So, I just found out I'm a Buddhist.

[catbert836]

I knew I was trending away from Catholicism for a long time, and I knew I no longer believed in the church, but I was still not ready to leave since I've been in it since I was a baby. Then I took the Belief-O-Matic, or whatever it was, and I found out my beliefs are 100% Mahayana Buddhist, and 13% Roman Catholic. So I'm no longer in denial.
Any comments...? B-)

[marbuc]

1. 113 percent?

[Teaser]

3. Possible if

there is overlap between Buddhism and catholicism.

[bunkerbuster1]

7. I'd taken the test a year ago, they've changed it a bit, but

my result's the same--100% UU.

If you take the test, they'll give you a complete rundown of all major religions and how closely compatible your belief system is with them. F'rinstance, I'm apparently more Catholic (15%) than the OP!

Not surprisingly, since I was raised in a liberal protestant denomination, I'm still 88% "Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestant".

Kinda comforting, that.

[brainshrub]

2. Where's the beleif-o-matic? Do you have a link?

I'm Catholic, every time I try to get away they pull me back in!

[catbert836]

4. Link

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html

[brainshrub]

8. Wow! I'm a Unitarian!

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (96%)
3. Liberal Quakers (90%)
4. Neo-Pagan (89%)
5. Mahayana Buddhism (84%)
6. Theravada Buddhism (73%)
7. Bahá'í Faith (70%)
8. New Age (69%)
9. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (68%)
10. Jainism (67%)
11. Secular Humanism (67%)
12. Taoism (66%)
13. New Thought (65%)
14. Reform Judaism (63%)
15. Hinduism (59%)
16. Orthodox Quaker (55%)
17. Sikhism (54%)
18. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (54%)
19. Scientology (49%)
20. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (47%)
21. Nontheist (40%)
22. Jehovah's Witness (37%)
23. Orthodox Judaism (32%)
24. Islam (29%)
25. Seventh Day Adventist (23%)
26. Eastern Orthodox (18%)
27. Roman Catholic (18%)

###

To me being Catholic is more of a cultural identity than a religion. Still, I'll look into finding a Unitarian Church in my area to attend and check them out.

[cprise]

17. UUism matches almost everything that isn't Neanderthal.

It's not a good indicator of anything unless you are comparing with a Mormon or other type of religious fundamentalist.

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Secular Humanism (96%)
3. Liberal Quakers (82%)
4. Theravada Buddhism (82%)
5. Neo-Pagan (75%)
6. Nontheist (72%)
7. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (71%)
8. New Age (62%)
9. Mahayana Buddhism (55%)
10. Taoism (50%)
etc...

As a humanist myself, I'd still say the meter is reasonably accurate. My main spiritual influences are Enlightenment humanism, Taoism, and Zen Buddhism.

Although they're not secular, probably about 98% of the liberal Christians on DU are strongly humanist.

[hopein08]

5. Not originally my post but here's a link...

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html

I was really interested so I looked it up.

[bunkerbuster1]

6. probably means this one

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html?rnd=36

[Jon_da_brockman]

9. Interesting, check me out

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Liberal Quakers (87%)
3. Neo-Pagan (86%)
4. Secular Humanism (84%)
5. Reform Judaism (76%)
6. Theravada Buddhism (73%)
7. Mahayana Buddhism (72%)
8. Jainism (72%)
9. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (72%)
10. New Age (72%)
11. Bah�'� Faith (71%)
12. Sikhism (70%)
13. Nontheist (63%)
14. Taoism (61%)
15. Orthodox Judaism (58%)
16. Islam (56%)
17. Orthodox Quaker (56%)
18. Scientology (54%)
19. New Thought (51%)
20. Hinduism (46%)
21. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (45%)
22. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (40%)
23. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (34%)
24. Eastern Orthodox (25%)
25. Roman Catholic (25%)
26. Seventh Day Adventist (24%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (12%)

[sam sarrha]

10. Jesus lived on the Silk Road from India.. Direct access to Buddhism..

our monk asked how many were previously Christian.. about 26 of 30, then he asked how many had been catholic...20 out of 26..!!

how could Jesus come up with his Mahayana rap living in a culture that stoned their friends and neighbors to death for trivial shit.?

