Religion and YOU - Religous Smörgåsbord - the Last Supper

[Saddle Bronc 124]

goodness gracious, will you just tell us the right answer already, my head hurts.

It's kind of like an effective-writing test (without actually writing the essay)--it's not a question of which answer is right.

[ValerieA 350]

I'd like to see an answer from a pagan**. There must be at least one on VJ.

**ETA: Not just a penguin.

Edited June 1, 2010 by ValerieA

[thongd4me 69]

I'd like to see an answer from a pagan**. There must be at least one on VJ.

**ETA: Not just a penguin.

I wonder if Burgess Meredith & Danny Devito were real pagans...

Burgess Meredith

Danny Devito

[ValerieA 350]

I wonder if Burgess Meredith & Danny Devito were real pagans...

Burgess Meredith

Danny Devito

[thongd4me 69]

On p. 91 of "Schopenhauer" by Robert Wicks:

"Schopenhauer frequently contrasts Buddhism, Brahmanism, and Christianity -

which he refers to enthusiastically as 'pessimistic religions' -- with Judaism,

Islam and Polytheism, which he interprets as more realistic and objectionably

'optimistic' religions."*

*For Schopenhauer, "realism" and "optiimism" are disparaging terms.

His own view lies more in the direction of idealism and pessimism.

He was perhaps most well known for his study of Buddhism.

It's kind of an ironic, curmudgeony view indeed.

After a brief survey of the answers, nobody duplicated his view of

things, which doesn't make his view or your view right or wrong.

The most interestying disparity was the assessment of

Judaism & Islam as being pessimistic, which he thought

of as being optimistic.

I think another way to look at his view would be to say that

Judaism & Islam advocate that the believer be more

proactive rather than passive. He looks at Christianity

and Buddhism as being more passive and therefore pessimistic.

[thongd4me 69]

On p. 91 of "Schopenhauer" by Robert Wicks:

"Schopenhauer frequently contrasts Buddhism, Brahmanism, and Christianity -

which he refers to enthusiastically as 'pessimistic religions' -- with Judaism,

Islam and Polytheism, which he interprets as more realistic and objectionably

'optimistic' religions."*

*For Schopenhauer, "realism" and "optiimism" are disparaging terms.

His own view lies more in the direction of idealism and pessimism.

He was perhaps most well known for his study of Buddhism.

It's kind of an ironic, curmudgeony view indeed.

After a brief survey of the answers, nobody duplicated his view of

things, which doesn't make his view or your view right or wrong.

The most interestying disparity was the assessment of

Judaism & Islam as being pessimistic, which he thought

of as being optimistic.

I think another way to look at his view would be to say that

Judaism & Islam advocate that the believer be more

proactive rather than passive. He looks at Christianity

and Buddhism as being more passive and therefore pessimistic.

NONE of the respondents to the poll were Jewish or Muslim,

which might confirm the notion that they are so optimistic that

they don't bother with things like silly polls

The poll is still open if they want to comment...

[thongd4me 69]

Results (so far) without comment:

Christianity Optimistic (12 votes [10.71%] - View) Percentage of vote: 10.71%

Christianity Pessimistic (11 votes [9.82%] - View) Percentage of vote: 9.82%

Schopenhauer said Christianity was pessimistic (disagreed with poll).

Paganism Optimistic (9 votes [8.04%] - View) Percentage of vote: 8.04%

Paganism Pessimistic (8 votes [7.14%] - View) Percentage of vote: 7.14%

Schopenhauer said Paganism was optimistic (agreed with poll).

Buddhism Optimistic (15 votes [13.39%] - View) Percentage of vote: 13.39%

Buddhism Pessimistic (5 votes [4.46%] - View) Percentage of vote: 4.46%

Schopenhauer said Buddhism was pessimistic (disagreed with poll).

Islam Optimistic (5 votes [4.46%] - View) Percentage of vote: 4.46%

Islam Pessimistic (12 votes [10.71%] - View) Percentage of vote: 10.71%

Schopenhauer said Islam was optimistic (disagreed with poll).

Hinduism Optimistic (11 votes [9.82%] - View) Percentage of vote: 9.82%

Hinduism Pessimistic (6 votes [5.36%] - View) Percentage of vote: 5.36%

Schopenhauer said Hinduism was pessimistic (disagreed with poll).

Judaism Optimistic (5 votes [4.46%] - View) Percentage of vote: 4.46%

Judaism Pessimistic (13 votes [11.61%] - View) Percentage of vote: 11.61%

Schopenhauer said Judaism was optimistic (disagreed with poll).

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

What a biased poll!

There is more to heaven and earth, than is accounted for in your list. How about some of the aboriginal religions for instance?

I am a student of religions, generally monotheistic, although I see spirits in all things, especially machines.

The wife is Catholic, and I was raised to be one, so we occasionally participate in ritual cannibalism.

[thongd4me 69]

What a biased poll!

There is more to heaven and earth, than is accounted for in your list. How about some of the aboriginal religions for instance?

I am a student of religions, generally monotheistic, although I see spirits in all things, especially machines.

The wife is Catholic, and I was raised to be one, so we occasionally participate in ritual cannibalism.

Naturally the poll results were biased but the fact that Schopenhauer disagreed with the results

doesn't make him or them correct.

It was interesting to see how people interepreted their own faiths as compared to others.

Most respondents were Christian so there was an overwhelming Christian bias there.

Schopenhauer's philosophy regarded Christians as pessimistic but he put it in a praiseworthy context,

because good Christians would give themselves up to "God's Will" so to speak and trusting to fate

rather than their own deterministic will.