How does one go about creating a religion?

I have a set of beliefs that I know a lot of people don't understand/believe in. I was thinking since nothing on Earth fits, I should create a religion. How do I make a religion and make it feel right to myself?

Welcome to RF for what it's worth. What are your beliefs? Maybe getting some feedback would be a good first step?

I'm no authority on this, but I think you would first need to consider on what basis you will accept something to be a tenet of your religion. Will something need to be true to be a tenet? Or will you accept things on pure faith? Or on authority alone? etc.

Once you've decided that, you can then examine your beliefs to see which are right for you according to your standards.

Well first become God, create people then try to convince them you're God.

What do you mean by

Sunstone said:

Will something need to be true to be a tenet? Or will you accept things on pure faith? Or on authority alone? etc.

Click to expand...

Do you mean like, does something have to be proven scientifically?

Dekon said:

I have a set of beliefs that I know a lot of people don't understand/believe in. I was thinking since nothing on Earth fits, I should create a religion. How do I make a religion and make it feel right to myself?

Click to expand...

Well, there are a few things you can look at;

Theism:
Do you believe in God or a higher power? What it the nature of that deity? Is there more than one? Where is this entity?

Philosophy:
What is the world like? Do you believe the world is good as-is, or can something be better? What can be better? How important is that?

Freedom:
Do you need rules (dogma)? Why or why not? Do you want to use rules to submit to a higher power, or explore your own freedom?

Spirituality:
Are there spirits? What are they like? Where can you find them? How many types are there, and what do they do? Do you possess a spirit (soul)?

Goals:
What is the goal of your religion? To better yourself? To find the truth? To accept the world as truth? To make something about yourself or the world better?

Syncretism:
Is there something out there that you like, even if you don't believe in it entirely? Can you fit it into your worldview? What can you use and what isn't for you? Simply; What religions partially agree with you?

I ended up mixing various traditions using this sort of thinking to find my own path.

Dekon said:

What do you mean by


Do you mean like, does something have to be proven scientifically?

Click to expand...

Sure, but it's up to you to decide what your standards are. If you want to base your religion on scientifically sound beliefs, that's your right. If you want to base it on faith, that's your right, too. After all, you already said you want beliefs that "feel right" to you. So what feels right to you?

@SabahTheLoner

Theism:
Do you believe in God or a higher power? What it the nature of that deity? Is there more than one? Where is this entity?

Yes, I believe that there is a single God. I think that he/she helps us in our lives on a daily basis, that he/she communicates with us daily, and that he/she is always watching over our lives. See, about multiple deities. That is where I don't know what to do. I think there is one God, but I also feel like multiple Gods handle different things, because that is a lot to handle. I don't know how to incorporate that into my beliefs or what I would do about that. This entity is located in a vast realm that is above us, watching over each one of us personally. I also think that everything on Earth has a spirit, and we can invite those spirits into our lives to assist us, to protect us, etc.

Philosophy:
What is the world like? Do you believe the world is good as-is, or can something be better? What can be better? How important is that?

I think that the world can always be better. I think that the way people treat each other could be changed, and some other things that are really typical of most religions. I think that is very important to my beliefs.

Freedom:
Do you need rules (dogma)? Why or why not? Do you want to use rules to submit to a higher power, or explore your own freedom?

Yes, dogma would be helpful. I think rules would help establish a baseline for everyone to follow, and it would also help guide them to the path to true being (the higher place I mentioned earlier). Rules are for a bit of both, really. To submit to a higher power as well as explore your world.

Spirituality:
Are there spirits? What are they like? Where can you find them? How many types are there, and what do they do? Do you possess a spirit (soul)?

Yes, spirits are everywhere. Most spirits are reserved, keeping to themselves until invited into a household etc. They are often friendly though, always trying to help you. They can change simple details or have little effect on something that could help you in the long run. You can find these spirits everywhere in nature, every living thing possess one. These spirits help you with your life, and can give you a feeling of love etc. and when you pray or whatever they are in your presence. Yes, we have a spirit. I think that when we die, only our spirit goes to the higher place, to be with the God (or Gods).

Goals:
What is the goal of your religion? To better yourself? To find the truth? To accept the world as truth? To make something about yourself or the world better?

The goal of this religion is to better myself in my own ways, it is also to help better others of the world and help them find the right path in life.

Syncretism:
Is there something out there that you like, even if you don't believe in it entirely? Can you fit it into your worldview? What can you use and what isn't for you? Simply; What religions partially agree with you?

Christianity sort of agrees with me, but I have tried many denominations of it out, and nothing felt right to me. I have also looked into a ton of other major and minor religions, none of which felt right as well.

I know I didn't go into a ton of detail, but that is possibly where I need some help. That and helping me formulate my beliefs. Anyways, thanks for this little "guide". Anything you do helps.

If you can get up at a predetermined time to do 20 pushups every morning without fail every day for the rest of your life you can create a religion. Its as simple as being consistent and having the ability to keep commitments. That is all you need. Everything depends upon that, and that alone is enough to start a religion.

To me, a religion typically comes about to commemorate the life of a teacher, to preserve the teachings and typically to convince others that the religion is a true one. For living people, there are other words.

So I wonder what you intend to accomplish by creating a religion rather than living life as you see it?

If you are going to start a religion you'll need a holy book, otherwise you'll end up with a lot of people arguing over what it means, and what you should do/believe. I believe no religion with a holy book has ever encountered any issues in this regard so I'd recommend you look up my comments on this thread. What goes in a Holy Book?
Good luck.

Creating a 'religion' sort of implies that it will garner mass following. Creating a spiritual alignment for oneself is much easier; just do what pleases you personally.

Lots of time to waste and people less intelligent than yourself.

The Holy Bottom Burp said:

If you are going to start a religion you'll need a holy book, otherwise you'll end up with a lot of people arguing over what it means, and what you should do/believe. I believe no religion with a holy book has ever encountered any issues in this regard so I'd recommend you look up my comments on this thread. What goes in a Holy Book?
Good luck.

Click to expand...

Thanks

From my perspective, your "religion" won't be any more or less true than any of the others - unless it is somehow only comprised of hard and fast fact - but I don't really think you can get away with that, or even manage it. It wouldn't even "look" like a religion at that point. You'll probably also be hurting for other members or adherents for quite some time. Heck, possibly forever.

As others have asked, why formulate a religion at all? Why not just accept that your particular arena of beliefs and the things you accept are unique, and live life according to your personal principles? You need to have it written down, or set in stone or something?

A Vestigial Mote said:

From my perspective, your "religion" won't be any more or less true than any of the others - unless it is somehow only comprised of hard and fast fact - but I don't really think you can get away with that, or even manage it. It wouldn't even "look" like a religion at that point. You'll probably also be hurting for other members or adherents for quite some time. Heck, possibly forever.

As others have asked, why formulate a religion at all? Why not just accept that your particular arena of beliefs and the things you accept are unique, and live life according to your personal principles? You need to have it written down, or set in stone or something?

Click to expand...

I'm a person who can't live without something being set in stone. I just can't. I don't know why.

Dekon said:

I'm a person who can't live without something being set in stone. I just can't. I don't know why.

Click to expand...

Better start engraving then... stone is pretty tough to work with.

Dekon said:

I'm a person who can't live without something being set in stone. I just can't. I don't know why.

Click to expand...

Theism:
Do you believe in God or a higher power? What it the nature of that deity? Is there more than one? Where is this entity?

Yes, I believe that there is a single God. I think that he/she helps us in our lives on a daily basis, that he/she communicates with us daily, and that he/she is always watching over our lives. See, about multiple deities. That is where I don't know what to do. I think there is one God, but I also feel like multiple Gods handle different things, because that is a lot to handle. I don't know how to incorporate that into my beliefs or what I would do about that. This entity is located in a vast realm that is above us, watching over each one of us personally. I also think that everything on Earth has a spirit, and we can invite those spirits into our lives to assist us, to protect us, etc.

Click to expand...

Near death experiencer Aurura Ray... wrote that she was shown that there are 14 Elohim.......
seven male and seven female......
and that each and every human who has ever lived.....
has one of those Elohim within their soul.........

The 14 Elohim correspond with.....

Revelation 1:4

John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace beunto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

The Elohim stated.....

Genesis 1:26

¶
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

First and foremost, a religion needs to claim divine sanction of a god who can't be contacted for verification or refutation of such sanction.