What distinct characteristic defines your religion?

[GoodbyeDave]

The distinctive feature of polytheism is realism. We expect a reasonable amount of evidence for the gods we worship. We are skeptical of people who announce that they are emissaries from the creator — we say show us your credentials. We are skeptical of people who say their scripture came from the creator — we ask why they didn't do a better job. We don't claim to love everybody — not everyone deserves it.

 

[crossfire]

The distinct characteristic that defines my religion? It is the nurturing and development of the individual mind so each person can resist the herd mentality and think for themselves.

 

[Quintessence]

For my own tradition, I would probably have to say non-anthropocentrism, if not anti-anthropocentrism. Another way of framing that would be ecocentrism or animism, if we want to speak in the positive instead of in the negative. I reject the notion that humans are somehow the center of importance and meaning. I reject the notion that humans are the only people. The world is not about humans, much less the universe, nor do humans have some special/privileged status in the eyes of the gods. My tradition considers all people, whether or not they are human, and on their own merits. That is something of a rarity in Western culture.

 

[syo]

My religion's characteristic is ''On'' (Life).

 

[Yerda]

For my own tradition, I would probably have to say non-anthropocentrism, if not anti-anthropocentrism. Another way of framing that would be ecocentrism or animism, if we want to speak in the positive instead of in the negative. I reject the notion that humans are somehow the center of importance and meaning. I reject the notion that humans are the only people. The world is not about humans, much less the universe, nor do humans have some special/privileged status in the eyes of the gods. My tradition considers all people, whether or not they are human, and on their own merits. That is something of a rarity in Western culture.

I like this.

I don't have a religion or a tradition but I do feel drawn to expressions like that above or this below,

THERE is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society where none intrudes

By the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love not man the less, but nature more,

From these our interviews, in which I steal

From all I may be, or have been before,

To mingle with the universe, and feel

What I can ne’er express, yet cannot all conceal.

From this poem: The Sea. Lord Byron (1788-1824). VII. The Sea. Bliss Carman, et al., eds. 1904. The World's Best Poetry. V. Nature

 

[SalixIncendium]

I would say the most distinguishing characteristics of my path are tolerance of the paths of others, the emphasis on understanding what I am rather than understanding what is other than me (others, a deity, etc.), and the absence of dogma.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

The distinct characteristic of Judaism is Law/Ethics. Our God is a God who cares deeply how we treat each other.