h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I got started talking about my religious beliefs in a conversation with cinnamon_spider. I realised I have a lot to say on the matter, but nobody has ever given me the chance to speak about them or make them heard. So please stay with me here people. I feel I'm entitled to my opinion, as I am used to having everyone elses rammed down my throat.

Well, I was brought up Catholic (Ukrainian Catholic if we want to get specific). Last year I came across someone who is quite like myself, we're best friends. She's religious and has taught me a great deal about the Catholic Church. Since I was a kid the focus has been on Hinduism, Judaism etc. But there's been little if anything on my own religion. All the schools I've been to avoided pushing Christianity on any of us, they were really into the whole idea of embracing different culture's and all that, so they kept Christianity at the back.

I use my rosary almost every night yet I'm not really sure what I believe in. I summed up my beliefs and actions into a single sentence "a sense of duty, not faith."
I feel obliged, that if there is a God, to give something back, that although life's a bitch there are moments where you have to be glad to be alive. Even the little things, like going to a bloody good concert, it's something to be thankful for... if you get what I'm saying. Even if I'm wrong, if there is no God, I'd rather have spent my life being thankful for what I have rather than take everything for granted like so many do.
I do have something else to say but I think I'd better save it for someone who understands. Don't get me wrong, you're all great to talk to, well, three of you, but I just feel that I need to talk to someone who knows what I mean. I don't like living and it's at a time like this you really need someone who isn't going to make mindless chatter and turn the forum into a discussion about the merits of Busted's music (ie. none)... no disrespect to Busted.

Surely in a world full of Athiests (and most people are when you look at it--- war in the name of God, oh please) surely the bravest are those who do have faith? To go out on a limb and believe in something truely and deeply? To give their whole soul to something that might not exist.....

Just a thought.

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"Holy Mary, star of the daytime,
Show us the way to God, and guide us there.
You follow those who are lost and misled by their sins.
You understand that we are guilty, but you can pardon us."
--IE

*listens*

Carry on, please? It's interesting.

Oh well, looks like we're going to have to wait.

Oh well, looks like we're going to have to wait.

Ach! How come?

Because RGW isn't here.

Ah, dammit ... *stares at viking helmet and freeze dried piranha to amuse herself*

*Eats*

*imagines how great it will be seeing Muse in December*

*is lurking*

Oddly enough, I'm technically Roman Catholic, I've had Christianity (mainly Anglican *shudders*) forced down my throat by every school I've been to... The really great thing about Catholicism compared with most Christian Churches is that you really know where you stand, there's no if and buts, and they have such conviction in what they belive, which I find admirable...

I personally hold very different beliefs about God.

I believe that God is infinite. Because it is infinite, it has no gender and it is everything. The screen you're looking at is God, I am God, you are God. Because God is infinite, there can be no heaven or hell, because God cannot side with "good" or "evil" since God resides in both "good" and "evil". Because God is infinite, God is also impersonnal, therefore I do not prey. God is in me, it is a part of me, it knows me, I live with it- I need not worship it because treating it and myself with respect and striving to achieve my best is worship and thanks enough.
Because I feel God is infinite, I think that every religion is right, because it cannot be anything other than that in an infinite universe.

Now that I've bored the hell out of the lot of ya, I'll just go back into lurk mode

*vanishes*

The main problem I have with Christianity is the way in which lots of the official hymns and prayers sound so grovelling ... I mean, if I were a supreme being I probably wouldn't want people saying all the time how lowly and humble they are.

Which makes Monty Python's the Meaning of Life all the funnier....

"Lord, please don't burn us"

boom boom

*gets puzzled*

So would you mind carrying on with the religious views? I actually think it's quite interesting.

I don't feel like it's worth bothering now

Oh well. Let us know when you feel likee talking about it again.

Will do