Which is the best religion due to my beliefs?

[Alienist]

I know it says I'm labeled a Buddhist and do respect the religion and it's customs but of course I always have second thoughts and it's not set in stone. I now understand why its important to have faith in SOMETHING. I find that the faiths, except for the really dark ones that practice evil or at least unethical things, are good and still follow the path to salvation in some shape or form. I find that Buddhism is just one of many paths, not the ONLY path, to "salvation" Just like Christianity is another path and Judaism and Janism and Wicca and so forth. They are all roads, but as long as you do good you'll end up in a good place. Even if one isn't religious I belelive you'd end up in a heaven however you might not be closer to the deities and you might not end up in a certain afterlife like Jesus' heaven or Odin's Asgard. I figure a different religious would have you end up in a different afterlife like Jesus' Heaven or Odin. I always believed in spiritual power, magic, afterlives and reincarnation but I was always kind of Agnostic about it, despite the fact that I celebrate Christmas but that's really due to most of my family being Christian. Here are my personal views and beliefs.

I have the utmost respect for women. I feel marriage is a very important and sacred thing and I understand the Jews viewpoint that without marriage, you are incomplete within your soul and that when a spouse dies, you would feel as if a part of your soul has disappeared. I know this because many people who have lost their spouses have felt like that. I don't feel as if premarital sex is bad. I don't want to ever wait until I'm married to have sex because when you're with a woman for a while and can't have sex, you're repressing very strong urges and I don't think it's healthy to suppress strong urges like that. I feel one should have sex when they are ready regardless if they are married or not. I just don't think it's necessary to wait until you're married to do it. I would love to be with my wife in the afterlife as well and always be with her.

I think one should eat and drink whatever they want as long as they are responsible for stuff like alcohol or other intoxicant. I don't really believe in "kosher" food so to speak and I don't believe in being vegetarian either. I believe self defense and fighting isn't really bad as long it's for a good cause. I have the peaceful nature of a Buddhist, yet the fighting spirit of a Heathen, if that makes sense. xD I believe in being very charitable and generous. I do love to meditate as well every now and then. I would love to have kids but I also don't see it as a requirement. I also would want something of where I can learn magic and spiritual power. Not just to enlighten my soul but to defend myself and others who would use bad or unethical magic to harm me or con me or manipulate me in someway though so I would want something that does practice magical self defense, healing, purification, holy amulets, sensing auras, warding off curses or bad spirits or something where I can defend myself and where my magic is not self serving at all. I don't find desire a bad thing which I know Buddhists say is. It's not that they shun everything but those happy things will never be as good as true happiness which is Nirvana. Personally I think being with my loved ones and my wife is my "Nirvana" so to speak I don't think desire or wanting things is bad as long as one doesn't take it too far or at the expense of someone else. It's in our nature to desire and to be desired and I don't think one should suppress it so much. I believe in a wide arrange of freedoms and not so much dogmatic strict rules.

From hearing my views I'm wondering exactly what your opinions are or which religion and path would be good for me and I'm open to suggestions because you might suggest a religion I've never even heard of before. So would it be best if I did one of the Abrahamic religions like Christianity or Pagan religions like the Egyptian, Greek, or Heathen religions or one of the newer ones like Wicca or the far East ones like the Chinese Religions, Tao, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Jainism ect. I'm open to suggestions.

[Satu]

Re: Which is the best religion due to my beliefs?

Honestly, you sound a bit eclectic to me. Lots of people out there are eclectic pagans who draw from different traditions. You could do the same. It sounds like you might be better off avoiding purely monotheistic traditions, though.

What might help you is to read about the basic tenets of religions that interest you, even if it's only because the name sounds awesome (Shinto, for example, is an awesome-sounding name for a pretty awesome religion). Buddhism's got its Four Nobles; Asatru has its Nine Nobles; Kemeticism has Wisdom Texts, the Negative Confessions, and maat; etc. I'm sure Hellenismos, Celtic Recon, Druidry, and various others have their own tenets that establish the right mindset, behavior, and living for its followers.

Just know that the more traditional theistic traditions (like Hinduism, Kemeticism, quite a few Recon trads, etc) will have a strong "worship the gods" component. If I remember correctly, you don't seem too fond of that. It's okay to draw pieces of what you like from them so long as you understand their use and meaning in the context of the source from which you're taking. Be careful about living traditions like Hinduism, though, as careless eclectic behavior can come off as appropriation.

