If you defined religion based on your own...

[sun rise]

If you were to define what "religion" means based off your own religious practice, what would the definition of religion look like? For the purposes of this question, feel free to substitute the word "religion" with "spirituality" or "way of life" if that better suits your perspective on things.

I ask this question because as a religious minority, I'm often aware of how "religion" is defined based on the majority. It can be interesting to think about what "religion" would be defined as from the perspective of different religious traditions. There are some important implications of how a nation goes about defining "religion" as well, particularly where it comes to freedom of religion and conceptions of what "secular" means. But that probably warrants its own topic, so let's stick to the "how would religion be defined if the definition was centered on yours" question.

Spirituality is the attitude and path I take to realize and put into practice my understanding that we are all one and the path to realize this as more than just an idea is the path of love. The path of love in this age must include putting love into action in some way.

 

[Akivah]

If you were to define what "religion" means based off your own religious practice, what would the definition of religion look like? For the purposes of this question, feel free to substitute the word "religion" with "spirituality" or "way of life" if that better suits your perspective on things.

The acknowledgement of an Eternal, Unique, and formless higher power through which one attains meaning, fulfillment, and pleasure.

 

[Mindmaster]

"Religion", "spirituality" -- whatever you want to call it -- boils down to how you deal with your psychological self. For me, at least.

Don't really agree with this, I mean if you are having a spiritual experience in the raw it's happening no matter how you parse it. I think the only psychological aspect is whether you feel drawn to that or not, after that it sort of happens or doesn't. Certainly, your left brain hemisphere can interfere with the process but the right brain is the part that really does this work.

Unfortunately, due to our lifestyles I would concur that most of the masses would perceive it this way though because our diets, education system, and other factors destroy our intuitive processes. This is why yoga folks go on special diets, and the whole shebang... They have to remove the toxins from their systems to access these altered states of consciousness.

 

[Orbit]

I prefer the term spirituality to religion, as religion connotes organization and practice, where I think of spirituality as experiential, a sense of oneness with our own psychology, with other people, or with the universe itself.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

If you were to define what "religion" means based off your own religious practice, what would the definition of religion look like? For the purposes of this question, feel free to substitute the word "religion" with "spirituality" or "way of life" if that better suits your perspective on things.

I ask this question because as a religious minority, I'm often aware of how "religion" is defined based on the majority. It can be interesting to think about what "religion" would be defined as from the perspective of different religious traditions. There are some important implications of how a nation goes about defining "religion" as well, particularly where it comes to freedom of religion and conceptions of what "secular" means. But that probably warrants its own topic, so let's stick to the "how would religion be defined if the definition was centered on yours" question.

If religion was defined by mine?

I dont know how to answer outside the majority use of each of those terms. If I stripped the language, I just hope everyone be themselves, respect others and their beliefs and religions, follow moral laws that dont conflict with your neighbor, and practice positivity regardless of bias.

I saw people who still follow alligence to KKK morals (family heritage line) while on the other hand African Americans down south (where I'm from) on the same street, shared history, laughing together at a chitlin' parade. Interesting sight to experience.

What I dont like is the "underling hate" between both parties. So, I see religion without discrimination.

Free spirited
Creative
Reflective
Communitive
Holistic

But one word or two?

Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. -- Oscar Wilde

I love Oscar Wilde.

Curtousy of @Sunstone

 

[Srivijaya]

To make a more complete list, if we defined religion with Druidry at the center, it might look more like this:

• Religion is about relationships. Relationships not just with human persons, but non-human persons such as the land, the sea, the sky, and all the creatures dwelling within these places.
• Religion is about articulating your values. Let's face it, you won't like every person (human or otherwise). Part of religion is choosing to develop stronger relationships with things that reflect your values. These are your objects of worth-ship, or worship, whether called "gods" or not.
• Religion is about exploring, learning, and thinking. In order to develop relationships, you have to explore, learn, and think. Whether it's academic study or wandering in the wilds, all forms of knowing are encouraged and required.
• Religion is about meaningful storytelling. Once we learn about others, we begin to weave stories about how they fit into our lives. This is perhaps the core of religious experience, and taking responsibility for one's stories is vital.
• Religion is about joyfulness, gratitude, and respect. The persons we share the world with are amazing! Expressing that joy, gratitude, and respect is a central way of honoring relationships.

