Hmmm....

[dancinghorse]

smoemeth found this one--it's a much less Christi-Fundi version of the religion meme (written by someone who apparently did some homework) (and can spell).

I was actually expecting to come out Pagan.

You scored as Buddhism. Your beliefs most closely resemble those of Buddhism. Do more research on Buddhism and possibly consider becoming Buddhist, if you are not already. In Buddhism, there are Four Noble Truths: (1) Life is suffering. (2) All suffering is caused by ignorance of the nature of reality and the craving, attachment, and grasping that result from such ignorance. (3) Suffering can be ended by overcoming ignorance and attachment. (4) The path to the suppression of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path, which consists of right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right-mindedness, and right contemplation. These eight are usually divided into three categories that base the Buddhist faith: morality, wisdom, and samadhi, or concentration. In Buddhism, there is no hierarchy, nor caste system; the Buddha taught that one's spiritual worth is not based on birth. </td> Buddhism 88% Islam 79% agnosticism 75% Judaism 67% Hinduism 67% Paganism 67% Satanism 50% atheism 42% Christianity 38% Which religion is the right one for you? (new version) created with QuizFarm.com

Comments

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

The whole "God's existence has to be taken on faith" thing is a more liberal view, since it admits to the possibility of a grey area rather than the absolute "God, Devil, Bible is The Truth."


I guess I traffic with the faction that believes in the ineffable nature of the matter--although I may be garbling this as well. You cannot know God, or his will. You struggle with doubt, and you hope, and take things on faith. The one thing you never are is content, or complacent. Because you cannot know God, you never are sure whether you are saved. You do the best you can, struggle to rise above your nature, and hope the love is there for you.

That is one reason why I have such issues with conservative Protestantism and evangelical Christianity. I learned that you cannot presume to know God's mind. You cannot presume that you are saved because you accept certain things--to presume in this way is arrogance.

We won't even discuss the people who say that God speaks through them.

I don't mean to get on a soapbox. I am not a student of catholic theology by any stretch, but I have tended to ponder things lately.

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

Oh, I get you, and I generally agree. But channeling a conservative Catholic, I came up with a lot more certainty. The theologians can be the most liberal of all because they think so much and have so much training in logic (which is A Problem in matters of faith)--which is why so many of them get nailed for heresy sooner or later. The conservatives shut off the thinking and just believe. Word for word, if they're extreme. They'll say of course there's proof, it's right there in the Bible, can't you read?

I'll never be a fundamentalist because I ask too damned many questions. And I have a historian's mindset, and I read that particular agglomeration of texts as a lot of guys telling stories (often with a moral), relaying history, and conflating myths and legends.

I did expect to come out Pagan, but Buddhist works. I think it's a hoot that I got a high Satanist score, too.

[larryhammer]

We won't even discuss the people who say that God speaks through them.

Depends on how they do it -- make the claim, that is. Almost every aspect of Quakerism tries to cultivate listening to the voice of God within, with mechanisms for winnowing whether it was the Light of Truth or personal impulse. It's a spiritual discipline. And as any mystic can tell you, mystical experiences are hard work. Anyone who claims God speaks through them without using a discipline, I look at askance -- very.

---L.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Depends on how they do it -- make the claim, that is.

True.

I am interested in these mechanisms. I would equate the voice with conscience, in that it may tell you things you don't want to hear, but I'm betting that's too simplistic.

If you can point out a good website as a place to start...?

[larryhammer]

Picking out of my bookmarks, a couple introductory sites are this essay on the Inner Light, a pamphlet on making decisions by consensus, and a description of how meeting for business (as opposed to meeting for worship) works. More in-depth about daily practice (and quite a lot more) are the editions of Faith and Practice published by the various Yearly Meetings: Philadelphia YM's is pretty standard. The main Quaker website clearinghouse at http://www.quaker.org/ has sites for further exploration.

---L.