Why do you choose your religion? What makes it special? What makes your god/goddess/diety better than all the rest?
125736
i am a Baha'i. i love being a Baha'i more than anything in the world. I have never felt such a sense of truth or of love in my life. it is such a unifying religion. Baha'is believe in one universal God for all of the religions. that all of the manifestations of God come from one God (Abraham, Krishna, Buddha, Moses, Zoroaster, Mohammad, Christ, The Bab, and Baha'u'llah) for that time and age. It teaches that none of prophets are better than the other. Althought the message that they give as time progresses grows more potent as humanity matures in understanding. We believe in the equality of women and men, elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty, world peace, one God, the harmony of science and religion. In the Baha'i Faith there is no one wo preaches to you. each individual must go out and read from the writings her/himslef. whether it be in the privacy of ones house or in a study circle. when i get together with baha'is i feel so loved. we all greet one another with joy and happiness. We all share a common belief in the betterment of mankind as society degrades itself. i love the baha'i faith. i don't think words can describe the unity or the love that emanates from it.
129886
I think it's a matter of personal preference. I know many Pagans who don't choose specific deities and others who do. Personally, I worship Bast as my patron Goddess simply because, in most things, she most closely represents my personal beliefs and preferences. That doesn't mean that I haven't asked for assistance from others, or paid them tribute, at different times. I tend to think of the Green Man as my patron God just because it feels right, and I find that a lot of the time you should end up doing what feels right. I don't think it's something you should worry too much about since most Pagans believe that all of the Gods are aspects of the same, and all the Goddesses aspects of the same. For that matter, most Pagans tend to believe that they are all aspects of the same deity and we simply think of a male and female being because it's easier for us to comprehend that way. So do what's right for you. Pick a pantheon, don't pick one, mix pantheons... They'll be there for you regardless.
228237
Please do not confuse RELIGION with GOD.. \n\nReligion is a man made organized political system that rules your church..\n\nGod wants to have a personal relationship with you.\n\nGod doesn`t care if you wear make up or pants to church or eat meat on friday. God is NOT Baptist, Catholic, or methodist.. \n\n<><
30324
God. (cheating) This explanation is what everyone eventually resorts to when the other answers fail. Now, before I go any further, I should make clear that I'm not talking about any of the gods defined in various religions. Throughout all of human history, we've been trying to explain existence. But nobody has ever succeeded. And it's likely that nobody ever will. So we create the concept of God, whose only necessary property is being "that which explains existence." \n\nThis doesn't tell us much about god, though. It doesn't mean that any particular religion is correct. It merely defines god as something which answers The Question, because we have not been able to.\nread this: http://www.toykeeper.net/philosophy/knowledge
517651
I believe in the Goddess and God, who are represented through multiple goddesses and gods because the actual Goddess and God are too huge for our human minds to comprehend.  I really believe there has to be some sort of creative force behind everything, since nature is truly beautiful to behold and the energy of Goddess/God is in everything and can be tangibly felt.  I am Wiccan.\n\nEvolution:  I don't think Wicca has a particular stance on evolution.  It says the Goddess and God created everything and are in everything, but as for a specific creation "myth" that I hold to be true above all others there isn't one.  That's because they're "myths" - the way we explain things that we can't otherwise explain.  I think it's entirely valid that the Divine whipped up a soup that would continually evolve into what we have now, and will continue to evolve, but do I believe they plunked us down here fully formed?  No.  Where would be the natural beauty in that?\n\nLife after death: is certain.  There is a spiritual plane above this on which we exist after death.  It's sort of a metaphysical locker room where you go to debrief between your lives, think about what you've learned, and decide when you want to come back down to work out what you didn't learn.\n\nHomosexuality: only "bad" if it's causing harm to someone.  I.e. if you've got homosexuals running around having multiple partners, not using protection and spreading disease, that is "bad".  But it's just as "bad" for heterosexuals who run around having multiple partners, not using protection and spreading disease.  If they're not harming anyone - and most of the gay people I know aren't - why are we discussing it?  What people do in their bedrooms is not anyone else's business.\n\nPrayer: we call it ritual or spellwork.  It's a respectful communing with the Goddess/God to ask them for help with whatever is blocked in your life.\n\nThe origin of the universe:  There was originally a Godhead.  This Godhead split into the Goddess and God - a balance - and the Goddess and God created everything in the universe and on Earth.  Therefore, there is masculine and feminine in all aspects of life.  Some things have more feminine, some more masculine, but the aspects of both are in all.  It is the balance of the masculine and feminine that creates the harmony and beauty of nature.\n\nOther religions/belief systems:  They're fine.  We're all headed to the same place.  The only thing that really matters is if we're harming others on the way to the same place.  If your religion or members of your religion are harmful to others, then it is causing a problem and is not necessarily a "good" thing for humanity or nature.\n\nBright blessings!\n)O(
606488
I often feel as you do. Confused and hurt, by a God who was supposed to be there for me. I also agree with you that the bible is no more relevant than greek mythology, or even the eastern relgions. I still conteplate the existence of a God period, yet the fact that all these religions exist, might lead us to a God.
