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What Does Religion Mean To Me Essay
My parents have always strongly believed in religion, responsibility, and integrity. At a young age,
they put these values into action. We always attend church on Sundays and make God our number
one priority. My parents always give me responsibilities, even as simple as making my bed, doing
the dishes, or coming home at curfew. They have always expected things to be done the first time
they ask, and on time. My family has always been big on lying. They would much rather I tell them
the truth, no matter how bad it is, rather than lie about it. Religion has always played a big part in
my life. Religion means a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe,
especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman...show more content...
As I have gotten older the church has begun to play an even bigger role in my life. My family and
I attend Fellowship church every Sunday. Awhile ago I was afraid to go to the high school group
on Wednesdays, but my mom insisted I go. Ever since I walked through that door God has
blessed me more and more. I have met some of my greatest friends at my church. If I am ever having
a bad day my mom will send me a bible verse and tell me to pray about it. I have learned that putting
it all in God's hands is the best way to go. My parents always try and set a good example for me by
putting God first. My mom recently became a leader of a women's group at church. She helps
with a bible study at a nursing home and serves in the preschool every Sunday. She sets a good
example for me to get involved with the church. Not only do my parents set good examples of
valuing religion, my grandparents do too. My mom's dad is a retired pastor, the church he had
was not very close so we were not able to attend much. My grandma always send me cards with
inspirational bible verses, or send me books. Sometime she even sends me a text with a bible verse
if she knows I am struggling or stressed out
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Religion Essays
Introduction
Religion has many classifications, such as tribal, classical, transcendental and cosmological, usually
based on one's belief and understandings. Religion also has many definitions, usually based on one's
experience. A particular definition that I found was Religion originates in an attempt to represent
and order beliefs, feelings, imaginings and actions that arise in response to direct experience of the
sacred and the spiritual (Connelly, 1986). Religion also has many characteristics such as rituals,
symbols and myths which play in an important part in how religion is viewed. We will take a look
on how the definition, classification and characteristics of religion and how it ties into our
understanding of the universe and...show more content...
When fire was introduced, they had to have an explanation for it. The fire became sacred, a
mysterious manifestation of power and presence that is experienced as both primordial and
transformative, inspiring awe and rapt attention (Connelly, 1986). How did this fire become to be?
How can they control it? How could they ask for it? They became to believe that fire was provided
by a God, the living giving source, as a way to survive. They started to worship fire, offering
sacrifices for guidance and protection. The fire then became a God, possibly the individuals or
tribes protector. As monotheism took over the world, what became sacred changed. Now tangible
things like people and relics unlike nature became more sacred, stars and planets weren't Gods,
but part of a universe created by One God. The spiritual is a perception of the commonality of
mindfulness in the world that shifts the boundaries between self and other, producing a sense of
the union of purposes of self and other in confronting the existential questions of life (Connelly,
1986). With the sacred (such as fire), people started to believe in Gods, creators of fire, lightning,
and other unexplainable events. But what was left? Where did their people go after death? Who
else is there to help them when God isn't around? A cat acts strange, a dog starts barking at its
owner, and then they wonder. What if
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Stereotypes Of Religion Essay
Can you be religious in today's society without being stereotyped? Can you bring up your beliefs in
an everyday conversation without being ridiculed? The answer to that is simple, no. In today's
society, people are strongly opinionated. Certain individuals believe religion is a filthy word.
Should you avoid talking to those types of people about your religion? Should you change what you
believe to appease others? Religion has a vast definition. When I think of religion, I think of faith.
When I think of faith, I think of our Lord and Savior. Does that mean everyone else in the world
comes to the same conclusion? No, not at all, because we all have different beliefs. I have been
going to church ever since I was a child. My beliefs have
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Religion, Religion And Religion
When discussing religion, many people have different perspectives about religion beliefs and how to
approach it. Religion is grouped in different sections such as, religion and spirituality, religion and
philosophy, and religion and politics. Religion has many different views from different cultures
because everyone approaches it differently with different beliefs also. To make somethingreligion, is
to have some type of belief in God, but everyone's belief is different depending on the culture
someone is located in. In society back then and today, religion has no set essence of a definition
because of the different aspects people group religion in. This paper will explain the different
aspects of what people believe constitutes different types of religion. The different approaches in
how many people define religion gives different effects on how people actually group the word in
different categories. According to the book "introduction to the study of religion" the authors gives a
brief statement about how religion is interpreted. They state two definitions "1. Religion is
awareness expressed through symbols of relationship to, or participation in, the fundamental power
of life. And 2. Religions are symbol systems that facilitate relationship to, or participation in, what
the members understand to be the fundamental power of life." (Ring, Nash, MacDonald, and
Glenmon, p 79). This explanation the book gives explains why it is so difficult to define religion.
There are
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The Pros And Cons Of Religion
Religion "the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God
or gods." Never use religion as an excuse, it will make you hated and it will create many conflicts.
Christians, Jews, and Muslims are all proven guilty of using religion for self purposes, and it is time
for a solution.
Christians have been using religion manly in the 16 hundreds when they went sailing to places
like India, America, etc. They also used it when they were fighting against each other's sects. For
example when the Protestants were fighting against the Roman Catholic they would burn people
at the stock, put people on torture chairs, etc, because they wanted power over each other, but
they said that they were fighting because of the different sects. The Protestants lost and so instead
of staying and conforming, they decided to go to a new place to settle and spread their religion,
but actually they did this to go to a new place and rule other people.In 1620 the Mayflower set sail
to the New World, America, to practise their religion in peace. After a few years when they had
settled in because of the help of the Native Americans, they decided that...show more content...
When Christians went to places like India they treated the people that were not Christian worse than
themselves, and so some Indians converted to Christianity to get on the good side of Christians.
Jews are still having an argument with the people that used to live there, but the people that used to
live there are now called Palestinians. The argument is called the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the
Jews are in the lead right now, so they are checking each Muslim that enters Israel, the Jews and
Muslims are teaching their kids not to co–exist together, etc. Islamic terrorists are having the times
of their lives. The main terrorist group ISIS is violent toward people who don't share their
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Religious conversion is the use of an identification with a particular religious denomination, to the
exclusion of other faiths. Therefore, the "religious conversion" to describe the use of a religious
sect, and with another affiliate of abandon. A lot of people into a different religious reasons,
including: to convert through freely chosen activities due to changes in beliefs, secondary
conversion deathbed conversion, the conversion for convenience and marriage and forced
conversion such as convert conversion through violence or charity . In order to facilitate the
conversion or reaffiliation is insincere behavior, sometimes relatively trivial reasons, such as a
parent conversion, so that a child was admitted to a good school with a religious association, or a
person to adopt a religion of pure attractiveness and social class, he or she desires. When people
get married spouses may be converted to other religions for the later by their own actions to
identify a variety of reasons undisclosed. Cast by different religions under duress. Conversion may
secretly retain the previous conviction, and continue with her true religion, but secretly outward
show of the new religion associated operations. In the generations of families who were forced to
convert to a new religion will begin to accept wholeheartedly religion unaware.
Proselytism is the act of attempting to convert an individual by persuasion from one religious
denomination to the other.
