We Need A New Religion

One thing that all religions have in common is that their main directive to us is to "act with compassion" in our daily lives. Need I say many have lost their way? Obviously the so-called xians have been led astray with lust for war, bigotry against minorities, hatred of gays, and the wish to destroy the rights of women and the well-being of children. A lot of them also seem addicted to oxycontin, pedophilia, torture, and the sexual harassment of women. We could come together, all 55 million of us and our families, plus the millions of uncounted voters. We could join into a compassionate union of people with one name, united, giving up our old religious labels. We just might be the largest religion in this country, certainly the most noble, and an interesting new voting bloc.

www.uua.org

The Church of Reality
~ If it's real, we believe in it! ~

http://www.churchofreality.org/

We are building a religion,
We are building it bigger
We are widening the corridors and adding more lanes
We are building a religion.
A limited edition
We are now accepting callers for these pendant keychains
To resist it is useless,
It is useless to resist it
His cigerratte is burning but it never seems to ash
He is grooming his poodle
He is living comfort eagle
You can meet at his location but you'd better come with cash

Now his hat is on backwards. He can show you his tattoos
He is in the music buisness he is calling you "DUDE!"

Now today is tomorrow and tomorrow's today
And yesterday is weaving in and out
And the fluffy white lines that the airplane leaves behind
Are drifting right in front of the waning of the moon

He is handling the money. He's serving the food
He knows about your party. He is calling you "DUDE!"

Now, do you believe in the one big sign?
The double wide shine on the boot hills of your prime
Doesn't matter if you're skinny. Doesn't matter if you're fat.
You can dress up like a sultan in your onion-head hat

We are bulding a religion. We are making a brand
We're the only ones to turn to when your castles turn to sand
Take a bit of this apple, Mr. Corporate Events
Take a walk through the jungle of cardboard shanties and tents
Some people drink pepsi. Some people drink coke. (coke)
The wacky morning d.j. says democracy's a joke.

He says now, "Do you believe in the one big song?"
He's now accepting callers who would like to sing along
He says, "Do you believe in the one true edge?"
By fastening your saftey belts and stepping towards the ledge

He is handling the money. He is serving the food.
He is now accepting callers. He is calling me "DUDE!"

Do you believe in the one big sign?
The double wide shine on the boot hills of your prime.
There's no need to ask directions if you ever lose your mind
We're behind you. We're behind you.
And let us please remind you
We can send a car to find you
If you ever lose your way

We are bulding a religion...
We are bulding it bigger...
We are building............... a religion.......
A limited edition
We are now accepting callers for these beautiful pendant keychains


Come on now, be honest. You knew someone would post this sooner or later.

is inclusive of and reverent towards peaceful people of all faiths based on the simple premise of "don't kill" would unify the world.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2616262

The core belief of Foodaism is a benevolent deity will somehow mysteriously restock the fridge despite my opening it every two minutes and finding nothing I want to eat.

JM

All that you require and all that you want and aspire to is found in the Teachings of Jesus.
So do we need a new religion or a new spiritual leader? No we have one but we just do not know it because the other side has hijacked him and has him bound and gaged.
I say resurrect his words and tell me it does not fit your requirements.

It's a religion based on science -- and also on what lies beyond science.

From the start of human history, there has always been an intimate relationship between science and religion. Science tells us about known things and defines the border between the known and the unknown. Religion weaves psychologically meaningful myths about what lies beyond the border.

Old-line religions like Christianity were based on the leading edge science of the Bronze Age. They started at the boundaries of that science with questions like, "What lies beyond the stars?" and "Where did the world come from and why are things the way they are and not different?" And they filled in the gaps with potent answers like "Heaven" and "Creation."

But we're not doing Bronze Age science any more. We know a whole lot more about the size and shape of the universe and the history of the Earth and where living things came from and why the world is the way it is. And what we know now makes it impossible to keep believing in the old religions, except in a fingers-in-the-ears fundie kind of way.

On the other hand, present-day science has created new unknowns with new mythic possibilities. Quantum theory. Consciousness. The nature of time. The possibility of alternate universes. Evolution. And those new mysteries are already being woven into new religious forms -- all that stuff that tends to be referred to dismissively as "New Age."

It's our New Age-y belief in universal consciousness and universal love that makes us fight for gay marriage -- not some bizarre lack of morals. It's our New Age-y sense that our world is only one among many in a vast cosmos that makes it hard for us to define ourselves merely as "Americans." It's our New Age-y faith in human potential that makes us fight for a society in which every individual will have both the right and the necessary tools to actualize their dreams. It's our New Age-y belief in evolution as the force in nature which enables us to transcend our limitations that makes us think and plan in terms of a very, very long future where the human stock, if it survives, will be altered out of all present recognition.

This is our religion -- but it has no name and no leaders and for the most part it never gets acknowledged in public. Perhaps what we really need is to do some good old-style witnessing to the truth of our beliefs.

"Gimme that old Zarathustra
They don't make gods like they used to
I'm a Zarathustra Booster,
He's good enough for me!
Gimme that old Aphrodite
She looks sexy in her nightie
She can be a little flighty
But she's good enough for me!
Gimme that old time religion..."

with so many subjects who were catholic, she replaced the iconic Virgin Mary with herself: The Virgin Queen. It worked. So the idea of a "new" religion isn't such a bad idea. It doesn't really have to be new, just a new framing of old ideas. The Interfaith movement is already trying - taking the common elements from all world religiions, and showing that they are mostly the same at their core. Compassion, enlightenment, connection, and the idea that "god" (whatever that means to you) is inside each of us.

The apocryphal Gospel of Thomas says this very thing, and might provide a good place to start reframing spirituality for christians. With all the interest stirred up by The DaVinci Code, Thomas is becoming better known. And though his writings are not included in the christian bible, he was a follower of Jesus and his "gospel" is still available. (see powells.com or check your library - it's very interesting stuff.) This angle won't bring in the radical christian hate-mongers, but it might appeal to the many intelligent and curious christians out there.

Many people who practice paganism and any other associated religion adhere to a very simple code of ethics. Although this comes from the Wiccan Rede, its meaning is universal: "An it harm none, do as ye will."
I am Pagan. I worship the God and the Goddess. I love the earth and all of her creatures (humans included). I believe in the supernatural. I don't practice magick and I don't call myself a witch. I believe in universal rights for everyone.
Of course my beliefs run much deeper than that, but that is a start. I have found Paganism to be a fitting alternative to christianity.

There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no death; there is the Force.