I had a request for more background on faith vs religion. I do switch between the terms so again I'm just copying from my first book of shadow notes.
Do your own search on terms that interest your own path. What is working for me, may not work for you. I had a spiritual leader tell me that if you don't question faith than you have no faith. Go to a temple. Read the Bible. Talk to people. Stare at the Moon. As long as none are harmed, try it. Wicca can be very open so step out and explore...
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and Worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature.
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an
alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the
essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people
live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop an individual's inner life;
spiritual experience includes that of connectedness with a larger reality, yielding a more comprehensive self; with
other individuals or the human community; with nature or the cosmos; or
with the divine realm. Spirituality is often experienced as a source of inspiration or
orientation in life. It can encompass belief in
immaterial realities or experiences of the immanent or transcendent nature of the World.
Whilst the terms spirituality and religion both relate to a
search for an Absolute or God, and thus have much overlap, there are also
characteristic differences in their usage. Religion implies a particular faith
tradition that includes acceptance of a metaphysical or supernatural reality;
whereas spirituality is not necessarily bound to any particular religious
tradition. Thus William Irwin
Thompson suggests
that "religion is the form spirituality takes in civilization."
The earliest evidence of Hominids, such as Neanderthals and even Homo heidelbergensis (100,000 BC), deliberately disposing
of deceased individuals usually in funerary caches. The graves, located throughout Eurasia are believed to represent the beginnings of ceremonial rites. Neanderthals placed their deceased in simple
graves with little or no concern for grave goods or markers; however, their
graves occasionally appeared with limestone blocks in or on them, possibly an
archaic form of grave marking. These practices were possibly the result of
empathetic feelings towards fellow tribe's people, for example: an infant
buried in the Dederiyeh Cave after its joints had disarticulated
was placed with concern for the correct anatomical arrangement of its body parts.
The word religion is sometimes used interchangeably
with faith or belief system, but religion differs from private belief in that it
has a public aspect. Most religions have organized behaviors, including clerical hierarchies, a definition of what constitutes adherence or
membership, congregations of laity, regular meetings or services for the purposes of
veneration of a deity or for prayer, holy places (either natural or architectural),
and/or scriptures. The practice of a religion may also include sermons, commemoration of the activities of a God or Gods, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture.
Religion (from L. religionem "respect for what is
sacred, reverence for the Gods," "obligation, the bond between man
and the Gods") is derived from the Latin religiō, the ultimate origins of which are obscure. Many languages have
words that can be translated as "religion", but they may use them in
a very different way, and some have no word for religion at all. For example,
the Sanskrit word dharma, sometimes translated as
"religion", also means law. There is no precise equivalent of
"religion" in Hebrew, and Judaism does not distinguish clearly between religious, national,
racial, or ethnic identities. The use of other terms, such as obedience to God
or Islam are likewise grounded in particular histories and vocabularies.
The four largest religious groups by population, estimated to
account for between 5 and 7 billion people, are Christianity, Islam, Buddhism,
and Hinduism.
Judaism is the
oldest Abrahamic religion, originating in the people of ancient Israel and Judea. Judaism is based primarily on
the Torah; a text
which some Jews believe was handed down to the people of Israel through the
prophet Moses in 1,400
BCE. Unlike other ancient Near Eastern gods, the Hebrew God is portrayed as
unitary and solitary; consequently, the Hebrew God's principal relationships
are not with other gods, but with the World, and more specifically, with the
people He created. Judaism thus begins with an ethical monotheism: the belief
that God is one, and concerned with the actions of humankind. This along with the rest of the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud are the central texts of Judaism. He also
commanded the Jewish people to love one another; that is, Jews are to imitate
God's love for people. The Jewish people were
scattered after the destruction of the Temple
in Jerusalem in 70 CE. Today there are about 13 million Jews, about 40 percent
living in Israel and 40 percent in the United States.
Christianity is based on
the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth (1st
century) as presented in the New Testament. The
Christian faith is essentially faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, and as Savior and Lord.
Almost all Christians believe in the Trinity, which
teaches the unity of Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit as three
persons in one Godhead. Most
Christians can describe their faith with the Nicene Creed. As the
religion of Byzantine
Empire
in the first millennium and of Western Europe during the
time of colonization, Christianity has been propagated throughout the World.
In the Catholic Church, spirituality is generally seen as an integral part of
religion. The Catholic Church, also
known as the Roman Catholic Church, is, with over
a billion members, the World's largest Christian church. Led by the Pope, it
defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering its sacraments and exercising charity. The Roman Catholic Church is among the oldest institutions
in the World and has played a prominent role in the history of Western civilization. It teaches that it is the one true church founded by Jesus Christ, that its bishops are the successors of Christ's apostles and that the Pope is the sole
successor to Saint Peter.
