In today's society, and ecspecially in American, there is a push on beliefs depending on your ethnic background, your family's beliefs, and your religion. I myself am a devout Christian, I will not say what kind for the will of ending stereotyping, but I sometimes have mixed thoughts on things that my faith believes in. So, I want to know your true beliefs and not what you have been told to believe:
1. Chastity (keeping your virginity until marriage)
2. Drugs and Alchohal
3. Racism
4. War
5. Bible Stories (their teachings)
6. Other Faiths
7. Cults That Are Not For The Best (Scientology)
8. Jesus
9. God
10. Sin and The Ten Commandments
Last edited by thpn on Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:56 am; edited 2 times in total
I've never been told what to believe. In Danish schools (at least when I was a kid) we have "Christianity" as a subject in the first 6 or 7 grades - basic education, not preaching, in the subjects of the bible. I think that has changed to "Religion" these days. In high school, we had one year of compulsory education in religion too, same thing, objective religion history, philosophy etc.
I myself am an agnostic atheist, in addition to being critical and sceptic about any organised religion.
So, to list the "beliefs" (some may be controversial):
1. Chastity: I believe a couple's choice of when to have sex to be their own personal business. As long as people make a mature, mutual, informed and responsible decision, they're free to have sex for love, because of pure desire, or for "fun". Doesn't mean sex isn't better when love is involved.
2. Drugs and alcohol: Again, a person's own mature, informed and responsible decision. I tend to make lengthy replies, and a nuanced discussion of my attitude towards this would require way too much to fit here, so I'll leave it at that. Suffice it to say that yes, I've done drugs (10 years ago), and no, I don't like the idea of teenagers doing narcotics or psychedelics - re: mature, informed and responsible.
3. Racism: I doubt there can be any belief other than "I can't believe how idiotic people can be". The biggest problem is with racist people who don't believe themselves to be racist (Denmark has the Danish People's Party, which is pretty much that).
4. War: Pointless.
5. Bible Stories: Not sure what you mean, but as I mentioned, I had 6 or 7 years of "Christianity" on my time schedule. Heard/read most of the bible stories already then. I still like a lot of them - as stories, or as parables, but not as literal "truth".
6. Other faiths: I have all respect for any faith a person may subscribe to - as long as he/she doesn't try to force it on me or other people - which does mean that I'm very sceptical about religion entering politics.
7. Cults: Depends on your definition of cults.
8. Jesus: Was a real person, but what we know of him from the Bible may have more to do with a set of ideas than with that person. In any event, the teachings of Christianity have had major effects on western culture, some bad - but some good, whether you're religious or not. There's fundamental values in western culture that owe a lot to Christianity.
9. God: Again, agnostic atheist. I believe the existance of a God to be unknowable, and whether he/she/it exists - or not - to be irrelevant.
10. Sin: I have no relationship to sin. As long as you in no way hurt others, others shouldn't force their ideas of morality on you. The notion of sin seems arbitrary to me, being defined as whatever the authority fears. The Ten Commandments: The first four always made me think "is this God really that much of a childish attention freak?" 
The latter six have always seemed to me to be a weird mix... The very concrete (kill, steal, commit adultery), the inbetween (lie) and the abstract and somewhat out-of-place (covet, honour father and mother). 1. Chasity: I believe that it's better if you wait, and you can avoid lots of nasties (STDs, unplanned pregnancy, etc.).
2. Drugs and Alcohol: Bad. I have not heard of one good thing that comes from drugs and/or alcohol.
3. Racism: Anything prejudicial is bad, it does not even make sense to judge someone by their race or nationality.
4. War: Sometimes unavoidable, I'm usually not for it. There never is a winner in war.
5. Bible Soties: Taking into account they were written along time ago, spanning long periods, it's hard to take them literally. What they were literally saying then could have different meanings now.
Take, for instance, the story of Noah and his ark. God flooded the world, but perhaps it was only the inhabited world, the area of Babylon. Could it be possible that a large rainstorm flooded the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and it flooded the world, the world that was known back then.