Apostate is a term used by members
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Christianity Of Religion Essay
Religion: the best thing to ever happen to humanity or the one thing that is holding us back? While
there are many arguments and testimonies that support either side, there is a clear answer. Religion,
specifically judeo–christianity, in the western world has an array of disastrous issues ranging from
bias teachings to abuse and hate crimes. There are countless examples of ways in which religion has,
and is continuing to regress society's views and morals. Ignorance and disdain from scientific fact,
fear to act upon natural human impulse, innumerable human rights violations and of course wars on
religion, are topics rarely discussed due to the concern of offending those who have a relationship
with the creator. I will not be discussing the...show more content...
Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest minds of our time said "Before we understood science, it was
natural to believe that God created the universe, but now science offers a more convincing
explanation." He is absolutely correct. It is human nature to seek explanations for life's big
questions. Therefore, back when there was no understanding of much at all, the concept of God
provided all the answers. Now, however, with research and evidence to back up discoveries, it is
irresponsible to completely reject them. In history, an example of this is Galileo's theory of
Heliocentrism. Because society was ruled by a theocracy at the time, it was said that the earth was
the center of the universe and the sun revolved around it. Galileo's theory that the earth revolves
around the sun and the sun was the center of the universe, although not entirely correct, was an
important breakthrough for science. Galileo was convicted for having opinions that challenge
scripture and was sentenced to house arrest until he died. Although nothing this extreme occurs in
the western world today, not much has changed in terms of belief. Today, most churches have
realized how ineffectual it is to fight science, and have claimed that there are in fact no
contradictions between science and religion. This is a case of telling rather than showing. If
churches still continue to believe in events such as God creating the universe in six
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Essay on Religions of the World
The Religions of the World Religion is big part of human life. Every area of the world has some
kind of religion or belief system. Religion is defined as "a personal set or institutionalized system
of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices" ("Religion" Def.2). With such a large amount of
religions today, religion is widely variegated, usually with divisions in each one. Despite the large
amount of religions, I will only be covering only three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism.
Christians are those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came down to earth from
Heaven in order to save humanity from its' sins. The reason for Jesus dying for the human race is
traced back to the beginning of time, in the Garden of...show more content...
His entire life was devoted to delivering the message that God had given Him, the theme of which
was forgiveness and a new life, in which we could have eternal life through the death of Christ
(John 3:16). His means of sharing this message were often in parables, "earthly stories with
heavenly meanings," but at other times they were blunt and straightforward (Bowker 141). There
was much division among the people because of Him, and the religious leaders of the time wanted
to kill Him, mainly because He claimed to be Son of God, while He looked like any other human to
them (John 7:8–9, 8:40–53). Their anger rose and, eventually, they set out to capture Him and
crucify Him. Jesus' Death was a tragic event indeed. There was so much division about Him that
His own people had decided to vote in favor of crucifying Him, and that is exactly what happened
(John 19:6–7). Jesus was lead to Golgotha, while carrying His own cross, to be crucified. As
horrific as this was for many, it fulfilled all the scriptures pointing to Jesus. Because He had lived
a sinless life, He became the perfect and final sacrifice for humanities' sin (1 Peter 2:22). Jesus
was raised on the third day after His death, showing His supremacy over the power of Death.
Obviously, a main belief of Christians is that of Jesus' death and resurrection. Christians also
believe in the teachings Jesus' gave them while He lived His life on the earth, which are recorded in
the four gospels in the New Testament
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Essay on My Religious Belief System
My Religious Belief System My religious belief system is embedded in Christianity. I was born
into a family who worshiped as Methodist and I am still Methodist. Growing up my mother not only
sent us to church, she went with us along with my grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins. Even
though my father did not attend church often, he believed in God and supported my mother's desire
to have her children in church. The neighborhood I grew up in consisted of a great deal of my
mother's family and everyone served at the same church, right there in the community. My religious
beliefs, directed my life in the sense of keeping my family close, taking my children to church, and
teaching them the right way. I remember before my baptism, my pastor...show more content...
From what I read and from what I am constantly learning from the Bible, I grasp what is required
of me as an individual and as a Christian in association with my conduct, meaning the way I behave
toward others, and so forth. The Bible is an excellent guideline of what God expects us to do. By
now, it seems obvious what I believe and it appears to be apparent that my belief system is
absolutely a religious belief system. I pray constantly without ceasing for my children, my entire
family and everyone I consider crucial to me. After analyzing my belief system, I grew into
different facets of my religious belief system through phases of my life. For example, I knew
several prayers at a young age but I did not understand how crucial prayer was concerning my
religious beliefs. I recall as a young girl being on my knees along beside my grandmother saying
my prayers. I remember her teaching one prayer for night and one for the mornings. Even as a
teenager, I realized some of the proper characteristics of my belief system but being young in
mind I did not always adhere to that belief. I always knew deep inside because of what my belief
is that some things I will not do. I do not consider myself a saint and I have made some terrible
decisions but not to the point where I ignored my conscious which convicts us. Now that I have
reached adulthood and I have experienced other things like marriage, having children, and coping
with
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Religion Persuasive Essay
Devry College| Atheism VS. Religion| English 135 Advanced Composition| | Richard Laugel| 4/16
/2012|
|
Abstract A look at religion, its beliefs and fallacies that throughout history have continued to have
negative effects on contemporary society. The usefulness of religion is in the past, and its
foundational books are fables. It is a man–made imposition which has been an enemy of science and
inquiry. Religion has subsisted largely on lies and fears, and been the accomplice of ignorance and
guilt as well as of slavery, genocide, racism, and tyranny.
George Carlin once said "I worship the sun for several reasons. The first reason is that unlike god,
you can actually see the sun which really helps with its credibility....show more content...
I feel that grown adults have a predication to act like small children when it comes to religion, in
that they often abandon all rational thoughts of logic, and turn to what they have been taught in
their own personal sheltered religious beliefs. It's amazing how defensive people become if you
question their god, worship or religious practices, while at the same time most are taught to believe
that everyone else's opposing religious beliefs are inaccurate and that those following them will
themselves go to hell.
A huge problem I have with religious belief is that most people that call themselves faithful
followers often do not "practice what they preach". In other words people often attempt to force
religion and its strict policies onto others while they themselves are commonly the biggest violators
of its basic rules. An example would be the numerous scandals involving priests molesting young
children, or even regular Church attendants that participate in adultery, drinking, gambling and
premarital sex. I feel that if you are going to make it your practice to faithfully observe your
religion, then you should at least be capable of adhering to the standards and regulations that your
chosen faith requires of you. Don't get me wrong, there are people that follow and adhere to their
religious beliefs very closely and rarely sway from its
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Religious Freedom Essay
Religious Freedom
America has been named the "melting pot" of the world. It houses many different cultures,
nationalities, ideas and religions. There are Christians, Jews, Catholics, Buddhists, Mormons,
Hindus, Spiritualists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Islamic, plus many more. America is unique in that all
these religions are represented in a nation that is only 200 years old. And America has upheld,
throughout history, that the freedom and equality of religion is extremely important in order for this
nation to function as a free nation. The foundations of America were set as a result of England's
persecution; more specifically, England's religious persecution. The colonists wanted to create a
nation that allowed people to be free. They...show more content...
