2 Comments:

Dave8 wrote:

T,ytotp: "I agree with your preferance of religion. I am an atheist but two religeons I truly respect is Wicca and Buddism."

"Both initiates and solitary Wiccans worship the Goddess, with most also choosing to worship the God, and both celebrate the Sabbats and Esbats."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goddess

I respect any belief system a person holds personally as Truth... However, I take reservation when a belief systems alters a persons' concept of physical reality, and affects society in a negative manner... Typically, those who seem "down to earth" have a much more lucid grasp of their position in life, and better capable to make decisions accordingly...

Noting that Wiccans practice the supernatural essence of goddess and/or Horn God, depending on the coven, there is much one need research on the Value of the worship, and the purpose... I suppose, communal affairs is one benefit, however, I suppose no one need a purpose to have a belief in a personal sense, but... its nothing I could be invovled with, I look for tangible benefits for my actions, in a deterministic manner... If I could reach these tangible benefits, without the religious practice, there would exist the question, as to the "need" for the religious association...

Wiccans... do have their belief system founded on mythological origins... And, is based on an "alternate" reality, where a preternatural being(s) exist, and can be invoked through ritual(s), or in varied exercises, with multiple practices and ritual(s)... I suppose one would have to be closely associated to one of the three covens to be a formal initiate for more in depth formal practices, but, one can always go solo, I suppose...

On the Goddess...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goddess

T,ytotp: "Pagan beliefs allow you to live your life with hapiness, not fear or worry."

That would be a soloist view... from my experience...

T,ytotp: "Buddism provides the real morals and goodness a person should have."

Well, Buddhism... one form of religious or philosophyical practice, that attempts to enlighten a person to the point of nirvana, and release from the endless cycle of suffering through reincarnation... One gains through prajna, hopefully, to get to the balanced origin of their being...

Buddhism, allows for supernatural/preternatural deities, and does in many schools of thought, teach that these forces have as much influence on daily lives, as humans... and there are rituals that are directly associated in keeping balance with these supernatural forces...

T,ytotp: "Both bring you closer to nature and alow you to find yourself."

Anytime, SuperNatural enters the picture, one is never really sure at any minute whether the SuperNatural forces are being positive or negative in ones' life... Indeed, if a person believed to the point, that these forces did in fact "influence" their lives... This does remove ones perception of focus on the "natural" reality, in varying degrees... those who lean heavily toward supernatural influences in their lives make decisions in their natural life, much differently than those who do not believe in "interactive" supernatural forces...

T,ytotp: "Who said relaxation and hapiness sinful."

I agree, relaxation and happiness are good qualities, and if a person needs to believe in the supernatural to get them from day to day, then its their personal belief and their right... I just don't prefer to rely on things I can't really "know", by personal experience in the natural... totally... its the total separation for me, from the supernatural that allows me to have peace and happiness... no rituals, no practices that require me to restrict my knowledge to a finite framework... I am happy being physically and mentally free to expand beyond "closed" systems of knowledge... I am more of a three-dimensional thinker...

T,ytotp: "Jo, Dave AND Lucy, justlive your lives. Don't waste your time worring about the worlds problems like me."

I agree, one must definitely take the time to smell the roses in life... In a manner of speaking however, I find it hard in these days and times, to totally remove myself from social influences that seem to threaten Individuality and freedoms... and thus, I have to remain part of the "whole" in order to keep a balance... When a society becomes off balanced, due to being subjected to belief systems that remove them from "physical" reality for too long, the whole becomes susceptible to the "few" charismatics, and typically their agenda of world domination, etc... By focusing on the "natural" world and environment, and critically filtering information, its a little more difficult to be misled, and duped...

T,ytotp: "PEACE!"

Peace...

posted: November 25, 2005  

Dave8 wrote:

Jo: "Hi Dave8, I am rather new to this site but I have seen some of your posts on other testimonies, nice to have you post on mine again."

Hey Jo, its always nice to talk about life, in a free atmosphere, I enjoy reading your posts also, hope to see you more often, take care... Dave

posted: November 25, 2005  

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