Recently I have been exploring Buddhism and what it means to me and my life. I have found that it has changed the way I see and interact with the world, in my opinion for the better. I use the tenants of this philosophy/religion to help me get through my everyday life, and to attempt to be a better person. Yet I am uncomfortable calling it a Religion because of all of the subtext and connotation that comes with that word.
I was listening to NPR one day, I think it was "fresh air", and they had this religious guy on to talk about religion on college campuses. He said that some people did a study and found that generally college students are much more comfortable calling themselves spiritual as opposed to religious.
I find myself in the same position. If someone were to ask me if I was a religious person it would take me a second to answer; and even as of right now I am not quite sure what that answer would be. However, if someone asked me if I had a morale code, and a set of ideals with which I run my life I would say yes with out hesitation. And at its most basic level isn't that all that religion is? a moral code and a set of ideals shared by a group of people?
Yet I feel there is a connotation of dogma that comes with the word religion. And I think that is what makes me uncomfortable. I believe inquiry is fundamental to the humane condition, and dogma seems so precisely opposed to that idiom.
That and Christians make me a tiny bit uncomfortable. ;-)
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4 comments:
The greatest moral tragedy of our generation is that conservatives have co-opted religion...and, for that matter, patriotism. I roll my eyes when I see a WWJD bumper sticker or a "proud to be an American" sign in a window not because I don't love God or my country but because I assume that the person associated with them is a neo-con asshole.
Well, no more! Let's start re-claiming faith, Mo.
I'm down
I think you missed a couple major components that many would include in their description of a religion:
in addition to providing a moral code and set of ideals with which to run your life, religion also generally involves a particular worldview or outlook on the proper order, origin and purpose of the world; it also generally involves a faith in something beyond the immediately percievable, something larger than ourselves but something of which we can or are or will be a part of at some point.
I think these two components of religion help provide people with a sense of their place in the world and reassure them that while they may be small, insignificant and shortlived in the grand scheme of things, they are nevertheless a part of something greater and eternal - a comforting thought, for sure.
The ethics, morals and ideals certainly serve a practical and important function as well, although I would argue that many who call themselves religios tend to skimp on the moral and ethical code part of things (despite the WWJD references!) and simply enjoy the 'I'm part of something bigger' aspect of religion. I think that's one of the reasons we share such a sour taste for the world 'religion', despite a recognition that in principle, religion can be a wonderful thing.
Enjoy yourself and get your Buddha on my friend...
Interesting website with a lot of resources and detailed explanations.
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