Understanding Religion.
Despite Western apostasy and secularism religion has played a significant role in developing our society. Our laws were initially formulated from Judeo-Christian concepts advocated in the Bible. It was usual for our forefathers to read the Bible and know the statutes that originated there, but in recent years most people do not even read books and those who do are far more likely to read something that is totally opposed to scripture. In order to know society we need to understand its belief systems from atheism to Zoroasterism. In this brief essay I will try to outline a number of the well known belief systems in an effort to point out that while we may not agree with what someone believes it is not our place to judge and maybe by understanding his beliefs we can better understand and accept the individual.
Some religions and cults forbid their adherents from accepting or dealing with those of another faith, but this is usually because they are afraid that they might lose followers to a more attractive or logical belief system. This even applies to some atheists today; they believe that teaching religion is wrong because it could distort a person’s view. It is more probable that the student’s view would be more distorted if teaching was restricted only to the views of a few. We should provide all available information and allow the educated person to draw their own conclusions, instead of teaching our own beliefs and forbidding the teaching of other ideas.
Atheism
Atheists will be appalled to see their beliefs included with a list of religions, to them they are above religion or “the opiate of the masses” to quote Marx. The truth is however that atheism is a belief system no different to any other; they can no more disprove the existence of a Supreme Being than the religious can prove it. In fact atheists see their paradigm as supreme they can brook no argument because their system is “proved” by science and assured by Darwin’s theories they claim that all life evolved by accident and there is no need to consider a Creator’s hand in evolution. Many physicists and cosmologists disagree with this concept but atheism has a broad appeal as it leaves one free to act as one would like without the need to consider absolutes of right or wrong. Atheism is probably the most bigoted of all belief systems.
Buddhism
Buddhism is as much a philosophy as a religion; it is a search for spiritual enlightenment and Buddhists place store in reincarnation as souls return many times until they reach ultimate perfection and no longer have to endure the hardships of life on Earth.
Christianity
Christianity began as a Judaic cult about two thousand years ago with Jesus Christ as its Rabbi, following his crucifixion by the Roman occupiers his following grew steadily and Christianity eventually became the Roman religion. Rome moved from executing the followers of Christ to executing those who were not followers of Christ, early Protestants were burned at the stake along with Jews and other “heathens”. The Roman hierarchy deified Jesus at the Council of Nicaea in 325; prior to which Jesus had been regarded as a man and separate from God.
Islam
Islamic doctrine, law, and thinking in general are based upon four sources, or fundamental principles: (1) the Koran, (2) traditions, (3) consensus, and (4) individual thought. The Koran (literally, reading or recitation) is regarded as the verbatim word of God delivered to Mohammad by the archangel Gabriel. Divided into 114 sūrahs (chapters) of unequal length, it is the fundamental source of Islamic teaching. Muslims believe in one God whom they call Allah (a name that originally referred to the Moon God – possibly why the crescent moon is today the symbol of Islam) and place great importance on Judgement Day when they believe Islam will rule the world.
Hinduism
Hinduism is a combination of religions incorporating all forms of belief and worship without necessitating the selection or elimination of any. Hindus are inclined to revere the divine in every manifestation, whatever it may be; few religious ideas are considered to be irreconcilable. The core of religion does not depend on the existence or non-existence of God or on whether there is one god or many. Because religious truth is said to transcend all verbal definition Hindus are probably the most tolerant of religions.
Judaism
Although the traditions of Judaism began with Abraham it was the Exodus from Egypt under the leadership of Moses and the handing down of the commandments that formulated the beliefs that have been the basis of both Judaism and Christianity as well as Western society as a whole. Jewish culture has been oppressed many times due to successful conquests by Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Turks. Observant Jewish communities have not been absorbed into other cultures (except possibly in Britain) and so their traditions have remained intact despite being scattered throughout the world.
Mormonism
Mormonism was founded in 1830 in upstate New York by Joseph Smith Jr. after he had allegedly translated by revelation the Book of Mormon, which recounts the history of certain tribes of Israel that migrated to America six centuries before Christ and underwent experiences similar to those recounted in the Old Testament.
Scientology
Scientology was founded as a church in 1954 it does not prescribe specific teachings about God but instead concentrates on helping its members to realize their inherent spiritual essence and abilities. Scientologists believe the spiritual self (the thetan) is the true self and can exist apart from the body. Thetans emerged early in the process of creation but experienced events that stripped them of both their creative abilities and the memories of who they were. Scientology has many high profile devotees.
Zoroasterism
Zoroasterism is based on the teachings of Zoroaster, who lived about 625BCE; this is one of the early monotheistic religions. The conspicuous monotheism of Zoroaster's teaching is apparently disturbed by a pronounced dualism: the Wise Lord has an opponent, Ahrimin who embodies the principle of evil, and whose followers, having freely chosen him, also are evil. This is the introduction of the devil or evil one into human philosophy. Zoroasterism was centred in Iraq and Iran, in what is now a strictly Muslim domain and so archaeological sites relevant to this religion are treated with disdain by the local Muslims who have been filmed using early Zoroastrian structures for motorcycle motocross practice.
There are other religions and cults but the ones listed above are the ones most commonly encountered in Western Society and are the ones that will be at the forefront of the turmoil in future events. The reason I have given this brief outline is because tolerance comes from understanding and that by knowing a little about others we can accept their right to hold these beliefs. Religions regularly teach that only their philosophy is acceptable and all others are evil but we need to be aware that there are good and bad people of all persuasions. The major religions all have a basis of honesty and integrity but not all are truly forgiving, being influenced by human ego. Each individual believes that he or she is in some way better than the next person and so must hold to the correct paradigm, all others must be wrong. It is our own vanity that causes problems no matter what our belief.
