What religion do Equestrians practice?

[Princess-Sunbutt 268]

They worship me for I am their god

[Buck Testa 5,503]

Well the Churches I grew up in were quite the opposite. Very much about spiritual wellness and charity to others. (Maybe it's a Catholic thing?) And you know most people of faith behave that way, Hell most people already seek to improve other's lives.

 

I've seen more kindness, generosity, and enthusiasm in my 23 years of life than I have cruelty. I have faith in a Higher Power precisely because my fellow man has given me very little to doubt such a Force exists. My Little Pony is not an inditement against humanity of what we should be, it's reflecting the best of what's already there.

I wish I could say the same I really really do. However you come out of the closet in the middle of the bible belt and you'll see just how nasty religion can be. I was driven nearly to suicide and made homeless for over a year cause of their faith.

I do not have the warm fuzzy feelings for religion after all that.

That being said I still find respect for people who do good onto others and do not pass judgement on those who did no real wrong.

[Sigma 768]

I like to think of all Equestrians as being atheist.

 

Except, they don't have the word 'atheism' because 'theism' and 'religion' are words that never existed in their world in the first place.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Asterisk Propernoun

[takai 1,060]

I know what I'd be worshiping.

 

 

 

 

In all seriousness, probably nothing. Let's just keep it about friendship!

[IridscentNionios 1,420]

I like to think of all Equestrians as being atheist.

 

Except, they don't have the word 'atheism' because 'theism' and 'religion' are words that never existed in their world in the first place.

Explain the words "theism" and religion. I am starting to think none really know what that is.

I know what I'd be worshiping.

 

 

 

 

In all seriousness, probably nothing. Let's just keep it about friendship!

Its not like we are going to make it about religion ourselves. This is a purely hypothetical question of what they would devote their faith to if they had a religion.

 

Would it be some divinity? Or something like Budhism an idea made by a mortal for the betterment of their race?

 

This thread has been largely derailing on religion itself and whether its good or bad. I am VERY dissapointed on that.

 

I am also dissapointed none seems to know what religion is these days. They just think Christianity and we go instant dislike.

[takai 1,060]

Its not like we are going to make it about religion ourselves. This is a purely hypothetical question of what they would devote their faith to if they had a religion.

 

Would it be some divinity? Or something like Budhism an idea made by a mortal for the betterment of their race?

 

This thread has been largely derailing on religion itself and whether its good or bad. I am VERY dissapointed on that.

 

I am also dissapointed none seems to know what religion is these days. They just think Christianity and we go instant dislike.

 

Fair enough. I was just saying because religion is just another thing people argue over, but I get your point. And they probably would have some type of religion. Creationism and animism would probably be the most common. 

 

I agree with that. People seem to stand up for freedom of beliefs quite a lot nowadays, but for some odd reason leave religion out of it. I find it both sad and hypocritical. Views on Christianity these days are very sad indeed.

[Steel Accord 6,658]

Fair enough. I was just saying because religion is just another thing people argue over, but I get your point. And they probably would have some type of religion. Creationism and animism would probably be the most common. 

 

I agree with that. People seem to stand up for freedom of beliefs quite a lot nowadays, but for some odd reason leave religion out of it. I find it both sad and hypocritical. Views on Christianity these days are very sad indeed.

 

So you would have a world where I can't choose to believe in a Higher Power?

Explain the words "theism" and religion. I am starting to think none really know what that is.

Its not like we are going to make it about religion ourselves. This is a purely hypothetical question of what they would devote their faith to if they had a religion.

 

Would it be some divinity? Or something like Budhism an idea made by a mortal for the betterment of their race?

 

This thread has been largely derailing on religion itself and whether its good or bad. I am VERY dissapointed on that.

 

I am also dissapointed none seems to know what religion is these days. They just think Christianity and we go instant dislike.

 

I think I may have been part of that derailment and I apologize.

 

You are 100% beyond a doubt correct though in that people seem to lump religion as "Christianity and nothing else!" Yeah, because the thousands upon thousands of years before Christ with serious worship didn't count for some arbitrary reason.

 

Equestria is not a world devoid of mysticism. Zecora, Pinkie Pie, Granny Smith all three engage in bizarre rituals of some kind or another. The thing is, in a world like Equestria, they may be empirically right! The only difference between me knocking on wood whenever I make a statement that might come back to bite me and Granny Smith bunny hopping over her zap apple jars is that she knows that's what makes the jam taste good.

 

So if the ponies are thankful to Princess Celestia for raising the sun, to the point they have an annual holiday celebrating and glorifying her, how is that any different than say . . . . Christmas?

[takai 1,060]

So you would have a world where I can't choose to believe in a Higher Power?

 

You may want to check your reading comprehension, bud.

[Steel Accord 6,658]

You may want to check your reading comprehension, bud.

