Americans don't do well on religion test. — Page 2

Do those of you who claim to be spiritual but not religious still follow the basic Judeo-Christian blueprint? That's not an attack or a loaded question. Do you believe Jesus was the messiah, divine, the son of god, etc?

Updated On: 9/29/10 at 09:48 AM

There are many belief systems out there that have stories so similar to the birth of Jesus that it makes me wonder.

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It just seems if you are "spiritual" and not religious, you're not going to be a believer of any of the trappings of so-called "organized" religion. If you're spiritual but still believe in Jesus, then you're Christian, aren't you? (the royal You, not anyone in particular)

Updated On: 9/29/10 at 11:42 AM

I would agree with that, Phyllis.

Spirituality to me has always been that there is a cognizance of some higher power, but that any codification on that power is based on (and is a reflection of) mankind's own insecurities.

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Updated On: 9/29/10 at 11:46 AM

Or the Black plague. Or any other world catastrophes.

except that they did. at the time of the black plague, it was thought that it was punishment for sinners. there was a priest who observed that he was surprised to see the faithful dying in equal numbers to sinners.

and no one on this board can dare to say there aren't elements in this world who don't say that AIDS is a punishment for homosexuality.

at the time of the tsunami in southeast asia, apparently the archbishop of canterbury was confirmed to have said something along the degree of "i can't believe that god would be so wicked as to send a tsunami around christmas time!"

i'm agnostic myself, but damn if hitchens doesn't make me feel stupid even for that (you don't have to agree with all his views, nor should you, but no one can deny that he doesn't articulate the position well):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYaQpRZJl18

However, I am a product of a Christian Brothers education. And I am astonished that there are ANY Catholics that can't bust out the word 'transubstantion' at a moments notice. Stunned.

Believe it or not, that wasn't hammered into my head growing up the way other dogma was. The thing that surprises me is that most people don't know that any sort of sexual thought or feeling (let alone action) that isn't of the heterosexual married variety is a violation of the sixth commandment, plain and simple.

And the way Pat Robertson blamed the Haiti quake on the fact that the Haitians practice voodoo.

It's always easy to blame god for bad things.

Maybe I should find religion. I sure could use a scapegoat for some of the bad things that happen to me. Then I wouldn't have to try and actually grow and learn from various misfortunes.

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I'm very much of the RobbieJ train of thought. The only thing that occassionally nags at me is where (not who) that first speck of whatever came from.

Agree, except thats a we'll.

I think Biden forgets he exists some of the time.

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I'm still surprised by the relatively comprehensive sexual education we received in my Catholic high school. In one class, we're told all impure thoughts and actions outside of marriage are sinful...and in the next class, we're watching a cartoon about STD's (gangster themed, with Tricky Mona aka trichomoniasis as the gang moll) and proper condom use.

De LaSalle Christian Brothers.

My FAVORITE thing ever said at the school I attended was by the gym teacher that was also our health teacher. His idea of inspiring abstinence in his students:

'You should have sex at your age, anyway, cause you'll be squirtin' on the walls before you even get it in.'

22 years later, I'm still in shock.