Religion Separate From How We Act?
The intentions of the sacred writer could also be expressed using the medium that we call religion. Not unlike art, religion is a means to pass down from one generation to another a psychic heritage shrouded in archetypes and motifs, a psychic heritage that is open to interpretation.
The intentions of religion don't essentially correspond to the meanings the adherents give them. There's no causation between the religion, itself, and the movement that follows.
Subjective Interpretations Shaping How One Acts?
All over the planet and on each corner of the world, there are religionists who use their beliefs to enrich and promote the lives of others, and there are religionists who use their beliefs to the effectuation of death and destruction.
To blame religion for death and mayhem, one should also blame religion for all the civility and morality it has afforded our species. I'm of the opinion religion has done neither of these things, but rather the fault lies with the heart of every man, woman, and child.
A Beauty That Is Still With Us
For me, religion is merely a history of our psychic past; it's a telling and a retelling of the evolution of the human mind. We, ourselves, will add to the rich mosaic of our psychic history; our thoughts and our beliefs are going to be enshrined for future generations.
To blame the beliefs of those generations that follow us on the religious heritage we leave behind is like blaming the people of ancient civilisations for our misconceptions of who they were.
A Form Of Identity
I don't believe the focus of religion is usefulness but identification. Like art, I feel the intentions of religion are psychic expressions and followers identify, psychologically, with these expressions. In other words, I feel it is the soul of the past reaching out to touch the soul of the future.
It is a metaphysical bridge from one generation to the following. It isn't a recounting of our material history but a recounting of the history of the human soul. It does not chronicle physical phenomena but psychological phenomena. It does not tell us about that which happened; it recounts subjective interpretations of that which happened.
I agree with you that religion is a tool. Some use it for good and some use it for ill. Religion as part of our psychic history as well as a form of identity - definitely valid. I do think that the true scale of religion’s contribution to war, death and subjugation of human beings should also be acknowledged.
Religion is an extremely powerful tool and people generally use it to control others. I'm not talking spirituality, I'm talking about anything that dictates to you how to have a relationship with your god (something that only you can do) - religion. This is why I respectfully disagree with your statement that religion is "a recounting of the history of the human soul" rather, I would say "religion is a recounting of the history of trying to control the human soul."
I appreciate the time you took with this post, I can tell that you put a lot of thought and creativity into it. It was some really good food for thought. Thank you!
I'm of the opinion religion has done neither of these things, but rather the fault lies with the heart of every man, woman, and child.
Yes, that is true, and that is why we should not blame a religion for what their followers do, but the wrongdoers themselves. For instance Christianity, my own belief, there was/is so much injustice in the name of Christianity, in the past but also nowadays. It's the interpretation of the meaning of Christianity that makes people do terrible things.
Some do not want to understand that the writers of the holy texts were writing in a specific time and context and used metaphors or stories to make moral issues clear. Those people take the holy texts literally. With terrible consequences as killing people who believe otherwise or suppression of women. Even within one belief as Chistianity there are quarrels, even war, like in Ireland between Catholics and Protestants. etc. etc. But the same is true for terrorism in the name of other beliefs.
Great post, a got the idea you want to share even I find hard time to express it lol
Thanks for this great post :)
Good read! Got me thinking a bit..