What is being religious?

[zenzero]

Mr. Cheese,

etymologicaly the word religion means to tie, to bind

religion therefore is about bringing people together....arguably toward God
as such then a religion requires this, as such then arguably, an atheist cannot be religious.

When you state the word *towards God* itself clarifies that there are two [duality] but reality is that it is not two it is one in many.
Yes, religion is a path which is internal to understand that there is no god and that the individual itself is a part of IT.
This is a personal understanding.

Love & rgds

 

[Willamena]

Friends,

Personal understanding is that being religious has nothing to do with any belief in god. In such a scenario even an atheist could be religious, in fact everyone is in someway or the other.
However find that most think and believe that only those who belief, pray visit places of worship etc. are religious.

Your opinion!

Love & rgds

I agree, it's not about a belief in god but about harmony with the universe, and especially reality. In such a scenario, even the most strident atheist, i.e. everyone on the spectrum, could be religious.

 

[Mr Cheese]

Mr. Cheese,



When you state the word *towards God* itself clarifies that there are two [duality] but reality is that it is not two it is one in many.
Yes, religion is a path which is internal to understand that there is no god and that the individual itself is a part of IT.
This is a personal understanding.

Love & rgds

not neccessarily what we have is a barrier of language...which is always the case, language can never convey things adequatly,...afterall

while "towards God" can imply duality it can also inherantly imply non duality...

God is a label, all words are a label. The danger of denying God is that one can lead to solipsism and other "wonderful" dead ends....

I don't think the truly holy person requires a religion
But neither do I think they deny them either......
Fundamentally I think this is important

 

[Mr Cheese]

I agree, it's not about a belief in god but about harmony with the universe, and especially reality. In such a scenario, even the most strident atheist, i.e. everyone on the spectrum, could be religious.

well yes and Mormons can be Jews....

lets just use a word to mean anything....
:sarcastic

 

[Caladan]

I religiously go to the Rose and Crown every Sunday lunchtime for a few pints

Truer words have not been spoken.
We all have patterns, and 'rituals'. our personal psychology is 'infected' with our own flavor of superstitions. people do things religiously in all walks of life. the football matches they attend or follow, the team they cheer, the rituals they do so that their team will win. sometimes we are caught up in repetitive cycles for years or life times. the super ego has a powerful effect over our instincts, and sometimes we are simply caught up between the social patterns around us and our own drives and it manifest in our own brand of religiosity.
so, in the name of the Lord, cheers.

 

[MSizer]

There are no public or universal criteria for a precise definition, and that's because it is practically impossible to come to a definition of religion that will be universally accepted. There are several reasons for this. First of all, people have deep emotions intertwined with their concept of religion. Secondly, people have a tendency to believe their own concept of religion is valid, while opposing views are superstition.

There have literally been hundreds of essays written on how to define religion. Even the United Nations Commission on Human Rights couldn't come up with a definition that all could agree on in 1962 when trying to establish a case for religion being a fundamental part of the human experience.

Most definitions are either too vague, or conversly too specific, which renders them exclusive to certain forms of religion.

However, most agree that religion involves a set of beliefs regarding matters that are more than mundane, and some sort of a commitment to moral living. Most but not all religious forms include belief in the supernatural.

Religion is just way too varied in forms to define succinctly.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

One aspect I think is missing from the definitions here is the idea of community. IMO, for something to be a religion, there has to be a community of shared belief (usually in the divine or supernatural, as MSizer pointed out), with shared practices based on those beliefs.

If a person has their own belief system and develops their own practices based on it but believes and practices in isolation, I wouldn't consider this to be a religion.

 

[Caladan]

One aspect I think is missing from the definitions here is the idea of community. IMO, for something to be a religion, there has to be a community of shared belief (usually in the divine or supernatural, as MSizer pointed out), with shared practices based on those beliefs.

If a person has their own belief system and develops their own practices based on it but believes and practices in isolation, I wouldn't consider this to be a religion.

I believe we are talking more about psychological patterns and behavior than a definition for an actual official religion.
As far as I can tell ZZ is pointing that many people regardless of a religious affiliation carry a baggage which manifests in behavior which is similar to religious patterns.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I believe we are talking more about psychological patterns and behavior than a definition for an actual official religion.
As far as I can tell ZZ is pointing that many people regardless of a religious affiliation carry a baggage which manifests in behavior which is similar to religious patterns.

Ah - well, I freely admit that just about everyone has things they do ritualistically. However, I think when we label this sort of behaviour "religious", we're really mis-characterizing it (except for religious ritual, of course).

