Religion means many things to many people. To some, it means a deep faith in the words written in ancient books, or supposedly spoken by ancient persons of supposedly great wisdom. To others, it means faith in the words of gurus who live in this day and age, but draw their authority from ancient texts or bodies of knowledge. To many, religion represents the formula for living a Perfect Life in some sense.
There are many, many meanings to Religion. So one can easily go wrong by generalizing.
Nonetheless, let me generalize in order to make a point here: Broadly speaking, religion is a body of thought that focuses on an ideal that is represented by God, and is driven by the feeling that the world SHOULD conform to this ideal. Accordingly, their religion is full of laws that are essentially Dos & Don’ts which are handed down to them from “God”, a holy book or some “sacred” authority.
Let me call this perception of religion the RELIGION OF SHOULD.
My religion isn’t about following Shoulds & Should Nots, Dos & Don’ts. My religion is about discovering What Is & What Isn’t. It is about discovering the nature of Reality. Let me call it the RELIGION OF IS.
The crucial difference?
To follow the Religion of Should, you focus on obeying Sacred Laws of God, which are handed down to you.
Whereas, to pursue the Religion of Is, you focus on exploring in order to discover the Sacred Laws of Nature.
From the standpoint of the followers of the Religion of Should, we who walk the path of the Is seem like violators and sinners.
However, from our viewpoint — the constantly-moving standpoint of those devoted to discovering what is and what isn’t, what works and what doesn’t – the followers of Should seem to be devoted to an imaginary God who stagnated in the past and ceased to think after he formulated his sacred laws.
I for one believe in a God that doesn’t rest — not for one solitary moment. I believe in a God who is constantly searching, finding and searching again for what is good and whole in his world, a God who is constantly sifting grain from chaff even in His own Mind. To understand His laws and His Ways, you cannot allow yourself to come to rest in a set of beliefs. You can only believe in the sacred act of questioning, doubting, seeking, exploring and delighting in discovery.
The believers of Should live in terror of violating a static Law that is so sacred that their eternal soul shall be damned.
I believe that the laws of God are like the Laws of Physics. You can’t defy the Law of Gravity, for instance; so why worry? You can only discover the Law of Gravity, like Newton did.
You can only discover the Law of Displacement of Fluids, and, like Archimedes is said to have done, jump out of your bathtub and run naked through the streets of your town shouting “Eureka!”
No violations possible there, except in the nakedness-in-public part.
Is this religion? I say it is.
And as always, I eagerly await your thoughts on the matter.
I submit. Religion is a way of life. Probably not for us… who have the luxury of the lives we live. But for the majority. Take away religion from his life … and he does not have an identy. One may argue till kingdome come …that he still remains an individual… and that may be true too…but for him…he”d simply be lost. Fact of life. So religion differs … not only in its individual interpretation … but also in the strata of life it is interpreted in. Ideally… it was probably meant for each to seek his own truth. Explore his own boundries of right and wrong … with a little guiding from the Gods / scriptures. But over time that…or whatever it was meant to be … has got warped … into a version that is bitter to swallow. But here again… without intending any offence to other religions… conventional hindusim is extremely flexible.it does not hold u accountable. r u a part of any temple group? is it mandatory? contd….
as brought out in the comments…we want to be free-will in religion. Has anyone stopped u from experimenting with it? Has anyone made your version of religion a national issue? if not, its only probably because…hinduism expects …and allows you to think. And thats what ur doing. Regards
For me religion is faith on something or someone that is beyond my reach. I need to rely on that power when I need peace and tranquility and the tangible forces are not sufficient to pacify me.
too good. Religion is set of rules, agreed, but is not just to follow blindly or to misinterpret it so as to have the advantage
God is Energy maifest and thus dynamic…so agree with FG on this. Religion is not as much as the “What” of it but the “How” of it. When we look to core issues in life inculdin religion that is what matters. Its not what the written laws are, its how one interprets them and imbibes them into the real life that one lives. It is what it triggers you to be, all influenced by your own attitude towards Life and Religion and Sprituality. All these three are inter-related in a way and what emerges from a combined understanding of the three will make you who you are; someone who simply follows the beliefs, someone who seeks all the time, someone who questions all the time, someone who uses all six senses to let it fill your being, interpret and apply. It is such a dynamic state of mind and being, it is such a static state of mind and being - It’’s what one chooses it to be. It’’s all about undertanding that Karma and Dharma are intermingled.
