What is a “religion”? What most of us call “religions” seem to have a few common characteristics.
Some sort of life after death. Reincarnation, Heaven, Hell, etc.
Some sort of things or persons that are exempt from the numerous equations that describe the way matter and energy behave. I.e., the supernatural. Kami, God almighty, Satan, angels, demons, etc.
Rules for behavior. These rules may have nothing to do with how we behave toward other human beings. They very often involve demonstrations of devotion to the things mentioned in number 2, above. Baptisms, worship services, ritual sacrifices, the Catholic Mass, etc.
Belief in magic; i.e., belief that writing, thinking, or saying things can directly change reality, not by causing people to behave differently, but directly. Prayer, uttering spells, etc.
Religion as often demands injustice as it does justice. “Slaves obey your masters;” “…put to death men and women, children and infants;” etc. (See First Samuel 15:3.)
Orthodox Judaism and Christianity very explicitly make it clear that obedience, not morality, is commanded. That’s the whole point of the first four chapters of Genesis. Humanity is punished for Adam and Eve’s desire to be able to distinguish good from evil.
Some try desperately to interpret their way out of the plain meaning of the text, but this just can’t work. The fact that Adam and Eve made clothing to cover their nakedness (something that Genesis certainly regards as a terrible sin) after they ate the fruit clearly indicates that by eating the fruit they became able to recognize evil. (See Genesis, chapter nine to get a sense of just how horrible God considers nakedness to be.)
Noam נעם
in reply to Khurram Wadee • • •David
in reply to Khurram Wadee • • •What is a “religion”? What most of us call “religions” seem to have a few common characteristics.
Religion as often demands injustice as it does justice. “Slaves obey your masters;” “…put to death men and women, children and infants;” etc. (See First Samuel 15:3.)
Orthodox Judaism and Christianity very explicitly make it clear that obedience, not morality, is commanded. That’s the whole point of the first four chapters of Genesis. Humanity is punished for Adam and Eve’s desire to be able to distinguish good from evil.
Some try desperately to interpret their way out of the plain meaning of the text, but this just can’t work. The fact that Adam and Eve made clothing to cover their nakedness (something that Genesis certainly regards as a terrible sin) after they ate the fruit clearly indicates that by eating the fruit they became able to recognize evil. (See Genesis, chapter nine to get a sense of just how horrible God considers nakedness to be.)