Certainly, all the freedoms are equal.
On the other hand, unlike the other freedoms mentioned, religious freedom addresses a different
type of need. It addresses the concept of personal fulfillment, or perhaps, self–realization. Religion
attempts to give answers to basic questions: From where did the world come? What is the
meaning of human life? Why do people die and what happens afterward? Why is there evil? How
should people behave? As a word religion is difficult to define, but as a human experience it seems
to be universal. The 20th–century German–born American theologian, Paul Tillich, gave a simple
and basic definition of the word: "Religion is ultimate concern." This means that religion includes
that to which people are most devoted or that from which they expect to get the most satisfaction in
life. Consequently, religion provides adequate answers to the basic afore mentioned questions.
Religion is, unquestionably, a very important part of life. The second question regardingfreedom of
religion discusses which aspect of religion should be considered equal: the structure or substantive
content of religion, or the individual conscience of that religion. Because of the diversity and impact
that religion has in the lives of Americans, the individual conscience should be treated as equal, not
the structure or substantive content of the various religions. No two religions are alike, just as no
two people
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Religious Experience Essay
Religious Experience
There are various interpretations of the definite meaning of a religious experience, where each are
unique and different.
There have been many, many stores put forward by certain individuals who have claimed to have
such an experience. Various people have studied them, and have come to the conclusion that in most
cases, very similar subjects are brought up in them.
Some say that a religious experience involves having some sort of contact with God. For example, it
has come to our awareness that people over the years have 'heard the voice of God'. It is usually
described as a 'mental event' which is undergone by someone, and to which they are conscience
about it all....show more content...
One could dream about something in a few minutes, when realistically it would take hours, or the
other way round. However, unlike dreams, religious experiences are remembered by individuals for
the rest of their lives due to the impact and effects of them. This process is called transciency.
A variety of famous scholars have come to the conclusion that whilst going through an experience
of religions importance, the person involved is most likely to lose complete control over themselves
because of the bigger force around then, called God. The effects could be a personality disorder,
where the characteristics of an individual are completely wiped out and changed due to the
astounding effects of the religious experience that the person went through.
As stated previously, there are different forms of religious experiences. Firstly, most experiences are
said to have been 'mystical'. By this I mean that the individual feels closer and more united with the
Divine as a result. The Divine means a absolute perfect being that has phenomenal power and cannot
be compared to anything – God. Mysticism involves 'the spiritual recognition of truths beyond
normal understanding', and is it is also said that it is the closest a human come actually come to
meeting the Divine.
William James, a famous religious commentator, suggested that the term mystical had several
contexts,
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Religion : What Is It?
Religion: What is it? There are many different religions that people believe in today. When I think
of religion I think of a group of people who believe in a god or gods that created the world and
determine your faith. There are different forms of theist religions, some of these religions believe
in many gods and some only believe in one. That to me was the main part about being religious, is
that you had to believe in a god. I never believed or knew that religions could be non–theistic, so I
always counted atheism as a non–religion. Coming in to college and having the knowledge that I
would have to take two religion courses I was a bit weary. I did believe in a God or that any
non–theistic views are religious. So I had some bias about what I was going to learn about such as:
about this all powerful being God, that all religions have the same basic core just different practices,
that the evolutionary theory would be thrown out and that there would be an underlying tone that
everyone should be religious. Thinking that I would be shunned for not believing in a god was the
one thing that scared me the most.
Even though I am a naturalist, I was brought up around religion and for a while even lived in a
religious house hold. When I was four years old and younger I went to a Christian church and went
to Sunday school. Unfortunately, I don't remember the things I learned when I was 4 I only
remember going every Sunday. Eventually my mom and I moved out of my grandmother's house
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Religion Expressed Through Art Essays
Religion through art form provides us with a vision into a realm of heavenly beauty. Religion
provides us with a sense of spirit fulfilment. It is only through worship and devotion that we feel
connected to God. The practice of devotion and worship takes place in churches and cathedrals. It
is these places that help us gain knowledge and a deeper more spiritual meaning of God. The
churches and cathedrals are the very foundation of religious practice and devotion to God in my
opinion. They are known as temples, ceremonial places, and are places of worship to God. However
it is the claim that 'art museums in the modern period fulfil some of the same functions as cathedrals
and churches have done in the past', which challenges contemporary...show more content...
The next thing you must know is the functions that art museums have do take on the role that the
churches and cathedrals once had. 'Museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration,
learning and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artifacts
and specimens, which they hold in trust for society.' Art museums, in reference to this definition of
museums, specifically 'make accessible' a body of work to people around the world. It in essence
offers a 'new' stage in which artists can both appreciate and challenge religion.
Art museums of the modern period have the same aesthetic as cathedrals or churches of the past.
'The very architecture of museums suggest their character as secular rituals. It was fitting that the
temple façade was for two hundred years the most popular signifier for the public art museum.' It is
not just that they give on the impression of temples Carol Duncan suggests, but rather that they
function and work like temples, shrines and cathedrals of the past. Other
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Different Kinds of Religions Essay
Religion is a topic that varies from person to person and culture to culture. Although religion is
broadly defined as "the belief or worship of a spirit or god" (Hopfe and Woodward ), each religion
of the world has their own beliefs and worship strategies that defines that particular religion. Across
the world, religions have their own beliefs and rituals; however, they are all commonly linked with
the tradition of beliefs, holy places of worship, and celebrations. While each contrasting world
religion will be discussed in this paper; they will collectively be centered around the question of
how each religion practices their own beliefs, places of worship, and celebrations.
The first religion that I am going to discuss is Buddhism....show more content...
(White) Since the beginning of the Buddhist religion, believers visit temples and shrines in order
to pay their respects to Buddha and worship with other Buddhists. Because Buddha believed that
Buddhism is a way of life, Buddhists often believe that attending a place to worship is not critical.
Some Buddhists even have their own shrines so their worship can be done in a more convenient
and timely manner. The Buddhist's shrine originated as a place built to worship the ashes of
Buddha. More shrines were continued to be built in order to hold additional sacred items. Today,
shrines and temples are built in various ways however; many of them consist of 5 tiers representing
the five elements of the universe – earth, wind, fire, water, and emptiness. They were also built taller
in the belief that their place of worship was reaching "out of the physical world and towards
wisdom" (White). Different cultures celebrate Buddhism in various ways but, all cultures celebrate
the greatest moments of Buddha's life. For instance, in Japan, Buddha's birthday is celebrated with
the Flower Festival where, in India, Buddha's first teaching is celebrated with the Festival of the
Sacred Tooth. Buddhism is a religion that is based on a person's mental enlightenment and is one of
the bigger religions of the world. Christianity is one
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What Does Religion Mean To Me Essay
Growing up, church was never a huge aspect of my life, but it was always around me. My
grandmother was a deeply religious Catholic, and many of the kids on my street went to the church
around the corner. Despite this, my mother never forced my sisters and I to go. She wanted us to
choose our own beliefs. The proximity to Christianity influenced what I believe in today. I believe in
God and that he created everything in the observable universe. The rest of the Bible, well, is
debatable to me. Some call me an agnostic Christian, but the label doesn't matter. As long as I can
find faith and solace in something when I need it, I'm happy. What I ponder the most is the final
chapter: death and the afterlife. What I hope is that everyone is delivered what they...show more
content...
