Religiosity poll
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Salvo | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 14:58 | Message # 1 |
Star Engineer
Group: Local Moderators
Italy
Messages: 1400
Status: Offline
| ("updated" version of the old poll)
I had a discussion with my friends about this, and I decided to start this poll, just to get an idea
Definitions: - theism - having a belief in a deity/god that does or has intervened in the universe
- deism - having a belief in a deity/god that created the universe but has not intervened in it
- atheism - lacking a belief in a deity/god
- religion - a framework of tenets and traditions related to supernatural and/or spiritual beliefs
- supernatural - elements of existence beyond those that are known to exist in nature (e.g. souls, reincarnation, afterlife, incorporeal consciousness, ghosts, extraterrestrial visitations)
Examples of... ...theistic religions - Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism ...atheistic religions - Buddhism, Scientology, Raëlism, many aboriginal religions
The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.
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(still don't know why everyone is doing this...)
Edited by Salvo - Saturday, 30.11.2013, 15:00 |
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Fireinthehole- | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 17:50 | Message # 2 |
Pioneer
Group: Translators
Sweden
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| Hmm I'm not sure what to vote. I believe in God but I believe "he" is just all the laws of nature, and I believe there is a plan for how everything in the universe will be, but I don't think praying or going to the church solves your problems. He doesn't listen to prayers since everything is planned, all our acts and our ways of thinking, and that is because all the atoms are affected by the laws of nature (God in my beliefs). However I find it very satisfying visiting the church I also thank God when something good happens
I suppose deist is what describes me best. I don't really have the knowledge in English to describe this perfectly but I hope you guys understand what I mean
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HarbingerDawn | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 17:53 | Message # 3 |
Cosmic Curator
Group: Administrators
United States
Messages: 8717
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| If you believe that a god created the universe but does not change things that happen in it (i.e. has not tried to affect anything in the universe after he made it) then you are a deist.
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Watsisname | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 18:47 | Message # 4 |
Galaxy Architect
Group: Global Moderators
United States
Messages: 2613
Status: Offline
| This version of the thread is much improved. Good voting options.
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Voekoevaka | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 18:55 | Message # 5 |
World Builder
Group: SE team
France
Messages: 1016
Status: Offline
| My personal definition of "god" doesn't fit the notions of theism, deism and atheism...
On my idea of religion/spirituality, god is the "sum" of everyone experiences. It doesn't have physically created the universe, as it is not us who have created it, but, as the universe can't havn't existed if we ask the question "why does the universe exist ?", we are a justification of the existence of the universe.
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Destructor1701 | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 19:07 | Message # 6 |
Pioneer
Group: Users
Ireland
Messages: 533
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| I chose "Atheist with no supernatural beliefs" - I am open-minded about supernatural occurrences, but my initial line of enquiry regarding anything of that sort is from a position of scepticism, and I'll usually be satisfied that a psychological explanation fits the evidence (at least where only one person - such as myself - witnesses these phenomena...).
So while I don't completely discount the possibility of some as-yet-undiscovered natural phenomenon behind common supernatural events, I don't approach them from a position of "I know they're definitely magic and stuff".
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Salvo | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 20:22 | Message # 7 |
Star Engineer
Group: Local Moderators
Italy
Messages: 1400
Status: Offline
| I expected a majority of atheists on this forum, but it's interesting to see what you guys think
I heard of many things related with religion in my life, for example some miracles of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (i had a research about him), some experiences of my parents, or the stories of my uncles that visited Medjugorje, all these things makes me believe that there is something more, but still, I'm not a religious person, since I don't go to the church very often (usually just on Christmas and Easter )
My idea, however, is that there is something that makes us actually "live", that maybe is not just our brains, but the thing of existing on this universe, right now, and that if it doesn't exist, well, our live wouldn't have sense anymore, the entire universe wouldn't have sense, it would be just a random set of quarks and leptons (or strings, I don't know) bound together...
Maybe I'm just convincing myself, I don't know, what I know is that I prefer to think like this
The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.
CPU: Intel Core i7 4770 GPU: ASUS Radeon R9 270 RAM: 8 GBs
(still don't know why everyone is doing this...)
Edited by Salvo - Saturday, 30.11.2013, 20:26 |
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Voekoevaka | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 21:16 | Message # 8 |
World Builder
Group: SE team
France
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| I'm tempted to check "I'm an atheis with supernatural beliefs", but, in my opinion, supernatural is not the best word to describe such phenomenon. I'm quite familiar with out of body experiences, and I think science should investigate more on such subjects, as psychological models can't explain all.
If one day, we found a model for explaining these (and we're far from this day), this will become a natural phenomenon.
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HarbingerDawn | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 21:19 | Message # 9 |
Cosmic Curator
Group: Administrators
United States
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| Quote Voekoevaka ( ) If one day, we found a model for explaining these (and we're far from this day), this will become a natural phenomenon. Of course, but for now such things should be regarded as supernatural, and only be considered natural when they can be readily explained and demonstrated in terms of natural processes.
