I have a (religious) challenge for you lot!

[an anarchist]

I have thought of a challenge that is religious in theme! Oh how fun. Let me explain.

The challenge is this. If you are religious, be not religious for a day. If you are not religious, be religious for a day.

How you go about it is up to you. The challenge is up for interpretation.

At first this may be seem silly, but think on it a little longer. To remove/immerse yourself for a solid day when you usually are doing the opposite can provide some nice perspective, especially if you’ve believed what you have believed for so long.

I cannot partake, as I am already partaking. Finding my path I am doing. Sometimes I am religious, sometimes I am not.

Again, I challenge you to be irreligious for a day if you are religious, or vice versa!

Any takers?

 

[Quintessence]

Nah. I'd have to die. Render myself unconscious bare minimum. Not really keen on that.

 

[an anarchist]

Nah. I'd have to die. Render myself unconscious bare minimum. Not really keen on that.

Very intriguing.

Can you elaborate on the impossibility of doing this challenge conscious? Would it not be possible to simply forgo rituals for a day and maybe binge a tv show, not putting thought on your beliefs?

 

[Valjean]

Beliefs can't be turned on and off at will; it's like asking someone to disbelieve in cars for a day.
It's probably difficult for rational people to be sincerely irrational, as well.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I don't understand the exercise.

 

[The Hammer]

That's a bit of an impossibility.

After I deconverted from Catholicism, I considered myself as, and tried to be Atheist.

Silly me, trying to be something I'm absolutely not. Physically felt like I was split in two, between what I was acting as and who I truly was.

 

[Kfox]

I have thought of a challenge that is religious in theme! Oh how fun. Let me explain.

The challenge is this. If you are religious, be not religious for a day. If you are not religious, be religious for a day.

How you go about it is up to you. The challenge is up for interpretation.

At first this may be seem silly, but think on it a little longer. To remove/immerse yourself for a solid day when you usually are doing the opposite can provide some nice perspective, especially if you’ve believed what you have believed for so long.

I cannot partake, as I am already partaking. Finding my path I am doing. Sometimes I am religious, sometimes I am not.

Again, I challenge you to be irreligious for a day if you are religious, or vice versa!

Any takers?

Most of the religious people I know behave just like me; except they go to church on Sundays. For me to wait till Sunday, sit inside of a church for a few hours, then go home and do what I would normally do.......... where is the challenge in that?

 

[Quintessence]

Very intriguing.

Can you elaborate on the impossibility of doing this challenge conscious? Would it not be possible to simply forgo rituals for a day and maybe binge a tv show, not putting thought on your beliefs?

I understand that in Western culture it is typical to compartmentalize religion as if it's somehow seperate from one's everyday life and living. Like it is something you can just "turn off" somehow. That's not how I understand religion - religion proper is one's way of life (whether or not one calls it one's religion).

Want to eat food? Nope, can't do that because that's partaking in a sacred relationship with other-than-human persons who sacrificed their lives so you can exist. ​

​

Want to walk around? Nope, can't do that because the intimate connection of foot to earth is also partaking in a sacred relationship with the other-than-human greater powers upon which we depend. ​

​

Want to look at literally anything? Nope, can't do that because the sensuality of sight is a deep and reciprocal relationship between the seer and the seen as no light reaches my eyes without first touching thou. ​

If this sounds weird, I wouldn't be surprised and don't worry about it. When you are an animist who sees spirit/gods in everything, or who sees not "things" but persons all around? Each and every moment and act is a sacred relationship whether or not I am actively mindful of it at the time. We're all part of this magical, amazing, interconnected weave of reality. Technically, even death doesn't sever that magic, it's part of it.

 

[Betho_br]

Most of the religious people I know behave just like me; except they go to church on Sundays. For me to wait till Sunday, sit inside of a church for a few hours, then go home and do what I would normally do.......... where is the challenge in that?

Wait, I didn't get it... Is the church a social club that sponsors the religious leader in high social circles?

 

[Betho_br]

That's a bit of an impossibility.

After I deconverted from Catholicism, I considered myself as, and tried to be Atheist.

Silly me, trying to be something I'm absolutely not. Physically felt like I was split in two, between what I was acting as and who I truly was.

Are you still Catholic? Baptism in the Catholic Church is considered a sacrament that, according to Catholic doctrine, leaves an indelible mark on the person's soul. This means that, from the Church's perspective, baptism cannot be annulled or revoked. Therefore, a person who has been baptized in the Catholic Church is considered Catholic for the rest of their life, regardless of subsequent choices or personal beliefs. Thus, even if someone chooses to deviate from the practice or faith of Catholicism, from the Church's point of view, they are still considered Catholic. Additionally, excommunication is a formal process, and not every Catholic who ceases to practice the faith is excommunicated; this is only applied in rare and extremely serious cases.

