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What is it about your faith and belief system that keeps you drawn to it despite what others may think? What is your favourite thing about your faith,


For me it's Wicca and how I feel when I am with nature and focussing on the goddess. It's a feeling like no other to me and no matter how others try to manipulate me to believe in their faith I could never believe in anything other than the Goddess and her divine energy that flows through everything. It's there to see smell touch and feel. I can take in her energy and feel alive and vibrant.

It is awful that others try to force you into their Faith. :(

I cannot say that I have a particular faith in an established "religion." I have discovered aspects of my current faith through exploring each of them however.

Without a label, I suppose it's hard to explain what I believe without paragraphs and paragraphs of explanation.

I'll try to sum it up simply as,

My faith involves the good and useful things I discover.

:D

My faith is earth natured and non dogmatic, allows people to come to their own conclusions on issues of life, death and the beyond

I forgot to add this. My beliefs also allow people to rely upon common sence, rather than dogmatic teachings based upon behaviour and consequesnces

Im a witch incubi who uses energy for magic and replenishment, im well studied in most paths, I work with BTW, Enochian, ceremonial and life’s energy force to name a few as I question and need to learn more to understand fully what I am and what I experience.
The question you asked is mighty deep.
Ken Wilber proposes (in the book “A Sociable God”) that there are three basic levels to religious practice and adherence, and these are belief, faith and experience. (See chapter 6, pages 105 - 111.)

Belief being the lowest as it does not require any examination or analysis of one’s creed. Believers do not question their beliefs… I wont go too deep into this as I love a good debate.

Next is faith, this represents a state where believers have progressed to the point of examining the nature of their beliefs, allowing for the disturbance of doubt, speculation and the inclusion of alternative perspectives. something that is impossible for a believer. To those who have faith, beliefs are not the source of their religious involvement. I wont go too deep into this as I love a good debate.

And the next is spiritual experience. Experience is superior to both belief and faith.

i must add at this point of the talk that following a particular religion will give you structure and matrixes of thought to follow. thus not everyone will reach godhead or experience there true spiritual path based on there religions limitations, dogmas and control or lack of desire for you to reach the divine.. after all if you talk to your god whos going to need them in that job?

However, it could be argued that faith is the child of belief, whether of spontaneous nature or taught by whatever means

The One. It's what I believe in.. and, an Ankh round my neck defines it, for me...

No philosophical path through life should ever be determined or altered based on its popularity or prevailing public opinion regarding it. The only factors that should influence our philosophy are, firstly, Logic and Reason, followed closely by knowledge and experience. Lastly, our emotions and spirituality will as the remaining needed refinements...if carefully disciplined within the former factors listed above.

Unfortunately...as so often seen in sites like this one...choices of philosophy are too often not based on Logic, facts or Reason, but instead on mere capricious belief (eg., religion, "paths") heavily influenced by personal pride and selfish desires. Hence, the motivation for the hostility from believers that is encountered when facts, Logic or Reason are presented that discredit such belief systems.

ny Faith in man has been tarnished by women; yet the volunteers I work with suggest there is still value to be had from us yet.

In deed Upirlikhyj dare we question blind faith.

That's the problem with blind faith. It's totally blind. not seeing, and never knowing. not able to critique evidence, yet often blind to the truth

Great question, dear lavisbre... do we dare, indeed? For if we do dare to question blind faith, we dare to threaten ourselves with the possibility of... sight. :)

Unfortunately even then some sight is in the twilight of myth n blind faith, the focus is upon a shadow that is there yet not understood is the shape due to what one is told it should look like.

never knew blind faith... been testing all the major religions, since I began my own path...

Now, as I intimate... I found something, that works for me... and, something I can incorporate into my daily Life.

Well Angelus at least you test. Many people, especially evangelicals from childhood have the attitude: "Don't confuse me with the facts, my faith is made up." These people believe everything they're told by their leaders and never challenge them. This is the worst intellectual blindness and it's self chosen.

aye... true. tho, too often culture is drawn into it... and personal choice ... just disappears.

