A religion that's not..

[Philos]

Folks,

For the longest time I have been looking for a religion that's not a religion. Being interested in all things 'spiritual' I hang around the stalls, but could never actually buy anything.

The latest attempt is Theosophy. Prima facie it seems suitably vague, which is promising, and their guidelines reject 'dogmatic religion'. I'm pretty sure that in there somewhere there will be a 'believe this or else' clause but I'm cautiously hopeful.

Is it possible that I can find the holy grail of a religion which is not a religion?

Alex.

 

[Tigers!]

At the risk of being pedantic how can it be a religion if it is not a religion?

That's like trying to find a piece of chalk that isn't a piece of chalk.

 

[DBT]

Theosophy has a bit of a murky past with Blavatsky, Leadbeater and co. Hidden Masters, The manifested Maitreya as the World Teacher. J. Krishnamurti being chosen but he rejected the role expected of him by Annie Bessant, Leadbeater and the Theosophical Society.

 

[ideologyhunter]

Religion without religion -- I think the Beliebers and Claymates are there already.

 

[Random Person]

Folks,

For the longest time I have been looking for a religion that's not a religion. Being interested in all things 'spiritual' I hang around the stalls, but could never actually buy anything.

The latest attempt is Theosophy. Prima facie it seems suitably vague, which is promising, and their guidelines reject 'dogmatic religion'. I'm pretty sure that in there somewhere there will be a 'believe this or else' clause but I'm cautiously hopeful.

Is it possible that I can find the holy grail of a religion which is not a religion?

Alex.

Have you tried Taoism?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Try Unitarianism. I go to one of those churches from time to time and half the people there are atheists. The general tenet of it is that you can believe what you want, but just be nice to each other and respect other people's beliefs. For reference sake, that last one means you're not allowed to laugh at the stupid things Wiccans say and apparently, you're somehow supposed to know that beforehand.

 

[Thomas II]

Folks,

For the longest time I have been looking for a religion that's not a religion. Being interested in all things 'spiritual' I hang around the stalls, but could never actually buy anything.

The latest attempt is Theosophy. Prima facie it seems suitably vague, which is promising, and their guidelines reject 'dogmatic religion'. I'm pretty sure that in there somewhere there will be a 'believe this or else' clause but I'm cautiously hopeful.

Is it possible that I can find the holy grail of a religion which is not a religion?

Alex.

But what are you looking for?

I might be mistaken, but what I gather is that you're looking for a certain state of consciousness...

 

[skepticalbip]

Folks,

For the longest time I have been looking for a religion that's not a religion. Being interested in all things 'spiritual' I hang around the stalls, but could never actually buy anything.

The latest attempt is Theosophy. Prima facie it seems suitably vague, which is promising, and their guidelines reject 'dogmatic religion'. I'm pretty sure that in there somewhere there will be a 'believe this or else' clause but I'm cautiously hopeful.

Is it possible that I can find the holy grail of a religion which is not a religion?

Alex.

Have you tried Taoism?

Or Zen?

 

[Philos]

But what are you looking for?

I might be mistaken, but what I gather is that you're looking for a certain state of consciousness...

Thomas,

You're not mistaken.

Rereading my diaries, this has been going on for about 7 years. There is a certain corridor in the local hospital that does it for me every time. It was where I was wheeled along for an op. The corridor leads further on to the cafe and I can walk the same bit. This always has a deep peaceful effect. For a while I thought I was lusting after the morphine, its different to that. Maybe its cos I got near death.

Why the F. has this never happened in a church or a Buddhist meeting or anywhere like that? Those places leave me cold, but the hospital corridor is the deal. Moth to a flame.

Alex.

 

[Thomas II]

But what are you looking for?

I might be mistaken, but what I gather is that you're looking for a certain state of consciousness...

Thomas,

You're not mistaken.

Rereading my diaries, this has been going on for about 7 years. There is a certain corridor in the local hospital that does it for me every time. It was where I was wheeled along for an op. The corridor leads further on to the cafe and I can walk the same bit. This always has a deep peaceful effect. For a while I thought I was lusting after the morphine, its different to that. Maybe its cos I got near death.

Why the F. has this never happened in a church or a Buddhist meeting or anywhere like that? Those places leave me cold, but the hospital corridor is the deal. Moth to a flame.

Alex.

You said it...It is a place where you faced the possibility of death, and you came to terms with it, you were at peace with that, it's focus and letting go...

That place is now a trigger...

If you would have had that experience in a temple or a "Tesco express", who's to say?...

 

[Lion IRC]

Carl Sagan seemed to me like the atheist equivalent of Deepak Chopra.

Have you read Alain de Botton? He's funny too.

...whatever happened to the Atheism Plussers? *sigh*

Is it my imagination or does this logo remind you of a road winding its way up a hill towards a Cross at the top?

 

[Lion IRC]

...gee is it already Ash Wednesday this week. WOW
Time flies.

 

[Philos]

Thomas,

I appreciate your responses on this thread.

Alex.

 

[rousseau]

Asian religions are usually atheistic moral codes. They may be what you're looking for.

The primary strain I've found throughout most asian religions/philosophies is ahimsa, or non-violence. Minimize harm to other living things.

I think that's a pretty good maxim to live by.

 

[AthenaAwakened]

Try Unitarianism. I go to one of those churches from time to time and half the people there are atheists. The general tenet of it is that you can believe what you want, but just be nice to each other and respect other people's beliefs. For reference sake, that last one means you're not allowed to laugh at the stupid things Wiccans say and apparently, you're somehow supposed to know that beforehand.

You laughed, didn't you?

 

[Thomas II]

Thomas,

I appreciate your responses on this thread.

Alex.

 

[bilby]

Have you tried Taoism?

Or Zen?

Or football?

Seriously, sports fandom (pick any sport, and any team - like with religious sects, it doesn't matter which, yours is the only one that is right) has many of the social advantages of religion; and there is something very enjoyable about sharing the emotional state of a crowd - even when that state is despair. (As a Leeds fan, I can tell you all about despair).

 

[rousseau]

Or Zen?

Or football?

Seriously, sports fandom (pick any sport, and any team - like with religious sects, it doesn't matter which, yours is the only one that is right) has many of the social advantages of religion; and there is something very enjoyable about sharing the emotional state of a crowd - even when that state is despair. (As a Leeds fan, I can tell you all about despair).

Plus you get to watch sports.