What do you think the strictest religion is?

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Is evangelical or fundamentalist christianity stricter than catholicism?
 
samiam1611 said:
What do you think is the strictest religion/denomination? Strict with regards to dress, rules on behavior (i.e. sex), allowance of different beliefs, punishment for breaking any of the rules.
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Are you asking about rules for:
  • Clergy;
  • Laity;
  • Devotee;
  • Hangers-on;
  • Bystanders;
Are you talking about enforcement of the rules by:
  • Civilian authority
  • Religious authority
  • Social pressure
  • Other means;
How much effort are you talking about, in terms of observing the rules of the religion?
  • Spending ten seconds reading the commandments, to be promptly forgotten;
  • Spending ten seconds reading the commandments, then constantly carrying them around with one, frequently rereading them, to try to adhere to them at all times;
  • Spending several decades determining what the commandments are;
  • Spending several more decades deciphering what those commandments require one to do, and what they prohibit one from doing;
A Daoist priest, adhering to the theology of θέλημα, is probably under the harshest self-inflicted set of commandments, that can be imagined.

Amber
 
antonivs said:
I would say Islam because in some countries you will be executed for apostasy from that religion.
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If execution for deviation from the religion is a requirement, then you aren’t looking for the religion that is the “strictest”, but rather. the one that punishes both adherents, and non-adherents for violation of the commandments of the religion. In which case, most any theocracy, such as Utah, will suffice.

Amber
 
amber_lux said:
Are you asking about rules for:
  • Clergy;
  • Laity;
  • Devotee;
  • Hangers-on;
  • Bystanders;
Are you talking about enforcement of the rules by:
  • Civilian authority
  • Religious authority
  • Social pressure
  • Other means;
How much effort are you talking about, in terms of observing the rules of the religion?
  • Spending ten seconds reading the commandments, to be promptly forgotten;
  • Spending ten seconds reading the commandments, then constantly carrying them around with one, frequently rereading them, to try to adhere to them at all times;
  • Spending several decades determining what the commandments are;
  • Spending several more decades deciphering what those commandments require one to do, and what they prohibit one from doing;
A Daoist priest, adhering to the theology of θέλημα, is probably under the harshest self-inflicted set of commandments, that can be imagined.

Amber
Click to expand...
I see you’ve written a doctoral dissertation on this topic. Very good analysis, Amber!
 
Bezant said:
The strictest religion in terms of standards of practice, that I know of, is Haredi Judaism.

However, the Druze religion also seems rather strict, but in other ways.
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I agree regarding Haredi Judaism, both the Chasidic and non-Chasidic varieties, and also Traditional Orthodox. To be an Orthodox Jew of any kind is no easy task, but it also has great rewards.
 
CompSciGuy said:
Catholicism is mostly just strict with regards to sex, as you can’t separate sex from openness to procreation in Catholicism, or have homosexual acts, or masturbation, etc.
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I’m most familiar with Christian religions. I’d say Catholicism is strict in other ways too though. Just like any religion where greater submission to others on earth is required/expected would be among the strictest. It being a mortal sin to miss church for instance not only on a weekend but also on a weekday declared to be a holy day are other things rather strict I’d say. And one only has to read the Catholic traditional board here to see discussions on how folks should dress in church. How to receive the Eucharist. On appropriate music. On not holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer and so on. Then there are the various marriage rules on outdoor weddings, annulments, and so forth. The local parish here won’t even perform a baptism of a child unless their parents have been using envelopes for 6 mos. SDAs also have their dietary laws and so forth.
 
amber_lux said:
Are you asking about rules for:
  • Clergy;
  • Laity;
  • Devotee;
  • Hangers-on;
  • Bystanders;
Are you talking about enforcement of the rules by:
  • Civilian authority
  • Religious authority
  • Social pressure
  • Other means;
How much effort are you talking about, in terms of observing the rules of the religion?
  • Spending ten seconds reading the commandments, to be promptly forgotten;
  • Spending ten seconds reading the commandments, then constantly carrying them around with one, frequently rereading them, to try to adhere to them at all times;
  • Spending several decades determining what the commandments are;
  • Spending several more decades deciphering what those commandments require one to do, and what they prohibit one from doing;
A Daoist priest, adhering to the theology of θέλημα, is probably under the harshest self-inflicted set of commandments, that can be imagined.