Another option is to try out different religions for 3 - 6 months at a time to see which one fits you best. As long as you're clear you're just trying a religion out and are respectful to those who practice it "for reals", most people aren't going to mind. Oh, and stay out of those things that practitioners generally agree are for initiates.

I know this sounds silly, but you might also try BeliefNet's Belief-O-Matic quiz. The quiz gives you questions that will help you think more clearly about what you believe and what you want out of a religion. Check out the top picks the quiz gives you.

[Alienist]

Re: Which is the best religion due to my beliefs?

I don't necessarily have a problem with worship, if by worship you mean honor and showing devotion to the gods, I just don't want to feel like a slave is all. It's very difficult to tell what really fits because there is always something in a religion that I will strongly disagree with, whether it talks about certain foods to eat, or how to dress or how to treat others ect. I did try the quiz and according to that I'm more into Hinduism than anything else but even then there's so many choices out there. I know when I'm in a faith, I'm not going to agree with all of the rules but there's always something I look up in a religion which I will strongly disagree with. There's still a lot however, especially Jainism, Zoroastrianism. I am also concerned about knowing certain spiritual and magical practices and I imagine it'd be a little different depending on which faith you follow since you'd probably have to do a certain prayer or incantation depending on which you religion you follow. I know there's an afterlife but I think there's also karma and reincarnation as well which is probably why I'm more into the Dharmic religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and so forth. It's still difficult. As far as eclectics go I figured it'd be difficult because which faith are you really loyal to or which afterlife are you going to go to? I just don't know really what to choose to be honest.

[Satu]

Re: Which is the best religion due to my beliefs?

I don't necessarily have a problem with worship, if by worship you mean honor and showing devotion to the gods, I just don't want to feel like a slave is all.

I didn't want to feel like a slave, either, when I went out to find my religion. From experience and from talking with others, worship is nothing like slavery (unless that's the arrangement you'ved agreed to with a deity. Key phrase: agreed to.) Now, sometimes the gods demand things of us that we may not like, but there's still the option to say no.

It's very difficult to tell what really fits because there is always something in a religion that I will strongly disagree with, whether it talks about certain foods to eat, or how to dress or how to treat others ect.

This seems to be a fairly common problem that people deal with. I would say that almost everyone deals with it, because you're always going to find something about a religion that you find objectionable on varying levels. If the objectionable thing isn't a major part of the religion, then you can usually ignore it. If it's a major tenet of the religion, that's a bigger problem and you'll have to follow your heart on how to deal with that.

Quite a few people end up stringing several religions together over a long period of time for this reason. Don't feel like you need a name for your path (at least right away) or that you need to practice only one or two religions. Experiment and find out what's best for you.

I did try the quiz and according to that I'm more into Hinduism than anything else but even then there's so many choices out there.

Start with Vaishnavism and Shaivism. Keep an open mind as they do have beliefs that are a bit hard to swallow at first.

Alternately, look into gods like Durga, Kali, Krishna, Shiva, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati.

My personal experience with the Hindu gods is that They are what you need Them to be. Friend, lover, teacher, supervisor, child, parent, enemy, playmate--They know just how to reach you and an ishta devata is especially good at it. S/he knows you better than any other god, after all.

I am also concerned about knowing certain spiritual and magical practices and I imagine it'd be a little different depending on which faith you follow since you'd probably have to do a certain prayer or incantation depending on which you religion you follow.

You might look into non-religious witchcraft if you're interested in magic. Otherwise look into the magical systems of the religions you're interested in and go from there. For example, if you were interested in Kemetic magic, you would look into heka or, if you didn't have any qualms with Greek-influenced Kemetic magic, you'd look into the Greco-Egyptian magical papyri.

I know there's an afterlife but I think there's also karma and reincarnation as well which is probably why I'm more into the Dharmic religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and so forth. It's still difficult. As far as eclectics go I figured it'd be difficult because which faith are you really loyal to or which afterlife are you going to go to? I just don't know really what to choose to be honest.

Well, there's three shades of meaning to karma. There's the Hindu shade, the Buddhist shade, and then there's the western New Age-y shade. It might help to clarify to yourself which one you believe in, if you haven't already.

