vargo Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 I'm in a debate with someone and he PM me this. What religion (if any) do you subscribe?What do you believe in? What happens when we die? When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? At what age did you choose what you believe? What did your parents teach you? How would you answer this from your point of view...? This what I might say. 1. None, only the pursuit of my own happiness 2. I believe I will win the lottery someday, I believe I will die, I believe I'm good looking, I believe, that when I eat a ton of strawberries that I will be haveing a shit fest in my bathroom. 3. I can't speak for you but when I die, my body will start to decompose. 4. When I decide to move out of my parents house and into college. 5. To survive and multiply oh yeah and have TONS of sex 6. It started at the age 8 or 9 when I found out Santa was not real, made start looking at other stories. 7. Taught me how to go poop in the toilet, speak, walk, eat with a fork, drink from a cup, don't paint on the walls, don't chew with your mouth open. it gets more complicated from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godlessgrrl Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 I'm in a debate with someone and he PM me this. What religion (if any) do you subscribe?What do you believe in? What happens when we die? When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? At what age did you choose what you believe? What did your parents teach you? How would you answer this from your point of view...? Hmm. I'd probably say something like this: 1. None. I'm a functional atheist. Some people think that's a religion, but it isn't. 2. My own perceptions, and things that can be demonstrated to be true. 3. Oxygen is cut off to the brain and the brain stops working. Consciousness ceases. Our bodies rot. 4. Which choices? About what? 5. Our existence has no purpose, other than what we make of it. 6. I didn't choose a lot of what I believe. I value reality and am simply unable to believe things which contradict reality as I know it. 7. A lot of things, both healthy and unhealthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NobleSavage Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? None. No one thinks for me. (For those wondering, deism is a philosophy, IMHO too unstructured to constitute a religion) What do you believe in? The dignity and the sovernty of the individual. Reason and empiracle observation. The indomitable human spirit and our ability to forge our own destiny. That everyone should have the freedom and courage to pursue their own answers. Doing what I can to leave this world better off than when I found it. What happens when we die? I don't know and neither does anyone else. We can hope, based on observations that nothing comes into or out of existence. Worst case scenerio, we cease to exist and never know the difference. What's important is we exist in the here and now. Let's make the most of it and let death tend to itself. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? ? Agreed with Gwen. What choices? Can we narrow this down, please? What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? To make something positive of our lives, that when we leave this world it's happier or better off for having known us. At what age did you choose what you believe? I was raised in an agnostic house. I've been a deist as long as I can remember but never knew the term until fairly recently. What did your parents teach you? To think for myself and pursue my own answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smellincoffee Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? - I'm a humanist and a registered Bright. I have no religion, but those serve the same role, in providing hope and purpose. What do you believe in? - I believe in the inherent worth and potential of humanity. What happens when we die? - We're food for scavengers and a headstone in a quiet part of the city. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? - When I realized that no one elses' choices were really relevant for me. What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? - Biologically, to reproduce. But we are more than animals now, for we have obtained sentience. We have no set purpose, but we should strive to fulfill our potential and to be happy. At what age did you choose what you believe? - I only recently (within the past three years) embraced humanism, but its fundamental principles were instilled to me in elementary school. What did your parents teach you? - That I was created for the sole purpose of stroking some narcissistic and insecure being's ego. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thackerie Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 In a rush right now, so I'll comment on just one question: At what age did you choose what you believe? Despite what xians claim, belief is NOT a choice, at least not for rational thinkers who lack the ability to brainwash themselves into adopting a religious meme as literal truth in the absense of evidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callyn Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? None. What do you believe in? Human potential, though it is rarely realized. What happens when we die? How am I to know that? I've never been dead. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? What choices are these? I'm continually making choices, as are most pepole. What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? There's no universal purpose. We're here, we should make good use of the time. At what age did you choose what you believe? I never stopped choosing. What did your parents teach you? Very little, in the area that's being referred to. My mom's a liberal protestant, my dad an ex-catholic.They taught me to be happy and healthy polite when possible and to always try and better yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starelda Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? - None What do you believe in? - Me What happens when we die? - Nothing. We die, the end. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? - Huh? What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? - Live, laugh, be happy. Make the best of the time you've got. At what age did you choose what you believe? - I didn't choose. I realised. What did your parents teach you? - A lot of things. Though they didn't raise me with any religion if that's what you're thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taphophilia Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? I cancelled my subscription because I didn't agree with the publication. What do you believe in? Reality What happens when we die? Do you really want to know? Okay, sometimes Adipocere. