Wednesday, December 17, 2008

What do you believe?

Over the last couple of years I have become more and more sure in my atheism. I'm not a militant atheist by any means. I'm not going to convert theists. But I do enjoy my spiritual journey much more now that I am not feeling guilty for not believing what I was taught to believe.

I recently took one of those meaningless quizzes on the internet to figure out if I am as much of an atheist as I proclaim. Apparently I am not. The site recommends these as the religions that are most closely aligned to my beliefs.

1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Secular Humanism (93%)
3. Theravada Buddhism (87%)
4. Neo-Pagan (86%)
5. Liberal Quakers (78%)

Am I surprised? A little. If I had ranked them myself in the first place I would have probably done it in the order of 1. Non-theist, 2. Secular Humanism, 3. Neo-Pagan, 4. Mahayana Buddhism, 5. Liberal Quaker.

Of course, being in Japan does give me a different perspective from the writers of this quiz. Our door-knockers are just as often from Buddhist sects as they are Mormons or Jehovahs Witnesses.

I do believe that it is nye on impossible to choose a religion by multiple choice. I believe in a lot of "probably but coulds." There is probably no afterlife, but our essence could be reincarnated. There is probably no reckoning, but karma could take care of evil to give cosmic balance. Just more questions on my spiritual journey. If I had all the answers it would be a damn boring journey, wouldn't it?

What do you believe? Take the quiz here.

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