By Jove, I think you're right.
Look here.
By Jove, I think you're right.
Look here.
What is the use of a violent kind of delightfulness if there is no pleasure in not getting tired of it.
- Gertrude Stein
A washerwoman with her basket; a rook; a red-hot poker; th purples and grey-greens of flowers: some common feeling which held the whole together.
- Virginia Woolf
Or it could be that religiosity and ethnicity are both affected by location?
Quiet you!Originally Posted by 0bliv!on
Actually, I think the fact that ethnically diverse regions (such as Canada and the US) are reasonably monolithic religiously proves Shouty's point.
What is the use of a violent kind of delightfulness if there is no pleasure in not getting tired of it.
- Gertrude Stein
A washerwoman with her basket; a rook; a red-hot poker; th purples and grey-greens of flowers: some common feeling which held the whole together.
- Virginia Woolf
Hmm, i guess i should include mine too =P
born a buddhist, although not a very observant family.
i thought i was an atheist for a while, and finally settled on agnosticism.
Chinese... probably Han ethnicity.
Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.
AHahaha… sorry if I sounded a bit superior there.
EDIT
I apologise for the mess that I posted earlier. This is an attempted clarification. These are my opinions, just on the record here, so that I don’t have to repeat “in my opinion”, “I think”, etc, later on.
Religion is based on a person’s background: culture, upbringing, and ethnicity and location. Ethnicity and location are two factors, although not in a purely causal sense. The two are also related, so much so at the present that nationality (which is congruent to location) and ethnicity are often interchangeable in everyday conversation. For example, when someone speaks of Chinese people, they can in fact be referring to both people of the dominant Han ethnicity, or someone living in China, (or even someone who originally lived in China). This is because in most “non-immigrant-built” countries (as opposed to, for example, the US or Australia) the majority of the population is of one ethnicity (eg. Most people in Germany are of the German ethnicity), while reciprocally, most people of that ethnicity reside in that country (eg. Most people of German ethnicity live in Germany). Insomuch as their respective relationship with religiosity, in such cases location and ethnicity are equal. However, when countries with overwhelmingly large non-native ethnicities such as the US and Australia are taken into account, things become more murky.
As religion is based on upbringing and culture, the original location of the immigrant (depending sometimes on the length of time since that person or his/her family first immigrated to the present location) is more important than where they may be now (eg. The son of a devout Buddhist is likely to stay Buddhist even if he immigrates to Australia, and the majority of devout Buddhists live in China; therefore the fact that the man came from China has a greater bearing upon his religious beliefs than the fact that he now lives in Australia). The original location is also very much related to ethnicity as large scale immigration occurs primarily between the native home of that ethnicity and a new destination, for example, most Chinese who immigrate to the US are also members of China’s native ethnic group, as opposed to a case where a long term resident of China who immigrates to the US is of a non-native ethnicity such as German. Despite this, location has a greater causal effect upon religiosity due to both the greater exposure to the dominant religion of that location and a form of “peer pressure.” In religious vacuums such as China and the former USSR, where atheism was strictly enforced, this causality breaks down. Ultimately however, it is difficult to deduce whether location or ethnicity has a greater relationship with religiosity. However it would be interesting to compare the ethnic diversity and religious diversity of countries such as the US or Australia.
Argh. Ok that’s about it. Hope I haven’t bored anyone to death.
Last edited by 0bliv!on; 11-02-2006 at 03:46 AM. Reason: umm... need for clarification.
Born and baptized Catholic, today I am a Christian.
Umm, ethnicity: Spanish (Spain, not Mexico - some Californians mix those two), German, and a little bit of Native American and Polish.
"So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss, and my heart turns violently inside of my chest, I don't have time to maintain these regrets, when I think about, the way....He loves us..."
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5xXowT4eJjY
Born Hindu, changed to christianity at the age of 15.
ethnicity - Indian
A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying in other words that he is wise today than yesterday - Alexander Pope
Conviction that is not under-girded by LOVE makes the possessor of that conviction obnoxious and the dogma possessed becomes repulsive - Ravi Zacharias.
I was born and raised and will die a Christian.
Ethnicity, I am
a Filipino of Chinese and Spanish descent.
