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Using a religion’s name and surface features to dress up a personal philosophy

Jim

Nets of Wonder
Are you thinking about New Age types of people making up their own new philosophies or do you mean spiritually enlightened people who started new movements that you experience as not old or established enough? in my experience New Age types of people have strong dislikes of established religions and often also dislike the single authority or worship of leaders of religions.

New traditions or new movements always use similar concepts than their predecessors did and mix these into something new. Every established religion or movement started out that way and was initially opposed for being so bold to break through older paradigms.
Wow! What a can of worms! I'll think about that.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
In the end, religions are just a collection of ideals and practices intended to help people live according to their chosen conceptualizations of truth. So it's inevitable that, on occasion, religions get used to justify, maintain and promote conceptualizations and behaviors that are quite antithetical to the originator's traditional intent. It's important to remember, I think, that our religions don't determine our ideology, our ideologies determine our religion.

I’m glad you mention that the ‘originators intent’ is not always followed. I think that is a very important observation.
 

loverofhumanity

We are all the leaves of one tree
Premium Member
But we still have this idea that if you disagree, you're automatically anti. Just because someone states a difference of opinion doesn't automatically mean hate or hostility. Some days I don't feel I can say anything at all without being accused of hatred.

No you’re not a hater. I understand you a lot better now and don’t consider you anti anything nor hostile and I’m always happy to read your posts and have learnt some valuable lessons from you.
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
Are you thinking about New Age types of people making up their own new philosophies or do you mean spiritually enlightened people who started new movements that you experience as not old or established enough? in my experience New Age types of people have strong dislikes of established religions and often also dislike the single authority or worship of leaders of religions.

New traditions or new movements always use similar concepts than their predecessors did and mix these into something new. Every established religion or movement started out that way and was initially opposed for being so bold to break through older paradigms.
What I was objecting to was people pretending to be something they aren’t. I don’t know how much people are doing that in any of the new religions. I think now that what I thought I was seeing when I started this thread might simply be people identifying with a religion because they see things in it that they like, and not trying to pretend to be something they aren’t. I’m the one who read more into their label than what they might intend by it.
 

Workman

UNIQUE
I’m seeing what looks to me like people using the names of eastern religions and some of their surface features as costumes to wear over their anti-Christian personal philosophies, in ways that are disrespectful and damaging to the reputations of the religious communities whose names, features and reputations they’re appropriating. I’m wondering if there are any people here with deep roots in those centuries-old communities, and if so, how that looks and feels to you.
[Anti]..Nice picking of word in describing of ones OWNING in their Personal reasonings. Its main purposes are proscribed by their own reasons of being, making of one separated from the all(majority). and only in its belief will be the strengthening in movement on the AGAINST.

It might not look as quite wrong as you expect it to be!

If I may explain its views on its reason for being of a version of NOT! As you think of a Anti-Christian’.

CHRISTIANs(like all other Religions)
are a BELIEF for in a GOD. And from its understanding with (FAITH), one will be the version of its own teachings.

The word ‘ANTI’; is main cause from: A BELIEF IN PREPOSITION.

The combining from 2 words and their meanings in togetherness is a creation in another whole of its new in meaning..and for one whom represents in it..“Anti-Christian”.. with fulfilling both in words to its work will be: A Completeness of..in being the “CHRIST”.

And for why and how else would ANTI be a fit in religion? Because of the world we live in..as I would call it ‘The Living’...it has its own laws of Pros(meaning being for)...for are most pro laws are sets of rules in following in ‘FOR’.

From it’s causing is narrowing in our pathway to ONLY a life FOR in SURVIVING FOR..and to be successfulness is the winner in its game of surviving for earnings of life in living for$$$$$$..and for money cannot buy or sell in itself..it needs a good partnership in its system to work..this is where I say Science comes in to pair it’s $$$$prices on which its(science) worth for, making in The living dividing the rich from poor..making ones life’s easier for being rich and another life’s hardest for being struggling in poor. the expenses for science draws a boundary for what’s worth your in prices (your income) for better life through science..for nearly all rich have science running their lives..and the poor therefore the poor are left out in the cold without its science helping more of...what is of my brothers who are living in poverty because of its rules(Pro) in surviving?You cannot tell me it was Gods idea of living..with to be ones successful in life having to step on anothers ones career..making of another beings family suffers..due to its unsuccessfulness in its duty..
In this! there are no such thing as being successful and unsuccessful,
For unsuccessfulness Will ALWAYS win over its successfulness..no matter what! It’s reality of the gamer in surviving is from one creating his own successfulness and therefore making in being of its own unsuccessfulness.
Than its bigger picture of all! its all for succeeding for the one whom is in control..the Gamer. And those are their steps of rules to living ONLY for their survival. And sadly..are the survival as well in loved ones(family) are all involved.. which is why religion says to part in one its teachings;
God will not accept those whom are for ‘The Living’..because its whole system in (Pro)gramming in PRO Laws are doings and breaking Gods instructions of commandments! in sinning.
So best not to go with the flow! With the majority and Of their only way..
But rather be instead become Anti of the world with OWNING your beliefs in what Matters more to you..Anti with its respect for God! And Anti of in your (own) good will For God.(Christ)
 
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Jim

Nets of Wonder
@Workman I can’t make any sense out any of that, but maybe I don’t need to. Do I? If I just read it a few times, maybe I’ll get out of it whatever you put into it, even if I don’t feel like I’m understanding it?

