ooohh this is gonna be a HOT one! ...rubbing hands together in anticipation....

United...with earth, animals, plants and some humans

United...with the fight against poverty, excess, prejudice and judgement

United...with UCC since Sunday School...

penny - my boxes are pretty much the same as yours.  Proud to be united.

progressive christian

religious humanist

non-theist

United Church of Canada.

Hi Brad:

(I'm not going to disappoint you, trishcuit. :-)

1. Spiritual Atheist

2. Zen Buddhist

3. Zen Christian

4. Muslim Sufi

5. Indigenous North American

Sorry, Brad, I had to use five. Only in Christianity do good things come in threes. In Islam, which is one of my religions, good things come in fives!

Oh, I just remembered: in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, and in many other religions, and even in science, good things come in sevens!

So allow me to add Hinduism and the Celtic/Germanic nature religion of my ancestors to the list.

Multifaithfully yours,

Arminius

Officially and nominally, of course, I am proudly United.

And especially proud that the United Church accepts my multiple convictions!

United Church returnee

follower of Jesus

contemplative

Yeah I have a problem with boxes too but still seek some kind of description, so I would put:

-spiritual atheist

-poetic naturalist

-freethinker

I think I'd be pretty good in those categories. My husband magically remains uncategorized!

progressive humanist

panetheistic christian

Taoist

Hi mosaic62:

Is that "pantheistic," "panentheistic," or "pan-atheistic"—or maybe all three?

Hi Arminius,

panetheistic means the combination of pantheistic and panentheistic.(it's one of my new words.) I don't want to put myself in whatever -atheistic.

How about "panaesthetic"?

Well aren't we special?

4. Atheistic Christian Buddhist (or Buddhist Christian Atheist?)

5. Biophiliac

 such diversity!

I am still thinking of my own reply.

Christian-Anarchist.

I believe God doesn't have laws, and any that man puts down are for sinful desires. I deny any man-made government and law in favour of the Lord.

Origami-Folder.

I've got into thinking that we're a type of Aether-paper, where all of reality, the solid objects, the water, the air, is all part of this Aether, just folded and unfolded as per a large plan. Any movement you make is matched by the paper around you folding and unfolding back into aether so we can be mobile.

Pyro-Maniac.

There is a Norse idea about the universe being Fire vs Ice. Fire melts Ice and Ice extinguishes Fire in an eternal battle. I'm fire, I like to do this "moving" thing, and enjoy the idea of being part of the active world, the side that doesn't go gentle into that good night. However, I think of myself more as 'After Burner', where the main fight is finished, and we exist in the melt/fire of a world where the fire is where ice was before it began and the ice is where the fire was before it began.

Hi Sachyriel:

The ancient Greek philosophers already talked about one basic, irreducable substance of which everything consists, and they called it "Äther" or "Aether."

We moderns are lucky enough to have scientific proof of this irreducable substance: energy.

I think energy posesses the innate transcendental quality to transform itself into its opposite while remaining what it is. This is the basic creator quality of the universe. Thus, the universe ITself would be self-creative or self-generative. One could call this self-generative universe "God," but one doesn't have to, because IT is not a supernatural entity, neither is it seperate from what IT created and still creates, or evolves.

Thus, we are IT; and we are ITS co-evolvers.

Hi Brad:

Well, we aren't all that special, just ordinary energy, which happens to be transcendental.

As you probably know, Buddhism is non-theistic, and Zen Buddhism is just a practice that has no belief at all. I came back to Christianity through the practice of Zen, and brought the Zen stance with me into Christianity.

Thats why I can belong to all or any religion, or no religion at all, with a clear conscience. Nominally, however, I am United Church.

defining "religion" from religare "to bind fast" as in a group to which I belong...

in order or importance:

1) universe

2) life

3) human

First off, I like to think that instead of boxes, we are choosing to interact with different communities.  After all, why do we need labels?  Simply put, they are ways to identify ourselves and find things in common with others.  Ah, ye social complexities.

I have no idea where to start with this, but I like Sachyriel's approach:

1.  Jesusist: 

The youth at my church decided that since Jesus himself wasn't a Christian, they needed a name that reflected him better.  They came up with Jesusism.  To me, the main theme of Christianity that defines it uniquely from allll the others is of forgiveness.  To me, this is the truest principle I try to live by.