Dreams! adorations! illuminations! religions!
the whole boatload of sensitive!
— Allen Ginsberg, Howl II.
I was born to Buddhist parents. Though I was never tought or told to learn anything about this religion.
Born a child--sent to church where I truly had no idea what the Lord Christ was doing on the cross--was there for the cookies. Was hoping to get by on good works (totally oblivious that I had none to present to the Lord and no one would ever say I'ld get by on my looks). Methodist church by the way -- becamea Christian at age 18 thru an interdenominal organization called the Navigators and took awhile it was really by the grace of God. Current religious belief system mostly based on the Westminster Confession of Faith. Had read the Bible at least 6 times (pathetic for someone of my years) and have found only one error in it. The Apostle Paul says he was the chief of sinners -- I feel well qualified in that area -- I find lipservice so much easier then heart service as for all the war stories I'm really standoffish. The stories (while true) are really my shield to keep people at a distance and I think most of you on the forums have probably figured that out. Why I occasionally think about leaving (Grace86 and I discussed this once) but I can't spend all my life running. So your stuck with me until the moderators start winnowing the chaff.
I think its history that may do it....
My mission in life is to make YOU smile
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The time has come," the Walrus said,"To talk of many things:
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Indonesian
Christian
I was born. I was christened. One of my Aunts bought me an illustrated children’s bible (a big hardback thing with pretty pictures).
But, none of my family are active Christians. We were christened, yes, but there are only three ways to get my family into a church:
-Wedding
-Christening
-Funeral (Though our last one was actually a cremation)
So I should probably say cremation/funeral.
These events are never really significant in the religious sense. They're just an excuse to have the family together and get all dressed up.
A wedding is for making a big show of how you love each other, so you invite the family (Both halves). It's a lovely occasion full of pretty dresses, speeches, dances and no one is willing to turn up the free food either. I was actually very happy to be a bridesmaid at my uncle's wedding, even though I was only 5-6 at the time. Though, because we only had one rehearsal and that didn't include practicing hymns, when it came to the day, I didn't know the words, and of course, being at the front meant I didn't have a book to read it from. So, I was able to sing the chorus to All things bright and beautiful but for the rest of the time I was going la la la la la in time with everyone else, and was only found out when we looked over the wedding video
After the wedding a christening is expected to follow a few years later. This isn't really for religious reasons, it another excuse to get the family all together (Both halves) and have them all coo over your new offspring while you show them off.
Funerals are slightly different. They aren't an excuse to get together (Usually one half). They are for mourning the dead. Now, these I will not make light of. I went to my grandfather's a few years ago (He was my only remaining grandparent) and was overcome with a deep sense of sadness, especially when my eldest cousin broke down in tears after the service. The atmosphere was completely different; it seemed alien, because no one was happy to see each other. Well, they were, but it didn't really show through the grief.
So that's Christianity for my family.
Me personally. I declare myself to be Atheist.
As for my nationality.
I am English, as far as we know. There may be some other influence from around the UK, we don't know. But, my dad says I'm either Viking or AngloSaxon. But I think I'd be proud to have a hint of Celt in ther somewhere too, I probably do.
One the whole, I'd say I'm a mix of the native Celts and the invading Vikings, AngloSaxons and what ever else invaded England over the years.
And I'm proud to be it
Last edited by Bluebiird; 11-02-2006 at 06:19 AM.
No doubt but there is none other beeste comparable to the mightie dragon in awsome power and majestie, and few so worthie of the diligent studies of wise men - Gildas Magnus, Ars Draconis, 1465
It's just so great to see such refreshing honesty!!
I was going to say; Born Pure - tarnished by religion!! Although that is not quite true.
My life more like;
- Born pure
-Believed in Santa and God
-No longer believed in Santa but still believed in God
-Still believed in God but wished he was more like Santa
-Learnt that you need faith to believe in God
-Promptly set about breaking many of the rules set by God
-Commit, agonize, justify, time, numbness - true sorrow if caught out.
- repeat above process ad nauseam
- caught between thinking it'd be easier to be atheist and knowing that there must be more than just this life
- Therefore a christian, by the skin of my teeth - just in case!!
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