I might come up with some more later, but that's what's coming to mind right now. Quite distinct from how religion tends to get defined, isn't it?

I suspect that original druidry went way beyond this. They were seers, shamans, spiritual leaders and insurgents. Important enough for the Roman Empire to send a legion to eradicate them on Anglesey.

This is only possible if there is a transformative 'path', akin to what can be read in the books by Carlos Casteneda (whether true accounts or not). Similar also to yogic practice.

 

[David T]

I think of myself as a minority of ....one

I reason that religion is practice in an effort to gain control of the spiritual portion that we are

the only practice we actually need.....
Do unto others as you would have it done unto you.

all other practice may be dropped

How exactly do you control the rising and setting of the sun? BTW I tried what you suggested I carl nietztched myself. Man that was painful. Sometimes our deepest fears are the issue actually. Learned that the hard way.

 

[suncowiam]

To me, Quintessence, how one deals with others tends very greatly to depend on how one deals with oneself (i.e. one's psychological self). For most people, I'd say the two are entwined. At least, that's how I see it.

Sounds like the golden rule?

 

[Thief]

I do not think in terms of god or gods, dear @Thief
I have no use for a relationship with a figment of the imagination of others.

the book of Job describes several levels of 'relationship'
and we all fit into that scheme of things

 

[atanu]

If you were to define what "religion" means based off your own religious practice, what would the definition of religion look like? For the purposes of this question, feel free to substitute the word "religion" with "spirituality" or "way of life" if that better suits your perspective on things.

I ask this question because as a religious minority, I'm often aware of how "religion" is defined based on the majority. It can be interesting to think about what "religion" would be defined as from the perspective of different religious traditions. There are some important implications of how a nation goes about defining "religion" as well, particularly where it comes to freedom of religion and conceptions of what "secular" means. But that probably warrants its own topic, so let's stick to the "how would religion be defined if the definition was centered on yours" question.

To me spirituality or religion or way of life concerns the question "Whence the awareness of I?", since all other categories and concerns are sublated to this.

 

[Yerda]

To make a more complete list, if we defined religion with Druidry at the center, it might look more like this:

• Religion is about relationships. Relationships not just with human persons, but non-human persons such as the land, the sea, the sky, and all the creatures dwelling within these places.
• Religion is about articulating your values. Let's face it, you won't like every person (human or otherwise). Part of religion is choosing to develop stronger relationships with things that reflect your values. These are your objects of worth-ship, or worship, whether called "gods" or not.
• Religion is about exploring, learning, and thinking. In order to develop relationships, you have to explore, learn, and think. Whether it's academic study or wandering in the wilds, all forms of knowing are encouraged and required.
• Religion is about meaningful storytelling. Once we learn about others, we begin to weave stories about how they fit into our lives. This is perhaps the core of religious experience, and taking responsibility for one's stories is vital.
• Religion is about joyfulness, gratitude, and respect. The persons we share the world with are amazing! Expressing that joy, gratitude, and respect is a central way of honoring relationships.

I might come up with some more later, but that's what's coming to mind right now. Quite distinct from how religion tends to get defined, isn't it?

I'm an atheist and I don't subscribe to any religion I know of but f I went with this I'd have to describe myself as religious. Most days I'm fascinated by the relationship between me and all the not me and whether this is a real distinction while the issues and ideas around meaning, storytelling and how they seems to glue us to each other crop up daily.

Thanks.

 

[osgart]

Everything that philosophy and science don't account for, falls under the category of religion.

The thing about religion is that it often touches on the personal and subjective as forms of knowledge.

So perhaps thick skin is a requirement of discussing religion.

 

[Ponder This]

I think religion is a group defined sort of thing.
If you were to ask how I would define the tribe based on my own tribal practice, then I would say that the individual practice and the group with which that practice is associated are inextricably linked.
So I can't define religion solely based on my "own" practices.

Even if I were to say that religion was somehow a psychological exploration, it would still only be a psychological exploration that makes sense in the larger context of the group. For example, archetypes are abstractions that go beyond particular individual mind sets and describe mindsets of many people in a group or groups. They represent more than one's own self. So it is not other self or own self... it is no self.

