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Do you consider yourself a religious person?

Asked at Massachusetts Street on June 24, 2008

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Photo of Lauren Moore

“No. I don’t go to church. I never really have been religious. I believe in God and was raised Catholic, but it’s just never been a part of my day-to-day life.”

— Lauren Moore, Kansas University recent graduate, St. Louis

Photo of Jeremiah Woodring

“Yes. I would say more spiritual though, and I say that because I have an intimate relationship with God.”

— Jeremiah Woodring, insurance sales, Kansas City, Kan.

Photo of Janae Colter

“Yes. I go to church and pray every day.”

— Janae Colter, hostess, Lawrence

Photo of Dillon Hicks

“No, not at all. I’m an atheist.”

— Dillon Hicks, KU junior, Lawrence

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Comments

Haiku_for_You 9 years, 10 months ago

The only true god: Flying Spaghetti Monster. Go on, prove me wrong!

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craigers 9 years, 10 months ago

Blue, that sounds like a plan!

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manus_flexibilis 9 years, 10 months ago

Yay! True Americans......Am I considered false if my DNA wasn't transported on a boat or flown in on a plane, if you know what I mean?

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dminear60 9 years, 10 months ago

No. I tend to agree with Nietzsche when it comes to religion.

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George_Braziller 9 years, 10 months ago

I'm agnostic but I have my own sense of spirituality that isn't based on the idea of any "recognized" religion. I was raised Methodist and even as a child of five I was wondering --- Huh? This doesn't make any sense.

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jonas 9 years, 10 months ago

I think I covered this pretty adequately over the weekend.

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tonythetiger 9 years, 10 months ago

People worship me wherever they go. They give testimony to what I am. I have followers and they make offerings of old food wrappers to pay homage to me. They are grrrrrreat.I even had a minister at a Baptist Church throw powdered donuts at me as I drove off to my job.As far as religious goes I started a book about religion as I graduated high school and Salman Rushdie beat me to the publisher. He had it out by October 1988.,, I remember so well.

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jaythomp11 9 years, 10 months ago

FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER!!

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Frederic Gutknecht IV 9 years, 10 months ago

I am not religious but I am as "good" as 97.2% of the religious people I've met. I will also guarantdamntee each and every one of you that if I knew I could "save" you all by dying a horrible death, I would do so. No problem. Piece of cake. Think nothing of it. My pleasure. No tips necessary. No prayer necessary. No worship necessary. Just be as good as I am or I'll smite you without you feeling any pain or having any knowledge of the smiting. It will be as if you never existed, you piece of carp!~) No problem. Piece of cake. Think nothing of it. My pleasure...Oh and if, after dying for your sins, I was taken up to heaven and glorified and given a seat at the right hand of God, I'd feel a little guilty about the whole deal...creepy, actually. Peace...Love...and So(u)l!

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craigers 9 years, 10 months ago

Not religious, but have a relationship with Christ and talk with Him daily!

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walkdog262 9 years, 10 months ago

I often pray to the porcelain god.

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sunflower_sue 9 years, 10 months ago

what craigers said.

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jayhawkerincali 9 years, 10 months ago

"Atheism is the only responsible option for a thinking man. If a premise can't be proven, why make decisions based on it?"Are you not making a decision to choose not to believe in something that very well could be there? (Sorry, right after I rip someone's English on another thread, I bust out a double negative. Too early to try to figure out the proper English I'm looking for, so I'll just call myself out)

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bondmen 9 years, 10 months ago

Religion is the opiate of the masses, Marx said. Jesus Christ offers a personal relationship and eternal life to all who believe in Him.

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terrapin2 9 years, 10 months ago

Hopeful agnostic.

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Peaty Romano 9 years, 10 months ago

I'm with Dillon

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canyon_wren 9 years, 10 months ago

To me, the term "religious" describes a person who gives the appearance of believing something, but who may well only have a superficial "marketable" faith. While I don't consider myself a "religious" person, I AM a person with a deep faith. Also, while I know that believers are supposed to gather together, I know, personally, that many people who go to church regularly fall in the category I described and many people of strong faith don't always attend any church. I have attended churches of several different denominations and think that they are a good social gathering place for like-minded people. I attend regularly now, as well, but, although our pastor has unbelievably wonderful sermons, modern-day church services don't leave me with a feeling of having truly worshiped. Most of my spiritual "growth" comes from prayer and reading the writings of some of our great believers of the past.

