Political Crossfire Forums

This is a more meta question but I was wondering how you all relate to religion as a general object. For example, I don't see my religious background as a system of beliefs that I either accept or don't accept, but more as a set of cultural values preserved (or warped, as the case may be) within historical institutions such as the church. I guess in this regard I don't buy the whole notion of a general worldwide "crisis of faith," a general increase in disbelief, not only because religion such as pentecostalism is rising in many parts of the Third World but more generally because I see religion simply as one historically changing mode of building community. So anyways, do you relate to religion as a system of belief, cultural phenomenon, or what?

I don't relate to it at all anymore. I'm supposedly an Episcopalian but I just don't see the value, never really have. It's a means of social gathering as far as I can tell, gets people of a certain persuasion to be more giving to others. I don't need to believe in anything to think that's a positive act, it just is (Depending of course upon context and circumstances).

system of belief. was raised in an atheist household. a christian dominated country, sure, but i wouldn't consider myself a cultural christian, whatever that means.

Well, I mean I guess it depends on type of Christianity as well. Catholicism for example places heavy emphasis on saints and I could see how you might still be emotionally attached to their images even if you lost faith in the overall religion. Certain sects of Protestantism seem more austere in that regard, though still ultimately cultural phenomena as well.

A scam.