Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => General Chat => Topic started by: DryBag on August 13, 2009
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I replied to Wolflarson's post (http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=378.msg1788#msg1788)
implying that getting outdoors has turned into a bit of a religion for him.
Actually that's got me wondering - For how many people is the outdoors and getting back to (mother) nature a religious experience in itself; how many people already know God, but being in his playground helps you feel closer to Him; and how many just do it as a job/hobby/way of keeping fit etc.
If it's going to re-ignite Bombay Street 40 years on then admin can lock or delete this post, but I'm asking this question wondering how everybody feels about the outdoors, not about what religion you are.
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I'm a fully paid up athiest so no religious experiences for me. However I think that being outdoors, especially when you're solo and somewhere remote can provide an extraordinarily calm and relaxing experience - getting in touch with your inner self and all that malarky! I think it's as close to a religious experience as an unbeliever like me can get.
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personally I think its easier to have faith than to be an athiest. When I look at the outdoors, be it mountains, hills, rivers or whatever, it just seems to beautiful and perfect to be the result of some accident. The way I see it God put us here on this planet and he didnt make the great outdoors for the fun of it, its their for a reason and I belive that we are to get out there enjoy it.
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I'm a fully paid up athiest so no religious experiences for me. However I think that being outdoors, especially when you're solo and somewhere remote can provide an extraordinarily calm and relaxing experience - getting in touch with your inner self and all that malarky! I think it's as close to a religious experience as an unbeliever like me can get.
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I tend to agree with you Jonno. I'm not sentimental about the whole outdoors thing at all. No hugging trees from me. I'd rather know what uses they have than feeling "Connected" with them
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For me its about adventure not religion. Religion has caused some many wars over the world its a curse.
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For me its about adventure not religion. Religion has caused some many wars over the world its a curse.
I agree.....how many millions of people have been persecuted or killed in the name of religion...it has alot to answer for!! Its a shame that people are so afraid of death and the unknown....im willing to take my chances and i dont need the bribe of heaven in order to live a good life and be a decent person...
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I'm a fully paid up athiest so no religious experiences for me. However I think that being outdoors, especially when you're solo and somewhere remote can provide an extraordinarily calm and relaxing experience - getting in touch with your inner self and all that malarky! I think it's as close to a religious experience as an unbeliever like me can get.
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I tend to agree with you Jonno. I'm not sentimental about the whole outdoors thing at all. No hugging trees from me. I'd rather know what uses they have than feeling "Connected" with them
Got off the point wit me rant bout religion :o.....bein out in the woods or the mountains definately grounds ya after all the everyday crap.....reminds me that we are animals too :)
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Actually that's got me wondering - For how many people is the outdoors and getting back to (mother) nature a religious experience in itself; how many people already know God, but being in his playground helps you feel closer to Him; and how many just do it as a job/hobby/way of keeping fit etc.
Just my opinion, but I'd be much happier if this was a religious (of any description) free zone. ;D
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Why worrie life is to short, no one will ever know how this all started and how it will end. The fact is we are all here in this time to enjoy it whatever way you see fit (hopfully with conscience) when your younger you are learning from family people and influences all around you, in all froms , your in flux. When your old enough to make your own decisions and be held account for them, only then your eyes open a little more, and you start to look at yourself, and try find yourself, in your new realm (From kid to man) your still in flux. But all this time your trying to mold into something your heart desirers. So i guess my heart is my god, which makes me a god !! All my decisions have made me who i am today, not sure if thats good or bad, but one thing that is real and not a intuition is im here and happy. Cheers all for being part of my happyness, may the outdoors be good to us.
No Religion no cry.
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and so it begins.
There is no religion in burning calf muscles, numb fingers, sheets of rain, shot gun pellet hail or battered blistered feet.
I think my signature sums up my reasons.
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and so it begins.
There is no religion in burning calf muscles, numb fingers, sheets of rain, shot gun pellet hail or battered blistered feet.
