What do you call this?

[daraine]

My personal belief is the following (a little complicated, so please hear me out).
There is a divine being/thing/spirit/object out there, but we as human beings are not able to truly understand it. It is like the following story
"Three blind men are told to touch an elephant and describe what they think it is. The first, touching the snout, says it is a snake. The second, touching a leg, says it is a tree. The third, touching the skin, says it is sandpaper. All three are partly correct, when considering their limited abilities to understand, but none of them is completely correct."
I think we all have this same problem defining divinity, and thus we all identify with the best picture we can make of it. Christians worship their God, others have many Gods and Goddesses, but we are all a little correct, but mostly wrong. I also think that divinity knows we try our hardest and accepts our attempts, as it is all and nothing. Even athiests, who worship nothing, are recognizing divinity. It is also good and evil, and evil exists becuase it is needed for balance.
So far, I haven't found anyone who thinks that evil is needed for balance, and exists for that reason, not becuase of accidents or imbalance or whatever.
Is there a term for this, or am I just ecclectic? If there isn't a name, maybe I'll give it one, lol.
Daráine

[EponaCapaill]

Dunno, but I think that I think along the same lines as you do.

[Toby Stimpson]

Well, your example is a Sikh fable of the Guru and the 12 blind men. It's basic meaning is as you described...it also is meaning that we all seek the same truths...based on our mind sets. I would sya that you were eastern in your idealogy...the idea of multiple forms and multiple paths to God is a very indian way of looking at things. Another parable is that there is a mountain, there are many paths to the top of that mountain...soem lead away...some lead around...but none directly lead top the top becasue it is so steep. Thus, many paths to the top are acceptable. I would say you were a hindu...but then again it is also a Buddhist and well...a lot of eastern religions have this view of acceptance. I don't think there is a term really...and I wouldnt too much for terming it. Look at the diverse ways of looking and searching for God and I think that will suypply you with much more sustiance than pinning down your path's name. Namaste

Tobias

[daraine]

Well, when it comes down to it, I identify most with Egyptian and Celtic pantheons. All I was wondering, other than a faith associated with it, what do you call it? For example, just because I believe in karma doesn't make me Buddhist/Hindu (I'm sorry, I don't know what religion that belief originates from). So, is there a term for this idea? Or should I just make one up on my website (lol).

[Toby Stimpson]

I would say that it is soemwhat Pantheistic...

[dark witch]

I would say you would fall into the Wicca category. It sounds like you believe in the goodness of all individuals, and that everyone has a divine belief, even the atheists. Atheists believe there is no god or gods. See this:
http://www.answers.com/topic/atheism?method=6 (http://www.answers.com/topic/atheism?method=6)

You might have meant agnostics. You believe in good and "evil", but then go on to say no one believes evil is necessary. Perhaps you might be referring to a balance of lightness and darkness in your belief. The Goddess can provide us with nice sunny days, but can also stir up a hurricane. Light and dark. Belief in karma is often a neo-pagan belief, so you don't have to be Hindu to have that belief. Your karma belief falls into the Wiccan area. You identify with the Celtic and Egyptian patheons. You might want to do more introspection on what you prefer there. They are quite different from each other.

I'm not sure how much studying that you have done. I would concentrate on reading up on Wicca, as I would guess it would have the most appeal to you, based on the information you have given.

[Ben Gruagach]

The beliefs describe are found in quite a few different religions -- sometimes as a majority opinion, sometimes as a minority opinion.

I'm a Wiccan, and the views described fit in just fine as they sound like what some Wiccans have described as their own views. Not all Wiccans will agree of course but there are certainly Wiccans who would agree!

[jaygriff]

The problem with people is that we must always define everything. We take the simplist most beautiful things and then analyse them until the magic is gone. Like a rainbow that shows up right after the rain. So many people don't see the beauty of it, just that :

A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a nearly continuous spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the sun shines onto falling rain. It is a multicoloured arc with red on the outside and violet on the inside. The full sequence of colours is red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. (Wikipedia)

I prefer to see the beauty in things and accept them for who/what they are. I haven't yet decided which God/dess fits my belief system and I have trouble finding the audacity within myself to define and give limitation to Him/Her. I guess I just go with my first feeling about something as hard as it can be and as long as my heart, mind, gut line up, then I know it is right for me.

[daraine]

Here's the thing. I don't believe all people are good - I actually think that there have to be bad people for good people to exist. That doesn't mean that I like it, or that I am "bad" but I do think it is necessary. I believe that "karma" (for lack of a better term) will come back and bite people who do things that they are not supposed to do - but that it isn't always related to good and evil, just what we are supposed to accomplish this time around. I also think we decide ourselves what that is going to be, while we are "dead" or not part of THIS world.
"You believe in good and "evil", but then go on to say no one believes evil is necessary." I actually stated "I haven't found anyone who thinks that evil is needed for balance, and exists for that reason". That doesn't mean no one - just that so far I'm the only one. Maybe I should've said "anyone else".
As for the pantheon thing - they really aren't all that drastically different, when it comes to what is important. They both appeal to different sides of my nature, but each pantheon has deities who are (for the most part, anyway) able to do the same sorts of things. It's worked for me for 5 years now, so I dunno.
Next point - I've studied Wicca and I know it isn't really for me. Yes, I do know that I have a great deal of overlap, but some of my inground believes are not meshing. I was actually one class and a trip away from initating into the Corellian tradition, but discontinued after realizing that some things just weren't working, so in the interest of not being a fake (since I didn't really believe in it, after all) I went looking into other paths.
When it comes down to it, I'm not really trying to disect my faith, but trying to get a name for what I feel so that I can find others who are on the same path. I'd love to be able to discuss things with someone who has at least similar beliefs. Maybe I'll make a website explaining all of it so anyone who is interested can help me out.
*Sigh* but thanks for all the help, even if I'm not helping much with my explainations.

[Toby Stimpson]

Not everything is wiccan...rememebr Wicca is an assimilative religion...adapting it's beliefs to embrace other religions and form "traditions"...since Daraine is not interested in Wicca anymore...hmmm, by he sound of it...perhaps a website would be better for you...I mean there may not be a name for twhat you are feeling...I rememebr a great quote by Mahatama Gandhi was "there are as many religions as there are people" basicly meaning that we all have beliefs that can never really be placed under the banner of religion. I may be of...but your view on people is quite well...I have heard it before but I cant think of the name! I was reading in a Buddhist book on Zen that the evil and good mind set is natural duality...and that evil and good are just there...they do not exist that they are the natural by product of maniestation. Without evil, good cannot exist...without shadow light cannot exist...that evil is not intentional...or good more desirable over evil. Hmmm...Im not sure...but, if you do make a website up I think I would enjoy very much reading your comments and views...its just, the name...hmmmm, the name is beyond me right now. Namaste


Tobias

[coyoger]

I would call it the Universal Truth.