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? I'm still not sure if my choices are best for me, but they are mine. What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? I would say that to live our life for the purpose of their own choosing. At what age did you choose what you believe? I didn't make a choice, it was hoisted upon me by. What did your parents teach you? The very best thing that my mother taught me was how to find the 75% off rack at Nordstroms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 Gwenmead's responses are so close to mine I needn't even post them. Thanks, Gwen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 To what religion (if any) do you subscribe? No religion, but I would describe myself as a spiritual seeker. What do you believe in? Love What happens when we die? We cease to be but live on in the heritage we leave When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? yesterday, but I'm prone to changing my mind on a regular basis What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? To find a purpose for our existence. At what age did you choose what you believe? I'm still a choosing What did your parents teach you? many many things, some good, some bad. The best thing my father taught me before he died was to spend time with those you love as if it was the last time you might see them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosa Mystica Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? None at the moment, but that may change eventually. What do you believe in? I believe that there is a creator god, but am unsure if it's one or many. I believe that any supernatural force out there is not an arbitrary ruler like Biblegod. What happens when we die? I have no idea. I think that if there's an afterlife, it will be *nothing* like anyone on earth thought it was. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? Could you clarify that question, please? What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? Can't say at this point in time. I'm in the midst of a search for meaning. I'll get back to you if I ever find the answer. At what age did you choose what you believe? I don't really think that beliefs are a choice. What did your parents teach you? They taught me how to be a Catholic bigot. They also taught me that I should never trust anyone outside the family, and that I should downplay my father's abuse of me. Basically, they helped me to discover how to have a miserable life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueGiant Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? My own homebrewed religious kludge. That is going to be the shortest version you'll get. It involves elements of various forms or Paganism and Taoism, primarialy. What do you believe in? Myself, now. That there is an objective reality that we can manipulate in counterintuitive ways. What happens when we die? Good question. Physically, that's well documented. Otherwise, I don't know, and don't really worry about it. Whatever happens, happens. I do find a certain elegance to reincarnation, though. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? Still deciding on a lot of things. Looking for what works. It's an ongoing and growing process. The guy who originated this little quiz could probably do with some growth himself. What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? Do we really need a purpose? I like to think that it is to have fun. At what age did you choose what you believe? Most of my personal blend developed in my 20's, but it is an ongoing process. What did your parents teach you? RCC flavored Christianity, mostly. They did, however, teach me that anything that could be called God(s) is a lot bigger than a small group of small-minded pricks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? none What do you believe in? When I go out in the rain I get wet. Actually, no, that is not a belief; it's knowledge. Probably I don't "believe" in anything. Either I know it to be true or I know it to be false. Of course, there are so many things we can't prove or disprove. We can only achieve a hypothesis or arrive at a theory that is subject to change with the influx of new information. That works fine for me. What happens when we die? Body rots. Brain ceases to function. Oops! it happens the other way around. Do "I" continue to exist? I'm too tired to figure out such irrelevant complexities. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? When I made them. I make only choices I consider "best for myself." What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? I have no idea what this question means. I have some goals in life but that seems somewhat different from "purpose of our existence" as though your fate were intimately tied in with my own. If I can enjoy this life that I am obligated to live I'll be happy. At what age did you choose what you believe? I have always found this to be an incomprehensible question. It's not as though we "choose" what to believe anymore than we "choose" to get cold if we're out in winter without a coat. It's something that happens to us unfurred and unfeathered creatures. Mind accepts truth and rejects inconsistencies. It's just what happens with normally functioning minds. Kind of like what happens with eyes or ears or other senses. When presented with stimuli it is perceived. Likewise, when brain is presented with information it automatically scans info for consistency/inconsistency. If there is an inconsistency, brain rejects it. It's a reflexive response, not remotely resembling a choice in any way. What did your parents teach you? The stuff most parents teach their kids--to be good and obedient first to them and then to God, or maybe the other way around. Exactly where they end and God begins was never clear to me. Still isn't. I suspect there was a reason for that. If ever I caught on to the fact that they were not God I might decide to make my own way in life. Fact of the matter is this is what happened. Had they taught me truth things might be different. They taught me: 1. Above all, BE HONEST. 