Religion and Religious Texts

[rojse]

How does the religious text of your religion affect your understanding of your religion? Is it important to your religious beliefs and practices or not? How?

 

[Madhuri]

It is to me, because it is the foundation of my (and many other) religion. For me specifically, I am more dedicated to drawing information from the scriptures than from the religious group, which is influenced by different people's interpretations. I'll go with my own intelligence and sense of truth than what others tell me.

 

[Atreyu]

I once got into a heated debate with another Satanist about Levay's teachings. This person strongly believed that Satanism required study. I however strongly dissagreed with his anology as my personal thoughts are that Levay strongly intended a Satanist to be an individual without the need to strictly follow anything, except for a few guidlines.

 

[enchanted_one1975]

They allow me to more properly worship my Gods and Goddesses. They also help decipher messages given to me by The Gods and Goddesses.

 

[rojse]

They allow me to more properly worship my Gods and Goddesses. They also help decipher messages given to me by The Gods and Goddesses.

The Gods and Goddesses would not make their messages clear?

 

[Buttons*]

How does the religious text of your religion affect your understanding of your religion? Is it important to your religious beliefs and practices or not? How?

.... Is that a trick question?

Well... without my religious text, there wouldn't be any understanding of my faith. From there, it's pretty obvious as to why it's important to me. But, I suppose that the most important thing I get from my scripture is the deep understanding that comes through the texts and penetrates me in a very completing way. I haven't found that with anything else. As for practices... I can't say that my texts actually list many practices for the faithful. I imagine they'd be aligned with Jewish purity law (somewhat) as well as general goodness... they help keep me on track.

 

[rojse]

.... Is that a trick question?

Not at all. Many people place differing strengths upon the value of their religious text. Some people use everything in there, some people use much of it, and some disregard much of it, taking only a few lessons.

I wanted to examine that.

Well... without my religious text, there wouldn't be any understanding of my faith. From there, it's pretty obvious as to why it's important to me. But, I suppose that the most important thing I get from my scripture is the deep understanding that comes through the texts and penetrates me in a very completing way. I haven't found that with anything else. As for practices... I can't say that my texts actually list many practices for the faithful. I imagine they'd be aligned with Jewish purity law (somewhat) as well as general goodness... they help keep me on track.

Thanks for sharing, Buttons.

 

[Riverwolf]

For me, the religious texts are guidebooks of sorts; important, but not finally essential or infallible.

 

[enchanted_one1975]

The Gods and Goddesses would not make their messages clear?

Well I don't plan on seeing a burning bush any time soon. That, to me, seems a little far fetched.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

How does the religious text of your religion affect your understanding of your religion? Is it important to your religious beliefs and practices or not? How?

The Baha'i Faith in fact has about 200 volumes of Baha'i scripture, all written (or dictated & then vetted) by our three Central Figures!

These are most important to us because they clearly define who we are, what our purposes are, and what we should and shouldn't do, as well as giving lots of other information about how we are to function both religiously and in our daily lives!

We also have the great advantage in all this that we posess the original manuscript of EVERY ONE of our 200 volumes of Baha'i scripture--indeed, anything for which we don't have the original can't and isn't considered scriptural! And this makes it MUCH easier (compared to many other groups) to know exactly what our teachings are and what we should be doing!

If you're interested, you can see these at:

• www.bahai-library.org (select "Writings" to see our scriptures),
• www.reference.bahai.org (this site is multilingual), and
• www.bahaistudy.org (this site also has videos and talking books.

Best!

Bruce

 

[Mr Cheese]

How does the religious text of your religion affect your understanding of your religion? Is it important to your religious beliefs and practices or not? How?

they provide a cosmological structure, but first and foremost show that experience of God is primary and scripture is laregly irrelivant in comparison

as far as practises go...
I think they show it is important to not settle into a routine for the sake of falling into a routine...
In other words, if my religion was joke tellin, it would be important to know, I didnt need top put on a funny hat every time, or at all.

A key approach of course is discipline...
actually having the discipline to meditate, to think properly, to act responsibly...

A good book for purely gnostic followers is the gnostic prayer book, by the ordewr of nazorean essenes.
There are others such as the gnostic book of hours, which I kind of am not sure about as it mainly follows a jungian approach, which is a part of modern gnosticism.

However a chief part of Gnosticism is that we are called forth to create our own religion for ourselves, that is one approach.
Others actually participate in church services, not being near california, this is not somethign I do. I'm actually currently incorporating mandaean/manichaean prayer with basic meditation...I am re-reading a kabbalah book and hope to begin a long practise of prqactical kabbalah again.

tmi I know...

We have purified our hands in Kushta In the Name of the Living Gods! We have purified our hands in Kushta and our lips in faith. We have uttered words of radiance and were absorbed in thoughts of Light. Thou, my Lord Yeshu d-Hiya, art blessed and praised and thy praise is established. Great is the strength of Life; abounding the glory of the mighty Life! Honor resteth upon the Uthras who sit in glory. This is prayer and praise which came to them from the great place of Light and the everlasting Abode. We praise with it when we have risen from our sleep, before any have spoken falsehood. For anyone who prayeth this prayer there will be forgiving of sins and transgressions in the great place of Light and in the everlasting Abode.

And Life is transcendant.

http://www.amazon.com/Gnostic-Praye..._1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255966152&sr=8-1#noop

 

[Mr Cheese]

Well I don't plan on seeing a burning bush any time soon. That, to me, seems a little far fetched.

no, I'd suggest some cream