for you to go anywhere let along get a solid grip on reality, get adjusted to an existence as energy, or remain yourself.

With that being said. You have to understand, that if our consciousness truly does leaves our bodies after death, our existence is placed within our own understanding of our own existence. Meaning, you will have to consciously perform all the tasks a brain would normally perform, such as; keeping your personality, using higher thought processes, conscious/sub-conscious thoughts, keep/retain memories, calculate, think, access information. And last I checked, we humans barely know how to use 10% (its actually 9.7% average, I think) of our brains...we don't know what out sub-conscious is or what is in it, most people don't even know the lobes/hemispheres of the brain...explain how they're supposed to be able to do all the function of their brain without one and without understanding how one works, add to that the fact that you would have to use something similar to telepathy in order to do all of that AND keep yourself "together" so to speak

this is my logic :D

edit;

Indeed, but they would argue that God divinely intervened at some point.

lol, thats right...god divinely intervened and shifted out genetic ancestors from normal everyday humans to neanderthals, this way we couldn't possibly be related to adam and eve and hence each other (>'.')> ... *looks out the window* oh look, a monkey :D

[Gamerlen]

I started out as a Methodist when I was little, but I barely remember it as my parents stopped going to church after we moved to Kentucky when I was five.
After that we were pretty much "Christian". We didn't go to church, we didn't say grace, and Christmas was about one thing and one thing alone.

Eventually I just kinda stopped seeing religion as being that important. I figured that maybe there was something up there, but as to what I didn't know or really care. Once my parents got divorced my mom tried to get me to be a Christian by taking me to a church called Fellowship of Believers.

One day at church they were doing the ceremony where new members pray to God to save them and where they accept Jesus as their savior.

I got down on my knees, bent my head, closed my eyes, and prayed...


.... and absolutely nothing happened.

I looked around at all the guys next to me wearing dopey grins or babbling in what they must've thought were tongues (sounded more like someone strangling E.T.) and thought "what the hell are these guys doing? It didn't work!"

After that I just lost interest completely. Some people have said that I didn't really mean it when I said it, or that I'm denying it to try to make their religion look stupid... and for a while I guess I did try to make it look idiotic because I got sick of being badgered about it.

The honest truth is, I don't feel that I need religion. I've got a good job, I'm in a steady strong relationship with someone I care for deeply, I have a home, food, and clothing, along with enough toys to keep me busy... What could religion give me that I don't already have?

I know some of you are probably thinking "Well He could give you salvation from eternal pain and hellfire" but here's something to consider...

Yeah I'm Transsexual, and once I finish transitioning I'll be in a homosexual relationship since Tessa and I will both be girls then. I can't deny what I am, but at the same time I love Tessa more than anyone or anything else in the world, yet both homosexuality and changing your physical sex are seen as sinful by the majority of the Church.

If its a choice of either living in hell (either by remaining male or by leaving Tessa) or going to hell... ^_^ Bury me with some Marshmallows and a stick.

Besides, I like to sleep in on Sunday. =P

[Dark Marmosett]

Gunny, if you dont like the way they do things at the Catholic Church... maybe you should find a different one. Catholicism is probably the most outdated religon out there anyway.

Nah. I just hate how the churches themselves are runned. Always asking for money left and right. Making it boring and the church being crowded and packed. I hate public places. Also not to mention the molesternating of them little boys.

I'm all for believing in the ways of roman catholics and all that. Just the church is not a thing for me.

[Rainbow Dash]

If its a choice of either living in hell (either by remaining male or by leaving Tessa) or going to hell... ^_^ Bury me with some Marshmallows and a stick.

Did you think that line up, or is it from something? That's a good one.

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

I just stopped having it thrown in my face every day when I left Catholic school, so I thought about it and decided it didn't make any sense. Neither of my parents were particularly religious either, though.

Gunny, if you dont like the way they do things at the Catholic Church... maybe you should find a different one. Catholicism is probably the most outdated religon out there anyway.Despite all the PR to the contrary, Catholicism is one of the more progressive sects of Christianity in existence.

