Monday, May 11, 2009

On A Roll

Found another quiz, this one about religious and spiritual beliefs.

The results aren't really that surprising, I suppose. Brought up as a Jehovah's Witness, I started drifting away from that in my late teens and left it completely in university.

Which left me in a rather strange place, where although I no longer believe in what the Witnesses believe and really have no use for organized religion, period, there are certain beliefs so fundamental to the way I was brought up that I can't accept any different belief in those areas. There's not that many, only a couple really, but they pretty well rule out the possibility of me even considering any other religion.

Which, with the passing of Mom, I find myself more confused about what, exactly, I do believe and suddenly I find myself with a need to figure it out. A need which, if it existed before, I was able to simply ignore. Now, not so much. So I find myself in a quizzical place at the moment when it comes to the area of religion and spirituality.

1. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (100%)
2. Jehovah's Witness (87%)
3. Baha'i Faith (82%)
4. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (79%)
5. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (75%)
6. Orthodox Quaker (75%)
7. Orthodox Judaism (73%)
8. Reform Judaism (71%)
9. Islam (71%)
10. Sikhism (68%)
11. Liberal Quakers (68%)
12. Unitarian Universalism (60%)
13. Jainism (57%)
14. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (48%)
15. Mahayana Buddhism (46%)
16. Seventh Day Adventist (45%)
17. Theravada Buddhism (45%)
18. New Age (44%)
19. Neo-Pagan (43%)
20. Eastern Orthodox (43%)
21. Roman Catholic (43%)
22. Secular Humanism (43%)
23. Taoism (41%)
24. New Thought (37%)
25. Scientology (33%)
26. Nontheist (31%)
27. Hinduism (28%)

Apparently I haven't strayed too far from my roots and I can accept that. But 100% Mormon .... I don't think so.

H/T to Kris

10 comments:

tom sheepandgoats said...

There are many similarities between Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses (procedural, not doctrinal) and they are, in the main, good similarities. I write this, not as a Mormon, but as a JW who has, thus far, not drifted.

And, speaking as a Rochestarian, there are far worse things than being a Canadian, and proud of it. We like to visit, a short hop for us. Most recently, it was to Quebec City, a few years ago.

Pogue said...

"Apparently I haven't strayed too far from my roots and I can accept that. But 100% Mormon .... I don't think so." Told you you were getting more conservative... :-p

Michelle Morgan-Coole said...

LOL
I grew up as a JW in the first place which I think would be considered fairly conservative.

As a young adult I definitely leaned to the Left and I still do in some (many?) ways. But I'm not sure if I've gotten more conservative over the years or the left has moved further left. Perhaps it's a combination of both but I tend to think the latter plays a large role.

Although you do seem determined to convince me that the present company I keep has had a bad effect ... :D

Pogue said...

I can relate - I've always been more socially liberal and fiscally conservative, and both sides seem to be migrating more towards the fringe. I'm not sure which attitude is worse - "If I don't do it, it should be illegal" or "If I do it, it should be mandatory."

tam said...

Well my friend, we are about as far apart on the spiritual spectrum as we can get.

Looking at this from a non-secular point of view, I can honestly say that the old adage of "opposites attract" is true in our case!

1. Liberal Quakers (100%)
2. Unitarian Universalism (97%)
3. Neo-Pagan (94%)
4. New Age (85%)
5. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (82%)
6. Secular Humanism (79%)
7. Mahayana Buddhism (75%)
8. Theravada Buddhism (75%)
9. Taoism (72%)
10. Reform Judaism (69%)
11. Baha'i Faith (55%)
12. Nontheist (55%)
13. New Thought (54%)
14. Orthodox Quaker (52%)
15. Scientology (44%)
16. Jainism (43%)
17. Sikhism (43%)
18. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (35%)
19. Orthodox Judaism (32%)
20. Hinduism (27%)
21. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (23%)
22. Islam (22%)
23. Seventh Day Adventist (21%)
24. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (20%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (11%)
26. Roman Catholic (11%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (6%)

love ya!
tam

Michelle Morgan-Coole said...

That's pretty funny Tam.
So when did you become a Liberal Quaker anyway?

tam said...

I've been doing some research MMC, and I can almost believe that I could actually be a quaker. Liberal?? I don't know about that - that goes against every grain in my body, but then again, I'm taking it out of context.

The only thing I'm having a big problem with is the fact that Quakers like to dress plainly. Clearly, these people have not seen my wardrobe, or at least my shoes!!!!

tam :)

Kris, in New England said...

Thanx for the linky-love.

I found that quiz to be pretty insightful. Like you, I grew up in a fundamental Christian faith. I now have no use for organized religion but there are certain things I was taught that I can't stop believing.

And I agree with Pogue - you are getting more conservative.

Take a deep breath, it will be OK.

Michelle Morgan-Coole said...

LOL
Oh no, now my *friends* are attacking me!

Seriously, though, we should have a chat sometime. I would like to hear (from both of you) how - what it is you think you see. And, Kris, I find it interesting that you experience it the same way as my brother and I do ... that although you no longer believe as they do, there are certain things you cannot stop believing. Weird.

Kris, in New England said...

The things I still believe - make sense to me based on what I learned as a child.

I may not have any use for organized religion, but I do consider myself a very spiritual person - and God is a central part of that.

I know - it is weird. But it is, what it is.

:-)