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acg 9 years, 10 months ago

If by religious, you mean practicing an organized religion, no, not in this lifetime. As for my personal beliefs in God, I don't know. I've always been open minded to the idea but I don't or can't have blind faith like many I know. I don't go to church because a: I feel that most churches are corrupt in some fashion and b: I think that it would be hypocritical of a person who doesn't thoroughly believe with that blind faith to go to a house of worship every week and pretend, like many others I know. If there is a God, I think he is bothered by all of this turmoil that's caused in his name and I also think hypocrisy would piss him off. I think, or hope, that if there is a God, he's nowhere near as strict as the religious make him out to be. I think if you were to live your life and be as good a person as you could be, and if you held more love in your heart than hatred, he'd let you in.

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Grundoon Luna 9 years, 10 months ago

Yo, JhawkinCali!! Isis, Isis, Ra Ra Ra!!!!Though they may call me a heathen and damn me to Hell (and what do they ever know, really . . . .) I'm very religious. God is dead.. . . . . NietzscheNietzsche's dead.. . . . . God

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yourworstnightmare 9 years, 10 months ago

The tired argument that atheists take a leap of faith by not believing in god is ridiculous. If objective, quantifiable evidence of a god's existence were at hand and atheists still refused to believe, then that would be a leap of faith. There is no such evidence, so there is no reason to compel an evidence-based thinker to believe in a god.It is a question of reality versus fantasy. There is just as much reason to believe in Zeus or Odin or Shiva or any other fantasy character than there is for the xtian god.

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jayhawkerincali 9 years, 10 months ago

Well said acg. I gave up in the 7th grade, when we had a Q&A with the priest at our church (I'm a product of Catholic school), and after may questions regarding the contradictions and confusion in the Bible, he informed us more or less that the Bible was a giant load of crap, and was basically fictional fairy tales, just like the ones we heard before bed as children growing up. And from that day forward, I decided I was my own best bet.

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Haiku_Cuckoo 9 years, 10 months ago

Wow. Reading some of these comments makes me realize that the bumper sticker is right. Kansas really is as bigoted as you think.

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1029 9 years, 10 months ago

Absolutely! Being Christian is the thing to do if you are a true American! Everybody else seems to be doing it, so I blindly follow along without ever questioning exactly what it is that I am believing in.

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pomegranate 9 years, 10 months ago

Yes, I am religious. I love God. I love Jesus Christ. I do believe that God sent His Son Jesus to die for all of our sins.I am definitely not perfect. Not even close. I do try to live my life as closely to the 10 commandments and the Bible as I can, but I am a sinner and by the Grace of God I will have eternal life in Heaven.

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Kevin Sontag 9 years, 10 months ago

The late, great George Carlin:When it comes to bulls---, big-time, major league bulls---, you have to stand in awe of the all-time champion of false promises and exaggerated claims, religion. No contest. No contest. Religion. Religion easily has the greatest bulls--- story ever told. Think about it. Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever 'till the end of time! But He loves you! He loves you! He loves you, and He needs money!!! He always needs money! He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money! Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more. Now, you talk about a good bulls--- story. Holy S---! read the rest: http://tinyurl.com/7n83k

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jayhawkerincali 9 years, 10 months ago

anxiousatheist-You're very right in the fact that there is no reason. I've long said that really, who cares when you're dead? I don't believe I'll see soem pretty white light and take this elevator of crystal up to the pearly gates or anything. I'm going to end up underground in a wooden box, and eventually my body will rot. End of story. So, I agree with you in that sense. And I am not trying to knock the idea of atheism, to each their own, I just find it interesting to see other people's point of views on that sort of thing.

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GSWtotheheart 9 years, 10 months ago

I worship the porcelain god too...just don't like the hypocrites in organized religion. Not everyone is a hypocrite, but if you practice greed, avarice, etc all week, then sitting in church for an hour on Sunday is not really going to do you any good. Most of my religious experiences are related to drunken debauchery. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

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ontheotherhand 9 years, 10 months ago

I gave up christianity to become a better person.

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Janet Lowther 9 years, 10 months ago

I consider myself a quite religious person, 'though I have long since given up on organized religion.At some point in the life of an organization, ANY organization the emphasis shifts from it's official subject to self-preservation and aggrandizement.

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Kookamooka 9 years, 10 months ago

Religion is a mighty expensive proposition. Spirituality is free. Tithe 10% of your income to dogma or spend it on the charity of your choice.

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rumor_man 9 years, 10 months ago

I read the comments on here religiously. Does that count?

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jayhawkerincali 9 years, 10 months ago

The only thing I can count on is myself and that sun coming up in the morning and keeping me alive. So thank you sun, for you are my god, because without you, I would be dead. Organized religion is a load and is completely ruining this country, as well as a greater part of the world. Believe what you believe, but do it on your own terms. And silly Dillon, one day he will grow up and realize that claiming atheism is just as insane as the extremist religious fools who are convinced that the Bible was completely cover to cover real fact. Fact is, none of us can say one way or the other, so if you're going to throw a non-religious card, at least go for agnostic. Just my thoughts on the matter.

