My religion is satanism

[heretic888]

Meditation isn't strictly a religous practice. And there are other practices which religious people may do because of their belief, but these practices may be done non-religious people because they believe it's right to do (like feeding the hungry, visiting the widows and orphans, rehabbing people who need help). I'm not sure that even prayer is strictly a religious practice.

The meditations and contemplative prayers I'm referring to are religious practices, insofar as they are methods handed down for centuries from established religious traditions (most often monastic communities).

This notion that praying and meditating can be done in a "secular way" is true, insofar as one takes the elements of these prior practices and dumbs them down to align with a modern audience. This is why many moderns regularly take Zen classes and think its little more than "relaxing" or "stress reduction". Its also the same with people that understand yoga as "Indian stretching".

In these cases, my guess is money was the motivating factor behind this dumbing-down process...

I may have a definition of religion that has tighter specifications that you do. When I define religion it has to do with a deity, deities, cosmic consiousness, or spirituality and so on...but probably not Jung's collective consiousness.

First off, its "collective unconscious".

Secondly, I'm not sure what this has to do with definitions concerning "religion" (admittedly, there are many). All of the terms you used ("deity", "cosmic consciousness", "spirituality") are just as open-ended as "religion".

Thirdly, my point was that you can't apply the scientific method to "religion" as long as you divorce active practice from religious expression. When referring to religious traditions of contemplative practice, however, its all fair game to "scientists".

What doesn't really work in reality?

Gould's notion that "religion" and "science" (which he apparently defines as subjectivity and objectivity) can be neatly compartmentalized, separated, and isolated. Reality doesn't work like that.

Laterz.

 

[Flatlander]

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Mod Note:

Please keep this discussion on the original topic - Satanism.

Thank you.

-Dan Bowman-
-MT Moderator-
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[Seabrook]

Everyone in life has the freedom to choose what they believe in, whether good or bad.

My beliefs are in complete contrast to everything of satanism. Here's my beliefs, taken right off my church's website:

• [font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Every person is loved by God. This is so they may receive, repent, and be reconciled to God and to one another.[/font]
  
• [font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Every person needs a moral compass, which is the Bible, the Word of God. It will guide, guard, and grow them for life.[/font]
  
• [font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Every believer has unique gifts from God. This brings significance, servanthood, and strength to their lives and to the body of Christ.[/font]
  
• [font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Every believer has a role in modeling, mentoring, and mobilizing the kingdom of God globally.[/font]

Jamie Seabrook