Sunday, June 28, 2009

The evolution of Abelard

Some months ago, I took the Belief-O-Matic quiz. In spite of my disagreement with "Q14. Homosexual behavior should be regarded as immoral or out of harmony." - I still came out as 100% Mormon.
1. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (100%)
2. Jehovah's Witness (88%)
3. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (74%)
4. Orthodox Judaism (73%)
5. Baha'i Faith (69%)
6. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (68%)
7. Islam (64%)
8. Sikhism (62%)
9. Reform Judaism (58%)
10. Liberal Quakers (58%)
11. Orthodox Quaker (55%)
12. Eastern Orthodox (46%)
13. Roman Catholic (46%)
14. Unitarian Universalism (46%)
15. Jainism (43%)
16. Seventh Day Adventist (42%)
17. Mahayana Buddhism (41%)
18. Theravada Buddhism (40%)
19. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (39%)
20. Hinduism (38%)
21. Neo-Pagan (37%)
22. New Age (30%)
23. Secular Humanism (28%)
24. New Thought (26%)
25. Scientology (24%)
26. Taoism (23%)
27. Nontheist (17%)
For grins, I took the test again this morning, this time answering as I truly believed rather than as I thought I should answer as a good mormon boy - and the results were somewhat startling
1. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (100%)
2. Liberal Quakers (82%)
3. Unitarian Universalism (75%)
4. Baha'i Faith (72%)
5. Reform Judaism (69%)

6. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (63%)
7. Neo-Pagan (62%)
8. New Age (60%)
9. Orthodox Quaker (59%)
10. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (58%)
11. Orthodox Judaism (54%)
12. Sikhism (53%)
13. Jehovah's Witness (52%)
14. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (50%)
15. Mahayana Buddhism (49%)
16. Secular Humanism (49%)
17. Eastern Orthodox (48%)
18. New Thought (48%)
19. Roman Catholic (48%)
20. Theravada Buddhism (48%)
21. Seventh Day Adventist (44%)
22. Islam (40%)
23. Scientology (38%)
24. Jainism (36%)
25. Hinduism (36%)
26. Taoism (34%)
27. Nontheist (24%)
Mind you, there is only one question that deals with the topic of homosexuality - and I answered the same both times. The bulk of the questions deal with the nature of god and our responsibility here on earth.

I think the question that was likely the biggest factor in the change was
Q12. 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.
I know, as a good Mormon boy, I should have chosen the first option - but the truth is, I just don't know anymore. Strict obedience to the rites, practices, precepts, commandments, prohibitions, laws, sacraments, or ordinances of the LDS faith require me to deny my sexuality and to renounce the homosexual actions of others. I can't do that - I won't do that. Nor do I believe or accept that God wants me to. I love my queer friends; and, I am genuinely happy for those who've found a life soul mate. "Men are that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25) - and if some individuals can only find true joy in the arms of a person of their same gender, where is the sin?

So, which option did I choose? I didn't pick any of them, I left the question blank.

Now, I know this is just yet another silly internet quiz which shouldn't be taken too seriously. But, could it be an indicator that I'm ever so slowly moving to the [GASP!] left? Or maybe my inner self - the real me, if you will - is beginning to surface. What if the real me turns out to be a flaming liberal?

9 comments:

MoHoHawaii said...

Flaming? Yes. Liberal? Not so much. :- )

But, I can't wait for you to start voting for political candidates that support gay rights.

Anonymous said...

i'm 100% liberal protestant and only 95% mormon. traditional views of the godhead kept me in the mormon camp but i lost votes with my attitudes towards gays and abortion (gasp!).

lib prot's are pretty wishy-washy, so i see any tendency towards this group as an avoidance traditional theology and an emphasis on the here and now.

in other words, i don't know or care if jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Abelard Enigma said...

But, I can't wait for you to start voting for political candidates that support gay rights.

You mean like Obama? That's worked out really well now, hasn't it? :)

Rob said...

Guess what. I did the same thing once upon a time, came out 100% Orthodox Mormon Boy, and no doubt for the same reason. Having read your post I took it again, and guess what. Swap LDS up to 4th place instead of 6th on your list, and the results were identical for me. No wonder one of my best mates calls me a "closet Anglican."

Max Power said...

I would have thought that Scientology would fall a lot closer to Mormonism than it does... ;)

Beck said...

When I took the quiz, mainline liberal christian was 100% and LDS was 97%. How can that be?

What is happening to me? AHHH!

John Gustav-Wrathall said...

I took the quiz too, and came out 100% Mainline to Liberal Protestant, and 81% Mormon (second place). But I don't get how I am ranked as 100% Liberal Protestant, given my beliefs about the Godhead and the nature of salvation. Surely I'd be at least somewhat less than 100%, just based on that... I'm guessing the quiz ranked me less Mormon than I consider myself because of my views on certain social issues.

If there had been a question on there such as "do you believe that the economy should be organized in such a way that all things are had in common," and I'd answered "yes" (my answer to that question is YES!), how Mormon would that make me?

The quiz obviously doesn't allow for diversity within religious communions, so I wouldn't take it too seriously. It only means you're less stereotypically Mormon by the standards of the person who designed the quiz...

We could each design a quiz that would make someone who believes exactly as I do 100% Mormon, and anybody who disagrees with me somewhat less Mormon than I am.

MoHoHawaii said...

You mean like Obama? That's worked out really well now, hasn't it? :)
Check out the President's speech today. Read the whole thing and tell me he's no better than Bush (who pressed for an anti-gay amendment to the U.S. constitution).

http://lawdork.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/its-not-for-me-to-tell-you-to-be-patient/

Abelard Enigma said...

tell me he's no better than Bush

Bush wasn't running for president in 2008 - and I think McCain quite possibly may have done more to champion gay rights than Obama has - he certainly wouldn't have done any worse.

I guess you're right though - I have a long way until I'm a flaming liberal :)