What Do You Think People Mean By...

Status
Not open for further replies.
Foxmeister said:
In my heart, I know a man can love his wife as Christ loved the church. I know this because it's what Christ commands. Christ would not command us to do something that was impossible.
Click to expand...

That would be an awesome marriage ......the kind only some can dream about....
 
As I said earlier ... for most of them it is about "religion" being associated with organized religion and it is that they have issue with. When they say "spiritual" they mean that they have a relationship with God (though 2 of them believe in a "God-like controlling spirit" vs. traditional thinking of God) but refuse to participate in any of the available organized religions because of so many of the ills they see in the organized religions of today.
 
unionmom said:
As I said earlier ... for most of them it is about "religion" being associated with organized religion and it is that they have issue with. When they say "spiritual" they mean that they have a relationship with God (though 2 of them believe in a "God-like controlling spirit" vs. traditional thinking of God) but refuse to participate in any of the available organized religions because of so many of the ills they see in the organized religions of today.
Click to expand...

OK, that makes sense.
 
Foxmeister said:
In my heart, I know a man can love his wife as Christ loved the church. I know this because it's what Christ commands. Christ would not command us to do something that was impossible.
Click to expand...
That's absolutely beautiful. :)
 
mei lan said:
unionmom said:
As I said earlier ... for most of them it is about "religion" being associated with organized religion and it is that they have issue with. When they say "spiritual" they mean that they have a relationship with God (though 2 of them believe in a "God-like controlling spirit" vs. traditional thinking of God) but refuse to participate in any of the available organized religions because of so many of the ills they see in the organized religions of today.
Click to expand...

OK, that makes sense.
Click to expand...

I have seen the same thing.
 
I am a deeply spiritual person, and while I appreciate certain aspects of different religions,
I am most certainly not religious... my relationship with God is not for anyone else to define.

I believe in a universal consciousness and the power of prayer.
 
honeybunny said:
I am a deeply spiritual person, and while I appreciate certain aspects of different religions,
I am most certainly not religious... my relationship with God is not for anyone else to define.

I believe in a universal consciousness and the power of prayer.
Click to expand...

I'm curious as to what you mean by a universal consciousness.
 
Thanks for explaining. I've heard other people use the same term, but give various definitions.
 
honeybunny said:
Foxmeister said:
I'm curious as to what you mean by a universal consciousness.
Click to expand...
God is the universal consciousness and we are the manifestations of his mind.
Click to expand...

If all are manifestations of God's mind, how do you explain why we consider some actions good and others evil? You don't have to answer that...but I am curious about how it could be answered according to a universal consciousness.
 
This topic is, oh...two months old? I'm going to reply anyway since I missed out. :taunt

I'm Buddhist, and I consider myself spiritual but not religions. Many (if not most) Buddhists will say the same. Why? Because, technically speaking, Buddhism is a philosophy, not a religion.

But start talking like that and it seems to confuse people. ;)
 
MrsAlmostSmith said:
This topic is, oh...two months old? I'm going to reply anyway since I missed out. :taunt

I'm Buddhist, and I consider myself spiritual but not religions. Many (if not most) Buddhists will say the same. Why? Because, technically speaking, Buddhism is a philosophy, not a religion.

But start talking like that and it seems to confuse people. ;)
Click to expand...

Interesting. The only Buddhists I have known in my life were Asian and raised Buddhist; except for the one who was raised Christian but converted because he thought it was cool. Were you raised as a Buddhist?
 
I love God, I'm not fond of most churches. I've had a lot of experiences in many different churches of many different faiths. Each proclaims their "organization" is the best way to get to heaven, each has a financial need from it's members, each has their own downfalls.

Whenever two or more are gathered in his name, there I am with them. Matthew18:20. A church is a building where people go to worship. When we pray together on this board, we in essence, are a church. I don't need a building to proclaim my faith and belief in the Holy Trinity and I have no problem with those that attend church in a building. My relationship is with Jesus, not the church.

We really need to be careful about judging those that go to church and those that don't. Judgement is His and his alone. :love
 
Foxmeister said:
Interesting. The only Buddhists I have known in my life were Asian and raised Buddhist; except for the one who was raised Christian but converted because he thought it was cool. Were you raised as a Buddhist?
Click to expand...

Nope! But I don't think it's cool. If anything, I catch alot of hell and find it much more difficult than it was being Christian. Christian's receive grace and forgiveness from their God. Buddhists? Not so much.

I was raised, in one home, by a pagan and a Jehovah's Witness and, in my other home (divorced parents) by a southern Baptist and an atheist. It's really not a wonder I wound up Buddhist. Because my grandmother had me in a Baptist church every weekend, exploring religions left me feeling really, REALLY guilty....but I finally just bucked up and told her how I felt. She cried, but she's understanding.

I'm studying cultures and religion in school, and we call the 'cool' Buddhists 'Berkeley Buddhists'. Most of them know very little about the tradition and just focus on the karma, meditation, and 'cool' aspects of it. Heck, most don't even know that the fat Buddha isn't really Buddha. ::)

There aren't very many of us around, though. Even in my Indian Philosophy class, I'm the only Buddhist.
 
Foxmeister said:
Madea said:
Personally, I think it's a new way to cop out.
Click to expand...

That's what I think a lot of the time. It brings out another good question though, "Do you have to attend church to be a good Christian?"
Click to expand...

A great man once sang, "I dont believe that heaven waits for only those that congregate".
 
I'm with George Carlin when it comes to religion.

"Overnight I became a sun-worshipper. Well, not overnight, you can't see the sun at night. But first thing the next morning, I became a sun-worshipper. Several reasons. First of all, I can see the sun, okay? Unlike some other gods I could mention, I can actually see the sun. I'm big on that. If I can see something, I don't know, it kind of helps the credibility along, you know? So everyday I can see the sun, as it gives me everything I need; heat, light, food, flowers in the park, reflections on the lake, an occasional skin cancer, but hey. At least there are no crucifixions, and we're not setting people on fire simply because they don't agree with us.

Sun worship is fairly simple. There's no mystery, no miracles, no pageantry, no one asks for money, there are no songs to learn, and we don't have a special building where we all gather once a week to compare clothing. And the best thing about the sun, it never tells me I'm unworthy. Doesn't tell me I'm a bad person who needs to be saved. Hasn't said an unkind word. Treats me fine. So, I worship the sun. But, I don't pray to the sun. Know why? I wouldn't presume on our friendship. It's not polite."
 
It is very simple. "Spiritual but not religious" typically means that they perceive themselves as being moral enough to make judgments about others, but they probably reject the existence of any absolute moral standard and ultimately consider themselves exempt from having their own conduct subjected to judgment by others, including the God they have visualized as existing minus the hard parts. Generally speaking, any spiritual concept or characteristic they see in others that they wish to disagree with is dismissed as "religious" and/or "judgmental."

That's my experience in a nutshell.

That is all.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top