2.  Weaver:

Like the origami folds,  I believe that the entire universe is a rich, colourful tapestry.  There is a weaver, and they are exceptionally talented, but they have to work around threads snapping and disagreeing, and how those threads affect all the others around them.  You have to hand it to those Greeks - the Fates are a beautiful picture of creative life.  There is an overall scheme, but ultimately, we are as affected by those around us as much as we are the weaver's plan for us.

3. Archaeologist:

It is my degree, after all.  If I have archaeology to thank for anything, it's for teaching me how to walk the line between imagination and science.  And the value of handing things down... tradition isn't always evil.  How to be happy knowing that the 'truth' will never actually be figured out, just estimated at.  How past events and future events are all tied together, and that a bit more long-term perspective can go a long way.  And finally, how important communities really are.

...hmmm.  I guess I have a lot to thank archaeology for.

Cool, Faerenach. I like yours. I'm into archaeology too, no degree though. I really dig you open christians who I can talk to and who talk so freely and openly. I also dig that young people like Sachyriel can talk to all us older folk with such ease on the internet. When I was 16 I only had other 16 year olds to talk to... well and my Uncle.

I also dig the origami thing, sounds very much like superstring theory. ANd I have long loved the three fates thought, and also think of fate and history like a tapestry. I even did some actual weaving many years ago. Knitting is like that too. I like all the curly wirlies, and you can knitt pictures in too. Spinning yarn is pretty spiritual.

I remember growing up, I loved the story of Arachne and weaving the tapestries that tell stories... I thought it was brilliant.  And Penelope, and her shroud/wedding veil.

I myself am not a knitter or a weaver (though I'd try weaving in a second!).  I am more of an embroiderer and more recently, a seamstress.  Threads and I get along.  Maybe that's why I feel so at home on a forum. ;)

Follower of Jesus the Christ

Yogini

Panentheist (The Whole is in God)

United

Liberal Anglican

Contemplative

Womynist

Worshiper of Feminine Divine (Divine Mother)

I have come to agree with Karen Armstrong that all of the world's great faiths are founded upon the two principles of justice and compassion.  While I am a member of the Anglican Church of Canada I am happy that my church has no problems with my calling myself a Christian pluralist.  That is I recognize the validity of all the world's great faiths though I don't always agree with some of the practices.

Shalom

Mate

I'm not sure where else to put this.

I was very pleased and excited to note in the Vancouver Sun that my former diocese,Ottaw, has decided to proceed with same sex blessings.  Finaly there is a bit more justice coming to the Anglican Church of Canada.

Shalom

Mate

Hi Brad's ego,

Hmmmmmm.  Instead of boxes how about nesting dolls?

The biggest doll would be Christian.  Inside of that Protestant.  Inside of that The United Church of Canada.  Inside of that Calvinist.  Inside of that Weird Al Yankovic fan.

Grace and peace to you.

John

this is what I have on my facebook page:

pro-gay, pro-choice, pro-Jesus; currently walking the Way with the United Church of Canada

Universalist.

Not necessarily just because I am a Unitarian Universalist or subscribe to the universalist theology (i.e. God's grace is available to all persons, not a special group), but because I think the divine nature of the universe is, indeed, universal and can be found in all things and people. Therefore, there are many paths to finding the Truth and each of us must the path that is right for us.

And hi to all. I've been busy the last little while, but was starting to miss WC so decided to pop in.

Mendalla, have you met Arminius?  You two would get on smashingly.

Faerenach,

Now there's a thought - Mendalla and Arminius discussing the Kosmos in matching overalls! 

Is...is Origami getting bigger as Sudoku get's bigger in the west? Or am I just crazy?

^{_{Or both?}}

Indefinite Nonist

Oh, I forgot; I belong to that religion, too. Thanks for reminding me, Ergo Ratio!

Always both, Sachyriel, always both.

Hi Farren:

Yes, we met. But Mendalla takes Unitarian Universalism seriously, whereas I don't.

I take nothing seriously.

But that means I take everything seriously!

In Comic Unity, (darn, I keep forgetting that "s")

Arminius

Hee hee... comic unity. 

you're a star, Arminius.

You can't put UCCAN in a box. There are not enough boxes available.

Greetings!

1.  Believer of God

2.  Follower of Jesus

3.  Christian

4.  Leaning a little more on the liberal spectrum

5.  Member of The United Church of Canada

Explained as:

If someone asked me what I believed in, I would say I am a . . .

1.  Believer of God

If they then asked me how I did that, I would say I am a . . .

2.  Follower of Jesus

If they they asked me what I called my belief, I would say I call myself a . . .

