| | Is religion a title? | |
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Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Is religion a title? Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:16 am | |
| In the recent past, when applying for a job, one had to declare a religious preference. That was eventually eliminated. Today, many claim to be of a particular religious persuasion but don’t practice their religion. Many people are considered Jewish by virtue of birth that don’t adhere to their religious traditions. With Islam, it is said that once a Muslim, always a Muslim regardless of the life one leads. Many claim to be Christian but are unchristian in all aspects of their lives. Then there are those who don’t proclaim any religious preference and simply don’t believe in religion. Once a minority, agnostics and atheists are increasing in numbers.
Religion to many is simply a title and that title creates problems. Suppose there was no religious title. What would happen? Suppose everyone declared himself or herself to be Muslim without any observance of the religious philosophy. What would happen? Suppose everyone declared himself or herself to be Christian without any observance of the Christian philosophy. What would happen?
Is religion a title? Should the right to a title be earned? Should one lose the right to a title by non-compliance? |
| | | alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Is religion a title? Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:01 am | |
| There is a difference, I think, between religion and spirituality. I wouldn't say religion is a title so much as an institution. As an institution, it operates on adherence to its dogma.
Spirituality comes more from within an individual, and does not require membership in any group, and is not limited to a specific place or time. It is generally not dogmatic, and is frequently more inclusive. In my experience, spiritual people recognize the validity of diverse practices more often than religious people.
One can be spiritual within the context of a particular religion, and for many, the regular practice of symbolic ritual enhances their sense of a Higher Power presence.
My son's father-in-law is Jewish by birth, but practices as a Universalist-Unitarian, or UU. He is rightfully proud of his honorable heritage and its traditions, but does not see them as the only path to follow. I admire him, and care deeply about his daughter, who, like her father, takes pride in her heritage.
I am a confirmed Episcopalian. I was confirmed at 16, through the rituals of the church. I have not always attended services, and, in fact, am not at this time, because the diocese where I live does not recognize the inclusive practices of the church, US, which is trying to bring the institution into the 21st century by officially recognizing that Christian doctrine and dogma are not "the only pathway to the Divine." As long as the local structures refuse to acknowledge those other pathways, I will not attend their services, even though I miss the practice of their rituals. It was the ritual and the community that I returned to after over twenty years without them that influenced my decision to actively participate again, and my recent choice to withdraw was a very difficult one.
My confirmation is still recognized as valid. I don't like to think of it as a title, or that it was some sort of right to be earned. It was a declaration of intent. As such, I value it. I do not consider it a dogma that requires "compliance."
Personally, I don't see much real difference between "Muslim" or "Christian" philosophy, or Buddhist or Hindu, or whatever. They are all limited perspectives of One Universal Whole, and the time has come for people to accept that. Otherwise, we will destroy each other attempting to defend an either/or position based on the illusion of polarities and duality.
Just me.
Ann |
| | | Abe F. March Five Star Member
Number of posts : 10768 Registration date : 2008-01-26 Age : 85 Location : Germany
| Subject: Re: Is religion a title? Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:27 am | |
| Ann, In my view, your analysis is dead on. |
| | | alj Five Star Member
Number of posts : 9633 Registration date : 2008-12-05 Age : 80 Location : San Antonio
| Subject: Re: Is religion a title? Tue Jan 12, 2010 7:06 am | |
| Abe, "When we are right..." Ann |
| | | Carol Troestler Five Star Member
Number of posts : 3827 Registration date : 2008-06-07 Age : 86 Location : Wisconsin
| Subject: Re: Is religion a title? Tue Jan 12, 2010 5:19 pm | |
| I was also confirmed as an Episcopalian.
I've been asked about my book, [i]Iowa Born and Bred[i]. It is one of the books about my great grandmothers, the great-grandmother born in Iowa, but the book is also about my confirmation.
When I was confirmed, I received money as gifts. When my mother asked what I was going to do with the money, I said, "I'm going to California to visit my great-grandmother." That was where this woman lived at that time.
Well, you have to read the book to get the rest of the story, but it struck me today that the book was about my confirmation, about confirming a path for my life, a journey following my heart.
I did take the train to California by myself. I was eleven years old. When writing the book about this woman, I discovered I met her before my mother did, a woman who needed to follow her heart but never quite did so except to marry my father, the love of her life.
To me religion and spirituality are much more than titles. They are part of our lives, big parts of our lives, part of every thing we do. |
| | | lin Five Star Member
Number of posts : 2753 Registration date : 2008-03-20 Location : Mexico
| Subject: Re: Is religion a title? Tue Jan 12, 2010 5:22 pm | |
| More of a subtitle, perhaps |
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