To another, they might believe it's nothing at all. Even fire and brimstone is in some people's future
if they think they deserve it. There are an infinite number of heavens to every person. It is a
self–determined fate. However, if I am to be quite honest to myself, my own belief written here is
always changing. Nothing is really ever set in stone. Even my own personal heaven is shifting
constantly, based on what I believe I deserve at that point in my life. If you had asked me as a
child what my heaven was, it would be being able to wrestle with my sister without getting
injured for hours on end. If you asked me after my grandmother died, it would be on her lap as I
listened to childhood stories. A week later, I would have said Hell for not listening to more of
them. Right now, my heaven is a road trip's summer night. Great music with great people on the
highway is a lovely way to spend a teenage eternity. Of course, my best friend Elyse Leskovic is
there (and of course she is driving). A song with too much bass is blasting. I can feel the beat in my
chest and I'm singing along at the top of my
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What is Religion Essay
World Religion
What is Religion?
According to the American College Dictionary, religion is a noun defined as the quest for the
values of the ideal life. This definition is vast and general, allowing for a variety of interpretations by
people from all cultures. There is no single path to follow in order to lead an ideal life, only personal
beliefs and experiences. Religion is non–finite so there is no way of determining a boundary
(Smart, 5). In my quest for a true understanding of what religion is I explored my own traditions
and religious beliefs as well as life experiences. Slowly, with the added insight from the text and
videos, my own definition of religion has begun to take shape....show more content...
Every religion holds truth to the believers, and gives them a sense of identity. There is no right or
wrong answer to the question of which religion to follow, only interpretations and behaviors
according to what makes sense to the individual. People will behave as they believe (Beliefs and
Believers, Class 1).
Another equally important remark I came across in my studies was one by the Methodist pastor
Rev. Cecil Williams. Williams' main topic of discussion was that of toxic religion and inspiring
social action. Williams begin the interview by saying, "Be careful of religion because
religion is toxic" (Williams Interview, Class 2). He means that believers are not focusing on
the actions, but the outcomes instead. You cannot genuinely identify with a religion or call yourself
a religious person unless you relate to other human beings or form relationships that work to ease
human suffering (Simmons Study Guide, 15). Again, I was reminded of my own beliefs and the
history of my religion when I explored the meaning of this statement. Contrary to popular belief, this
nation was not founded on the basis of religion. America was founded by men in search of power
and money who used their religious beliefs, predominantly Protestant Christian, as an excuse for
their brutality. Not all believers act on their beliefs, creating a fine line between which are factious
and which are not. The first attempts at
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organized religion Essay
Organized Religion
Ever since man has chosen to write down his history, organized religion has been a prominent topic
and has influenced and shaped all people's lives. There have always been believers and
non–believers. Since the beginning, non–believers have been persecuted by inquisitions, prosecuted
by witch trials, and murdered by stoning and crucifying for even questioning the "truth" about a
supreme being and supposed crimes against that being. Religion had a purpose in earlier times to
explain life, but today science provides more concrete answers. Religious beliefs are old and outdated
and people should trust the scientific facts that have been proven, not what has been...show more
content...
They trust their faith because "The Bible Tells Me So." The books of each religion explain why
everything is the way it is and each religion teaches at very young ages, so how could it be
wrong? It has "always been" so it must be the truth. When I was younger I would come home from
school complaining to my mom about science class. "Why don't they leave everything alone and
just say it is that way because God made it that way? The grass is green because God wanted it to be.
Recently, education appeared as the truth. Perhaps people in the science field and I wanted facts,
proof for the truth. Charles Darwin had come up with the idea of natural selection and the theory of
evolution in the 1800's. The questions and answers offered by science are more plausible. Scientists
struggle with these questions every modern day. Open–minded people question and look for
answers. Science suggests that religious ideas are incorrect.
Today's religions have aided both personal and international peace. It has given hope to people
and has helped some deal with difficult situations. Religions give some people purpose to life, and
an explanation as to why things are the way they are. Praying can give some peace of mind to those
who are dealing with problems in life.
Throughout history people have taken their religious beliefs too serious. Religions are hypocritical
in their values,
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Religion and Spirituality Essay examples
Religion and Spirituality Since the dawn of human life, people have eternally been searching for the
purpose of existence. Humans are innately curious beings, and are blessed to have the capabilities of
higher thought processes. Humans use these thought processes to ponder the question of existence.
Unfortunately, the evolution of man has not brought the human race any closer to actualizing its
purpose on earth. In fact, this issue is such that the more one feels he or she understands it, the more
questions concerning it arise. This problem perpetuates itself by the confusion of religion and
spirituality, and the roles they hold in society. As the human race evolves, it feels the need to
designate structure to its world. As...show more content...
The fact that religion is exploited for personal and social gain can be seen throughout history, and
will be later discussed.
In order to fully understand how religion and spirituality are different, as well as how religion is
exploited, one must first have an effective definition of the two terms. Religion is a certain mode of
orientation towards reality (Howerth, 1983). This definition encompasses many things, and therefore
personal beliefs cannot make up the whole of religion. Oftentimes, religion is seen as a moral
standard for humans to evaluate their lives against. However, if one looks deeper into the reasons
behind moral values, one finds that values that are virtuous are those that contribute to the
development of society, and values that are dishonorable are those that impair the development of
society. Religion consists of organized bodies that congregate with the purpose of creatingsocial
order (Bharati, 1971). When one looks at any religion, one can see this, but a blatant example is the
religion of Hinduism. An integral part of this religion is the caste system. From an outside
perspective, the caste system seems very cold and uninviting – the exact opposite of what the general
public takes religion to be. However, the caste system served the purpose of organizing a society for
many years (Mathur, 1974). According to the working definition of religion, the caste system of
Hinduism is
Get more content on HelpWriting.net
What Is Religion? Essay
What is religion? Each person's definition of religion is different. Each person's faith is different.
This is a question that has been asked for centuries, and regardless of the answer given there is no
right or wrong answer. Religion can be defined as a group of people who have shared beliefs who
feel their life has purpose or meaning. This feeling or belief that their life has meaning can come
from outside of themselves, as well as within. Taking this one step further, these shared beliefs put
into action in the form of worship, can be easily identified because they happen regularly. It can be
said the Primal religions were in fact not religions. Some may argue Confucianism is not a religion.
Others may say Taoism is not a...show more content...
