Question 25
Question: If you were to found a religion featuring faith and spiritual practices, how would it function and how would it be made beneficial to mankind in lieu of alternatives? –itanshi
Answer: So what you’re asking Itanshi is that I essentially have to create a religion of my own and describe it in detail? Hmmm, thanks for the "easy" question. To be honest I have never given it any thought. So far in my short life I have never been more spiritually happy than I am now and that is without the aid of religion. Without religion I view people by their actions and not their race, religion, sex, sexual preference, etc. I constantly question my own beliefs, actions, and thoughts and eagerly analyze others in an attempt to better myself. To me life is all about learning and adapting to an ever-changing world.
So as far as faith is concerned, I have faith in my myself and my fellow man. I do not look to the heavens for help and guidance; I look for those from within me and from my surroundings. As for spiritual practices, I would suggest very natural and healthy activities like yoga, meditation, hiking, exercise, etc. These activities help one connect with themselves in a spiritual way. And I can think of one rule for my new religion… No cubicles ALLOWED!!
I know I only touched on your question, but I really don’t like organized religion at all. If I were to found a religion it would be to have no religion at all.
gasmonso
November 17th, 2006 at 7:39 pm
nah, its cool ^^ just a question I thought had to be asked. Thanks a bunch and especially the cubicle bit, I couldn’t agree more.
November 17th, 2006 at 11:46 pm
I know it’s cool to hate and everything, but do you have a productive solution? I’m one of those crazy people working in a cubicle in Redmond (not at MS, for what it’s worth) and I don’t know that there’s as easy an answer to the cubicle problem as there is to organized religion. Like the song says, you can topple ideologies but not the armies [of cubicle owners] they enlist.
November 18th, 2006 at 9:54 pm
Welcome to the First Church of Unified Agnostics. The 6 Commandments:
1.) Thou shalt not be a dick by taking sides on anything untestable.
2.) Thou shalt never be controlling, manipulative, or blindly obedient without good reason.
3.) Thous shalt always constantly examine everything using critical thinking, logic, and reason - especially when examining what is presented as an absolute.
4.) Thou shalt not be intolerant or abusive towards any form of life.
5.) Thou shalt not use force of harm except in the case of immediate self-defense. Food of course still comes from killing plants and animals, and so of course exceptions must be made in that case.
6.) Thou shalt not have any other rules except your own reasonable, respectful, and polite moral code which you have arrived at by following commandments 1-5.
November 18th, 2006 at 9:57 pm
I forgot commandment 7: Thou shalt always seek and employ wisdom and good sense. This is because knowledge and logic alone are simply not enough.
November 20th, 2006 at 7:05 am
number 3 should be on top.
but yeah, were we all to live by those rules, the world would be pretty nice.
Might want to add:
“What you do not wish upon yourself, extend not to others.” — Confucius (about 600BC, he was first)
September 29th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
I think AA has a good comment about organised religions. As I recall it, they say: “Religion is for people who fear Hell. Spirituality is for those who have already been there.”