I consider myself a Wiccan, I love being in nature, love all animals, believe that all things deserve life and a chance. As to what people think of me for my beliefs, not many people that know me, know that I am Wiccan, my husband accepts it but doesn't understand, my children accept it, because it is a part of me.
As for faith, I have faith in nature, and in the living force around me. But if you ask me if I have faith in God, I would have to say, Not Sure... So much bad stuff has happened in my life, that it is hard to have faith in someone/something that is supposed to love us but yet lets us be hurt and all that good crap.

Even though i was raised within a Christian household, my direction took to one of it's own. I have looked into our ancient histories and their belief systems and I sort of what you call "piece together" things or stories that share a similarity or common trait. Since all things usually derive from another belief system or techniques of ritualism, the answers for me are always found by looking back as far as possible to get to the roots of how such things are formed in the first place. I would like to call myself on the border between science and spiritualism. I am open minded to how things came to the point they have, but i do not condone most organized religions and forced beliefs apon others because in my viewpoint, is it important that one seeks their own way, and what works best for them without peer pressure or judgements of others.

In fact, the latest findings of christian text reveals an very root in pagan practice.

It is not faith in religion but my faith in the unified consciousness with the Divine within that keeps me grounded and strong in my belief to accept what I cannot change and manifest the things I desire in my life.

my faith is christian. others cannot say me for i have seen both the dark and light side and i know for sure God is the real adn only true God for i see adn feel what other people cannot i can feel his presence in everything adn everywhere, even when i am in the evilest place he gives me comfort, courage and peace.

unified consciousness with the Divine sounds like The One to me.. that which binds us all.. a gestadlt entity mayhap... either way... it gives me 'faith' that we all are bound together...

So chloe how does your "God" feel about VR and would he be pleased that you're on a Vampire site, being that such creatures border on an occult practice, strictly forbidden in the Bible? As a former christian minister, I'm curious to know.

mel2 that's not fair, is it... 'her' God and mine.. and yours... and theirs... what's the difference, little, just.. labels and a question of belief...

Mel private messages might be a wise idea for an argument the thread was asking for beliefs of the individual after all. On that note my turn woohoo.

Ok so anyways background is important to understand my twisted thought process. Background in religion formerly protestant. Quick run through is the presuppositions of the christian faith are still embedded in my brain however a couple years ago I attempted to "make my faith my own" and it led to a revelation that if you look at the events of the bible and the words you see an obvious propaganda machine of a tyrant specifically reviewing the old testament. I guess I am too American for my own good but to stay in good conscience I have decided I would rather burn in the fiery pits of hell with my freedom than to live in luxury at the cost of submitting to a tyrant lording himself as a god over a slave population.

So agreed Angelus...:) the One, the Divine, the Creator, Ein Sof, whatsoever each of us prefer...you have the right of what I am referring to....the Source of all things.

And so you ignore the balance? The best of the best, the one even he cannot ignore, for his logic is flawless?

Just because you cannot see me does not mean I do not exist?

Angelus I was asking as a matter of the question of her faith. I can't do that? People can certainly ask that of me.

Get this thread back on topic and quit the bickering or it will be shut down.

I choose NOT to argue.

the topic was of Faith.

I have Faith, that Man can be more than he is.

Angelus, but people have used these archtypes as a matter of faith for centuries. Hinduism is some practices believes this.

The only sovereign I can allow to rule me is reason. The first law of reason states that what exists, exists; what is, is; and from this irreducible, bedrock principle all knowledge is built. It is the foundation from which all life is embraced.

Thinking is a choice, and wishes and whims are not facts, nor are they means to discovering them. Reason is the only way of grasping reality; it is our basic tool of survival. You are free to avoid the effort of thinking, to reject reason, but you are not free to evade the penalty of the abyss you refuse to see. ~Quote

That being said I think everyone has to use their own reason to come to their own conclusion about faith and religion. What is one persons perception is not anothers. We are all born with free will, to choose for ourselves. I chose my faith, my religion, because my own reasoned, thinking mind led me to the conclusion that it was the right path. I am also allowed to believe that it is the only right path, call that arrogance if you like. However, that doesn't mean I will try to force someone to change who they are into who I think they should be, just as I will not tolerate someone trying to do the same to me. It is my right to not agree with someone, my right to say I think they are wrong. I do not have to condone, or embrace anything that goes against myself, what I believe is wrong. I can accept that you have the right to believe what you will; but I do not have to accept you. Neither does anyone else. That is the right of life that we are all born with, to choose for ourselves.