 

I didn't want to be insulting as that's the way you obviously took it, but to use your own words:

 

 

 

I agree with that. People seem to stand up for freedom of beliefs quite a lot nowadays, but for some odd reason leave religion out of it. I find it both sad and hypocritical.

 

 

So you are saying that religion goes against freedom of beliefs. Unless I'm missing something in your argument.

[takai 1,060]

I didn't want to be insulting as that's the way you obviously took it, but to use your own words:

 

 

 

So you are saying that religion goes against freedom of beliefs. Unless I'm missing something in your argument.

Let's break it down. I said, people seem to stand up for freedom of beliefs these days, for example, homosexuality and gay marriage. However, when religion is mentioned people look down upon it and treat those who are religious with disrespect. So when I said both sad and hypocritical, it's because people stand up saying "people should believe what they want to believe" but when religion is mentioned they say the opposite about it and how people shouldn't believe in it. People's views on religion, espcially Christianity, today is both deplorable and sad. Edited October 7, 2014 by takai

[Steel Accord 6,658]

Let's break it down. I said, people seem to stand up for freedom of beliefs these days, for example, homosexuality and gay marriage. However, when religion is mentioned people look down upon it and treat those who are religious with disrespect. So when I said both sad and hypocritical, it's because people stand up saying "people should believe what they want to believe" but when religion is mentioned they say the opposite about it and how people shouldn't believe in it. People's views on religion, espcially Christianity, today is both deplorable and sad.

 

Okay, I see, and I agree. My apologies, you were right, I misread what you meant. My bad. You are clearly an observant and erudite person.

 

To hopefully get this back on topic, allow me to propose a question to you. If any of the Mane Six were said to be religious, which of them do you think is the most faith driven?

[Lucky Star 971]

I'm Mormon. They're Mormon. It works. Somehow >.<

 

But hey, considering we've never seen drugs, alcohol (debatable, but seeing as it was fresh-squeezed, no time for fermentation, and things can foam without alcohol; root beer), somethingwhichissupercontroversialthatIwon'tmention, or any references to pre-marital you-know-what (not sure if that's appropriate to explicitly mention on these forums :q ) or adultry, then I'd say I actually have a pretty good case XD

 

In that case, Celestia and Luna could be like prophetesses as well as princesses.

just because they seem not to have certain things

doesn't mean they have a religion banning them.

 

Ponies I think would be smart enough to realize such things are bad.

*sigh* I'm not saying religious people are dumb though.

I'm saying people in general can be a little dumb.

hehe not like that will make the statement better but oh well. 

Edited October 7, 2014 by Lucky Star

[Steel Accord 6,658]

just because they seem not to have certain things

doesn't mean they have a religion banning them.

 

Ponies I think would be smart enough to realize such things are bad.

*sigh* I'm not saying religious people are dumb though.

I'm saying people in general can be a little dumb.

hehe not like that will make the statement better but oh well. 

 

I think you are right, again, absence of evidence doesn't mean evidence of absence. Not that I think there aren't ponies that would be uptight jerks about even something like cider. I mean we've seen many ponies that are one kind of unpleasant or another. I mean, can you see Ms. Harshwhinny condoning if a younger nephew of her's was drinking cider?

 

Plus, abstinence from alcohol or other such substances or activities doesn't have to be religiously motivated. Nothing about my religion says I can't drink, but I just choose not to.

[IridscentNionios 1,420]

 

 

just because they seem not to have certain things doesn't mean they have a religion banning them.

None ever said that.

 

Ponies I think would be smart enough to realize such things are bad.

You mean drug addictions and alchohol right? But they do have cider tho.

If however this is directed towards religion then *sigh* read the posts above. 

[Lucky Star 971]

None ever said that.

 

You mean drug addictions and alchohol right? But they do have cider tho.

 

If however this is directed towards religion then *sigh* read the posts above. 

 

I was talking more about drugs than the cider, but okay.

[IridscentNionios 1,420]

 

 

I was talking more about drugs than the cider, but okay.

Just being paranoid a bit and making sure is all. 

[Lucky Star 971]

Just being paranoid a bit and making sure is all. 

lol its okay so don't worry about it.

[Comet Tail 808]

Let's break it down. I said, people seem to stand up for freedom of beliefs these days, for example, homosexuality and gay marriage. However, when religion is mentioned people look down upon it and treat those who are religious with disrespect. So when I said both sad and hypocritical, it's because people stand up saying "people should believe what they want to believe" but when religion is mentioned they say the opposite about it and how people shouldn't believe in it. People's views on religion, espcially Christianity, today is both deplorable and sad.

 

Heh, to quote a friend of mine; "The thing people have a hard time understanding about freedom of speech, is it includes people who you don't agree with."

