What do you believe in?

What do you believe in?

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- We must be the change we wish to see in the world -
Mahatma Gandhi

I believe in God, but I also believe in science. I read a book a while back, whose name escapes me now, but it focused on how science and biblical writings supported each other. I think that religion should be more focused upon a fellowship and less about ritual.

Interesting. I was curious.

I'm an agnostic. (Let the slings and arrows commence... :roll: )

__________________
- We must be the change we wish to see in the world -
Mahatma Gandhi

Were you always an agnostic Five? What were you raised as and how did you come to be an agnostic?

My mother was raised a Catholic. When my brothers and sisters and I were very young, we went to services occasionally. My grandmother was a Baptist and when we went to visit her in the summer, she took us to her church. Truth be told, I liked her church a little better then.

From a child's point of view, Catholic services were in a dimly lit church where everyone was quiet and solemn and sang slow, serious songs, there was always some ritual to be performed and I never felt like I knew what I should be doing and when I should be doing it.

In my grandmother's church, the lights were on very brightly, people were singing at the top of their lungs and I loved that "call and response" thing: "Yes, Lord!" "Preach!" LOL! :lol:

But the truth is, I didn't feel "spiritually" connected to either faith... and never really felt the presence of a Higher Power. As an adult, I've gone to unitarian services occasionally -- I like the fellowship and sense of peace and community, but I don't really get anything more out of it.

Funnily enough, most of my closest girlfriends have been very strong in their faith and accepted that I wasn't. At this point, I have so many people praying for me, if there is a Heaven, I think my place is assured! :wink:

__________________
- We must be the change we wish to see in the world -
Mahatma Gandhi

Myself. :wink:

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Jason
Lynn Swann 06'

"Individualism is absent when other peoples' standards, not reality and reason, are ones primary guide."

I tackle with going to church and its effect on ones spirituality, church is typically very boring to me, I would spend more time looking at my watch than anything else.

Recently I have started going to a new church, once in a while, the guy up front is not dressed in some uniform, or spouts out with boring homilies...there are no "go on, preach" shouts from the congregation either. It is a multi-enthic, multi-faith church that meets in a movie theater for now.

To give you a kind of idea about how progressive this church is...one week the offer basket came around, and it was full of envelopes, the preahcer told everyone to take an envelope and open it.

Inside the envelope was cash...his message was...take this money (10-20 bux) and spend it to help someone in your community, find out if someone at a nursing home needs some slippers, or something like that.

That shocked me, the church was giving me money? Not to mention this church's whole outlook is all about community outreach, they preach that more than anything. They realize that sitting in church saying amen and going to confession is not necessarily all that makes a good person, helping others is important too.

When we read about Jesus, it is about him being out and about, helping people, and it was his desire to help which made people follow him, hot becuase he said follow me. This church takes that same approach, and I like it, following traditions doesn't mean much, making a difference in the community does.

It also helps that the preacher is young and talks mad smack when playing b-ball. He's approachable to someone like me, a guy I feel like I could talk to about anything.

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What is the name of this group Wil? When do you meet and where?

I think it's called Hail Bop. :lol:

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Jason
Lynn Swann 06'

"Individualism is absent when other peoples' standards, not reality and reason, are ones primary guide."