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Culture vs Religion

ronki23

Well-Known Member
This is something that's always been in the back of my mind:

Christianity, Judaism and Islam all believe in Abraham, Noah, Moses,etc. but the culture is so vastly different between Muslims and Christians. Jews seem to be in the Middle as most Jews I've heard of are secular and some atheist- I don't know how many of Israel's Jews are religious but the Naturei Karta and the Haredi are both very different to your run of the mill Israeli. Same religion up to a point but differ vastly in culture

On the other hand you have different religions in Asia: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism but the culture is similar despite religions being different. For example, Jains frequent Hindu Mandirs and vice versa, Nepalese people say they're both Hindu and Buddhist, Laos; Burma; Thailand and Cambodia is a mixture of Hindu and Buddhism, Vietnam is very Chinese in its culture, Sikhs want their own country despite first born Hindu Punjabis joining the Khalsa and becoming Sikh; intermarriage between Sikhs and Hindus,etc. Don't know much about Japan and Korea though. Back to the topic- different religions same culture.

There seems to be no correlation between religion and culture
 

Darkforbid

Well-Known Member
This is something that's always been in the back of my mind:

Christianity, Judaism and Islam all believe in Abraham, Noah, Moses,etc. but the culture is so vastly different between Muslims and Christians. Jews seem to be in the Middle as most Jews I've heard of are secular and some atheist- I don't know how many of Israel's Jews are religious but the Naturei Karta and the Haredi are both very different to your run of the mill Israeli. Same religion up to a point but differ vastly in culture

On the other hand you have different religions in Asia: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism but the culture is similar despite religions being different. For example, Jains frequent Hindu Mandirs and vice versa, Nepalese people say they're both Hindu and Buddhist, Laos; Burma; Thailand and Cambodia is a mixture of Hindu and Buddhism, Vietnam is very Chinese in its culture, Sikhs want their own country despite first born Hindu Punjabis joining the Khalsa and becoming Sikh; intermarriage between Sikhs and Hindus,etc. Don't know much about Japan and Korea though. Back to the topic- different religions same culture.

There seems to be no correlation between religion and culture

It around 70% of Jewish are atheists
 

Epic Beard Man

Bearded Philosopher
This is something that's always been in the back of my mind:

Christianity, Judaism and Islam all believe in Abraham, Noah, Moses,etc. but the culture is so vastly different between Muslims and Christians. Jews seem to be in the Middle as most Jews I've heard of are secular and some atheist- I don't know how many of Israel's Jews are religious but the Naturei Karta and the Haredi are both very different to your run of the mill Israeli. Same religion up to a point but differ vastly in culture

On the other hand you have different religions in Asia: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism but the culture is similar despite religions being different. For example, Jains frequent Hindu Mandirs and vice versa, Nepalese people say they're both Hindu and Buddhist, Laos; Burma; Thailand and Cambodia is a mixture of Hindu and Buddhism, Vietnam is very Chinese in its culture, Sikhs want their own country despite first born Hindu Punjabis joining the Khalsa and becoming Sikh; intermarriage between Sikhs and Hindus,etc. Don't know much about Japan and Korea though. Back to the topic- different religions same culture.

There seems to be no correlation between religion and culture

There is a complex intersectionality among the Asian religious systems that is at times oversimplified. Most of the Asian religions that you listed are considered “ethnoreligions” due to the dense culture of Asians and South-East Asians. I would classify Judaism as part of that category but that is up for debate.

