Religion. A very controversial topic. I wanted to discuss about this because i've always been confused by this. and what really struck me to do this was this lovely message i received from my grandmother.

I replied telling her about how i'm agnostic-theist. It's really the closest thing to how i feel about religion. that i believe that there is a god and all that, but i am not 100% sure. but i don't believe there isn't a god either.

How about you guys? what do you think of it?

I'm an athiest. That's all I have to say on this topic.

What I feel about Christianity in particular is that it's sketchy, but possible. But what really irks me is that not all Christians believe the same thing, and that not all people who say they're Christians actually are. The only reason that it's 'the largest religion in the world' is because of its historical impact that makes people think that it's unacceptable not to be one. I don't even know if it actually is the largest religion. Nobody pretends (at least where I live) that they're a Muslim or a Scientologist. Myself, I don't really believe in anything. I prefer evidence, and until some is provided, I just want to live life to the fullest.

Me too. I don't want to get hung up in trying to live life the way i want to because of a religion. I don't want it to hold me back. And if there is a god, or christ, and he loves me, then he won't send me to hell. thats the one thing about christianity i don't get. unless you've done something TERRIBLE like killing someone, or mocking god and not just being atheist but satanic (or whatever, wiccan?) then why would you go to hell? its confusing.

Actually, Islam has the world's largest following, if i remember correctly. Mainly because the Middle East, a good portion of China, parts of Africa, and pockets all over the world practice it.

As for my beliefs: agnostic. I believe that there is indeed something(s) watching over the world, but I can't be sure of any facts about who or what it is. My theory is that God showed different parts of himself to different cultures around the world, as needed by that area's people. it's kinda hard to describe, but i think that most of the gods are really one divine being... sorry if that offends anybody with a specific religion, but it's just the only way my brain can make sense of it. But what i'm really scared about is... what if i'm wrong?? will i go to hell because i didn't think there was conclusive evidence (i know you're supposed to take it on faith, but....)? what i hope for is that the afterlife is what you make of it, as said in the Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer. so, yup... no idea.

I'm Jewish. I beleive in god and all that. That's all I have to say.

I was brought up Hindu, and I guess that I'm technically Hindu while I'm still living with my parents. I don't believe in any religion, so I guess that makes me Atheist, although I don't hate every religious person. The only religious people I hate are those who impose their beliefs on others, and then yell at them.


YOU AIN'T GOT NO PANCAKE MIX!!! >O<

^ no, its christianity, by a large majority. i'm pretty sure islam is second biggest, and fastest growing, but i am sure that christianity is the worlds biggest faith, in terms of following. It is logical btw, when you think of the countries that are most dominantly christian - the majority of both north and south america, europe, africa, alongside various sections from all across the rest of the world, which is much larger than the middle east, and China is mainly atheistic/chinese religion; its law bans religion - i know missionaries who have to go to china in secret. It doesn't really matter, i just have to look smart and point that out :p

i'm a christian, i have been most of my life, and i've committed in three different ways across my lifetime.

the ideas christianity is based upon, and in general the whole summary of the religion, something people miss, is that everybody messes up, and the only way to heaven is through jesus' death - accepting in your life that jesus died to take your sin/other christian's sins. This one statement defines the whole of christianity really, and its the one people always try to avoid - its the most blunt bit, the bit people want to avoid, the bit people call arogant, but is the religious teaching, and religious basis.

but this is something you've heard - and if you want to deny it, or not accept it, its your belief, but in general christianity believes that anyone who doesn't accept this and believe in jesus as the son of god goes to hell, and people see this as unfair. I see it sometimes as unfair, when i think about it, but the point isn't that its unfair jesus only saves christians - he saves christians out of grace, not by works or actions - nobody deserves to go to heaven, because everybody does something wrong, or 'sin', during their lifetime at some point - no one is perfect. and so everyone deserves to go to hell, but those who go to jesus don't go to hell, out of grace.

i except not everyone shares my beliefs, and i don't shove them down everyones throat - if you believe a different religion then thats okay, but I don't agree with you. one thing i don't accept is 'true for you, not for me', because thats crap - there is only one truth, no one can prove the right truth at the moment, but some people are going to be wrong, and if you die, just because you didn't believe in the afterlife yourself, when you're wrong doesn't mean it wont happen to you.

False. There is always more than one truth in any situation. Religion doesn't teach that. Science does. But whatever, you have the right to think that, and I don't question that right.

Well what I know about membership numbers, is that Christianity is the largest in the terms of "being Christian", though Islamic membership numbers exeed the Catholic faith, which has the largest following of Christians, and what I believe to be the most credible due to the fact that it was the first. though with the high birth rates in Islamic nations, and the huge number of Islamic conversions (2000 converts a year in the US) Islam will probably be dominant in around 7 years.

