Religion does not exist.

[Jeremy]

One can only ever see something from their own perspective. We each have our own view of the world around us. If two people hear the same idea, each will take away something different. No matter how slight the difference. As any religion is experienced and absorbed with an individuals unique set of filters and life experiences, preferences and discriminations, no two people have the exact same religion.

If Religion is defined as a common set of beliefs, and its members instructed to follow it completely. And the word of God within a religion is one voice alone, how can religion be true to itself?

Religion then can, at best, be described as a collection of people with similar views. Religion though, is usually considered to be more than someone's personal and individual philosophy on life.

Therefore religion does not exist. It's followers just think it does.

{Imagine, a million muslims all knowing they believe the same, the word of god, all of them wrong. - all except perhaps one? maybe you?}

 

[Tiassa]

Short consideration

What if the only common belief is that each individual believing considers his or herself a "Christian" or "Muslim" ...?

It's still a common belief. Yes, they're lazy at that point.

:m:,
Tiassa

 

[Jeremy]

They would not then be common, but merely similar. They would still be operating under their personal delusion.

 

[Tiassa]

Sounds like a religion to me ....

It sounds like a religion to me on the grounds that, well ... yeah.

It's not that you don't have a point, but that the point will be lost on most of the people who need to learn from that point.

Or something like that.

:m:,
Tiassa

 

[Jeremy]

I hear ya...

Is it two for one Margarita time yet?

 

[Bebelina]

Well, one could say that religion exists as an idea, but that the idea is very individual. Or it's more like a social institution now, the idea(ls) seem less important...
We could of course dismiss the whole existance with the same analogy, but that would be too zen...

 

[kazakhan]

One can only ever see something from their own perspective. We each have our own view of the world around us. If two people hear the same idea, each will take away something different. No matter how slight the difference. As any religion is experienced and absorbed with an individuals unique set of filters and life experiences, preferences and discriminations, no two people have the exact same religion.

Replace religion with experience...

We could of course dismiss the whole existance with the same analogy, but that would be too zen...

So there is no spoon



:m: Reality is the common perception of the general population :m:

 

[Kane]

That is possibly the stupidest question I have ever heard. Maybe you should question the existence of god, not religion. Or maybe you should just jump off a cliff and remove your self from the gene pool.

 

[MarcAC]

I agree with your point of view to an extent, and your point of view seems to incorporate science into the religious community. Science is just another face to religion.

 

[Jan Ardena]

Originally posted by Jeremy

One can only ever see something from their own perspective.

I would tend to agree with you, more than not, but in reality, how do you know?

As any religion is experienced and absorbed with an individuals unique set of filters and life experiences, preferences and discriminations, no two people have the exact same religion.

This is why there can only be one true religion, and it has to be personal.

If Religion is defined as a common set of beliefs, and its members instructed to follow it completely. And the word of God within a religion is one voice alone, how can religion be true to itself?

Maybe because "religion" is not an/the object, in the same way an education curriculam is not an/the object.
There is one of every essential item, needed to maintain and enhance all life, eg. sky, water etc... With these essentials, so much can be derived, so many ways of utalising them, but they have a fundamental use to survival. In the same way, i believe religion is one essential item, and essence is essential, not only for our human survival (spiritual), but to all living entities.

Love

Jan Ardena.

 

[Jeremy]

Originally posted by Kane
That is possibly the stupidest question I have ever heard. Maybe you should question the existence of god, not religion. Or maybe you should just jump off a cliff and remove your self from the gene pool.

Good work Kane, if mine is the stupidest question, your's must be the stupidest reply. Do death threats (o.k. I know, it was just a friendly suggestion - not a true threat) always come so easily to you?

Keep up the good work, and welcome to the group!

p.s. 'your self' can be combined to form one big word (yourself).
Neat huh?- if you like big words.