2. At no point in life or death should one renounce the existence of a fearful and almighty God who possesses the power to cast the soul into hell. 3. OUR church was the only absolutely right church, though there are a few others possibly on the road to heaven. The problem with that hypthesis is that when I talked about joining one of these others I was promptly reminded who I was and where I belonged. There were some blatant inconsistencies between this advice and other teachings. So much for absolute honesty. The Biggest Mistake they made was teaching me that Our People were better than all others. It is so easy to prove this wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 This is how I would answer. What religion (if any) do you subscribe? I don't subscribe to any religion. Although I am currently subscribed to some computer magazines, as well as a magazine for writers and a couple of Spider-Man comic books. But no religions. What do you believe in? I don't worship anything, if that is your definition of the word "believe." If your definition of the word "believe" is what do you consider true, I consider true what can be proven by rational means. I will not blindly believe in things without evidence, especially not fantastical things that are in 2,000 year-old fairy tales. What happens when we die? If you really don't know, I suggest reading the Complete Idiot's Guide to Biology. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? When I became an adult and moved out of my parents' house. What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? It is what we make it. We can do anything we want to. It is up to us to decide what we want to do with it. Or, alternatively, 42. At what age did you choose what you believe? I didn't just wake up and say "oh I think I'll be agnostic now." It was a slow process that happened over many years, from the time I was a teenager until the time I was about 30. It wasn't so much a choice as self-realization. I could not believe in lies anymore. Could you believe in Santa Claus literally now? Could you worship Santa and the reindeer if some maniac forced you to? You might go through the motions and pretend to the best of your ability, but you wouldn't really believe in it. That was what going to church was like for me, and I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't live a lie just to make other people happy. What did your parents teach you? To be confident, to go after my dreams, and to never give up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimov Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? What do you believe in? What happens when we die? When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? At what age did you choose what you believe? What did your parents teach you? 1. None 2. Objectivism. 3. Our bodies cease to function. 4. When they worked. 5. We don't have a purpose. 6. 22 7. A lot of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? None, am an Atheist What do you believe in? Myself. What happens when we die? The body starts to decompose and rot. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? I've always thought my choices were the right ones for me. What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? There is no purpose. You have to make your own purpose in life so to speak. At what age did you choose what you believe? I don't think you can choose what you believe, you either do or you don't. For example, I can't choose to believe in something I feel is wrong or a lie. I'm assuming you mean at what age did I come to believe what I do? The answer would be 16, that's when I stopped believing in god. What did your parents teach you? I'm assuming you mean religion-wise? Christianity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WakingUp Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? I am looking for the place where all the major religions intersect....I'll have to come up with a name for that place. ;-) Currently I a simply a spiritual seeker. What do you believe in? "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." What happens when we die? I don't know as I've never talked with anyone who has died. I hope we rest in peace or go to Heaven. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? I became a Christian when I was five and accepted all the Baptist teachings for years, then in my mid-twenties I began to question. It took me 28 more years of making small changes in my religious choices (becoming more universal in my thinking and looking at more new age spirituality) and then bam, 6 months ago I woke up out of a fog and wondered if any of it(Christianity) was true. I am now making spiritual choices(and not) that make sense to me. What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? To be happy and make others happy. To work towards improvement of manking. To take care of the planet and all created things. At what age did you choose what you believe? I've been choosing all along in small ways. Where I disagreed I "chose" to put those questions in a mystery box. It exploded recently. :-) Now I'm choosing to looking at those beliefts that I disagreed with earlier. I'm choosing not to stuff them back in the mystery box. What did your parents teach you? I was raised Southern Baptist. Basically that Jesus died for my sins and I should live to tell others the "good news" so that they won't go to Hell. How would you answer this from your point of view...? I am doing my best to no longer believe in Hell. I think there are as many reasons to believe that it doesn't exist as there are to believe it does exist. I HOPE with everything in me that there is no Hell and that ALL people will rest in peace when they die. WakingUp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jauggy Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? None. What do you believe in? It's a bit hard to answer this question. There are many things that I believe in. What happens when we die? I would guess that it feels like when before we were born. When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? What choices? What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? No purpose. It's a silly question. If I tossed a coin up and it was heads you wouldn't say, "What purpose is the coin coming up heads?" At what age did you choose what you believe? If you are talking about atheism, I would say mid-teens. What did your parents teach you? That Christianity is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narcissist Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 What religion (if any) do you subscribe? - None What do you believe in? - Nothing What happens when we die? - We become compost or ashes When did you decide that your choices were the best choices for you? - Can't remember exactly, but not all choices I make are the best. What, in your opinion, is the purpose of our existence? - To reproduce At what age did you choose what you believe? - Please clarify: what I now believe? late 20's? any beliefs - late teens. What did your parents teach you? - To be not like my parents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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