I am a believer in God and yes…I believe in religion as well…But I also believe that religion is flexible and adaptable to the changing times..to changing thought..rigidity and confirmance in religion is man’’s doing and not God’’s….As for solace in religion…that depends on the individual.While some may find it in the numerous rituals(the religion of should)…others may just find it in themselves (the religion of is)……A post to mull over FG and one that I often ponder over……..
Interesting, it’’s great to think of a God who can change, almost like us human…….
actually there’’s shit loads i could say on the subject but I”ll leave it here…
I”m a seeker of answers [or truth or whatever]. But my ”dharma” is my ”aacharan”… my religion is my way of life. Unlabelled, untied… i can lead a good kind life with my own philosophy. I have found immense peace in ancient temples of south india - deep dark ”garbha griha” or santum sanctorum, simple stone deities sans the garish commercial costumes, instill a sense of quiet deep inside. But then that has happened in a pine forest in Khajjiar too.
ok, on a more serious note… I almost agree with Ghost here… its about what is & what isnt. About truth. About reality. Seeking answers. But the minute you call it ”religion” or ”god” I”m off! My mind disconnects. It brings to mind blaring bhajans, loud beggars, temple priests wrangling dakshina for ‘’special” darshan & what not! Spirituality is a different ball game altogether…
I”m scared of God because I don”t believe in him.
loved the last few lines….archiemedis….running out naked….yelling Eureka….Simply brillant.
and yes if somebodys religion requires me to be clean and pure….the conventional way…well i would be…..simply because i respect his/her version on religion….and i hope that answers the question swati……..btw do check out Trophy? ….my first attempt at humor….
Brillant …..i agree….my religion is my own….my perception of the way things are…….my religion is more concerned with loving your immediate neighbour…..in keeping all the options open….in learning till the day i day…….my religion is being happy and in making sure that i spread tthat happiness around….my religion is in being true….not to others but to others……my religion is beauty, freedom, love , life……and they day this doesnt exist….i wudnt be alive….
I agree with Misty…………..but there one thing I wanna say……………I dunno if it is related to this topic………..but here goes,……………..Today we had a puja at our house……..I was forbidden to participate bcoz I am unclean, impure………………..now whats that gotta do with my ability to worship god……………and offer prayers and prasad……….I mean god is pure na.how can he become impure with my touch………
True religion is a very personal thing and I believe it is formed according to one’’s convenience and personal beliefs. And while we may both belong to the same caste and community, we may yet follow a different religion. I agree that there is no right or wrong about it. As long as it doesn”t hurt anybody, coz if it does, you might want to reconsider.
Warm regards,
Misty!
Religion is the greatest hoax perpetrated on man kind by his own kind. What can a mere man, how ever exalted he is, find out about God? Is God such small thing to be so easily studied by just one another creation of God? Can a man know himself? Can the man study his own brain with his own brain? Do you know what is in your stomach right now? One who cannot find out and know that much tries to speak of God! What can all these religious gurus tell me more than what their twisted, morbid imaginations tell them?
But I am a budhoose
oops!!!!!!!!!!! this comment was meant for ur other post on d same page viz. “Happy BirthDay to New Improved Candy, From New Improved Me”.
i m reading a post by u 4 d 1st time and this is the best post i ever read here. i did try 2 read u earlier but u have a penchant for speaking on such ultra esoteric topics that i wuldn nderstand u .. nevertheless this post i thouroughly enjoyed reading also this is d best post i”ve read here. regards, kush.
” True religion is real living; living with all one’’s soul, with all one’’s goodness and righteousness.” Albert Einstien said that and I agree with him . And this “work in progress ” billboard?? Wow , a fantastic way to advertise
Religion and spirituality are two different things………..I have seen lots of religious people……..close-minded weaklings…………And I have seen lots of spiritual people……….I like them better than the religious people…….;-)
i don”t know ….religion means nothing to me if u mean visits to temples, fasting…..and it means a lot to me if it simply relates to conecting to another…….