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Aranarth
The Shire
Dec 23 2014, 2:21am
Post #1 of 32
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Religion, Yes I know, No one is supposed to talk about it.
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I was wondering which religion Tolkien fans hail from
Typo Buddhist
(This post was edited by entmaiden on Dec 23 2014, 2:33am)
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demnation
Rohan
Dec 23 2014, 2:44am
Post #2 of 32
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I'm indifferent to religion and it has no role in my life.
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Gianna
Rohan
Dec 23 2014, 5:16pm
Post #7 of 32
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Catholic to be precise.
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dubulous
Rohan
Dec 23 2014, 10:10pm
Post #8 of 32
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Atheist for me, with Christian (evangelic lutheran) upbringing.
That's not a very comprehensive list of religions, though.
(This post was edited by dubulous on Dec 23 2014, 10:10pm)
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Cirashala
Valinor
Dec 24 2014, 1:01am
Post #9 of 32
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I currently attend a Nazarene church, but I've attended other denominations in the past. I'm not into denomination wars either 
And I agree with the poster above me- your list isn't very thorough. You forgot Judaism (Jewish) at least, as well as other major world religions (though the rest don't pop in my head without the thread in front of me.
I think a more comprehensive list would be:
Christianity (Catholic/Protestant)
Judaism
Islam
Atheism
Hinduism
Buddhism
New Age
Mormon
Agnostic
Daoism
Shinto
Pagan
Voodoo (though maybe this falls under Pagan?)
Don't know, don't care
Plus you have other mythos that people practice as religion:
Greek
Norse
Roman
Might want to consider adding to your list- we're a diverse group on here! 
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Dec 24 2014, 5:25am
Post #10 of 32
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As far as beliefs go, I've come to the realization recently that for me, imagination is more important than belief. My mom was adamant that she didn't believe in an afterlife, and I don't know what I think. But when she died, it really helped me to imagine what heaven might be like. I also have been writing letters to and from God (or Goddess) for twenty years now. Whether she exists outside my own heart, I don't know, and it doesn't matter, because she helps me so much. I don't know who or what the historical Jesus was, and it doesn't matter (though it's interesting) because I love the story anyway.
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Aranarth
The Shire
Dec 24 2014, 3:05pm
Post #11 of 32
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I am currently working on revising the poll to include more.
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Annael
Immortal
Dec 24 2014, 3:15pm
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I like their idea that there is something but we mere humans are incapable of grasping the entirety of that something. All religions are attempts to describe the indescribable (and any religion that says it's got the whole truth is guilty of amazing hubris).
I've had experiences that confirm the soul's immortality for me. I like to read the mystics because no matter what religion they follow, the mystics all say the same thing in essence, which makes me think they are probably closer to the truth than the folks at the literal/fundamentalist end of the spectrum.
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Annael
Immortal
Dec 24 2014, 3:27pm
Post #13 of 32
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like Santeria and Condomble, Voudou or Voudoun is an amalgam of beliefs brought over from West Africa with the slaves. Most of them believed in a creator God that is beyond our comprehension, but that aspects of that God come to earth and possess or "ride" humans so that the people can interact with them. The Catholic saints made sense to the new slaves because many of them had similar attributes to these incarnations, so they assigned saint names to them. This way they could appear to worship as Catholics while still practicing their old religion (which is ironic as Catholicism has always been very good at appropriating aspects of other religions like sacred festivals). The popular view of Voudou as being all about "black magic" is way off the mark.
A comprehensive list to me would be:
Christianity (Catholic/Protestant)
Judaism
Islam
Atheism
Agnosticism
Hinduism
Buddhism
New Thought (Unity/Church of Religious Science)
Mormon
Taoism
Shintoism/Confucianism
Wiccan/Pagan
Native American
Gaiaism (Earth as Mother)/Pantheism
Celtic (Druidism)
Voudoun/Santeria/Condomble
Spiritual-but-not-religious
Don't know, don't care
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Eruvandi
Tol Eressea
Dec 24 2014, 7:26pm
Post #15 of 32
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Southern Baptist specifically.
