Either way, I was so obviously not Orthodox (what was I thinking???)
Here's the quiz questions, and my answers are in bold:
1. What is the number and nature of the deity (God, gods, higher power)? Choose one.
- Only one God--a corporeal spirit (has a body), supreme, personal God Almighty, the Creator.
- Only one God--an incorporeal (no body) spirit, supreme, personal God Almighty, the Creator.
- Multiple personal gods (or goddesses) regarded as facets of one God, and/or as separate gods.
- The supreme force is the impersonal Ultimate Reality (or life force, ultimate truth, cosmic order, absolute bliss, universal soul), which resides within and/or beyond all.
- The supreme existence is both the eternal, impersonal, formless Ultimate Reality, and personal God (or gods).
- No God or supreme force. Or not sure. Or not important.
- None of the above.
Medium
2. Are there human incarnation(s) of God (or of gods/goddesses)? Choose one.
God is (or gods/goddesses are) supreme, and no incarnations.
One incarnation.
Many (or countless) incarnations.
No particular incarnations because God is all and all are God (or God is in all).
No incarnations as there is no God. Or not sure. Or not important.
None of the above.
What priority do you place on this selection?
Medium
(hmm, I think I may have ticked "many or countless incarnations" on previous occasions, which is more Pagan than UU)
3. What are the origins of the physical universe and life on earth? Choose one.
- As in the book of Genesis, God created a mature universe and mature life forms from nothing in less than 7 days, less than 10,000 years ago.
- As in the book of Genesis, but "day" is not 24 hours, possibly refers to thousands (or even millions) of years, or to creation phases.
- God is creating and controlling the phenomena uncovered by scientists. Or there are other spiritual explanations, but not in conflict with scientific discovery.
- All matter and life forms are manifestations (or illusions) of the eternal Absolute (Ultimate Truth, Universal Soul or Mind, etc.).
- Only natural forces (like evolution) and no Creator or spiritual forces. Or not sure. Or not important.
- None of the above.
High
4. What happens to humans after death? Choose one.
- Souls are judged immediately for a foretaste of heaven or hell. At the final judgment, God (or Christ) will resurrect and judge all for heaven or hell. (Or souls may also be judged for punishment and/or purification before heaven.)
- Death results in unconsciousness until, at the final judgment, God (or Christ) will raise the living righteous to heaven; resurrect and destroy the wicked on earth; return the righteous to a paradisal earth for eternity.
- Souls don't survive death. God (or Christ) will resurrect the righteous at the final judgment for eternity in heaven or on a paradisal earth; the wicked will remain dead.
- The soul's spiritual development continues after death so that all may eventually experience the indescribable joy of closeness to God. Hell is not a place but the tormented state of remoteness from God.
- Rebirths occur (continually, or until all life's lessons are learned and one merges with the life force, or until complete enlightenment and eternal bliss are attained).
- There is definitely an afterlife, but the specifics cannot be known or are unimportant--most important is one's conduct in life.
- No afterlife; no spiritual existence beyond life; no literal heaven and hell. Or not sure. Or not important.
- None of the above.
High
5. Why is there terrible wrongdoing in the world? Choose one.
- Humans inherited sinfulness, or a damaged nature, or tendency to yield to Satan's temptations from Adam and Eve, who committed the original sin against God.
- Wrongdoing results from God-given free will plus a weak side, or a drive to satisfy personal needs, which sometimes results in wrongful choices (and/or vulnerability to Satan's temptations).
- Ignorance of one's true existence as pure spirit and as one with the Universal Truth (or soul, mind, etc.) can lead to wrongdoing.
- Not listening to the voice of God, who resides within all, can lead to wrongdoing.
- Egoism (self-importance) leads to desire, craving, and attachments, which can lead to unwholesome thoughts and behavior, i.e., greed, hate, and violence.
- No supernatural or spiritual reasons. Human nature, psychology, sociology, criminology, etc., explain wrongdoing. Or not sure. Or not important.
- None of the above.
High
6. Satan's presence results in much suffering.
- Agree.
- Disagree.
- Not applicable. I don't believe in Satan.
Medium
7. Why is there so much suffering in the world?
Choose ALL that apply.
- The original disobedience of Adam and Eve caused all mankind to inherit mortality, which includes bodily imperfection, illness, and decay.
- Suffering is part of God's divine will, plan, or design (to discipline, test, challenge, strengthen faith, strengthen character, promote moral growth, or for reasons that we cannot or may not know).
- Suffering is a state of mind (or illusion); only our spiritual nature is real.
- Spiritual or cosmic imbalance and disharmony may result in suffering.
