Is it possible / ethical to practice two or more religions at the same time?

i have often wondered about this myself.I was raised in one religion and i believe that religion or faith with all my heart...However the religion that I was brought up in has changed the rules quite a bit,and i do not understand that.I did not always think that all the rules was necessary but because i belonged to that faith I always obeyed their guide lines,because i felt that if i did not that i would be sinning.Now it seems the very same type of church is cjanging the rules some,they seem to be lowering their standards as far as dress codes and and now i am confused about it all.The things we were once taught not to do,is alright to do now.This just does not seem right to me for some reason.If it was wrong then it should be wrong now.Now I am not saying that it was wrong then but why did they teach us it was wrong and now all of a sudden its ok..????I don't want to go to another type church because they still have the same type doctrine that i believe in and if i change then the doctrine is different,thats thats the part i believe in..so I just feel left out because i do not understand it all...I don't feel that you can be in two different religions,I think you should be in one religion,or another.I feel if you go to a certain place of worship you should abide by the standards of the church..How can you do both? anyway i have been totally cobfused by it all...

It depends on the person and their reasons. Personally usually..I view them as more open minded than other folks..and I like people who can think outside the box. Especially to that extent. But sometimes, admittedly it is a cop out. A way of not deciding something -- and its not always about religion either. It just means they're afraid of something..and we all do things when we're scared. Like with alot of things..I decide what I think case-per-case.

It all depends, really. First of all Zen is a combination of Buddhism and Taoism. Buddha refused to discuss matters of pre-life, afterlife or God, so if one went with strict Buddhist doctrine then one could practice just about any other religion at the same time. Confucianism, considered a religion, is more of an ethical base that could also be combined with any other religion. Christianity and Islam both come from Judaism--and Muhammed recognized Christ as a prophet, so by theory (although practice would certainly have killed or bashed by one or both sides)one could be a Christian-philosophy-practicing Muslim. There are many Jews who call themselves Messianic Jews, who retain their Jewish heritage while believing in Christ. On a last note, and I know this will be an unpopular note, but here goes anyway, all religions, organized religions that is, were created by human beings, whom are imperfect, and then they were all altered by other human beings, sometimes accidentally, but sometimes for political gain. Organized Christianity as we know it was created for political gain by the sun-worshipping Constantine. Buddha said "do not worship idols"--and who hasn't seen the fat-bellied Buddha idols? And seeing how all people are in one way or a thousand hypocrites and most claim some religious ideology but fail to practice it, why not add another religion or twelve... Almost all say "do not kill" "show mercy and forgiveness" and "practice self-restraint" but we can see how well humanity does at living up to them guidelines...

I guess it is quite possible to take elements from other beliefs and religions and combine them to suit your own personal beliefs and feelings. I have often felt that it isn't so much the religion you practice but what is in your heart that counts.

I dunno. I think if you have one religion it kinda means your not open to another, unless you change. All things are possible though, I don't actually believe in a god. So none really suite me. ~Joey

for me it is clear. i use some differend things from differend religions for my own happieness and i learnd some kind of things for my life from different religions. i would not say that i have a religion, because for me are some true things in many religions. i belive not in a special religion, i would say i have something like my "own" religion. for me is the ethic important, how we life, how we see things or how we are, etc. i belive....but not in the religion we knows. mabe there is an religion for the way i belive, but i don't know one. i learned some kind of things for my life of the wiccan or nature religion....but i'm not realy a wicca, but i have to say that i learned much about the life thx of the wicca religion. i learned some things from the buddah religion, christian etc...., but for me are this religions not this what i belive. hmmm is hard to describe in english lol, but i tried my very best. i just want to be a good person and i will respekt every human or animal who lifes on this earth and i appriciate that i can life and that i have a healthy son and things like this. and this is something that every religion will practice i think. i have to learn so much things for life, but i "learned it by doing". this must sounds weird because, yea i pray for things too. not to the christian god or to buddah or someone...i don't know to whom i pray...but i pray and i'm very thankfull for everything i have. oh my goodness it sounds realy weird, i see hehe. so have a nice day bizzie =)

I think its definately possible and my personal path is a blend of more than one 'religion'/spiritual path...I honestly think too that it SHOULD be that way really..I find that ppl who follow ONE set religion usually end up having conflict within themselves first and foremost but also are far less accepting, understanding and pretty much have conflict with others because they live in such a rigid way ya know..... The way I see it is this, all religions basically have the same core purpose = being kindhearted and loving to the world around us (from other ppl/all living things etc to the planet we live on and so on), inner acceptance and peace and a good life (not in a material sense though) so to think that one CAN'T mix and blend various paths in order to achieve that just doesnt make any sense to me...

No I do not think that anyone can practise two or more religions fully at all. But yes you could take two religions and make them your own, I believe that it could be ethical and not just a cop out at all, as long as you are following in the way that God intended for you then it would be alright.

Wow. Great question. I think it's possible to take bits from different religions but when you break most religions down, they say the same stuff. Treat others as you want to be treated, don't do stuff to hurt other peoples feelings, live a good life and stay grounded. Sure, those are very basic rules but it's generally a nice way to live life. I don't know about being strict with a relgion is you are going to slice it and dice it up; usually if someone is a strict Catholic they won't even think about looking into what others beleive in. I'm using 'Catholic' as an example so don't jump all over me about that lol.

I am pretty comfortable with most of what my particular religion/denomination does. I am pretty much in line with their social statements and the practices are what I grew up with so I am comfortable with them as well. The church we go to now is a bit more progressive than others I've been to, incorporation different music in the service than just what's in the hymnal. I like that a lot. I don't feel it's a "cop out". I try to expore what other religions have to offer and weigh in. After all, back when Jesus came to Earth, there were no telephones or Internet to get the message out. To me, it's quite reasonable that God spoke to other people who were not in the Middle East and what came from that is some of what we see today. I think people can learn a lot from each other if they stop worrying about convincing everyone that their religion is "right". Many of our Christmas traditions are actually from other religions, it's just that we've co-opted them for so long we've forgotten that fact.

I am terrible lol, I am a mish mash of every thing but I believe in One God and all of His good bits that He gave to every one else lol. I am a bit of a rebel and very naughty and try to negotiate and Haggle with Him as He has a kinda sense of humour, a very wiierd one. I believe in a loving and forgiving God. I have to and I love every thing good. I hope that I can give good things to the world and I don't want to go downstairs lest I get heat rash..

I always saw myself as a person who was more spiritual than religious, so it never mattered to me if I combined the rites of two different or several different religions at the same time. In fact, I do it all the time. I even celebrate festivals of different religions, although I do it with friends. I try to learn more and more from my friends from other religions and swap notes and try to practice whatever nice custom is there in each religion. I believe that it is not only a nice practice, but also provides one with a great deal of peace and tranquility.

At an Anthropological level you can frequent people of different religions, you can practice a synchretistic religion joining elements of different ones, but your religion , and your way of being religious will be ONE: your own!