I like the idea here, i've been reading a lot about Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam, and which I think are not only the most
popular, but the ones having strong base and belief, there are such a
lot of common points there. I actually know nothing about all these
other religions - just the name I hear, and would like to know more, and
use my mind to judge things.

I think we've somewhat strayed from the topic. It was to "invite" those
of varying religious beliefs to join an educative and mutually
respective conversation regarding their own beliefs.

We make it difficult for that to happen when we argue "text book
theory." For example: There are some 230,000 sects of Christianity
alone. So what makes them all different from each other? I'd like to
hear from those who practice or believe what they do without "other"
insight based on written knowledge rather than belief.

If you consider a religion a cult, it might be nice to ask the person
who brought it into conversation, if THEY consider it a cult. Or ask
why they seem to be different from the mainstream of information you've
come to accept from a religion.

Let's not teach here from text, lets learn from others beliefs.
Remember this was an invitation to conversation, not an invitation to
'defend' what you believe and why. We can always create another thread
if something requires more than this topic has asked for.

I have found wiccan / pagan belief systems contain many of the
foundations
that christianity borrowed.....google michael tsarian and watch some of
his
lectures about Irish history..interesting stuff...

also read the babylonian tablets of creation..and compare to the
bible...

I did say *WAAAY* ancient Rome. But rome wasn't always a barbarian
land, and Alexander the Great innedvertently brought back zaostristic
philosophies. They stuck around for a while.


Oh, yes, judaism and christianity borrowed heavily from the area.
Judaism was born in the area of ancient babylon. This is especially
evident in the stories of Angelic beings, and in many of the ancient
biblical events. Samson, Soddom and Ghamora, the Great Flood.... all
these are ancient Babylonian stories, too.


As to christianity, in its attempt to spread into europe, it adopted a
lot of the local customs. Including just about every holiday it
practices.



And since when was learning more about the ancient heritage of
religions a "tangent" when talking about non-christian faiths?

I am the product of two very differing family backgrounds.

My mother is a devout Catholic Sicilian.
My father is a Japanese Buddhist.

As a child I was raised Catholic; baptism, confirmation, the whole bit.

From what I've gathered through watching my parents, Buddhism really is
more a way of life than a religion. It is more about leading a good life
and finding oneself than it is preaching a gospel.

When I was very small I had a conversation with my (Catholic) uncle
about God. He told me that he saw God with his very eyes and that if I
was lucky I would get to also.

That was the day I lost my faith in Catholicism.

The way he spoke about God to me was very similar to the way everyone
told me how the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus was real. I felt foolish
when I discovered they weren't and I did not want to be fooled again.

I decided to take logical assertions as to the Existence of God and His
omnipresence.

Everything that is in existence today is a result of it having been
moved or pushed by something before it. If you go back far enough there
must be the One. The first mover or pusher.

That is my God.

I have compassion and love for my brothers and sisters and all walks of
life.

My heaven is here on earth. What lies beyond will come with time. I will
worry about that then.

found this at the site sited takeit for what you will many listed
referancw points there as well
___________________________________________

http://www.angelfire.com/realm2/amethystbt/howwiccastarted.html

Where Wicca Started from

Wicca is believed to start from an ancient religion called Shamanism.
The Shamans were medicine people, the power wielders, male and female.
They wrought magick and spoke to the spirits of Nature.

From these primitive beginnings arose all magick and religion including
Wicca. Though refined and changed for our world, Wicca still touches our
souls and causes ecstasy--awareness shifts--uniting us with Deity. Many
of the teachings of Wicca are Shamanic in origin.
As told from Eileen Hollands book "The Wicca Handbook" pg 5

Modern Wicca began in England in 1939, when Gerald Gardner was initiated
into a traditional British coven by Dorothy Clutterbuck (Old Dorothy).
He later broke the coven's seal of secrecy and published books about the
beliefs and practices of British Wiccans, because he feared the religion
would die out. This began what continues to be a groundswell of people
converting to Wicca.

Debate currently rages over whether Wicca is a new religion or the
oldest of all religions. Some say that Wicca has been practiced
continuously in Europe at least sinnce the Ice Age. they cite
paleolithic carvings of female figures, such as the Venus of Willendorf,
as evidnce of Goddess worship having been the origin of all religions.
No, say others, Wicca is a neo-pagan faith, a 20th century construct.

The "pre" wiccans are whatever they happen to be. Probably one (or
more) of the many remaining celtic/gaelic religions.


But wicca includes way too many Eastern and Native American concepts
that never existed in any true celtic heritage. It simply couldn't have
existed in a modern form. You could argue Wicca is like Christianity or
Islam, in that it "evolved" (with a healthy helping by some prophet or
another) from an ancient religion. In wicca's case- about 30 different
religions.


But christianity didn't exist until about 40 or so B.C., despite
Judaism's already ancient status- and Wicca didn't exist until the 20th
century, no matter where the heritage came from.



