What religion are you?

[ZombieHorde]

Follow up question (extra credit)

How could I have made my list of ten choices better?

[Drunken Irishman]

1. Catholic

[gateley]

3. IRISH Catholic.

We're a force unto ourselves.

[Drunken Irishman]

6. Ah yes.

Especially here in Utah, my mom was clear to make the distinction.

"So you're not Mormon?"

"No, we're IRISH Catholic..."

:D

[Itchinjim]

7. LAPSED Irish Catholic.

Or maybe that's Irish LAPSED Catholic. Buncha us too.

[gateley]

10. Me, too --

but it's there always, nonetheless. If I died, I'd want a Catholic funeral Mass. And to be buried next to my parents in the Catholic cemetary.

[monmouth]

17. Me too....We're goin to hell ya know, right?..n/t

[gateley]

21. I knew that in fourth grade,

when my best friend and I had to leave the Church for misbehaving during the Stations of the Cross. We were in TROUBLE!

[Drunken Irishman]

24. Gateley, our plot is in the only Catholic cemetary in Salt Lake.

Mount Calvary. http://www.mtcalvarycemetery.org/

This is one of the graves we have in the cemetary:



Delia Sheridan and John Cassidy were my great-great-grandparents. Their daughter, my great-grandmother, is buried in another plot, which is now where my grandparents are, brother and where my mom will end up when she goes. Since the Church allows cremation now, we can all fit together!

How awesome is that? :)

[Itchinjim]

27. Hey maybe we're cousins!

My GGG grandparents, Michael Cassidy 1794-1876. and Catherine Cassidy 1789-1885 both born in County Monaghan, Ireland. Died and buried at St. Patrick's cemetery, Villa Nova, Clinton county, Iowa

[Drunken Irishman]

28. My dad's paternal grandmother was a Cassaday!

Not a Cassidy, but a Cassaday.

And there's also an O'Cassidy in our line not related to either of those Cassidy's/Cassaday's.

But yes, maybe we are! :)

:toast:

[Itchinjim]

30. In my tree, the daughter of a McGuire married a McGuire...

hopefully those lines were diverging and not converging.
My Cassisdys had a son who joined the army after the Civil War and went out west to fight in the Indian Wars. Any Pony Soldiers in your tree?

[Drunken Irishman]

32. Same thing happened with mine, but they were named Huey.

One came from Ireland the other, well I don't know. They were like a generation removed, too, so it could be the same family.

Yuck.

[Drunken Irishman]

23. I think my mom would haunt me to the grave if I ever left the Catholic Church.

But I guess being lapsed doesn't mean you've left it and aren't most Catholics lapsed anyway? :D

[JerseygirlCT]

41. My mom comes to my church with me when she's in town

I got lucky with moms. Actually of the bunch of us, I think I'm the only one still attending church regularly. So maybe an active Episcopalian than a lapsed R. Catholic, lol?

[JerseygirlCT]

40. Yeah, once Irish Catholic, now Episcopalian, but

in many ways you stay Irish Catholic. It's sort of like the Hotel California, you know?

[ZombieHorde]

11. I was raised Irish Catholic, but my nationality is Irish/Hungarian.

[Dorian Gray]

38. Darn Tootin!

Now pass me a Guiness!

[onehandle]

22. French Catholic.

We have the better Alter Wine.

[CatholicEdHead]

62. Same here

[Poll_Blind]

2. I believe that "Having no religion" does not fairly represent atheism.

  As an atheist, I have the same amount of faith that a God does not exist as a Christian, for instance, does. In that way it differs from agnosticism, which the "I have no religion" option covers.

PB

[deathdog]

5. I can't believe you're arguing about the degree of areligiosity.

No wait. I can believe it. Sadly.

[Poll_Blind]

8. Expand your horizons, it's the internet! n/t

PB

[ZombieHorde]

14. Hmmm...

Is believing that there is no god a religion? I believe that it is a theological stance, but not a religion unto itself.

[Poll_Blind]

18. Depends on what definition of religion we're using but by many you're correct. n/t

PB

[ZombieHorde]

20. "Depends on what definition of religion"

This is a huge factor in the "Is Buddhism a religion" debate.

I use this definition, which seems to anger some people.

1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.
6. something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion

Some people seem to deeply resent the second definition listed here.

[trotsky]

29. Do you have the same amount of faith that Zeus doesn't exist?

Or Ra?

It takes no "faith" to not believe in a god, just a lack of evidence that said god exists. And the Christian god is no more special than any of the rest, IMO.

