What kind of religion do you think this is?

[StillHurtin]

My 20 yo niece got back from Iraq a few months ago. When I went to go visit her religion got into our conversation. She said she does not believe in God, or Satan, but she does believe in a higher power. She said she doesn't believe in Heaven or Hell. She believes that when we all die we go to a special place that is filled w/ flowers, fields, things like that. She said it had a name but I can't remember what it's called. She said that if you are a good person, do good deeds, blah, blah. blah, that you will go to this magical place when you die. I asked her where she got all of this and she told me from a girl she met in the Army. So now my niece believes in all of this and she wasn't raised like this from her mom or stepdad. We were raised in the Baptist and Nazarene Church (we switched to Nazarene when the minister at the Baptist Church moved away, my parent's didn't like the new minister). My BIL is Catholic.

 

Anyhow, I went to my mom's yest. and my niece was there and was just leaving. After saying hello she said "I learned never to talk about religion to Grandma." I told her that Grandma likes to talk about it and her and I do it a lot. After she left my mom told me she was really shocked at my niece's new beliefs and all she can do is pray for her.

 

Now, everyone as their own opinion on religion, so PLZ don't get into a religion debate, that's not why I posted this thread. I just want to know what religion my niece is.

 

My belief is: I believe in God, I believe He died on the cross for our sins, I believe the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ and not to mention numerous other things but wont post. That is what I believe. And yes, it has a lot to do w/ my parent's belief but I also think that is a parent's job is to raise their kids to know about God, no matter what the parent's believe.

[tanbark813]

My guess would be Paganism but I could be wrong.

[StillHurtin]

Originally posted by tanbark813

My guess would be Paganism but I could be wrong.

 

Thanks tanbark. I just remembered that my mom also mentioned that my niece practices witchcraft??? I did a search on Paganism but it doesn't say anything about that. My mom also said that she mentioned Witcha or something and I asked her if she said Wicca (sp). Do you know if Wicca has the same beliefs? I haven't done a search on it yet, figured I could get my answer here at LS.

[tanbark813]

If she practices witchcraft then, yeah, it's probably Wicca. I think they share some beliefs.

[Blackfrost]

Sounds like a mix of a gaia (earth mother worship) pagan Wicca and agnosticism. This trend was quite popular a couple decades ago with the rise of the New Age types of spirituality, and had quite a few different versions of the kinds of things you describe in your post. There is nothing inherently wrong unto others in Wiccan spirituality. It's a very earthy based form of beliefs.

 

IMO, Whatever it takes to make someone feel good and at peace within themselves, is okay in my book (of course barring violence or extremely unethical behaviours )

[RecordProducer]

I think her religion is called "Phase of Life When You Want to be Different and Original."

[Tony T]

All of religion is nothing more than faith, conjecture and some hope. Many people worship money because they have no faith in a life after death.

 

Regardless, the important thing is to have respect for the beliefs of others no matter how bizarre you may feel they are. The thought may be mutual. There are many who simply don't understand how or why somebody would need to die for our sins, why doing that would be necessary or even why a creator would make a species capable of evil which would ultimately require forgiving.

 

Religion, as life, is very complex. If we all respect each other's weirdness, we can get rid of war and so many other problems on this planet. It's remarkable that when you take religion out of the mix of things, people can be so very good and cooperative. When religion comes into play, even the worst of wars can ensue.

 

No matter what your belief may be, there's no way of proving its validity or correctness EVER. Perhaps the Earth may shatter but the entire world (universe) will never come to an end. Where would it disappear to? Even black holes have to go somewhere.

 

I think your niece has combined a multitude of beliefs into something she finds valid at this point in her life. Next year, she may feel differently. That's the great thing about religion, you can change your mind often and it makes no difference. I don't think her beliefs fall into the realm of any one organized religion.

 

Dominus Vobiscum.

[spinner]

It does sound like a mixture of beliefs and it is where she is at right now in her life. Life is so full of changes.

[spinner]

I do believe in one God and probably the best thing to do for your niece is to pray for her and keep loving her.

[933KJL]

Another good reson not to discuss religion or politics.

 

I was going to say that she is probably just not sure. Coming from a Christianity background, seeing all she saw in Iraq (did Christianity let her down?) and then being exposed to the Eastern religions, could confuse a girl.

 

I think she is in a rough spot in her life right now. I would not press it--and to be honest I am not sure it is any of your business. Love her for being your niece, and for the person she is. Hug her and thank he for the sacrifices she made of herself on behalf of you and me!

 

Sounds like she is a pretty special girl!

