Elin by the Sea Posted March 14, 2019 Posted March 14, 2019 Probably fairly rare for someone interested in tarot, but I'm an agnostic atheist :) I would describe myself the same way, only with a serious bit of Theravada (Thai Forest) Buddhism thrown in. If we adhere to pedantic definition of atheist, then it's impossible to be both atheist and agnostic. But I'd rather keep things practical. I live my life as an atheist, but I can neither prove nor disprove the existence/non-existence of any higher power(s). So technically, I guess I'm an agnostic atheist wannabe :)
Rabbithorns Posted July 3, 2019 Posted July 3, 2019 I am a student, practitioner, (25 years) and teacher (15 years) of Tibetan Buddhism in the Gelugpa lineage. I did consider myself a buddhist since I was 17, though I had no specific lineage or teaching (other than books) until later in life.
Thoughtful Posted July 19, 2019 Posted July 19, 2019 On 10/14/2017 at 1:38 AM, Trogon said: However, in spite of all of this, I primarily believe that a person has got to find their own path to "salvation" and their own path to enlightenment. It is critical that a person understands the difference between these. Salvation is a religious belief that one must accept certain tenets of a particular dogma in order to gain one's entrance into "heaven". In Christianity, of course, that is the acceptance of Jesus as your personal savior. However, a great many Christian sects and/or cults, add a great pile of other rules and regulations which you also have to follow in order to gain your salvation. It is these rules and edicts, the dogma, which annoys me the most about main-stream religion. The whole "you must do what we tell you and do it the way we tell you" in order to get into "Heaven" thing is more about control and money, than it is about salvation. Enlightenment is, on the other hand, finding your own truth and discovering that you can have a direct connection to that truth and the cosmos ... on your own. Yes, teachers can be helpful, even vital in discovering your truth. But those teachers do not necessarily need to be in corporeal human form. Many of us are already aware of certain Spirit Guides who are helping us, individually, on our paths towards that enlightenment. This is not to say that the main-stream Judeo-Christian religions have no place, nor that they are bad. For many, many people, they are necessary and good and help them And for those of us who do better seeking our own paths, we have often started from a base in one main religion or other. But for us, it was not enough. Perhaps we found the dogma to be stale and meaningless, or maybe it was too restrictive. Instead, we wanted to find our own Truth. Most of us who do seek our paths discover that doing the "good works" are just the right thing to do and we really don't need the Church telling we should do them. All of this is something that we, as Tarot readers, should probably keep in mind. Many of our clients come to us because they might be feeling spiritually lost to one extent or another. They may need some ideas about what first steps they need to take to start finding their own path towards enlightenment. I have had one reading, many years ago, where a person was suffering depression and other spiritual issues. I remember their "advice" card was the Hierophant - along with other indicators. I told them the cards were saying they needed the direction and structure of the Church ... They started feeling better as soon as they went back. Have read all of this thread with great interest l wanted to bring Trogan's comments to the fore again. l have edited his text to select my own feelings and the ones in particular which resonated with me, it is where l feel comfortable today. Though Trogan's whole post is worth a second read. (page 1) Like some people here l have walked the many paths of religious belief. People are so diverse and likewise so are the many belief systems that exist. That's the beauty. We cannot all be packed into one sardine can, thank goodness we have the freedom to follow what sings to our heart. On 10/14/2017 at 1:38 AM, Trogon said:
AfternoonTarot Posted July 21, 2019 Posted July 21, 2019 I’ve really enjoyed reading about how everyone found their current path. I’m a secular humanist. Early on, my family of origin was Lutheran but then my parents joined one of the extreme Christian sects. When I was a teenager, they moved us to a commune to join a cult which fortunately disbanded after one year. It was the extremism that never set well with me, not the concepts of God or Christ. I rather enjoyed the idea of God. I just kept trying to make sense of everything and gradually settled upon my current path.
Netzach Posted July 21, 2019 Posted July 21, 2019 I just took the quiz mentioned by Trogon, at http://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/quizzes/beliefomatic.aspx?p=1 According to that, I'm New Age . . . which I'm not! I actually describe myself (playfully) as a Judaeo-Buddhist-Spiritualist-closet Christian! In other words, I was brought up Jewish, converted to Buddhism, became a Spiritualist when I discovered I was a medium, and have a strong affinity to the teachings of Jesus. In more serious mood, I describe myself as a Buddhist Spiritualist. I am somewhat shocked to find that in its long list of religions, the quiz doesn't even mention Spiritualism.
