(Note; Kizz put up a religious-themed post today, so I will, too. I’ve had this as a draft on my dashboard for about two weeks.)
This really comes as no surprise to me.
I went here and took the “Belief-o-Matic” quiz to find out where in the continuum of religions I fall.
1. Neo-Pagan (100%)
2. Reform Judaism (96%)
3. Unitarian Universalism (94%)
4. Hinduism (93%)
5. Liberal Quakers (91%)
6. Scientology (88%)
7. Sikhism (83%)
8. New Age (82%)
9. New Thought (82%)
10. Mahayana Buddhism (81%)
(honestly, the whole Scientology thing freaked me out, but whatever…)
I had a whole long post to go with this. I was going to talk about my experience in Bo’s church last Sunday and about how it reinforced for me that I’m really not a Christian. I was going to talk about how my experiences in other organized religions have felt uncomfortable and disingenuous. I was going to say a lot of things, but none of them were coming out to my satisfaction; I tried to get words around this, but it just didn’t work. I’ll keep trying, but I’m leaving it at this for now.
I am a very spiritual person. I believe in love and in the power of kindness and in the innate goodness of people. I believe in a benevolent Universe. I believe that there are such things as ghosts, I believe in otherworldly guidance, and I believe that there is an afterlife. None of my beliefs fit into any organized religion that I’ve yet encountered, so I practice my faith in my every day life as best I can.
I seem to be a Secular Humanist, which seems odd- as though they couldn’t bring themselves to use “atheist” as an answer. I scored 49% Scientologist, which also alarmed me and made me laugh. I guess Xenu made me do it. Hee hee.
Mine surprised me:
1. Bahá’í Faith (100%)
2. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (98%)
3. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (94%)
4. Orthodox Judaism (93%)
5. Liberal Quakers (86%)
6. Islam (82%)
7. Jehovah’s Witness (81%)
8. Unitarian Universalism (79%)
9. Jainism (78%)
10. Theravada Buddhism (78%)
11. Orthodox Quaker (77%)
12. Seventh Day Adventist (77%)
13. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (74%)
14. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (73%)
15. Mahayana Buddhism (72%)
16. Eastern Orthodox (69%)
17. Roman Catholic (69%)
18. Reform Judaism (67%)
19. New Age (60%)
20. Hinduism (59%)
21. Sikhism (59%)
22. Neo-Pagan (58%)
23. Secular Humanism (54%)
24. New Thought (47%)
25. Taoism (44%)
26. Scientology (42%)
27. Nontheist (41%)
“i practice my faith in my every day life as best i can” - that’s really all any of us can do, no matter what that faith is.
I’m looking forward to your eventual post and have since you teased it, but I understand how it is to have something important to say and not ever be happy with it. I have a domestic violence post that I might actually finish one day.
In any case, you know I attend and am pleased with a Methodist church, and you know that I self-identify as an agnostic Christian. Now, you want to see how big my tent is? Here are my results on that quiz, and I swear I didn’t make them up:
1. Neo-Pagan (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (98%)
3. Liberal Quakers (91%)
4. Reform Judaism (89%)
5. Mahayana Buddhism (83%)
6. Theravada Buddhism (80%)
7. New Age (78%)
8. Secular Humanism (78%)
9. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (78%)
10. Bahá’í Faith (77%)
The ranking which would probably include the church I attend, in most folks’ views:
22. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (30%)
My last one:
27. Jehovah’s Witness (11%)
There are so many ways to think about the universe. Yet there is so little that really separates us.
1. Neo-Pagan 100%
27. Roman Catholic 6%
I didn’t even know what Neo-Pagan was. No surprise about the Roman Catholic coming in last..
Stucco, a lot of the questions are aimed at social justice (at least, if I’m remembering them correctly - I took the quiz literally weeks ago). I saw a book in B&N this afternoon that made me think of you; How to be a Good Atheist.
Chatty, you emailed me to tell me you have an interesting religious ancestry - would you mind putting it here? Does anyone know what Bahá’í Faith is?