Buddhism was traveling around for 500 years whin Jesus was born..

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[whistle]

12. Belief-O-Matic link....

<link> http://beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html

<snip>

My Results:

The top score on the list below represents the faith that Belief-O-Matic, in its less than infinite wisdom, thinks most closely matches your beliefs. However, even a score of 100% does not mean that your views are all shared by this faith, or vice versa.

Belief-O-Matic then lists another 26 faiths in order of how much they have in common with your professed beliefs. The higher a faith appears on this list, the more closely it aligns with your thinking.

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (94%)
3. Hinduism (93%)
4. Liberal Quakers (91%)
5. New Thought (90%)
6. New Age (81%)
7. Neo-Pagan (81%)
8. Scientology (81%)
9. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (80%)
10. Reform Judaism (80%)
11. Orthodox Quaker (69%)
12. Sikhism (69%)
13. Orthodox Judaism (64%)
14. Seventh Day Adventist (63%)
15. Mahayana Buddhism (62%)
16. Secular Humanism (60%)
17. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (60%)
18. Eastern Orthodox (55%)
19. Roman Catholic (55%)
20. Theravada Buddhism (53%)
21. Bahá'í Faith (53%)
22. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (48%)
23. Taoism (46%)
24. Islam (45%)
25. Jainism (41%)
26. Nontheist (39%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (38%)

[sam sarrha]

13. Check out these links

http://www.buddhanet.net

http://www.lamazopa.com

[Democracy White]

14. My list

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Neo-Pagan (96%)
3. Liberal Quakers (92%)
4. Reform Judaism (92%)
5. New Age (91%)
6. Jainism (89%)
7. Mahayana Buddhism (88%)
8. New Thought (86%)
9. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (84%)
10. Theravada Buddhism (80%)
11. Hinduism (71%)
12. Bahá'í Faith (68%)
13. Scientology (68%)
14. Sikhism (66%)
15. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (65%)
16. Secular Humanism (62%)
17. Orthodox Judaism (61%)
18. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (54%)
19. Jehovah's Witness (54%)
20. Islam (53%)
21. Taoism (53%)
22. Orthodox Quaker (42%)
23. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (35%)
24. Nontheist (33%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (24%)
26. Roman Catholic (24%)
27. Seventh Day Adventist (24%)


I'm surprised that Neo Paganism is number 2 though since that is what I really practice.

Dee

[marbuc]

15. Neo-Pagan? Oh well, if the shoe fits...

1. Neo-Pagan (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (97%)
3. Liberal Quakers (95%)
4. New Age (88%)
5. Secular Humanism (82%)
6. Reform Judaism (80%)
7. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (76%)
8. Mahayana Buddhism (74%)
9. Scientology (71%)
10. Bahá'í Faith (66%)
11. New Thought (65%)
12. Jainism (64%)
13. Taoism (61%)
14. Theravada Buddhism (61%)
15. Orthodox Quaker (60%)
16. Sikhism (59%)
17. Hinduism (56%)
18. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (54%)
19. Nontheist (52%)
20. Islam (50%)
21. Orthodox Judaism (50%)
22. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (33%)
23. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (32%)
24. Seventh Day Adventist (29%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (21%)
26. Roman Catholic (21%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (19%)

[Mythsaje]

16. Laughing at my results...

I in no way consider myself a Christian.

I don't believe in any sort of anthropomorphic deity--I don't think humans have the capacity to truly understand "God." We can make guesses, but that's all they are. I think if anything is God, it's ALL THAT IS, not only in this physical universe, but in any other universes that might exist. I believe there may be "enlightened ones," or Avatars, but they are not channeling anything beyond human understanding--they are human beings more aware of our interdependence on other people and the world/universe around us.

If I were to label MYSELF, I'd consider myself a semi-agnostic pantheist humanist. God exists, perhaps, but you don't know what God's about any more than I do, and there ain't a book in existence that's going to explain it to you.


1. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (94%)
3. Liberal Quakers (92%)
4. Neo-Pagan (88%)
5. Bahá'í Faith (83%)
6. Secular Humanism (76%)
7. Mahayana Buddhism (74%)
8. New Age (74%)
9. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (73%)
10. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (70%)
11. New Thought (68%)
12. Taoism (63%)
13. Reform Judaism (58%)
14. Theravada Buddhism (58%)
15. Nontheist (55%)
16. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (53%)
17. Scientology (53%)
18. Orthodox Quaker (51%)
19. Sikhism (51%)
20. Hinduism (44%)
21. Jehovah's Witness (42%)
22. Orthodox Judaism (41%)
23. Eastern Orthodox (35%)
24. Islam (35%)
25. Jainism (35%)
26. Roman Catholic (35%)
27. Seventh Day Adventist (25%)

[PDittie]

18. I scored Liberal Quakers first

1. Liberal Quakers (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (97%)
3. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (95%)
4. Neo-Pagan (89%)
5. New Age (83%)
6. Mahayana Buddhism (81%)
7. Theravada Buddhism (74%)
8. Taoism (72%)
9. Bahá'í Faith (72%)
10. New Thought (68%)
11. Reform Judaism (67%)
12. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (63%)
13. Secular Humanism (62%)
14. Scientology (62%)
15. Jainism (57%)
16. Sikhism (56%)
17. Hinduism (52%)
18. Orthodox Quaker (50%)
19. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (40%)
20. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (35%)
21. Orthodox Judaism (35%)
22. Nontheist (33%)
23. Jehovah's Witness (30%)
24. Islam (29%)
25. Seventh Day Adventist (24%)
26. Eastern Orthodox (24%)
27. Roman Catholic (24%)

[Jon_da_brockman]

19. 20. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (35%) ?

You fail! :P

just playin.

[PDittie]

20. I'm kinda disappointed it's that high

Must've been the few formative years I spent attending the Church of Christ.

A stain I can't wash out of my brain.

[Jon_da_brockman]

21. Hehe, no one can fault you for that

I spent the first 15 or so years of my life going to church with my parents... some of it still sticks around.

[Maat]

22. I have consistently (over a year or two's time) come out ..

100% Unitarian-Universalist.

I call myself a UUer of the New Thought variety (I also enjoy attending Church of Religious Science, believing in the One-Energy that is both within and without).

We split our time between the churches; my kid only attends churches with progressive, open and affirming beliefs; I'm so glad I found them.

[More Than A Feeling]

23. Here is mine

1. Neo-Pagan (100%)
2. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (95%)
3. Liberal Quakers (94%)
4. Unitarian Universalism (94%)
5. New Age (92%)
6. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (88%)
7. Mahayana Buddhism (88%)
8. Taoism (85%)
9. New Thought (84%)
10. Scientology (81%)
11. Bah�'� Faith (72%)
12. Theravada Buddhism (71%)
13. Secular Humanism (71%)
14. Reform Judaism (67%)
15. Sikhism (64%)
16. Jainism (58%)
17. Hinduism (54%)
18. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (52%)
19. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (45%)
20. Orthodox Quaker (45%)
21. Nontheist (41%)
22. Orthodox Judaism (38%)
23. Islam (32%)
24. Jehovah's Witness (29%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (23%)
26. Roman Catholic (23%)
27. Seventh Day Adventist (17%)

What is interesting about my results is that the top ten are bunched together, including the much-loved Scientology;) I am a liberal Baptist who is also practicing Zen Buddhism.

[Tux]

24. Just me?

But have anyone noticed how Unitarian Universalism is in the top 5 or at times in some threads top 2 for matching beliefs? Weird. Why is that no matter what people believe (Christian, Buddhist atheist), liberals tend to match UUism? I am beginning to think that the test is biased. Not to bash UU (I am one) but it comes up a lot when you look at different people's test results.

[onager]

25. We were talking about this in the A&A group

(Atheists & Agnostics)

Every atheist and agnostic who took the test ended up in the U-U category.

Most of us were wondering why we couldn't find the choice: "I think religion is all a bunch of blithering nonsense."

Somebody pointed out that the test is for BELIEF systems. As we atheists never tire of pointing out in here, atheism is not a belief system.

