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Rule_BreakerXVIII · 05-24-2014 06:56 PM

This occurred to me in a discussion with my father over going to some far-off temples to "pay respect" or something; I still live with them so i can't really not go. It hasn't occurred to my folks that I'm a Satanist- I do not believe in any external deity. I will basically be standing or sitting in a room filled with noisy, dirty, smelly people who have no idea what personal space is; I won't be allowed to use my phone, I won't be allowed to do anything productive..I'll just be paying my gratitude to something I don't believe in for wasting my time. What do the believers on this site think about this? Or just going to any kind of holy building as opposed to praying in the comfort of your house? Does being in a temple or church make you feel anything? What are your opinions on ritual or idol worship?

P.s. My family members are Hindus..I'm not sure about my sister-she just goes along with everything.

**SoulRiser** · 05-24-2014 11:28 PM

Satanist? I think the word you're looking for might be Atheist.

Anyway... I don't think going to a special building should be necessary. But I guess people do that for the social ties and whatnot, mostly. Being with other people who do the same thing makes them feel better. Kind of like why people come here.

(´・ω・`) · 05-25-2014 01:51 AM

(05-24-2014 11:28 PM)SoulRiser Wrote: Satanist? I think the word you're looking for might be Atheist.

Anyway... I don't think going to a special building should be necessary. But I guess people do that for the social ties and whatnot, mostly. Being with other people who do the same thing makes them feel better. Kind of like why people come here.

I'm pretty sure he means LaVeyan Satanism.

James Comey · 05-25-2014 02:20 AM

Actually one of the benefits of going to church/temple/mosque etc is that because many people are there, there is a sense of belonging and community. However, you definitely make a good point in now anting to go, with it being crowded and all.

I don't think a building is necessary to worship either. Even though I'm definitely not sold on Christianity, I wouldn't mind going to church one of these days. But that's a preference.

vonunov · 05-25-2014 08:07 AM

A thing that stuck with me from the past:

Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

thewake · 05-25-2014 08:29 AM

(05-25-2014 02:20 AM)Hansgrohe Wrote: Actually one of the benefits of going to church/temple/mosque etc is that because many people are there, there is a sense of belonging and community. However, you definitely make a good point in now anting to go, with it being crowded and all.

When this sense of community is built on someone that you don't share, it's actually very alienating to have to be a part of the community.

Cianna200 · 05-25-2014 09:45 AM

I don't really believe in going to church, I believe in the inner temple, the inner voice. I stop being christian a long time ago, considering Christianity a fear based religion. I will give you simple advice, ''beware the religious authorities for they are like a sly and sneaky spider who have weaved the web and is now ready to lure unsuspecting victims in their trap, from their spiritual actions you may know them. -Jesus reference. In fact I consider school and religion very much alike

KFC Nyan Cat · 05-25-2014 02:51 PM

I just realized how colorful of a bunch SS is when it comes to religion.

DOA, Christian Hellhound, & KFC Nyan Cat - Christians
Cianna200 & Alienrat - Pagans (but I'm not sure Alienrat is even on here anymore)
Rule_BreakerXVIII - Satanist
Hansgrohe - Deist? I guess?
Chanku - Enkisite
no - Athiest (and there are likely many others)
braniac3397 - Muslim

Anyway, I'm Christian, but I don't believe in going to Church because Matthew 6:5.

Chanku · 05-25-2014 02:52 PM

I'm an Enkisite/Athiest. (Enkisite being a Spiritual Satanist, although I despise that term)

brainiac3397 · 05-25-2014 03:49 PM

Im not on the list?

Accurate really. A god doesnt need to believe in a religion...

Chanku · 05-25-2014 03:55 PM

Please don't list me as a satanist

vonunov · 05-25-2014 04:00 PM

The bible also has things to say about how you should get together to teach and help others grow, take part in praise, and all that, so I wouldn't say that you should avoid going to church just because of this one verse -- not to mention I've gotten sick of the atmosphere I grew up in of taking the words at face value and applying them as law -- but if going it alone is what works for you, that's what's important really.

Vatman · 05-25-2014 05:38 PM

I don't know much in the way of attending religious gatherings. I myself was only half present in those forced services, ripping snowflakes into passages from the torah; imaging large breasts and existentially wrought corn flakes. "A cute kid", they said.

I imagine though, that there is more magic in an affirming stare. Knowing about what happened to the Peterson's car and hearing the old women huff everytime we had to do that one prayer on our knees. I don't know if there is or isn't a god friends, but I do know that any gathering of like minded people is a small miracle, however tenuous.

Ky · 05-26-2014 03:18 AM

(05-25-2014 08:07 AM)vonunov Wrote: A thing that stuck with me from the past:

Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

I love that verse.

(Yes, I'm a Christian. Nondenominational Protestant, to be specific.)

Either church or home works for me. At home, I'm free of any foreign influence in my walk with God, though less likely to do anything about it. At church, I'm more empowered (assuming the pastors aren't attempting to manipulate others - finding a good church is rather hard in this regard) and engage in more fellowship.

vonunov · 05-26-2014 05:38 AM

I don't believe and still I find many things from the bible to be valuable -- whether they're just echoes from other faiths is beside the point; this is the familiar vehicle for me. Now that I've more or less gotten over the bitterness toward the whole thing, I'm better able to acknowledge this without it causing any inner conflict.

brainiac3397 · 05-26-2014 08:22 AM

I'm a Muslim in case anyone forgot...or didn't know.

We can do our prayers anywhere. Except for the Friday prayer(which requires a group, though it's done at a mosque because that's where groups generally meet). It can be 1 person or it can be multiple too, though it's considered more beneficial to do prayers in a group(as you get more "blessings").

The only real requirement is that wherever you're doing your prayer must be clean. An example of what clean might mean is that we've prayed on cardboard boxes placed on the asphalt of a parking lot.

Threaded Mode \| Linear Mode Worship at home vs. going to church/temples/etc.
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