quote:

ORIGINAL: BRNaughtyAngel

I think it might have been on our second or third date, He asked me if I had a problem with Him being a Pagan.  I smiled and replied, "No.  Do you have a problem with me being a Christian?"  He grinned and said "No".

And here we are......

quote:

ORIGINAL: CountrySong

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It seams that playing together is easier then living together.

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"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers..." -- 2 Corinthians 6:14

quote:

ORIGINAL: Stephann

I'm a very spiritual person.  I don't follow any form of organized religion.  I don't have a personal investment in my slave's specific religious beliefs.  Yet I will never be involved with a woman who doesn't share an interest in spiritualism again.  I would be incompatible with an athiest who doesn't respect my expectations for her emotional and spiritual development.

Stephan

quote:

ORIGINAL: CountrySong

I have a robust and direct sense of humor, and if the perpetrators and willing subjects of the oldest and most widely duplicated con-game in human history, responsible for more pain and suffering than any other sociological device ever created aren't worthy of derision, I don't know what possibly could be. 

I assume your talking about religion and a God being a con-game and responsible for more pain and suffering than any other sociological device? I used to think about it in that manner especially when thinking about things like the crusades, European witch hunts, etc. However, when you really look at the fact those things have very little to do with faith and a lot to do with power and the accumulation of wealth by those willing to twist belief systems for their own benefit - which also happens in Atheist societies as in China and the USSR.

The real truth is that people who strongly believe in their faith and practice it are happier overall than most who do not have a strong faith. (That is based on the positive psychology studies and the two national poles on happiness.) So actually when you look at the total sum of humanity faith has been much more beneficial than harmful.

A strong faith fills many of the social and emotional needs of a person. Just like a good Dom(me) fills the needs of a sub.

I lost my faith because I was a scientist. I regained it with three questions:
What did my lord – Christ do? According to the traditional bible he – healed, fed the hungry, and brought hope to the hopeless. According to the other texts he did those things and also brought enlightenment. Those are things I believe are worth so he is a worthy lord and I have no issues following his lead.
If I die and it’s over, then nothing lost. I still did a lot of good with my life. If I die and that is not the end then it’s a heck of a deal. ;-)
Is there a heaven? That one was tough. However, I had to ask myself if I had the power to make a heaven would I? The answer was yes – just to see my Grandma again I would. So is there a possibility that a higher intelligence would do that and has the power too. I had to answer yes to that also as we are approaching the point where we will be able to basically do that for humans. (Look up The Singularity online – interesting and scary.)
We also know that time travel is theoretically possible so who knows maybe it’s some future US or just some really nice alien intelligence.
Could some entity have planned the universe and even the creation of life? Sure. It’s all based on mathematics. Create event AKA big bang. X+y=z. Eventually, odds are that life will come into being. Set up a system to check for life and let you know what’s happening in your creation (sub atomic particles).
Peace

quote:

ORIGINAL: Stephann

I'm a very spiritual person.  I don't follow any form of organized religion.  I don't have a personal investment in my slave's specific religious beliefs.  Yet I will never be involved with a woman who doesn't share an interest in spiritualism again.  I would be incompatible with an athiest who doesn't respect my expectations for her emotional and spiritual development.

Stephan

quote:

ORIGINAL: MsHonor

One person (OmegaG) says "atheists are theists too" and SixFootMaster says "Connection with nature is definitely a form of spirituality." and "A person lacking in spirituality is... incapable of appreciating greater nobility and beauty in the world at large"

No undue offense intended, but both remind me on a line in The Princess Bride:

"You keep using that word... I do not think it means what you think it means."

Atheists are most certainly not theists.  In fact, oddly enough, not being a theist is the sole qualification for being an "atheist".

"Deist" means you believe in a creator who does not intervene in the universe. "Theist" means you believe in a creator who does intervene.  "Atheist" means you believe there is no such creator.

"Spirituality" is a belief that the "spirit" or "soul" exists, distinct from physical matter.  "Religion" is a system or doctrine of worship of a superhuman power or authority, most usually, specifically a god or gods.  Many religions include a doctrine of spirituality, but the two are absolutely not the same thing, nor is spirituality synonymous with - nor the lack thereof mutually exclusive with - a sense of wonder and beauty.


As a partial agreement with the general tone of the thread, I do think the question of religion, spirituality, and political philosophy are rather important to identify early on...  Particularly if you're not the sort who's happy with a "live and let live" course of action on such things.  To me "live and let live" is for things like "I like broccoli and you don't" or "You like Monet, and I think he sucked.", not things like "I live in a world of rational reality and you base important decisions on superstition and nonsense."

I have it listed in my profile journal posts as something a submissive should carefully consider before contacting me, and I may edit it sometime to make it even more clear and strident. 

Along with basic (and, I would think, obvious) requirements of loyalty and ethical fitness, I require a high degree of functional intelligence, logical capacity, ability to learn, and open-mindedness... Although it's important that the latter not be confused with starry-eyed gullibility or empty-headed credulity.

In early acquainting conversations, I tell any prospective submissive that religion and politics will be discussed, and I will not shy away from calling illogical, irrational, or outright silly ideas anything but what they are.  My slaves are not required to agree with me, but they are required to formulate a rational argument to defend their position when they don't... And, sometimes, even when they do.   I don't allow taboo subjects, and I don't "agree to disagree." - all that means is either that one of us can't defend her position, or one of us doesn't consider the other's ideas worthy of due consideration.  They will be expected to eloquently and rigorously defend any philosophy or belief they hold to, just as they will be expected to honestly argue any of my positions that they disagree with.

There will be frank discussion, and there will likely be harsh humor.  I have a robust and direct sense of humor, and if the perpetrators and willing subjects of the oldest and most widely duplicated con-game in human history, responsible for more pain and suffering than any other sociological device ever created aren't worthy of derision, I don't know what possibly could be.  Not all ideas are equal in value.  The fact that someone "believes" an idea doesn't make it automatically worthy of reverence and respect.  Any "belief" that can't be defended isn't worth the space it's taking up in your head.

When I was a boy, each week
On Sunday, we would go to church
And pay attention to the priest
He would read the holy word
And consecrate the holy bread
And everyone would kneel and bow
Today the only difference is
Everything is holy now
Everything, everything
Everything is holy now

When I was in Sunday school
We would learn about the time
Moses split the sea in two
Jesus made the water wine
And I remember feeling sad
That miracles don’t happen still
But now I can’t keep track
‘Cause everything’s a miracle
Everything, Everything
Everything’s a miracle

Wine from water is not so small
But an even better magic trick
Is that anything is here at all
So the challenging thing becomes
Not to look for miracles
But finding where there isn’t one

When holy water was rare at best
It barely wet my fingertips
But now I have to hold my breath
Like I’m swimming in a sea of it
It used to be a world half there
Heaven’s second rate hand-me-down
But I walk it with a reverent air
‘Cause everything is holy now
Everything, everything
Everything is holy now

Read a questioning child’s face
And say it’s not a testament
That’d be very hard to say
See another new morning come
And say it’s not a sacrament
I tell you that it can’t be done

This morning, outside I stood
And saw a little red-winged bird
Shining like a burning bush
Singing like a scripture verse
It made me want to bow my head
I remember when church let out
How things have changed since then
Everything is holy now
It used to be a world half-there
Heaven’s second rate hand-me-down
Now I walk it with a reverent air
‘Cause everything is holy now