Lara, I really think that living compassionately and with integrity is the best expression of faith, whether that faith is in Christ, Allah, or the Nameless Universe.
Bo, I’m trying to figure out a way to talk about how I’m NOT Christian without offending the Christians that I love; how to say that I reject Christianity without rejecting the Christians in my life. It’s true that politics and religion are dangerous topics…
Auntie, we’re heathen dirt-worshipers, plain and simple.
What a stupid fucking test!
I answered in a completey non-spiritual, atheistic, mode.
So, what does the test do, ascribes the same kind of crapadoulis it did with mrschili.
Some Christian front invented this test, no doubt.
A load of Hooey!
I understand. It’s a flip side of what I run into, i.e. why I’m frequently hesitant to identify as a Christian unless I have a few minutes to explain where I’m coming from. Too many people make too many wrong assumptions.
But you don’t worry about offending me. On religion, I’m essentially “unoffendable” anyway–and considered thought from an intelligent person like you? Fugeddaboutit.
And I’m switching my answer. The church I attend more properly belongs in my #9, not my #22.
I have wondered if I’m a Quaker before (my #3).
Maybe they meant “Quacker,” I do like duck.
I know I don’t have to say this, since mrschili knows me for what I am, but nothing I said about the stupid test being stupid is a slap at her for making this post about it.
I took this test several years ago and it put me at Neo Pagan and Roman Catholic, which, if you look at history, aren’t really that different, unless you ask any devout Neo Pagan or Roman Catholic. Although I attend the Catholic church, I would say that I make it work for ME, which is basically practicing one’s own faith in whatever way they can.
. Secular Humanism (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (87%)
3. Neo-Pagan (81%)
4. Liberal Quakers (79%)
5. Nontheist (78%)
6. Jainism (63%)
7. Theravada Buddhism (63%)
8. New Age (62%)
9. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (58%)
10. Orthodox Quaker (56%)
11. Bahá’í Faith (51%)
12. Mahayana Buddhism (51%)
13. Taoism (50%)
14. Seventh Day Adventist (44%)
15. Hinduism (42%)
16. Eastern Orthodox (38%)
17. Islam (38%)
18. Orthodox Judaism (38%)
19. Roman Catholic (38%)
20. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (37%)
21. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (34%)
22. Reform Judaism (32%)
23. Sikhism (32%)
24. Jehovah’s Witness (28%)
25. Scientology (22%)
26. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (18%)
27. New Thought (16%)
I’ll let you know how I feel about mine after I find out more about Secular Humanism. I usually describe myself as a Unitarian even though I don’t officially belong to a congregation.
. Secular Humanism (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (87%)
3. Neo-Pagan (81%)
4. Liberal Quakers (79%)
5. Nontheist (78%)
6. Jainism (63%)
7. Theravada Buddhism (63%)
8. New Age (62%)
9. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (58%)
10. Orthodox Quaker (56%)
11. Bahá’í Faith (51%)
12. Mahayana Buddhism (51%)
13. Taoism (50%)
14. Seventh Day Adventist (44%)
15. Hinduism (42%)
16. Eastern Orthodox (38%)
17. Islam (38%)
18. Orthodox Judaism (38%)
19. Roman Catholic (38%)
20. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (37%)
21. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (34%)
22. Reform Judaism (32%)
23. Sikhism (32%)
24. Jehovah’s Witness (28%)
25. Scientology (22%)
26. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (18%)
27. New Thought (16%)
I’ll let you know how I feel about mine after I find out more about Secular Humanism. I usually describe myself as a Unitarian even though I don’t officially belong to a congregation.
Apparently, I am a Mormon, Islamist, Catholic, but absolutely not a Scientologist. Weird.
Yikes. What did I answer to get 100% indentified with some religions that claims to be nonviolent and yet supports abortion . . . . that sounds more than a little like a double-standard to me.
Lanie, it’s clear this isn’t a particularly rigorous tool. Certainly it’s good for starting conversations, as we’re amply demonstrating.
Gerry, I get it. It’s all good.
