What is the goal of Religion? (Jesus, Moses, Earth, Buddhism)

[Booko]

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[Jonathan Rex]

Originally Posted by Hema

Cool!
Shri Satya Sai Baba says that there is one religion - the religion of love.

There is also the religion of frustration.

Love is all humanity needs. Love, Meditation and a Vacation once a year away from everybody.

I think what Shri Satya Sai Baba meant is that there is only one "true" religion.
There are many religions that don't practice love.

[James the Persian]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Rex

And how do you know that the Prophets were Prophets?
They said so? Circular logic (by your definition).
Your religion is based on circular logic. All religions are.
There is not a single religion that isn't based on circular logic.

This is firstly, a different argument, and one that you can't prove because you simply weren't there to see these prophets and find out why they were accepted as such, and secondly I don't accept anyone's individual claims because they say so, but only if the mind of the Church says so.

How is that left to interpretation? How many ways can you interpret, "Go into your room, shut your door and pray to God in private?"

He is talking of prayer, not worship, and the issue is one of bragging, showing off, wanting to look holier than your neighbour. Corporate prayer as part of worship is not like this at all and I pity you if you fail to see the difference. You really do sound like an ultra-low church Protestant.

Can you read? Seriously?
What is your definition of prayer and worship?

You're the one that has a serious problem with comprehension because you cannot see that prayer does not equal worship. They are not synonyms to anyone but the most narrow minded, iconoclastic Protestant. They aren't synonyms in English and they certainly aren't synonyms in Koine Greek.

???

What's the puzzle? Your understanding of Christianity sounds so Protestant that if you weren't generally anti, you'd be one. You clearly have absolutely no understanding of the beliefs of those of us whose churches long pre-date the last 500 years.

Interpretations? He says, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen." He says that immediately after telling them not to pray in the synogogues in front of people like the Phairsees whom he calls Hypocrites. How many ways can that be interpreted. Give me another way that one could interpret this, please.

I told you how it should be interpreted above and, even without Holy Tradition it is pretty flipping obvious. The fact that you fail to see that this is the natural reading of that episode shows just how much your view has been warped by low church Protestant understandings.

You do know that Martin Luther is the one who conjured up the freedom to Interpret scripture nonsense, right?

Don't teach grandma to such eggs. I'm an ex-Lutheran myself and have been arguing against the lunacy of sola scriptura here from long before you arrived. I dare say I have a much greater grasp of the history of the heresy than you do, not to mention its ramifications. What I offered was not individual interpretation but the interpretation of the Church - the same Church that wrote and compiled the canon of Scripture in the first place.

Then don't believe it. Go your way then.
You have not provided another option.
You're just denying that it means exactly what it says.

Afraid not. I have repeatedly told you that this is not a ban on corporate worship and why. Now I've offered you the 2000 year old understanding of what it actually was a ban on, and that's actually exactly what it says. You simply want to deny Holy Tradition and prefer a Protestant flavoured individual interpretation (ironically after the Luther quip).

How do they maintain those fancy buildings? God drops money out of the clouds?

What, maintenance of unheated buildings? It's not exactly expensive. I'm on our parish council and know well. All the money we receive is from voluntary donations and most of it goes to help parishioners in need. There are no tithes. Some monasteries also make things like icons, prayer roopes etc. and these are sold. Historically, most of the 'fancy' buildings were gifted to the Church by rich patrons such as kings and restoration work, for instance in the post-communist era - is usually undertaken by government and/or charities as the Church rarely has enough money. Don't make assumptions that because a church is pretty the owners are rich. I'm pretty certain that most unadorned, American Protestant churches are way wealthier than my parish and even the poorest American parish is probably much wealthier than the parish in which I was married even though you'd probably assume the opposite if you entered the church, it being a 15th century historical, architectural and artistic treasure - and one which just happens to be located in a tiny village populated almost solely by subsistance farmers.

James

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Rex

Your religion is based on circular logic. All religions are.
There is not a single religion that isn't based on circular logic.

Could you demonstrate the circular logic in:

Taoism
Buddhism
Shinto
Any Native American religion

[Dr. Nosophoros]

I'd say religion overall generally seeks to connect one with our unconcious abilities, whether those abilities are attributed to outward sources or to oneself depends on the system. Symbols, figures, deities, names etc. are only compartmentalized thoughts put in a fathomable form so it can be understood or connected to to tap into the power of that which is not undertandable. For many, that which is outside the parametres of accepted understandings or outside of ones (those who created those parameteres) control is generally feared and is taught to be feared, there is a fine blurred line between religion and psychology.

[Jonathan Rex]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Could you demonstrate the circular logic in:

Taoism
Buddhism
Shinto
Any Native American religion

Taoism, Buddhism and Shinto taught for the followers to become, not to follow.
If somebody follows Buddha correctly they will not be Buddhist, they will be Buddha.
If somebody follows Taoist, they will not be Taoist they will be the Tao (at least one with it). I don't know anything about Shinto, but it's likely the same.

I was mainly referring to the Western Religions. I shouldn't have said all. If I were going to choose a box to live in, it would either be a Taoist or Buddhist box.

[Booko]

Originally Posted by JamesThePersian

Don't make assumptions that because a church is pretty the owners are rich. I'm pretty certain that most unadorned, American Protestant churches are way wealthier than my parish and even the poorest American parish is probably much wealthier than the parish in which I was married even though you'd probably assume the opposite if you entered the church, it being a 15th century historical, architectural and artistic treasure - and one which just happens to be located in a tiny village populated almost solely by subsistance farmers.

Oh, I can attest to this, James. There's a church on the other side of the highway from me, a "megachurch" that has millions.

My son once remarked that it looked like a huge corporate office building inside and out (he'd been there with friends) and somehow that seemed to fit their focus.

I suggested that while he may be correct, he would be better to keep such opinions to himself, or at least not take them outside the house.

Many things are true, but something being true doesn't make it polite or helpful to say so.

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Rex

I was mainly referring to the Western Religions.

Mine's a Western religion. Please show me the circular logic in it.