Amber
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In consideration of your categories which would be the strictest for each category and then after that which would be most strict for one participant as they consider becoming a member.😊:cool:🙂
 
CMatt25 said:
I’m most familiar with Christian religions. I’d say Catholicism is strict in other ways too though. Just like any religion where greater submission to others on earth is required/expected would be among the strictest. It being a mortal sin to miss church for instance not only on a weekend but also on a weekday declared to be a holy day are other things rather strict I’d say. And one only has to read the Catholic traditional board here to see discussions on how folks should dress in church. How to receive the Eucharist. On appropriate music. On not holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer and so on. Then there are the various marriage rules on outdoor weddings, annulments, and so forth. The local parish here won’t even perform a baptism of a child unless their parents have been using envelopes for 6 mos. SDAs also have their dietary laws and so forth.
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The local parish here won’t even perform a baptism of a child unless their parents have been using envelopes for 6 mos. Really? Never heard of this. Ever.
 
Miriam1947 said:
The local parish here won’t even perform a baptism of a child unless their parents have been using envelopes for 6 mos. Really? Never heard of this. Ever.
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If you’d like, give me a bit of time and I will try to PM you the link.
 
CompSciGuy said:
Catholicism is mostly just strict with regards to sex, as you can’t separate sex from openness to procreation in Catholicism, or have homosexual acts, or masturbation, etc.
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I think Catholicism is roughly similiar with other religions or Christian communities on sex.

Where I think Catholicism as strict, or even rigid, is on the matter of submitting to Church authority and the idea that Catholic doctrine is unchangeable.
 
There are some protestants I knew (not sure what branch they were) but the girls wore long skirts every day, the boys wore pants, and they were not allowed to dance in P.E. class during our dance unit (which lasted a long time because it was a rainy school year and we danced in the gym on most rainy days).
 
CopticChristian said:
In consideration of your categories which would be the strictest for each category and then after that which would be most strict for one participant as they consider becoming a member
Click to expand...
As meltzerboy wrote: “I see you’ve written a doctoral dissertation on this topic”.

I didn’t write a doctoral dissertation on the topic, but probably could have.

Take the relatively short:
Code: 
"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
That is the last line of about fifty lines describing the Wiccan Code of Ethics.

The two critical questions are:
  • “What is harm”
  • “What is your will”
Jains live a life of non-violence, believing that even accidental harm has negative consequences. Depending upon one’s tradition in Wicca, that blowback might be three times the amount of harm one did, nine times the amount of harm one did, or the same amount of harm as one did. Being an accident does not excuse the harm that was done.

There is the Jewish concept of “Evil Speech”. Under the Rede, this is speech which harms another. Gossip, slander, lies. Those are the easy cases. Advertising is a nebulous case.

Point to ponder: Proselytizing is evil speech.

Thelemic theology refers to “true will” and “false will”. The Rede refers to practicing that which is one’s true will. That which is benficial, positive, and is in congruence with one’s ultimate aims, and desires.* False will* is doing something “because I want to do it, now.”
  • Who is controlling my actions;
  • What is controlling my actions;
The answer to those two questions will usually differentiate betwen false will, and true will. Problems occur when one’s false will blinds one’s true will — which is usually the case.

Amber
 
:eek:
amber_lux said:
As meltzerboy wrote: “I see you’ve written a doctoral dissertation on this topic”.

I didn’t write a doctoral dissertation on the topic, but probably could have.

Take the relatively short:
Code: 
"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
That is the last line of about fifty lines describing the Wiccan Code of Ethics.

The two critical questions are:
  • “What is harm”
  • “What is your will”
Jains live a life of non-violence, believing that even accidental harm has negative consequences. Depending upon one’s tradition in Wicca, that blowback might be three times the amount of harm one did, nine times the amount of harm one did, or the same amount of harm as one did. Being an accident does not excuse the harm that was done.

There is the Jewish concept of “Evil Speech”. Under the Rede, this is speech which harms another. Gossip, slander, lies. Those are the easy cases. Advertising is a nebulous case.

Point to ponder: Proselytizing is evil speech.

Thelemic theology refers to “true will” and “false will”. The Rede refers to practicing that which is one’s true will. That which is benficial, positive, and is in congruence with one’s ultimate aims, and desires.* False will* is doing something “because I want to do it, now.”
  • Who is controlling my actions;
  • What is controlling my actions;
The answer to those two questions will usually differentiate betwen false will, and true will. Problems occur when one’s false will blinds one’s true will — which is usually the case.