 

[zenzero]

Friend 9-10ths,

One aspect I think is missing from the definitions here is the idea of community. IMO, for something to be a religion, there has to be a community of shared belief (usually in the divine or supernatural, as MSizer pointed out), with shared practices based on those beliefs.

If a person has their own belief system and develops their own practices based on it but believes and practices in isolation, I wouldn't consider this to be a religion.

Well we were trying to discuss *religious* and not *religion*.
Besides even if one takes the community into account which in reality means the environment outside of the individual that influences the individual to make the journey inwards and that journey in any case is simply which every individual has to undertake himself with no assistance.

Ah - well, I freely admit that just about everyone has things they do ritualistically.

Yes very very true and that is were the matter lies that RITUALS take precedence over *AWARENESS* and the individual becomes mechanical and that ritualistic habits sets into the sub-conscious and lower levels of the mind where one is unable to change the pattern.
Whereas being RELIGIOUS should be simply being *AWARE or CONSCIOUS of whatever is undertaken and even if it is a pattern we should be aware of it and that awareness keeps the individual fresh as if he is doing it for the first time, every moment is fresh which has no past or future.
That is the personal understanding.

Love & rgds

 

[ericoh2]

Some faiths are not faiths. Please explain where the faith is in Taoism?

Faith in Taoism is in the flow of life itself. There are no boundaries defining what life is but a simple, childlike trust and acceptance. It's helpful for communication to separate the words "faith" and "belief." Real faith is developed through the understanding of the nature of reality and consequently knowing that there is no reason to fight with existence but to flow with it. Belief is simply accepting something to be true that you cannot prove or know to be true.

 

[Sunstone]

Faith in Taoism is in the flow of life itself. There are no boundaries defining what life is but a simple, childlike trust and acceptance. It's helpful for communication to separate the words "faith" and "belief." Real faith is developed through the understanding of the nature of reality and consequently knowing that there is no reason to fight with existence but to flow with it. Belief is simply accepting something to be true that you cannot prove or know to be true.

Despite your efforts, I am not at all convinced there is much in the way of faith in Taoism. But maybe you're right.

 

[ericoh2]

Despite your efforts, I am not at all convinced there is much in the way of faith in Taoism. But maybe you're right.

I guess it just depends on your definition of faith. It means different things to different people.

 

[zenzero]

Friends,
Personal understanding about *FAITH* is that it is mind matter, i.e. the mind is made to believe something and the individual follows it taking that as truth.
Taoism is not exactly a faith as friend Sunstone points out since when the individual becomes a flow in itself he knows it, experiences it and the mind is not required to make belief as THAT something has become a LIVING proof by becoming a FLOW!

Love & rgds

 

[confused...]

well i am world religion student in high school with a well limited view on religion .. all i know is Catholicism i was wondering if any one would be open to an interview about a religion out side of christianity for one of my assignments if you could possibly e-mail me [email protected] i would really appreciate it .. im just a lost soul trying to find my way and please and thank you : )

 

[ericoh2]

Friends,
Personal understanding about *FAITH* is that it is mind matter, i.e. the mind is made to believe something and the individual follows it taking that as truth.
Taoism is not exactly a faith as friend Sunstone points out since when the individual becomes a flow in itself he knows it, experiences it and the mind is not required to make belief as THAT something has become a LIVING proof by becoming a FLOW!

Love & rgds

So maybe it's my definition of faith that is out of alignment with the majority. Either way, words are words and if you define faith this way then I would say that Taoism isn't really "faith" based.

 

[zenzero]

Friend enricoh,

Taoism isn't really "faith" based.

EXACTLY, and agree with friend Sunstone.
Faith is when the mind is allowed to hold on to something and Tao can only something to just BE. Only when one becomes a flow that he IS and does not hold on to anything which Is what NOTHINGNESS is all about, One holds nothing but everything holds to IT.

Love & rgds

 

[enchanted_one1975]

My own definition of being religious would be for one to follow their own spiritual path without being a hypocrite.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Willamena,

I agree, it's not about a belief in god but about harmony with the universe, and especially reality. In such a scenario, even the most strident atheist, i.e. everyone on the spectrum, could be religious.

Yes, that is the fact that everyone is *religious* as everyone is on the *path* but most are *UNCONSCIOUS* about it and few are *CONSCIOUS* about IT.

Love & rgds

 

[zenzero]

Friend enchanted one,

My own definition of being religious would be for one to follow their own spiritual path without being a hypocrite.

Hmm!

Love & rgds