For me, my faith centers me, it gives me guidance and purpose. It gives me something to aspire to. Without I would be lost, without it I was lost. I am an Eclectic Christian and I do not have to excuse or explain that fact to anyone, just as I would not expect a Wiccan, or a Buddhist or any other, to explain themselves to me. We are both allowed to believe the other is wrong. And there is nothing wrong with that.

For me, my faith, God, is everything.

~Darken

for me.. my Faith in Man, is restored.. sometimes, with those little acts... like.. people society knocks... cleaning up, in front of a church, 'for Neil.'

it's kinda like... "see, there is a point in it all."

"Faith is something one “believes in”. It serves a major evolutionary purpose and has been an essential part of human nature since time immemorial."

But I have a problem with that statement.

I believe that the train will arrive on time. Yet somewhere down the track the train breaks down.

I believe that the constitution is right and exact. Yet those very same individuals that are supposed to uphold the indelible rights, do not.

"From the inside, when you have faith you have moorings, direction, purpose that other people, the ones who do not have faith, lack. If you believe in nothing, you question everything, and where are you? You are like a ship adrift, without a destination. You have a crew but no captain, no pilot, no compass, no charts. You may end up in different waters than where you began."


I have a problem with this statement as well. If the captain dies or leaves, and everyone followed without question taking orders and following directions, then what happens to their faith? Someone will want to lead...even so, more than one will want to lead each having their own opinions as to what to do next, and what will eventually happen is they will break off into sects each with its own leader, each developing a new philosophy. It's an historical fact. And faith is no longer a key factor, a factor never the less, but no longer a key factor.

I think that it is better said that instead of faith, we have our "ways of life." And in each way of life we have our indelible rights of life, our marks that can not be removed.

I agree, which is why I think using our own reasoned thinking mind is so important. I can believe the train will come, but I'll still check the schedule and if it doesn't show up on time I'll ask what happened. Faith and beliefs are fine, as long as reason is backing them.

~Darken

which is why one studies many paths, before finding the right one for you.

Exactly. I studied and practiced various paths. For a long time I was a priestess of a coven of witches. I did enjoy it but it just wasn't the path for me. I still carry a lot of it with me though, which is why I consider myself eclectic christian. Each person has to go through their own discovery.

~Darken

I am agnostic.
Since not actually denying the existing of a higher power makes people less inclined to try to convert me, I stick with it. Though truthfully not only to I not believe in anything even resembling a higher power - I find that believe to be as deserving of my loathing as any other addiction. It is for the weak who need a little something to get them through the day because they simply are unable to handle reality.

Well that's a rather cruel indictment of people who choose to believe in something. Why do you care so much anyway? AS a Witch I'll just have to take my broom and fly home. *LOL*

Everyone has the right to choose what they believe in, or what they don't believe in. However, something I have always found when meeting someone that does not believe in at least some form of a higher power, is that they seem to me to be a very empty person, someone who gave up. Perhaps they were hurt deeply in past years and think that if a higher power was there, it should have come to their aid and it didn't, so they choose not to believe. Those people, whenever I meet them, always seem so angry and full of hate. I haven't ever met one of these people who were happy.


~Darken

It's a matter of balance. When I do magick I don't expect an answer in the same way some do. What I look for is an opening of a new wisdom. That's when it becomes the answer.

TheMonsterYouAdore I feel sad for you.

You say belief's a weakness. Yet, for many... myself included, belief in something... aids them, giving them stregth, to move onto the next moment, hour, or day.

Actually I can see where TheMonsterYouAdore is coming from. It sort of falls in the line of what Jesse Ventura once said....

“Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers.”

People usually go to church to gather support, popularity of their "peers", and so on and so forth. Politicians do it ALL THE TIME to gain favor with others who follow the same suit.

If she feels that way about beliefs based on not having proof otherwise...how can one blame her?

