religiousity quiz

This pretty much matches me, though Secular Humanism was a 92% match, and is also close. Basically I'm a humanitarian athiest who believes in reincarnation.

According to the SelectSmart.com Belief System Selector, my #1 belief match is Unitarian Universalism. What do you believe? Visit SelectSmart.com/RELIGION

Unitarian Universalism A liberal and diverse religious organization comprised of mostly atheists (or non-theists), agnostics, Humanists, liberal Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Neopagans, etc.

-Belief in Deity: Very diverse beliefs - Unitarian Universalists welcome all deity beliefs as well as nontheistic beliefs. Some congregations are formed for those who share a common belief, e.g. Christianity.

-Incarnations: Very diverse beliefs, including belief in no incarnations, or that all are the embodiment of God. Some believe Christ is God's Son, or not Son but "Wayshower."

-Origins of universe/life: Diverse beliefs, but most believe in the Bible as symbolic and that natural processes account for origins.

-After death: Diverse beliefs, but most believe that heaven and hell are not places, but are symbolic. Some believe heaven and hell are states of consciousness either in life or continuing after death; some believe in reincarnation; some believe that afterlife is nonexistent or not known or not important, as actions in life are all that matter.

-Why evil? Diverse beliefs. Some believe wrong is committed when people distance themselves from God. Some believe in “karma,” that what goes around comes around. Some believe wrongdoing is a matter of human nature, psychology, sociology, etc.

-Salvation: Some believe in salvation through faith in God and Jesus Christ, along with doing good works and doing no harm to others. Many believe all will be saved, as God is good and forgiving. Some believe in reincarnation and the necessity to eliminate personal greed or to learn all of life’s lessons before achieving enlightenment or salvation. For some, the concepts of salvation or enlightenment are irrelevant or disbelieved.

-Undeserved suffering: Diverse beliefs. It would be a rare Unitarian Universalists that believes that a literal Satan causes suffering. Some believe suffering is part of God’s plan, will, or design even if we don’t immediately understand it. Some don’t believe in any spiritual reasons for suffering, and most take a humanistic approach to helping those in need.

-Contemporary Issues: The Unitarian Universalist Association’s stance is to protect the personal right to choose abortion. Other contemporary views include working for equality for homosexuals, gender equality, a secular approach to divorce and remarriage, working to end poverty, promoting peace and non-violence, and environmental protection.

movie heaven

Ok, in the last 48 hours I've seen two of the coolest movies all summer, in the theater. I was bowled-over amazed by both.

Yesterday....

1 - Minority Report

How cool is this? The vision of Tom cruise Chasing his own eyeballs as they bounce cheerfully away toward an ominous-looking drain grate... you just never quite expect those moments.

Seriously... this movie was frellin' AMAZING. Totally worth every one of the four stars my enwspaper gave it. It was fast-paced, intricate, absorbing, intelligent, subtle, well acted, well written, well directed, and above all clever. I never felt that I was watching a Tom Crusie movie. I felt I was watching a movie about a future society with serious problems, where the main character is a cop whose far from perfect mentally even if he's the best professionally, and where the true question of the film isn't 'How do I beat the perfect system?' but rather 'Do I have free will, or is my life sealed in a predetermined destiny?'

And the gadgets were cool. Like, some of the most wickedly awesome and original devices I've ever seen in a science fiction film. The spider-scanners? Cool, and beyond creepy. And yet, the gadgetry only supported the film-- only made it more obvious the underlying problem of people becomming more dependant on sytems and computers and programs than on their own selves-- it never detracted attention from the plot; the writer[s] never compromised the script just to show off cool stuff.

I'd like some of those grabby poison vines outside MY house.


And today....

2 - Spirited Away [a film by Hayao Miyazaki]

I went to see this because once upon a time I'd fallen in love with one of Miyazaki's previous films, Princess Mononoke. I had only the vaguest idea what it'd be about, but that didn't matter much.

I walked out of it grinning blissfully, unable to stop smiling, remembering what it was like to live in a fantasy world at ten years old where you were so sure that everything you did was as serious and mattered as much as anything an adult worried about. This movie is like that-- the only difference is, Chihiro's actions really do have dramatic effect on her life and the life of those around her-- in a fairy tale way Chihiro's parents are turned into pigs because of their own ingorant greed, and Chichiro has to be clever, mature, honest, and strong to save them. She can't be a spoiled crybaby or a whiny brat anymore. She has to sign a contract that costs her her true name-- and thus her identity and memory-- and work until she can figure out how to rescue them. And every step of the way there's a witch waiting to kill her or turn her to an animal if she slips, and a boy-spirit who may be helping her survive, or selling her into slavery, or both.

I adored this film. There were images that seemed gross-- but that's the beauty of Miyazaki's films. His animation reflects real life, and the result is not the glossy, never-quite-less-than-cute Disney approach, but rather a sprawling, gorgeous animated pallet of colors and characters. Like Princess Mononoke(an altogether different film but still jsut as amazing), the movie Spirited Away has beautiful, entrancing animation that holds your eyes... making you smile, flinch, and cry at the same time.


I can't help it... I gush over movies that get to me.