definition of religion

AnnaG

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It is ridiculous. There must be a hundred threads about religion and some probably already have definitions in them ( I know I posted the definitions of religion according to Merriam-Webster in 1 thread myself). So we might as well nitpick about something else. Pinatas seem to be it for now. lol
 

AnnaG

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I really should make a point of making my sarcasm a little more obvious. It's my weakness...or strength...depending on your point of view.
lol Sorry. I am having a blonde day. My fault.
 

china

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Niflmir

QUOTE]
Yes, well that is language and life for you. Feel free not to use language, if it suits you, I expect I won't understand you at all.[/quote]

What I mean regarding going beyond words is the understanding what is written non-verbally
. Therefore, rather than simply going through what is written verbally (which means only understanding the meaning of the words), you should try to look at what is being said, which means have a direct perception of it. There is a difference between the two. Verbal comprehension, merely understanding the meaning of words and arriving at a logical conclusion thereby, which is intellectual comprehension, is very limited.

Further, trying to escape one's conditioning is the best way to deceive one's self, though many people are conditioned to believe otherwise
. By trying to escape your conditioning you are only acknowledging its authority over yourself. A simple awareness and realization that you are conditioned will solve the problem.
 
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Cliffy

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Religion is very much a part of most people's social conditioning or put another way, it is part of their programing. Programs can be undone or re-written. It is not something that we are stuck with. For myself, I spent many years looking at my conditioning and changing it. Unless you become intimately aware of that programing you won't be able to recognize what it is you need to change. To me, our programing is a set of handicaps that we need to overcome in order to become self aware.
 

SirJosephPorter

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Religion is very much a part of most people's social conditioning or put another way, it is part of their programing. Programs can be undone or re-written. It is not something that we are stuck with. For myself, I spent many years looking at my conditioning and changing it. Unless you become intimately aware of that programing you won't be able to recognize what it is you need to change. To me, our programing is a set of handicaps that we need to overcome in order to become self aware.


But that is just you, Cliffy, most people can’t be bothered to question their conditioning. As for me, I didn’t consciously question it either, my beliefs (that there is no God) slowly evolved over the years. Studying other religions really pushed me towards Atheism. If so many competing religions claim to know the only, the absolute truth, each claiming with conviction that everybody else is wrong, that tells me there is very good chance the whole thing is bunk.

It is not that easy to question the conditioning, whether by the society or by the family. One sees cases of violent behavior passed on generation to generation. Son of a man who physically abuses his wife grows up to be a wife abuser; the daughter grows up to be a battered wife etc. (she seeks out somebody like her father for relationship).
 

china

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Another definition of religion.
By Tolek Rojek .
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Religion easily has the best bull**** story of all time. Think about it. Religion has convinced people that there’s an invisible man…living in the sky. Who watches everything you do every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten specific things he doesn’t want you to do. And if you do any of these things, he will send you to a special place, of burning and fire and smoke and torture and anguish for you to live forever, and suffer, and burn, and scream, until the end of time. But he loves you. He loves you. He loves you and he needs your money.
Life is GRAND
[/FONT]
 
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SirJosephPorter

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Think about it. Religion has convinced people that there’s an invisible man…living in the sky. Who watches everything you do every minute of every day.

Quite so, the emphasis here is on ‘man’. All the major religions are patriarchal in nature, relegating women to a second class status.
 

Cliffy

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Another definition of religion.
By Tolek Rojek .
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Religion easily has the best bull**** story of all time. Think about it. Religion has convinced people that there’s an invisible man…living in the sky. Who watches everything you do every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten specific things he doesn’t want you to do. And if you do any of these things, he will send you to a special place, of burning and fire and smoke and torture and anguish for you to live forever, and suffer, and burn, and scream, until the end of time. But he loves you. He loves you. He loves you and he needs your money.
Life is GRAND
[/FONT]

I'm horrified. This is word for word from George Carlin's skit on religion. I wonder who holds the copyright on it?
 

AnnaG

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Jul 5, 2009
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What I mean regarding going beyond words is the understanding what is written non-verbally
. Therefore, rather than simply going through what is written verbally (which means only understanding the meaning of the words), you should try to look at what is being said, which means have a direct perception of it. There is a difference between the two. Verbal comprehension, merely understanding the meaning of words and arriving at a logical conclusion thereby, which is intellectual comprehension, is very limited.
I find it much easier to get people to actually say what they mean. It leaves less room for guesswork and error in interpretation.
If people can't say what they mean, that is their problem and they should expect to be misinterpreted. :D
 
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