Religion: Common Practices

Religion: Common Practices Religion: Common Practices B. Taylor John University Of Phoenix  Abstract As long as ideals have been present in our world, our attempts of defining them has been as well. Religion has been defined as everything from having a dependence on a higher power, to use of rituals and moral code. Each definition presents alternate limitations that only show how unfitting the definition really is. “The problem of how to define religion continues to plague scholars, who love definition. A definition may apply well to some religions, but not to others. A definition may apply to religions of the past, but may not be suitable for a religion of the future” (Molloy, 2013, p. 36). I believe the quote in the text by biologist, Julian Huxley, says it best: “Religion [is] a way of life founded upon the apprehension of sacredness in existence.” It doesn’t matter where you find this sacredness, or how you demonstrate and practice it, so long as you have it.  Religion: Common Practices How does one define religion? As long as ideals have been present in our world, our attempts of defining them has been as well. Religion has been defined as everything from having a dependence on a higher power, to use of rituals and moral code. Each definition presents alternate limitations that only show how unfitting the definition really is. “The problem of how to define religion continues to plague scholars, who love definition. A definition may apply well to some religions, but not to others. A definition may apply to religions of the past, but may not be suitable for a religion of the future” (Molloy, 2013, p. 36). I believe the quote in the text by biologist, Julian Huxley, says it best: “Religion [is] a way of life founded upon the apprehension of sacredness in existence.” It doesn’t matter where you find this sacredness, or how you demonstrate and practice it, so long as you have it. One of the biggest mistakes made by those who study various religions is the fact that they carry over aspects of other religions (whether it be the one(s) they were raised with, ones that they know about, or ones that they have studied previously) into learning about others. Contrary to popular belief, not every religion worships a divine being, nor does it have to have a sacred book. Many of them have both of these properties, such as Christianity, Catholicism, and Muslim (among others), but not all of them. Buddhism does not worship a divine being, nor does Shinto have a set moral code. When you break down the word “religion,” you find in its Latin roots that its meaning is a combination of the words “again” (re-) and “join” or “connect” (lig-), thus meaning “to reconnect.” “If this derivation is correct, then the word religion suggests the joining of our natural, human world to the sacred world” (Molloy, 2013, p. 35). Common Practices Among Religions  There are many sacred beings, and terms for these beings, used within different religions. The one that I presume we are most familiar with would be God, though the list is much longer than that. Some of the many holy names are as follows: Brahman, Dao, Great Mother, Divine Parent, Great Spirit, Ground of Being, Great Mysterious, the Ultimate, the Absolute, the Divine, the Holy, and the Universe. In monotheism, religions that believe in only one God, this divine being is believed to be omnipotent and of infinite virtues. “God is said to be pure spirit, not fully definable in words” (Molloy, 2013, p. 36). Other religions see God as a more mysterious energy or power (which is closer to what I believe in myself). This is called pantheism, which is Greek for “all divine,” This view believes that there is sacredness in everything, and in nature itself. Life-Cycle Ceremonies Many societies and religions mark certain points in our lives by rites of passage. This helps the individual move on to the next chapter of their life, while also helping the community welcome new members in and renewing bonds with old members. Birth, to some, is considered a rite of passage. In some cultures and native religions, when a woman is about to give birth, she leaves to a sacred spot alone to bare the child. After the birth, the child is publicly celebrated. This is different than the way the African people celebrate birth, because the child is not accepted into the community until they are officially named during a public ceremony that involves singing, dancing, and eating. “A name is chosen carefully because of the influence it is thought to have on the child’s future” (Molloy, 2013, p. 48). Our Relationship with Nature Because most indigenous religions derive from smaller tribal cultures and communities, their relationship with nature is much different than many of ours in modern day. “[Their] survival has required a cautious and respectful relationship with nature” (Molloy, 2013, p. 39). Many of these people look to nature for answers to the questions that may provide guidance, meaning, and sense life. Animism is a concept that many native religions believe in. This is the belief that everything in the universe from people, animals, and plants, to the flow of water and the rising of the sun is alive. Another view of (other) native religions is that spirits inhabit natural objects, manifesting themselves in different things. “Among many peoples, particular objects—a specific rock, tree, or river—are thought of as being animated by an individual spirit that lives within. And in some native traditions, we find deities that care about and influence a whole category of reality, such as the earth, water, or air” (Molloy, 2013, p. 39). Respect I believe that one of the reasons Native Americans, along with other native religions, live so peacefully with nature and others is their respect for the things around them. They believe that if you treat people with respect, they will in turn treat you with respect. They also believe that if you treat nature with respect, nature itself, along with any of the spirits associated with that aspect of it, will do the same. If one disrespects nature by inuring or insulting it, it can and will retaliate. This doesn’t mean that Native Americans do not kill to eat, or do not use plants for medicine. This simply means that they understand and respect the beings that they use in their practices, and they give back whenever possible. “Native American religions are noted for their reverential attitude toward the natural world; human beings and animals are often pictured as coming into existence together, and the sun, moon, trees, and animals are all considered kin” (Molloy, 2013, p. 40). Could you imagine if everybody had such ideals? Academic Hardships Indigenous religions spread more through the world of mouth than written text, and have done so for centuries upon centuries. Indigenous religions from all across the world are passed down through the generations from one person to another. Some examples of this include the following: the Ainu of Northern Japan, the Inuit of Canada, the aboriginal peoples of Australia, and the Maori of New Zealand (Molloy, 2013, p. 35). Despite the fact that ancient indigenous religions such as the Mayans and Aztecs primarily used word of mouth to spread their teachings, they did also have a written script. Scholars through the years have taken it upon themselves to write the teachings of religions that did not have written script as well, in hopes of preserving the insights and knowledge from that particular religion. It is difficult to study a particular religion that has no written script without travelling to different locations of the world, and talking to many people. This is why scholars through the years have documented as much as they could regarding religions without an already written moral code.  References 1. Molloy, M. (2013). Experiencing the world's religions: Tradition, challenge, and change (6th ed.). Retrieved from https://phoenix.vitalsource.com/#/books/1259764575/cfi/6/6!/4@0:0.