I think my signature sums up my reasons.
Do you never go when the weather's nice :D There is occasional sunny, dry days in Northern Ireland you know ;)
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that was a bit off a dark moment >:(
I'm really a live and live kinna guy........................... :-* :-*
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I seen her in my camp fire :o
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i see your mushroom id skills are coming on a bucket load ::)
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Ray mears said they where magic to eat, maybe thats how he turns trees into canoe,s ???
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and so it begins.
There is no religion in burning calf muscles, numb fingers, sheets of rain, shot gun pellet hail or battered blistered feet.
I think my signature sums up my reasons.
Do you never go when the weather's nice :D There is occasional sunny, dry days in Northern Ireland you know ;)
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Read as the rain beats of my window!
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and so it begins.
There is no religion in burning calf muscles, numb fingers, sheets of rain, shot gun pellet hail or battered blistered feet.
I think my signature sums up my reasons.
Do you never go when the weather's nice :D There is occasional sunny, dry days in Northern Ireland you know ;)
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Read as the rain beats of my window!
Oh aye what was that on the news, "severe weather warning" I think they called it, :D
Theres nothing better than trudging across the hills in the rain and then finally setting up camp and getting yourself admined, and then a hot brew and dinner. That is aslong as your drybags have kept your kit dry, a wet night in a wet tent is pump!!
Another advantage is that when it is pretty crap, like tonight, is that I could take my daag (well the one I'm looking after for a friend) down to the beach and have it all to myself.
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For me getting outdoors is a release valve from everyday life it's a stress buster. Personally I think if people are suffering from stress the doc should prescribe a week in the woods away from everybody and everything, some will find it a religious experience some will find it relaxing.
Bushcraft for me now is(if you want to call it) a religion as to when I started when I was young it was just a way of getting out of the house and then it progressed to a hobby, then when I was doing my exams it was a way of getting away from all the stress of studying, my bible then was the S.A.S survival handbook by Lofty at that time you could say he was my god, then along came the bushtucker man and Ray and it opened up a whole new can of worms for me.
If I ever get that life is getting me stressed I grab my pack and head for the hills with the dog, the outdoors seem to swallow all my troubles and clear my head.
So if you want to know if getting outdoors is a religion, I think if everybody was to head to the wilds when things start getting to them it would become a religion, maybe people would start to respect the outdoors for what it is and not just use it for there dumping ground of tents and beer cans.
Davy.
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then when I was doing my exams it was a way of getting away from all the stress of studying my bible
When I first read that the lack of comma between studying and my made me think for a second that you were a reverend of some sort :D
Couldn't agree with you more on the stress busting front. I could also heartily recommend river canoeing too. Once you're a few miles away from civilization with just you, the birds and your paddle it's totally relaxing. (Then it's also relaxing when you don't bring the birds with you - they chat continuously about shoes and might ruin your zen state - I'll get my coat ;) :D)
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There you go mate fixed now ;) ;D thanks for pointing it out, I was on a rant and forgot about commas. ::) :D
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To serve was to suffocate. He preferred suffering in freedom to all the happiness of a comfortable servility. He did not care to serve anyone or anything. He cared to serve nothing. He was no figurehead. He stood on his own legs. He was an individual." I think that quote from the sea wolf sums it up, deep down in every mans heart he wants to break free from his man made jungle, he wont say it out lond but when he is looking out his window of his little relam he sees a back packer go by and wounders where the back packer has been and is going. Then he feels sick cause he knows where he has been ( same place every day ) and where he is going ( running round the monotonous wheel of society )
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i'm a mourne again christian ::)
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i'm a mourne again christian ::)
:D
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Everyone to their own thing, just dont try and force feed me ;D
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I think the outdoors is something that has been celebrated since before religion or holy war etc.