Ancient Egyptian
religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a
multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the
forces and elements of nature. The myths about these Gods were meant to explain
the origins and behavior of the forces they represented. The practices of
Egyptian religion were efforts to provide for the Gods and gain their favor.
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. Atheists tend
to be skeptical of supernatural claims, citing a lack of empirical evidence. Rationales for not believing in any
deity include the problem of evil, the argument
from inconsistent revelations, and the argument from nonbelievers. Other arguments for atheism range
from the philosophical to the social to the historical. Although some atheists
have adopted secular philosophies, there is no one
ideology or set of behaviors to which all atheists adhere.
Islam refers to the religion taught by the Islamic prophet Muhammad, a major political and religious
figure of the 7th century CE. Islam is the dominant religion of northern
Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. As with Christianity, there is no
single orthodoxy in Islam but a multitude of traditions which are generally
categorized as Sunni and Shia, although there are other minor groups as well. Wahhabi is the dominant Muslim schools of thought in the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia. There are
also several Islamic republics, including Iran, which is
run by a Shia Supreme Leader.
Buddhism was founded by Siddhattha Gotama in the 6th century BCE. Buddhists generally agree that
Gotama aimed to help sentient beings end their suffering (dukkha) by understanding the true nature of phenomena, thereby escaping the cycle of
suffering and rebirth (saṃsāra), that is, achieving Nirvana. Other practices may include following ethical precepts, support of the monastic community, renouncing conventional living and becoming a monastic, the development of mindfulness and practice of meditation, cultivation of higher wisdom and
discernment, study of scriptures, devotional practices, ceremonies, and in the Mahayana tradition,
invocation of Buddha's and bodhisattvas.
The Baha'i Faith was founded in the 19th century in
Iran and since then has spread Worldwide. It teaches unity of all religious
philosophies and accepts all of the prophets of Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam as well as additional prophets including its founder Baha'u'llah.
In the Bahá'í Faith, faith is ultimately the acceptance
of the divine authority of the Manifestations of
God. In the
religion's view, faith and knowledge are both required for spiritual growth.
Humanism is an
approach in study, philosophy, World view or practice that focuses on human values and
concerns, attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or
supernatural matters. According to Greg M. Epstein, "Humanism today can be categorized as a movement, a
philosophy of life or Worldview, or ... [a] life stance." In philosophy
and social science, humanism is a perspective which
affirms some notion of human nature. Religious humanism
is an integration of humanist ethical philosophy with religious rituals and beliefs that center on human needs,
interests, and abilities.
Lutheranism is a
major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of
Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the
theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant
Reformation. Beginning with the 95 Theses, Luther's writings disseminated internationally, spreading
the ideas of the Reformation beyond the ability of governmental and churchly
authorities to control it. Lutheranism
advocates a doctrine of justification "by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone".
Folk religion is a term applied loosely and vaguely to less-organized
local practices. It is also called paganism, shamanism, animism, ancestor worship, matriarchal religion, or totemism, although not all of these elements are necessarily present
in local belief systems. The category of "folk religion" can
generally include anything that is not part of an organization. Modern neopagan movement draws on folk religion for inspiration to varying
degrees. Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious
movements,
particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe.
Earth-centered
religion is a New Age term used mostly in the context of Neopaganism. It is an umbrella phrase that is
used to cover any religion that worships the Earth, nature, or fertility gods and goddesses, such as the various forms of goddess worship or matriarchal religion. Also most Indian religions can be included in Earth religion. Some find
a connection between Earth-worship and the Gaia hypothesis. Earth religions are also formulated to allow one to utilize the
knowledge of preserving the Earth.
Wiccan, one form of Neopaganism, beliefs vary markedly
between different traditions and individual practitioners. However, various
commonalities exist between these disparate groups, which usually include views
on theology, the afterlife, magic and morality.
Another characteristic of this religion is the celebration of seasonally-based festivals, known as Sabbats, of
which there are usually eight in number annually.
Traditional Native American religions exhibit a great deal of diversity, largely due to the
relative isolation of the different tribes that were spread out across the
entire breadth of the North American continent for thousands of years, allowing
for the evolution of different beliefs and practices between tribes. Native American religion is closely connected
to the land in which Native Americans dwell and the supernatural. While there are many different Native American
religious practices, most address the following areas of supernatural concern:
an omnipresent, invisible universal force, pertaining to the "three 'life
crises' of birth, puberty, and death", spirits, visions, the shaman and communal ceremony.
Protestantism
is one of the three major groupings (Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and
Protestantism) within Christianity. It is a
movement that began in Germany in the
early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines
and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and
ecclesiology. Protestants are
distinguished by their emphasis on the doctrines of "justification by
grace alone through faith, the priesthood of all believers, and the supremacy
of Holy Scripture in matters of faith and order." Most Protestant churches recognize only two
sacraments directly commanded by the Lord - baptism and communion - as opposed
to the seven sacraments accepted by the Catholic Church.
