What is your definition of religion and belief?
What does religion provide us with? and what does belief provide us with? Why does it have to be a discussion of "both/and" rather than "either/or",...like why are the two necessary in faith development rather than one or the other?
definition of religion
Moderator: Moderators
-
handofnergal
- Apprentice
- Posts: 190
- Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2009 9:38 pm
- Location: Mount Vernon, NY
Re: definition of religion
Post #2There is an obvious difference between religion and a belief. I would define religion as an organized institution or community that have a set of core beliefs, doctrines, dogmas, and/or are unified in a belief in a god/gods/goddesses.triks wrote:What is your definition of religion and belief?
What does religion provide us with? and what does belief provide us with? Why does it have to be a discussion of "both/and" rather than "either/or",...like why are the two necessary in faith development rather than one or the other?
The definition may change slightly, but essentially its a set of organized beliefs, and not just a single one belief. When I say belief it doesn't have to be a God, a Mahayana Buddhist may not believe in a god, but they believe in stuff like reincarnation and meditation to achieve Nirvana too. That is an instructional core belief.
All religions have a belief, but not all beliefs require a religion.
If I believed Spider-man was real and really lived in New York along with Thor and Reed Richards and the Avengers, that would be a belief, it is not a religion though, it has probably no devotees besides me, no core beliefs or dogmas, no prophets or teachers or gurus. It does have literature and may make some miraculous claims, but no architecture known to it (unless I build a shrine for Peter Parker). See where I'm going with this?
Most cults seem to have a definite leader and some kind of overall agenda but often have radical opinions, irrational practices, shun society, little or no organization; certainly can't get their stuff straight enough to build a Mosque or a Cathedral. When it comes to Scientology I am really torn, in my heart I know that they're a cult, but they follow the mold of religion very well.
