welcome, guest

downloads   gallery   dev   community   creatchi   forum   mycaves

bookmarks | search | post new topic

Strangeo Forum Philosophies and Beliefs    Ilaezha      7/13/2013  1 I was thinking about how cool it is that we have so many people from many different countries and I thought it would be interesting to learn about each other's religions and beliefs. Let's talk about and appreciate each other's differences! I'll start with this question: Do you believe in an afterlife, and if you do, what do you think it will be?   NimhsLab   7/13/2013 I believe in reincarnation, despite being an agnostic! Do you believe in a higher power? [chirping and clicking] Clicks for a winter god! >   Sanely Insane RisenAngel Manager     7/13/2013  3 Before this topic gets too much farther, I would like to note that religion is a very sensitive subject and is often banned from being discussed on other forums as it tends to lead to flame wars. That said, I honestly believe that the Creatures Community is better than that, and as such I'm willing to leave this topic open for now. That said, I and presumably the rest of the moderation team will be keeping a very close eye on it and will lock it if things start getting too heated. ~ The Realm ~ Risen Angel's Creatures Blog   Ilaezha   7/13/2013  1 I asked Laura before posting this topic if it would be fine and she said the moderators would keep an eye on it. I don't want to start flame wars or hate but was just hoping we could discuss these interesting ideas. Feel free to lock it if something goes wrong. @Nimhslab: Yes, I do. I think this universe is way too complex and perfect to be a complete accident, though props to the universe if it was.   NimhsLab   7/13/2013 The most perfect program. I think it could go either way, but if there is a "god" (in quotes because that isn't the only name people have for it/them/he/she/other.) I think it's chilling somewhere watching all this delicious entropy occur. [chirping and clicking] Clicks for a winter god! >   Small Birb Pann     7/13/2013  1 I'm agnostic, but I believe something does happen when we die, and I'm not closed to the idea of there being a god. I think if we do die, reincarnation seems likely. I usually focus on doing my best in life to really think about what happens afterwards, though. Small bird who lives here sometimes, and wanders other times. Got Creatures related content to share? Submit to Heck Yeah, Creatures! Icon by gettehld on twitter!   Wee Scrivener Trell     7/13/2013  3 I'm LDS, or Mormon if you're not familiar. No, I don't support polygamy, and I'm certainly not racist or homophobic. I'll talk about it if someone ask, and I don't shove religion in other people's faces, cause everyone has the right to choose what they believe. There's a lot of real bizarre rumours people seem to believe about Mormons though... If I remember right, one guy my dad was talking with thought we catapulted first born virgins off the Salt Lake temple into the Great Salt Lake. Ridiculous, eh? I've a quirky set of standards, too. I don't drink, swear, or generally do anything considered inappropriate or crude by most PG-13 standards. I don't drink coffee or black tea, though any other kind of tea is fair game. In general though, I'm rather idealistic. I think the world is a wonderful thing. I'm a happy-go-lucky gal who likes to believe that everyone has good in them, and I like to treat others with as much kindness as I can. Trell "Holy crap in a casket!"   NimhsLab   7/13/2013  1 That first-born virgins thing does sound really weird. I take a lot of my personal philosophy from Buddhism, mixed with Christianity. "Do unto others" is a big thing in my book. I take that as "Don't be mean to any-one who you wouldn't start a fight with, or that hasn't been mean to you already". (Plus being perfectly polite to people until I've figured out if they will do the same. if friendly, be friendly, if rude, be grouchy and passive-aggressive.) I believe in a rather strange mix of magic and science, in the idea that magic exists in a universe parallel to ours, some-times mixing, and that the barriers can be breached, but generally they stay separate. I'm not quite sure there's a term for it, but I believe that every experience we have is a gift, the ability to feel pain, sorrow, anger, joy, love, it's all wonderful, consciousness is an ever-changing and miraculous thing to be cherished, not just thrown away. That way of thinking has gotten me through some rough times, and some-times I just think, "Why did I ever want to end this, give this up?" I think all the pain I've felt makes every moment that's gentle that much sweeter. [chirping and clicking] Clicks for a winter god! >   Tea Queen Laura     7/13/2013  3 Whereas perhaps I wouldn't have felt so in the past, I feel confident that everyone here is open-minded and sensible enough to have a good conversation that is both constructive and interesting. So long as we all remember that we're discussing a sensitive subject and remain courteous about it we can. Atheist here, but I'm able to appreciate different beliefs and cultures.   