Although I gotta say I like wicca's "so long as it does no harm, do as
ye will" attitude. Which is the core neo-pagan idea, which wicca
adopted. That concept never existed in any true pagan religion.

you know on a thread that we were supposed to be sharing insights to OUR
religious beliefs in an open and honest conversation, learning and
sharing. It is a shame that we really didnt keep up that concept going.
Some people need to be the know all and end all of the center of the
party.
some of us dont need an insight or for that matter a history lesson
about the beliefs that we hold sacred.
poet i like some of your other post, but keeping it honest with you, you
have single handedly turn a great concept into a want to be "theology"
class telling damn near everyone how why and whats up with their
beliefs, but really sharing nothing of your own except to condensend and
say we wouldnt understand. Theres some smart cats here brother, be true
to yourself but walk softly in the briar patch.
the agnostic, budhist, taoist, dennisist in me just couldnt bear to
watch much more.

really, with the best intentions,

doc

You say that like I'm the only, or even the first, to get into the
comparative religion points. Although I guess I'm the most thorough.

i say that like your the most condensending , not excepting someone else
at their word when they speak of their own faith, for some reason it
appears that you have no desire to learn or listen to what others are
saying. Look, Im glad you study, cool, good for you i guess. truth be
told, if you tell me why and how im supposed to feel about something
that has absolutely nothing to do with your belief I wanna tell you to
go get bent. I dont want to debate with you about this (there are
political threads for that) and i dont want to prevent others from
sharing their own logics and reasons either. I got no beef with you
personally except you think you know everything about everyones beliefs,
If that were so, what a pathetic sense of faith we would all have- why
is it tey call it faith? its bigger than you or I, no matter how you
feel about it, you keep studying, and I'll keep on being me and some
where in the middle hopefully we'll meet. I know tis probably seems like
Im trying to insult you or demean you in some way, but trust me Im not,
I would just rather get on with how people see their own religious
beliefs and not that as seen from afar. You know some in the world saty
its our own fault that we're not like in the world (not that i give a
sh.t) but if we listen to the other people some of which are not in or
from the US we might gain some kind of an insight as to why that is.
just ease up a bit on the lectures man, and for the record- yes you are
thorough.



doc

I'm stating the historical FACTS. Not as seen by "america", but as seen
by those who have spent the time to unearth the information. To dig
through millenia old ruins.


"How can we presume know anything, if we can't even get our own
histories right?"- wonder who I quoted for that one. If it's unclaimed,
I want it.

Just to clarify a small insignifigant point.

The earliest (ancient) form of wiccan(shamanism) WAS the basis for the
knowledge of the old ones (earliest american indian). Taking back that
knowledge in the modern version does not make it only a few 100 years
old.

There are indications of that practice all over the world.

Thorough is not how I would describe it.

MikeMontana in his Original Post said....


Sun 04/22/07 10:13 PM
This board is heavily weighted with Christian themes. Understandably so
as most ppl are pro/anti christian. Is there anyone with a different
faith? Buddist? Hindu? Jewish? Post here, share thoughts - start
threads. Help us all learn a little bit about how you see the world.

*************************************************************

Just a friendly reminder AGAIN...as been stated by many other posters...

This is an invitation to express one's OWN veiws on THEIR religion, in
the spirit of others having an opportunity to learn more of OTHER'S OWN
religions, faiths, beliefs...


Debate is wonderful..start another thread to debate the finer points of
hwo is or isn't right about historical semantics...

but leave this one alone, please?

Ooops..not directed at just you AB..it was a reminder for me as
well...as all posters..

beliefs are often seen as facts but they are no more a fact than me
saying... i dunno... aliens landed at parumph nevada.
dont get twisted around the axel on what im trying to convey, its not
about mans written factual accounts.

WHAT ARE YOUR BELIEFS? and why do you feel that way.




doc

SilentSkies,

Thanks for sticking to the topic! (which is very fascinating by the way,
Mike)

The insights you shared are quite refreshing and insightful.

The unique combination; Catholicism and Buddhism, and the apparent
'freedom' you seemed to have enjoyed, raises my appetite.

Give us more!

Oh well, my faith, in a nutshell.


We believe in a Goddess. As the Creator is pretty much going to have to
sacrifice a piece of itself in order to create something NEW. Which
would make said Creator most closely related to females.


We hold that this reality is a work of art. The ultimate work of art.
Complex beyond imagining, beautiful, perfect. Our "mission" as a
species, our best way to serve, is to learn all we can about it. The
more you understand about the Art, the better you understand the Artist.
Understanding yourself, of course, is part of this.

Beyond that, it gets more complicated. But that's what I'd want a
stranger to understand first.

Jess, you mentioned your children. Have you raised them within the
structure of your beliefs too? I think it would have been so wonderful
to have been given a real philosophy to live by, in and grow with.

Silentskies, that sounds like a very interesting way to grow up. Have
you ever discussed this with your Father, has he ever tried to give you
insight into his philosophy? Jess mentioned having children and sharing
her some of this with them. Have you got children, if you do or will,
would you teach them a particular philosophy? If that's too personal,
no commitment, just curious if you felt drawn to continue something of
this nature with children.

I just want to say I respect each individual with his/her faith. I like
this thread because it helps me see other points of view. Therefore, I
can enrich my view of this world. I do believe nobody has the absolute
truth, not even us who call ourselves christians(any denomination).