Halcyon Posted July 21, 2019 Posted July 21, 2019 I took the test too. I consider myself a progressive and open minded christian with an interest and even belief in other forms of worship including sufism buddhism and witchcraft. I got liberal Quaker lol
xTheHermitx Posted November 12, 2019 Posted November 12, 2019 I hate to "grave-dig", but this is a cool topic... I started as a good little Scandinavian/Germanic Lutheran kid thanks to my mom. My dad was an "along for the ride' Christian/Lutheran. Around 10 or 11 years old, I started having lots of questions about what they were telling me in church/Sunday school. Also at this time, I started getting into punk/metal music, and was getting the "anti-religion/Christianity" message from that world as well. Also became fascinated with D&D and fantasy fiction. All of this started to open up my eyes to other possibilities, and I started questioning. It was not an "F -you" violent rebellion like most of my friends...it was more of like a curiosity in the symbolism, stories and other elements of other religions. I think I was getting bored with Christianity. Another thing that happened was I noticed my dad quit going to church, and opted instead to go to the local parks, or some of the private farms we used for Boy Scout campouts, and spend Sunday mornings in nature. I would go with him sometimes - at mom's dismay - and found out that he was communing with nature...a pagan, and he didn't even know it!! He would also vehemently deny the label, stating that "pagans were just hippies looking for another excuse to get naked in the woods and smoke pot" <- (dad was a Marine Corps drill sergeant, and had come up in a pretty conservative white collar family) It was around 8th grade that I officially decided that the respect, and worship of nature was my thing. During this time, I was also really getting into my Swedish heritage, and really been studying the Norse mythos. I got my first rune set in 7th grade, and had memorized most of the important stories of the Norse cosmology. By freshman year of high school, I was reading runes, and owned a lot of the available books at the time (early 80's) and was secretly celebrating my own version of Asatru, even though I didn't know what that was. I also went through the Lutheran confirmation to keep mom happy, but by then was mentally replacing the names and prayers with versions of my own to the Norse gods. Funny cause I "left" the Christian church right after that. The whole time this was going on, I was also studying Western Hermetic Magik - thanks to the Ozzy song Mr. Crowley - and was loving the whole new world of secret signs, symbols and ideas waiting there. Obviously most of that going over my head, but being a huge fan of history, I immediately started reading about the people - John Dee, Eliphas Levi, Isreal Regardie etc...started learning about why people were getting into these studies and systems. Started learning about Qabbalah, Enochian, and other mystical systems. This whole time I was going to Catholic high school, but that was more to avoid the poor public school system we had. This led me to owning many books on the occult by the end of HS and my first tarot deck. College was an awesome time of learning and researching. One of the classes that really moved me was a World Religions class I had to take as (what I thought was going to be ) a BS "liberal arts time waster"...it ended up being a HUGE corner stone of my spiritual formation. Through my 20's, I got more enlightened about the nature of the concept of "the higher power" and the strive to get as close as a human can to having that knowledge...touching Ain Soph. By my 30's, I was still living in the "comfy" world of Asatru, but was thinking that my idea of what the higher power is was becoming less rooted in likening it to human qualities, and more to defining it as a place to be...a condition of mental and spiritual being. By 40, and as a result of all of my experiences up to that time, I felt like what I have been seeking, and what my religion is, is that of Balance. To me, ultimate peace, knowledge, and truth only happens when things are in balance.I feel like Ain Soph is Balance. True peace and happiness has to be a realization that all things happen for a reason, and too much of one thing causes imbalance...or evil as people call it. When things are out of balance, bad happens. But you can't have good without bad, so trying to avoid, or "hide" from bad is part of the problem. People always ask "is the glass half full, or half empty?" To me, it is just half. And that is all I need. I have always been this way. In D&D, I would consider my self Lawful Neutral. So my religion, at least right now would be that of Balance. I still celebrate in the Norse tradition, and commiserate with that pantheon in respect to my ancestors. Heimdall is my patron god in that realm. And I also follow The Norns closely. This is where I get my "warm/fuzzies". I even go to the Midnight Christmas celebration at my old Lutheran church with my mom becasue they do the whole service in German, and all by candle light...and that brings me in touch with something "medieval" about my spiritual history. there is a ton more stuff that led me here, and that is still pushing me on the path of discovery, but I won't go on Thank you if you read this whole "novel"!! i hope everyone lives in Complete Balance as much as the ycan!!
