dawn of ns Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 In light of all the, "what religion are you?" threads I'd just see how many atheists and agnostics are here. I'm waffling on being agnostic myself but even as a Christian I tended to gravitate towards atheist message boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deidre in GA Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 :rofl: quaker universalist probably doesn't count as heathen but i must say your subject line query is definitely my giggle of the day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I got 95% Liberal Quaker in addition to my 100% UU (which I can't get into at all these days). There's a Quaker church on my street, so I am thinking of going. Plus, yk, I love the Harmony books. ;) Heathen is such a great word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 In light of all the, "what religion are you?" threads I'd just see how many atheists and agnostics are here. I'm waffling on being agnostic myself but even as a Christian I tended to gravitate towards atheist message boards. Was there a Heathen result on the religion quiz? I only saw neo-pagan. In my experience, people who call themselves neo-pagan tend to be wiccan, and people who call themselves Heathen tend to be Norse or Greek reconstructionists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 and according to one of the polls....there are more here than I thought! Tammy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 and the Christian in me keeps praying about it. Go figure.:001_huh: I too tend to gravitate towards secular boards. I feel like a fraud when I'm in mostly Christian groups. This is MY problem. I don't blame anyone and no one has made me feel unwelcome. I just think there is an assumption in our area that you home school for religious reasons. I remember being really turned off at homeschool gathering when the lead speaker suggested that we all agreed that "The Golden Compass" was a movie that we shouldn't see. I will make that decision for myself, thank you. Please offer up your arguments and don't just make a blanket statement... FWIW, I was also turned off to my library's book group because the discussion leader said, "I think we all agree that George Bush stole the election." Um, no.... I didn't know I was at a covert meeting of the DNC, I thought I was at a BOOK discussion group meeting? "Groupthink" turns me off. :rant: Okay, I'm done. Back to school. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deidre in GA Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I got 95% Liberal Quaker in addition to my 100% UU (which I can't get into at all these days). There's a Quaker church on my street, so I am thinking of going. Plus, yk, I love the Harmony books. ;) Heathen is such a great word. not all Quaker meetings are liberal though given you're in new england, there's a good chance your local meeting is. there are even evangelical quakers. you can check on the quaker finder. not proselytizing mind you, because quaker universalists disdain that! we'd rather be called heathen than proselytizers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibbyl Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 In light of all the, "what religion are you?" threads I'd just see how many atheists and agnostics are here. I'm waffling on being agnostic myself but even as a Christian I tended to gravitate towards atheist message boards. I thought that a heathen was a polytheist. Instead of using the atheist and agnostic labels, I prefer to describe my position so that others can apply the label of their choice. Based upon evidence and observation to date, I am firmly convinced that there are no gods, goddesses, fairies, demons, angels, honest investment bankers, etc. Gods were created by man in effort to assuage anxiety resulting from the uncertainty of life in an indifferent universe. However, should OBJECTIVE verifiable evidence arise, I certainly am open to changing my mind. And subjective emotionalism and hearsay do not constitute evidence. *No one* can say with 100% certainty what happens after death, which is why I prefer the term "firmly convinced" to describe where I stand. People can't simply choose to believe something. They will know they are lying to themselves. Even as a child, I was never able to believe because the basic premise of christianity (and other religions) just did not make logical sense. Too much of it seems to be rooted in fear of death. When I had read part of old testament when my 3rd grade public school class had to sell bibles, I was able to discern that those stories had elements in common with fairy tales and Greek and Roman myths. Later when I was exposed to the creation myths of other cultures, the christian story still did not sound any more credible than did any of the others. As an adult, finally I read rest of bible because I fleetingly wanted to conform to the society around me. I thought if I read the whole thing along with apologist books that I'd "get it." The endeavor backfired and only served to strengthen my existing position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn of ns Posted October 1, 2008 Author Share Posted October 1, 2008 I probably should have just gone for atheist/agnostic tibbyl. :D That's the next thread! Turns out heathen can mean those unconverted to the Abrahamic religions or those that are "irreligious, uncivilized, or unenlightened." So atheist, agnostic, wiccan, pagan, hindu...all would fit in this thread apparently! That's probably not a bad thing as I bet we all feel a little outside