Spirituality vs. Religion
In Western culture, "religion" is used to describe the social structure outside of an individual, which attempts to make decisions for the individual, and force the individual into a certain mold. However, Buddhism is not a Western religion, and this cultural and language difference between the two sides of the world can cause some difficulties when studying world religions. "Spirituality," on the other hand, is a deeply personal experience that is defined by the individual. While Buddhism is referred to as a religion, in Western colloquial speak it may be more appropriate to refer to it as a spirituality path in order to help avoid confusion.
Buddhism did not form as a religion. It began with outcast-types leaving society and civilization to find enlightenment alone or in small groups; these individuals were known as bhikkus. Later, larger groups ("Householder Buddhists") of people were attracted to this lifestyle, which is when it started to take on more of a religion-like existence, but it was still more akin to spirituality. Buddhism requires intense study and meditation times, which is a very individual choice.
However, there were some aspects that parallel Christianity as a religion... The bhikkus, or very dedicated individual followers of this spiritual path, are analogous to Christianity's monks and nuns, studying spirituality on a very advanced level; the lay Buddhists are perhaps more like average religious followers, supporting and learning from the Bhikkus, living by a simple moral code (similar to the ten commandments) taught by the Bhikkus, but not taking the spirituality to the same level. In this sense, the Bhikkus are spiritualists, while the lay Buddhists are members of a Buddhist religion, if one were to try to apply Western terminology. Approaching Western concepts to Buddhism in this way may help to clarify some of the difficulty that students have in understanding the basic functionality of Buddhism and Buddhist practice.
Religion and Society Religion is defined as an organized collection of belief systems, views about the universe, or cultural systems that humans use to relate spiritual and moral values to their lives. Many religions have symbols, traditions, and histories that explain the origin of life, the way the universe works, and the moral, ethical and legal ways to organize human life (De Vries, ed., 2008). While the exact origin of religion
Given a society that is disenchanted with the "ideological and political aspects of religion" the answer would be to embrace the kind of spiritualism that works effectively for healthcare professionals, Pesut continues, because it rejects the social influence of religious dogma and sets the healthcare professional free to interact on a higher level with patients. Tradition #4: In the twenty-first century, a spirituality that seems ideally suited for healthcare environments
Religion is truly a lived experience. In today's volatile world, with world events hinging on various interpretations of religious texts perhaps more than in any other time in human history save, perhaps, during the Crusades, humanity is increasingly aware that religion is not a stoic object of study. Rather, it is a living breathing force in which we live and which inhabits us, whether we seek it or not. Robert Orsi's
Western Religion In his book, "Western Ways of Being Religious," (Kessler, 1999) the author Gary E. Kessler identifies the theological, philosophical and societal ramifications of the evolution of religion in the West. Christianity, Judaism and Islam can be traced to a single origin but their divergence has been very marked. Kessler sets his thesis very early in the book. He avers that there are two approaches to religion. One is to
Religion in Tokyo in the 18th and Early 19th Centuries Religion plays an important part in the lives of everyone. It is especially important in the various stages of life such as births, weddings, and funerals. It also plays an important role in the lives of many people on a daily basis. In Tokyo today, there are four major religions: Shinto, Buddhism, Christianity, and another group comprised of various new religions.
Freud makes it clear in one of his letters that he is atheist, though he denies attacking Christianity directly, but as a default to attacking Judaism, which was his faith of birth. It can be called an attack on religion only in so far as any scientific investigation of religious belief presupposes disbelief. Neither in my private life nor in my writings have I ever made a secret of my
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