If you had to (page 2)

scruffmcbuff

plymouth brethren - why? Because I like the name. And lets face it, when making a decision on something as worthless as religion, it really makes little difference.

Spiral

I can't think of a reason to ever have to join a church. Happy to be an athiest.

I attend the Unitarian/Universalist group. There are no official doctrines. I like their community involvement, their inclusivity, I have joined a group working on behalf of climate change. There are some politics due to humans being humans which I avoid. So far so good. They encourage education, involvement, respect and inclusion. I skip December because they do honor different beliefs (without embracing them) and they have Pagan groups that have ceremonies/meetings which I have attended.

john.prestor

rolliepollie, thanks for clarifying that. People come on here to preach sometimes and it gets old. An inquiring mind on the other hand... welcome aboard.

truth_b_known

Odinism. The Norse believed the gods created man in perfect state. Men are given an opportunity to bring honor to themselves and to the gods through their actions.

No sin. No imperfection. No need for a ransom or "saving". You're afterlife is in your own hands.

Jesus saves. Odin demands you grow the eff up.

Spoletta

Having reached retirement age, I have more free time to visit with my 87 year old mother. She was raised in the Assembly of God church, and actually had it worse than the Witnesses do today. No movies, no dancing, only religious music allowed in the home.

She and I have had many talks, and believe that if there is a Supreme being, He (or she) certainly couldn't be a conflicted, schizophrenic, irrational being, demanding to be worshipped by those that they supposedly love.

We've come to the conclusion that death is either the cessation of conscious thought (not really scary if you think it out), or some sort of existence as a conscious being, which would certainly be a big bonus, but either way, not something to worry about, or dwell on.

Death is much harder on the living, who mourn those who have died

Half banana

If it was compulsory to join a religion I would have to make up my own.

Religion ultimately depends on three primary things: ignorance, faith and reward. What useful thing can you do with mainly irrational ingredients?

There is no merit in denying scientifically determined facts but you have to do so if your purpose is to be a "believer". Faith is involved because the beliefs are based on the words of invisible creatures who are spelling out the holy imperatives. Religion only works if the believer is promised a reward otherwise why put yourself through foolish hoops if there is no benefit at the end?

Now my cat has been seen by neighbours leaping six feet off the ground and catching pigeons in mid-air which he drags home alive through the cat flap and devours in the kitchen shedding sacrificial blood with feathers all over the place. He is ignorant of human things although it has to be said he is highly informed and expert in rodent and bird demolition. Despite snacking all day long on these creatures he still has faith in the reward of me feeding him, so in the absence of anything better I will have to go for the Cat Feeding Religion. Like the irrationality found in all "True Religions" it is mad that I feed my cat when he is perfectly capable of looking after himself.

OnTheWayOut

Your "What if you had to ...." question strains reality, but in the spirit of the question, some have opted for Universalist because the members pretty much believe what they want. I would rather look for an eastern religion along the lines of Tao or Zen Buddhism that allows one to focus on the philosophies and leave alone any of the beliefs about God.

Still Totally ADD

What dogisgod said. I wish I could have raised my kods on a UU congregation. Still Totally ADD

cofty

plymouth brethren - scruffbuff

More of a cult than the WT

If you had to

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