Kay reminded me of this quiz I took many moons ago. My score has changed, somewhat. I don’t have the actual scores from the last time I took it, but if I remember correctly, Unitarian Universalist and Liberal Quaker were vying for first place. Neo-pagan was third place. New age was likely 4th place. And Mainline Liberal Christian was 5th.
Secular Humanism and Non-theist are new to my Belief-O-Matic score! But it makes sense. I no longer believe in a personal god at all. Which is not the same thing as saying I don’t believe in God. Well – OK. I don’t really “believe” in God. But I don’t “dis-believe” in God, either.
I’ve posted my answers below. But before you read my answers, take the Belief-O-Matic yourself. It’s an interesting exercise.
My score…
1. Secular Humanism (100%)
2. Nontheist (97%)
3. Unitarian Universalism (96%)
4. Liberal Quakers (80%)
5. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (80%)
6. Theravada Buddhism (74%)
7. Neo-Pagan (73%)
8. New Age (64%)
9. Mahayana Buddhism (63%)
10. Reform Judaism (57%)
11. Scientology (57%)
12. New Thought (54%)
13. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (50%)
14. Taoism (47%)
15. Orthodox Quaker (44%)
16. Baha’i Faith (42%)
17. Islam (42%)
18. Jainism (42%)
19. Orthodox Judaism (42%)
20. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (41%)
21. Seventh Day Adventist (27%)
22. Hinduism (21%)
23. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (16%)
24. Jehovah’s Witness (16%)
25. Sikhism (12%)
26. Eastern Orthodox (0%)
27. Roman Catholic (0%)
My answers…
What is the number and nature of the deity (God, gods, higher power)? I don’t know and I could totally care less. Non-important question.
Are there human incarnation(s) of God (or of gods/goddesses)? Maybe there are. Maybe there aren’t. I don’t really care either way. If you think so, great. If you don’t, OK. Non-important question.
What are the origins of the physical universe and life on earth? We experience a physical universe. Need we believe in its origination? I don’t think so. Non-important question.
What happens to humans after death? I have no idea. All that matters is how life is lived now. What happens in some supposed futuristic state (“after death”) has no bearing on how we live our lives now. Non-important question.
Why is there terrible wrongdoing in the world? Human nature. We are a mixed bag of good and bad.
Satan’s presence results in much suffering. Not applicable.
Why is there so much suffering in the world? Human suffering has nothing to do with the supernatural or karma. (Should clarify – I don’t think human suffering has to do with karma as implied in the Belief-O-Matic test, but I do think Karma, from a very different perspective, has EVERYTHING to do with suffering.)
Worship. Not applicable. (At least according to the implications on the Belief-O-Matic.) Worship as an experience of “awe”/”awesome” is totally applicable, however. In the Eddie Izzard sense of awesome, that is…
Baptism (or initiation) ceremonies. Not required. Could be awesome (in the Eddie Izzard sense) but that would be up to the individual.
Regularly confess or repent. All sins/wrongs, but not necessarily to a cleric.
Doing good works (deeds) and acting compassionately is - not applicable. It will likely make your personal life and the lives around you a helluva lot better. But how you choose to behave is totally up to you. You are ultimately responsible for the consequences of your behavior, as are all of us. Maybe you are better off being a hooligan. I doubt it. But who am I to judge? As for me and my home, we shall do good works and act compassionately.
Choose ALL statements below that represent your beliefs. None of the statements represent my beliefs.
Elective abortion should be accepted (not proclaimed or treated as immoral). Not applicable. Personally, I couldn’t have an abortion. I believe with every ounce of my being that life should be allowed to live. Allow what is to be. But, as long as our society continues to be so incredibly anti-life and anti-child, I don’t think anyone has the right to tell a woman she has to have a baby. That women even consider aborting their children is a societal problem, not a problem with the individual female who decides to do so.
Homosexual behavior should be regarded as immoral or out of harmony. Disagree.
Roles for women and men should be prescribed. Not applicable. How men and women are expected to behave is completely dependent upon cultural expectation, not a universal absolute.
Divorce and/or remarriage should be restricted or punished or condemned. Not applicable. Depends upon the culture. Personally, I am pushing for marriage to be a thing of the past in the near future.
Social betterment programs (e.g., equality, anti-poverty, education) should be fundamental. Non-applicable. Such programs are only fundamental to societies that have created a need for them.
Nonviolence (e.g., pacifism, conscientious objector) should be fundamental. Non-applicable. To expect non-violence to be fundamental is itself a form of violence.
Prayer, meditation, or spiritual healing practices should be favored to the exclusion of conventional health treatment (for all serious conditions or certain types of serious conditions). Disagree.
Revering nature or the environment should be fundamental. Non-applicable.