Greenparent

Survey of beliefs, for my eight year old!

2013-06-02T16:21:42+01:00

Jenna has asked me to find as many people as I can to answer her questions about different faiths and religions. You can answer most of these if you are of any spiritual belief or none, and if you could that would be wonderful. I would like a wide range of answers for her if possible. If you don’t mind your answer being public, you could reply in the thread, or you could PM me if you would rather keep it private (I will not share your answers with anyone except my children). If you feel you need to add something that is really important to you, you can do so and I’m sure she will be very grateful. You are not obliged to answer every question. I have edited only for spelling and grammar.

About you:
What is your name and how old are you, please?

Do you identify yourself was belonging to a particular religion or group of beliefs?

Are there other branches of your faith? If there are, which are you part of and why?

What makes you part of that faith or belief?

Did you ever believe something very different to what you believe now?

About your faith/belief/values:
Do you believe there is such a thing as good and bad?

Do your beliefs have a concept of a God or gods?

How do you know what the right path or choice is?

What do you believe happens when a person dies? If you think there is a heaven and/or hell, what does this mean to you and what is their purpose?

Are humans born “good”?

Are we meant to do or not do certain things and why or why not? Do people who believe the same things as you tend to follow a particular set of rules or guidelines? Do you believe everyone should follow the same rules?

Do you pray, and what is prayer to you? Who do you pray to? What is prayer for?

Are there any symbols or objects that are important to your faith?

If you have time, could you briefly tell me about a story that is important to your faith, if you have a favourite I would like to hear it (or you could tell me what it is called so I can find it myself).

About other aspects of faith:
Do you have a view on how life began in the world?

Are humans different to other animals?

Do you believe there are other spiritual beings in the Universe, and if you have a faith what does your faith teach about this?

Do you believe our lives have a purpose, and what would you say that is?

Do you believe anything that goes against what is usually taught in your belief system/faith/culture?

What do you think about other religions and beliefs?

Do most of your close friends and family believe similar things to you, or not?

(Thanks in advance! xxx)

Explaining God to 4 year olds.

2013-04-14T20:56:11+01:00

I am not particularly religious, don’t go to church, and neither does hubby, but I feel the need to start explaining the concept of God to my two. If only because they seem fascinated by what goes on in churches (they have never been to a service) and I think they should have some idea about it before they start school. Every time I try, though, I seem to dig myself into a hole. Today this resulted in them telling me really loudly, in public, that God was dead. Luckily I don’t think anyone overheard to be offended. Can anyone suggest a simple way of explaining this concept to children from a non-religious background. I wondered if there were any picture books anyone knew that might help?

3 year old worried about dying.

2012-11-30T10:00:24+01:00

My DD is 3 and a half and for the last 6 months has been aware of her heart beat and the fact of being alive. She has also asked what would happen if her heart wasn’t beating would she be not alive any more and has concluded she would be dead. This has caused her on a number of occasions to become very anxious and upset saying she doesn’t want to die. She has not experienced death apart from the odd worm or bird and knows that when you die you don’t move anymore. We are not religious but believe the body goes back to the earth, the natural cycle of life. As for the spirit or soul, i think lives on in some form, as energies maybe, but certainly don’t have a matter of fact theory. She keeps saying to me ‘but mummy we won’t die will we?, I don’t want to die’. I am finding this terribly hard and wondered if any one else had had a child so young aware of their mortality and how to handle sensitively and gently. I feel so inadequate as she is so upset when this happens :-(

Christian Wicca

2012-11-21T13:26:34+01:00

Does anyone know much about this? I’ve googled, but there’s not a lot on it. I’ve been going through a bit a bit recently, kind of accepting and coming to terms with who I am and what I want and believe, and although i hadn’t specifically been thinking about religion, its kept coming back to me. I was brought up a Christian, even got confirmed. Then i discovered paganism and wicca, which seemed to speak to me quite strongly and filled a lot of gaps I hadn’t realised was there. I kind of explored that, but being at boarding school and in the chapel choir I still went to church and just kind of continued. Afterschool finished, I ended upin a relationship with a man who was essentially a very messed up born again christian who seemed to struggle majorly with guilt. Iwon’t go into details, buthe made me give up wiccaand convert. When we broke up, I went straight back to paganism, and ended up having two good friendsips end because they were strong christians and couldn’t be friends with me if I pursued my interest. Luckily one of those friends eventually came back and we are now best friends and have long reigious debates without upsetting each other. During those few years, I became very anti-Christian. A lot of pagan stuff I read although not abusive seemed to like poiting out everythig wrong with christianity, I experienced several fundamenatlists who were very nasty people, and ended up being quite anti and bitter.

