Poll: Which Parts of Religion Do You Focus On the Most?

[CharmingOwl]

For me it's philosophy and mythology. Maybe because I am the one who writes that stuff.

 

[syo]

All three!

THIS ^

Where is the three votes?

 

[idea]

I voted practice.

I agree. The most important part is application.

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

THIS ^

Where is the three votes?

I purposely did two because if you vote for three it is as useful to me as not voting at all. And I'm honestly surprised at the results, I thought more people would say beliefs but it looks like ethics is the winner of the poll. Congratulations ethics!

 

[FredVB]

I had a book called Religion for Dummies written by a rabbi and in the book he splits religion into three equal parts. Beliefs, ethics and rituals. All three seem to be vital to sustaining an identity of a religion or a religious group. But I'm wondering what people here tend to focus on.

I myself tend to focus on beliefs and theology. That's the primary reason why I consider myself a member of Earthseed, as I highly value its three-part creed and its belief in extropy. I feel like ethics and morals is built into most people and doesn't need proper explanation from a spiritual or religious source. Rituals I really couldn't care less about.

This will become a poll with three options: beliefs / theology, morals / ethics, and rituals / rites. I will make the poll so it is possible to vote for two options if so desired.

Which areas of religion do you tend to focus most of your energy on and why?

I won't answer about which of very wide areas I focus on. I will answer what I think of as most important, for focusing on. It does not at all exclude other things of the faith, but it is godliness that we are to grow to, it is most important. Godliness may mean different things to others, but what is of God's will is found in passages in the Bible, from the start. So finding the things of God's will and turning to those is needed for godliness. It would not be with harm to others, and it will work with love and compassion, which were shown toward us with God's grace.

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

Of the three selections given, I chose "Ethics and Morality" first -- but all three selections are important.

For Judaism, I would have included an additional selection: "Tradition and Stories."

I especially love reading the stories told by the Sages. From childhood, I think I gained much of my understanding of ethics and morality from these interpretive stories, called midrashim, dealing with the rewards of giving charity, the importance of providing hospitality to strangers, the nature of genuine wisdom, and so on. Usually our rabbi was the one who would tell stories from both the Talmud and the Midrash for the children.

There are other faiths besides Judaism that foster a similar love for their own traditions and stories. May your own traditions and stories be preserved for generations to come.

 

[rocala]

Ethics and morality, Specifically -

From Buddhism The Noble Eightfold Path The Noble Eightfold Path - The Buddha and his teachings in Buddhism - GCSE Religious Studies Revision - Eduqas - BBC Bitesize

from Modern Druidry The Eleven Commitments

 

[Karolina]

I voted rites and rituals bc that's the part that is keeping me in the religion of my upbringing. It's familiar and meaninful. There are some ethical stances I disagree with my religion on, and others that are not unique to it. The beliefs are where they lose me and send me coming here, lol.

 

[Kenny]

I had a book called Religion for Dummies written by a rabbi and in the book he splits religion into three equal parts. Beliefs, ethics and rituals. All three seem to be vital to sustaining an identity of a religion or a religious group. But I'm wondering what people here tend to focus on.

I myself tend to focus on beliefs and theology. That's the primary reason why I consider myself a member of Earthseed, as I highly value its three-part creed and its belief in extropy. I feel like ethics and morals is built into most people and doesn't need proper explanation from a spiritual or religious source. Rituals I really couldn't care less about.

This will become a poll with three options: beliefs / theology, morals / ethics, and rituals / rites. I will make the poll so it is possible to vote for two options if so desired.

Which areas of religion do you tend to focus most of your energy on and why?

Although all are important, I voted for Beliefs and Theology because ethics, morality and rites and rituals proceed from there. IMV

 

[osgart]

I focus on the mystery of life and existence, as well as ethics and morality. What can be grasped and known , and what are the effects of what can be applied before applying it.

I focus also on the nature of innocence and also guilt. Innocence is without malice, non malevolent, and healthy desires. In humanity I see degrees of both. Pure innocence is the virtues. Virtues are not without defense.

Religion is looking towards the highest mountain, and realizing that life is never ideal. My philosophical convictions lead me to religion in general, not to any specific religion. There are many things that can't be answered to the point of know certainty. I'm learning to take life as it presents itself and try to reckon with reality on its own terms. No one comes at life with all knowing sufficient knowledge although A.I. might get there one day. Although there will always be gaps and voids in knowledge I do the best I can. With religion you do the journey the best you can, and no regrets wherever thou may fall. Hopefully there is a flip side to this life, I believe there is. No one's ever condemned for lack of belief or faith; that's too shallow.

 

[FredVB]

... finding the things of God's will and turning to those is needed for godliness. It would not be with harm to others, and it will work with love and compassion, which were shown toward us with God's grace.

Finding God's will to turn to for godliness would be without harm to others with love and compassion, it would not exclude creatures from that, and animal abuse would not be desirable.

