Why are there so many religions and sects?
- Thread starter Asexperia
- Start date
I think it is due to a lack of cooperation with everyone but instead we have competition that drives a wedge between us. There's actually many factors in what causes conflicts between people like land disputes or water rights or religious beliefs or political dogma just to name a few more.
Buddhism doesn't have God, so the diagram isn't quite right. And Hinduism has gods, not God.
The answer to the question is that there are many religions because different cultures developed their own religious ideas. In some cases they did that independently. In other cases they borrowed elements from the cultures around them to make something new.
The answer to the question is that there are many religions because different cultures developed their own religious ideas. In some cases they did that independently. In other cases they borrowed elements from the cultures around them to make something new.
kx000
Valued Senior Member
To further mr. James. Could the rapidly evolving world of religion have something to do with displeasure in our shared ideas of God? Shouldn't we have an agreed theory on the approach to God by now?
How do we have so many theories on one afterlife? Ever heard of logic and reason, people? The path of knowledge as to the afterlife, is very narrow, and very straight. There may be one, there may not be one. Maybe reincarnation.
How do we have so many theories on one afterlife? Ever heard of logic and reason, people? The path of knowledge as to the afterlife, is very narrow, and very straight. There may be one, there may not be one. Maybe reincarnation.
Religion in general does not center around the God question, only monotheistic religions do. So everyone has different religious ideas and experiences, driven by culture and our personal journey through life. I think the diversity of religion points to one overall theme, there is no verifiable universal truth on which religions are based.
Why are there so many religions and sects?
VOTE IN THE POLL.
I think the main cause of conflicts in humanity is the overwhelming desire
of power.
The original sources of the these numerous religions, all say the same thing, according to time, place and circumstance. That should be worth noting.
jan.
Yazata
Valued Senior Member
I voted 'interpretations', but might have just as easily chosen 'culture'. Neither one is exactly right or exactly wrong, in my opinion.
I don't believe in God, so I don't believe that there's one transcendent Being that all religions approach from their own unique perspectives. But I do kind of like that idea, even if I don't entirely believe it.
As far as individual sects within a larger tradition go, 'interpretation' is probably closest to the truth. That would apply to 'Roman Catholic', 'Orthodox Catholic' and the many varieties of 'Protestant' among Christians, 'Sunni' and 'Shi'ite' among Muslims, 'Theravada' and 'Mahayana' among Buddhists, and to the countless varieties of sectarian Hinduism. They are largely different ways of interpreting a larger tradition.
That idea doesn't work so well for the larger traditions themselves. 'Culture' might work better there.
But I figured that maybe we can say that Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Daoism, Confucianism... and things like Sciforums' favored scientism as well, are all ways for human beings to interpret and to make sense of their lives and surroundings.
There's probably no end of ways to do that, which is why there's so much diversity. Some ways are probably a lot closer to the truth and a lot better pragmatically than others, though. I strongly lean towards science and rationalism myself, with a bit of non-cognitive mysticism thrown in to spice things up.
Your delusion constantly amazes me.
Because different people made up different stuff... :shrug:
much like the reason why there are so many different types of medical practitioners or approaches to the question of "better health"
And why are there so many different types of medical practitioners or approaches to the question of "better health"?
Because of ignorance, personal whims, because everyone needs to make a living, ...?
IOW, why does variety exist, and how justified is it to call upon it as a relevant grounds for distinction and hierarchy?
Esp. given the competition that exists among the various religious traditions, how can personal preferences play any valid role in a person's approach to or choice of religion?
Personal preference or need does not make a particular religion be the right one.
IOW, if, one the one hand, you acknowledge variety and see it as valid, then, on the other hand, how do you overcome the anything-goes problem that seems to be inevitably linked to acknowledging and validating variety?
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Not everyone shares the same idea of God. Not everyone believes in the oneness of a creator to begin with. The reason religions change is because they are adapted to the modern culture they inhabit, whether that's in the form of reactionary Wahhabi Islam, or the Catholic Church relaxing its position on unbaptized children in Purgatory. I wouldn't call the changes "rapid," however. Unless you have some different idea of how religions are evolving?
Of course not. You assume that every religion on the planet is based on real experiences with the same deity. In reality, civilizations invent their own religions based around distinct creation myths, and unless you plan on conquering the world and converting them all to a single religion, you're not going to get anything approaching an agreed-upon "theory" for what God is. Even if you could convert everyone, inevitably you'd have those who interpreted the texts differently than others.
But each religion paints a very different picture of what that afterlife would look like, and some religions--such as the Abrahamic monotheisms--each contain multiple forms of afterlife within. The difference between Heaven and Hell, for example, or the aforementioned Purgatory. Yes, speaking basically, there either is or there isn't an afterlife, but why would that then mean that everyone would have the same approach to it? Not only does the concept take different forms depending on the religion, but the criteria for getting in changes as well.
That is, of course, completely false.
And vague. While I am fully aware that you are full of it, I'm curious to see whether or not you know you're full of it, or actually believe that every religion says the same thing "according to time, place and circumstance." Please elaborate.
You're on the right track here, but you aren't making a strong enough point about the false equivocation of medicine and religion. In the case of medicine, there is a correct answer. Herbal and holistic remedies are scams. They are the Scientology and Mormonism of medicine. However, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, etc., are not therefore analogous to standard medical practices. They are every bit as fraudulent as the others, the difference being how old they are.
Not at all worth noting, at least not in the case of the three Abrahamic religions. If you have studied the history and origins of those religions, you'll find they all say roughly the same thing because... they all come from the same source. That they have become localized over time has more to do with the "Chinese Whispers" effect than any one of them departing from some supposed "truth". Seeing as the Abrahamic religions in particular borrow extensively from religions in existence before them, it lends even further credence to the theory that they have far less veracity to them than they claim.
Such arrogance.
Review what it is you think I believe, then get back to me
with a relevant question. Then I'll decide whether it is worth a discussion.
jan.
Why are there so many religions and sects?
VOTE IN THE POLL.
I think the main cause of conflicts in humanity is the overwhelming desire
of power.
The pride of men leads men to lead themselves and when men lead themselves they end up in trouble.
All Praise The Ancient of Days