[LaurenG]

4. A little of each and/or none at all.

:shrug:

[ZombieHorde]

15. Hodge Podge Mysticism? I like it.

[Cant trust em]

9. For extra credit....

How about scientology?

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2008/04/25/Oprah_wideweb__470x309,0.jpg

[ZombieHorde]

12. Crap! I meant to list that in other. I will try to edit my poll.

+2 points for you.

[panader0]

13. Damn! 64%!! We're all a bunch of heathens!

[hellbound-liberal]

16. I agree with the Unitarian Universalists 100% of the time accoording to this quiz

http://selectsmart.com/RELIGION/

These results are fairly consistent with other surveys I have taken in the past.

Here are my results:

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Neo-Pagan (97%)
3. Liberal Quakers (95%)
4. Mahayana Buddhism (87%)
5. New Age (87%)
6. Reform Judaism (83%)
7. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (82%)
8. New Thought (77%)
9. Hinduism (75%)
10. Scientology (75%)
11. Taoism (71%)
12. Secular Humanism (70%)
13. Theravada Buddhism (68%)
14. Jainism (67%)
15. Mainline - Liberal Christian Protestants (67%)
16. Bahai (63%)
17. Sikhism (61%)
18. Orthodox Quaker (58%)
19. Islam (54%)
20. Orthodox Judaism (54%)
21. Non-theist (43%)
22. Mainline - Conservative Christian Protestant (32%)
23. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (30%)
24. Seventh Day Adventist (28%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (22%)
26. Roman Catholic (22%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (18%)

[ZombieHorde]

19. Most people I know get "Unitarian Universalism" on those quizzes.

If I were you (and I am not) I would go with your number 2. Western Mysticism on my poll.

[onehandle]

25. 85% of Americans have a religion.

Anyone here think we're a true reflection of United States?

[uberllama42]

31. Well, it's pretty obvious we are not

But that's not the point of this forum. Flame wars not withstanding, this is supposed to be a place to discuss religion and theological concepts. How this place skews relative to the American population at large is really irrelevant.

[BlueJazz]

26. Atheist. swear to God

[New Dawn]

33. No religion.

[knitter4democracy]

34. Eastern Orthodox, former Nazarene here.

I think the options are good, but, if possible, you might have wanted to add some of the Christian-based spin-off faiths (Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, etc.) and Scientology.

[ZombieHorde]

35. Though Christians like to divide themselves...

I see them as one big group of individuals. Mormons, 7th Day, Catholics, etc., all identify with the same core of religious beliefs. Jesus, salvation, righteousness, all of these things are shared, even though they are interpreted differently.

Scientology is best in other because of the current anti-Scientology feelings going around. No need for people to out themselves.

[knitter4democracy]

36. Actually, they don't have the same core beliefs.

Most mainstream Christians would have no problem with the Nicene Creed (which the Church decided to be the most concise statement of faith and continued to tweak through the Seven Ecumenical Councils). The spin-off faiths would not. You don't have to believe in Christ to be a Quaker, Mormons don't believe in his being Man and God but instead just God (and add a whole new book to the equation), Christian Scientists would disagree with several parts to the Creed, and so on and so forth.

That's like saying atheists who believe in crystals and auras are the exact same as atheists who don't. Many would lump the first ones into New Age faiths, and most would say the second group is more traditionally atheist.

[Occam Bandage]

37. I think that's a bit like saying,

"though Abrahamic faiths like to divide themselves, I see them as one big group of individuals. Jews, Christians, Muslims, etc. all identiy with the same core of religious beliefs. One God, revealed himself to Abraham and a line of prophets, gave a bunch of moral laws for people to follow, righteousness leading to reward bestowed by that God, all of these things are shared, even though they are interpreted differently."

Even though they claim to be Christian, theologically, Mormons are about as far from mainstream Christians as Muslims are. Mormons are non-Trinitarian, have a whole separate book of their own, and are sprinkled with beliefs that frankly no other Abrahamic faith holds, from the righteous becoming Gods in their own right, to the once-manhood of God the Father, to eternity of marriage, to the three-tiered Heaven of the Terrestrial/Telestial/Celestial Kingdoms.

Obviously classifying religions is a tricky subject, and can lead to much debate over what's important and what isn't. I mean, go too far one direction, and you have three choices: Abrahamic, Dharmic, and Traditional/Animist/Pagan/Tribal. Go too far the other, and you have several hundred if not thousand choices. It's tough, I know.