Indeed, but they would argue that God divinely intervened at some point.Specifically they'd argue that man started genetically perfect, therefore "incest" didn't have the same repercussions that it does now.

[horrible]

Specifically they'd argue that man started genetically perfect, therefore "incest" didn't have the same repercussions that it does now.

...that makes no sense at all...

repercussions? its unethical...thats all I need to know. and how exactly do we become genetically imperfect through breeding with those who are genetically perfect? ... meh those twits will make up just about anything to keep that damned religion afloat

[Rainbow Dash]

its unethical...thats all I need to know.
Do you really want to open up the clusterfuck of ethics?

[horrible]

Do you really want to open up the clusterfuck of ethics?

do you deny that sleeping with anyone who's blood related is unethical?

in any case, there are ethics that are open for debate (such as abortion), and there are ethics which are widely accepted as they are -accepted or rejected- (such as incest, which is classified as taboo -taboo=rejected, bad, baned, etc.-). And, I think you're thinking of the debatable -clusterfuck of- ethics...

[Dark Marmosett]

do you deny that sleeping with anyone who's blood related is unethical?

in any case, there are ethics that are open for debate (such as abortion), and there are ethics which are widely accepted as they are -accepted or rejected- (such as incest, which is classified as taboo -taboo=rejected, bad, baned, etc.-). And, I think you're thinking of the debatable -clusterfuck of- ethics...
Except that incest and marriage between close relatives in most states in the US is widely illegal, not just a taboo.

[Rainbow Dash]

Just as long as you dont throw the word ethics around. Things could get messy if you do.

[horrible]

Just as long as you dont throw the word ethics around. Things could get messy if you do.

yea, that word has way too many gray areas -_-


Except that incest and marriage between close relatives in most states in the US is widely illegal, not just a taboo.

thats the whole reason why I said "unethical", because it has been deemed taboo by the US legal system.

If it hadn't been, I would have avoided saying unethical (just because people will argue with it unless you have major backing for -such as laws-, general concepts -like morality and common sense- don't have much weight when dealing with ethics -unfortunately >_<-

[Jack The Ripper]

Cool down dude, I meant I didn't know you had a religion. I didn't mean any offense by it. Sorry if I insulted you.

Um, ok.. that just makes it an incredibly retarded and completely unnecessary statement but whatever.

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

do you deny that sleeping with anyone who's blood related is unethical?Just to open up the clusterfuck of ethics... why do you say it is? You don't seem to have given a reason, except that it's illegal, and being taboo in nearly every culture in the world does not alone make something unethical; after all, four hundred years ago atheism was viewed in the same light.

[horrible]

Just to open up the clusterfuck of ethics... why do you say it is? You don't seem to have given a reason, except that it's illegal, and being taboo in nearly every culture in the world does not alone make something unethical; after all, four hundred years ago atheism was viewed in the same light.

Atheism was viewed as a taboo because it was an age of religion. Everything revolved around "faith, god, and the church", opposing any of the three was viewed as blasphemy.

I suppose in a way this is similar, some groups still believe this isn't wrong -but there are always people who hate to believe things the general public believes-, and, to be completely honest, I don't know why its taboo; its just something that I began to view as unethical as I grew up. Why? Even I don't know...or I should say, to me, thinking about that word, its definition, and the general category, is unpleasant, disgusting, nerve-wrecking, and all in all something I try to avoid as much as possible

As for why its been labeled as "taboo" by the government/society, is not something I wouldn't know...I suppose I could ask you the same question about murder or rape, why is it wrong, other than being illegal? These kinds of questions are more philosophy than they are about ethics.

Just don't get too into it...because this is going to turn into a massive debate/argument very soon, we're going to steer waaayy off topic, and one of us (most likely me) is going to make a complete ass of himself.

edit; sorry, I meant "wouldn't know"

[Lancet Jades]

Feels kinda weird posting a reply to the basic topic after a debate started, but of well. Christian, but not of any particular sect. I'm of those who'd rather interpret things himself instead of subscribe to any particular set of beliefs.