They are teachings learned by previous generations then passed down, they are not always
actions. The fifth feature of religion is grace. Grace is defined by Smith as "the belief and
assurance that reality is on our side and can be counted on." Lastly there is mystery. For this there
is no exact definition, but it is all of what a religion cannot explain, it is all that the human mind
cannot grasp, it is the certain "higher power" that religion offers. Of these six features, there are
three that are present in most all religions, they are: authority, tradition, and mystery. Authority,
tradition, and mystery further explore and define religion when looking specifically at Primal
Religions, Confucianism, and Taoism. Primal Religions are often mistaken to be the religion of the
primitive man, often thought to be unintelligent. There is a definition of "primal" that is better
suited than unintelligent or primitive. Primal in terms of religion, refers to the lack of exposure to
technology, it is not "knowing" the state of consciousness given to many by the technological
environment. Primal religions preceded organized religion as we know it today by thousands of
years, in some cases millions, but are still present in the world today; we now call them tribal
religions. Within primal religions there are people who are knowledgeable about life, who are
knowledgeable about
Defining Religion–4 traditions, and who are
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Religious Essays

  • 1. What Does Religion Mean To Me Essay My parents have always strongly believed in religion, responsibility, and integrity. At a young age, they put these values into action. We always attend church on Sundays and make God our number one priority. My parents always give me responsibilities, even as simple as making my bed, doing the dishes, or coming home at curfew. They have always expected things to be done the first time they ask, and on time. My family has always been big on lying. They would much rather I tell them the truth, no matter how bad it is, rather than lie about it. Religion has always played a big part in my life. Religion means a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman...show more content... As I have gotten older the church has begun to play an even bigger role in my life. My family and I attend Fellowship church every Sunday. Awhile ago I was afraid to go to the high school group on Wednesdays, but my mom insisted I go. Ever since I walked through that door God has blessed me more and more. I have met some of my greatest friends at my church. If I am ever having a bad day my mom will send me a bible verse and tell me to pray about it. I have learned that putting it all in God's hands is the best way to go. My parents always try and set a good example for me by putting God first. My mom recently became a leader of a women's group at church. She helps with a bible study at a nursing home and serves in the preschool every Sunday. She sets a good example for me to get involved with the church. Not only do my parents set good examples of valuing religion, my grandparents do too. My mom's dad is a retired pastor, the church he had was not very close so we were not able to attend much. My grandma always send me cards with inspirational bible verses, or send me books. Sometime she even sends me a text with a bible verse if she knows I am struggling or stressed out Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. Religion Essays Introduction Religion has many classifications, such as tribal, classical, transcendental and cosmological, usually based on one's belief and understandings. Religion also has many definitions, usually based on one's experience. A particular definition that I found was Religion originates in an attempt to represent and order beliefs, feelings, imaginings and actions that arise in response to direct experience of the sacred and the spiritual (Connelly, 1986). Religion also has many characteristics such as rituals, symbols and myths which play in an important part in how religion is viewed. We will take a look on how the definition, classification and characteristics of religion and how it ties into our understanding of the universe and...show more content... When fire was introduced, they had to have an explanation for it. The fire became sacred, a mysterious manifestation of power and presence that is experienced as both primordial and transformative, inspiring awe and rapt attention (Connelly, 1986). How did this fire become to be? How can they control it? How could they ask for it? They became to believe that fire was provided by a God, the living giving source, as a way to survive. They started to worship fire, offering sacrifices for guidance and protection. The fire then became a God, possibly the individuals or tribes protector. As monotheism took over the world, what became sacred changed. Now tangible things like people and relics unlike nature became more sacred, stars and planets weren't Gods, but part of a universe created by One God. The spiritual is a perception of the commonality of mindfulness in the world that shifts the boundaries between self and other, producing a sense of the union of purposes of self and other in confronting the existential questions of life (Connelly, 1986). With the sacred (such as fire), people started to believe in Gods, creators of fire, lightning, and other unexplainable events. But what was left? Where did their people go after death? Who else is there to help them when God isn't around? A cat acts strange, a dog starts barking at its owner, and then they wonder. What if Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. Stereotypes Of Religion Essay Can you be religious in today's society without being stereotyped? Can you bring up your beliefs in an everyday conversation without being ridiculed? The answer to that is simple, no. In today's society, people are strongly opinionated. Certain individuals believe religion is a filthy word. Should you avoid talking to those types of people about your religion? Should you change what you believe to appease others? Religion has a vast definition. When I think of religion, I think of faith. When I think of faith, I think of our Lord and Savior. Does that mean everyone else in the world comes to the same conclusion? No, not at all, because we all have different beliefs. I have been going to church ever since I was a child. My beliefs have Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. Religion, Religion And Religion When discussing religion, many people have different perspectives about religion beliefs and how to approach it. Religion is grouped in different sections such as, religion and spirituality, religion and philosophy, and religion and politics. Religion has many different views from different cultures because everyone approaches it differently with different beliefs also. To make somethingreligion, is to have some type of belief in God, but everyone's belief is different depending on the culture someone is located in. In society back then and today, religion has no set essence of a definition because of the different aspects people group religion in. This paper will explain the different aspects of what people believe constitutes different types of religion. The different approaches in how many people define religion gives different effects on how people actually group the word in different categories. According to the book "introduction to the study of religion" the authors gives a brief statement about how religion is interpreted. They state two definitions "1. Religion is awareness expressed through symbols of relationship to, or participation in, the fundamental power of life. And 2. Religions are symbol systems that facilitate relationship to, or participation in, what the members understand to be the fundamental power of life." (Ring, Nash, MacDonald, and Glenmon, p 79). This explanation the book gives explains why it is so difficult to define religion. There are Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. The Pros And Cons Of Religion Religion "the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods." Never use religion as an excuse, it will make you hated and it will create many conflicts. Christians, Jews, and Muslims are all proven guilty of using religion for self purposes, and it is time for a solution. Christians have been using religion manly in the 16 hundreds when they went sailing to places like India, America, etc. They also used it when they were fighting against each other's sects. For example when the Protestants were fighting against the Roman Catholic they would burn people at the stock, put people on torture chairs, etc, because they wanted power over each other, but they said that they were fighting because of the different sects. The Protestants lost and so instead of staying and conforming, they decided to go to a new place to settle and spread their religion, but actually they did this to go to a new place and rule other people.In 1620 the Mayflower set sail to the New World, America, to practise their religion in peace. After a few years when they had settled in because of the help of the Native Americans, they decided that...show more content... When Christians went to places like India they treated the people that were not Christian worse than themselves, and so some Indians converted to Christianity to get on the good side of Christians. Jews are still having an argument with the people that used to live there, but the people that used to live there are now called Palestinians. The argument is called the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the Jews are in the lead right now, so they are checking each Muslim that enters Israel, the Jews and Muslims are teaching their kids not to co–exist together, etc. Islamic terrorists are having the times of their lives. The main terrorist group ISIS is violent toward people who don't share their Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 6. Religious conversion is the use of an identification with a particular religious denomination, to the exclusion of other faiths. Therefore, the "religious conversion" to describe the use of a religious sect, and with another affiliate of abandon. A lot of people into a different religious reasons, including: to convert through freely