As in you can link the outdoors and mountians to way before Christ/Allah/Budah before everything becamse about who's religion was superior. When people celebrated the earth (Yes they may be Pagans but they gave thanks for the earth that fed them)
I think in a way we should celebrate the earth more, we dont realise how dependant we are on nature/crops/water etc. This is why getting outdoors and camping is so stress relieving. We dont have to worry about the stock market or ISA's when your in a forest or up a mountian!
Hope i dont sound too hippy or spiritual. Just saying the world is our oyster!
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I think the outdoors is something that has been celebrated since before religion or holy war etc.
As in you can link the outdoors and mountians to way before Christ/Allah/Budah before everything becamse about who's religion was superior.
Unless of course you believe "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Gen Ch1 v 1)"
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Unless of course you believe that indeed, but the earth had been about way before christ, even if it was created by god.
Even though the earth had been about wayyy before anybody had thought of that or even worte it. :P
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Getting outdoors is back to basics, to what really is important, call it survival but whatever you want to call it the core of being self sufficient is a great leveller. It certainly is a stress relief and most if not all medical disciplines recommend getting outdoors as a brilliant therapy and exercise. I just love getting out and away from all the dross of everyday rat race pressures.
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It seems that everyone has a different take on the outdoors, whether it is religious or being with nature.
I love just watching the world go by.. taking in the beauty if my surroundings. forgetting that I have bills to pay and work to go to, It is a kind of release for me..
I love the achievement when I reach the top of a mountain, the sound of waves crashing when I am at the beach, sitting in front of a open fire with friends enjoying the banter and then finally waking up with tent head and looking like you haven't slept in months.. ;D..
I think being in the Outdoors is the best medicine for believers and non believers..
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just heard of a film out now that seems to be topical to this thread
"The Way"
http://www.theway-themovie.com/#/Synopsis
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Yep, I have a copy of it. It is very good.. Wouldn't mind taking the pilgrimage/walk myself..
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Kat told me about that film the other day. When she was studying in Spain, Kat went to visit Santiago de Compostela which is home to the cathedral where it is believed St. James is buried (El Camino de Santiago translates as "Way of St. James"). I actually picked up the Way of St. James Cicerone guide when they had their sale on as would love to do the walk ever since Kat brought me home a cool t-shirt from Santiago de Compostela. Not that I would be walking it as any kind of pilgrimage, just purely as an opportunity to explore the north of Spain. Got the t-shirt, now just need to bag the walk ;)
On the subject of the original post, personally I believe in a creator God and being outdoors helps me to enjoy what I believe is a beautiful and planned creation. That said the primary reason I get outdoors, like many people, is just to escape the daily grind. All that fresh air and freedom from distractions sure gives you time to re-boot and clear the mind. I doubt anyone who enjoys the outdoors would disagree with the mental and physical benefits of the activity... unless of course you are being blown off the side of Slieve Binnian at the time ;D
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Don't start, bloody troublemaker ::) :P
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species)
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Don't start, bloody troublemaker ::) :P
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species)
;D I just deleted that link as I didnt want a debate about who's lies are truer ;)
As my grandad always said only believe half the lies your told
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That's only because your Grandad never met me. If he had he'd have realised that actually, I'm always right :P
You can't really refute Darwin any more. The evidence is so thoroughly widespread it's hard to try to claim it's wrong after it being consistently backed up by solid science for 150 years. The fact that there are things we don't yet understand is no reason to assume their explanation has to be magic!
Don't start, bloody troublemaker ::) :P
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species)
;D I just deleted that link as I didnt want a debate about who's lies are truer ;)
As my grandad always said only believe half the lies your told
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Nope your wrong my wife is always right FACT :-\
Darwin speaks the truth in my eyes but what other people see from theirs I have no problem with everyone has a right to believe what they feel is the truth, but some are deluded beyond help ;)
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"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist" ;)
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Very true, probably on both points :) Thats why I just go evidence. I accept what can be proven beyond reasonable doubt. I don't accept things just because someone (or an iron age book) tells me I should.
