What do all Religions have in Common?

[eudaimonia]

Religion is a transformational quest for wholeness seeking a coherent, integrated, and personal sense of cosmos and ethos.

I think that would be a pretty good description of "mysticism" or "spirituality", but not religion. Religion is not necessarily about wholeness, though perhaps the more "spiritual" religions are.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Sonic247]

Gospel of John makes Yeshua Anti-Messiah and is to put most Jews off...
Its says “begotten son” Islam says that is false...
They say Yeshua is true...
Yet parts have been added….
Indeed they are Paul, Simon and John were all Pharisees.
Books of Revelations can not be closed, until the Bible was canonized, Mohammed came just after this…
So the only people I deem to stand against Yeshua (Christ) entirely is Christianity!

Simon and John were fishermen from Galilee. While Paul was a pharisee he persecuted the church until his conversion while he was going to Damascus.

 

[wizanda]

Simon and John were fishermen from Galilee. While Paul was a pharisee he persecuted the church until his conversion while he was going to Damascus.

Luke 7 = Simon a Pharisees house....

Fisher man is John-Mark...= Mark

John Nicodemus/Nicolaitans (from of Nicholas) = Contains mainly private Pharisee conversations...

 

[painted wolf]

Well, there are still resources to donate, whether it's labor for a sweat lodge, or preparation for ceremonials. Potlatch, Food for meetings and ceremonies, Gifts to shaman would also count, the items found or obtained for medicine bags, sacred herbs, etc.. are all resources though they may not all have price tags.

The sweat lodge as far as I know is built by the Medicine person and those chosen who know the right way to do it. But not all Nations have such a ceremony. Only the people using the lodge are allowed to touch it.
Potlatch is a party.... one where the organizer gives away possesions as a sign that money has no meaning to them. It isn't about paying for religion but a symbol of the uselessness of worldly goods.
No one is requiered to bring anything to a ceremony or gathering.
No one is required to give gifts to a Medicine person (we don't have Shaman) and if someone asks for a gift they arn't a true Medicine person, they are a fraud.
The medicine person gathers all their sacred items on thier own, they are not given to them... what would be the point? They need to have a connection to the things they use that is far deeper than just a gift.

If you ask any Native American who walks in the traditional way for food, they will give you food. If you ask for shelter they will give you shelter. If you tell them you will do a ceremony for them, but you have to give them something in return, they will turn their back on you.
We give because it is the good thing to do, not because we think we will get something in return for it.

No religion (at least in modern terms) to my knowledge requires one to pay to pray. Gifts to a religion are not always money, and they should always be dedicated sacrifice of some kind.

Any religion that asks you give them something (money, labour) is asking you to pay for your spirituality. IMHO
The only sacrifices are personal ones, you sacrifice to yourself and Creator, not the bennifit of a religious organization. Not to keep a 'holy person' from having to work, or to maintain a building or a meeting.

This is just the way our relgion works.

wa:do

 

[Popeyesays]

You are absolutely right about the qualities of native American believers. It all comes from a sake of community.

That same sense of community is why followers of other religions donate to theinstitutions of the religion.
The attainment of any object is conditioned upon knowledge, volition and action. Unless these three conditions are forthcoming there is no execution or accomplishment. In the erection of a house it is first necessary to know the ground and design the house suitable for it; second, to obtain the means or funds necessary for the construction; third, to actually build it. Therefore a power is needed to carry out and execute what is known and admitted to be the remedy for human conditions; namely, the unification of mankind. Furthermore, it is evident that this cannot be realized through material process and means. The accomplishment of this unification cannot be through racial power, for races are different and diverse in tendencies. It cannot be through patriotic power, for nationalities are unlike. Nor can it be effected through political power since the policies of governments and nations are various. That is to say, any effort toward unification through these material means would benefit one and injure another because of unequal and individual interests. Some may believe this great remedy can be found in dogmatic insistence upon imitations and interpretations. This would likewise be without foundation and result. Therefore it is evident that no means but an ideal means, a spiritual power, divine bestowals and the breaths of the Holy Spirit will heal this world sickness of war, dissension and discord. Nothing else is possible; nothing can be conceived of. But through spiritual means and the divine power it is possible and practicable.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 101)

Regards,
Scott

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

The Only thing all Religions have in common
Is to have at least one Believer.

 

[rojse]

Every single religion that I am aware of has it's followers able to, or are required to, donate their time, resources, or their money to assist in the church. Churches have the baskets passed around, congregation members are asked to help in sales or whatnot so that money can be raised for charities or to help the church itself. I would like to be shown examples counter to this idea, as I created this thread so that I could remove some of my western-orientated ideas on religion.