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clyde_never_barks 9 years, 10 months ago

Permission to join craigers, blue and anxious? I'll be in the craigers camp along with sue, etal, but wouldn't want to miss a gathering like this.

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staff04 9 years, 10 months ago

I'm not religious, but my underwear are holy...does that count?

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ksdivakat 9 years, 10 months ago

I choose to believe that it is real, and if I die, and find out that it wasnt real what have I lost? But If I chose to not believe, and die and find out it was real, then Ive lost my soul................

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cds 9 years, 10 months ago

1029 (Anonymous) says: Absolutely! Being Christian is the thing to do if you are a true American! Everybody else seems to be doing it, so I blindly follow along without ever questioning exactly what it is that I am believing in.____Moooooo!_ontheotherhand (Anonymous) says: I gave up christianity to become a better person.___Halaluya brother!! Wait, I like being a bigot and a hate filled person who commits sins then repents every Sunday so I can still get into heaven.

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manus_flexibilis 9 years, 10 months ago

Absolutely! Being Christian is the thing to do if you are a true American! Everybody else seems to be doing it, so I blindly follow along without ever questioning exactly what it is that I am believing in.__Bunch of bandwagon junkies....The only time I am religious is when I listen to the church of lazlo. Is slim fast the alter boy? Is Effentra the Tammy Faye of the congregation?

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staff04 9 years, 10 months ago

"Religion is the opiate of the masses"No it isn't--opium is.

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coolmom 9 years, 10 months ago

i believe people treat each other better if they believe in something. the basic do unto others thing seems to mean nothing to so many in this day and age. look how suprised we are when people stop to help, isnt it unfortunate that life has become so alarmingly scary sometimes? on a lighter note i pray to someone when i but a lottery ticket a couple times a year and i certainly take the lords name in vain when i hammer my finger or stub my toe. i try to be a good person and a kind neighbor and yet still protect me and mine....thats my religion.

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George_Braziller 9 years, 10 months ago

Beg to differ. If you are agnostic you acknowledge that there is no way of knowing for any of us if there is or is not anything after you die. Atheists say there is nothing -- period. Guess you should tell that to the two entities who periodically visit my house. ________anxiousatheist (Anonymous) says: Atheism is the only responsible option for a thinking man. If a premise can't be proven, why make decisions based on it?

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EXks 9 years, 10 months ago

Have you accepted Buddha as your personal savior?? You can, ask me how!

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mom_of_three 9 years, 10 months ago

Too many bad and hypocritical experiences as a child as made me avoid all organized religion. I didn't and can't understand how churches will say "we are right, follow us, go to heaven", and all be different. Since some have different beliefs, someone has to be wrong. So how do do you know what you are doing is right?So I try to live a good life, enjoy the world around me, and be a good example to my kids.

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ksdivakat 9 years, 10 months ago

Who are you trying to convince AA??

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acg 9 years, 10 months ago

manus_flexibilis, I love the Church of Lazlo! I got married at Buzz Beach ball 2006 in Slim Fast's tent. Afentra and Lazlo were both there and they provided us with a booze luge, a photographer, a cake (that melted in the sun) and a wedding party made up of the punk band Kill Hannah. It was so much fun. It's awesome to be able to say that there were 10,000 people at your wedding and your wedding entertaiment was Soul Asylum, Yellowcard and 311. :)

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Satirical 9 years, 10 months ago

notnowdear..."it pisses me off when Religious churches come to my door""IF any church comes to my door"Dang, I would be upset too if an entire church come to my door, but I don't think they building would fit on my porch. Maybe you have a bigger front yard.

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Confrontation 9 years, 10 months ago

Many people are "religious" simply because they cannot fathom the idea of not existing at some point. They also don't like the idea of not having their deceased family members or friends waiting for them in the "afterlife". Also, what would people say to others at a funeral? Instead of , "It was his time to go home to God," would everyone have to say, "It was just his time...to get embalmed, have makeup caked on his face, be put on display, get closed in a coffin, stored 6-feet under and eaten by bugs, and to be remembered by a piece of stone that will one day completely dissolve and no one will know that John Doe ever existed." Not quite as "uplifting" and fairty-tale-like as the fluffier options.

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iMaMoM 9 years, 10 months ago

Religious? No....Spiritual? Yes!I was raised around organized religion in a old school Baptist environment that told me I was going to burn in a hell of fiery brimstone, with gnashing of teeth for eternity if I: danced, smoke, drank alcohol, divorced, had sex with anyone without being married to them, wore pants to church, didn't attend church regularly, be baptised, give a weekly tithe to the church...on and on....Now I just have my own spiritual beliefs, live an honest life, treat people the way I would want to be treated....if there is a 'heaven' and I don't make it there, at least I will have lived my life as an honorable person!