Quote Voekoevaka ( ) On my idea of religion/spirituality, god is the "sum" of everyone experiences. This sounds like pantheism, and is difficult to fit in with the available options. Maybe a "pantheist" option should be added.
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Edited by HarbingerDawn - Saturday, 30.11.2013, 21:28 |
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DoctorOfSpace | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 21:32 | Message # 10 |
Galaxy Architect
Group: Global Moderators
Pirate
Messages: 3600
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| I have seen things people would call ghosts and shadow people but I just assume they're caused by brain farts. Education, the internet, and the absurd assumptions made by most religions has pretty well convinced me there isn't a god. If by some slim chance there were a god, I doubt he/she/it would care at all about humans given the vast scale of the universe.
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midtskogen | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 21:51 | Message # 11 |
Star Engineer
Group: Users
Norway
Messages: 1674
Status: Offline
| I suspect that religion is more about identity and culture than what people actually believe. So it's hard to know what a vote here actually is an answer for, if it matters. Is it the group you feel most comfortable being identified with? What best describes how you lead your life? Or your opinion on metaphysical questions?
There could be disagreement depending on how the question is interpreted. For instance, the religion of your ethnic or cultural group will most likely highly influence your identity, even if your beliefs are unclear. You could observe religious traditions to the letter, and be ready to defend your culture with your life, but whether that makes you religious can be debated. And everybody will for the most part live and act supposing that the universe has order and follow some laws. Deists and scientists must suppose that. But still you could believe that this order is an illusion, only a trick of the mind and a consequence of how the mind works and percept while the universe at some scale or level actually is fundamentally chaotic which the mind simply cannot see.
NIL DIFFICILE VOLENTI
Edited by midtskogen - Saturday, 30.11.2013, 21:54 |
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borek555 | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 22:40 | Message # 12 |
Space Tourist
Group: Users
Poland
Messages: 31
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| I think that there should be an option of choosing agnosticism
BTW, Fireinthehole, as far as I'm aware, Einstein had similar opinion about god to yours
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HarbingerDawn | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 23:03 | Message # 13 |
Cosmic Curator
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United States
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| Quote borek555 ( ) I think that there should be an option of choosing agnosticism Agnosticism refers to a position on what a person claims to know, not what they believe. On the question of gods, you either believe that a god exists, or you do not. That is a separate question from whether you claim to know that one exists. It is possible to be agnostic while being either an atheist or a theist, so that in itself is not very descriptive of a person's beliefs, and regardless there simply wouldn't be enough poll options to include that.
It's also important to point out that not believing in a god does not mean that you believe that there is no god, much the same as a jury declaring someone not guilty of a crime does not mean they necessarily think he was innocent. So if you do not have a positive belief that a god does exist, then you are an atheist.
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Fireinthehole- | Date: Saturday, 30.11.2013, 23:49 | Message # 14 |
Pioneer
Group: Translators
Sweden
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| Quote borek555 ( ) BTW, Fireinthehole, as far as I'm aware, Einstein had similar opinion about god to yours What an honour for me sharing religious beliefs with such a great man!
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Voekoevaka | Date: Sunday, 01.12.2013, 00:19 | Message # 15 |
World Builder
Group: SE team
France
Messages: 1016
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| Quote Fireinthehole ( ) I believe there is a plan for how everything in the universe will be And, so, like Einstein, you don't like quantum physics, don't you ? I like the idea in epistemology where free will is assiociated with quantum uncertainty.
Quote Salvo ( ) it would be just a random set of quarks and leptons (or strings, I don't know) bound together... Your "god" is four gods : gravitational interaction, electromagnetic interaction, strong interaction and weak interaction. So you're a polytheist !
Quote HarbingerDawn ( ) Of course, but for now such things should be regarded as supernatural, and only be considered natural when they can be readily explained and demonstrated in terms of natural processes. I have myself a lot of question about how the soul can be considered on a scientific point of view ? Does quantum physics are sufficient to explain the fact that somebody can be in two places at one time ? Scientists know that since the big bang, all particles are entangled. Can it explain "supernatural" processes, or does a more fundamental theory is needed ?
The only things I know are we should be close to make an empiric theory of this, but we are far from making a fundamental theory.
Quote DoctorOfSpace ( ) Education, the internet, and the absurd assumptions made by most religions has pretty well convinced me there isn't a god. That was the first thing I think, and that's why I don't practice a religion. And this is related to the main difference between religion and spirituality. Religion is (generally) a set of facts, law, you should believe in, you should apply. But I think following these without thinking about its causes is kindly stupid. Spirituality is set of taughts that helps you seeng the world, and the more important is having a proper opinion about god, the universe.
I'm doing classes to children about astronomy and the universe, and as most of them are religious (muslims), I was usually trying to avoid the discussion about the birth of the universe. But one day, this debate cames by itself, and I was surprised to see that they are very open-minded about the question of science and religion. Most of them are using religion just to try to understand facts, and not just to believe in.
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