Sixty Third Karias   7/14/2013  2 Best described as Agnostic here, as I'm sure there's no "god" but I know there's no evidence for either side, so, who knows. . . So that pretty much boils to agnostic right? I think there's something that happens after we die other than our bodies disintegrating, but what it is or if I'm right I really don't know. . . My beliefs otherwise, such as civil rights, etc, are pretty liberal though. I think people should have the right to do whatever they believe so long as it doesn't directly and purposefully harm someone or something that is aware and feels the harm (animals included, they do after all have nervous systems) I'm fully able to appreciate other cultures, I lived most of my childhood in a very Mormon (LDS) heavy community and they were great people, I currently live with a Jehovah's witness Uncle who's a sweet guy, his fellow Jehovah's witness followers most of them are also sweet and able to carry conversations with me, I enjoy asking them many questions to learn about their beliefs ('cause I'll admit, beforehand I just knew what most people know. . . stereotypes) plus they too have neat interests in gardening, farming, etc. which is nice. I got a sweet couple to buy a banana plant from me once. The only thing I can't tolerate, I'll be honest, is others' lack of tolerance for anything I may have done that was harmless. I've been called things before and shunned from hanging out with groups of people due to the fact that my childhood did involve dabbling with pagan practices. Hope that wasn't too much said, I'm trying to be light here but can't help to be descriptive. -Karias; a bit fruity and gone bananas in the wrong climate!   Ilaezha   7/14/2013  1 I'm in agreement with some of Nimhslab's ideas. I do believe there's a universal energy that we are all part of and that we are reincarnated to learn and grow from our many lives. I read a really great book called Journey of Souls that had case studies of people who remembered or were hypnotized into remembering their past lives, and it really fascinated me. I can see something like what was in the book being what the real thing is. Other than that I tend to be a very logical person who trusts science and facts rather than the faith-based theologies. I grew up in the Messianic Jewish religion, which is a kind of mix of Christianity and Judaism, but I never found much importance in it (I was 13 at the end of my family's involvement). My sister is a witch (not restricted to Wicca) so I do use Tarot, crystal healing, runes, etc. and believe that there's something to be learned from them. I am also drawn to the Buddhist teachings that life is suffering and we can become transcendent. I have yet to really learn meditation... I also live by the "do unto others" rule and by "live and let live." I agree with Karias - intolerance is a hard thing to tolerate.   Small Birb Pann     7/14/2013  2 My dad is pretty interested in Paganism, actually. I also had a friend who was into Wicca for a while. I don't see anything wrong with these practices either, they've just been given a pretty bad rep filled with misconceptions and misunderstandings. I agree too, I have no problem with anyone believing in religion or not at all, as long as everyone is civil and respects each other. When people start to be disrespectful, then I get angry. But the CC is awesome and I think this has been a great thread so far. Small bird who lives here sometimes, and wanders other times. Got Creatures related content to share? Submit to Heck Yeah, Creatures! Icon by gettehld on twitter!   geckogirl191   7/14/2013 I'm still on the fence on whether i'm agnostic or humanist (maybe i could be both), though my current perception leans close to the latter. I did grow up going to a Christian elementary school, but as i grew out of it, i didn't really care all that much about the whole Christianity business.   