Or, do you know of anyone here who might be able to explain it to me?
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
@Workman I see that part of it might be about what I’m seeing as global monopoly games with most of the earth’s human and natural resources being monopolized to serve the interests of a few hundred or a few thousand of the leading players at everyone else’s expense, with threats of destruction to discourage resistance, and most people running the treadmills, chasing the carrots dangling in front of them that they will never reach.
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
What happened was that I was thinking of someone who calls their religion “Buddhism” as being grounded in the Buddhism of centuries old Buddhist communities. When I found out that they weren’t and that they were even in denial about some of it, I started thinking that their Buddhism was nothing more than a costume for them to wear over their anti-Christian personal philosophy, and I felt like I had been deceived. Now I think that maybe they just identify with Buddhism because it looks to them like the best match for their lifestyle and philosophy of life.
 

Workman

UNIQUE
What happened was that I was thinking of someone who calls their religion “Buddhism” as being grounded in the Buddhism of centuries old Buddhist communities. When I found out that they weren’t and that they were even in denial about some of it, I started thinking that their Buddhism was nothing more than a costume for them to wear over their anti-Christian personal philosophy, and I felt like I had been deceived. Now I think that maybe they just identify with Buddhism because it looks to them like the best match for their lifestyle and philosophy of life.
Ohh!..sorry Jim. I must have read it all wrong! Well then! I take all that back! I thought your thread was about Christians being Anti-Christians about their beliefs.
 
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Marcion

gopa of humanity's controversial Taraka Brahma
What happened was that I was thinking of someone who calls their religion “Buddhism” as being grounded in the Buddhism of centuries old Buddhist communities. When I found out that they weren’t and that they were even in denial about some of it, I started thinking that their Buddhism was nothing more than a costume for them to wear over their anti-Christian personal philosophy, and I felt like I had been deceived. Now I think that maybe they just identify with Buddhism because it looks to them like the best match for their lifestyle and philosophy of life.

Who were you thinking of Jim? Would it not be better if you ask that person about their motive directly than in this somewhat covert fashion?
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
Like many other key words in public debating, I see religious labels having widely ranging meanings. One meaning is as a member of a religious community, or as being born and raised in one. For example, "I'm a Methodist" can mean "I'm a member of a Methodist church," or "I grew up in a Methodist family and I still think of myself as a Methodist." "I'm a Hindu" can mean "I grew up in a Hindu society, and I still think of myself as a Hindu." Another, very different meaning is seeing a label as the one that best fits a person's lifestyle and ways of thinking.Whatever the label means to a person who wears it, I don't think it tells us anything at all about their character or capacities, or even about their lifestyle, how they think or what they know about their religion. I have trouble remembering that sometimes. I think I saw someone here saying that they don't pay any attention to religious labels. I might try that myself. I don't think they communicate anything all whatsoever about a person. I need to listen to myself more. Although, a person's religious label might be a clue to what questions to ask them, to get to know them better.
 

atanu

Member
Premium Member
I want to try to explain some more .... The name "Buddhism" comes from communities whose ways of life, and the benefits that people have found in immersing themselves in them, have given that name the appeal and the social status that it has in some circles. If a person who sees no value in those communities or their ways of life, or worse, views them contemptuously, picks out some of the parts of their beliefs and practices that don't inconvenience him in any way, to wear as a costume over his own personal philosophy and lifestyle, and calls himself by their name as if he is one of them, that looks disrespectful to me, and even dishonest if the person is doing it to enhance his image with some people.

I see another possibility. A person might see some correspondences between his personal philosophy and lifestyle, and some of the beliefs and practices of a religion, and identify with it for that reason. Even so, it still seems disrespectful and dishonest for a person to wear that name without being part of one of those communities, and without making that clear.

If something is done unknowingly, the act/s is/are pardonable, imo. Many Buddhists assume that Buddhism is equal to empiricism-materialism. That may be misunderstanding.

But I know cases where actual materialists self declare themselves as Advaitin or Buddhist. In my opinion, it is only possible when the perpetrator/s have no regard for the original teachers of these two paths. This is disrespectful.
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
About the thread's title...

"Using a religion’s name and surface features to dress up a personal philosophy"

I have to ask several different questions.

First of all, is it even defensable to deny one's personal views when expressing one's beliefs?

Is it "using" the name at all, or is it _lending_ it some meaning and life? How can one tell or decide?

