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Poll: Which Parts of Religion Do You Focus On the Most?
- Thread starter Exaltist Ethan
- Start date
I would say that I focus the most on 'beliefs and theology.' What this means for me is making God the most important focus of my mind and intellect. This is not in an academic sense but in a devotional sense. If by 'rites and rituals' I can include fasting and doing my work/tasks for God, then rites and rituals is probably the second thing that I focus on the most. Ethics is important to me, and living a dharmic life to the best of my ability comes naturally.
I focus on whether a religion expresses itself in terms of the universal spiritual nature of humanity in the history of humanity on earth and the relevancy of the scripture on the nature of our physical existence. The religions of the world based on ancient tribal scripture is not relevant to the contemporary world. Ancient religions reflect the culture and time of their scripture and not a universal perspective of the nature of our existence. There is,of course, some guidance and knowledge in ancient scripture, bit it needs to considered in the context of the culture and times it was revealed.
Personal preference on beliefs, theology, morals and ethics, and rituals are subjective self preference beliefs for the most part based on the sense of community and identity the individual is raised in, or in some cases sought by the individual ro suit their personal needs and desires.
I am a Baha'i, but that is written in pencil. I believe in a 'Source' some call God(s). I am a student of Buddha's teachings, but not a Buddhist, Buddha taught that nothing is permanent nor necessary from the human perspective. I am fundamentally a Universalist (not UU) philosophically, which assumes a basically detached universal view of the diversity of human beliefs in our history. I also believe strongly in science concerning the nature of our physical existence, because it considers our knowledge as not 'Truth.' but an evolving constantly changing body of knowledge.
Personal preference on beliefs, theology, morals and ethics, and rituals are subjective self preference beliefs for the most part based on the sense of community and identity the individual is raised in, or in some cases sought by the individual ro suit their personal needs and desires.
I am a Baha'i, but that is written in pencil. I believe in a 'Source' some call God(s). I am a student of Buddha's teachings, but not a Buddhist, Buddha taught that nothing is permanent nor necessary from the human perspective. I am fundamentally a Universalist (not UU) philosophically, which assumes a basically detached universal view of the diversity of human beliefs in our history. I also believe strongly in science concerning the nature of our physical existence, because it considers our knowledge as not 'Truth.' but an evolving constantly changing body of knowledge.
From the fallible human perspective the desire for 'direct truth' is an illusive and unrealistic/ It is based to seek knowledge without as much as possible personal subjective bias.
Search for 'Truth' can be a flight of fancy.'
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Not if one holds back opinions and thoughts, and allow things to play without human 'interference' as a neutral observer.
Nature has a way of communicating the direct reality of things quite well.
. . . Nature can be a teacher, but from the human perspective not 'direct truth.'
I was reluctant to make a choice between the three. If you consider 'beliefs and Theology' It is meaningful to me concerning the subjective question from the fallible human perspective of what to believe between the many conflicting diverse beliefs when each on considers the the 'true' belief.
Ethics
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Lay out in the sun all day when it warms this summer without sunscreen.
The direct truth will present itself. You won't even need to look for it. ;0)
Beliefs are an unavoidable and unwelcome hurdle. Theology is worse than useless.
Rituals have practical value. Ultimately, the practice is all.
Rituals have practical value. Ultimately, the practice is all.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
lā ḥawla wa-lā quwwata ʾillā bi-llāhi
Clearly, you are not a Bahai. You do not accept what is written on stone.
Nothing in the Baha'i writings is written in stone. The belief in Progressive Revelation is humanity spiritually changes and evolves over time and nothing is written in stone.
Your post is nothing but a biased assertion, and did not respond to my post.
What you achieve is knowledge to a limited extent, not 'direct truth. Some people can layout or be in the sun all day without burning. This is due to racial differences in how dark your skin color is. If you happen to be red headed white Nordic you can be in the hospital with only a few hours or less exposure.
Seek knowledge noy 'Truth.'
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
This is why you can't derive the truth from belief and embellishments.
The direct truth presents itself. Not the other way around.
I’m going to try and offer a different take on a question.
I don’t have a focus. To have a focus here is to isolate one of these from the others. This is not how I conceive of religion. In my conception, each of these is connected to the other two. Rites and rituals bring expression to the stories and traditions of religion, the beliefs and theological understandings are the starting point for the ethics and morality of religion. My own faith tradition does not have too many rituals, so I suppose I’m down to just two, but my point is valid. One cannot isolate beliefs and theology from ethics and morality. They are interrelated.
I don’t have a focus. To have a focus here is to isolate one of these from the others. This is not how I conceive of religion. In my conception, each of these is connected to the other two. Rites and rituals bring expression to the stories and traditions of religion, the beliefs and theological understandings are the starting point for the ethics and morality of religion. My own faith tradition does not have too many rituals, so I suppose I’m down to just two, but my point is valid. One cannot isolate beliefs and theology from ethics and morality. They are interrelated.
RestlessSoul
Well-Known Member
Even stone is in a state of flux. It’s form is no more set than that of water. Did you forget the impermanence of all things, my Hindu friend.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Yeah, nothing written on stone, but in books. "I believe in a 'Source' some call God(s)."
There is just One God in Bahaiism, the God of Abraham.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
No. But stone and water, you and me, exist in this impermanent world, This too is a reality, altthough at a different level. This is known as "Vyavaharika Satya" (Pragmatic Reality). Then there is an Absolute Reality which is known as "Paramarthika Satya". Nothing other than Brahman exists in that reality.
Reread what you cite. I did not say there is more than one 'Source.' God is only a three letter word describing the eternal 'Source' of everything. Different religions such as the many varied Vedic religions believe in multiple Gods and some variable descriptions of One God.. The Baha'i view of God is NOT only the God of Abraham, but the eternal 'Source of all of our existence and the universal 'Source' of guidance and Revelation in all religions and cultures. It is true in the different diverse religions and cultures mold God or Gods in their own cultural image and define their beliefs as exclusively true, but in the Baha'i Faith God has no such image or definable identity from the human perspective.
What is written in books is no more permanent than stones or water that over time go to dust, oxidize, change and vapor to return again in various forms. Nothing is permanent nor necessary and will always eternally evolve, change and return.
Our illusions and delusions of the permanence of our beliefs, theology, morals, ethics and rituals are as permanent as the vapors and dust of our physical existence. Our solar system itself will turn to cold dust, vapors and some wandering asteroids in the voids of space and return again as part of other solar systems as we see happening throughout our universe,
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