Bo’s right, Everyone - this isn’t a particularly comprehensive assessment tool (really - is there anything on the internet that IS?). I find it interesting that this post is generating so many comments, though - politics and religion really ARE the hot-button topics.
I’m not especially invested in finding out where I “fit” in the continuum of religions because I suspect that I don’t actually fit anywhere. I have no problem with being on my own on this one; I think that religion (faith, belief, whatever you call it) SHOULD be deeply personal and individual. It seems unreasonable, irrational, and impossible to me that everyone should have the same relationship to the divine.
Still, it’s interesting to see where my beliefs, values, and morals line up with others’ - I think that finding common ground is the only way we’re going to survive as a species.
So, THAT was interesting. Did anyone else feel like they weren’t asking quite the right questions to tap into what you really believe? Whatever. Anyway, I was 100 %Liberal Quaker or Universalist Unitarian (which is interesting… I think the side of my family from which my religious background does NOT come from is Unitarian) and only 20% Catholic (let me guess which questions affected THAT).
I was idly wondering why any person needs to take a quiz to find out about ….. themselves! I mean, a quiz about state capitols would be meaningful, or about presidents of former Soviet republics, I guess.
Do I need to take a test about what I like, in order to find out what I like?
A test about what I like to eat, in order to find out what I like to eat?
A test about what religious beliefs I have, in order to find out what religious beliefs I have.
Phooey and Hooey. I think I’ll invent an Internet Test.
Apparently I’m a Druid.
Geez, mention once that you happen to believe in Tree Sprites, and you get pigeonholed.
Gerry, I think I understand why people would want to take that kind of quiz; not everyone is sure where they fall in the continuum of religions, and not everyone is comfortable shopping around for places of worship/communities to find which one works for them. I can understand wanting to have a better idea of what of one’s beliefs would put him or her in which class of faith. I get what you’re saying, though, I just don’t think it’s quite as ridiculous as you might.
Colonel, apparently, it’s the same with animal sacrifice….
Ok, I am sitting on some VERY interesting results here… Who knew Jewish me is a Quaker????? Thanks for the startling food for thought…
1. Liberal Quakers (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (98%)
3. Neo-Pagan (92%)
4. Reform Judaism (90%)
5. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (78%)
6. Bahá’í Faith (78%)
7. New Age (78%)
8. Mahayana Buddhism (74%)
9. Sikhism (74%)
10. Secular Humanism (73%)
11. Scientology (67%)
12. Jainism (66%)
13. Hinduism (62%)
14. New Thought (61%)
15. Theravada Buddhism (61%)
16. Orthodox Quaker (58%)
17. Islam (54%)
18. Orthodox Judaism (54%)
19. Taoism (53%)
20. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (51%)
21. Nontheist (37%)
22. Seventh Day Adventist (35%)
23. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (34%)
24. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (30%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (25%)
26. Roman Catholic (25%)
27. Jehovah’s Witness (18%)
1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Secular Humanism (93%)
3. Liberal Quakers (88%)
4. Neo-Pagan (82%)
5. New Age (80%)
6. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (77%)
7. Theravada Buddhism (76%)
8. Nontheist (71%)
9. Taoism (68%)
10. Mahayana Buddhism (64%)
1. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (100%)
2. Orthodox Quaker (86%)
3. Unitarian Universalism (83%)
4. Liberal Quakers (80%)
5. Mainline to Conservative Christian / Protestant (73%)
I wondered if it was telling that there was such a large gap between the percentages for number 1 and number 2. I’m fine with a “Liberal Christian Protestant” label. I don’t think I would ever be offended by someone expressing their (opposing or otherwise) religious beliefs unless they were physically trying to harm my family or me while they were “expressing” themselves. Are you going to change my mind about my beliefs? Nope. Would I even try to change your mind about yours? Nope. I’ve met a few mean-nasty-horrible Christians and a couple nice Wiccans. They didn’t change my mind either. I’m okay with who I am and what I believe. What’s the line, “whatever you are, be a good one”?