 

[Politesse]

If you were to define what "religion" means based off your own religious practice, what would the definition of religion look like? For the purposes of this question, feel free to substitute the word "religion" with "spirituality" or "way of life" if that better suits your perspective on things.

I ask this question because as a religious minority, I'm often aware of how "religion" is defined based on the majority. It can be interesting to think about what "religion" would be defined as from the perspective of different religious traditions. There are some important implications of how a nation goes about defining "religion" as well, particularly where it comes to freedom of religion and conceptions of what "secular" means. But that probably warrants its own topic, so let's stick to the "how would religion be defined if the definition was centered on yours" question.

Religion to me is a framework through which one interprets their encounters with the numinous. The experience itself is beyond words, until a cultural model comes along to help you make sense of it.

Hopefully in a satisfying way, that doesn't carry more baggage than luggage.

 

[syo]

religion is way of life. it's self-discipline and it also dictates how society should work.

 

[Quintessence]

I'm an atheist and I don't subscribe to any religion I know of but f I went with this I'd have to describe myself as religious. Most days I'm fascinated by the relationship between me and all the not me and whether this is a real distinction while the issues and ideas around meaning, storytelling and how they seems to glue us to each other crop up daily.

Thanks.

Yeah, when you have a tradition that isn't particularly dogmatic, creedal, or authoritarian you get a more universalized framework that maybe fits for a different stripe of person. I find it interesting that depending on which Druid you ask, they'll describe the tradition as variously a religion, spirituality, philosophy, or way-of-life. I call it religion in part because I refuse to let the prevailing religions of Western culture own that word.

 

[LuisDantas]

In my case, "the practice and study of deciding on practical values, their application and meaning" is probably fairly accurate.

 

[arthra]

If you were to define what "religion" means based off your own religious practice, what would the definition of religion look like? For the purposes of this question, feel free to substitute the word "religion" with "spirituality" or "way of life" if that better suits your perspective on things.

I think it's instructive to look up the term "religion" and consider the etymology of the word. Wikipedia has the following statement:
"Modern scholars such as Tom Harpur and Joseph Campbell favor the derivation from ligare bind, connect, probably from a prefixed re-ligare, i.e. re (again) + ligare or to reconnect, which was made prominent by St. Augustine, following the interpretation given by Lactantius in Divinae institutiones, IV, 28.[15][16] The medieval usage alternates with order in designating bonded communities like those of monastic orders:..."

For me the term implies to bind together or connect and I would like to suggest that this is also implied in the term Covenant. We find "Covenant" certainly in the religions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and most recently in the Baha'i Faith and so for me religion is best understood as a Covenant that binds us together as a community of believers. A Covenant implies certain beliefs and actions (duties) that are expected or due. In the Baha'i Writings is the Kitab-i-Aqdas with an opening paragraph:

"The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray, though he be the author of every righteous deed. It behoveth every one who reacheth this most sublime station, this summit of transcendent glory, to observe every ordinance of Him Who is the Desire of the world. These twin duties are inseparable. Neither is acceptable without the other. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Source of Divine inspiration."

Kitáb-i-Aqdas

 

[whirlingmerc]

If you were to define what "religion" means based off your own religious practice, what would the definition of religion look like? For the purposes of this question, feel free to substitute the word "religion" with "spirituality" or "way of life" if that better suits your perspective on things.

I ask this question because as a religious minority, I'm often aware of how "religion" is defined based on the majority. It can be interesting to think about what "religion" would be defined as from the perspective of different religious traditions. There are some important implications of how a nation goes about defining "religion" as well, particularly where it comes to freedom of religion and conceptions of what "secular" means. But that probably warrants its own topic, so let's stick to the "how would religion be defined if the definition was centered on yours" question.

God's love is poured out in your heart as your eyes are opened by God and you 'taste and see the Lord is good' and glorify God leaning on Jesus work on the cross, believing for eternal life

 

[Quintessence]

I think it's instructive to look up the term "religion" and consider the etymology of the word.

Yes, this approach was mentioned in an intro religion course I took way back when. The core idea was "to reconnect" and then the question became "reconnect with what?" There are, of course, limits to the application of etymology. Modern meanings of words are often distinct from their origins or early usages. Part of the aim of this thread is to explore that a bit by asking ourselves how religion would be defined if the definition of that word centered around our own religious tradition.