Bifrost   7/14/2013  3 I consider myself a Norse heathen, though I'm slightly agnostic, and don't practice a lot of religious activities. I like researching old Norse source texts and also read articles and other writings about archaeological finds and discoveries. I feel a profound connection to nature and the land, and believe that gods, wights and spirits are manifestations of natural forces and phenomena. My nickname "Bifrost" is taken from the rainbow bridge, which in Norse mythology is guarded by Heimdall, and leads between Midgard - the human realm, and Asgard, home of the gods. I don't believe in good versus evil, but rather in chaotic and orderly forces, and that we need both to maintain balance in the world. I don't think there is any evil in this world, or any good, to put it to extremes. It's intentions towards self preservation, and preservation of the world, and those two can often collide or also work together. That being said, I do consider many things good. And some things bad. But those are according to my own standards, and no some universal law. I believe in an afterlife, though I'm not sure how it works. I think I may be going to Hel or to Alfheim, or maybe even both or somewhere else, and stay there for a while, until it's my turn to return to Midgard, or the earth.   Lenn   7/14/2013  1 i'm an atheist but i'm open for stuff. :p Ik zwaai met mijn handen en mijn handen zwaaien terug.   Ilaezha   7/14/2013 Bifrost, that is quite fascinating. Do you believe in the gods of Asgard, then? And what kind of gods are they, like do they represent certain things like the Greek and Roman gods do?   Senior Wrangler Nutter   7/21/2013 Two heathens in the caves, what are the chances? My beliefs seem to have changed a lot over the years. They seem to have come full circle now, but by way of logic and investigations, though there were 20 years of atheism in there. I'm broadly pagan, I guess, though I wouldn't use that term. Also broadly Norse heathen - Thor's my patron deity, though I'm polytheistic, and have a lot of sympathy for Loki and his family. I don't see gods as being omnipotent, infallible beings; they're more powerful than us in some ways because their form and existence are different, but I think they're ultimately subject to the same laws of the same multi-dimensional universe. I think if there is a single, unifying power running the universe, it would be so different from us we'd have a hard time comprehending it - though we might still be able to interact with it. I believe in reincarnation, though not karma; I don't think there's anyone judging us and allocating punishment or reward. I think we choose to come back, either to learn things, or work things out, or be with particular people. I've always believed in treating other people as you would wish to be treated, but sometimes my own baggage (and there's been quite a lot of baggage!) has got in the way of that. But recent events have really highlighted to me the power of kindness, and I'm looking more into Buddhist philosophy. It does seem, though, that a lot of religious philosophies are basically similar - don't do bad stuff, look after yourself, and help other people. You can't really go wrong with that, whatever the fine details of the implementation.   Sanely Insane RisenAngel Manager     7/21/2013 I figure I might as well contribute a more on-topic post to this topic. The religion I follow is more or less my own. It revolves around Fate. So many mythologies and religions claim that not even the gods can do anything about Fate, so I figured: Why not eliminate the middlemen and make Fate itself the deity? The biggest thing about Fate is that, as opposed to an intelligent being, it is a largely non-sentient force. One thing that bothers me about most religions centered around a thinking god is that no reason is given for said thinking god to create reality. Was the god lonely? Did He need someone to admire him and worship him? A force, on the other hand, doesn't need a reason to do what it does. It just acts. It makes more sense to me than having a god at the helm does. Fate isn't good or evil. It is simply the manifestation of reality and keeps things moving. It doesn't matter if it decides to grant you good fortune or if it cuts off your head and excrete down your neck (metaphorically speaking). While Fate is largely an impersonal force, I do believe that it is possible, with enough devotion, to manage to get some control over it in order to meet your ends. I have prayed to Fate before, to positive results. While the above set of beliefs is my primary set, I also believe that all the gods humanity ever cooked up exist. It's all a simple matter of which ones you choose to believe in. In any event, there's definitely someone up there - life has too many odd coincidences for it to be otherwise. Other miscellaneous beliefs of mine: *I believe in the supernatural to some degree. Science seems practically dedicated to stomping out any traces of it, but at the same time there are things too odd for science to explain. *What happens after death is really up to the person who's dying. If they believe that they're going to go to Heaven, they're going to go to Heaven. If they believe they're going to get reincarnated, then they're going to get reincarnated. *As a corollary to the above: I believe in ghosts. While most of the time they can't choose to make themselves visible to us, I do think that they can influence us to some degree. *Karma