3.  Christian

If they asked me what "kind" of a Christian I was, I would say I  . . .

4.  Lean a little more on the liberal side

If they asked in what denomination I practised my Christianity, I would say . . .

5.  In The United Church of Canada

Okay, so this is where I am today, as least this time of this day . . . who knows where or what I will be 10 minutes, 10 days, or 10 years from now . . . I am constantly learning, constantly growing, constantly questioning and being challenged in my beliefs, I am constantly being willing to be changed by God.

Hope, peace, joy, love . . .

non-wiccan pagan

pagan-quaker

scientist

Christian

Biblical Literalist (Interpreting the Bible in a literary way.  I've never plucked out my right eye when I've committed the sin of lust.  I believe the Bible to be true in all its parts).

conservative (small-c.  Although I'm not sure I entirely fit in this box.  In other eras I might have been considered liberal, but not in a theological way).

Yes, crazyheart, exactly my point!

Mohammed—whose name be praised—agrees with us:

The differences within my community are the grace of God.

Tee hee, in Comic Unity, indeed, Arminius. I'm not actually that serious, just come across that way online, I think. The puns and wordplay I love just don't seem to come as naturally when I'm typing as when I'm talking. And me in overalls (to whomever conjured that image)? Ouch. I'm a cotton casuals and golf shirt kind of guy.

Hey look!  I put it in a box!  *looks up at the quote box*

...sorry, couldn't help myself.

I am pre-Boru, Tuathan Irish Celtic Recontructionist

My public practice is Wiccan

My hereditary title is Seanachie

I have looked at this thread and couldn't really come up with anything that I thought would work...  but I actually did!  When I look at the things I believe to true in our universe, I would ultimately classify myself as a secularist.   I believe in distinct and complete separation of church and state, because the last time the church had a lot of say in our society it was called the dark ages.  I don't hate religion, but I like to live somewhat free of it.  

And if I gotta pick more than one.....  secularist and musician.  If you could say anything, music is my religion.  Part of the reason I pick music is because music is basically math...  and math and music are as close to anything completely universal as I can think of.  (I am a part-time musician on top of my regular job)

I Look at myself as a person of faith. I'm not religious at all. I cannot religiously love my mother, thererfore; how can I religiously love my heavenly father. He is the truth to me. The bible states that we should put away traditions of men. these things don't please god. Religious people nailed jesus to a cross. They went to the temple every week and ate their special bread, wore religious garb. yet they were void of love. The bible states " If a man says he knows god but does not love his brother he is a liar. Because god is love.I just think we need to be in relationship with god. We could never do an outward song and dance that would please god. the bible says we can't please god without perfect charity. It also says that they would know us by our love. Religion is just another thing that mankind came up with to cause confusion that would maybe cause the masses to drop all belief in god and just worship themselves, science and government. And if you want to get a little gooey you can even throw a little nature worship in there to. But we came from a truth and everybody can't be right. can many men be the biological father to the same baby. certainly not. I think that everyone hates christians so much because the god we serve has the character of a father. The authority that god has, expecting us to abide he's hated by persons with huge egos and dangerous pride. Except when the house is on fire and the boat is going down then they say 'oh god help me. but day to day they actually put themselves in competetion with god. sometimes even calling themselves gods. yet they can't place a star in the sky. Why can't we just drop religion and learn to love our creator. not seek out to prove anything against god. but to seek the truth about him. which causes us to be free to obtain the benefits from him. be of good health in this life and prosper and waite for him to call us home to that special place that he has prepared for us. Why are we just trying to intellectualize a beautiful spiritual gift. It just seems to be pride and ego. which the bible states that these things will bring a man or a women low.

I am a Popeyeist - I yam what I yam

Although I could be persuaded to become a Comic Unitarian.

LB - fickle in fideism

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.     e.e. cummings

-jubilee-:

1. Follower of Jesus

2. Moderate Calvinist

3. New Evangelical

Say, John, I like that. Here then is mine...

The biggest doll would be Christian. Inside of that Baptist. Inside of that The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada. Inside of that Calvinist. Inside of that Rick Astley fan.

Hi LB:

Welcome to the Divine Comedy Club!

With us Divine Comedians, life is not a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Neither is it an epic, told by a mystic, full of ecstasy, signifying everything. No, it is a little of both: A Divine Comedy, told by a Cosmic Comedian, full of laughter (mainly at oneself), signifying whatever.