But I disagree there is a correlation between religion and culture.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
If there is no correlation between religion and culture, it is because "religion" as understood by Westerners has been constructed in a way that makes it so. For most of human history, we really didn't have these academic classifications and the current system is thoroughly a product of Western (European) culture. Put another way, for most of human history, religion is an indistinguishable from culture. For some of us it still is. Even the Western construct called "religion" is still an inseparable component of culture. It sounds to me that you might be confusing cultural diversity with a lack of relationship between the two?
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
This is something that's always been in the back of my mind:

Christianity, Judaism and Islam all believe in Abraham, Noah, Moses,etc. but the culture is so vastly different between Muslims and Christians. Jews seem to be in the Middle as most Jews I've heard of are secular and some atheist- I don't know how many of Israel's Jews are religious but the Naturei Karta and the Haredi are both very different to your run of the mill Israeli. Same religion up to a point but differ vastly in culture

On the other hand you have different religions in Asia: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism but the culture is similar despite religions being different. For example, Jains frequent Hindu Mandirs and vice versa, Nepalese people say they're both Hindu and Buddhist, Laos; Burma; Thailand and Cambodia is a mixture of Hindu and Buddhism, Vietnam is very Chinese in its culture, Sikhs want their own country despite first born Hindu Punjabis joining the Khalsa and becoming Sikh; intermarriage between Sikhs and Hindus,etc. Don't know much about Japan and Korea though. Back to the topic- different religions same culture.

There seems to be no correlation between religion and culture

I do believe that religion and culture have a strong relationship. What you describe in Asia between Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism repersents a cultural continuum of the cultures of Asia, with distinctive but not separate cultural identity for each religion. Buddhism also evolved cultural identities as it expanded through Nepal, China and Southeast Asia.

The abrahamic religions also have a cultural continuum of religion, but they have developed more separate distinctive cultural identities in each religion, separated by language for one thing as a part of the identity of each. Languages is also a part of the cultural identity of Eastern religions.

I see a distinctive cultural identity in the picture one your posts.
 
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Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Christianity focuses on ethical pillars not on cultural traditions.
I can read the Bible in Italian, English, French, Spanish...the meaning won't change.
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
Source please?

I'd also like to know the total number of Jews in the world
I do not buy the percentage of atheists, but yes there are large numbers of atheists and agnostics in Judaism. The binding force is their common cultural heritage, language, and Jewish ethnicity.
 
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shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
Christianity focuses on ethical pillars not on cultural traditions.
I can read the Bible in Italian, English, French, Spanish...the meaning won't change.
There remain cultural pillars in Christianity in fact rooted Latin and Greek You can read and shared understanding the Bible in Italian, Spanish, French and English because of the shared cultural linguistic foundation, which extends back to Greek philosophy.
 

ronki23

Well-Known Member
How so? The picture speaks of a distinct Hindu Culture. You will not see this classic bress, and imagery in any other culture.

I'd hardly say it's distinct- 20-40% of people who visit Gurdwara are Hindu. I'm pretty sure the majority of Hindu Punjabis hold the Gurus in high regard (I'm not Punjabi though)
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
I'd hardly say it's distinct- 20-40% of people who visit Gurdwara are Hindu. I'm pretty sure the majority of Hindu Punjabis hold the Gurus in high regard (I'm not Punjabi though)

The imagery remains culturally Hindu nonetheless. Specific images involved, of course may vary, but the art clothing and style imagery is Hindu culture. The Hindu language remains at the foundation of the culture and religion Hindu religion, and the different divisions of Hinduism share the same culture..
 
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David T

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
This is something that's always been in the back of my mind:

Christianity, Judaism and Islam all believe in Abraham, Noah, Moses,etc. but the culture is so vastly different between Muslims and Christians. Jews seem to be in the Middle as most Jews I've heard of are secular and some atheist- I don't know how many of Israel's Jews are religious but the Naturei Karta and the Haredi are both very different to your run of the mill Israeli. Same religion up to a point but differ vastly in culture

On the other hand you have different religions in Asia: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism but the culture is similar despite religions being different. For example, Jains frequent Hindu Mandirs and vice versa, Nepalese people say they're both Hindu and Buddhist, Laos; Burma; Thailand and Cambodia is a mixture of Hindu and Buddhism, Vietnam is very Chinese in its culture, Sikhs want their own country despite first born Hindu Punjabis joining the Khalsa and becoming Sikh; intermarriage between Sikhs and Hindus,etc. Don't know much about Japan and Korea though. Back to the topic- different religions same culture.

