I'll talk about religion. I admit that the discussion with Steven on the other post has activate my curiosity about a term used commonly in all of latin-derived language, at least for what concerns the vocabulary.
"Religion" is a word that doesn't need presentations, even if you reader are spanish, or portuguese, french or even if you know a little english you surely know this word.
Just don't make notice about its official etymology for now, let's take a look on it. What is your answer to this question : what's religion?
I'd answer that we're talking about an ensemble of rules, of habits, of manners, done for a non-material need. And the religion's strength comes from the strong belief that the community has for it. It isn't something proven, is something believed and respected, even if we do not have any proof of it.
So, from my point of view, the real origin (or at least, the properest) is always from latin "re+ligare" which literally means "bind something more and more times". Notice that the word "delegate" has the same root and it can easily means "to bind to someone some responsibilities", it doesn't sounds good maybe, perhaps it's not english at all, but it gives the picture.
And moreover it perfectly gives me the idea of what religion is : a system of rules which binds somehow a concept which can't be easily explained nor understood, a system of rules which is necessary arbitrary due to immeasurability of the subject.
That's why I strongly believe in God but do not believe in a single religion, neither hinduism or buddhism, because believing the concept behind is always the same, as same too are the rules to follow. It'd be useful and wise to study them, I don't deny this, on the contrary, I'm always willing to study and to apprend how the religions work.
But I definitely prefer to find the right way for my own, rather than follow someone else's rules, let's put in a better way : if I really can't avoid to bind God's basic concept into a system of rules, I'd really prefer to create them for my own, spending maybe all my life in this, instead of follow someone else's rules which I'll never completely understand and make a part of me.
I'm glad our conversations are useful for the mind. :)
RispondiEliminaAnyways, to share my view on the matter:
My religious path has taught me one thing: religion (as a set of rules regarding a higher entity/spirituality) IS useful. It is useful as a base from which to... grow out of, in order to form one's own idea of God or spirituality.
Man has, undeniably, the need for spirituality and, in fact, has had many forms of worship along the history. It is obvious that, even WITHOUT religious bases, man finds his own path anyway. But that may end in very unnatural practices (according to today's society ethics) so I guess the religions we have nowadays can help mitigate the danger of falling into... cannibalism? Or things like that.
The final consideration I have to make is that religion, integrated set of rules in an organized institution such as the various Churches around the globe, is almost the ANTITHESIS of spirituality. Excluding the human socializing nature the religious ceremonies have, organized religion, and its strict laws, the human-like nature of God it professes and the categorical and absolute imposition of its truth as THE TRUTH makes it harder for people to truly satisfy their spiritual needs.
Gods needs searching, he can't be FOUND. Just like balance, he can only be the ever-guiding goal we MUST strive for but can't reach as mortals.
So, I kind of agree with you, in everything.
Sorry for being late in the answer! eheh today I was supposed to be off, but I had to get rid of some work's stuff!
RispondiEliminaAnyway, even if I definitely agree with you, along the time I remarked some people who adapt religion to their think. I mean, I know some catholic orthodoxes (with "orthodoxes" I mean "strict in rules following"), that honestly I appreciate, who for example uses the condoms in sexual intercourses, even if the Vatican claims every time to don't use at all any "instrument which goes against God's will".
Though they're clearly an exception, I guess that they're true followers, because first of all they adapt the dogmas to their situation, and for the self-love, as first thing, accordingly to one commandment : love your neighbour as yourself.