What is religion?

a reply to: Peeple

What is a fact?

What is truth and what is fiction?

Who wants to know what??

a reply to: Peeple

A person can have / be spiritual without being shackled by the chains of religion .. they get labled crazy or hippy by those who are bound by the chains of religion because theyre to afraid to face the truths spirituality reveals .. easier to believe the interpretations / dogma of others and religion rather than take the journey to learn for themselves ..

Religion, the world would be better off without it. I understand having faith in a God or supreme being, but having an organization that preaches to the masses as if they're teachings are based on facts, is just as bad as being a member of a cult. Their masses are nothing short of rituals, and they manipulate biblical teachings to suit their control over their followers. They use the bible as proof, yet they have removed many sections of the bible that don't fit with their teachings. They ignore the old testament God and focus more on the new testament God. So which is the true God? There is a definite conflict in their own hold scriptures. To follow a religious teaching that says "kill the infidels" is hardly the words from a loving God.

Their leaders live like kings while they suck up donations from their sheep. It's littered with hypocrisy, political undertones, control, brain washing, and justification of wars and killing of people who don't practice or follow their beliefs. The history of religion is disgusting. It's filled with torture and killings of the innocent who dared to question their authority or beliefs. Today many ministers and priests have shown their true colors and have been exposed to be criminals and con artists. While their "God like righteous organization" tries to hide their criminal escapades.

Organized religion

originally posted by: Itisnowagain
a reply to: Peeple
it just seems as if there are but when the two become one the kingdom is revealed.
The knower and the known are one eternally.

I still entirely disagree, but this is my phrase of the day.... But for entirely different meanings than what you had in mind when you wrote it. Magic!

a reply to: Expat888

I just feel there should be a common ground of shared spirituel development or adolescence. Maybe an evening school to further the thoughts, you know learning to perceive the clues, maybe? Or a culture with true initiation rites where you really face your own mortality not this soft wash of fluffy clouds.

Religion may have been the original social media but among tribes and peoples wielding stones an sticks fighting over elements and forces of nature that were believed to have been offended by mere mortal actions like desecrating a shrine or a priest.
Hence the saying Lord have mercy in the bible.

Although history has proven that civilization itself has suffered entirely at the hands of superstitions, both rich or poor. Like the black plague for example, where it could been perceived as punishment by God, and I mean Jesus, God! However,the irony of it all was the civilizations own stupidity, recklessness, or just a lack of awareness that should of been taught.

Then you got some of the religions that are more or less hands on and about states of mind, and can be regarded as true keepers of spirituality, like Yoga or Buddhism. And a lot of the more theological or theistic religions get green with envy, which is a sin. And will bicker about their God being the way, powerful, or just right out of sheer stupidity.

Like Christianity be believed to have been inspired by Hinduism and other cultures, and the Christians take it with great insult, even though I think Jesus is pretty hard to insult, ego wise anyways. The church has a christian meditation technique, like da hell it is. I'm pretty sure Jesus meditated in the original stories like while during 40 day/40 night trek, but it ain't a jewish or christian form of worship, originally. The more canonized believe is that he resisted Satans offerings during, but the believe that he meditated or not seems to vary.

Imitation is the greatest sign of flattery.

a reply to: Specimen

But isn't it a bit disturbing we leave such an important part of our personality to superstitions or do everything to surpress it? I seriously believe every person has the need for not only physical and emotional, but also spirituel comfort. Even those living a life of pure reason, go through a psychological/spirituel life as well as a physical and emotional one. Shouldn't we maybe find out what the common ground in religions and those teachings is, scrap the rest and restart something actually of use for everybody? On a scientific basis, maybe. Finding applyable patterns.

a reply to: Peeple

religion=legion again

a reply to: Peeple

Maybe so, but it just the way things are. Superstitions are just primal fears that still linger around, where as the exact nature is usually classified as a mental illness or believing something too much that it comes to life. Nvm, if something was actually accountable for instilling such superstitions.

And yes, most people have a need for physical and emotional comfort which can be attained through just fulfillment of actions or communication. But spiritual can be a tough form of love, with little to no comfort at all and little mercy. Buddhism and Yoga are about pushing the bodies limits as well the mind, but a more refined forms that were passed down through generations of believers.

This where the Christians gains a few bonus points in my view, where the comfort may have been the problem in some ways. The Lord is thy Sheppard, or eternal life is given to those who give without want of a reward, for the kingdom of heaven is it own reward, drift.

In my view, I find that spirit is the form of the body and the mind, but as one. How this attained or what mysteries are hiding, well only time could tell.

safety first says the blind fool on the roof...
But I get what you're saying nowadays softies would cry torture...
a reply to: Specimen

a reply to: Peeple

Whos the bigger fool, the fool or the one who follows the fool? Lol.