chosen activities due to changes in beliefs, secondary conversion deathbed conversion, the conversion for convenience and marriage and forced conversion such as convert conversion through violence or charity . In order to facilitate the conversion or reaffiliation is insincere behavior, sometimes relatively trivial reasons, such as a parent conversion, so that a child was admitted to a good school with a religious association, or a person to adopt a religion of pure attractiveness and social class, he or she desires. When people get married spouses may be converted to other religions for the later by their own actions to identify a variety of reasons undisclosed. Cast by different religions under duress. Conversion may secretly retain the previous conviction, and continue with her true religion, but secretly outward show of the new religion associated operations. In the generations of families who were forced to convert to a new religion will begin to accept wholeheartedly religion unaware. Proselytism is the act of attempting to convert an individual by persuasion from one religious denomination to the other. Apostate is a term used by members Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. Christianity Of Religion Essay Religion: the best thing to ever happen to humanity or the one thing that is holding us back? While there are many arguments and testimonies that support either side, there is a clear answer. Religion, specifically judeo–christianity, in the western world has an array of disastrous issues ranging from bias teachings to abuse and hate crimes. There are countless examples of ways in which religion has, and is continuing to regress society's views and morals. Ignorance and disdain from scientific fact, fear to act upon natural human impulse, innumerable human rights violations and of course wars on religion, are topics rarely discussed due to the concern of offending those who have a relationship with the creator. I will not be discussing the...show more content... Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest minds of our time said "Before we understood science, it was natural to believe that God created the universe, but now science offers a more convincing explanation." He is absolutely correct. It is human nature to seek explanations for life's big questions. Therefore, back when there was no understanding of much at all, the concept of God provided all the answers. Now, however, with research and evidence to back up discoveries, it is irresponsible to completely reject them. In history, an example of this is Galileo's theory of Heliocentrism. Because society was ruled by a theocracy at the time, it was said that the earth was the center of the universe and the sun revolved around it. Galileo's theory that the earth revolves around the sun and the sun was the center of the universe, although not entirely correct, was an important breakthrough for science. Galileo was convicted for having opinions that challenge scripture and was sentenced to house arrest until he died. Although nothing this extreme occurs in the western world today, not much has changed in terms of belief. Today, most churches have realized how ineffectual it is to fight science, and have claimed that there are in fact no contradictions between science and religion. This is a case of telling rather than showing. If churches still continue to believe in events such as God creating the universe in six Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. Essay on Religions of the World The Religions of the World Religion is big part of human life. Every area of the world has some kind of religion or belief system. Religion is defined as "a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices" ("Religion" Def.2). With such a large amount of religions today, religion is widely variegated, usually with divisions in each one. Despite the large amount of religions, I will only be covering only three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. Christians are those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came down to earth from Heaven in order to save humanity from its' sins. The reason for Jesus dying for the human race is traced back to the beginning of time, in the Garden of...show more content... His entire life was devoted to delivering the message that God had given Him, the theme of which was forgiveness and a new life, in which we could have eternal life through the death of Christ (John 3:16). His means of sharing this message were often in parables, "earthly stories with heavenly meanings," but at other times they were blunt and straightforward (Bowker 141). There was much division among the people because of Him, and the religious leaders of the time wanted to kill Him, mainly because He claimed to be Son of God, while He looked like any other human to them (John 7:8–9, 8:40–53). Their anger rose and, eventually, they set out to capture Him and crucify Him. Jesus' Death was a tragic event indeed. There was so much division about Him that His own people had decided to vote in favor of crucifying Him, and that is exactly what happened (John 19:6–7). Jesus was lead to Golgotha, while carrying His own cross, to be crucified. As horrific as this was for many, it fulfilled all the scriptures pointing to Jesus. Because He had lived a sinless life, He became the perfect and final sacrifice for humanities' sin (1 Peter 2:22). Jesus was raised on the third day after His death, showing His supremacy over the power of Death. Obviously, a main belief of Christians is that of Jesus' death and resurrection. Christians also believe in the teachings Jesus' gave them while He lived His life on the earth, which are recorded in the four gospels in the New Testament Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. Essay on My Religious Belief System My Religious Belief System My religious belief system is embedded in Christianity. I was born into a family who worshiped as Methodist and I am still Methodist. Growing up my mother not only sent us to church, she went with us along with my grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins. Even though my father did not attend church often, he believed in God and supported my mother's desire to have her children in church. The neighborhood I grew up in consisted of a great deal of my mother's family and everyone served at the same church, right there in the community. My religious beliefs, directed my life in the sense of keeping my family close, taking my children to church, and teaching them the right way. I remember before my baptism, my pastor...show more content... From what I read and from what I am constantly learning from the Bible, I grasp what is required of me as an individual and as a Christian in association with my conduct, meaning the way I behave toward others, and so forth. The Bible is an excellent guideline of what God expects us to do. By now, it seems obvious what I believe and it appears to be apparent that my belief system is absolutely a religious belief system. I pray constantly without ceasing for my children, my entire family and everyone I consider crucial to me. After analyzing my belief system, I grew into different facets of my religious belief system through phases of my life. For example, I knew several prayers at a young age but I did not understand how crucial prayer was concerning my religious beliefs. I recall as a young girl being on my knees along beside my grandmother saying my prayers. I remember her teaching one prayer for night and one for the mornings. Even as a teenager, I realized some of the proper characteristics of my belief system but being young in mind I did not always adhere to that belief. I always knew deep inside because of what my belief is that some things I will not do. I do not consider myself a saint and I have made some terrible decisions but not to the point where I ignored my conscious which convicts us. Now that I have reached adulthood and I have experienced other things like marriage, having children, and coping with Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. Religion Persuasive Essay Devry College| Atheism VS. Religion| English 135 Advanced Composition| | Richard Laugel| 4/16 /2012| | Abstract A look at religion, its beliefs and fallacies that throughout history have continued to have negative effects on contemporary society. The usefulness of religion is in the past, and its foundational books are fables. It is a man–made imposition which has been an enemy of science and inquiry. Religion has subsisted largely on lies and fears, and been the accomplice of ignorance and guilt as well as of slavery, genocide, racism, and tyranny. George Carlin once said "I worship the sun for several reasons. The first reason is that unlike god, you can actually see the sun which really helps with its credibility....show more content... I feel that grown adults have a predication to act like small children when it comes to religion, in that they often abandon all rational thoughts of logic, and turn to what they have been taught in their own personal sheltered religious beliefs. It's amazing how defensive people become if you question their god, worship or religious practices, while at the same time most are taught to believe that everyone else's opposing religious beliefs are inaccurate and that those following them will themselves go to hell. A huge problem I have with religious belief is that most people that call themselves faithful followers often do not "practice what they preach". In other words people often attempt to force religion and its strict policies onto others while they themselves are commonly the biggest violators of its basic rules. An example would be the numerous scandals involving priests molesting young children, or even regular Church attendants that participate in adultery, drinking, gambling and premarital sex. I feel that if you are going to make it your practice to faithfully observe your religion, then you should at least be capable of adhering to the standards and regulations that your chosen faith requires of you. Don't get me wrong, there are people that follow and adhere to their religious beliefs very closely and rarely sway from its Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. Religious Freedom Essay Religious Freedom America has been named the "melting pot" of the world. It houses many different cultures, nationalities, ideas and religions. There are Christians, Jews, Catholics, Buddhists, Mormons, Hindus, Spiritualists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Islamic, plus many more. America is unique in that all these religions are represented in a nation that is only 200 years old. And America has upheld, throughout history, that the freedom and equality of religion is extremely important in order for this nation to function as a free nation. The foundations of America were set as a result of England's persecution; more specifically, England's religious persecution. The colonists wanted to create a nation that allowed people to be free. They...show more content... Certainly, all the freedoms are equal. On the other hand, unlike the other freedoms mentioned, religious freedom addresses a different type of need. It addresses the concept of personal fulfillment, or perhaps, self–realization. Religion attempts to give answers to basic questions: From where did the world come? What is the meaning of human life? Why do people die and what happens afterward? Why is there evil? How should people behave? As a word religion is difficult to define, but as a human experience it seems to be universal. The 20th–century German–born American theologian, Paul Tillich, gave a simple and basic definition of the word: "Religion is ultimate concern." This means that religion includes that to which people are most devoted or that from which they expect to get the most satisfaction in life. Consequently, religion provides adequate answers to the basic afore mentioned questions. Religion is, unquestionably, a very important part of life. The second question regardingfreedom of religion discusses which aspect of religion should be considered equal: the structure or substantive content of religion, or the individual conscience of that religion. Because of the diversity and impact that religion has in the lives of Americans, the individual conscience should be treated as equal, not the structure or substantive content of the various religions. No two religions are alike, just as no two people Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. Religious Experience Essay Religious Experience There are various interpretations of the definite meaning of a religious experience, where each are unique and different. There have been many, many stores put forward by certain individuals who have claimed to have such an experience. Various people have studied them, and have come to the conclusion that in most cases, very similar subjects are brought up in them. Some say that a religious experience involves having some sort of contact with God. For example, it has come to our awareness that people over the years have 'heard the voice of God'. It is usually described as a 'mental event' which is undergone by someone, and to which they are conscience about it all....show more content... One could dream about something in a few minutes, when realistically it would take hours, or the other way round. However, unlike dreams, religious experiences are remembered by individuals for the rest of their lives due to the impact and effects of them. This process is called transciency. A variety of famous scholars have come to the conclusion that whilst going through an experience of religions importance, the person involved is most likely to lose complete control over themselves because of the bigger force around then, called God. The effects could be a personality disorder, where the characteristics of an individual are completely wiped out and changed due to the astounding effects of the religious experience that the person went through. As stated previously, there are different forms of religious experiences. Firstly, most experiences are said to have been 'mystical'. By this I mean that the individual feels closer and more united with the Divine as a result. The Divine means a absolute perfect being that has phenomenal power and cannot be compared to anything – God. Mysticism involves 'the spiritual recognition of truths beyond normal understanding', and is it is also said that it is the closest a human come actually come to meeting the Divine. William James, a famous religious commentator, suggested that the term mystical had several contexts, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. Religion : What Is It? Religion: What is it? There are many different religions that people believe in today. When I think of religion I think of a group of people who believe in a god or gods that created the world and determine your faith. There are different forms of theist religions, some of these religions believe in many gods and some only believe in one. That to me was the main part about being religious, is that you had to believe in a god. I never believed or knew that religions could be non–theistic, so I always counted atheism as a non–religion. Coming in to college and having the knowledge that I would have to take two religion courses I was a bit weary. I did believe in a God or that any non–theistic views are religious. So I had some bias about what I was going to learn about such as: about this all powerful being God, that all religions have the same basic core just different practices, that the evolutionary theory would be thrown out and that there would be an underlying tone that everyone should be religious. Thinking that I would be shunned for not believing in a god was the one thing that scared me the most. Even though I am a naturalist, I was brought up around religion and for a while even lived in a religious house hold. When I was four years old and younger I went to a Christian church and went to Sunday school. Unfortunately, I don't remember the things I learned when I was 4 I only remember going every Sunday. Eventually my mom and I moved out of my grandmother's house Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. Religion Expressed Through Art Essays Religion through art form provides us with a vision into a realm of heavenly beauty. Religion provides us with a sense of spirit fulfilment. It is only through worship and devotion that we feel connected to God. The practice of devotion and worship takes place in churches and cathedrals. It is these places that help us gain knowledge and a deeper more spiritual meaning of God. The churches and cathedrals are the very foundation of religious practice and devotion to God in my opinion. They are known as temples, ceremonial places, and are places of worship to God. However it is the claim that 'art museums in the modern period fulfil some of the same functions as cathedrals and churches have done in the past', which challenges contemporary...show more content... The next thing you must know is the functions that art museums have do take on the role that the churches and cathedrals once had. 'Museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society.' Art museums, in reference to this definition of museums, specifically 'make accessible' a body of work to people around the world. It in essence offers a 'new' stage in which artists can both appreciate and challenge religion. Art museums of the modern period have the same aesthetic as cathedrals or churches of the past. 'The very architecture of museums suggest their character as secular rituals. It was fitting that the temple faГ§ade was for two hundred years the most popular signifier for the public art museum.' It is not just that they give on the impression of temples Carol Duncan suggests, but rather that they function and work like temples, shrines and cathedrals of the past. Other Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. Different Kinds of Religions Essay Religion is a topic that varies from person to person and culture to culture. Although religion is broadly defined as "the belief or worship of a spirit or god" (Hopfe and Woodward ), each religion of the world has their own beliefs and worship strategies that defines that particular religion. Across the world, religions have their own beliefs and rituals; however, they are all commonly linked with the tradition of beliefs, holy places of worship, and celebrations. While each contrasting world religion will be discussed in this paper; they will collectively be centered around the question of how each religion practices their own beliefs, places of worship, and celebrations. The first religion that I am going to discuss is Buddhism....show more content... (White) Since the beginning of the Buddhist religion, believers visit temples and shrines in order to pay their respects to Buddha and worship with other Buddhists. Because Buddha believed that Buddhism is a way of life, Buddhists often believe that attending a place to worship is not critical. Some Buddhists even have their own shrines so their worship can be done in a more convenient and timely manner. The Buddhist's shrine originated as a place built to worship the ashes of Buddha. More shrines were continued to be built in order to hold additional sacred items. Today, shrines and temples are built in various ways however; many of them consist of 5 tiers representing the five elements of the universe – earth, wind, fire, water, and emptiness. They were also built taller in the belief that their place of worship was reaching "out of the physical world and towards wisdom" (White). Different cultures celebrate Buddhism in various ways but, all cultures celebrate the greatest moments of Buddha's life. For instance, in Japan, Buddha's birthday is celebrated with the Flower Festival where, in India, Buddha's first teaching is celebrated with the Festival of the Sacred Tooth. Buddhism is a religion that is based on a person's mental enlightenment and is one of the bigger religions of the world. Christianity is one Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. What Does Religion Mean To Me Essay Growing up, church was never a huge aspect of my life, but it was always around me. My grandmother was a deeply religious Catholic, and many of the kids on my street went to the church around the corner. Despite this, my mother never forced my sisters and I to go. She wanted us to choose our own beliefs. The proximity to Christianity influenced what I believe in today. I believe in God and that he created everything in the observable universe. The