[clandestinidad]

Sounds like paganism/wicca stuff to me too....definately

 

I had a friend who held these beliefs, and it was so interesting to hear her talk about it.....its all beautiful to them....and to hear them talk about it is beautiful. Almost like listening to a calming person read a really good non-fiction book about pastel colors, peaceful animals, everyone dancing in slow motion, rolling green hills that move like waves.....etc.

 

You should listen to her talk about it.....its a very peaceful, passionate belief system

[ollydolly]

It's just straightup Mysticism - loose as a goose but makes you feel good about life.

[whichwayisup]

Does it have to have a name? As long as she is happy and her beliefs make her feel secure and good that is what counts.

[littlekitty]

Does it have to have a name? As long as she is happy and her beliefs make her feel secure and good that is what counts.

 

Agreed. Whatever makes us happy and feel safe and spiritual is all that matters. There doesn't have to be a specific name for it.

[alphamale]

humans are so egocentric. why are we any more special than a chimp or a maple tree? why can't people seem to grasp the concept that we are here to perpetuate the species and that when we died that is it, its over. there is no afterlife, no god, no blah blah blah. Get over it!!! We are not special, OK?!

 

We live on a planet that somehow grew life and we live in an average solar system with an very average star in the middle of it and in an average galaxy.

 

who cares what people believe? believe what you want to but it is most likely wrong.

 

good day

alpha

[BlockHead]

StillHurtin

Tell her you are Jedi and laugh.

StillHurtin

She believes that when we all die we go to a special place that is filled w/ flowers, fields, things like that.

 

She said that if you are a good person, do good deeds, blah, blah. blah, that you will go to this magical place when you die.

Are there 77 virgins?

It probably reeks with the stink of hot tar.

Blackfrost

Sounds like a mix of a gaia (earth mother worship) pagan Wicca and agnosticism.

Sounds like a salad bar.

 

Gaia is a giant rock, and the sun does all the real work. We are nuclear powered.

kat23

I had a friend who held these beliefs, and it was so interesting to hear her talk about it.....its all beautiful to them....and to hear them talk about it is beautiful. Almost like listening to a calming person read a really good non-fiction book about pastel colors, peaceful animals, everyone dancing in slow motion, rolling green hills that move like waves.....etc.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and beauty is only skin deep.

littlekitty

Whatever makes us happy and feel safe and spiritual is all that matters.

What makes me happy may make others unhappy. What makes me feel safe may make others feel unsafe.

I think this is self-refuting.

alphamale

humans are so egocentric. why are we any more special than a chimp or a maple tree? why can't people seem to grasp the concept that we are here to perpetuate the species and that when we died that is it, its over. there is no afterlife, no god, no blah blah blah. Get over it!!! We are not special, OK?!

If you want to be a chimp, then go back to the jungle.

I want to be more than human.

alphamale

We live on a planet that somehow grew life and we live in an average solar system with an very average star in the middle of it and in an average galaxy.

Question. How many celestial bodies are in this solar system? How many of those planets have life? How many of those planets have a disproportionately large moon protecting it from smaller objects like asteroids. How many planets have a relatively fixed rotation (tilt)? How many planets have the right temperature, chemical composition, etc. to support life? I think this planet, and its solar system are an oasis in a very large wasteland.

[alphamale]

I think this planet, and its solar system are an oasis in a very large wasteland.

that does not mean that more oasises do not exist

[pao]

I agree that your neice's belief do not have to have a name. Many people in the world claim to believe in Jesus Christ yet when you put them all together they will still have differences. I think that what matters in life is that you possess a belief systsm that allows you to be at peace with yourself and with the world.... a belief system that enriches you and makes you want to be good both to yourself and to others....

 

Isn't this the bottom line of Jesus, the Buddha, or Mohammad?

[Ms. DysFUNction]

"She said she doesn't believe in Heaven or Hell. She believes that when we all die we go to a special place that is filled w/ flowers, fields, things like that. She said it had a name but I can't remember what it's called. She said that if you are a good person, do good deeds, blah, blah. blah, that you will go to this magical place when you die. I asked her where she got all of this and she told me from a girl she met in the Army."

 

Has she been running through the Poppy Fields?

 

Seriously though, she sounds like a beautiful lil earth child. I'd guess she's a peace lovin flower child.

 

Flower Power BayBay!

[Ms. DysFUNction]

that does not mean that more oasises do not exist

 

 

We are Special! We're the only ones! doG has made a whole universe, many solar systems and vast regions of space....but its just us all alone on this lil rock. We're the ONLY Intelligent life forms anywhere to be found. And the only ones on this planet who will be SAVED are the ones who beleive the same way I do. Everyone else is goin to Santa's Big Barbeque Pit. (Mix around the words in Santa to find the Trooth!)