Recently, and especially with Christmas and solstice coming up, i realised that although I do have a strong faith in the goddess, and in concepts central to pagan themes, I still have some belief and faith in the Christian side of things. more the new than the old testament tbh,but I think ihave kind of gone circle round and come ac feeling alot less bitter andbiased against it, andI am starting torecapture some of my faith from being achild. But I do still strongly believe in the goddess, reverence for nature, karma, equality and the absence ofevil as an embodied force. Ialso doworship god as the horned godin pagan ritual. i don’tbelieve in the concept of sin, nor do i believe that jesus is the only way to salvation, and I don’t believe in hell. i kind of see the holy trinity as equal to the triple goddess, and I still believe that magick is real and can bestrong forcefor good, thought tbh.

All theinfo I can find on Christian wicca/paganism seems to be that some people who are christian essentially, revere nature and are comfortable with using magick forgood. it isall based around the idea of paganism as a way of way of life. I have’tfound anyone yet who has a strong believe of both god and jesus and the goddess without them being either having the goddess as a lower deity in the form of the virgin mary which I don’subscribe to, or that they are gnostics, whic after reading something about, doesn’tfit with me either.

In general, i feel a bit stuck. Am I just being a contradiction? This is the most comfortableI have felt with my own personal beliefs for years, but I getthe feeling everyone is going to tell me I am wrong. And I am worried thatfamily members who have seen me go through the antichristian years are going to be difficultto persuade that this is not just me changing my mind again.

Does anyone have any thoughts on any of this, either practical or theological? i don’treallyhave anyone to ask/discuss this with. DH is a verystrong aethiest who is generally anti religion, but tolerates my “weird hippyness”, though I’m not sure he’d like me being part Christian. There’salso the question of the children. I have been concerned with the aount of Christianity that is taught at harry’s school, andI will admit, partly cause I am very lacking on this at home. I don’twant them to feel left out at school as they get older, but I am also starting to feel that they would miss outif they were excluded from things. I remember the meaning stories from the bible had for me as a child,and I would lke the boys to have that too, but not sure if Dh would agree

Pantheism

2012-11-20T22:56:28+01:00

Any other Pantheists about?

I’m not one for worshipping deities or celebrating sabbats etc. I understand why people do and it’s their choice, but I’ve been struggling to find Pagan things that don’t mention either of them. Then I discovered the term Pantheist which fits me quite snugly

Buddhism

2012-11-04T23:23:11+01:00

I am really drawn to Buddhism and am in the process of trying to find out more but I am getting so confused! I want to learn more about the different types/paths of Buddhism - there are so many and I don’t know quite where to start. I have a couple of books to read but would welcome recommendations for more (websites too). Is anyone on here a Buddhist? Sorry for the garbled post - I’m tired and my mind keeps going round in circles so I hope I have made some sense!

Spiritual Church

2012-10-25T19:42:10+01:00

Has anyone any experiences of a spiritualist church, good or bad?
Have been thinking about going to one local to me, but feeling a little nervous going on my own and not really knowing what to expect, I just feel this inward calling if that makes sense, though what DH will think is anyones guess!!!

Samhain!

2012-10-06T09:12:33+01:00

Ok, so maybe I’m jumping the gun a little, but this is my favourite holday after Yule, and we’re putting our decorations up tomorrow, so anyone else get overly excited over samhain/halloween? I’m making some little autumn coloured felt lanterns to put on a string off Rythym of the Home from last year, as I’m always upset by the lack of quality decorations for this time of year! I love all the stuff you get for yule, the felt snowmen, reindeer and santas and woul love to make things like this, but my sewing is lacking to say the least and I wouldn’t know where to start. plus, I struggle with ideas that doesn’t buy in to the modern horror theme of the holiday. Any ideas anyone? What decorations do you have? do you make any particular food/drink? I try and keep seasonal and last year made a gorgeous rabbit casserole with cider and mustard and root veg - yum! Would like to do something abit more meaningful with harry as he’s asking more and more questions about all the Christian stuff he’s learning about at school, so i figure its definitely time to start on ours!

Pagan book

2012-08-20T13:59:32+01:00

Can anybody recommend a basic book about paganism, covering all the basic essentials? It has interested me for a while and I’d like to have a real ( non google ) reference to look to .

Thanks in advance.

Sarah.

Any Quakers?

2012-08-12T15:36:43+01:00

Just wondering if there are any Quaker mamas out there?

I have been interested in Buddhism and Paganism before but am recently finding myself being drawn to Quaker spirituality. I sent off for some information which i read and liked but would love to “talk” to someone in person about their experiences.

Laura xx