Where I Stands

Generally I don't discuss religion on the site because I don't normally want to. Each person has their own beliefs, and while I'm more than willing to try and sway them to the ways of good (and good bad) movies, and the like, religion is far more deeply... I guess controlled is the word I'm looking for. Maybe defended? Yeah. People get very defensive about their religious beliefs, and I would prefer not to fuck with that, since well, if they get pissed off with me enough, they won't come back.

Having people with bad movie taste leave is one thing. I'd rather have people with good taste here. But some people can't be blamed for what they religiously believe. That may sound dumb, but truthfully, I'd rather be rid of all the people that like Pauly Shore's movie career and listen to rap and pop than I would the people that may be christian or Muslim or whatever.

But, while I don't generally discuss religion here, I will today, mostly because I had a really strong whim about it, and I'm a slave to my whims. So...

I'm not an Atheist. I state that first, mostly because I think it's important, and people generally assume I'm either an Atheist or an Agnostic, of which I am neither. I don't have any particular religion, but I'm not an Atheist either. And no, I'm not trying to hedge my bets.

To be an Atheist, I'd have to think that there is absolutely nothing out there more than the physical plane, and I don't. I'm not sure what is out there, at least in the specific sense, but I have the idea that there is certainly something. Maybe it's just fear. I hate the thought that there is nothing more to "us" and this world than this life for each of us. If this is it, then damn have I squandered the last 25ish years of my life (which is what it's taken for me to get this far since I was born).

I am a student of the religions. I like to read up on them and see what is the same, what's different, and what makes sense for me (gut instinct). That does not make me an Agnostic. As I understand it, an Agnostic acknowledges that there may be something out there, a god or otherwise, and is keeping their options open. I am not. While I'm sure I don't have everything right, and I'm sure some of the ideas I have may be proven wrong, I'm not keeping my options open, because, to be frank, most of what I've read up on just seems like silly myths and stories. Little of it has swayed me to follow any religion, and I'm not likely ever to change that. Thus, no options on that front for me. No sir.

Yes, if you read that, I think most all religions are myths and stories. There is a lot to all the religions that is meant as political control of the masses, and there's a bit that's stories to help people learn what's right and wrong. But most of it is just stories. I'm not gonna tell you that everything in the various religions is fake, because, as I stated, I'd never be able to tell you that for certain. Not as long as I'm tied to the physical plane. I wish I had better answers, just for my own edification (not yours--you can find your own answers), but I don't.

So, I'm not an Agnostic, I'm not an Atheist, and I'm not a follower of any of the religions. So, you may be asking, what am I? Can I be saved?

Please don't try and save me. I certainly don't see anything I need to be saved from. If there is a god (which I'm sure what is out there can be termed "god" although if it really wants to be called that is a personal choice it'll have to make), I don't think s/he/it will hold it against me for following my gut. And if it does, well too damn bad. That's not a god I'd wanna follow anyway.

Now as to what I am, I'm not religious, for certain. Religions are myths and stories and a bunch of controls, and they are set in stone. I don't like being set in stone, because if I find something that makes sense, I'm gonna want to incorporate it into my repertoire of ideas. Organized religion and I don't see eye to eye.

What I am has been called Shinto (an oriental religion), although what it is, I'm not certain, as I haven't really looked into it. Thus I can neither confirm nor deny that I am Shinto (or even that I'm spelling it right). I simply call myself "spiritual" and leave it at that. If you have to know more, well, you won't.

I'm done now.