6. Other Faiths: If you reject God and deny Jesus, then you are condemned.
7. Cults: Bad if they do not worship God and Jesus, because isn't all religion technically a cult?
8. Jesus: Jesus is Lord, Son of the Living God, Who died on the Cross to relieve our sin and uncleanliness, so that we may be closer to God.
9. God: God is the beginning and the end, has always existed, and spoke to us through the Bible. He clearly tells us how to live, and He is the Master. He reigns over His Kingdom of Heaven for all eternity.
10. Sin and the Ten Commandments: Sin, in my opinion, is knowing what is right and not doing it. The Ten Commandments are also quite clear, and make a lot of sense to me. I *try* my hardest to follow them, but we are all sinners. Lucky our God is merciful.
i'm my own religion..but pagan is the best word i can sum it up with. i adopt a lot of practices and beliefs of many religions.
1. Chastity (keeping your virginity until marriage): sex is a way of having fun and showing, expressing, and experiencing love. if you want to have sex, have it.
2. Drugs and Alchohal: they're both bad, they're both good. everything is fine in moderation. addictions are the bad things..not the drugs.
3. Racism: discrimination is bad in general. yes, i make racist jokes, yes, i judge people even when i don't mean to. but in general, it's not good by any means for any reason.
4. War: horrible. hate it. if it had a face, i would kick it. i don't know if war is the only way, but i'm secure in my own heart knowing i will never kill another human being.
5. Bible Stories: hate them. most of them express general morals i don't agree with. some of them i just like as stories, though.
6. Other Faiths: i believe there are many paths to the same destination. every faith has the same purpose.
7. Cults: are people experimenting. there are no absolutes, and these people just want to test that. cults in general, however, are nothing more than a group of people together..it seems as though society has made them crazy druggies who sacrifice animals.
8. Jesus: just a dude who lived a long time ago. possibly a prophet, but he's as much the son of god as is every other male to live on earth.
9. God: is an energy. one higher than us. why not look up to it?
10. Sin and The Ten Commandments: there's no such thing as sin and i don't believe in most of the ten commandments.
1. Chastity - depends on who you are as marriage means different things to people, for a religious person its a declaration to god as well as each other so i guess it makes sense to be chaste. For me , it doesn't matter, the borderline issue is (as mentioned before) maturity. Since different people mature at different ages its impossible to lay down a law or rule about this. Anyway whether theres a law or not, if someone wants it, they'll get it.
2. Drugs and Alcohol - Although some drugs give seemingly valuable experiences like ecstacy, drugs and alcohol ultimately create distance between people.
3. Racism - a product of fear
4. War - completely unneccesary, and there is another way
5. Bible Stories (their teachings) - stories to me. I respect them if others get a lot out of them. But ultimately stories. Should not cause a conflict between what you want to do and what you are told is right. Should not cause war. It's ridiculous that people who devoutly follow spiritual faith, must praise,defend and kill for physical objects or locations. If God made this world, its all holy land.
6. Other Faiths - I suppose im agnostic when i think about it, but my gut feeling is athiest. I am open to ideas about energy and such. But i do see this as a way of explaining something which doesn't need explaining. Like a lot of spiritual ideologies they just serve to romanticise something which is aready beautiful. So in this respect it misses the point. Theistic religions are in my opinion a counter-movement to death.
7. Skeptical Cults - you might say christianity is a skeptical cult? sorry, im not trying to provoke, but maybe the people you label 'cults' are trying to help you.
8. Jesus - The story of jesus, whether true or not is really beautiful. Even if i don't believe it actually happened, i'm glad that it is used the world over as a lesson in morality and forgiveness. It makes a lot of sense.
9. God - I don't think you can know.
10. Sin and The Ten Commandments - What's the point in just being told something? Teach me, and not through religion which i can just doubt anyway or invalidate by labelling it as a 'point of view'. 
1. Chastity (keeping your virginity until marriage) - Marriage is a relative term. A lifetime committment to someone. Sex is an expression of love, Lets keep it that way.