I don't usually like to talk about my faith, mostly because I feel that I'm not as following of it as I should be to have the right to tell people about it, because people will look at me, and the way I behave, and relate the negetive things about me and my personality and reflect it upon what I believe, as most people do. but as I am the only Muslim here I think apart from Gnaaye, I feel obligated to share about my religion. Now, not only am I a Muslim, but I am a proud one, and I am very happy being one, I'm afraid that I don't recite the Quran or pray all the prayers five times a day, though I have recently begun doing that. I'm not like the Muslims you see on TV, I know the true meaning of what Jihad is, I recognise that Islam commands Muslim to respect Christians and Jews as "people of the book", and I hope to continue learning, and help my many brothers and sisters out there spread the word of peace and tolerance that Islam really does strive for.

now, I could go on forever talking about Islam and how I feel about it and spend my days pondering it's commandments and such, but now let me just concentrate on the idea of hell in the Quran. in Islam we believe that a person has...let's imagine two hourglasses....one represnting good deeds, and the other representing bad deeds, which are filled according to to the good and bad deeds that a person commits, if a person has more good deed sands than bad deed sands, then he enters heaven, if a person has more bad deed sands, he goes to hell for a period of time depending on his evils, pays for them in hell....then enters heaven. but God's mercy here shows in the fact that a good deed, will get you hundreds of sands, whereas a bad deed will get you only one sand....so imagine the nasty stuff you would have to do in your life to get more bad sands than good. So there’s that.
And as for what you were saying about :

Now, people may disagree on what I’m about to say, so anybody willing to contradict me, there’s really no need because I know all the arguments. But it clearly says in one of the hadeeths that it is impossible for a man with belief the size of a musturd seed in God to enter hell. And as you said, you do not believe that there is no God, so by this logic you will either go to heaven, or pay for your sins in hell and then make your way to heaven. And I don’t really believe that there is any Athiest with absolutely NO belief or at least doubt that there might be a God, heck even Dawkins leaves the possibilty open in his mind. (obviously the term "musturd seed" I use here is not the same as the one used in Christianity...because I don't see any mountains moving )

Anyway, I encourage everybody here to read up more in Islam, I would recommend videos by Sheikh Yusuf Estes, a renowned American convert. Not because I want anybody to convert, in fact it’s the furthest thing from my mind, but instead to improve knowledge, abolish general ignorance, and promote more tolerance. And if anybody has any questions for me I; will do my best to answer them , Peace be upon you.

huh, that's an interesting outlook on the afterlife. when we learned about Islam in class, i heard the part about respecting people of "the book" (the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran seem very similar to me, especially because they kinda have similar origins) and i thought, "now why can't everybody just accept each other like that?" it seemed very interesting. if i ever officially became something, my first choice would probably be Christianity/Catholicism; second would probably be Islam.

of course, i think religion is one of those things that will always cause conflict in the world; no matter what, people just can't seem to get along. they always find a reason to disagree, and religion is one of the few things most people won't budge an inch on, you know?? i'm not saying that we should abolish it; but i kinda wish there were new testaments and whatnot that apply or relate more to the modern world (i haven't actually read the bible, but a lot of my friends tell me about it and stuff, so i kinda know some of the stuff). this is a very complex subject indeed....

Well I know I'll be respectful in this subject, and I hope that others can hopefully do the same in return. and I'd like to share my personal veiw of "respecting others beliefs". this is personal thing not a religious thing.

Now, I believe what I believe, and I believe in it strongly. though i do recognize that I'm a dumb kid, and that there are many religions out there, and that I have not read up on all of them with an open mind, and that I am not worthy of sujesting that I have the right to decide which religion is the correct one, there are other religions with lots of proof to back up what they believe, so who am I to discredit them? so under this mentallity, I've decided that I cannot decide that my religion is the correct one, and that the religion in front of me has just as much chance of bieng the correct one, therefore if I treat every religion in this way, then I think I truly do have "respect" for all or most religions.

this is me, at this point in my life I believe this according to what I know and have experienced, I can't say that I'm the correct one, but so far, Islam is what I believe, so respect me in that fact.

This is all very interesting. Zombie, I truly thank you for sharing that because i've never really understood Islam, and the only thing i've heard is all those stereo-types (not that i believe them). And Inta Xonem, that's how i've been raised but over the years i've just drifted away from how true that really is. I wouldn't say i lost faith, because i want to believe there is a god, but i have started thinking way too much. Things like this is exactly what I think when i'm trying to fall asleep. "Is there really a god" "did Jesus really live? Did he die for my sins?" "Is there a heaven/hell? Which will I go to? What if when I die, nothing happens afterwards, and its just over...". It normally keeps me up all night, with that choked up feeling. I wish there was a way I could know. What if someone whose died could tell me? or Jesus/God(whatever)? I don't know. religion is so confusing to me. I just try to ignore it, because it just makes me think badly when I do think of it. not badly of the religion, but bad thoughts like what will happen after I die. Things i shouldn't worry about, but should ignore so I can live life. Today death is avoided at all costs, nothing like back before when are grandparents were younger, when death was accepted as a natural part of life, and was necessary, not feared.