- Unwholesome thoughts and/or deeds (greed, hatred, and violence) in this or prior lives return as suffering (karma).
- None of the above; human suffering has nothing to do with the supernatural or karma.
Medium (ah, I think I ticked "spiritual or cosmic imbalance or disharmony" before - so hanging out with Unitarians is clearly making me more rational...)
Respond to the following (Questions 8-12) based on how you believe a person attains salvation, exaltation, eternal reward, spiritual liberation/enlightenment, spiritual harmony, merger with God, etc.
8. Worship:
- The Supreme Power, God, or Gods.
- God--three persons of one essence.
- God the Father, His Son, the Holy Spirit--each a distinct essence.
- Not Applicable.
- Required.
- Not required.
- Not Applicable.
Medium
10. Regularly confess or repent:
- All sins/wrongs to a cleric.
- All sins/wrongs, but not necessarily to a cleric.
- Not Applicable.
Medium
11. Doing good works (deeds) and acting compassionately is:
- Necessary.
- Not necessary.
- Not Applicable.
High
12. Choose ALL statements below that represent your beliefs.
- Adhere strictly to the rites, practices, precepts, commandments, prohibitions, laws, sacraments, or ordinances of the faith to be rewarded after life.
- All, even the wicked, are rewarded after life (e.g., go to heaven, merge with God) as God(s) is infinitely good and forgiving.
- Extinguish all cravings, attachments, and ignorance, or rid oneself of all impurities, to become fully enlightened.
- Learn all life's lessons through rebirths.
- Realize your true nature as purely spirit (or soul) and not body, as one with the Absolute, Universal Soul.
- Live very simply; renounce worldly goals and possessions.
- Tap the power of the Ultimate (God, or the divine) through intercessory methods such as psychics, channeling, tarot cards, crystals, magic.
- Humankind is "saved" through human effort rather than through religious or spiritual means.
High
Respond to the following moral statements (Questions 13-20) based on how you would want your religion or faith category to address them.
13. Elective abortion should be accepted (not proclaimed or treated as immoral).
- Agree.
- Disagree.
- Not Applicable.
Medium
14. Homosexual behavior should be regarded as immoral or out of harmony.
- Agree.
- Disagree.
- Not Applicable.
High -- if there had been a "strongly disagree" option, I would have ticked it
15. Roles for women and men should be prescribed.
- Agree.
- Disagree.
- Not Applicable.
High -- if there had been a "strongly disagree" option, I would have ticked it
16. Divorce and/or remarriage should be restricted or punished or condemned.
- Agree.
- Disagree.
- Not Applicable.
High -- if there had been a "strongly disagree" option, I would have ticked it
17. Social betterment programs (e.g., equality, anti-poverty, education) should be fundamental.
- Agree.
- Disagree.
- Not Applicable.
High
18. Nonviolence (e.g., pacifism, conscientious objector) should be fundamental.
- Agree.
- Disagree.
- Not Applicable.
Low - it should be a matter of personal conscience.
19. 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).
- Agree.
- Disagree.
- Not Applicable.
Medium (they should supplement conventional treatment)
20. Revering nature or the environment should be fundamental.
- Agree.
- Disagree.
- Not Applicable.
High
The top score on the list below represents the faith that Belief-O-Matic, in its less than infinite wisdom, thinks most closely matches your beliefs. However, even a score of 100% does not mean that your views are all shared by this faith, or vice versa.
Belief-O-Matic then lists another 26 faiths in order of how much they have in common with your professed beliefs. The higher a faith appears on this list, the more closely it aligns with your thinking.
1. Unitarian Universalism (100%)
2. Neo-Pagan (94%)
3. Secular Humanism (93%)
4. Liberal Quakers (83%)
5. New Age (81%)
6. Theravada Buddhism (75%)
7. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (72%)
8. Mahayana Buddhism (67%)
9. Nontheist (64%)
10. Reform Judaism (60%)
11. New Thought (56%)
12. Taoism (56%)
13. Jainism (56%)
14. Scientology (53%)
15. Orthodox Quaker (50%)
16. Sikhism (49%)
17. Bahá'í Faith (41%)
18. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (37%)
19. Hinduism (36%)
20. Orthodox Judaism (35%)
21. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (26%)
22. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (25%)
23. Islam (24%)
24. Seventh Day Adventist (19%)
25. Eastern Orthodox (16%)
26. Roman Catholic (16%)
27. Jehovah's Witness (9%)
I hereby tag Steve Hayes and Cat Chapin-Bishop to do this quiz and post your results on your blogs (and maybe your answers too, if you feel like it).
