(no subject)
So while i was waiting after getting off work this morning, I came up with one of those spiels i get from time to time. this one i actually remembered long enough to get to a computer.
Now obviously, everything i'm about to say is debatable, some parts more than others. I'm not saying these are the only true options, just that they're my opinions.
If you could summarize the root of all major world religions in a single word, what would it be? And i am actually asking; if anyone thinks of an answer, i'd love to hear others' opinions as long as all remarks are heard out to completion. When i asked Billie on the ride home, her answer was "control". I know that's a response that can be explained without much trouble, but it's not what i came up with. My answer?:
Death.
plain and simple. death is, for all practical purposes, one of the major roots of religion. It's not natural to fear death in my opinion, although that case could be made. that's a very debatable point. it is natural to fear the unknown, and to cling to life. all living creatures have those two instincts hardwired into them. it's only humans, to the best of my knowledge, who know and understand the inevitability of death, and so compensate for those hardwired instincts by creating religion. before i get bogged in that, just want to say that animals and the like understand death, i just don't know that they understand its inevitability.
And back on topic. how death is a major root of religion... no one knows for certain in this day-and-age just what lies beyond that last great barrier. most people in the world believe in something there, and have faith somethings exists on the other side of death, and that is exactly my point. That faith is based on religion, obviously. religion is there to tell us what lies past the barrier, and how to get the afterlife we want. generally, we attain the desired post-living life by being good people and trusting in the Divine to give us what we deserve for treating others with love, respect, and tolerance.
and there we touch the good/evil issue. a brief tangent: the natural duality of good and evil and how we should treat each other is more a matter of law, while the why of it is left to religion. laws say to be good people and not kill each other or do other bad things, but it's the morality derived from religion that says why it's better to be a good person than not. again, a highly debatable issue. i'll leave that one there if anyone wants to pick it up.
As was pointed out to me before i started typing, the times when people start relying on faith and religion the most are when the death looms over us or loved ones, or touches large groups of people (think genocide, war, famine, and pestilence). these are the times when we most wonder, "why me/us/them? they're good people just trying to live my/our/their live(s)?"
We draw on religion and faith to act as a shield against the great unknown on the far side of death. Almost all morals seem based on being a good person so as to be worthy of a good afterlife, be that heaven, hell, purgatory, reincarnation, or what-have-you.
I've never been good at writing closing paragraphs to essays, and i realized towards the end there that the spiel kinda turned into one, though one to make an english major wince...
and now i'm getting kinda tired, so i bid you all good night @ 6:17 AM.
PS. everyone should listen to "Through the Fire and the Flames" by Dragonforce. the 2 minute long guitar solo is insanely awesome.
Now obviously, everything i'm about to say is debatable, some parts more than others. I'm not saying these are the only true options, just that they're my opinions.
If you could summarize the root of all major world religions in a single word, what would it be? And i am actually asking; if anyone thinks of an answer, i'd love to hear others' opinions as long as all remarks are heard out to completion. When i asked Billie on the ride home, her answer was "control". I know that's a response that can be explained without much trouble, but it's not what i came up with. My answer?:
Death.
plain and simple. death is, for all practical purposes, one of the major roots of religion. It's not natural to fear death in my opinion, although that case could be made. that's a very debatable point. it is natural to fear the unknown, and to cling to life. all living creatures have those two instincts hardwired into them. it's only humans, to the best of my knowledge, who know and understand the inevitability of death, and so compensate for those hardwired instincts by creating religion. before i get bogged in that, just want to say that animals and the like understand death, i just don't know that they understand its inevitability.
And back on topic. how death is a major root of religion... no one knows for certain in this day-and-age just what lies beyond that last great barrier. most people in the world believe in something there, and have faith somethings exists on the other side of death, and that is exactly my point. That faith is based on religion, obviously. religion is there to tell us what lies past the barrier, and how to get the afterlife we want. generally, we attain the desired post-living life by being good people and trusting in the Divine to give us what we deserve for treating others with love, respect, and tolerance.
and there we touch the good/evil issue. a brief tangent: the natural duality of good and evil and how we should treat each other is more a matter of law, while the why of it is left to religion. laws say to be good people and not kill each other or do other bad things, but it's the morality derived from religion that says why it's better to be a good person than not. again, a highly debatable issue. i'll leave that one there if anyone wants to pick it up.
As was pointed out to me before i started typing, the times when people start relying on faith and religion the most are when the death looms over us or loved ones, or touches large groups of people (think genocide, war, famine, and pestilence). these are the times when we most wonder, "why me/us/them? they're good people just trying to live my/our/their live(s)?"
We draw on religion and faith to act as a shield against the great unknown on the far side of death. Almost all morals seem based on being a good person so as to be worthy of a good afterlife, be that heaven, hell, purgatory, reincarnation, or what-have-you.
I've never been good at writing closing paragraphs to essays, and i realized towards the end there that the spiel kinda turned into one, though one to make an english major wince...
and now i'm getting kinda tired, so i bid you all good night @ 6:17 AM.
PS. everyone should listen to "Through the Fire and the Flames" by Dragonforce. the 2 minute long guitar solo is insanely awesome.