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Is There A Factor Common To All Religions?

Sunstone

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Is there a factor common to all religions? The only one I can think of that might fit the bill is that nearly all religions involve some sort of ritual (even if they don't call it ritual). Yet, there are things that involve ritual which are not religions (marriages, for instance, involve ritual). So that characteristic of religions is not defining in and of itself. But what do you think? What do all religions have in common?
 
Sunstone

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
What about the notion that people are, at least sometimes, in need of some sort of tansformation or reconciliation to ultimate reality? Is that notion something common to all religions?
 
Bishka

Bishka

Veteran Member
Sunstone said:
Is Buddhism, Taoism, or Shinto notable for faith?
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Faith in something or another.

Faith in themselves, faith in each other, faith in what they believe in. To me it doesn't have to be notable.
 
kreeden

kreeden

Virus of the Mind
I agree with Becky . It may not be Faith in a God , as Christians tend to view it , but there is a Faith factor .

Also " Enlightment ", whatever that may mean ? :)
 
lilithu

lilithu

The Devil's Advocate
Sunstone said:
Is Buddhism, Taoism, or Shinto notable for faith?
Click to expand...
Western proponents of Buddhism have tended to de-emphasize the faith aspect but I can point you to books and articles written about Buddhist faith. One by Bikku Bodhi came out in Tricycle a few months back.

And then there's always one of my favorite quotes:
"Understanding without faith does not advance to practice." --Fa Tsang

Actually, I think this quote encapsulates what all the major religions have in common to me:
1) an understanding of how the world is and how we are
2) a faith in how the world should be and how we should be
3) a practice to get us from where we are to where we should be
 
Sunstone

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
lilithu said:
Actually, I think this quote encapsulates what all the major religions have in common to me:
1) an understanding of how the world is and how we are
2) a faith in how the world should be and how we should be
3) a practice to get us from where we are to where we should be
Click to expand...

Wish I could frubal you twice for pointing that out! It makes a great deal of sense to me.
 
Hema

Hema

Sweet n Spicy
Simple...all religions lead to the same God. We all pray to one God just in different ways. The Rig Veda says that God is one but is called by many names. For Hindus, the highest name for God is Om...the Bible says in the beginning was the word and the word was God. Scientists say that the first word to come out of creation was "Om". So, it's the same God we all pray to. God - our Divine Mother & Father is the same.
 
d.

d.

_______
Hema said:
We all pray to one God just in different ways.
Click to expand...

as a taoist(tao chia), i don't pray, so no. no ritual or faith either.

lilithu said:
Western proponents of Buddhism have tended to de-emphasize the faith aspect but I can point you to books and articles written about Buddhist faith.
Click to expand...

because when we say 'buddhism' or 'taoism' it's blanket terms for a field of varying practices?
 
Hema

Hema

Sweet n Spicy
divine said:
as a taoist(tao chia), i don't pray, so no. no ritual or faith either.
Click to expand...

Do you believe in God? If yes, then how do you communicate with him/her?
 
Jayhawker Soule

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
retrorich said:
Fantasy
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That is simply ignorant. Where was/is the fantasy in the views of Shirley Jackson Case, Mordecai Kaplan, Henry Nelson Wieman, Alfred North Whitehead, Paul Tillich and others?
 
Booko

Booko

Deviled Hen
Sunstone said:
Is there a factor common to all religions? The only one I can think of that might fit the bill is that nearly all religions involve some sort of ritual (even if they don't call it ritual).
Click to expand...

Nope, that one won't do either. My religion is about as ritual free as it gets. Certainly we're not sacerdotal.

Yet, there are things that involve ritual which are not religions (marriages, for instance, involve ritual).
Click to expand...

Uh, the marriage vow consists of repeating one rather short sentence. That's a pretty minimalist ritual, if one would even call it ritual at all.

But you do mention one thing religions do have in common -- they do define certain parameters for marriage. Other commonalities are funeral procedures, dietary laws, and often matters of inheritance.

So that characteristic of religions is not defining in and of itself. But what do you think? What do all religions have in common?
Click to expand...

The Golden Rule, most likely.

Basic morality such as be truthful, honest, generous, cheerful, kind to others, etc. Help those in need.
 
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