And horrible, genetics undergo constant degredation, not improvement, really (with the exception of mutations that are beneficial and the like, ala "evolution"). Even if humans started as genetically perfect, there's no guarantee they'd stay that way even through one generation, much less however many there've been since the beginning. While it may have been safe (and necessary) back in "the beginning," it's obviously not nowadays, and so it's ridiculous to hold them to our "ethics" based on the reasons our "ethics" exist (or at least why they're justified).

[Altima]

its unethical...thats all I need to know. and how exactly do we become genetically imperfect through breeding with those who are genetically perfect? ... meh those twits will make up just about anything to keep that damned religion afloat

Perhaps but what is ethical and unethical changes with the times as people evolve and change their opinions on some things. Back many years ago it wasn't seen in the same light as it is today and religion was even a much stronger force than it is today. Re emmber the Church was like the center of the world, the most powerful little small nation in the world. Today the Church is almost unimportant is so is the pope really compared to what he was several hundred years ago. In another hundred years or so im sure that some of the things we might see unethical now may be ethical in that time period and some of the ethical things we see now may be unethical, it just depends on how people are feeling at that particular time period.

Of course all of that is assuming that the Earth isn't dead at 2012 or something.

[Rainbow Dash]

Just to open up the clusterfuck of ethics... why do you say it is? You don't seem to have given a reason, except that it's illegal, and being taboo in nearly every culture in the world does not alone make something unethical; after all, four hundred years ago atheism was viewed in the same light.
Goddammit you.

Ethics is how we ought to live, not what we feel isnt right. There are few or no universal moral rules, hence why I say dont throw the word around, because some bastard will jump on it.

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

As for why its been labeled as "taboo" by the government/society, is not something I would know...I suppose I could ask you the same question about murder or rape, why is it wrong, other than being illegal? These kinds of questions are more philosophy than they are about ethics.Murder and rape harm somebody else, that's pretty easy. I don't know when or why incest became illegal in most nations, but there's certainly justification for it: children of incestual couples are many times more likely to have major deformities of some kind due to the pairing of normally rare recessive alleles. That makes such relationships irresponsible, at best, but doesn't explain why the act itself is "wrong."

Goddammit you.

Ethics is how we ought to live, not what we feel isnt right. There are few or no universal moral rules, hence why I say dont throw the word around, because some bastard will jump on it.I don't really care what word he uses, I just generally like to see justification for such outbursts beyond "society told me so." Irony aside.

[Gamerlen]

Did you think that line up, or is it from something? That's a good one.

^-^ Actually thats one of mine. I was thinking about saying "bury me with a pack of sausages" but it sounded kinda... yeeeeah... >.>()

And as for my take on incest...

I believe its perfectly possible to be romantically attracted to someone who's also a blood relative (stranger things have happened) but I'm not exactly comfortable with the results of incest (birth defect buffet).

If two people love each other like that then good for them, the world could use more love these days... but for the love of crap get a vasectomy or something. No kid deserves to be born with two heads. o_o()

[Dark Marmosett]

If two people love each other like that then good for them, the world could use more love these days... but for the love of crap get a vasectomy or something. No kid deserves to be born with two heads. o_o()

Or 8 limbs like that girl from india.

[Gamerlen]

Or 8 limbs like that girl from india.

I don't think she was the product of incest. From what I read it sounded like she might have been one embryo trying to divide into twins that didn't quite make the deadline. It happens sometimes but usually just winds up being an extra bump of skin or a sixth finger or toe... Though sometimes, like this one, it actually can be a whole extra set of limbs or even in the rarest cases a second head (Farking Zarquan that would be weird... >.>() And there's a joke that only Tessa will ever get).

With incest babies what happens is that the embryo and the sperm share so much identical genetic information that it becomes much more likely for a birth defect. Usually these aren't even physical ones but a higher rate of mental disabilities and unstable emotions. Extra arms and shriveled up limbs are much rarer.

[Rainbow Dash]

society
Another one of those words.

[Tirk Renard]

(Farking Zarquan that would be weird... >.>() And there's a joke that only Tessa will ever get).


Sounds like a quote from the radioshow~ Or possibly an inside joke about it or the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.