of things quite often on homeschooling boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Oh! Me too! I'm so glad to see I'm not alone. I've been struggling with not fitting in to my mostly Christian surroundings lately. Thanks for this thread. Cheers me up a bit. Now, do any of you live in Vegas? :o) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsdash Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Well, I took that religion quiz. The first time it told me I believed in Sikhism. I didn't like that answer because I never heard of it, lol. I looked it up, didn't seem right. I took the test again and it says : 1. Neo-Pagan (100%) 2. Sikhism (96%) 3. Unitarian Universalism (96%) 4. Jainism (94%) 5. Liberal Quakers (94%) So I'm a heathen. I knew that. :confused1: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I probably should have just gone for atheist/agnostic tibbyl. :D That's the next thread! Turns out heathen can mean those unconverted to the Abrahamic religions or those that are "irreligious, uncivilized, or unenlightened." So atheist, agnostic, wiccan, pagan, hindu...all would fit in this thread apparently! That's probably not a bad thing as I bet we all feel a little outside of things quite often on homeschooling boards. Well, I'm an atheist then. I know people who call themselves heathens, and they are Norse reconstructionists. Heathen originally meant "people of the heath"- lands covered in heather, who were generally not converted to the Abrahamic religions. These people were generally polytheists. I agree that people who do not follow Abrahamic religions tend to feel a little outside of things in most circles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 My son is a Pastafarian, despite all of my attempts to train him as a fallen Catholic. I mean, it's important to have well versed/educated agitators out there... :cool: asta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibbyl Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 (edited) My son is a Pastafarian, despite all of my attempts to train him as a fallen Catholic. I mean, it's important to have well versed/educated agitators out there... :cool: asta Yes, but where does his true allegiance lie? A conservative Pastafarian who believes salvation is only available through al dente freshly prepared noodles? A mainline Pastafarian who extends possibilty of salvation to rice and potato based pasta worshippers as well as the traditional wheat pastas? Or one of those leftish liberal Pastafarians who embrace and welcome ALL noodle worshippers, including those brightly colored long cylindrical styrofoam noodles used for water play? Edited October 1, 2008 by tibbyl omitted words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 (edited) I don't consider myself Christian, but neither do I eschew spirituality or general belief in a higher power. What does that make me, besides odd? ;) ETA: The quiz -- which I *just* took -- says Neo-Pagan or UU. Okie-dokey. Edited October 1, 2008 by Doran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runamuk Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I thought that a heathen was a polytheist. Instead of using the atheist and agnostic labels, I prefer to describe my position so that others can apply the label of their choice. Based upon evidence and observation to date, I am firmly convinced that there are no gods, goddesses, fairies, demons, angels, honest investment bankers, etc. Gods were created by man in effort to assuage anxiety resulting from the uncertainty of life in an indifferent universe. However, should OBJECTIVE verifiable evidence arise, I certainly am open to changing my mind. And subjective emotionalism and hearsay do not constitute evidence. *No one* can say with 100% certainty what happens after death, which is why I prefer the term "firmly convinced" to describe where I stand. People can't simply choose to believe something. They will know they are lying to themselves. Even as a child, I was never able to believe because the basic premise of christianity (and other religions) just did not make logical sense. Too much of it seems to be rooted in fear of death. When I had read part of old testament when my 3rd grade public school class had to sell bibles, I was able to discern that those stories had elements in common with fairy tales and Greek and Roman myths. Later when I was exposed to the creation myths of other cultures, the christian story still did not sound any more credible than did any of the others. As an adult, finally I read rest of bible because I fleetingly wanted to conform to the society around me. I thought if I read the whole thing along with apologist books that I'd "get it." The endeavor backfired and only served to strengthen my existing position. Wow. I could have written this post, only not quite as eloquently. And I, too, often feel like a fraud in many of the local Christian groups, to the point where I no longer attend any groups that are bible-based (which leaves me a bit high and dry). I feel like I'm expected to be something I'm not even though no one has said anything to me about my beliefs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I don't consider myself Christian, but neither do I eschew spirituality or general belief in a higher power. What does that make me, besides odd? ;) Um, rational? asta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn of ns Posted October 1, 2008 Author Share Posted October 1, 2008 Yes, but where does his true allegiance lie? A conservative Pastafarian who believes salvation is only available through al