Are you religious?

Ross_Alumni

World Religion Day

World Religion Day is celebrated every January on the third Sunday of the month. The aim of World Religion Day is to promote understanding and peace between all religions, encouraging people to learn about other faiths and their followers.
It was initially started by followers of the Bahá’í faith. This is a faith that was founded in 1863 in Iraq. Bahá’ís believe that all religions have common features and that all religions should be respected. They believe that there is one God who is known by different names in all religions. In their faith, this God is the reason for the development of all religions over the years. Followers of the Bahá’í faith believe that all humans are born equal, and that we all have the same rights regardless of the religion or creed we follow. With that philosophy in mind World Religion Day was first held in 1949. 

Educational resource

As part of World Religion Day, we thought we would share this open learn education resource with you, which will tell you a little more about the event, from it's history to how it is celebrated.

Your relationship with religion

• Do any of you follow a particular faith? 
• What do you think of the values promoted by World Religion Day?
• Is there an aspect of religion that you particularly admire?

66Mustang

I don’t follow any religion but I don’t subscribe to the idea that religion is bad and don’t agree with people, such as Ricky Gervais, who say this. People accuse religion of starting wars but I don’t think it did, I think bloodthirsty people started the wars and if it was not for religion they would have found some other reason to go to war.

I find religion really interesting myself and think it promotes some great values, just I cannot personally believe in a god or in some things like miracles. I like the idea of the Baha’i (sorry can’t do the accents on the letters) religion though that promotes people from every religion as being equal!

[Deleted User]

Nope, officially I'm Christian but including Weddings, Christenings and Funerals I can count the number of times I've been to Church on 1 hand.

In actual fact, I've been applying for various jobs of late and I half wish that when they come to the drop box asking what religion I am, there was an option for "Jedi" (welll I do have a Darth Vader onesie, mask, cape and lightsabre)

Sandy_123

Yes I'm religious, I believe in the heavens. I'm not going to try convert anyone. People ask how do you believe in something you can't see. Well look at the world around you,  the rain to help grow our crops, keep seas and rivers flowing. The sun too. The air we breath to stay alive. The trees to purify. There's too many things to write it would be a very long page. All these things didn't just start happening by them selves. Take a closer look.
Also religion gives people direction and comfort in life. 

WestHam06

Thank you for sharing this @Ross_Scope. I have been Christened and I absolutely believe in many of the values and morals that Christianity promotes, however not all and I do struggle with the idea of God but it is something that I have tried to educate myself about.  I believe people should be free to live they life they want too and to believe and follow whatever religion, if any, they want too. It is a human right and people should not judge this. I hope this makes sense, thank you. 

Holly35

These organised religions chiefly the Abrahamic religions stem from Abraham a Semite who tried to kill his son Isaac because God told him to! He would be locked up in today's world! Anyway that's the foundation of Judaism which Christianity sprang from then Islam followed. They're all attempts at reimagining what God told Abraham, it's silly.

You don't have to be religious, you can still have strong moral beliefs or develop your own moral systems like many philosophers such as Immanuel Kant tried to do. I've found exploring philosophy a great mental exerciser and inadvertent healer. The concept of Amor fati as proposed by Nietzsche helps me a lot and it's basically that in order to find inner peace you have to accept your fate and life for what it is and all the terrible and good things that have happened to you are you and there's very little you can do to change the hand you've been dealt, just enjoy being you and try to make the most of what you've got. 

BrettW

I'm Wiccan

isteele983

i'm catholic

JenCo

BrettW said:

I'm Wiccan

This is as close to mine as I can find here. Merry Meet Brett!
I'm eclectic Pagan. 

I love the idea of World Religion Day, I'm sorry I didn't do anything for it now. Did anyone do anything special for it? 

Being raised Pacifist I admire any religious path that promotes non-violence. That said, if I'm going to wear a white poppy I'll just as happily wear a red poppy beside it. Just because I'm from a non-military background doesn't mean I don't hugely admire and respect people who have to face danger to keep the peace. Like any religious learning it's all about tolerance and balance I suppose. 

BrettW

Merry Meet @JenCo it's nice to meet a fellow Pagan on here.

(edited for my usual bad typing)

Lisatho11987777

@BrettW its nice to hear about different religions i am a non practicing Christian  at the moment 

BrettW

Wicca is a very varied belief system Lisa because it is more of a 'personal' type of practice rather than typical organised religions where they are governed from a 'centralised' body.

This is why its possible to be part of a coven or just as easily practice as a solitary.

Pagan beliefs are far older than Chrsitianity and have seen a big resurgence since the 30's and 40's. 

There is still a lot of misconceptions surrounding anything pagan related and witchcraft in general. We don't for example go around hexxing people or causing them harm. In fact the Wiccan rede states 'An it harm none do what thou wilt'. Meaning you have freedom as long as you do not cause harm to anyone or anything.

Lisatho11987777

@BrettW thank you for explaining its nice to know how religions work some religions I find hard to understand but I will listen and engage in conversations about different religions as I find it interesting ? 

[Deleted User]

I'm not Pagan or Wiccan but I do celebrate Halloween, when I was a lot younger I used to go out trick or treating with my Brother.

Now I just enjoy dressing up in scary garb and doing stuff.

BrettW

Halloween is my New Year Mr Allen

Lisatho11987777

Halloween scares  me ? 

Cress

I have a broom for the back garden, I called it my Nimbus 2000!
I'm sure the delivery man thought I was a witch!
They're just really good at getting up the leaves....
I have no time for religion personally, but whatever gets you through....

salk64

I am a Christian and if it wasn’t for my faith I don’t think I would have got through I have been shielding for 12 months. My church family have kept me going. 

encaser

Some peoples' belief that they can influence or control what a supposedly greater power does or doesn't do bemuses me

Lisatho11987777

@encaser if talk to my nan and my dad and my son when I am looking for guidance 

I belive that it helps me when I do that even though thry have been dead for many years but it makes me feel better whether its real or not 

I am not religious but I often ask God why 

[Deleted User]

I'm not religious but if stuff is going wrong in my life (as it frequently does) I shout out "Jesus H Christ!"