We must never judge another by his beliefs, only by his actions.
____________________________________________________
Don’t forget to visit my website, if you have a comment go to the forum, or to find out more buy my latest book.
Some religions and cults forbid their adherents from accepting or dealing with those of another faith, but this is usually because they are afraid that they might lose followers to a more attractive or logical belief system. This even applies to some atheists today; they believe that teaching religion is wrong because it could distort a person’s view. It is more probable that the student’s view would be more distorted if teaching was restricted only to the views of a few. We should provide all available information and allow the educated person to draw their own conclusions, instead of teaching our own beliefs and forbidding the teaching of other ideas.
Atheism
Atheists will be appalled to see their beliefs included with a list of religions, to them they are above religion or “the opiate of the masses” to quote Marx. The truth is however that atheism is a belief system no different to any other; they can no more disprove the existence of a Supreme Being than the religious can prove it. In fact atheists see their paradigm as supreme they can brook no argument because their system is “proved” by science and assured by Darwin’s theories they claim that all life evolved by accident and there is no need to consider a Creator’s hand in evolution. Many physicists and cosmologists disagree with this concept but atheism has a broad appeal as it leaves one free to act as one would like without the need to consider absolutes of right or wrong. Atheism is probably the most bigoted of all belief systems.
Buddhism
Buddhism is as much a philosophy as a religion; it is a search for spiritual enlightenment and Buddhists place store in reincarnation as souls return many times until they reach ultimate perfection and no longer have to endure the hardships of life on Earth.
Christianity
Christianity began as a Judaic cult about two thousand years ago with Jesus Christ as its Rabbi, following his crucifixion by the Roman occupiers his following grew steadily and Christianity eventually became the Roman religion. Rome moved from executing the followers of Christ to executing those who were not followers of Christ, early Protestants were burned at the stake along with Jews and other “heathens”. The Roman hierarchy deified Jesus at the Council of Nicaea in 325; prior to which Jesus had been regarded as a man and separate from God.
Islam
Islamic doctrine, law, and thinking in general are based upon four sources, or fundamental principles: (1) the Koran, (2) traditions, (3) consensus, and (4) individual thought. The Koran (literally, reading or recitation) is regarded as the verbatim word of God delivered to Mohammad by the archangel Gabriel. Divided into 114 sūrahs (chapters) of unequal length, it is the fundamental source of Islamic teaching. Muslims believe in one God whom they call Allah (a name that originally referred to the Moon God – possibly why the crescent moon is today the symbol of Islam) and place great importance on Judgement Day when they believe Islam will rule the world.
Hinduism
Hinduism is a combination of religions incorporating all forms of belief and worship without necessitating the selection or elimination of any. Hindus are inclined to revere the divine in every manifestation, whatever it may be; few religious ideas are considered to be irreconcilable. The core of religion does not depend on the existence or non-existence of God or on whether there is one god or many. Because religious truth is said to transcend all verbal definition Hindus are probably the most tolerant of religions.
Judaism
Although the traditions of Judaism began with Abraham it was the Exodus from Egypt under the leadership of Moses and the handing down of the commandments that formulated the beliefs that have been the basis of both Judaism and Christianity as well as Western society as a whole. Jewish culture has been oppressed many times due to successful conquests by Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans and Turks. Observant Jewish communities have not been absorbed into other cultures (except possibly in Britain) and so their traditions have remained intact despite being scattered throughout the world.
Mormonism
Mormonism was founded in 1830 in upstate New York by Joseph Smith Jr. after he had allegedly translated by revelation the Book of Mormon, which recounts the history of certain tribes of Israel that migrated to America six centuries before Christ and underwent experiences similar to those recounted in the Old Testament.
Scientology
Scientology was founded as a church in 1954 it does not prescribe specific teachings about God but instead concentrates on helping its members to realize their inherent spiritual essence and abilities. Scientologists believe the spiritual self (the thetan) is the true self and can exist apart from the body. Thetans emerged early in the process of creation but experienced events that stripped them of both their creative abilities and the memories of who they were. Scientology has many high profile devotees.
Zoroasterism
Zoroasterism is based on the teachings of Zoroaster, who lived about 625BCE; this is one of the early monotheistic religions. The conspicuous monotheism of Zoroaster's teaching is apparently disturbed by a pronounced dualism: the Wise Lord has an opponent, Ahrimin who embodies the principle of evil, and whose followers, having freely chosen him, also are evil. This is the introduction of the devil or evil one into human philosophy. Zoroasterism was centred in Iraq and Iran, in what is now a strictly Muslim domain and so archaeological sites relevant to this religion are treated with disdain by the local Muslims who have been filmed using early Zoroastrian structures for motorcycle motocross practice.
There are other religions and cults but the ones listed above are the ones most commonly encountered in Western Society and are the ones that will be at the forefront of the turmoil in future events. The reason I have given this brief outline is because tolerance comes from understanding and that by knowing a little about others we can accept their right to hold these beliefs. Religions regularly teach that only their philosophy is acceptable and all others are evil but we need to be aware that there are good and bad people of all persuasions. The major religions all have a basis of honesty and integrity but not all are truly forgiving, being influenced by human ego. Each individual believes that he or she is in some way better than the next person and so must hold to the correct paradigm, all others must be wrong. It is our own vanity that causes problems no matter what our belief.
We must never judge another by his beliefs, only by his actions.
____________________________________________________
Don’t forget to visit my website, if you have a comment go to the forum, or to find out more buy my latest book.
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