\now, before anyone jumps on me about hating god, Allah, Yahweh, Jehova, Vishnu, Shiva, Zues, Thor, Ba'al, Ra, Amateratsu, the Dadga, the earth spirit, or whatever, I would just like to say I have an immense respect for religions. It's a part of our culture, and often shapes our culture, for good and for ill. some of the most interesting cultures have been founded on a particular religious standpoint (I say standpoint, and not religion, as America was founded on atheistic principles... but lets not get into that) but I have a question...
Why is there so much put into worship a god rather than improving the self?
I don't know, alot of religions I see seem to have almost a cop out, saying "If you believe in XYand Z, you automatically get a place in paradise." So you could be hate-filled, ignorant and dishonourable (as I have seen many people being) and still "Garunteed" a place in whatever version of the feilds of elysium you care to engage in.
This is not a bashing of religion by any means, I've been around the world, from italy to indonesia, from san fransisco to seattle and nagasaki. I respect religions in the utmost, but, as I say, there is to much on worshiping a deity rather than finding inner peace.
Here's an idea for a faith, pulled straight out of my seat connector which might make the world better.
No gods, but worship of the three core Ideals.
Love- this will include parental, friendship, relationship, sexual, and so on. this will also include more abstract, like love of nature, love of you're fellow human being, love of a good book, or love of warm underpants on cold winter nights.
knowledge- This will include wisdom, information, experience, and exploration. questioning is also included into here, as well as education.
Honour- this will include courage, discipline, respect, and ethics, amongst others.
as you can see, the concepts are rather lucid, and come can clearly be mixed. But the three core ideals are the foundation. there could be numerous other bits and pieces mixed into this, like how some ideals cross to make certain factors, and how the three ideals could be connected to three circulations of the body (nervous= knowledge, blood= love, digestion= honour... I don't know, as I say, this is mostly off the top of my head.)
Worship is simple... Spread, gather, engage in, keep and improve those three. any new discovery improves on knowledge, any humanitarian choice upholds honour and any relationship formed spreads love.
however, the three vices of hatred, ignorance and dishonour will be around. do not attempt to cure all, for you will be infected and become that which you crusade against. moderation in all things for these demons to be expelled.
the force behind all of these is a simple one. Ambition, the nuetral force. on the side of the Ideals, it becomes hope, and on the side of the vices, it becomes greed. it maintains the balance in the human psyche.
I doubt anyone will want to take up this faith at all, it's riddled with loop-holes and bits that don't make sense. but what it does provide is a faith that focuses on self improvement and improvement of those lives around you. And This is not attempts to convert anyone at all, in any way shape of form. I just wanted to run it by you guys, and ask what you think.
Why is there so much put into worship a god rather than improving the self?
I don't know, alot of religions I see seem to have almost a cop out, saying "If you believe in XYand Z, you automatically get a place in paradise." So you could be hate-filled, ignorant and dishonourable (as I have seen many people being) and still "Garunteed" a place in whatever version of the feilds of elysium you care to engage in.
This is not a bashing of religion by any means, I've been around the world, from italy to indonesia, from san fransisco to seattle and nagasaki. I respect religions in the utmost, but, as I say, there is to much on worshiping a deity rather than finding inner peace.
Here's an idea for a faith, pulled straight out of my seat connector which might make the world better.
No gods, but worship of the three core Ideals.
Love- this will include parental, friendship, relationship, sexual, and so on. this will also include more abstract, like love of nature, love of you're fellow human being, love of a good book, or love of warm underpants on cold winter nights.
knowledge- This will include wisdom, information, experience, and exploration. questioning is also included into here, as well as education.
Honour- this will include courage, discipline, respect, and ethics, amongst others.
as you can see, the concepts are rather lucid, and come can clearly be mixed. But the three core ideals are the foundation. there could be numerous other bits and pieces mixed into this, like how some ideals cross to make certain factors, and how the three ideals could be connected to three circulations of the body (nervous= knowledge, blood= love, digestion= honour... I don't know, as I say, this is mostly off the top of my head.)
Worship is simple... Spread, gather, engage in, keep and improve those three. any new discovery improves on knowledge, any humanitarian choice upholds honour and any relationship formed spreads love.
however, the three vices of hatred, ignorance and dishonour will be around. do not attempt to cure all, for you will be infected and become that which you crusade against. moderation in all things for these demons to be expelled.
the force behind all of these is a simple one. Ambition, the nuetral force. on the side of the Ideals, it becomes hope, and on the side of the vices, it becomes greed. it maintains the balance in the human psyche.
I doubt anyone will want to take up this faith at all, it's riddled with loop-holes and bits that don't make sense. but what it does provide is a faith that focuses on self improvement and improvement of those lives around you. And This is not attempts to convert anyone at all, in any way shape of form. I just wanted to run it by you guys, and ask what you think.