dente freshly prepared noodles? A mainline Pastafarian who extends possibilty of salvation to rice and potato based pasta worshippers as well as the traditional wheat pastas? Or one of those leftish liberal Pastafarians who embrace and welcome ALL noodle worshippers, including those brightly colored long cylindrical styrofoam noodles used for water play? All this ridiculous talk about pasta when we COULD be talking about the truth that is the Invisible Pink Unicorn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 When I was in college, my roommate dubbed herself The Happy Heathen, so I donned the name The Proud Pagan. I don't really consider myself Pagan any more (though I still scored somewhere in the 90's as Neo-Pagan on the quiz.) But since I'm not a monotheist (I'm a pantheist/panentheist) that makes me a Heathen by some definitions, right? I *try* to follow the teachings of the Buddha (though on some days I do a better job of it than others, and yesterday wasn't such a good day), so I'm not sure if Buddhists are considered Heathens. But it's cool with me, I kinda like the label. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticamethyst Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I took the test and I am a Neo-Pagan first then came Hindiusm. I do not think I would consider myself a Wiccan or Hindu. I really just try to do what is right. I have taught and will continue to teach the 10 commandments, because they are good. I will continue to teach myself and children that it is better to give than receive. Do unto others as you want others to do unto you. In the end, I am a good person and surround myself with other good people. What a person chooses to believe or not believe is one thing, but it's how a person puts thoses beliefs into practice that really says something about who they are inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthwestMom Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Dh and I are both agnostic, and our 9yo ds is firmly atheist, which makes for some very uncomfortable conversations with some of the evangelical Christians in our social circle. We try to be respectful of the religious beliefs of everyone we meet, and we hope that they will be respectful of our positions too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I consider myself to be a heathen. However, I took the quiz and my results were UU, Theravada Buddhism, and then Liberal Quaker. Hm. Once I worked for a man who considered my husband and I to be heathens because we watched South Park. Who knew that what you watch on television is one of the defining characteristics of your spirituality? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 and I have believed that way since I was a child attending Catholic school. But when people ask my religious orientation I usually respond, "lapsed Catholic". Somehow that shuts down discussion about my immortal soul or the possibility that deep down I may be searching for deeper meaning (or a home chuch). Kind of like, "BTDT, tried it, didn't like it." Barb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Sherry Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Once I worked for a man who considered my husband and I to be heathens because we watched South Park. Who knew that what you watch on television is one of the defining characteristics of your spirituality? That's funny. I hope he was joking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 and I have believed that way since I was a child attending Catholic school. But when people ask my religious orientation I usually respond, "lapsed Catholic". Somehow that shuts down discussion about my immortal soul or the possibility that deep down I may be searching for deeper meaning (or a home chuch). Kind of like, "BTDT, tried it, didn't like it." Barb Yep. They all move away from you on the bench. (cheap Alice's Restaurant reference) I'm incorrigible: I like to have theological arguments with people, usually in homeschool groups (IRL). To that end, I make a point to stay on top of the comings and goings of the Roman Catholic Church. I blame my mom: she's a theologian and insisted that I learn this crap... Well - I learned it! asta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Right now, I'm just kind of... nothing. I got heavily UU and neo-pagan on the BeliefNet quiz, but I'm just not very religious or belief-filled about much of anything right now. I've gone through phases of more belief. If I had to pin myself down with a label, I'd call myself an agnostic. But I don't even wear that very comfortably. :tongue_smilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Heathen, secular humanist, agnostic, pastafarian- any of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I'm agnostic, DH and FIL are both 100% atheist. The kids say they are atheist, and I tell them that's perfectly fine, but that they should keep in mind that there are big questions out there that will require a lot of thinking as they get older. I tell them that they will come to their own conclusions no matter what their friends or family say. ;) I have warned them that people will try to get them to change their minds, and there is a difference between keeping an open mind and considering things, and just going along with what other people think. It can be very hard to be an "unbeliever" surrounded by "believers". Even in situations that are supposed to be secular! We attended a secular co-op once and my kids were taken aside and asked if they believed in God, preached at about Christmas, and were told that Harry Potter is evil. That's not too bad, actually, but can you imagine how it would have gone over if I had done the opposite? Taken a child aside to question their belief in God, or told them that Christmas is a stolen pagan holiday, or given them a copy of Harry Potter with the promise that it's a really good series regardless of what their parents may think? Not that we would ever in a million years do that, but sometimes just seeing it from the other side shows how respect really does need to go both ways!