Generally I'm totally tolerant of everyone, people have a right to think what they like, it's a basic human right. What I don't like is when other peoples views get forced on the population at large, especially in the education system, super especially in science classes.
Nope your wrong my wife is always right FACT :-\
Darwin speaks the truth in my eyes but what other people see from theirs I have no problem with everyone has a right to believe what they feel is the truth, but some are deluded beyond help ;)
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Very true, probably on both points :) Thats why I just go evidence. I accept what can be proven beyond reasonable doubt. I don't accept things just because someone (or an iron age book) tells me I should.
The wisdom is in the tree's, not the glass windows.
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Whilst on the topic, there is a good debate I watched recently between Oxford Professors Richard Dawkins (author of "The God Delusion") and John Lennox. Well worth a watch if you are interested in the subject, regardless of your own personal viewpoint. I believe there is also coverage of a similar debate between John Lennox and Christopher Hitchens, but I haven't had a chance to watch it yet.
Linky here. (http://fixed-point.org/index.php/video/35-full-length/164-the-dawkins-lennox-debate)
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"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist" ;)
Who is Kaiser Sose?
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Could be me, maybe I'm not really "lame" ;D
(Those of you that haven't watched the usual suspects won't have a clue what we're on about)
But on the topic of religion, I can recommend a book called The Shack, it gives some interesting insights.
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just heard of a film out now that seems to be topical to this thread
"The Way"
http://www.theway-themovie.com/#/Synopsis
"The way that can be spoken of is not the true way". - Lao Tze ;)
If anything, I have closest affinity to taoism and non-duality. Alan Watts audiobook series is also a bit of craic.
Be mindful of the present and all unknowns cease to matter. In the outdoors, it is easiest to attain that immediacy of the present... but to carry that freedom at all times and places is the real attainment.
"There is no spork" - Neo (lithic?) :D
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Ha ha! I thought the moderators would have a hard time keeping this topic in check, instead it's RedLeader himself who starts laying down the absolutes of his religion ;D
I might disagree with your interpretation of the evidence, but at least we all enjoy the fellowship of the outdoors.
I paddled Newferry to Portglenone on Tuesday morning, and it was no more holy or religious than the train journey into work this morning. Much more enjoyable though, so if you're ever looking for a bow paddler RedLeader, give me a shout.
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I call it like I see it but I like to think inoffensively - I'm one of those evangelical atheists :). You are right though, I did think this thread could have ended up in the moderators cutting room. Luckily we're all friends and generally more interested in the great outdoors than the finer points of belief :)
I'll always welcome a second paddler. Anyone who can help me get the beast off and on the car is always welcome. Alas, since I knackered my back last year carrying the damn thing I've been out very little. I often notice it looking all unused and sorry in the garden and wish I could get out more.
Ha ha! I thought the moderators would have a hard time keeping this topic in check, instead it's RedLeader himself who starts laying down the absolutes of his religion ;D
I might disagree with your interpretation of the evidence, but at least we all enjoy the fellowship of the outdoors.
I paddled Newferry to Portglenone on Tuesday morning, and it was no more holy or religious than the train journey into work this morning. Much more enjoyable though, so if you're ever looking for a bow paddler RedLeader, give me a shout.
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everyone's entitled to outline their beliefs and as long as they don't criticise anyone elses beliefs then all is well :) its been very interesting to here the spread of views
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We should be running Stormont :D
everyone's entitled to outline their beliefs and as long as they don't criticise anyone elses beliefs then all is well :) its been very interesting to here the spread of views
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if thought religion was a dodgey topic then don't go down the politics route :D
anyway twentyclicks already had a go at running stormont http://www.twentyclicks.co.uk/?p=212
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Worried that was going to be my recent 'election matters' post - wise choice: easy peasy, even at night, but I did find myself going in circles :D
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Some light reading,
http://www.alphanewsdaily.com/Warning%2016%20The%20Coming%20Apocalypse.html
Slow night in work :-\