 

I love how religion programs our minds

[jaye]

I think somebody put a spell on her

[HotCaliGirl]

We're the ONLY Intelligent life forms anywhere to be found.

That would be sad if we were the MOST intelligent life form, considering how destructive the way we are living is (towards the environment, towards weaker nations, and the list goes on)...but just because we don't have the technology to search in the millions of other galaxies to find out if we're in fact the only "intelligent" ones (we barely made it to Mars! and did discover it was once covered in water so in time we'll find out if there are fossils or evidence that life once existed there, and traces of its intelligence have been erased over time), does not prove others do not exist. But it's nice to think we're the best and the most intelligent, isn't it....our ego loves it.

[Oh really, now...]

Okay, being a practicing Pagan, there are several things I'd like to say.

 

-The description of the afterlife/Heaven as a field of wildflowers sounds like the Asatru (Norse Pagan) afterlife, Valhalla (pronounced wall-hall-a).

 

-Wicca and Witchcraft are not the same thing. Wicca does fall under the umbrella of Witchcraft religions, but the majority of Witches are not Wiccans. Wicca is a very specific, traditional ceremonial Witchcraft religion. I would know, as I spent some time practicing it before going off on my own path.

 

-When a faithful, fairly sheltered and traditional Christian says that this girl practices Witchcraft, she may or may not have any idea what she's talking about. I've heard everything from Tarot to magick-less nature worship branded "witchcraft," and it's simply not true. Witchcraft is the practice of magick - casting spells, working with spirits etc. - within a folk context. It can also refer to religions that prominently feature this type of magick, or religions heavily influenced by Wicca.

 

-It's entirely possible that she came upon this spiritual realization by way of gnosis (personal spiritual realization). It may have just "hit her on the head," or come to her through dreams etc.

 

-Just as not all Witches are Wiccans, not all Pagans are Witches. I, for example, do not practice magick; my religion is limited almost entirely to worship of the Gods with whom I associate, meditation and similar spiritual practices, and some personal ritual to provoke personal spiritual advancement or gain blessings for those who need it, like the troops in Iraq and such. Don't be too quick to box her in or label her.

 

All I ask is that you be sensitive and respectful of this girl. Regardless of your personal belief, religion is her personal decision. Being condescending towards or perpetually concerned about someone's religion, especially a minority religion like hers, is a great way to strain any relationship.

 

I offer prayers and blessings for you and for her, should you choose to take them. May you never thirst.

[Oh really, now...]

Sounds like paganism/wicca stuff to me too....definately

 

I had a friend who held these beliefs, and it was so interesting to hear her talk about it.....its all beautiful to them....and to hear them talk about it is beautiful. Almost like listening to a calming person read a really good non-fiction book about pastel colors, peaceful animals, everyone dancing in slow motion, rolling green hills that move like waves.....etc.

 

You should listen to her talk about it.....its a very peaceful, passionate belief system

 

Well, that is the attitude the majority of us Pagans take. There are some, like me, who are not that way. Sure, I believe in the good and the light and the holy, but I also believe in the negative and the dark, and those things are holy too. We may dislike them, find them harmful, but ultimately all things can change us for the better if we make the effort to make it so.

 

Then there are the Dark Shpooky Evil folks, like the Satanists, Setians etc. Most Pagans don't get on too well with 'em, and I find their belief system a bit silly, but it doesn't stop me from trying to come to an understanding with them. We're all cut from the same cloth, the Unknowable Divine, holy be s/he, and it's always worth it to at least try to make a connection with someone before turning them away.

[Stone Wolf]

Well, that is the attitude the majority of us Pagans take. There are some, like me, who are not that way. Sure, I believe in the good and the light and the holy, but I also believe in the negative and the dark, and those things are holy too. We may dislike them, find them harmful, but ultimately all things can change us for the better if we make the effort to make it so.

 

Then there are the Dark Shpooky Evil folks, like the Satanists, Setians etc. Most Pagans don't get on too well with 'em, and I find their belief system a bit silly, but it doesn't stop me from trying to come to an understanding with them. We're all cut from the same cloth, the Unknowable Divine, holy be s/he, and it's always worth it to at least try to make a connection with someone before turning them away.

When exactly was there conflict between Pagans and Satanist, as far as I knew they had a lot in common. My wife is Wiccan my best friend is a Satanist. I have read books belonging to both and discussed with many of both and never heard that they did not get along untill now. In fact didn't Anton Levay himself in the Satanic Bible condone and offer respect to pagans.