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The RULES of your religion

Rex

Founder
I have been reading lots of talk about this religion has these rules and that religion does this and my religion has that.


Does being part of a religion mean abiding by all of their rules? Can you not cut and paste where you see fit?

I know some are literal people but does learning about a religion require you sign away some of your freedom to just be a part of the group?
 
I am Roman Catholic. As alot of people may know, we have a lot of rules. Do all catholics follow and believe every single rule? NO, but I do because I believe the church is the infallible establishment the Jesus Christ instituted in the year 33 A.D. I have to trust in my church, the bride of Christ, to lead me to her divine spouse. The rules are there for good reasons. I will follow the will of God no matter what.
 

Lightkeeper

Well-Known Member
That leads to an interesting question. How many rules did Jesus have of his own. I remember:
Love your neighbor as your self.
Love your enemies.
Turn the other cheek.
Don't hide your lamp under a bushel.
Leave the dead to bury the dead.
Leave your mother and father.
You must die to be born again.

These weren't rules, but guidelines to higher conciousness.
 

Green Gaia

Veteran Member
Well as difficult as it is to define Unitarian Universalists, I think it's very easy to state the rules of UUism, because there aren't that many and can be summed up nicely in our core Principles:

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:
-The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
-Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
-Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
-A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
-The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
-The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
-Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

:mrgreen:
 

Death

Member
Respect nature.
Ignorance should be eradicated.
Pay attention to the universe.

That's it, the rest is down to the person.
 

anders

Well-Known Member
I don't think that I have a "religion". Rather, I probably have a philosophy of life.

I started as a rather ardent Protestant at approx. the age of 15. Now I have rejected most of the theological Christian tenets, but keep the good examples of Jesus' lifestyle, where applicable. The rest of the dogmas have been replaced with principles from the Sikh, Buddhist and Daoist faiths.

This mixture boils down to something like: Have as good a time as possible, but avoid hurting people and nature to the greatest practically possible extent.

One practical example: I drive my car only when loads to be transported (or mother, 87) make it necessary, in order to minimise pollution. Otherwise, I mostly walk (good for my health, and more relaxing). If the distance is considerably more than half an hour of walking, I sometimes go by tram if I feel lazy or if the weather is bad. For destinations outside my home town but still in Sweden, I normally go by train, which is cheaper, faster, less polluting (all trains are electrical) and more comfortable than most alternatives.
 

Ceridwen018

Well-Known Member
Question everything
Take nothing at face value
Think logically

Do this, and higher consciousness is yours, kids. :)
 
You do not have to follow all rules to be a part of something. Like I have stated in another debate on this site, I am Catholic, yet I do not believe in all things the Church states, such as birth control and homosexuality. Yet I believe in a lot of the things that are the basis of Catholicism. Call me crazy, but I like the saints. My confirmation saint i chose was hte patron saint of hangovers - yes you GOTTA LOVE IT. GET **** DRUNK AND HAVE A CHAT WITH SAINT VIVIAN. and let's say i get 'excommunicated' from the Church, though i dont know why i would. well, I would still consider myself a Catholic and go to mass and chat w/ St. Viv and whatnot, because that's what I am at heart. Always leave a little room for interpretation! ANd when you think about it, all religions really are philosophies.
 

true blood

Active Member
Jesus was opposed to religion. Religion is a system of rules that too often devalues and oppresses people. Religion is too often a system of dead rituals that never satisfy the deep longings of our soul. Religion too often creates a sense of guilt with no sense of love or forgiveness. Listen to a story from the life of Jesus.


One day Jesus was in the synagogue on the Sabbath day where he found a man with a crippled hand. The religious leaders had their eyes on Jesus to see if he would heal the man. They hoped to catch Jesus breaking one of their religious rules about what was proper and improper to do on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the crippled hand. "Stand here where we can see you." Then he spoke to the people: "What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless." No one said a word. He looked the religious leaders in the eye, one after another, angry and furious at their hard hearted religion. He said the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out and to everyone's shock, it was as good as new. The religious leaders hated Jesus because he had broken their rules and embarrassed them. They left the synagogue right away talking about how they would like to kill Jesus. (Mark 3:1-6)
 
true blood said:
Christianity is founded on the life and teachings of Jesus. Take out who he was, what he did and what he taught and you have no Christianity. Take away Buddha and you still have Buddhism. Take away Mohammed and your still have Islam. Take away Joseph Smith and you still have Mormonism. But you can't do this with Christianity.

back up here.... you take away muhammad... islam is based on muhammads teachings. please correct me if im wrong, cause im not a guru of islam, but the quaran is gods word as revealed to muhammad, is it not? the gospels are the words of jesus. and sorry, but ya can't just take away jesus, take away muhammad, take away buddha, etc. im a little confused at what your saying with christianity here?
 

Ceridwen018

Well-Known Member
I'm totally with teapot on this one!

Especially with Buddhism. Without Buddha, it wouldn't even have a name! Buddhism is in existence because the Buddha 'reached nirvana' and then set out to teach others. I am almost in a state of shock right now that you could have so ingnorantly posted that!
 

true blood

Active Member
Well its the truth. Read the Quran. I'll edit my post above because it strays off topic. Buddism consists of morality, concentration, and wisdom right??? While it has a major poetic side, and is filled with wonderfully disconcerting stories about the sound of single hands, and eating grapes while tigers plan on gobbling one up, and stepping away from the top of hundred foot poles; it also is grounded in an assertion that human beings can "figure it out," and the means to doing that figuring out is just sitting down, shutting up, and noticing what’s going on around oneself and within oneself.