2. Drugs and Alcohol - Fine in moderation. Excess in anything is unhealthy.
3. Racism - There is only 1 race. Human
4. War - Only only only, as a last resort.
5. Bible Stories (their teachings) - interesting and informative. Worth reading. the bible is not the direct word of "god" its an interpretation of his/her word.
6. Other Faiths - I'm a neo-druid. So i'm fine with other religions. I personally feel close to the Celtic Goddes Brighid (Catholic Saint Brigit).
7. Skeptical Cults - Skepticism is healthy. Everyone should come to their beliefs their own way.
8. Jesus - Profit and wise man, possibly divine. Not my place to judge or believe, I follow a different path.
9. God - There are many aspects of the divine, both masculine and feminine, both ar worthy, and all different aspects have different faces.
10. Sin and The Ten Commandments - there is no hell, thus sin cannot send me there. There is virtue, which the ten commandments hint at, and virtue is the true path to finding ones self and the proper place after this life.
Edited, I think this wasnt right to write, lol.. 
1. Chastity (keeping your virginity until marriage) - It's nice, but not required
2. Drugs and Alchohal - I don't drink or do drugs, I find them stupid, not immoral though
3. Racism - Racism of ANY kind is for idiots
4. War - If it is worth it, and has a basis, then I'm fine with that
5. Bible Stories (their teachings) - The stories aren't factual, their ideas are often extremly good, and a great moral code most of the time
6. Other Faiths - I am christian, not sure what kind, but I have my doubts
7. Cults That Are Not For The Best (Scientology) - I'm against labeling things "cults" just because they are very different. I think it requires more then just being really different
8. Jesus - Is the son of god
9. God - Exists, although how much he interacts with my lives and the lives of others directly is debateable
10. Sin and The Ten Commandments - Don't sin, if you do and believe in jesus, you will be forgiven because he died for you.
just updating becuse it rolled off the page...
1. Chastity (keeping your virginity until marriage) - it would be preferrable if people would do this, but it's an illogical assumption that people will. I didn't. It would be hypocritical of me to preach don't when I did. I can suggest, offer advice, but eventually it's up to that person.
As a mom, I can hope that my children wait, but I also have to look at things from a different view point also. I won't disown my children if the decide to have intercourse before marriage.
2. Drugs and Alchohol - I'm definitely not a big fan on drugs, I've yet to find any benefit for them. Alchohol, if used in moderation, can have a healthy effect on the body, but only in moderation. Some officers in the church are told not to drink, but for everyone else, we were told not to be drunkards. If that's the case, I feel we can drink small amounts, just don't over do it.
3. Racism - To judge someone by the color of their skin or the way they believe is wrong! I do think that everyone has a prejudice thought or two. I do. But it's a rule that I apply to me, I won't judge someone that doesn't follow my rule because it's not for them. I only apply it to me and no one else.
4. War - is a senseless waste of lives and time. As stated earlier, no one wins.
5. Bible Stories (their teachings) - I do think that some of the bible can be taken litterally. When studying, there are 5 things you have to remember, 1) When it was written, 2) Where it was written, 3) Who wrote it, 4) What they were going through, 5) Who were they talking to.
6. Other Faiths - I may not agree with them, but it's there life.
7. Cults That Are Not For The Best (Scientology) - As long as what's being taught doesn't hurt either the person believing it, or anyone else, I can't say anything about it.
8. Jesus - I do believe he's real and alive today. I believe he died for my sins. I believe he was, is and always will be the son of God.
9. God - The creator of all things.
10. Sin and The Ten Commandments - I don't believe that there are big and little sins. A sin is a sin. I believe that a white lie is the same as murder in eyes of God. As far as the Ten Commandments go, I feel they should be followed but that we have to incorporate what Jesus said into them, if you have hate in your heart for a fellow man, it's the same as murder, if you're married and you look at a man/woman with lust in your heart, it's the same as adultery.