Belief is NOT about being with others who believe the same, it's NOT about a popularity contest among peers. I am sad to say that for many weak minded individuals who just want to be told what to do and where to do, that is exactly what it had become. But ultimately, however many people gather together to hear someone else tell them how to believe and what to do, that is still a small part of the population. True belief, faith, is going on your own journey, discovering the proof that I promise you is out there and then figuring out what it means to you.

I do not go to church, nor to I feel the need to impress others with how strong my faith is, how I'm better or 'more Christian' then them in some way. My relationship with God is between just the two of us, as it should be for everyone else and their faith. It's as personal as it gets. Letting your opinions and thoughts be swayed by what the 'popular masses' do and dictate is evidence of a person who doesn't want to think for themselves. It's letting a stereotype influence what you think.

Many people out there think goths are bad, evil people. That's not true. Some of them are, but there are also a lot of bad people out there that fit the mainstream ideal and no one ever knew they were murdering people in their spare time. A stereotype is nothing more then popular opinion held by people who don't want to think and reason things out for themselves. That is to give up your thinking mind.

No stereotype about faith and beliefs should ever come into play when figuring out your own thoughts about it.

~Darken

I believe faith can be used as a source of strength, as long as not used to fain control over others, nor as a source of abuse. If my step-mum Dorothy was not such a catholic monster, things might have been different in my life.

faith, is one's personal belief. IF it gives you strength, good. IF one can find that same strength from onesself, good. yet, I reitterate, I amire those with really strong faith, in something... anything. it's a lack of faith, in something.. that allows man the arrogance, to see himself as more than he/she is.

this is Chloe mastermel and i will say that he doesnt' think vampires or goths are evil he loves everyone no matter what they do for he is their creator actually there's no such thing as vampires but ppl do dress up adn act like them adn suck blood adn what they're doing is evil but THEY'RE not evil im on here cause well everyone on here is like me- they believe in supernatural powers like Earth, Air water ect... i naturally have a power over earth i dont incite spells or anything adn i believe in Jesus, God i also believe the the greek gods and goddess's are angels not gods- there's only one God
i also believe fairies, unicorns -mythical creatures are heavenly beings, things you wont see on earth and demons will look like a troll or vampire- thats where the vampire legend came from sort of

and the powers sound like it borders on the occult practice forbidden in the Bible but my power comes naturally- i dont incite spells or do rituals

a faith. a belief. your right to practice as you see fit...

...as long as no-one is harmed from your practice.

A simple tenet, more should follow.

I don't really have any religion, as I do not worship any sort of god or goddess. However, I know that certain things exist based upon my experiences with witchcraft. There are things that have happened that when you are faced with them, that you cannot deny something was preventing or causing it to happen.

There was a situation a few years ago. One of my friends had borrowed a book. Shortly after borrowing it her house burned down. When the fire was put out she discovered that all her magickal supplies and important things were completely saved! There was no explanation as to why or how. It was very unusual because the fireman said it was so hot inside the bathtub actually melted into nothing.

I do not just believe, but I know because of the book I let her borrow, my energy and hers was combined in some way to create some kinda barrier for those important things. If this wasn't true then I wouldn't have it today. The strange thing though, they weren't burnt at all, only covered in soot.

This is why I know things exist because of this experience. There is no other explanation but that one, at least to me. It was that very experience that showed me that anything can be possible. But also...that magick as a whole truly exists.

Thats a pretty good story.
Here is another one.Only these people believe that their faith in God saved them..

http://www.snopes.com/luck/choir.asp

faith, based on some sort of belief.
heck, religion suits some, not all.

..Faith is the antidote to the fear of death.

my own Faith in Humanity is poor, yet redeemed a little this very week, when a fellow others would walk past, decided to help a fellow on the streets, like him... who was worse off than him... so effin cool, to see.

I do have faith that there is a god and goddess that are a part of everything. I have faith that their energies can be used to effect positive and negative in our lives. I have faith that if I treat others with love and respect that good will come back to me .. though lately I haven't had allot of it coming back at all but I have faith that things will get better and I will get home eventually

'a part of everything'.
it's why I wear the Ankh

it's that unshakable belief, that I'm part of a greater something.