Decan Posted November 14, 2019 Posted November 14, 2019 (edited) I had converted to Buddhism some years ago thinking that this would have brought me something valuable in my life, peace of mind and all. I already talked about that on forums so it's something I can share even if I'm someone a bit private, well. Actually -and I made efforts and even changed of lineage one time too, so I insisted a bit- I finally decided to give up because so many of my experiences there were really negative. It's something I could detail but it would bore you and possibly hurt people who are in this religion. It's possible that "the state of grace" of Buddhism in the West is ended, this doesn't come from me but from someone well-known who said it. Yes, at least for me. Personally I'm happy to don't continue there, it had become a burden and nothing else. Possibly Aquarius people are not meant for that, it's what we can hear at times! Edited November 14, 2019 by Decan
bastetly Posted November 14, 2019 Posted November 14, 2019 13 hours ago, Decan said: It's possible that "the state of grace" of Buddhism in the West is ended, this doesn't come from me but from someone well-known who said it. Yes, at least for me. Personally I'm happy to don't continue there, it had become a burden and nothing else. Possibly Aquarius people are not meant for that, it's what we can hear at times! Not sure what that means?? I have tried several "religions" and over time, they or I, never really fit. I have my moon in Aquarius and am just too dam independent to follow anything closely, over time. I have my own ethics and yes, other leaders often conflict w those points of view, and then I get disgusted and leave. Too soon perhaps, but I've never regretted leaving the group-think mentality, never.
Decan Posted November 14, 2019 Posted November 14, 2019 (edited) @bastetly this refers particularly to Tibetan Buddhism; I think the initial enthusiasm in the West isn’t anymore what it was, due to repetitive problems over time. Well... Edited November 14, 2019 by Decan
katrinka Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 (edited) On 11/11/2019 at 11:49 PM, xTheHermitx said: People always ask "is the glass half full, or half empty?" To me, it is just half. And that is all I need. I have always been this way. In D&D, I would consider my self Lawful Neutral. Chaotic Neutral here. And here's the test for anyone who wants to take it. http://easydamus.com/alignmenttest.html I've never played D&D, nor do I desire to, but the alignments are actually pretty spot-on. Edited November 15, 2019 by katrinka
xTheHermitx Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 (edited) 21 minutes ago, katrinka said: Chaotic Neutral here. And here's the test for anyone who wants to take it. http://easydamus.com/alignmenttest.html I've never played D&D, nor do I desire to, but the alignments are actually pretty spot-on. funny b/c in the early days of D&D, chaotic neutral was likened to insanity. We actually weren't allowed to play it in most campaigns b/c truly role playing it bogged the game down. I think the description above is more "PC"... gonna take the quiz real quick... yep...lawful neutral Lawful Neutral- A lawful neutral character acts as law, tradition, or a personal code directs him. Order and organization are paramount to him. He may believe in personal order and live by a code or standard, or he may believe in order for all and favor a strong, organized government. Lawful neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you are reliable and honorable without being a zealot. However, lawful neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it seeks to eliminate all freedom, choice, and diversity in society. Detailed Results:Alignment:Lawful Good ----- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (29) Neutral Good ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (24) Chaotic Good ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (18) Lawful Neutral -- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (29) True Neutral ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (24) Chaotic Neutral - XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (18) Lawful Evil ----- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (15) Neutral Evil ---- XXXXXXXXXX (10) Chaotic Evil ---- XXXX (4)Law & Chaos:Law ----- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (15) Neutral - XXXXXXXXXX (10) Chaos --- XXXX (4)Good & Evil:Good ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXX (14) Neutral - XXXXXXXXXXXXXX (14) Evil ---- (0) Edited November 15, 2019 by xTheHermitx
katrinka Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 11 minutes ago, xTheHermitx said: funny b/c in the early days of D&D, chaotic neutral was likened to insanity. We actually weren't allowed to play it in most campaigns b/c truly role playing it bogged the game down. I think the description above is more "PC"... Well, there's certainly a sizable gap between "the best alignment" and "bugsh*t", lol. I checked Wikipedia - they're not infallible, but they're well-vetted. It doesn't say much one way or another. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alignment_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons)#Chaotic_neutral
FLizarraga Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 3 minutes ago, katrinka said: Well, there's certainly a sizable gap between "the best alignment" and "bugsh*t", lol. I checked Wikipedia - they're not infallible, but they're well-vetted. It doesn't say much one way or another. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alignment_(Dungeons_%26_Dragons)#Chaotic_neutral Huh. I have never played D&D, but the test is interesting. I ranked Chaotic Good, FWIW. Not sure about the "good," but the "chaotic" part fits me to a T. 😁
xTheHermitx Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 ...and it is funny cause as I was taking the test, I thought I was going to come out as lawful good, but the description of LN and the further reading on the page about comparing it to more modern definitions sort of nailed how I feel my beleif system has evolved
katrinka Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 It's a more accurate test than a lot of the accepted ones like Myers-Briggs, IMO. (Every time I take a Myers-Briggs quiz, I get something different.) And that's pretty cool - I don't think whoever developed this was going for accuracy, they were just inventing a game and it happened. I found an article that discusses negative aspects of Chaotic Neutral. https://hobbylark.com/tabletop-gaming/How-to-Play-a-Chaotic-Neutral-Character-in-Dungeons-and-Dragons A lot of it fits, but some of it doesn't fit at all and comes off as sociopathic. As best as I can figure, when you play the game you have to be a "pure type". But if you take the quiz for yourself, you get those X's at the bottom of your results. My highest rankings are Chaos and Neutral, but I have a lot of X's in Good and Neutral as well. By contrast, I have extremely low scores in Law and Evil. So I guess my Chaotic Neutral is tempered with Neutral Good.