As for eclectics. . . well, when you're eclectic, it's less "what faith am I loyal to?", and more, "what parts of these different faiths fits me best?" The idea is to custom-make something that works for you, the reality you perceive, etc. You're better off worrying about this life, not the next one. For all we know, tales of various heavens and hells could be metaphors for human life after death and none of them could be "right".

If you're the kind of person who does better practicing one and only one religion, you're going to have to make compromises. Make a list of things that you will not compromise on, those things you might if everything else was to your liking, and then those things that you're willing to compromise on no matter what.

For example, one thing I wasn't willing to compromise on was view and treatment of women. I just can't follow a religion that tends to think of and treat women as property. I also wasn't willing to compromise on deity: I wanted a personal relationship with one or more deities who wouldn't terrorize me like the Christian God did. Pretty much everything else I was willing to compromise on to varying degrees and it's worked out great so far.

Just be aware that the fewer things you're willing to compromise on, the more difficult it will be to find a fit.

[sirz345]

Re: Which is the best religion due to my beliefs?

I know it says I'm labeled a Buddhist and do respect the religion and it's customs but of course I always have second thoughts and it's not set in stone. I now understand why its important to have faith in SOMETHING. I find that the faiths, except for the really dark ones that practice evil or at least unethical things, are good and still follow the path to salvation in some shape or form. I find that Buddhism is just one of many paths, not the ONLY path, to "salvation" Just like Christianity is another path and Judaism and Janism and Wicca and so forth. They are all roads, but as long as you do good you'll end up in a good place. Even if one isn't religious I belelive you'd end up in a heaven however you might not be closer to the deities and you might not end up in a certain afterlife like Jesus' heaven or Odin's Asgard. I figure a different religious would have you end up in a different afterlife like Jesus' Heaven or Odin. I always believed in spiritual power, magic, afterlives and reincarnation but I was always kind of Agnostic about it, despite the fact that I celebrate Christmas but that's really due to most of my family being Christian. Here are my personal views and beliefs.

I have the utmost respect for women. I feel marriage is a very important and sacred thing and I understand the Jews viewpoint that without marriage, you are incomplete within your soul and that when a spouse dies, you would feel as if a part of your soul has disappeared. I know this because many people who have lost their spouses have felt like that. I don't feel as if premarital sex is bad. I don't want to ever wait until I'm married to have sex because when you're with a woman for a while and can't have sex, you're repressing very strong urges and I don't think it's healthy to suppress strong urges like that. I feel one should have sex when they are ready regardless if they are married or not. I just don't think it's necessary to wait until you're married to do it. I would love to be with my wife in the afterlife as well and always be with her.

I think one should eat and drink whatever they want as long as they are responsible for stuff like alcohol or other intoxicant. I don't really believe in "kosher" food so to speak and I don't believe in being vegetarian either. I believe self defense and fighting isn't really bad as long it's for a good cause. I have the peaceful nature of a Buddhist, yet the fighting spirit of a Heathen, if that makes sense. xD I believe in being very charitable and generous. I do love to meditate as well every now and then. I would love to have kids but I also don't see it as a requirement. I also would want something of where I can learn magic and spiritual power. Not just to enlighten my soul but to defend myself and others who would use bad or unethical magic to harm me or con me or manipulate me in someway though so I would want something that does practice magical self defense, healing, purification, holy amulets, sensing auras, warding off curses or bad spirits or something where I can defend myself and where my magic is not self serving at all. I don't find desire a bad thing which I know Buddhists say is. It's not that they shun everything but those happy things will never be as good as true happiness which is Nirvana. Personally I think being with my loved ones and my wife is my "Nirvana" so to speak I don't think desire or wanting things is bad as long as one doesn't take it too far or at the expense of someone else. It's in our nature to desire and to be desired and I don't think one should suppress it so much. I believe in a wide arrange of freedoms and not so much dogmatic strict rules.

From hearing my views I'm wondering exactly what your opinions are or which religion and path would be good for me and I'm open to suggestions because you might suggest a religion I've never even heard of before. So would it be best if I did one of the Abrahamic religions like Christianity or Pagan religions like the Egyptian, Greek, or Heathen religions or one of the newer ones like Wicca or the far East ones like the Chinese Religions, Tao, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto, Jainism ect. I'm open to suggestions.

Honestly, you can take bits and pieces from each religion you feel has good to it and combine it. That combination would be probably your belief and your belief alone but it would probably serve you well to have your own unique religion, just don't do any crazy ass cult stuff and you should be good.