How often do religions even sustain themselves _beyond_ the name and surface features? How many do even want to?
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
As I said in an earlier post, now I'm thinking that what I'm seeing might simply be people wearing the label of a religion because they think it's the one that best fits their lifestyle and philosophy of life, not to try to fool anyone. People just need to be aware of that, so that they don't confuse what that person says and does with what the stories and communities that the name was taken from are all about. Now that I think of it though, even a person who was born and raised in one of those communities might misrepresent it as much as anyone else who wears the label.
 

Sirona

Hindu Wannabe
The content in question is a journal. It's not meant to be objective or all-encompassing, or representative, nor does it claim to be.
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
Now I'm thinking that it is a problem for people to be wearing the name of a religion without being immersed in its stories and communities, but that happens sometimes even with someone who was born and raised in one of those communities. In fact, that might be part of the reason for the harm done in the names of religions and God.
 

Jim

Nets of Wonder
Also, however innocent it might be to wear the label of a religion without being immersed in its stories and communities, it is not so innocent or harmless when a person uses that label to enhance their image, or intertwines it with their prejudices and animosities against other religions and their followers. I see that happening on all sides.
 

Sirona

Hindu Wannabe
Also, however innocent it might be to wear the label of a religion without being immersed in its stories and communities, it is not so innocent or harmless when a person uses that label to enhance their image, or intertwines it with their prejudices and animosities against other religions and their followers. I see that happening on all sides.

I have to acknowledge somebody as non-judgemental and well-informed on other people's religious backgrounds as you is a real asset to this forum. If you go on like this, building friendships across the widest religious divides as successfully as you build friendships with the people of your own faith, religious world peace will definitely be at hand in no time.
 

Samantha Rinne

Resident Genderfluid Writer/Artist
I’m seeing what looks to me like people using the names of eastern religions and some of their surface features as costumes to wear over their anti-Christian personal philosophies, in ways that are disrespectful and damaging to the reputations of the religious communities whose names, features and reputations they’re appropriating. I’m wondering if there are any people here with deep roots in those centuries-old communities, and if so, how that looks and feels to you.

Syncretism is not the moral evil you think it is. Classically, Christians were fearful of syncretism, because what they had to work with were Muslims (basically a hate group as far as they were concerned rather than a religion, and which actively wanted their destruction), Jews (which Christians came from, but seemed opposed to the gospel message), and pagans (who seemed idolatrous, and very much wanted to get rid of the gospel because they saw it as a political threat).

Nowadays, pagans share some of our holidays with minor variations, and religious Jews have mellowed a bit. As for accusation of cultural appropriation, you have to realize that it will more than likely be a Christianized version of certain teachings rather than a straight up taking religious beliefs from other faiths (which would be Anti-Christian if we are deliberately using it to undermine the Gospel). Btw, the idea of Hell itself is unbiblical. It's a borrow word from Hel, who rules Helheim, mixing things up, as Helheim is not even hot. The Bible does NOT literally mean the dead will burn in fire, but rather the feeling of absence from God is like being burned. In fact, it describes others as as sometimes being consumed by fire. Erased. Okay then, explain how a loving God can completely erase someone? I can't and without clarification, I'm not sure that teaching is in line with other biblical teachings. Then you read about Buddhism comparing a soul to a flame being passed along through rebirth, and talking about moksha (snuffing). As someone raised in the church, I cannot support the goal of moksha. However, the idea of being reborn, having your former self not saved but burned away, and starting on this Earth as a blank slate yet still alive is in common with a loving God who forgives us.
Hindu polytheism is not in common with Christianity, but the idea of a universal soul (Brahman, not to be confused with Brahmins or Brahma) is much like the concept of the Holy Spirit.
And CS Lewis mentions the Tao by name as the Logos at the time was beginning to have a muddled meaning. He defines the Tao in a very Christian way, but I don't think you'd accuse Lewis of being Anti-Christian.

Quote by C.S. Lewis: “The Tao, which others may call Natural Law or T...”

The litmus test of whether syncretism is anti-Christian is "does it deny the Cross", "does it deny forgiveness of sins", "does it somehow undermine the teaching of Grace." The problem of what you are saying is that many fundamentalist types are wearing the trappings of Christianity but live like Jews, following the law. But the law is a curse!
 
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Marcion

gopa of humanity's controversial Taraka Brahma
We are living more and more in a globalized world, increasingly unified by a desire for human rights, animal rights and the decreasing importance of nationalism and other types of ideological divisions. This also applies to religions and spiritual cults. People yearn for the rule of law, the influence of rationality and science and the breaking down of sectarian divisions. That is why the discourse is increasingly universal, which may rub against those with more conservative or sectarian views who want to keep everything as it was.

Also, new teachers have emerged who have sped up this process of liberating mankind from narrowmindedness. These teachers are not always welcomed, just like teachers in the past have met with much resistence also.
But the times are changing, people are becoming more broad-minded and liberating themselves from the restrictions of the more narrow-minded ideologies.

I would say this is a good thing and the only hope for our planet and not something to complain or wine about.
 
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