 

[Aupmanyav]

All the three, minus the Gods, Goddesses, soul, heaven, hell, reincarnation. I am an orthodox atheist Hindu.

 

[Truthseeker]

I had a book called Religion for Dummies written by a rabbi and in the book he splits religion into three equal parts. Beliefs, ethics and rituals. All three seem to be vital to sustaining an identity of a religion or a religious group. But I'm wondering what people here tend to focus on.

I myself tend to focus on beliefs and theology. That's the primary reason why I consider myself a member of Earthseed, as I highly value its three-part creed and its belief in extropy. I feel like ethics and morals is built into most people and doesn't need proper explanation from a spiritual or religious source. Rituals I really couldn't care less about.

This will become a poll with three options: beliefs / theology, morals / ethics, and rituals / rites. I will make the poll so it is possible to vote for two options if so desired.

Which areas of religion do you tend to focus most of your energy on and why?

I'm happy to see that ethics and morals have the lead. Spirituality and being one with God should have been a category also by this author. I would have voted for that, too.

 

[mangalavara]

I voted for rites and rituals as that's the tool I use to get the other 2. The beseeching of God's presence allows for much clarity.

I’m beginning to think that rites and rituals—and, might I add, practices such as meditation—is the best part to focus on. I know what you mean about the ‘beseeching of God’s presence’ allowing ‘for much clarity.’ My experiences through meditation and devotional acts have been shaping my beliefs and how I pursue dharma.

No one's ever condemned for lack of belief or faith; that's too shallow.

I wholeheartedly agree. We human beings, after all, are finite beings and unique cases.

Religion is looking towards the highest mountain, and realizing that life is never ideal.

This is wonderfully put.

I focus also on the nature of innocence and also guilt. Innocence is without malice, non malevolent, and healthy desires.

I also like this. Healthy desires are nothing to feel guilt over.

Finding God's will to turn to for godliness would be without harm to others with love and compassion, it would not exclude creatures from that, and animal abuse would not be desirable.

This is very good. Non-injury, love, and compassion even toward such vulnerable beings as the animals around us.

All the three, minus the Gods, Goddesses, soul, heaven, hell, reincarnation. I am an orthodox atheist Hindu.

Have you ever heard of Jay Lakhani from Hindu Academy? In one of his videos on YouTube, he mentions that he is a nontheistic Hindu. He also mentions that there are personal-based approaches and principle-based approaches to Hindu spirituality. Personal-based, of course, means focusing on personalities such as Mahadevi, Shiva, Krishna, and the like. Principle-based, on the other hand, is a focus on the principles found in the Upanishads: Brahman, Atman. Lakhani was a wonderfully articulate man.

 

[FredVB]

This is very good. Non-injury, love, and compassion even toward such vulnerable beings as the animals around us.

It is an important part of why I have given up on getting things from animals, knowing animals used in the agricultural industry are just as vulnerable and sentient. Avoiding harm with love and compassion includes this for me, it is fully compatible with the beliefs of my faith for coming to godliness, knowing care for all beings, human and any animals, is in the will of God.

 

[FredVB]

I learned Forks Over Knives is the healthiest way for us, which can have us avoid many real problems to health. I am fine continuing with almost all whole-food all from just plants.

We have ideas that those which are really persons have rights, for example. Most exclude other creatures from consideration as persons, so it does not matter what is done with them.

Any mothers nurse their babies, like mother cows want to do when people made them have babies but take calves away to get milk for human demand.

It is not good to be dependent on dairy anymore than on meat from animals, those are not from separate industries and all animals in them are getting horrible treatment and slaughter.

There is our destruction to ecosystems that animal agriculture is really contributing to, while it is causing extinction of many species.

Humans Destroying Ecosystems: How to Measure Our Impact on the Environment

Human activities like industrialized animal farming are causing the destruction of ecosystems worldwide, including as many as 1 million plant and animal species.

sentientmedia.org

 

[Aupmanyav]

For me, religion is duty ('dharma') and nothing else since I do not believe in existence of any deity or soul.

I'm happy to see that ethics and morals have the lead. Spirituality and being one with God should have been a category also by this author. I would have voted for that, too.

Ethics and morals are spirituality, why would we need a God for that? Ethics and Morals are created by society.

 

[Erebus]

I voted for Beliefs and Theology along with Ethics and Morality.

I find that I'm much more interested in contemplating and discussing religion rather than actually practicing. While rituals can certainly be fascinating in their own right, it's the reasoning behind those rituals that draw me in.

It's difficult for me to pick which of the two options are more important to me for a couple of reasons. Firstly, they tend to blur together. What a person believes about the nature of the universe will impact their ethical views. Secondly, my focus can switch between those two categories. I may be more interested in theology one day and ethics the next.

 

[Truthseeker]

For me, religion is duty ('dharma') and nothing else since I do not believe in existence of any deity or soul.

Ethics and morals are spirituality, why would we need a God for that? Ethics and Morals are created by society.

If we have ethics and morality, that leads to spirituality to be precise.