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SloMo 9 years, 10 months ago

The question could be rephrased "Do you believe in magic?" Angels, miracles, saints, an unseen being who listens, and responds to, your prayers, an unseen being who punishes whole countries for their wicked ways, or rewards martyrs in heaven. Immaculate conception, virgin birth, resurrection. Magic, magic, magic. Sorry, I don't believe in magic. I tried, and I can't. And as for ksdivakat's argument, supposing that there is an omniscient god, he'll be neither fooled nor impressed by my pretending to believe anything I really don't, so I'm sunk anyway!

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denak 9 years, 10 months ago

Yes, I consider myself a religious person although, as some have said, the term "religious" is a term so open to interpretation that it is almost meaningless because it means so many different things to so many different thing.I don't think it is possible for most "religious" people to explain their belief system in a ljw post anyway. Most people, I would hope, have many different ... and deep..reasons for believing what they believe.As for those who try to act superior because they label themselves "atheiest" and "rational" I think they are fooling themselves if they belive that they can explain everything rationally. I tend to look for a scientific reason for things but I am not so foolish as to believe that there isn't something out there that is greater than myself or that there are not miraculous things in the world and that sometimes things happen that are too much of a coincidence to just be chalked up to being a coincidence. I think for most people religion is a way to answer the questions they have as a result of introspection. Dena

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Jason Bowers-Chaika 9 years, 10 months ago

Yes! I am religious and I pray to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Frequently, I pray for protection from the followers of Jesus who have the arrogance to think that they know the only and "true" meaning of scripture. I pray that these misled "Christians" will consider that more shall be reveled. I pray that those that use scripture to justify their own prejudice against their neighbor will remember that our charge is to "Love our Neighbor as Ourselves".What the Bible Says and Doesn't Say About Homosexualityhttp://www.pflagsanjose.org/advocacy/whatthebiblesays.pdfwww.KansasEqualityCoalition.org

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Ceallach 9 years, 10 months ago

I'm with craigers and sue, and hopefully blue :)Some wild reading today, entertaining and informative. Like many other posters, in the past I have been disappointed by church bodies and church leaders. I now try to keep my focus, not on other people, but on the 5 Solas. Helps me to remember who I am, how I want to be and where my hope lies. What others choose to do is their business.

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ndmoderate 9 years, 10 months ago

Godisnowhere.

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1029 9 years, 10 months ago

I pray to Jesus to protect me from high taxes, big government, and reality's liberal bias. Jesus usually responds by telling me that only the 2nd amendment can protect me from such evil.

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BigPrune 9 years, 10 months ago

Here is something I came across. Fascinating. The skeptic sites are not convincing either. Most look as good as new, others, not so good, but one thing, most of these people died hundreds of years ago.http://www.catholicapologetics.info/library/gallery/incorrupt.htm#SilvanSaint Silvan, Died around 350, yes around 350 ADImelda Lambertini, Died 1333Vincent De Paul, Died 1660Bernadette Soubirous, Died 1879

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coolmom 9 years, 10 months ago

lol auntie i think i was there as well.

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ksdivakat 9 years, 10 months ago

AA....I thought we had worked out an understanding on an earlier thread???!!!!Now if you chose to believe that the grave is the end for you, then by all means, let it be the end, but do not come on here and put down or disrespect those of us who chose to believe that there is something beyond the grave. Its not up for debate, I dont want to convince you and you will not convince me, its not a debate, the question is "are you a religious person?" Obviously your answer is no.....ok, so be it, but stop stomping and disrespecting people who are or who believe, your point is moot and falls on deaf ears.I stand by what I say, if I die and find out there is nothing else out there, then what of my life have i lost?? Trying to live as a good person, although I fall short, but I try to be a good, honest, dependable person, one who loves people for WHO thay are and not what they are, so big deal, if its all a farse then so be it, Ive still lived a good and decent life.....

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ksdivakat 9 years, 10 months ago

And thats all your opinion, just as my points of view are my opinions, and Im entitled to mine just as you are to yours, but why is it that any thread that even remotely mentions religion, christianity, that you are so quick to jump on people, disrespect them, call them names, and userp your opinion above all else?? Again, it was a simple question, "Do you consider yourself a religious person" its really a yes or no answer and we have answered that many times, let this dog lie......

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Lisia 9 years, 10 months ago

Sure, I'm religious. Especially when it comes to the Grand and Mighty Chocolate Ritual.All Hail Discordia!

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manus_flexibilis 9 years, 10 months ago

The serpent made her eat the apple, counter-claim "Was up in the hills in Washinton state saying to the Mexican dude 'Ola, can you pass me down one of those red delicious apples',enjoyed nature as it was intended".

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