Freethinking Upstart

Since I forecasted that I was going to write this post I've sort of regretted it. My problems with condoning subscribing to a religion are these

1. Being a free thinking atheist I've experienced it's glory.
   
2. I don't want to sound condescending, meaning I don't want to make it sound that everyone that is religious is just a sheep or otherwise giving in to social pressures.
   

So take this listing of religions that aren't that bad for what it's worth. Really, I wish everyone would be free thinking atheists. But if you want religion, though many would argue that these aren't really religions, I recommend these:

1. Secular Humanism. This has free inquiry in, so the possibility of getting dogmatic about human interests isn't all that great. Even if it does lead to being dogmatic about humanitarian concerns, there are far worse things.
2. Buddhism. This is a really simple life philosophy and the Buddha was agnostic or ignostic. Though some have been accused of worshiping the Buddha as a deity, this isn't what Buddhism is about at all. An all around fulfilling, serenity bringing, peaceful religion.
3. Reconstructionist and Humanitarian Judaism. Want modern, liberal, secular, Jewish Religion? These are for you.
   
4. Any Orthoprax religion. If you get around on the Jblogs then you probably know something about Jewish Orthopraxy. The plus is it rejects dogma, the minus is it still ecnourages some kind of observance of halacha, which means no Italian hoagies and no watching the ball game on the Sabbath.
   
5. New Age and Neo Paganism. These are definetly my least favorite. They have some pretty strange beliefs but they are pretty harmless. It promotes spirituality as part of overall wellbeing. Peaceful but wierd.

Moderate Religion where I would put Left Wing Modern Orthodoxy, Conservative Judaism, Liberal Christianity, even Moderate Islam, and all other moderate belief systems are agnostic theists and I can't recommend them. The people that subscribe to them are generally good people but they are known for compartmentalizing. I see this as bad for the mind.

Fundamentalist religions are among the worst evils in my book. STAY AWAY IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIFE AND THE LIFE OF ANYONE OUTSIDE YOUR SUB GROUP.