Also, Jesus is a real person. Wether he was really the son of god is a different story.

and for anybody ignorant of this fact, Jesus does exist in the Quran, and is held in very high and noble regard, in fact the youtuber "converted2islam" believes that he is held in higher regard in the Quran than the Bible. I like what he said "...and that day, I became a true follower of Christ, by becoming a Muslim."

someone once told me that one of the main things that separates Judaism, Islam, and Christianity is who the prophets or messiahs are. For instance, Islam (correct me if i'm wrong on any of these) has Mohammed (sp?); Christianity, has, obviously, Jesus; and Judaism, uh, idk. for those of you with religions, is that relatively correct??

Jewish people have many people, most notably Moses, Abraham, and.. uh... We've got a lot.

actually no, quite to the contrary, Islam is known for bringing the prophets together, as in Abraham, Ishmael, Adam, Moses, Jesus...are all in the Quran, including many more. the only difference is that Islam believes jesus to be a prophet, not god, and believe that Muhammad is the last prophet. so I would call the prophets a simularity, not a differance.

You, sir, have earned my respect.

Now, let's not rule out other religions please. Christianity and Islam, when viewed from a historical viewpoint, are closely related with Judaism, but that doesn't mean that other religions don't exist. For example, apart from the aforementioned Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, there's also Shinto, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism/Daoism, Confucianism, Paganism, etc.

I tend to avoid conversations about religion, because everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

<purelymyopinion> When people say "SCIENCE DOESN'T EXPLAIN EVERYTHING DERP" I have no qualms, because it's true. The fact that there are still mysteries to the human race has its own appeal. Also, I don't think blindly following some old book is called "faith"; I think it's called "gullibility". Furthermore, I dislike those retards who believe anything they read/hear about that has anything to do with science. That's also gullibility. I prefer to hear from multiple sources/from a reputable source about a subject until I believe it. </purelymyopinion>

I'd add more, but I've gotta go >.>

My dad is super extreme religious Catholic, but my views towards the religion is more like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeLr2oElXHQ

I don't like the idea of an afterlife though. I think I might be the only one

My religion is Islam, and all my family does. Even if i am a Moslem, i think that every religion, like Christian, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confusiasm, and else, HAVE to respect each other. Like, two of my best friends are Christian, one of my neighbor is Christian, and my sister have a Buddhism friend. Everything that force people to follow a specific religion are wrong. Every human in this world have their own rights to choose a religion.

I'd like to add to what my brother Darktrainer13 said, I go to a Christian school, and my mother is Christian, so many of my friends are Christian that it isn't even an issue in my school whether you're a Muslim or a Christian, and I think the whole world should be like that was all religions combined. like my country, Jordan, you should come here, it's a magnificent place of religious tolerance....though only of two religions Islam and Christianity XD but it's mostly because we don't have enough buddhists and such to build temples and things.

Sheikh Yusuf Estes put my mind at ease when he said "Allah guides whoever he chooses", so it's not my place to try and convert anybody. "we give you freedom in religion"

Jordan... Let's see *opens the map and searches* I see, northwest of Saudi Arabia and the East of Israel. I wish i could go there, maybe, since i've never been out of my country before. My country is Indonesia, Islams are the majority here, but there were other religion here, too. It seems that my country's economy are still not really good, so i could not go abroad from my country.

Maybe some 10 years later or so i could go there, after i'm going hajj or umrah. Anyway, happy Ramadhan.

First, let me say that I am amazed at the respectful and thoughtful nature of the discussion here. You all give me hope that some day, maybe humans CAN learn to live together peacefully, embracing our differences and knowing that our diversity is what gives us our real strength. Yes, I'm hopeful . . . (though not optimistic given our history).

As for me; I guess you'd have to say I'm a new-age, gnostic, Christian. I have accepted that Jesus did die for my sins. However, I don't necessarily believe that Christianity is the only, single and true path to "heaven". Nor do I believe in forcing others to accept my beliefs. The thing is that, for the Christian, there is but one path to salvation . . . however, there are many paths to enlightenment. I also believe that not only is a person free to choose their own religion, we are, in many ways, required to choose our own path.

The idea of there being many gods who may affect our lives and have influences on our Earth are not necessarily wrong. There is One God, true, but there are many who are under him and serve him. The thing is, Christians claim this belief to be blasphemy - however, they (most Christians) believe in "angels" who, oddly enough, have names and can affect our lives and have influences on the Earth. It's a matter of semantics really, do you want to call them "angels" or "gods" - it probably doesn't really matter to them.

I have a true belief in God and the gods/angels who serve him and can aid us. I have much less faith in mankind in general. Especially when it comes to religion. More wars have been started and more people have been tortured, maimed and killed in the name of "God" than for any other reason in recorded history. Not exactly a stellar recommendation of humankind . . .