| Sep 9 @ 11:04 AM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences?
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yashaenka
Posts: 4,489
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In general any Religion was at one time someones living philosophy which later a institutional form of a religion was based upon generally making the original philosopher a deity or a prophet in their institutionalized religion.
Whereas a living philosophy, is a living philosophy that in some but not all living philosophies directs you inward for all the answers to questions about life and living that you may have in the here and now.
Monotheism and polytheisms fall under religions.
Original Zen falls under neither, it is just a tool. The Buddha, Pantheism, Tao Chia [philosophical Taoism] fall under under just living philosophies.
But both processes try to Awaken you in their own way. Some offer a openness of choice while others dictate an absolute.
Why a living philosophy works better for me because it allows me to apply it to me in any present circumstance over a lifetime.
Buddhism as a institution may fall under both if they make Buddha into a deity and add their own interpretations onto his own bodies of thought. Some sects may just be going to great lengths to explain The Buddha Way others may tend to make their interpretations more metaphysical
This post only suggest is it not better to find self first by looking inward rather than to look outward?.
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| Sep 9 @ 2:20 PM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences? |
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Loreli
Posts: 20,161
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I think as time goes by, many (not all) religious have moved toward personal faith.
They may attend one church, but many do because it is where they feel comfortable.
Still others go because their spouse makes them.
Then it isn't really either.
I hope that makes sense.
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| Sep 9 @ 2:31 PM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences?
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CPUfan
Posts: 3,052
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Yes Loreli since the reformation the relationship of an individual with his/her God has become more and more personal.
More and more are unprepared to accept the dogma of an institution as simply to be accepted and followed. Protestants first began to see belief/prayer etc. as a personal thing and not necessarily a thing they felt bound to follow through a church on a weekly basis.
That is why the attempt to press the older certainties on other minds has become increasingly unacceptable and controversial. Those minds are free to choose. 
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| Sep 9 @ 3:25 PM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences? |
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yashaenka
Posts: 4,489
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Christianity both pre and post the Reformation was not and is not now and will never be a singular form of Christianity. That is why 400 years AD they were still arguing what gospels, stories and myths would appear in the NT.
The beginning and ending were well fixed as dogma everything in the middle was squabbled over for centuries. Had it not been for Constantine they may well have been squabbling over it for more centuries.
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| Sep 9 @ 3:27 PM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences?
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Thor1960303
Posts: 1,851
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This post only suggest is it not better to find self first by looking inward rather than to look outward?.
That's what works for me, but I think the reason some people choose to look outward is because they find it easier to find focus and discipline when some authority figure is over them. Kind of like folks who can make really good employees and even managers, that is, if they know they have someone that they have to be held accountable to.
My dad was like that. Although he ran his own business for 10 years, eventually his lifestyle caught up with him and he had to sell it and go to work for a company again.
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| Sep 9 @ 3:33 PM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences? |
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yashaenka
Posts: 4,489
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Is that not about letting go? The singular most common thing as to why most individuals get stuck in middle management is simply because they cannot let go. In other words they micromanage rather than let others run with the ball.
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| Sep 9 @ 3:36 PM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences?
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Thor1960303
Posts: 1,851
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That sounds right on the money, Yash.  Probably the reason so many folks who have been indoctrinated into an externalized sense of philosphy/religion react so strongly to something that challenges their beliefs is the desire to let go. Letting go always brings with it a kind of trauma, a sort of leaving the comfort zone.
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| Sep 9 @ 4:18 PM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences? |
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CPUfan
Posts: 3,052
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Yep Yasha I was just addressing Loreli's take on personal faith. Yes, there have always been disagreement in Christianity about the bible etc.
There were changes in form as well as content. Before the Reformation and Enlightenment faith had to be practised in a church on a weekly basis and its content had to be approved by a priest. When that loosened up the West was able to move away from 'pure' religion and become more scientific and rational. So were the congregations.
For a long time now, it has been possible to be a Christian - or otherwise - whatever personal interpretation you put in it. That liberation was a long time coming... as the actress said to the Bishop...lol. The in-fighting continues, but now we have the option of not being submersed in it heheh.
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| Sep 10 @ 9:23 AM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences?
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yashaenka
Posts: 4,489
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Alan Watts has a good take on this in that he related Church designs and lay outs to an authoritarian figure in the Catholic design and to a Court house in the Protestant designs.
That's what works for me, but I think the reason some people choose to look outward is because they find it easier to find focus and discipline when some authority figure is over them. Kind of like folks who can make really good employees and even managers, that is, if they know they have someone that they have to be held accountable to.
For a long time now, it has been possible to be a Christian - or otherwise - whatever personal interpretation you put in it. Yes but the social pressure within a geography still continues. If you are not with them then they assume you are against them in the Christian mentality. I think that is a very gang like mentality as your system of belief is not allowed on their turf. 
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| Sep 10 @ 9:43 AM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences? |
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Loreli
Posts: 20,161
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I think we are lucky here, that different churches and their members can get together in disaster, for volunteer work, etc...and get along wonderfully!
I have been a guest in numerous churches, that treated me nicely and didn't try to recruit!
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| Sep 10 @ 10:22 AM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences?
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yashaenka
Posts: 4,489
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I have been to such churches also but most of them that I enjoyed had adopted a more inclusiveness to all religions in their activities and in their membership.
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| Sep 14 @ 8:29 PM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences? |
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carpediem48
Posts: 3,138
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If we define religion as non experiental on a personal inate level then it is not alive
This is a limited definition of religion but it is the definition I'm using for the purpose of this thread
A living philosophy is a POSITIVE personal,,,,,inate ,,,,,EXPERIENCE that resonates within us,,,IMO
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| Sep 15 @ 5:13 PM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences?
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yashaenka
Posts: 4,489
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A living philosophy is like taking a walk with self it's something you do because that way resonates within you. A living philosophy does not need to be something found only in books; it should be something found only within you.
A religion is something that started as a living philosophy and then was hijacked by some institution then built on someones philosophy generally but not always, new religions spring up all the time. Generally religions are mystical have a god or goddess or a godhead who you kow tow too in supplication. They dictate what you must do in this life to live in some form of an afterlife what ever mystical type of life that they elaborate on.
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| Oct 14 @ 10:59 AM |
Religion versus A Living Philosophy - what are their differences? |
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yashaenka
Posts: 4,489
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A living philosophy is a POSITIVE personal,,,,,inate ,,,,,EXPERIENCE that resonates within us,,,IMO Yes Carp I can only agree. We are the sum of everything we are exposed to via all our sense + our own direct experience.
Paine declaration that any God to be found is the God of mind, is indeed very profound. What he is saying is this: There is no universal definition of God to be found anywhere. Each instance of what God is and is not is implicitly to be found within each and every individual.
If one ponders this for a moment with 6 to 7 Billion people on the planet there exist for them 6 to 7 Billion different idealizations of what God is to them.
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