[knitter4democracy]

39. Good point. Much better than mine.

I really like your screenname, too. It made me smile. :)

[ZombieHorde]

42. To be honest, I personaly divide religious groups as...

Object or Subject religions (depending on what is worshiped) and then those two groups as Liberal or Conservative (religiously speaking). If I divide the Christians then why not the Muslims? I only have 10 spaces for the poll.

[knitter4democracy]

47. I'd take out Taoism, as that's more of a philosophy.

Then, that gives you one more space in which you can add another distinction.

[ZombieHorde]

49. Many Westerners treat it like a philosophy, but it is still a religion.

[knitter4democracy]

53. How so?

What makes it cross the line into a religion? Everything I've ever read of it makes it sound more like a philosophy or moral code.

[ZombieHorde]

59. They go to church and worship...

Friedrich Nietzsche books are philosophy; worldwide, Taoism is much grander.

[Random_Australian]

43. Yeah, I think you needed to break down the no-religion thing.

Because this way you will have both atheists and decidedly non-atheist persons who don't have a religion. (ie. people who believe in God but are not part of a religion)

[ZombieHorde]

45. I am all ready using all 10 poll spots allowed, so what would you take out or combine?

[Random_Australian]

46. Using Goggles of Hindsight, I'd say Hinduism and Taoism.

But yeah, a couple of the categories have only one vote, and the 'none' has lots.

[ZombieHorde]

50. It looks that way now, all of the people here who belong to Eastern religions must have me on ignore

[Random_Australian]

54. Hmmm, personally, I think that there must be a conspiracy to stop them voting.

In fact, I think magical aliens are the only logical explanation.

[ZombieHorde]

56. That reminds me, I forgot Heaven's Gate!!!

And other UFO religions.

[Random_Australian]

60. You also forgot zoroastrianism.

Also, Aten worship. (Whatever that was called) Although I think you can be forgiven there, because not only has it not been practiced for thousands of years (ancient egyptian) but there was a concerted campaign about 40 years or so after it started to remove all records of it from history.

[Marrah_G]

44. Wiccan

[ZombieHorde]

58. How do you feel about the term 'Western Mysticism' to describe the Wiccan tradition?

[Marrah_G]

63. I don't mind it- Pagan also works

There are many religions that fall under the terms and even within Wicca there are many different Traditions (denominations, sort of). Beyond being Mystics we are first and foremost polytheists.

[sakabatou]

48. Judaism first

Then I switched to Atheism (though it's not a religion).

[TrogL]

51. Anglo-Catholic

Whether or not that is "Christian" is a matter of considerable debate.

[JerseygirlCT]

52. LOL nt

[SidneyCarton]

55. Mormon, where does that count on your poll?

[ZombieHorde]

57. Christian.

If Jesus Christ is your personal lord and savior, then you are a Christian.

[east texas lib]

61. I belong to The First Church of The Fornicating Cursing Beer Swilling Heretical Musicians...

We worship every weekend at the Neon Temples. I'm sure there's one near you. Come for the fellowship,
stay for the beer!

[AlinPA]

64. Flat earther.

[frogmarch]

65. atheist

For extra credit: If the list had been mine, I'd have included FSM.

[reprobate]

66. What? Am I the only Solipsist here? But that would be a tautology, wouldn't it?

[Chovexani]

67. I don't really understand why you broke down traditionally Pagan religions that way.

Unless you're defining "Western Mysticism" as "occultism with a primarily European point of reference".

In which case I would have to vigorously disagree with you because it's patently false and a huge peeve of mine. After all, "Western Mysticism" can also mean Gnostics, Jewish mystics and a multitude of folks who very much do not fall under the Pagan umbrella. As much as I dislike the vagueness of "Pagan", it's as good a descriptor as any we've got to describe "(mostly) Polytheistic people who are not members of the Big Five". If you're going for a more specific breakdown, I recommend Isaac Bonewits' definitions. http://www.neopagan.net/PaganDefs.html

That said, I didn't answer, because I would fall under "Other", another category I hate (and often fall into). I practice Dark Paganism with an Indo-Sumerian flavor, if I had to pick a label. I work with a rather eclectic mix of deities, though, two of which do not come from traditional mythologies. Most of the Folks I work with tapped me on the shoulder rather than the other way around. As Marrah said upthread, I relate to my deities in a very different way than most people see the idea of "God". Not necessarily better or worse, but extremely different.

[Marrah_G]

68. Isaac rocks !

I met him at a gathering once. He is definitely an interesting human being.

[zonmoy]

69. Maltheist/dystheist