What is the essence of all religions?

Snoopy said:
Hmmm I think you're stretching a bit there :rolleyes:
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The hardcore dogmatism I ran up against with the Darwinists was a HUGE factor in my switching from being hard-core atheist when I was quite young. A large percentage of the dogmatism, especially regarding origins, didn't hold up to the scientific method, even with the most liberal definition and application of scientific methods, yet they insisted it was science. What would you call that? :confused:
 
seattlegal said:
The hardcore dogmatism I ran up against with the Darwinists was a HUGE factor in my switching from being hard-core atheist when I was quite young. A large percentage of the dogmatism, especially regarding origins, didn't hold up to the scientific method, even with the most liberal definition and application of scientific methods, yet they insisted it was science. What would you call that? :confused:
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The same as you - dogmatism. Is such intransigence sufficient to warrant saying it is a religion? Can it be transformative?

I agree Darwinism may inform a world view however. 

The term religion is quite malleable, is it not? The dictionary may give a definition but can it include Catholicism, Daoism, Scientology and Advaita? I rather like Ninian Smart's factors of religion - one is insufficient probably, several is sufficient; but how many is 'several'...?
 
What is the essence of all religions? Hmm... Maybe that they provide a sense of identity within a group, and control- both personal and in an overall cosmic sense. Like: "I'm in control, God's in control, everything is for a reason, etc. Religion seems to work very well with political dogma and plays smoothly into the cultural narratives that governments use to placate populations. I remember seeing a bumper sticker that said "religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich." I think there's a lot of truth to that.

Oh well, back to the dick waggling.

Chris
 
There seem to be a number of elements to religion. Among these are an ethnic and/or cultural component, a theological component, and a sort of moral component that interlocks to some degree with the institutional power structures. I often wish that people would say which component they're referring to when they talk about "religion" because each has a somewhat unique function.

Chris
 
China Cat Sunflower said:
There seem to be a number of elements to religion. Among these are an ethnic and/or cultural component, a theological component, and a sort of moral component that interlocks to some degree with the institutional power structures. I often wish that people would say which component they're referring to when they talk about "religion" because each has a somewhat unique function.

Chris
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Can I say Ninian Smart for the second time today?
 
There can't be a world without religion. Government dogma is itself religious. Institutionalism is inherently religious. Both provide a sense of identity and control. Stop signs are religious icons!

Chris
 
Is it just my failing memory, or did this thread change a bit? And why are these bits and bytes laying on their sides with the smell of burning electrons and sulfur in the air? It looks like some thread history has gone up in flames.

Lunitik seems to have received his wish to have his accounted removed. Since he requested it, I guess I should not berate the nameless who did it. I have greater regard for Lunitik though. :)

In rememberence of Lunitik and the outstanding conversations that we had, I will demonstrate some self control and make today my last day posting on this website for 6 months, 6 weeks, and 6 days... of rest. :D I will even try to meditate a little... as Lunitik advised.
 
What do you really know? Consider this very carefully before answering immediately by reacting, for no deeper insight can arise from it.

What do you really know?
 
The Essence (Ka) of Religion is Myth manifested, the connection between subjective and objective universes (Inner/Outer Worlds).
 
Dream said:
Religion might also be a struggle against superstition and fear.
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Am I missing a "tongue in cheek" reply here Dream? Seems quite the opposite, Superstition and fear seem to be the fuel for religion.

.02
 
Joedjr said:
"tongue in cheek" ?
Seems quite the opposite,

Superstition and fear ... fuel ... religion.
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I beg to differ.

I do not see how "Superstition and fear" has any connection to the purpose of religion.

Superstition and fear ---are selling points for market places ---for all commodities. Trickling-up to the Insurance conglomerates.

Where you say "Superstition and fear" others say "staus quo ad-infinitum, so be it,to profit from'.

In a real utopia there would be no myth of theiving cut-throats and highwaymen and brigands and daicoits and lunatics and master mafia dons par excellance. Such would be myths; but alas not.

Always remember the essence of the paradym: God is 'eternal'.
'Time Eternal' refers to 'sva-dharma'. Just as the term, 'sanatana dharma' conotes, 'eternality is defined as time-less-ness'.

Time manifests as "Constant Change".

The soul is eternal etc etc ... and the body-vessal during a birth allows the soul to enjoy in all stratum. The next future birth is earned as one prefers or has managed to acquire ---but upon death, a plan 'A' that says, just rely on default karma-auto-pilot is not good enough insurance as how to burn off all the funcky petty karma that clings like barnicles.

My word for it is, "funky-karma" (aka, in sankrit, ugra-karma). By which I refer to cases of defacto-funky-karma. IOW, any stupifying, Murphy's Law-like bad occurance during the course of an otherwise pleasent lifetime.

Of course, there is a plethora of multi-varigated permutations that karma may manifest. Karma manifests exactly the idea that "electricity takes the path of least resistence" and just as what is meant by the term, "a perfect storm" ---when the circumstnces are just right ---the circuit flows--- and one is visted by karmic-reaction.

In sanskrit, karma-phalam means, karma-fruit ---the fruits or reaction to a past karma-action ---karma means, action.

We are eternal spirits in the material world of 'Time'.

We are spirits where time and the material elements eternally change.
But the soul stays the same.
All the souls of all the living beings are "Enjoying their sensory falculties as the all in all". This lasts for on birth at a time (aka, samsara).

The evolution of the soul taking births in all stratums of living life formations finally arrives at the Human Level and has a chance to read the opening verse of the Rg Veda: arthato brahma-ji-gyansa ---now, in the human birth, let us enquire unto the nature of the absolute truth.

Aside from the search, all else is sense-gradification in a species of life one may afford ---as their soul travels birth after birth along a through-line that almost always gets severed by 'forgetfullness' and especially by youthfull dis-interest. IOW, a beautiful & talented woman may have been a very noble civil servant that thought of a woman's allurements at the moment of death.

A man sent to prison when he was innocent ---was a judge in a past life that allowed the same to happen. It's fampusly called, 'what goes around comes around' ---aka, Karmic-reaction.

The essense is to get the audience of a Personage.
The evolution of the soul toward peak of the pyramid spectrum of living creatures ---is a Human, at least here on this terrestial planet.

"Be like your father in Heaven" requires not pomp ---but the learning of ettiqutte. Ettiqutte directed toward a person. So here we are with the chance to practice.
 
bhaktajan said:
A man sent to prison when he was innocent ---was a judge in a past life that allowed the same to happen. It's fampusly called, 'what goes around comes around' ---aka, Karmic-reaction
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Eventually, everyone will return to heaven, our True Home, but it could take a long time and much suffering to get there. However, this doesn’t represent the concept of karma as people often think of it. Karma is often used as a form of cruel justification to regard the miserable conditions of so many people in the world as a punishment for their deeds in their previous lives. Yet, that is not the case at all.

bhaktajan said:
"Be like your father in Heaven"
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God uses everything for good. We certainly want to be like God as best as we can and use everything for good. That is not to say we rationalize or make excuses for all the injustices, sufferings, and errors of the world, but we can certainly use all circumstances and conditions to serve the world for good.
 
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