It was founded somewhere between the fifth and sixth centuries before the birth of Christ, in what is now northern India, and more or less in sight of the Himalayas, by a real historical person named Gautama Siddhartha. The stories about his life claim he was a prince born to luxury. After encountering the perennial questions of sickness, old age and death; and witnessing someone who had renounced the things of the world in favor of seeking true depth; he surrendered his throne and family and entered the ascetic way of ancient Hinduism.

Remove Siddhartha aka Buddah aka the awakened and all the themes that is taught still exist..
 

Ceridwen018

Well-Known Member
Question everything
Take nothing at face value
Think logically

Do this, and higher consciousness is yours, kids. :)
 
You do not have to follow all rules to be a part of something. Like I have stated in another debate on this site, I am Catholic, yet I do not believe in all things the Church states, such as birth control and homosexuality. Yet I believe in a lot of the things that are the basis of Catholicism. Call me crazy, but I like the saints. My confirmation saint i chose was hte patron saint of hangovers - yes you GOTTA LOVE IT. GET **** DRUNK AND HAVE A CHAT WITH SAINT VIVIAN. and let's say i get 'excommunicated' from the Church, though i dont know why i would. well, I would still consider myself a Catholic and go to mass and chat w/ St. Viv and whatnot, because that's what I am at heart. Always leave a little room for interpretation! ANd when you think about it, all religions really are philosophies.
 

true blood

Active Member
Jesus was opposed to religion. Religion is a system of rules that too often devalues and oppresses people. Religion is too often a system of dead rituals that never satisfy the deep longings of our soul. Religion too often creates a sense of guilt with no sense of love or forgiveness. Listen to a story from the life of Jesus.


One day Jesus was in the synagogue on the Sabbath day where he found a man with a crippled hand. The religious leaders had their eyes on Jesus to see if he would heal the man. They hoped to catch Jesus breaking one of their religious rules about what was proper and improper to do on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the crippled hand. "Stand here where we can see you." Then he spoke to the people: "What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless." No one said a word. He looked the religious leaders in the eye, one after another, angry and furious at their hard hearted religion. He said the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out and to everyone's shock, it was as good as new. The religious leaders hated Jesus because he had broken their rules and embarrassed them. They left the synagogue right away talking about how they would like to kill Jesus. (Mark 3:1-6)
 
true blood said:
Christianity is founded on the life and teachings of Jesus. Take out who he was, what he did and what he taught and you have no Christianity. Take away Buddha and you still have Buddhism. Take away Mohammed and your still have Islam. Take away Joseph Smith and you still have Mormonism. But you can't do this with Christianity.

back up here.... you take away muhammad... islam is based on muhammads teachings. please correct me if im wrong, cause im not a guru of islam, but the quaran is gods word as revealed to muhammad, is it not? the gospels are the words of jesus. and sorry, but ya can't just take away jesus, take away muhammad, take away buddha, etc. im a little confused at what your saying with christianity here?
 

Ceridwen018

Well-Known Member
I'm totally with teapot on this one!

Especially with Buddhism. Without Buddha, it wouldn't even have a name! Buddhism is in existence because the Buddha 'reached nirvana' and then set out to teach others. I am almost in a state of shock right now that you could have so ingnorantly posted that!
 

true blood

Active Member
Well its the truth. Read the Quran. I'll edit my post above because it strays off topic. Buddism consists of morality, concentration, and wisdom right??? While it has a major poetic side, and is filled with wonderfully disconcerting stories about the sound of single hands, and eating grapes while tigers plan on gobbling one up, and stepping away from the top of hundred foot poles; it also is grounded in an assertion that human beings can "figure it out," and the means to doing that figuring out is just sitting down, shutting up, and noticing what’s going on around oneself and within oneself.

It was founded somewhere between the fifth and sixth centuries before the birth of Christ, in what is now northern India, and more or less in sight of the Himalayas, by a real historical person named Gautama Siddhartha. The stories about his life claim he was a prince born to luxury. After encountering the perennial questions of sickness, old age and death; and witnessing someone who had renounced the things of the world in favor of seeking true depth; he surrendered his throne and family and entered the ascetic way of ancient Hinduism.

Remove Siddhartha aka Buddah aka the awakened and all the themes that is taught still exist..
 

.lava

Veteran Member
I have been reading lots of talk about this religion has these rules and that religion does this and my religion has that.


Does being part of a religion mean abiding by all of their rules? Can you not cut and paste where you see fit?

I know some are literal people but does learning about a religion require you sign away some of your freedom to just be a part of the group?


hi,

in Islam, there are many rules. but they have different level of importance. some are basics, such as believing in one God, its Prophets and its angels, some are not basic such as women covering their hair, men growing beard.

nobody is perfect. therefor everyone makes mistakes or have somethings missing.

how are you gonna sign away your freedom? if a group wants you to change what you wear, my advice would be not to join. if they invite you to love people, hold your anger...that is fine. yet i would not call 'fighting against your ego' giving your freedom away..

bye:)
 
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