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and
organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents Worldwide. Methodism affirms the traditional Christian
belief in the triune Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as well as the
orthodox understanding of the consubstantial humanity and divinity of Jesus. Most Methodists also
affirm the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. The Methodist Church is known for its missionary
work, and its establishment of hospitals, universities, orphanages, soup
kitchens, and schools to follow Jesus' command to spread the Good News and serve all people.
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings
of Prophet Zoroaster in the 6th century BC. The Zoroastrians worship the Creator Ahura Mazda. In
Zoroastrianism good and evil have distinct sources, with evil trying to destroy
the creation of Mazda, and good trying to sustain it.
Unitarian
Universalism is a
religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for
truth and meaning." Unitarian
Universalists do not share a creed; rather,
they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the
understanding that an individual's theology is a result of that search and not
obedience to an authoritarian requirement. Unitarian Universalists draw on many
different theological sources and
have a wide range of beliefs and
practices. Unitarianism indicates the
rejection of the doctrine of the Trinity. The name refers to the unity, i.e.
oneness of God. Universalism is the belief that God will save everyone and no
one will suffer eternal punishment.
Agnosticism is the view that the truth values of certain
claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—are
unknown or unknowable. Agnosticism can
be defined in various ways, and is sometimes used to indicate doubt or a skeptical approach to
questions. In some senses, agnosticism is a stance about the difference between
belief and knowledge, rather
than about any specific claim or belief. In the popular sense, an agnostic is
someone who is undecided about the existence of a deity or deities
Hinduism is a synecdoche describing
the similar philosophies of Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and related
groups
practiced or founded in the Indian
subcontinent. Concepts most of them share in common include karma, caste, reincarnation, mantras, yantras, and darśana. Hinduism also recognizes numerous divine
beings subordinate to the Supreme Being or regards them as lower manifestations
of it. Other notable characteristics include a belief in reincarnation and karma, as well as in personal duty, or dharma. Hinduism
is not a monolithic religion in the Romanic sense but a religious category
containing dozens of separate philosophies amalgamated as Sanātana Dharma. Hinduism is formed of diverse traditions and
has no single founder. Among its direct
roots is the historical
Vedic religion of Iron Age
India
and, as such, Hinduism is often called the "oldest living religion".
Religion in North America spans the period of Native
American dwelling, European settlement, and the present day. Its
various faiths have been a major influence on art, culture, philosophy and law.
Between them, the USA, Mexico and Canada account
for 85% of the population of North America. Religion in each of these countries
is dominated by Christianity.
A 2008 survey of 1,000 people concluded that, based on
their stated beliefs rather than their religious identification, 70% of
Americans believe in a personal God, roughly 12% of Americans are atheist or agnostic, and another 12% are deistic (believing in a higher
power/non-personal God, but no personal God).
The largest religion in the US is Christianity, practiced by the majority of the population (76% in
2008). From those queried, roughly 51.3% of Americans are Protestants, 25% are Catholics, 1.7% are Mormon (the name commonly used to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints), and 1.7% of various other Christian denominations. Christianity was introduced during the
period of European colonization.
A 2001 survey directed by Dr. Ariela Keysar for the
City University of New York indicated that, amongst the more than 100
categories of response, "no religious identification" had the
greatest increase in population in both absolute and percentage terms. This
category included atheists, agnostics, humanists, and others with no theistic religious beliefs or
practices.
After Christianity and no-religion, Judaism is the
third-largest religious affiliation in the US.
Jews have been present in what is now the US since the 17th century,
though large scale immigration did not take place until the 19th century,
largely as a result of persecutions in parts of Eastern Europe.
Buddhism entered the US during the 19th century with the
arrival of the first immigrants from Eastern Asia. The first Buddhist temple was established in San
Francisco in 1853 by Chinese Americans.
Because religion continues to be recognized in Western
thought as a universal impulse, many religious practitioners have aimed to band
together in interfaith dialogue and cooperation. The first major dialogue
was the Parliament of the World's Religions at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, which remains notable even today both in affirming
"universal values" and recognition of the diversity of practices
among different cultures. The 20th century has been especially fruitful in use
of interfaith dialogue as a means of solving ethnic, political, or even
religious conflict, with Christian-Jewish reconciliation representing a complete reverse in the attitudes of
many Christian communities towards Jews.
Recent interfaith initiatives include "A Common Word", launched
in 2007 and focused on bringing Muslim and Christian leaders together, the
"C1 World Dialogue", the "Common Ground" initiative between
Islam and Buddhism, and a United Nations sponsored "World Interfaith Harmony Week".
This is just a few short terms that helped me when I started. Many of these faiths are much more complex. The season of Earth is turning. It is a time to rest and a great time to explore.
Garden of Love:
Plant four rows of squash;
Squash gossip, Squash
indifference,
Squash grumbling, Squash selfishness.
So may it be.