222775
My religion is Wicca although I was born to Christianity.  After soul searching and research I decided the Wiccan path was the right one for me.  I do not expect others to believe as I do ... there is more than one path to personal enlightenment and it is not up to anyone to say one is definitely right and all others are wrong.\n\nYes war generally is caused by beliefs be they religious or not.. most fight for what they believe in regardless of fact or fiction.\n\nI justify my religion because it is right for me.  I do not ask others to join me on my path.  I deeply respect the natural world around me and I respect the people who reside on it even when I do not agree with their opinions.  Human beings are meant to be diverse.  Yes I practice the Craft and people may have their own opinions on that also.  All I ask is that I am allowed to worship in peace.\n\nBlessed Be
237564
In which way monotheism is better than paganism?\n\nMonotheism as propagated by so called monotheist religion rather forces its followers to blindly follow . whatever concepts a small some 2000 year tribe had , has been forced on others, as the only truth. And in this quest it has shed too much blood through out the written history, and still doing it.\n\n"My god is the only true god " is not exactly monotheism whatever the followers will like to believe. It is more my god is better than yours concept and basically IT IS NOT MONOTHEISM. when you say any other god is false , you are accepting that there are other gods! though you are calling them inferior.\n\nPagans have much more respect for beliefs of others. And readily accept all forms of god as manifestation of same god. that is more monotheistic without insulting anyone. It gives freedom to followers to look for supreme according to there own perception.\n\nSomebody above claimed bible supports science! now that is funny seeing so many Christians refuting evolution theory.
308163
I was raised Roman Catholic, but I hated it. I was dragged to church, and forced to go to catholic school. I sat in religion class, thinking that God didn't exist and that religion was brainwashing.My school was very sheltered from the rest of the world, and they didn't really let us associate with other schools, cultures or religions. I barely knew that other people existed. \n\nWhen I reached Grade 9, I went to a public high school, and I was amazed to find out about other cultures and religions. I did research, talked to people, and eventually turned back to my native American pagan roots. I started taking part in full moon ceremonies, and other pagan celebrations, sac rid fires, pow wows,drumming circles,naming ceremionies and stuff. Eventuially this lead me to Wicca, which I practiced for a few years, which lead me back towards paganism. \nI left these behind last year. I was always interested in Christianity, but as a religion, not as truth.\nI went to a Christian bible study with my parents. I remember being in the car saying " wow this is just going to be some stupid Christian propaganda". We turned the corner, and headed to the church. When we left the church, I said the prayer to ask Jesus into my heart into my heart for the first time ever.I felt the need, not out of fear of hell, but out of love for my creator. Out of LOVE for JESUS. I realised that GOD loves me.\n\nI went home and was so confused. How could my stubborn opinions be changed in a few hours? How could my beleifs be altered?What was going on with me! I needed answers.\nI felt to so alive, but had so many questions.I was so hyper, so awake, so amazed. I went on the computer and started searching. I found this website and talked to someone who helped clairfy what happened.
114560
Awesome question.  God and his pantheon.  Awesome!
342040
I studied Islam, Hindu, Buddhism, Catholicism, Mormonism, Seventh Day Advetist and the Bible.\n\nI chose fundamental Christianity because of the proof of the Bible through prophecy.
310532
There are 0 gods.\n\nThe difference between your god and mine is that I don't have one, whereas, you also don't have one, but possibly believe that you do.
387075
I chose my faith. My parents and I were not believers while I grew up. But, my mom got hired as a secretary at a church. I began attending the youth group at the church and was the first person in my family to accept Jesus. Then my mom. Then my dad. No one forced me; I decided on my own. Not only that but I have since researched my faith, and spent 4 years of college studying my faith further; now I am the youth director for my church. :) Good question!
336543
Christian, and proud. \nI believe it is right because everything in this religion makes sense. You have no question or doubt that God exists or anything in that area. There are tons of religions out there that are SO obscure and some really make you wonder if he exists. And as I know, if you don't believe and have Jesus Christ in you heart, you aren't going to Heaven and that is fact. It just makes so much sense in my religion. I have NO question that God exists and I shouldn't its so nice to go to bed at night knowing I'm going to Heaven. What a relief isn't it?
125686
There is no best religion - only the spiritual path that fits you best. An awful lot of trouble stems from different faiths declaring themselves the righteous path .... maybe there is NO religion and faith is a figment of peoples deep desires to be led and comforted by an intangible entity, being or force ... I don't know. I just know that none of them are 'best'.
220579
I'm Wiccan.  I've had a relationship with Artemis since before I understood that there were other religions besides Christianity.  I first learned about Her when I was in sixth grade during a section in Social Studies on mythology.  I drew a picture of her that I still have to this day, and it's my Goddess image!  I feel closest to her, although I'm no longer a virgin.  I called upon Her during my childbirth, and I think She helped to the point where the doctor told me that I was "made just perfectly to have babies" during delivery, which was a real shock to someone who had barely weighed over 100 lbs and had absolutely no hips for most of her adult life until that point!  I think She helped to spread my hips farther than they were naturally designed to go because none of my female relatives have had it as easy with their first as I did!\n\nOther than Her, I've always felt closest to the Celtic Deities.  Cernunnos and Brigit are my especial favorites.\n\nSpeaking of, you mentioned Christians coopting the idea for a trinity?  Well, look at most of the Catholic saints and you will find old pagan Deities!  Go figure, huh?  Gotta placate the masses you want to convert by letting them keep their old traditions and gods, just in a slightly different form.
135007
AH! PAGANESS! WHEE!\n\nUh, I worship as many as I can. I'm trying to find my main Goddess for myself still. I worship Danu, Isis, Hecate, Oshun, Athena, Kali, Demeter, Gaia, Sedna, Rhiannon, Inanna, Freya... but those are only the Goddesses. And there's still more I worship! (D'oh!)\n\nTo worship them, I do rituals! I make sure to use their colors, and to offer up something they'll enjoy. (Milk, Honey, Herbs, Rocks, ETC). I also try to be good as to not anger them. It's hard. REALLY hard.