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Eruonen
Half-elven
Dec 24 2014, 10:15pm
Post #16 of 32
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Philosophically, I have always liked elements of
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more classical Unitarianism (not the modern version) and appreciate wisdom from Hinduism, Judaism, etc.
On big picture items, somewhat agnostic, but hopeful.
Practical life level, formal religion really does not play a part. We used to attend a church but it was too political and eventually we just didn't need it. My wife does miss singing.
This does not mean we don't take part in holidays. The meanings of them are just a little different. More focused on family and friends.
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Meneldor
Valinor
Dec 25 2014, 12:30am
Post #17 of 32
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Currently I'm a deacon in a New England Congregational church.
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zarabia
Tol Eressea
Dec 25 2014, 3:24am
Post #18 of 32
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Annael's answer pretty much sums up my feelings. I'm a big believer in science, but I believe there is more. I think all cultures have intuited some parts of the puzzle of "life, the universe, and everything", though in a metaphoric way.
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Eruonen
Half-elven
Dec 25 2014, 6:00am
Post #19 of 32
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Yes, the simplicity but deepness of Taoism is appealing.
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Immortal
Dec 25 2014, 2:59pm
Post #20 of 32
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The Tao te Ching really sings to me too.
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I love all the delicious metaphors. The sage being like someone crossing and icy stream, the pot whose usefulness is in its emptiness. The poetry seems to hint at the reality that can't be described.
(This post was edited by Aunt Dora Baggins on Dec 25 2014, 3:01pm)
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imin
Valinor
Dec 27 2014, 8:46am
Post #21 of 32
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Atheist/Agnostic/Don't know or care
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For me they are all the same and are how i feel
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swordwhale
Tol Eressea
Jan 4 2015, 5:35am
Post #22 of 32
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...could add Unitarian/Universalist , the other folks Garrison Keilor sends up along with Lutherans on Prairie Home Companion (National Public Radio). I grew up Lutheran.
UUs actually developed during the first 3 centuries of the Christian church, when nothing had yet been carved in stone, and there was some choice in specific beliefs. http://www.uua.org/beliefs/history/151249.shtml
"From its beginnings, Universalism challenged its members to reach out and embrace people whom society often marginalized. Our history has carried us from liberal Christian views about Jesus and human nature to a rich pluralism that includes theist and atheist, agnostic and humanist, pagan, Christian, Jew, and Buddhist "
Members come from a variety of spiritual and religious backgrounds or none at all, and all viewpoints are respected, though there are some basic tenets and boundaries.
Where else would a Christmas celebration include an advent wreath, a menorah, and a yule log, as well as the Jesus story and a pagan telling the tale of Yule.
Here we can appreciate the genius of JRR Tolkien as he wrote his world with no obvious religion... but with deep spiritual roots, that resonate with us all.
I like Joseph Campbell's cancept of "the Masks of God", each culture carving, decorating and painting, according to its style, its own mask to make visible the unseen Face.
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Gwytha
Rohan
Jan 5 2015, 3:22pm
Post #23 of 32
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Agnostic and I think its fine to talk about
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as long as we're accepting of each other's differences. Learning about the beliefs of others on this site has actually been quite helpful to me in collapsing some of my own assumptions about people who believe differently from me.
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Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor
Jan 5 2015, 10:27pm
Post #24 of 32
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to see Christian way ahead, but then again "Christian" is a pretty broad category. I just figured there'd be more Atheist/Agnostic and less Christian, not sure why.
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swordwhale
Tol Eressea
Jan 12 2015, 6:53pm
Post #25 of 32
(1938 views)
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were once told, not for their facts, but for the deep truths they reveal....
always been a UU, even when I was a Lutheran!
(when I discovered the UUs, it was like, "OH! that's what I am!)
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