Amber
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Who is controlling your actions? Hopefully not your ego.

Maybe even a better question is are you listening to who is in control :eek:
 
First, I would definitely say the Amish. No technology of any kind? It’s just so hard.

But other than that…
The LDS (Mormons)

I attended an LDS church about 8 months, and even though I loved it 95% of the time, there was that 5% that wasn’t so good. I felt suffocated. I felt like I had to be perfect. There are very high expectations, and us as humans struggle with even the simplest of temptations. The LDS have almost unrealistic expectations. It’s basically dress modestly all the time, no drinking coffee/tea/alcohol of any kind for any reason, no swearing, nothing but kissing SITTING UP before marriage…and if you did any of these things then you knew you were being judged. I wasn’t even baptized and felt extreme pressure to live up to these things. Going to seminary, which is for high schoolers before school (usually between 5:30-6:30 IN THE MORNING) is like a study group where you study the scriptures. I wasn’t even a member and was “highly encouraged” to go, and almost felt forced. The missionaries begged me to go and I couldn’t find a way to back out. So for 2 weeks straight, maybe even more, I woke up before the sun even came up, would go to seminary, and then go to school and usually felt exhausted. I personally don’t see anything wrong with drinking wine at a special event or drinking tea (coming from the south especially) and coffee. It was just hard to feel like you had so much to live up to…not wearing shorts in the summer was hard. I just felt the need to constantly be a perfect little Mormon girl and felt like everyone would be disappointed otherwise. It was tough.
 
alwayswondering said:
I would definitely say the Amish. No technology of any kind? It’s just so hard.
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The Amish look at how appropriate the technology is, and how disruptive it will be to their values. Their treasures. What the Maori term “taonga”.

In some respects, their lifestyle reflects a pessimism with earthly things. In other respects, it is a deliverance from the things of earth. The hardest thing the Amish have to face, is the intolerance, and prejudice of the world, because they choose to live according to their beliefs and values. To have the courage of their convictions.

Amber
 
CMatt25 said:
I’m most familiar with Christian religions. I’d say Catholicism is strict in other ways too though. Just like any religion where greater submission to others on earth is required/expected would be among the strictest. It being a mortal sin to miss church for instance not only on a weekend but also on a weekday declared to be a holy day are other things rather strict I’d say. And one only has to read the Catholic traditional board here to see discussions on how folks should dress in church. How to receive the Eucharist. On appropriate music. On not holding hands during the Lord’s Prayer and so on. Then there are the various marriage rules on outdoor weddings, annulments, and so forth. The local parish here won’t even perform a baptism of a child unless their parents have been using envelopes for 6 mos. SDAs also have their dietary laws and so forth.
Click to expand...
As far as missing mass on Sundays, it is basically an obligation to attend mass if you can get there. You can’t miss mass for, say, a football game. I’d say that’s a pretty reasonable rule. As far as it being a mortal sin, you do realize that one of the ten commandments is “Keep holy the sabbath day.” I remember growing up Protestant many people disregarded this commandment altogether as legalistic. I wonder whether they would dismiss any of the other commandments; surely not! As for holy weekdays, for the most part if it happens on a day when people would be working, you are dispensed from the obligation.

As far as the traditionalist stuff that’s kind of silly. People can get too upset about things like holding hands during the Lord’s prayer, having “appropriate” music (whatever that means), saying mass in latin instead of English (as if God likes Latin more than English or something); not to say that our liturgy isn’t important, but the little things shouldn’t be stressed over so much. I guess that’s why I don’t consider myself a “traditionalist” Catholic, in that I prefer not to get all stressed out about silly little things like that. Not all Catholics get bent out of shape over these things.

When it comes to marriage, the Catholic Church (rightly) doesn’t believe in divorce. I say rightly because if you believe in Jesus and the Bible, you ought to believe Jesus where he says “What God has joined together, let not man separate.” I wouldn’t call this strict (although I recognize many would) I would call it right. As far as weddings, getting married, etc. all that is really required is that your marriage is recognized by the Church. This doesn’t seem so bad to me.

Some may say that the required fasting/abstaining from meat on lent is strict… I would agree that enforced asceticism kind of defeats the purpose of asceticism.
 
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