exists, if only because the desire for humans to get back at someone else for doing them wrong exists. I used to believe that it was a separate force from Fate, but nowadays I believe it's an aspect of Fate. ~ The Realm ~ Risen Angel's Creatures Blog   Small Birb Pann     7/21/2013 That's really cool, Grendel Man. Fate is definitely powerful, I suppose luck would be strongly tied to it, if not nearly the same thing. I also am beginning to think that there is no "one route" when it comes to the afterlife, so people just seem to end up whenever they might wish to be. When it comes to near-death experiences, there were stories of people who said they believed they'd be going to Heaven when they almost died, and they felt like they were there and being watched over. Those who were more agnostic and atheist just felt like they were in a random place, but it wasn't unpleasant, it felt peaceful. Then there are all the countless stories of people remembering their previous lives, and young children even better at remembering them. I also think there are such things as ghosts, a best friend of mine used to see them all the time in his parents' house, the neighborhood itself is notorious for being haunted. Anyway, sorry if none of this makes sense, just kinda tired haha. Small bird who lives here sometimes, and wanders other times. Got Creatures related content to share? Submit to Heck Yeah, Creatures! Icon by gettehld on twitter!   Malkin Manager     8/3/2013 Right now I'm trying to work out how to talk about my beliefs in a positive way, rather than a reactive kind of way - I'm leaning more towards a general atheistic/agnostic kind of view. I mean, I haven't thought about it in depth for a while, I probably can't rebut 'blind watchmakers' and all that convincingly, but that's what makes most sense to me, even if it's not always comforting. My TCR Norns   Ilaezha   8/3/2013 Grendel Man, that is very cool. I'd never thought of the idea of the "universal force" as being non-sentient, but I guess it does make some sense. It's a good explanation as to why bad things happen to good people. ^^ Since learning the Law of Attraction (I highly recommend reading about it) I have thought of the Universe as the unifying force and it's kind of sentient but not at the level people normally put gods on, but not completely without intention, if that makes sense.   magpie-angel     8/4/2013 i personally have no religion and don't believe in any gods myself but at the same time i'm open to something being out there so when me and my friends normally have a discussion on this subject seeing as i have a lot of christian and catholic friends i usually say "but if there are gods then i apologise" i believe in the afterlife however and spirits including ones that are less likely to exist in other peoples eyes like fairies and goblins since i was younger i've always seen things and from that point on i've just accepted that spirits exist but this is just from my personal experience i also believe in fate but that we have the power to change our fate is we get rid of the root cause of problems :3   Ilaezha   8/4/2013 Magpie-angel, I also believe in fairies and goblins. I believe in dragons, too, but not as part of my religion or anything. They're just too amazing to not exist.   Air Guitarist kezune     8/8/2013 It's strange but my husband is Pagan and I am atheist. (I can't remember which circle of gods he worships) Kokopelli is his patron diety. What's weird about it is that he's actually very passive about how he practices his religion and I, the atheist, am the one who's into all sorts of "New-Age" and "Eccentric" practices like tarot reading, meditation and yoga for enlightenment, chakras... that sort of thing. It might be more accurate to say that I'm buddhist but I never really identified myself with any particular religious school of thought and I actually practice tarot and chakra balancing more for fun than anything. I don't think when I do a tarot reading that it's telling me anything about anything except how my cards are shuffled. I dunno. It's fun. :/ Gods? I don't believe in any gods. I'm more interested in advances in science than in scientific oppression. Updated Rehosting Policy[/title]

downloads cobs adoptions creaturelink metarooms breeds   gallery art wallpaper screenshots graphics promos sprites dev hack shack script reservations dev resources active projects dev forum   community links advice chat polls resources creatchi   forum bookmarks general news help development strangeo survivor mycaves log in register lost pw 0 online creatures caves is your #1 resource for the creatures artificial life game series: creatures, creatures 2, creatures 3, docking station, and the upcoming creatures family. contact    help    privacy policy    terms & conditions    rules    donate    wiki