What helps define religion for you?

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A few of these threads got me thinking about this one. I figure, let’s have some fun.

What is (is not) religion - what defines it? Start with 1 thing that touches you and explain.

If lucky, we get some back and forth.

To start: I just had another conversation this morning about tolerance. I think this term is not used correctly often, and sometimes is defined using the term acceptance.

Tolerance is NOT a virtue. I think the term is basically a big brick wall that confuses sinners into thinking that if what they are doing can be tolerated, then by default they are not doing something wrong.

I just don’t see God saying to a sinner at the gate, “It’s cool man, whatever makes you happy, makes me happy”.
 
As Catholics we are called to charity, which is much more exacting than mere tolerance.

Anyway, in approaching the meaning of a word I often start with the Online Etymology Dictionary. Here is its entry for religion:

religion (n.)
c.1200, “state of life bound by monastic vows,” also “conduct indicating a belief in a divine power,” from Anglo-French religiun (11c.), Old French religion “religious community,” from Latin religionem (nominative religio) “respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods,” in Late Latin “monastic life” (5c.).

According to Cicero derived from relegere “go through again, read again,” from re- “again” + legere “read” (see lecture (n.)). However, popular etymology among the later ancients (and many modern writers) connects it with religare “to bind fast” (see rely), via notion of “place an obligation on,” or “bond between humans and gods.” Another possible origin is religiens “careful,” opposite of negligens.

To hold, therefore, that there is no difference in matters of religion between forms that are unlike each other, and even contrary to each other, most clearly leads in the end to the rejection of all religion in both theory and practice. And this is the same thing as atheism, however it may differ from it in name. [Pope Leo XIII, Immortale Dei, 1885]
Meaning “particular system of faith” is recorded from c.1300. Modern sense of “recognition of, obedience to, and worship of a higher, unseen power” is from 1530s.

etymonline.com/index.php?term=religion
 
I tend to think that a person’s religion is his most fundamental understanding of reality, whether he calls it a religion or not, whether it has a creed or not, and whether it involves ritual or not.
 
Speaking personally: I would say true religion is something that completely transforms an individual from the soul outward. Though, there are things that look like religion the aren’t, and I have a really dim view of string to separate ‘spirituality’ from ‘religion’ as for me, it doesn’t make sense to follow such a personal path.
 
=ffg;10697361]A few of these threads got me thinking about this one. I figure, let’s have some fun.
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What is (is not) religion - what defines it? Start with 1 thing that touches you and explain.
Click to expand...
If lucky, we get some back and forth.
Click to expand...
To start: I just had another conversation this morning about tolerance. I think this term is not used correctly often, and sometimes is defined using the term acceptance.
Click to expand...
Tolerance is NOT a virtue. I think the term is basically a big brick wall that confuses sinners into thinking that if what they are doing can be tolerated, then by default they are not doing something wrong.
Click to expand...
I just don’t see God saying to a sinner at the gate, “It’s cool man, whatever makes you happy, makes me happy”.
Click to expand...
OK:D

Religion is knowing that a Supreme Being exist [the First Cause] and then seeking to discover Whi; What, When and Where? 👍
 
benjohnson said:
Speaking personally: I would say true religion is something that completely transforms an individual from the soul outward. Though, there are things that look like religion the aren’t, and I have a really dim view of string to separate ‘spirituality’ from ‘religion’ as for me, it doesn’t make sense to follow such a personal path.
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I agree with you but I think some people need to separate religion and spirituality because for some they may have been rejected by a particular religion or church or just didn’t feel comfortable with it. Humans are spiritual beings whether they are religious or not, so hopefully their spirituality or holy spirit will eventually lead them in the right direction. I did the personal path for awhile, read enough self-help books to fill a library, read the Bible, church shopped, and all it achieved for me was confusion.
 
Hi,

Although this may not be the correct definition of religion, I prefer to define religion as the supernatural desire to know Truth :).

The Catholic Faith contains Truths instituted by Christ Himsellf that are incapable of being defeated no matter what type of reasoning attempts to prove Them incorrect :).

If you have any questions I will be happy to answer them :).

Thank you,

God Bless,

In Christ,

Golden 🙂
 
What helps define religion for you?

Okay what helps me define religion? My vision of Jesus and Him telling me to protect His Church then showing me a Rock in a barren field (I wasnt a believer at the time)
 
Thanks all,

It’s great to see the various ways people think. I do wish we had more non-Catholic’s on this board. It seems like the numbers are down, but it probably comes in phases, plus it’s spring time - time to get outside.

Another one came to mind while listening to the radio this AM -

Another defining thing about my faith is that it is something given to humans. Not created by Humans. AKA, it’s not something the humans own and therefore can change.

It is as provided.
 
ffg said:
I just don’t see God saying to a sinner at the gate, “It’s cool man, whatever makes you happy, makes me happy”.
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Hah, I like this. I’m going to have to pose this questions to some of my moral relativist friends that believe truth is subjective.
 
I probably have a much more open definition as I believe a religion can be a set of beliefs, not necessarily founded upon an supreme being.
 
Beliefs and ethics are important, but I think collective traditions add cohesiveness and continuity even in the absence of the former two. If you memorised “family” psalms, attended Mass in some random parish, or attended a non-religious relative’s baptism, then you know what I’m talking about.
 
Boulder257 said:
I probably have a much more open definition as I believe a religion can be a set of beliefs, not necessarily founded upon an supreme being.
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That’s an interesting thought.

It leads me down this analysis - every human alive has a mind and thinks (no matter their capable level of thought), therefore has developed ‘beliefs’ in time and therefore is religious.
 
ffg said:
That’s an interesting thought.

It leads me down this analysis - every human alive has a mind and thinks (no matter their capable level of thought), therefore has developed ‘beliefs’ in time and therefore is religious.
Click to expand...
In a sense, yes. Atheism is a religion to me, even though there is no higher power.

I wouldn’t say that everyone is religious, but I would say that everyone has a religion, if that makes any sense.
 
It is something that fulfills the 10 commandments, manly the main 2 that resumes everything

Love God over everything and love your neighbor as yourself

and the cross, because love is pain no mater you say, you must neglect yourself to serve
 
This is great, I like it.

The last reminds me of how important suffering is, and I know this is a hard one to grasp for many people. It’s probably not on everyone’s radar for a defining theme on religion.

Maybe I should say all people. Some of us have learned from whatever source that suffering is a good, but it’s really quite difficult to know the value without an email from God.

But, the mystery is in the effect that we can’t see, and that’s ok.

Regarding that religion / religious thing, it’s funny, I was thinking about that same thing and was going to put religion, but you have those who like to reject religion, but call themselves spiritual, thus I picked religious.
 
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