katrinka Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 57 minutes ago, xTheHermitx said: ...and it is funny cause as I was taking the test, I thought I was going to come out as lawful good, but the description of LN and the further reading on the page about comparing it to more modern definitions sort of nailed how I feel my beleif system has evolved On your "Good & Evil" axis, Neutral and Good are actually tied with 14 each. So I would think both LN and LG would fit. And you got 0 Evil - that's pretty cool. :)
xTheHermitx Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 funny about the evil thing because many people I know would call me evil b/c of my look, my obvious association with heavy metal (via my look; clothing; vernacular; pretty much everything...), and the fact that I do not follow the mainstream in any way....I am pretty open about my disdain for the dogmatic side of ...but people who get to know me say that they are more comfortable/trusting around me than anyone else they know. but I also could identify with neutral good, and probably more realistically do. And in D&D, I almost always played NG characters
katrinka Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, xTheHermitx said: funny about the evil thing because many people I know would call me evil b/c of my look, my obvious association with heavy metal (via my look; clothing; vernacular; pretty much everything...) People are still freaked out by THAT? Hoo boy... Edited November 15, 2019 by katrinka
Decan Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 Lawful Neutral for me 🥴 I'm a bit disappointed because I thought that I would have been much more chaotic, well no one is perfect lol!
jupiter Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 1 hour ago, Decan said: Lawful Neutral for me 🥴 I'm a bit disappointed because I thought that I would have been much more chaotic, well no one is perfect lol! Same here 🙄😅 I grew up Roman Catholic – left the church when I was 19. While I do believe in higher forces, the major religions all hold the same weight for me. There are always elements that I agree with very much, so-so and not at all. I'm very much interested in everything, but more from the mythical side.
devin Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 (edited) Interesting, I came out neutral good. Which probably describes me politically, too (I'm an old fashioned social democrat). Quote Neutral Good- A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do. He is devoted to helping others. He works with kings and magistrates but does not feel beholden to them. Neutral good is the best alignment you can be because it means doing what is good without bias for or against order. However, neutral good can be a dangerous alignment because when it advances mediocrity by limiting the actions of the truly capable. On the religion front, I've over the past year or so been drawn further and further into the orbit of Christian mysticism of the desert / Celtic variety. It's a meditative / non-dual philosophy but with explicit theist elements. It feels good. I think it's made me a nicer person to be around. Edited November 15, 2019 by devin
gregory Posted November 15, 2019 Posted November 15, 2019 Quote True Neutral True Neutral- A true neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. He doesn't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most true neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil after all, he would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, he's not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way. Some true neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run. True neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion. However, true neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it represents apathy, indifference, and a lack of conviction. Detailed Results:Alignment:Lawful Good ----- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (16) Neutral Good ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (20) Chaotic Good ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (16) Lawful Neutral -- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17) True Neutral ---- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (21) Chaotic Neutral - XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (17) Lawful Evil ----- XXXXXXXX (8) Neutral Evil ---- XXXXXXXXXXXX (12) Chaotic Evil ---- XXXXXXXX (8)Law & Chaos:Law ----- XXXXXX (6) Neutral - XXXXXXXXXX (10) Chaos --- XXXXXX (6)Good & Evil:Good ---- XXXXXXXXXX (10) Neutral - XXXXXXXXXXX (11) Evil ---- XX (2) Figures. Colour me lazy !
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