LokiChild wrote:

I took the belief o matic, and the results I got didn't surprise me. The first five were 1. Unitarian Universalism (100%) 2. Theravada Buddhism (89%) 3. Neo-Pagan (84%) 4. Mahayana Buddhism (82%) 5. Liberal Quakers (81%). The problem is that I don't know where to go from here. I've tried getting books on Buddhism and Neo Paganism, but Buddhism has its problems in where to start (i.e which translation O_O), and a lot of pagan books seem to tell a person what to believe instead of giving out basic information and taking it from there yourself. I agree with SG in that what is sacred to a person is sacred, but at the same time I feel like I could have more also.

Loki, reading books about Paganism, especially some modern authors, can be a frustrating experience. I have wanted to tear my hair out more than once. I have to reallllllly careful about that these days. My hair is just growing out. I like that. Don't need any more bald spots of my own making. :p

A good start might be to ask questions here. This is multifaith. We have a whole bunch a Pagans and we have a whole buncha Buddhists. We also have our other people who represent a very broad spectrum of other faiths. I chose these two because you mentioned that you have tried to get information about them. Try going to the Pagan boards and asking the questions you have. Same for the Buddhism boards. Getting basic information about Paganism is hard because Paganism isn't a particular path or religion. It is an umbrella term, really. It cover many paths, spiritual journeys and religions. It isn't unified. So you get a lot of 'we believe' or 'I believe' in the books.

You're in a good place right now, Loki. Ask questions right here on this board. I know I"ll answer as best I can. I think others will too.
You can have more. Question is what is more? What are you wanting more of?

I don't know if this helps. I hope so. Take some time here. Get to know the inmates in this particular little corner. You might find something that will ring true to you. You certainly will be challenged to clarify what you want. You'll have to think and really clarify what you believe right now. Try, if you are the type to write, making a list of the basics of what you believe right now. Then bring them here or eslewhere and let the challenge happen. I have found having to articulate what I believe helps me. Getting challenged about it further boils it down and clarifies it still further. It is a process and at times it isn't fun. But it is rewarding.

If you are interesed in reading you might try:

The Pagan Way by Ed Fitch. An old book but it has good information. Look up some of the books by the Janet and Stewart Farrar. Their works are mostly Wiccan but they, too, have good information. I hope others will come along and give you some books to check into. Don't worry about the specific beliefs but over a period of reading see the similarities. For how to get started in any religion ask the practitioners. We have some really good boards in the Paganism boards. So do the Buddhism boards. We have a couple of wonderful people here who are Buddhist. That would be, off the top of my pointy head, Chiyo, ZenYen and Sakhaiva. Sak may not be Buddhist precisely but I think she is.

We have Tigers Eye Dowsing. He is part of Divine Science and New Thought. He can help.

Keep looking. Ask questions. Don't be afraid of the answers. Don't be put off by any challenges. They won't be personal but will be geared to trying to understand what you believe and why.

Welcome, Loki. I hope some of my blathering helps.

itty