 

It's deplorable and sad, as you say. Just like how often reverse racism and reverse sexism is, for some reason, seen as o.k, by the very same people who are so adamantly opposed to sexism and racism. There's just so many double standards out there it's... deplorable and sad (a women's college? A black college? Let's try a white male college and see how well that goes over, eh?).

 

just because they seem not to have certain things

doesn't mean they have a religion banning them.

 

Ponies I think would be smart enough to realize such things are bad.

*sigh* I'm not saying religious people are dumb though.

I'm saying people in general can be a little dumb.

hehe not like that will make the statement better but oh well. 

 

 

I think you are right, again, absence of evidence doesn't mean evidence of absence. Not that I think there aren't ponies that would be uptight jerks about even something like cider. I mean we've seen many ponies that are one kind of unpleasant or another. I mean, can you see Ms. Harshwhinny condoning if a younger nephew of her's was drinking cider?

 

Plus, abstinence from alcohol or other such substances or activities doesn't have to be religiously motivated. Nothing about my religion says I can't drink, but I just choose not to.

 

Oh, yes, I was mostly joking. Mostly. It's not a compelling case to say the least, but it is interesting.

 

Also, "absence of evidence doesn't mean evidence of absence" is only circumstantially true. If I'm in an empty gymnasium, and I don't see any evidence of an elephant in the room - when if there were an elephant, I should definitely see evidence - then the absence of evidence is, in fact, evidence. It's not always the case, though. You can stand on the beach, and look out on the ocean and not see any whales. In fact, it'd be extremely unusual to see a whale. In that case, lack of evidence is not an evidence of a lack.

 

In a situation, you have to ask yourself; "if X were true, would I see evidence of it?" Sometimes the answer is "yes," like an elephant in the gym. Sometimes it's "no," like a whale in the ocean. For the former, that phrase doesn't apply. For the latter, it does. And then sometimes you can't even answer that question with certainty, heh.

 

Anyways, we now have about 30 hours of the show, and there's never been a single cigarette, any drugs, any alcohol, any extra-marrital sexuality, etc. Sure you can say; "they just don't show it because it's a kids show," but if you go strictly off of what they do show, then if those things were common at all, we would have expected to see them by now; so there's a rather strong case to be made that they aren't present.

 

And if you say; "they just don't show them," well, you could say that about anything, then, so it's not a very compelling argument. These things are special, yes, in that they'd never show them in a kids' show, but I'd say that only strengthens the argument that they don't exist in the canon: we can say with certainty that they'll never appear canonically. Therefore, if you conjecture that they are present, then you're just throwing in something that's not in the show and never will be (or rather, it's exceedingly unlikely that it ever will be).

[Buck Testa 5,503]

I didn't want to be insulting as that's the way you obviously took it, but to use your own words:

 

 

So you are saying that religion goes against freedom of beliefs. Unless I'm missing something in your argument.

What are you talking about ? What he is saying (very clearly I might add) is people do not want to include religion into the rights of freedom of belief, not that they SHOULD do that. He is making an observation, not a statement of what he thinks is right. READ. Edited October 15, 2014 by Buck Testa

[Fractured 2,683]

To hopefully get this back on topic, allow me to propose a question to you. If any of the Mane Six were said to be religious, which of them do you think is the most faith driven?

Ironically enough, Twilight Sparkle. In a way, her reliance on science is religious, at least in the wholly magical world of Equestria.

[ShintX 180]

As Celestia is my witness, i shall not be a door matt.

 

But its Its all about doing good deeds. It doesn't have one though ^ ^

Edited October 16, 2014 by ShintX

[Steel Accord 6,658]

As Celestia is my witness, i shall not be a door matt.

 

But its Its all about doing good deeds. It doesn't have one though ^ ^

 

I find it extremely hard to believe that such a world has absolutely zero amount of religious thought. Again, not all religion has to be formally organized as long as it's an internally consistent code that reflects actions having a greater cosmic significance, it can be religious.

What are you talking about ? What he is saying (very clearly I might add) is people do not want to include religion into the rights of freedom of belief, not that they SHOULD do that. He is making an observation, not a statement of what he thinks is right. READ.

 

Yes, he made it clear to me and I rescinded my accusation. Mistake on my part.

[speedyblupi 75]

Ahuitzotl is a creature in Aztec mythology, and many of the other species (e.g. manticore) come from Greek mythology. Whether the ponies' behaviour towards Celestia or Luna constitute worship is a little ambiguous, but the nightmare night mythology about giving offerings of sweets to a nightmare moon statue seems pretty religious to me.

 

Whatever religion they do have it's not one that exists in our world.

[\/ 650]

Despite everything, the incredibly ancient yet youthful princesses of the world aren't worshipped other than what one might recieve as royalty, but I understand the idea. There is no real religion, unless being good friends to those around you is one. This could easily be in the debate pit though, if there were a bit more to the OP than that question.

[Zoraxe 546]

They belive in Equestrianism! Whatever that is, is left to your imagination.