[Setzophone]

I don't think she was the product of incest. From what I read it sounded like she might have been one embryo trying to divide into twins that didn't quite make the deadline.

It was an embryo that failed to fully separate. My Biology Professor kept mentioning it for like a week and a half.

[Kurbee]

If your agnostic or atheist - you don't count, as you didn't change views instead just dropped the belief of organized religion all together.



That.
I'm Agnostic.

[Venom]

I was born and baptized by the Catholic church, but later began going to a baptist church, although I was never really baptized into the faith (I was supposed to be, but I forgot why it never happened now). Though I don't really claim to be either one now, and the only reason I really believe in any form of a god and a heaven or hell is because the thought of death being the absolute end of my existence doesn't sound too thrilling.

[Dark Marmosett]

And as of late...I'm thinking of going Protestant....their views and all with how their church runs seems more appealing then the roman catholic church. I need to do more researching before i fully make up my mind though.

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

And as of late...I'm thinking of going Protestant....their views and all with how their church runs seems more appealing then the roman catholic church. I need to do more researching before i fully make up my mind though."Protestant" is an umbrella term for all the religions that broke away from Catholicism a couple hundred years ago, not a religion itself. Which one, specifically, did you hear about?

[Dark Marmosett]

"Protestant" is an umbrella term for all the religions that broke away from Catholicism a couple hundred years ago, not a religion itself. Which one, specifically, did you hear about?
Never really knew much about the religion until last night when talking to someone I know from canada that is just protestant. I didn't know that there was multiple parts of the religion then....guess he forgot to say that let alone mention anything close to that part of the topic. He said the religion just gets back to the roots of the original religion and doing whats needed instead of following all the made up stuff that the roman catholic church has made up.

[The Deity]

Never really knew much about the religion until last night when talking to someone I know from canada that is just protestant. I didn't know that there was multiple parts of the religion then....guess he forgot to say that let alone mention anything close to that part of the topic. He said the religion just gets back to the roots of the original religion and doing whats needed instead of following all the made up stuff that the roman catholic church has made up.

Most protestant churches are very similar. I'm a baptist by faith, but I haven't attended church in a while.

Here's a list of different protestant churches (via wikipedia):
* Adventists
* Anabaptist
* Anglican
* Baptist
* Calvinist
* Charismatic
* Congregational
* Gospel Hall Brethren
* Lutheran
* Methodist / Wesleyan
* Non-denominational
* Pentecostal
* Presbyterian
* Quakerism
* Reformed
* Restoration movement
* Unitarian
* Waldensians

[Dark Marmosett]

Most protestant churches are very similar. I'm a baptist by faith, but I haven't attended church in a while.

Here's a list of different protestant churches (via wikipedia):
* Adventists
* Anabaptist
* Anglican
* Baptist
* Calvinist
* Charismatic
* Congregational
* Gospel Hall Brethren
* Lutheran
* Methodist / Wesleyan
* Non-denominational
* Pentecostal
* Presbyterian
* Quakerism
* Reformed
* Restoration movement
* Unitarian
* Waldensians
Thanks for the list of them all. I'll look into each one and see which one appeals the most and think about it longer.

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

Never really knew much about the religion until last night when talking to someone I know from canada that is just protestant. I didn't know that there was multiple parts of the religion then....guess he forgot to say that let alone mention anything close to that part of the topic. He said the religion just gets back to the roots of the original religion and doing whats needed instead of following all the made up stuff that the roman catholic church has made up.To be fair, you'd probably just be exchanging Catholicism's made up shit for a Protestant religion's made up shit. Protestants tend to be less rooted in rituals and traditions than Catholics, but their ideas aren't really any more Biblically-based than Catholics' are.

[:Venom:]

Messianic Jew through and through. Father's a Messianic, mother's a Catholic. We experimented when I was younger with the LDS religion. Definitely wasn't anything we were expecting.
Anyways, not a convert. Born a Jew, still a Jew.
Just, with more of the Christian aspect of it.

[The Deity]

...but [Protestant's] ideas aren't really any more Biblically-based than Catholics' are.

What ideas would you be referring to? It has always seemed to me Protestant views are much more rooted than Catholic views.