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A Life Without Religion


Guyver

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Religion:  1.a.   An organized system of beliefs and rituals centering on a super-natural being or beings.

Super-natural:  1.  Not attributable to natural forces.   2.  Attributable to divine power.

          I guess that's where I differ with 'modern' religions.   Why isn't any and all BEING perfectly natural ?  .the seen and the unseen.  ??  Why does it have to be either natural  OR  divine ?   I ,and our ancient ancestors, don't have a problem lumping Natural and Spiritual/(divine) together.    I still think there is a fundamental difference between Being and Consciousness. ..one can be unconscious and still Be.    Consciousness links our spiritual and physical natures?

i dunno,  just love to think about it.   :wub:

Edited by lightly
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54 minutes ago, lightly said:

Religion:  1.a.   An organized system of beliefs and rituals centering on a super-natural being or beings.

Super-natural:  1.  Not attributable to natural forces.   2.  Attributable to divine power.

          I guess that's where I differ with 'modern' religions.   Why isn't any and all BEING perfectly natural ?  .the seen and the unseen.  ??  Why does it have to be either natural  OR  divine ?   I ,and our ancient ancestors, don't have a problem lumping Natural and Spiritual/(divine) together.    I still think there is a fundamental difference between Being and Consciousness. ..one can be unconscious and still Be.    Consciousness links our spiritual and physical natures?

i dunno,  just love to think about it.   :wub:

I really think the supernatural aspect is the result of both admiration and fear of natural forces. Thus that fear/admiration acted as a motivation to bargain with such forces.

Asking for a good harvest, safe childbirth, etc. 

Even petitioning ancestors for luck. 

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7 hours ago, Will Due said:

 

For the time being, some may decide to live without religion, but no matter what you choose to do ......

"Religion is destined to become the reality of the spiritual unification of all that is good, beautiful, and true."

Which, I suppose, is something to look forward to. 

 

 

 

I think the supernatural aspect is dying out. 
 

What is it about religion that works for you? This is rhetorical, your answer will point you to the need it fulfills. 

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16 minutes ago, Scudbuster said:

But Will, religions are made up of people, and some are "good, beautiful, and true"..........but many others are liars, crooks, thieves, panhandlers, murderers, rapists, passive-aggressive manipulators, self absorbed clowns, etc etc.

So, I would say any religion is doomed right out of the gate.

Not really. A lot of people don't see this stuff, nor do any of them care. I'm sure there are those who follow their faith in private, away from the church or other organized religions. 

A person who prays in the morning for strength and wisdom in order to handle the day, then gives thanks for the day before going to bed. Is that person evil?

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7 minutes ago, Scudbuster said:

Xeno, no, of course not - I'm saying religions are made up of people with all types of personalities, positive character traits, some with very bad negative traits etc. etc. 

You can remove the word Religion and insert nearly anything. Opportunist will take whatever advantage they can through what they can manipulate. I do agree with that. While it might be the dream of atheist to eliminate all religions, something will fill that vacuum. 

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7 minutes ago, Scudbuster said:

Xeno, no, of course not - I'm saying religions are made up of people with all types of personalities, positive character traits, some with very bad negative traits etc. etc. 

 

When religion gets down to being true, it only involves two persons. You and whatever your highest comprehension of what and who God is. Other than that, it's somebody else's religion.

 

 

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3 hours ago, Xeno-Fish said:

I really think the supernatural aspect is the result of both admiration and fear of natural forces. Thus that fear/admiration acted as a motivation to bargain with such forces.

Asking for a good harvest, safe childbirth, etc. 

Even petitioning ancestors for luck. 

    really Excellent points X .     

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On June 15, 2021 at 8:30 PM, XenoFish said:

Hell is a state of mind that only religion can create, by any other name it's just a bad time.

Well, the most commonly accepted concept of Hell, as depicted in religion, is a place, and state of affairs, and bad time, not simply a state of mind?

     But people are also expert at creating all sorts of Hell , on earth ,  (bad times) for themselves and others...which have nothing to do with religion. ?

Edited by lightly
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3 hours ago, lightly said:

Well, the most commonly accepted concept of Hell, as depicted in religion, is a place, and state of affairs, and bad time, not simply a state of mind?

     But people are also expert at creating all sorts of Hell , on earth ,  (bad times) for themselves and others...which have nothing to do with religion. ?

Hell in religion (the christian one in particular) is the absence of god or a place of eternal suffering. Given to those who break "god's laws". So right out the gate you have a guilt and shame complex just waiting to develop. Where the individual might feel extreme guilt for even the littlest thing. Ranging from their own thoughts, to mundane actions, and even something they might enjoy (like cake). Think that they've committed some grave sin. All because they made a choice to enjoy life a little. 

Granted I'm not fan of hedonism. 

As for people in a bad place, like depression or an existential crisis, even the loss of a loved one. That's a situational hell. Brought on by life itself, even the person's own actions. 

I spent quite a few years in a personal hell. One born out of a situation and my own self pity. 

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4 hours ago, lightly said:

Well, the most commonly accepted concept of Hell, as depicted in religion, is a place, and state of affairs, and bad time, not simply a state of mind?

     But people are also expert at creating all sorts of Hell , on earth ,  (bad times) for themselves and others...which have nothing to do with religion. ?

Bad times just happen too, a young child finds themselves in an abusive environment and is at the mercy of the abusers. People lose jobs, get sick and have no medical insurance or money to get help. Some are born into extreme poverty. Some have tragic accidents which leave them paralyzed for life and no amount of education, money, resources changes the effects this has on a person and their families for a lifetime. Life is hell for all involved. Parents lose children, or some cannot have them at all. Life has an element of hell to it to varying degrees and somethings we can move on and sometimes we just have to accept what is and get help. In the Zen philosophy if things are hellish one accepts it and goes from there and acceptance is a journey sometimes a long one. And, We all have a branch on the sorrow tree. Resilience is genetic too, we do not know why some have more of it than others. Just my two cents. 

Edited by Sherapy
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1 hour ago, Sherapy said:

Bad times just happen too, a young child finds themselves in an abusive environment and is at the mercy of the abusers. People lose jobs, get sick and have no medical insurance or money to get help. Some are born into extreme poverty. Some have tragic accidents which leave them paralyzed for life and no amount of education, money, resources changes the effects this has on a person and their families for a lifetime. Life is hell for all involved. Parents lose children, or some cannot have them at all. Life has an element of hell to it to varying degrees and somethings we can move on and sometimes we just have to accept what is and get help. In the Zen philosophy if things are hellish one accepts it and goes from there and acceptance is a journey sometimes a long one. And, We all have a branch on the sorrow tree. Resilience is genetic too, we do not know why some have more of it than others. Just my two cents. 

Worth every penny!   :P.     Very well considered Sheri.  and true.   .thanks for a more expansive view.   I learn from you.

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