rest of the Bible, well, is debatable to me. Some call me an agnostic Christian, but the label doesn't matter. As long as I can find faith and solace in something when I need it, I'm happy. What I ponder the most is the final chapter: death and the afterlife. What I hope is that everyone is delivered what they...show more content... To another, they might believe it's nothing at all. Even fire and brimstone is in some people's future if they think they deserve it. There are an infinite number of heavens to every person. It is a self–determined fate. However, if I am to be quite honest to myself, my own belief written here is always changing. Nothing is really ever set in stone. Even my own personal heaven is shifting constantly, based on what I believe I deserve at that point in my life. If you had asked me as a child what my heaven was, it would be being able to wrestle with my sister without getting injured for hours on end. If you asked me after my grandmother died, it would be on her lap as I listened to childhood stories. A week later, I would have said Hell for not listening to more of them. Right now, my heaven is a road trip's summer night. Great music with great people on the highway is a lovely way to spend a teenage eternity. Of course, my best friend Elyse Leskovic is there (and of course she is driving). A song with too much bass is blasting. I can feel the beat in my chest and I'm singing along at the top of my Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. What is Religion Essay World Religion What is Religion? According to the American College Dictionary, religion is a noun defined as the quest for the values of the ideal life. This definition is vast and general, allowing for a variety of interpretations by people from all cultures. There is no single path to follow in order to lead an ideal life, only personal beliefs and experiences. Religion is non–finite so there is no way of determining a boundary (Smart, 5). In my quest for a true understanding of what religion is I explored my own traditions and religious beliefs as well as life experiences. Slowly, with the added insight from the text and videos, my own definition of religion has begun to take shape....show more content... Every religion holds truth to the believers, and gives them a sense of identity. There is no right or wrong answer to the question of which religion to follow, only interpretations and behaviors according to what makes sense to the individual. People will behave as they believe (Beliefs and Believers, Class 1). Another equally important remark I came across in my studies was one by the Methodist pastor Rev. Cecil Williams. Williams' main topic of discussion was that of toxic religion and inspiring social action. Williams begin the interview by saying, "Be careful of religion because religion is toxic" (Williams Interview, Class 2). He means that believers are not focusing on the actions, but the outcomes instead. You cannot genuinely identify with a religion or call yourself a religious person unless you relate to other human beings or form relationships that work to ease human suffering (Simmons Study Guide, 15). Again, I was reminded of my own beliefs and the history of my religion when I explored the meaning of this statement. Contrary to popular belief, this nation was not founded on the basis of religion. America was founded by men in search of power and money who used their religious beliefs, predominantly Protestant Christian, as an excuse for their brutality. Not all believers act on their beliefs, creating a fine line between which are factious and which are not. The first attempts at Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 18. organized religion Essay Organized Religion Ever since man has chosen to write down his history, organized religion has been a prominent topic and has influenced and shaped all people's lives. There have always been believers and non–believers. Since the beginning, non–believers have been persecuted by inquisitions, prosecuted by witch trials, and murdered by stoning and crucifying for even questioning the "truth" about a supreme being and supposed crimes against that being. Religion had a purpose in earlier times to explain life, but today science provides more concrete answers. Religious beliefs are old and outdated and people should trust the scientific facts that have been proven, not what has been...show more content... They trust their faith because "The Bible Tells Me So." The books of each religion explain why everything is the way it is and each religion teaches at very young ages, so how could it be wrong? It has "always been" so it must be the truth. When I was younger I would come home from school complaining to my mom about science class. "Why don't they leave everything alone and just say it is that way because God made it that way? The grass is green because God wanted it to be. Recently, education appeared as the truth. Perhaps people in the science field and I wanted facts, proof for the truth. Charles Darwin had come up with the idea of natural selection and the theory of evolution in the 1800's. The questions and answers offered by science are more plausible. Scientists struggle with these questions every modern day. Open–minded people question and look for answers. Science suggests that religious ideas are incorrect. Today's religions have aided both personal and international peace. It has given hope to people and has helped some deal with difficult situations. Religions give some people purpose to life, and an explanation as to why things are the way they are. Praying can give some peace of mind to those who are dealing with problems in life. Throughout history people have taken their religious beliefs too serious. Religions are hypocritical in their values, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. Religion and Spirituality Essay examples Religion and Spirituality Since the dawn of human life, people have eternally been searching for the purpose of existence. Humans are innately curious beings, and are blessed to have the capabilities of higher thought processes. Humans use these thought processes to ponder the question of existence. Unfortunately, the evolution of man has not brought the human race any closer to actualizing its purpose on earth. In fact, this issue is such that the more one feels he or she understands it, the more questions concerning it arise. This problem perpetuates itself by the confusion of religion and spirituality, and the roles they hold in society. As the human race evolves, it feels the need to designate structure to its world. As...show more content... The fact that religion is exploited for personal and social gain can be seen throughout history, and will be later discussed. In order to fully understand how religion and spirituality are different, as well as how religion is exploited, one must first have an effective definition of the two terms. Religion is a certain mode of orientation towards reality (Howerth, 1983). This definition encompasses many things, and therefore personal beliefs cannot make up the whole of religion. Oftentimes, religion is seen as a moral standard for humans to evaluate their lives against. However, if one looks deeper into the reasons behind moral values, one finds that values that are virtuous are those that contribute to the development of society, and values that are dishonorable are those that impair the development of society. Religion consists of organized bodies that congregate with the purpose of creatingsocial order (Bharati, 1971). When one looks at any religion, one can see this, but a blatant example is the religion of Hinduism. An integral part of this religion is the caste system. From an outside perspective, the caste system seems very cold and uninviting – the exact opposite of what the general public takes religion to be. However, the caste system served the purpose of organizing a society for many years (Mathur, 1974). According to the working definition of religion, the caste system of Hinduism is Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 20. What Is Religion? Essay What is religion? Each person's definition of religion is different. Each person's faith is different. This is a question that has been asked for centuries, and regardless of the answer given there is no right or wrong answer. Religion can be defined as a group of people who have shared beliefs who feel their life has purpose or meaning. This feeling or belief that their life has meaning can come from outside of themselves, as well as within. Taking this one step further, these shared beliefs put into action in the form of worship, can be easily identified because they happen regularly. It can be said the Primal religions were in fact not religions. Some may argue Confucianism is not a religion. Others may say Taoism is not a...show more content... They are teachings learned by previous generations then passed down, they are not always actions. The fifth feature of religion is grace. Grace is defined by Smith as "the belief and assurance that reality is on our side and can be counted on." Lastly there is mystery. For this there is no exact definition, but it is all of what a religion cannot explain, it is all that the human mind cannot grasp, it is the certain "higher power" that religion offers. Of these six features, there are three that are present in most all religions, they are: authority, tradition, and mystery. Authority, tradition, and mystery further explore and define religion when looking specifically at Primal Religions, Confucianism, and Taoism. Primal Religions are often mistaken to be the religion of the primitive man, often thought to be unintelligent. There is a definition of "primal" that is better suited than unintelligent or primitive. Primal in terms of religion, refers to the lack of exposure to technology, it is not "knowing" the state of consciousness given to many by the technological environment. Primal religions preceded organized religion as we know it today by thousands of years, in some cases millions, but are still present in the world today; we now call them tribal religions. Within primal religions there are people who are knowledgeable about life, who are knowledgeable about Defining Religion–4 traditions, and who are Get more content on HelpWriting.net