 

[Rival]

In another sense, you're asking us to stop being human.

Religion is an evolutionary adaptation that we can even find traces of in other animals who seem to partake in what we would understand as religious rituals. Humans are religious whether one identifies as such or not. If you mean 'belief in God' you'd have to define God, and that would go nowhere.

 

[an anarchist]

Humans are religious whether one identifies as such or not.

Define "religious" in this context please?

 

[Rival]

Define "religious" in this context please?

From an anthropological point of view it comes down to such things as,

- We bury our dead / burn our dead / eat our dead etc.

- We continue visiting graves, giving gifts to the dead etc.

- We create rituals around food, cooking and so on. What we can/can't eat too.

- We sacralise places.

- We use music and hallucinogenics in religious rituals.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Are you still Catholic? Baptism in the Catholic Church is considered a sacrament that, according to Catholic doctrine, leaves an indelible mark on the person's soul. This means that, from the Church's perspective, baptism cannot be annulled or revoked. Therefore, a person who has been baptized in the Catholic Church is considered Catholic for the rest of their life, regardless of subsequent choices or personal beliefs. Thus, even if someone chooses to deviate from the practice or faith of Catholicism, from the Church's point of view, they are still considered Catholic. Additionally, excommunication is a formal process, and not every Catholic who ceases to practice the faith is excommunicated; this is only applied in rare and extremely serious cases.

I renounced Catholicism at an early age. What makes you think one who has done this really cares what sort of label the Church places on them? I certainly don't. They have no authority over me since I excommunicated them...formally.

 

[Betho_br]

Nah. I'd have to die. Render myself unconscious bare minimum. Not really keen on that.

Someone who is metaphysical can behave like a religious person; however, the reverse is impossible without an extremely traumatic process. In the case of the three-dimensional Being, it can behave like one-dimensional (point) and two-dimensional (plane), but the one-dimensional cannot behave like three-dimensional (space)

 

[Betho_br]

I understand that in Western culture it is typical to compartmentalize religion as if it's somehow seperate from one's everyday life and living. Like it is something you can just "turn off" somehow. That's not how I understand religion - religion proper is one's way of life (whether or not one calls it one's religion).

The current functioning of the system raises questions about the persistent presence of religious elements, indicating remnants of a less secularized and darker era. It's not just about worship schedules; the maintenance of this seemingly non-secular and religious state appears to be primarily driven by political maneuvers that steer the 'flock' toward predefined targets. This suggests a deviation from the principle of Western secularism, highlighting political influence as the true starting point for promoting a religious state at the expense of a secular one.

 

[Betho_br]

I renounced Catholicism at an early age. What makes you think one who has done this really cares what sort of label the Church places on them? I certainly don't. They have no authority over me since I excommunicated them...formally.

No, excommunication does not nullify baptism; this is stated in the Code of Canon Law.

 

[Eddi]

Not possible

It's like asking me to stop having brown eyes for a day

Or to stop being 6 foot 2

Nobody could do your challenge it is not possible

You cannot switch your religion or lack of religion on and off like a light

 

[Koldo]

I understand that in Western culture it is typical to compartmentalize religion as if it's somehow seperate from one's everyday life and living. Like it is something you can just "turn off" somehow. That's not how I understand religion - religion proper is one's way of life (whether or not one calls it one's religion).

Want to eat food? Nope, can't do that because that's partaking in a sacred relationship with other-than-human persons who sacrificed their lives so you can exist. ​

​

Want to walk around? Nope, can't do that because the intimate connection of foot to earth is also partaking in a sacred relationship with the other-than-human greater powers upon which we depend. ​

​

Want to look at literally anything? Nope, can't do that because the sensuality of sight is a deep and reciprocal relationship between the seer and the seen as no light reaches my eyes without first touching thou. ​

If this sounds weird, I wouldn't be surprised and don't worry about it. When you are an animist who sees spirit/gods in everything, or who sees not "things" but persons all around? Each and every moment and act is a sacred relationship whether or not I am actively mindful of it at the time. We're all part of this magical, amazing, interconnected weave of reality. Technically, even death doesn't sever that magic, it's part of it.

Understanding religion this way is part and parcel of your religion. Meaning that if you were to accept this challenge you would have to cease treating regular activities as religious.

 

[SalixIncendium]

No, excommunication does not nullify baptism; this is stated in the Code of Canon Law.

I nullified my baptism. Such can be done in the Code of Salix Law, and since I'm no longer a Catholic, Code of Salix Law has jurisdiction here.

That said, your posts were informative. Thank you for sharing.