So however puzzling it was to find our atheist selves listed as U-U, the testers were probably correct to leave out the "non-belief systems" in this case.

And given the limited choices on the test, the answers that could be given by an atheist or agnostic probably matched U-U the closest. I guess...:shrug:

[oxbow]

26. Lib. Quakers are the coolest people

very strong social conscience, very not pushy in their beliefs, no set dogma besides non-violence. One of the only religions whose past is not stained with blood. My reiki teacher is a Friend, and I am going to go to their meetings one of these days if I can wake up early :P

[sakabatou]

27. Mine

1. Reform Judaism (100%)
2. Liberal Quakers (92%)
3. Unitarian Universalism (89%)
4. Bah�'� Faith (83%)
5. Orthodox Judaism (81%)
6. Sikhism (80%)
7. Islam (78%)
8. Neo-Pagan (74%)
9. Jainism (71%)
10. Secular Humanism (70%)
11. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (66%)
12. New Age (56%)
13. Hinduism (50%)
14. Mahayana Buddhism (50%)
15. Orthodox Quaker (49%)
16. Theravada Buddhism (49%)
17. Nontheist (48%)
18. Seventh Day Adventist (44%)
19. Taoism (41%)
20. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (39%)
21. Jehovah's Witness (39%)
22. New Thought (37%)
23. Eastern Orthodox (33%)
24. Roman Catholic (33%)
25. Scientology (33%)
26. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (29%)
27. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (16%)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Wonder why they don't have conservative judaism.

[catbert836]

28. Oops! Forgot to post all my results:

1. Mahayana Buddhism (100%)
2. Theravada Buddhism (90%)
3. Neo-Pagan (88%)
4. Unitarian Universalism (88%)
5. New Age (85%)
6. Liberal Quakers (80%)
7. Taoism (77%)
8. Hinduism (76%)
9. New Thought (72%)
10. Jainism (71%)
11. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (70%)
12. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (66%)
13. Scientology (65%)
14. Sikhism (56%)
15. Secular Humanism (54%)
16. Orthodox Quaker (52%)
17. Bahá'í Faith (51%)
18. Reform Judaism (50%)
19. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (32%)
20. Orthodox Judaism (32%)
21. Nontheist (31%)
22. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (29%)
23. Seventh Day Adventist (25%)
24. Jehovah's Witness (23%)
25. Islam (22%)
26. Eastern Orthodox (13%)
27. Roman Catholic (13%)

[toddaa]

29. I doubt you are

The quiz is skewed towards Mahayana Buddism and UU for anyone who answers in such a way as to deviate only slightly from atheist/materialist answers. As a Tao Pantheist, I question any goofy internet quiz that doesn't even acknowledge the word pantheism. Plus, I've played around with the poll many times and have yet to score a perfect 100% on Taoism. Beliefnet is a very good web site, but the quiz is horribly designed.

[catbert836]

30. Well, I WAS looking for a new religion.

But now that you've informed me of this, I'll just go back to lapping up what the church says. I don't want to be an athiest; there's just not enough holidays.

[toddaa]

31. Don't do that

All I'm saying is that the quiz is skewed. Here's a suggestion for you. Go to http://www.pantheism.net/ and let me know what you think.

[catbert836]

32. Interesting. Very interesting.

I like pantheism a lot, i've always had a certain reverence for nature. However, I still think there's something after this life. Right now, reincarnation makes a lot of sense to me, however, I've also thought that maybe after death we are absorbed back into the natural energy force, or Tao, or whatever you'd like to call it.

[toddaa]

33. I agree with your second point

The fundamental point of Taoism is returning. Instead of progressing linearly, as in Western belief systems, Taoism emphasizes returning. Reincarnation is not a Taoist belief as there is no concept of a soul, but it is compatible with Buddhism. However, Buddha taught that reincarnation was a trap that one needed to escape. Nirvana is the annihilation of the soul. As a Taoist pantheist, I believe that the boundary between the I and the All cannot be drawn. I don't die, my energy simply returns to where it came from.

Think about this. What were you before you were born? Unless you believe in reincarnation, this attachment to an afterlife without any concern for a beforelife strikes me as strange. Something I've never understood about the Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions.