Catholic.
- I have my beliefs, other people have theirs.
Catholic.
Roman Catholic, and basically a very mild 2) However, if asked about my religion I will share it, but I don’t go out of my way to witness.
Atheist. Mostly 1, though 5 is truer. I am fascinated by religions and religious thought, and online love to discuss religion. It’s harder in real life, though.
Jewish.
99% of the time, #1. Occasionally I feel like sharing my beliefs, but only in a compare and contrast sort of way when people are discussing religion.
Wiccan.
That says it all for me. By the way, the above statement is practically a direct quote from the Qur’an, verse 109:6. “Lakum dînukum wa-liya dîni” — literally means ‘You have your religion and I have mine’. Are all of us 1s crypto-Muslims?
Anglican Christian.
My answer doesn’t fit any of the categories well, so I’ll explain it briefly and let you decide where you think it fits.
God is loving, not judgmental, and is greater than anything we can imagine. Therefore nobody’s description is adequate to explain Him. However, the traditional Christian formularies are the best answer to date, given the fact that they’re working in a specific metaphysic which we have evolved alternatives to over the hundreds of years since it was formulated. (I.e., I believe in the Trinity – that God manifests Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three distinct Persons – but not necessarily in the Dogma of the Trinity, the formulary about ousia and hypostases using Aristotelian philosophy as revised by the Schoolmen. In fact, almost anything one can say about God is anthropomorphism, since our language presupposes that persons are human, male or female, with human limitations, etc.
That Freyr or Sister Coyote (or Angel of the Lord; I picked two pagans [in the broad sense] whose belief systems I know something of) may have a handle on an aspect of the divine that is not mine to know, I will not dispute. But, with no offense intended, I doubt that they have a closer relationship to Him than I do.
However, it is my duty, by His command, to witness to what He has done in my life, and I do precisely that. I am not so egotistical as to believe that I have the right answers for you, and I avoid the sort of witness that says, in effect, “You ought to do what I did.” But recognition of that fact does not relieve me of the duty (and pleasure) of saying how much my relationship with Him has improved the quality of my own life. (This can be a bit tricky when people expect that witnessers are people attempting to compel others to buy into their belief system. I’d like that, but I don’t expect it, and I don’t try to impel it.)
I had no idea that was from Qur’an. Guess you learn something new every day.
So, in other words, you like to tell others how your relationship with God has helped you, but you don’t say things like “Be like me.” and “You should join my religion.”?
Reform/Conservative Jew (conservative beliefs, reform temple)
I am a definite 1, simply because I live in an area where my family is the only jewish family. We also live in a very baptist area of town. So, almost everyone on my street, at my old high school, exc. were most definite 4’s. They KNEW that I was going to burn in hell if I didnt convert right this second, and they were going to do their damnest to make sure that my soul was saved.
I used to be a 3, but after a few years in that environment I respect my beliefs and everyone else’s, I just dont push mine on anyone who didnt bring up the topic themselves. And even then they really have to milk me for information!
All of the above.
When I say that I wish other people would believe the same as me, I just mean that I wish all of us could be comfortable with the differences.
Atheist
I have my beliefs and others have theirs. Though I think they’re wrong, I’m not vocal about it. I will share my beliefs if asked.
Catholic Christian here.
2 & 4 apply, but I do so overtly only sometimes, so perhaps 3 is appropriate. I know that most times, overtly broaching the topic will alienate / repell / annoy people. I myself have been the recipient of unwanted prosletising <sp?> (Being told about the evils of Catholicism) so I can empathise with the other side. Since my rationale for sharing my faith is for the benefit of the other person, not making myself feel better, I only try to do so when I think the other person is receptive. I don’t want to drive them away.
Otherwise I just try to live a life that will make people want to ask me how I deal with the world & remain centered & happy, and be as kind, pleasant and giving as possible to those around me. It is not an easy endeavour; fortunately I don’t have to rely merely on my own strength.
Thing is, from a Christian perspective, I find it kind of difficult & sad to be around so many “lost” souls all the time, many of whom are otherwise genuinely good people, knowing they could be saved. It takes a certain kind of dicipline to deal with the feeling, and not to blurt things out at an inappropriate moment.
I started typing a response to that perspective, but soon realized it would get this thread moved to Great Debates posthaste. I forfend debating the topic in this thread…
(Just wanted an excuse to use the word forfend for perhaps the first time in my life. Vocabulary. Use it or lose it.)
Kinda sorta
Except that I am agnostic and have no beliefs.
Former Mormon and now atheist / agnostic, depending on the time and day.
1 here. Even when I was a Mormon, and even as a missionary, I didn’t like to push my beliefs on people.
I will (and do) answer questions concerning my thoughts and beliefs about religion but I don’t try to “sell” them.
A reluctant, conflicted Catholic
Mostly #1. Sometimes a #3, but usually only with family, or when someone misrepresents my beliefs.
On the subject of #4, I am uncomcomfortable with proselitizing and think it’s an intrusion. I’d never try to convert anyone- how could I justify it, or even accomplish it, when I am unsure of my own relationship with God?
Agnostic
Of course, if someone is witnessing to me and trying to convert me to Christ or whatever, they’re fair game.