Religion seems to be dealing with spirit world. You attach yourself through connection to the spirit of usually a deceased individual whose teachings you follow and enter their world

a reply to: Peeple

The idea that religion is a belief in supernatural dictatorship has long since passed. One cannot believe in something that is not there—it is impossible—one believes in and has faith in only what is told to him. The idea that religion is a belief in supernatural powers is false. The nature of religion is believing in systems of assumptions and assertions. Therefor, if someone believes what is told to him, has faith in certain propositions over others, he is being religious. Once he puts a name to his system of beliefs and norms, we have a religion.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

I don't know, I just think it's a necessary part of mankind, like we're all trying to be dancers without being able to walk a straight line. All this modern detachment thing seems to come from denying an important part of personal growth. We do everything to avoid aging or dead, why, it is a natural part of the circle, the pretty artishoke becomes poop. I think as an important part of growing up we need to face all the essential needs that come with the gift of live. Hunger, freezing, facing danger and learning to appreciate the achievments of us, the human race seems important. That's what religions shoud focus on: being human and becoming aware of the patterns and individual colours, pouring into the water of life. There's nothing supernatural about imagination and inventions and if you ask me, they all root in our spirituel self. You know what I am talking about, you wrote some inspired stuff.

a reply to: Peeple

Religion = Believing Other People's Experience

Spirituality = Having Your Own Experience

(from Depak Chopra)

a reply to: Peeple

I don't know, I just think it's a necessary part of mankind, like we're all trying to be dancers without being able to walk a straight line. All this modern detachment thing seems to come from denying an important part of personal growth. We do everything to avoid aging or dead, why, it is a natural part of the circle, the pretty artishoke becomes poop. I think as an important part of growing up we need to face all the essential needs that come with the gift of live. Hunger, freezing, facing danger and learning to appreciate the achievments of us, the human race seems important. That's what religions shoud focus on: being human and becoming aware of the patterns and individual colours, pouring into the water of life. There's nothing supernatural about imagination and inventions and if you ask me, they all root in our spirituel self. You know what I am talking about, you wrote some inspired stuff.

I agree.

If divinity, sanctity, the holy, and the revered was found on earth instead of in some imaginary world, perhaps we'd treat it better. Except most religions prefer to sanctify and make holy what doesn't exist. For instance, in world war one during Christmas day, the opposing warriors stopped fighting and came out to meet each other. Why? Because the day was considered holy. What if every day, every thing, every place was holy?

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

If divinity, sanctity, the holy, and the revered was found on earth instead of in some imaginary world, perhaps we'd treat it better.
What if every day, every thing, every place was holy?

Now that's spirituality.
Religion is overlooking the ''divinity'' that is already surrounding us.

If you need religion to truly appreciate this world, you are actually undervaluing your reality IMHO.
Religion is unnecessary, one simply needs to take a look around and within, marvel at the beauty of NOW, not just the WHAT IF, to find the things we hope to find.

We're all looking for answers, but clinging to any answer, thinking that we already know, narrows the mind and kills real curiosity. We should keep on looking, discover as much as we can and never completely believe in anything, because in the end, nothing is certain, and in my experience this only makes life more enjoyable.

I'd rather be amazed by endless possibilities than hold on and be bound to one single answer.

a reply to: Peeple

Religion is the performance of ritual on behalf of or in obeyance to a supernatural deity or deities. The performance of ritual on behalf of or in obeyance to a supernatural deity or deities is what separates religion from belief or philosophy.

Your title says: What is Religion?

Your post ends with "God is fiction"...

They are two entirely different things...

God and Religion are complete opposites and have NOTHING in common.

All religion does is drive people AWAY from God which is exactly what it was designed to do.

Your thread is an a perfect example of that fact in action.

Religion is simply an Illuminati tool used to deliberately deceive and confuse.

One day you will see proof of this.

"Today the religions of the world remain a major tool of the Illuminati agenda." Link

What if I were to tell you, that there is a vast Satanic conspiracy to deceive the masses of every society on earth? What if I were to tell you that the top leaders of the world’s religions were in league with the Devil? Would you think I’m crazy? I would! Yet, the truth is stranger than fiction! You have been lied to my friend. Few people in the world today are aware of just how much Satan has infiltrated and is behind ALL false religion. Source

Religion is a perspective. It’s the most integral perspective, in other words all the symbols cover everything a person needs on a certain path.

The problem started when it became imbalanced with too much exoteric dogma because people couldn’t accept that it is a ONLY a working hypothetical theory not the be and end of the path to truth.

Its like getting the prescription for the medicine( theory) but not yet getting the medicine in your hands to take( practice) because one hasn’t produced change( progress) as of yet only at best inspiration( belief and faith).

Religious theory when it rebalances (from the overly exoteric) the theoretical idea of the esoteric with the exoteric then can progress and understanding can occur which may lead to real growth.

But it has to BE REAL not just more theory or faith or belief.

What good is believing the medicine will work without ever taking it.

For religion it is real knowledge or love, something the lazy religious people refuse to ever try to do

They think just believing will get them somewhere

Nothing is further from the truth

first rebalance the esoteric with the exoteric

Without that it like trying to walk with one leg