Using a religion’s name and surface features to dress up a personal philosophy

[Jim]

Update; I think now that wearing the name of a religion without being immersed in its stories or and in some community inspired by them, can sometimes be perfectly innocent and harmless if people are aware of that. Besides, I think it’s a always a mistake to think that what anyone says and does under the label of some religious community tells us anything whatsoever about that community.

 

[Jim]

Update: I'm thinking now that the popularity of people using the names of religions as labels for their individual personal philosophies and lifestyles, is part of what is obscuring the light of religion and diverting attention from it. I don't mean that it's wrong for people to do that, just something to be aware of for people who are working to help bring out the best possibilities in science and religion.

 

[siti]

I think it is only a problem because of the superficial nature of religious dialogue - especially such as happens on internet forums - we take the label as defining the person and their beliefs...the reality is that there are many nuances and shades of meaning and understanding in each believers conceptions...and in the case of some traditions, we really don't know for sure what the founders really taught - we have to interpret the tradition as best we can in our own circumstances. I prefer (these days) not to take a label at all - if I did, one day I'd be a pantheist, the next a humanist or a universalist...the "light of religion", I think, is seen best by looking at as many as we can and taking the best from each - but who decides which bits are "best"? We can each only do that for ourselves - and if what resonates with us most resembles an existing religious tradition, I guess there's nothing wrong with taking that label...OTOH - I am reminded of the thought in Isaiah 4:1...so I guess I should say there's nothing wrong with taking such labels as long as the intent is not to deceive.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I have no idea what this thread is about. Is this some personal issue the OP is having with another user and they're airing it out in a veiled way here???

 

[Jim]

Is this some personal issue the OP is having with another user and they're airing it out in a veiled way here???

No. It’s true that I was having a personal issue, but not with one person only, and I don’t think that my reason for starting this thread was to air that out. What if it was? Where do you want to go with that?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

No. It’s true that I was having a personal issue, but not with one person only, and I don’t think that my reason for starting this thread was to air that out. What if it was? Where do you want to go with that?

I don't care. I was just curious what this was about. I can't think of an example of what you're talking about.

 

[Jim]

I don't care. I was just curious what this was about. I can't example of what you're talking about.

If you’re curious enough, you could try reading all the posts in the thread.

 

[Jim]

I can't example of what you're talking about.

Okay, I’ll give an example of what I’m talking about, not from these forums. Baha’is used to talk a lot about Baha’i principles of eliminating prejudices, oneness of religions, oneness of mankind, harmony of science and religion, education for all, independent investigation of truth, a common language for the world, and some others. A lot of people who liked those ideas started calling themselves “Baha’is,” without knowing or caring anything about the community or its founder whose name they were using, in ways that misrepresented that community and sometimes even defamed its name. I’m seeing people doing that with all religions, taking a name from a community as a label for their philosophy and way of life, without any respect for that community or the stories that made that community what it is, sometimes even in opposition to its purposes, defaming its name. They might be doing that in all sincerity and innocence, but sometimes the reason they’re doing it is to appropriate the appeal and reputation of that community, without doing anything to deserve it, and sometimes even defaming its name.

 

[Jim]

@Saint Frankenstein I’m not sure if this will help or not. Think of all the fairy tales that people are wrapping up with ribbons and bows from science, calling them “scientific,” trying to add credibility to what they’re saying. That’s the same way I feel about people trying to benefit from the appeal and reputation of a religion, by using its name as a label for their philosophy and way of life, with contempt for the community and its stories, that gave the religion that appeal and reputation, and sometimes even in opposition to its purposes, defaming its name.

 

[Jim]

I think that I’ve been fooled more by people’s avatars than I have by the labels they use for their philosophy and way of life.