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God gave us reason, not religion.
How Do You Imagine God?
God in America and USA WEEKEND Magazine are partnering to explore Americans' images of God.
How do you imagine God?
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God is more of a "natural force" who does not directly impact earth, except for extreme circumstances. God is "there" but he's (more appropriately it's) is not something that shows a physical presence.
My Beliefs
I believe ...
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in God, but not in organized religion. At the very least, even if God is a physical being somewhere, man cannot possibly fathom his or her power, or what his or her desires for man.
My most powerful moment of belief was ...
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when viewing a paranormal investigation.
My greatest moment of doubt was ...
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I lay awake every night, not being able to sleep, wondering what happens after I die.
My spiritual life means...
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that I try and live a moral life, based on my own beliefs, not anyone else's.
The biggest misconception about my faith/belief system is ...
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We are either a religion, or that we are atheists. We believe in God... not religion.
My spiritual role model is ...
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My conscience.
My Faith History
As a child I believed ...
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that going to church didn't make any sense, and going each week, to have someone else tell me what to do was silly.
My spiritual journey has been ...
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insightful into humanity, and my own morals.
I was raised as ...
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Christian-ish
Are your beliefs or practices different from your parents? If so, how and why?
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My parents have always been deists as well, they just never knew what it was until I became a deist.
How I Practice My Faith
Where and when do you practice your faith?
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Everywhere, every day.
How easy or difficult is it to live your faith? Why?
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Its easy, and rewarding. I don't listen to someone else telling me what to think or feel. I use logic and reason, instead of religion, to make informed decisions about life.
Religion & the Public Square
What should be the role of religion in politics?
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Morals will always define people, and people get their morals from everywhere, and that includes religion. If we banned religion, they would get it elsewhere. No person is born with a set of morals ingrained into them, its absorbed from those around them. Religion, however, should never directly play a role in politics.
Should courses about religion be taught in public schools? Why or why not?
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Yes. As much as I despise religion, people should be taught about all religions, that way people are not subjected to the views of their parents alone. They can choose what they want to believe on their own.
Should the Bible, Torah, Quran or other religious texts be taught as works of literature in public schools? Why or why not?
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Of course, these are some of the most famous works of art in history. Just because they are not the direct work of God, doesn't mean that people shouldn't know about them.
Is interfaith dialogue important? Why or why not?
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People should discuss their religion, just like they should discuss politics. That creates self skepticism and allows people to see the advantages of all religions. When we close people off from talking about religion, we create a system where one group can be persecuted, because an authority figure says they are bad (The Jews in Germany, The Muslims in the United States)
Do you feel comfortable discussing your faith with others? Why/why not?
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Yes, I feel that religion tends to brainwash people into doing, saying, even thinking things that they would not normally. To encourage these people to open up, its important to know that they can love God, while not being subjected to the ancient ways of religion.
Do you feel that you have a duty, because of your faith, to put your beliefs into action? What are some of those actions?
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I do have an obligation to at least inform people of my beliefs, and create a circumstance in which they question their own faith. If they turn away from their religion, to seek a more free and open lifestyle... then thats wonderful. However, if they decide to stay with their religion, after seriously questioning and evaluating it... then it will only strengthen their faith.
Are religious beliefs compromised by engaging in politics?
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Religions should be of guidelines, not laws. I think its important that if you ARE a religious person, that you can see that what might be YOUR belief, should not be what you shove down the throats of everyone else.
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