Religious stuff...
Jun. 12th, 2002 04:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellenmillionThis was going to be an answer to Jae's post, but it was more about me than about her, so I decided to put it here, instead. :P
Religion = the morals and beliefs by which you make your decisions.
If you know what is right, and what is wrong, and how to unravel your moral dilemmas, you don't need a church, or people preaching at you. People may find strength of spirit, or social actualization in a good church, and more power to them. Some people will always need someone else to tell them what is right and wong. But if you do not need it, so be it.
Personally, I think I know how to treat people, and what kind of person I should be. Is there a God? A trinity? Saints? Who cares? God doesn't need my burnt candles, and I don't need the structure of an organized religion. I do not mind that there are mysteries in the world and things I will never understand. There are things bigger than me, and what I find that I am driven to do is be the best person that I can, and to be fair and loving and kind, without judgement or vanity. I don't always succeed, but that is my religion, those are my goals, and they are the foundations of my spirituality.
Amen.
Religion = the morals and beliefs by which you make your decisions.
If you know what is right, and what is wrong, and how to unravel your moral dilemmas, you don't need a church, or people preaching at you. People may find strength of spirit, or social actualization in a good church, and more power to them. Some people will always need someone else to tell them what is right and wong. But if you do not need it, so be it.
Personally, I think I know how to treat people, and what kind of person I should be. Is there a God? A trinity? Saints? Who cares? God doesn't need my burnt candles, and I don't need the structure of an organized religion. I do not mind that there are mysteries in the world and things I will never understand. There are things bigger than me, and what I find that I am driven to do is be the best person that I can, and to be fair and loving and kind, without judgement or vanity. I don't always succeed, but that is my religion, those are my goals, and they are the foundations of my spirituality.
Amen.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2002-06-12 08:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-13 12:58 pm (UTC)But burning candles are nice. Nice things are important. (Some gods may appreciate burnt candles.)
There are at least 3 big religions based on dudes telling people to be nice (and tolerant!) to each other. I think it's a nice idea too.
I usually differentiate between "religion" and "philosophy" - religion being "is there (a) god(s)", and philosophy being "should I be nice to people". Most religions cover both - some religions don't, and some religions are more philosophy then religion. I suspect Zen Buddhism to be a philosophy rather then a religion, and some polyteisms (shintoism, shamanism) being religions without philosophy. But I may be wrong.