There seems to be no correlation between religion and culture
Uh....

Sorry culture and religion arent separate even though every crackpot religious dimwit believes it is.
 

crossfire

LHP Mercuræn Feminist Heretic ☿
Premium Member
An aspect of Buddhism is being able to discern the dharma from the cultural nomos, bringing the cultural nomos into consciousness, examining it, and rejecting the parts that propagate greed, hatred, and delusion. (Resisting Māra)
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
There seems to be no correlation between religion and culture

Sorry culture and religion arent separate

They are and they aren't depending on the specific religious group and the culture in which it operates.

The biggest example of this is Islam. Islam as it's practiced in the US is very different for most from how it's practiced in the Middle East, for example. One big example is dress code. In some countries, the dress code for women is a matter of law and violators are punished. In the US, it's a matter, as the religion specifies, of the individuals to choose - modesty being the governing principle.

Philip Kapleau, a Zen teacher, modified traditional Buddhist practice where monks begged as not being appropriate in the West. When I visited his center decades ago, they picked up trash to serve the same root purpose as begging serves in the East.

There are no doubt a lot of examples where the religious groups strive to keep the cultural aspects as well as the religiously mandated ones..
 

ronki23

Well-Known Member
Epic BearqIXONxsENbQ : 6174157 said:
There is a complex intersectionality among the Asian religious systems that is at times oversimplified. Most of the Asian religions that you listed are considered “ethnoreligions” due to the dense culture of Asians and South-East Asians. I would classify Judaism as part of that category but that is up for debate.

But I disagree there is a correlation between religion and culture.

If there is no correlation between religion and culture, it is because "religion" as understood by Westerners has been constructed in a way that makes it so. For most of human history, we really didn't have these academic classifications and the current system is thoroughly a product of Western (European) culture. Put another way, for most of human history, religion is an indistinguishable from culture. For some of us it still is. Even the Western construct called "religion" is still an inseparable component of culture. It sounds to me that you might be confusing cultural diversity with a lack of relationship between the two?

The imagery remains culturally Hindu nonetheless. Specific images involved, of course may vary, but the art clothing and style imagery is Hindu culture. The Hindu language remains at the foundation of the culture and religion Hindu religion, and the different divisions of Hinduism share the same culture..

Uh....

Sorry culture and religion arent separate even though every crackpot religious dimwit believes it is.

They are and they aren't depending on the specific religious group and the culture in which it operates.

The biggest example of this is Islam. Islam as it's practiced in the US is very different for most from how it's practiced in the Middle East, for example. One big example is dress code. In some countries, the dress code for women is a matter of law and violators are punished. In the US, it's a matter, as the religion specifies, of the individuals to choose - modesty being the governing principle.

Philip Kapleau, a Zen teacher, modified traditional Buddhist practice where monks begged as not being appropriate in the West. When I visited his center decades ago, they picked up trash to serve the same root purpose as begging serves in the East.

There are no doubt a lot of examples where the religious groups strive to keep the cultural aspects as well as the religiously mandated ones..

Why do Hindus, Jains and Sikhs have a similar culture despite being different religions?



Why is the culture of Islam so different to Christianity and Judaism despite them all being Abrahamic? Even within Islam the Arab, Persian and South Asians are so different culturally- I hardly see Arab Muslims with long beards and I hardly see Persian Muslims with chin curtains. Wedding example:




In Christianity the Coptics and Orthodox are quite different to Catholics and Protestants. I don't see much difference between Catholics and Protestants culturally- especially in America.

Jews have a very similar culture to Christians.

Things Not To Say To Jewish People

Buddhism in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia is different to Buddhism in Nepal and Burma which in turn is different to Japanese Buddhism. What gives?
 
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