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I thought that a heathen was a polytheist. Instead of using the atheist and agnostic labels, I prefer to describe my position so that others can apply the label of their choice. Based upon evidence and observation to date, I am firmly convinced that there are no gods, goddesses, fairies, demons, angels, honest investment bankers, etc. Gods were created by man in effort to assuage anxiety resulting from the uncertainty of life in an indifferent universe. However, should OBJECTIVE verifiable evidence arise, I certainly am open to changing my mind. And subjective emotionalism and hearsay do not constitute evidence. *No one* can say with 100% certainty what happens after death, which is why I prefer the term "firmly convinced" to describe where I stand. People can't simply choose to believe something. They will know they are lying to themselves. Even as a child, I was never able to believe because the basic premise of christianity (and other religions) just did not make logical sense. Too much of it seems to be rooted in fear of death. When I had read part of old testament when my 3rd grade public school class had to sell bibles, I was able to discern that those stories had elements in common with fairy tales and Greek and Roman myths. Later when I was exposed to the creation myths of other cultures, the christian story still did not sound any more credible than did any of the others. As an adult, finally I read rest of bible because I fleetingly wanted to conform to the society around me. I thought if I read the whole thing along with apologist books that I'd "get it." The endeavor backfired and only served to strengthen my existing position. :D :iagree: But, I still like to say I'm agnostic, always open to new ideas and understanding. ;) Oh, and I celebrate all the classic holidays including Halloween (pumpkins and such). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I find it interesting that while you talk about respect for people's beliefs, some of you (and your children) align yourselves with a website that makes fun of Christianity. Is this "respect" one-sided? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 (edited) Ah, my people! I didn't realize just how many of us are here!!! :lol: I waver between atheist and agnostic. Most days I'm agnostic. For my DH's sake I've explored my spiritual leanings and, well...I just don't lean that far! I'm coming to terms with it though. I am struggling with my DD6's beliefs. She's a big fan of anything mystical, so she's taken all of the things my mom, DH, and MIL have told her about Christianity and Catholicism very much to heart. Of course, she also believes that is she says a "prayer" on a party snap and throws it out the kitchen window, her "prayer" will "come true." So we have a little ways to go :lol: I don't ever directly contradict what DH tells her, but we've had lots of discussions about what I believe, and what many, many other people believe (lots of different things). I will say that it bothers me very much when I go into her room and find her reading her cartoonized version of the Bible though! Edited October 1, 2008 by melissel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I find it interesting that while you talk about respect for people's beliefs, some of you (and your children) align yourselves with a website that makes fun of Christianity. Is this "respect" one-sided? I'm guessing that you're referring to the FSM stuff? I think there's a difference between making fun of people who are trying to get ID/Creationism taught in public schools, and making fun of Christianity. The FSM thing was created specifically in response to the Kansas school boards' decision. It isn't criticizing Christianity in general, just that subset of people who have politicized this particular aspect of their faith. Many Christians don't support ID/Creationism at all. And others who do support it aren't actively trying to get it taught in schools. I don't think anyone is making fun of those groups, who are probably actually the majority of Christians, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula in PA Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I usually describe myself as Atheist Pagan, but on the quiz I came up 100% Secular Humanist. I guess that actually does make sense. Dh is a Deist Pagan (his words) and dd is somewhere in between right now. She's still learning about various religions / spiritual beliefs, but leans toward Paganism with the Greek pantheon. I think that came from watching too much Zena & Hercules! :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deeke Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I came up 100% secular humanist on the quiz also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 not all Quaker meetings are liberal though given you're in new england, there's a good chance your local meeting is. there are even evangelical quakers. you can check on the quaker finder. not proselytizing mind you, because quaker universalists disdain that! we'd rather be called heathen than proselytizers. A persons faith certainly is no laughing matter, but the term Quaker Finder has me in an ongoing fit of giggles. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deece in MN Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 (edited) Well, I don't really claim any title at this point. For a long time I was following a pagan path, but I think I am at a point of being atheist (though I don't feel the need to claim the title). I do like to read about topics from both a religious vs. secular viewpoint (things like evolution vs. creation, global warming, life after death, etc.) as it is interesting to see the topic from different perspectives. We have always been open with our dc about our beliefs and they have gone to church and have been exposed to a variety of belief systems. My ds is leaning towards being atheist and my dd is not claiming any title and is still open to new thoughts/ideas. I am at a point of letting it all go. I am tired of "covering up" who I am which is why I have pretty much pulled out of all the hs'ing group activities in our area. It is nice that they can be themselves now. I remember when we were part of a co-op and I would have my ds change out of the Harry Potter shirt he put on if it was co-op day because I didn't want to have to deal with the questions/comments that would arise because of it. I never claimed to be religious, but I wouldn't volunteer that I was not. Though, in the past few years I have been more open about the fact that we are secular. We really are not accepted by the homeschoolers in this area, but we are ok with that (though I do have to say there are a couple families that like us :)). We are finding other social outlets and focusing our schooling at home which has worked out soo much better. It is nice to see that there is a "heathen" presence here. It helps to know that we are not alone. :) Edited October 1, 2008 by Deece in MN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibbyl Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 (edited) I'm guessing that you're referring to the FSM stuff? I think there's a difference between making fun of people who are trying to get ID/Creationism taught in public schools, and making fun of Christianity. The FSM thing was created specifically in response to the Kansas school boards' decision. It isn't criticizing Christianity in general, just that subset of people who have politicized this particular aspect of their faith. Many Christians don't support ID/Creationism at all. And others who do support it aren't actively trying to get it taught in schools. I don't think anyone is making fun of those groups, who are probably actually the majority of Christians, right? But don't the Christians who do support ID claim that it is not necessarily chirstian in nature? Ironically, it was a methodist preacher's wife who introduced me to the fsm site. Edited October 1, 2008 by tibbyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I find it interesting that while you talk about respect for people's beliefs, some of you (and your children) align yourselves with a website that makes fun of Christianity. Is this "respect" one-sided? What website? I'm missing something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 :seeya: I'm an atheist. I used to say I was an agnostic, but then I found I agreed with Richard Dawkins who pointed out that many people take that to mean you're 50/50 on whether there's a god. Since I'm more 99.9% sure there's no supreme being looking down benevelently on us, I switched to saying I'm an atheist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibbyl Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 (edited) . Edited October 1, 2008 by tibbyl not into philosophy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Well, LOL, depending upon your definition of heathen, I probably resemble that remark (or most people probably think I do, anyway). I and a whole group of other folks in my area have tended to gravitate away from the "Christian" homeschool groups and toward more secular endeavors over the years, simply because we've felt dismayed at one time or another by how we've seen these groups treat others who haven't thought precisely as they do on some particular point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Jenny Flint Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Dh and I are both Atheist. Also for me, the reason is that I read and agreed with Richard Dawkins' assessment of the term "agnostic." To the poster who wrote about people hanging out on websites that poke fun at Christians yet claiming respect for other religious leanings- I think that what we do within the confines of our homes and our private thoughts and conversations within family or like-minded circles should not be analyzed nor ridiculed. It is how we conduct ourselves around others who believe differently than we do that matters. I have run the gamut of religious seeking and I have read and studied much of the Bible. I am able to meet my conservative, fundamentalist Christian in-laws where they are. I never put down their ideas or their religious habits; instead, I listen carefully and respond in kind. I can speak to them in their language, accept their prayers gratefully, etc. I can use supportive Bible quotes to help them in a tough situation. I can acknowledge the importance of their faith *for them.