Thanks for the responses. I realize that many faiths have fascinating aspects in them, some are pretty broad ones.. but what about specific things that caught your attention?
for example Islamic art and architecture, how the Persian architecture made an impact and reached in its influence from Isfahan to the Taj Mahal, or the naturalism found in Taoism that can be reflected in the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, the way that the wisdom encourages society to live in tuned with nature and not exploit it, the approach that a person ought to learn how to sustain themselves and not be dependent on the human beurocratic system.
Thank you, Caladan, for adding this clarification. I had originally thought you wanted specific points, but after everyone responded the other way, I guessed I was wrong and so said nothing. Now I feel like I can respond. I'll respond by religion.
Roman Catholicism: I like the focus on ritual, because I think there's too little meaningful ritual in our modern lives. I also like the beauty of the architecture. I love the theological tradition, both in its approach and in its products. I like the emphasis on the need for proper authority. I love the history stretching back thousands of years. I like its position as a universal benchmark of Christianity (in the west, at least). I love that it has helped keep Latin studies alive. I love Pope Benedict XVI. I like the clergy. I like the Vulgate. I like the doctrine of "extra ecclesiam nulla salus." I like the importance placed on the sacraments. I like the existence and use of a catechism. I like the veneration of the saints and the reverence for Mary. I like the Latin Mass. I really like antiphony a lot. I could go on for a while on all of this, but I don't think I have the time for it.
Orthodoxy: Just about everything I said for Roman Catholicism could apply here as well, of course. In addition, I like the basic episcopal organization as opposed to the hierarchy of the RCC based on primacy of the Roman bishop. I also like the additional sense of freedom on matters of belief within Orthodoxy that is even freer than its counterpart in the RCC (which is already quite free compared to what is found in any given Protestant church). I also like the Orthodox Church because of the fact that the Anglo-Saxons stayed Orthodox after the Schism (until the Normans came and enforced Roman Catholicism).
Protestantism generally: I tend to like the back-to-basics approach. I'm often torn here, since I also like the ritual and tradition and everything that back-to-basics throws out. But I do sort of admire the iconoclastic approach of Protestants. I also like the emphasis placed on faith.
Anglicanism: I like the Book of Common Prayer and the Authorized Version of the Bible. I like the tradition. I like the Englishness. I like the apostolicity of the church I see it as basically English Catholicism. Much of what I like about Roman Catholicism I also like about Anglicanism. I like evensong. I like Rowan Williams.
Judaism: I like that they have kept Hebrew studies alive. I like the emphasis on reading and discussing scripture in depth and in detail. I like the exegesis. I like the solidarity of the people. I like the Tanakh.
Islam: I love the callgiraphy and other art. I love the medieval history of learning and culture. I love the emphasis placed on prayer. I like the Hajj a lot. I like the universalism. I like the simplicity of the faith. I like the Qur'an.
Baha'i: I love the peacefulness, tolerance, and acceptance of the Baha'i people. I don't know of any faith whose adherents are more consistently kind, accepting, loving, and supportive of people (in my experience).
Hinduism: I like the Aryan qualities of the faith. I like the Vedas. I like the Bhagavad-Gita. I like the rituals. I like the sensuousness of the religion. I like the general idea of castes. I like the idea of karma. I like the acknowledgement of the divinity in all of us. I like the principle of ahimsa. I like the chants. I like the variety.
Buddhism: I like Zen Buddhism. I like Vajrayana Buddhism's sex-positiveness.
Jainism: I like the aceticism.
Sikhism: I like the five k's.
Germanic folk religion: I love the gods. I like the focus on kinship. I like the traditional Aryan values (that's true of other indigenous Aryan religions as well). I love the Eddas and the other holy writings of the ancient Germanic people. I like the holidays. I like the focus on the earth. I like the runes. I like the focus on our ancestors. Actually, there's nothing I don't like about the Germanic folk religion, and it's not really a faith other than my own.
Wicca: I like the focus on the divinity of the masculine and the feminine. I like the symbolism related to the masculine and the feminine. I like the Wiccan Rede a lot. I like the symbolism and ritualism of Gardnerian Wicca. I like the focus on natural cycles.
Taoism: I like the Tao Te Ching. I like the I Ching, too, but I don't understand it. I like the ideas of yin-yang. If I understand it right, I really like the idea of wu wei if I don't, then I really don't.
Confucianism: I like filial piety and want to practice it better.
Left-Hand Paths: I like the focus on individual action and responsibility, and individual progress and development.
Secular Humanism: I like the general focus on empiricism and careful discrimination between what is known and what is not known. I like the respect for humanity and life.
Most of all these things I try to incorporate into my own life and worship. Some of them (like the Sikhs' five k's) I just respect from the outside with no intention of joining in.