* Where I draw the line is: I don't want someone else telling me how to believe, where I am going for not believing, or teaching my children that my beliefs and values are wrong. Bottom line: I am sure that there are things that others giggle about in their discussions with their families and friends that I would be completely offended by. That's okay. But, I need to be given the same privilege to giggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Just for brevity, I say I'm either a witch or a pagan. People tend to get "witch" confused with "Wiccan" though, and I really don't like that, so if I say pagan it is more broad in nature. However, I'm specifically a non-deist witch who celebrates pagan holidays. I don't believe in nor worship any deities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaik76 Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Heathen is a funny word...when we converted to Orthodoxy the little old ladies at our church called my in-laws "heathens"...because they are Methodist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennifersLost Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I used to be pagan until suddenly I became an atheist. I just couldn't keep "believing" in anything anymore and I'm tired of trying. Whenever I get a "feeling" that I used to associate with belief in higher powers I try to simply "feel" it and try to trace its source. I'm not coming to any great conclusions that way, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I'm a nothing. Does that count? I did the quiz and it said I should either be a Unitarian Universalist, Neo-Pagan, or Quaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibbyl Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Dh and I are both Atheist. Also for me, the reason is that I read and agreed with Richard Dawkins' assessment of the term "agnostic." To the poster who wrote about people hanging out on websites that poke fun at Christians yet claiming respect for other religious leanings- I think that what we do within the confines of our homes and our private thoughts and conversations within family or like-minded circles should not be analyzed nor ridiculed. It is how we conduct ourselves around others who believe differently than we do that matters. I have run the gamut of religious seeking and I have read and studied much of the Bible. I am able to meet my conservative, fundamentalist Christian in-laws where they are. I never put down their ideas or their religious habits; instead, I listen carefully and respond in kind. I can speak to them in their language, accept their prayers gratefully, etc. I can use supportive Bible quotes to help them in a tough situation. I can acknowledge the importance of their faith *for them.* Where I draw the line is: I don't want someone else telling me how to believe, where I am going for not believing, or teaching my children that my beliefs and values are wrong. Bottom line: I am sure that there are things that others giggle about in their discussions with their families and friends that I would be completely offended by. That's okay. But, I need to be given the same privilege to giggle. Your post reminds me of the following Mencken quote: We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Weirdly, I come up highest as Liberal/Mainline Protestant, even though I checked off that I see Jesus as a prophet or teacher (one of many) but not divine - I thought that would be a prerequisite? Next comes Liberal Quaker. Unitarian is even further down. And waaaaay down at the very bottom of the list, after Buddhism, Hinduism, Neo-Paganism and any number of other religions, dead last, are Conservative Protestant and Catholic. Anyway, I don't self-identify as Christian even though I celebrate the holidays and at least according to belief.net haven't strayed tooo far, I don't qualify as Christian by any of the most current definitions - I'm not "saved", I don't believe in the divinity of Jesus, I can't even really say I follow the teachings of Jesus, because the latter I think would require me to have actually read more than one or two small parts of the Bible. I tend to think of myself more as a Deist - did belief.net have that as an option (I actually took the quiz a long time ago)? Maybe I don't really know what that means! I go to a UCC (liberal Xtian) and UU combined church that doesn't require any particular set of beliefs. In fact I took the quiz as part of a "Building Your Own Theology" workshop. I am very fortunate that the IRL homeschooling community here is very diverse. The one time I had someone jump down my throat about my beliefs was not a conservative Christian friend but an atheist friend who wanted me to defend my reasons for attending a church... :confused: I have been known to self-identify as a heathen, though. :D Nice little catch-all term... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Lynx Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Well, i'd answer to "heathen" because I always assume the pagan definition. My kids are pretty much all atheist or agnostic. Well ... except for one, who has managed to grow up in this family and believe in one god, and heaven and hell. If you ask him, he'll often tell you that that god is Zeus. However, I would not at all be surprised if he became Christian at some point in his life. His brothers ... well, we always have interesting discussions whenever we hit the religion bits of the Cub Scout badges :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 All this ridiculous talk about pasta when we COULD be talking about the truth that is the Invisible Pink Unicorn. Cast off your sandal, follow the gourd! Sorry Monty Python reference. Couldn't resist. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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