Religion and Existential Questions

• Religion is a tool used in answering existential question about life and existence

• Religion has been a component of the human condition since the beginning of civilization

• Religious pursuit is a search for an answer to existential and spiritual burdens

• Humans seek something greater than themselves, which gives meaning to daily existence

• Logical thinking usually leads to a concept of a creator identified as God

• Countless religions have risen over thousands of years of human civilization

• Philosopher Erich Fromm, argued that religion is an inevitable expression of basic human needs

• Religions have affected lives throughout world history, whether negatively or positively

• Experiencing God daily is important, even in ordinary things

• Religious experiences should be day-to-day experiences and must be seen as something more

• Spirituality will be discussed simply in the way of ordinary believers and not in a monastic view

• Understanding religions, religious experiences, and spirituality should be done with great care because a single misstep can lead individuals, families, and society in the wrong direction

• When understood correctly, religion influences both the individual and society.

• All religions include transcendence, finding humanity’s deepest values, and connecting with the Supreme Being–God.

Religion Etymology

• There is much controversy about the etymology of religion
• Philosopher Cicero proposed the Latin relegere, which roughly means “to read or go through again in speech or thought.”
• The most accepted etymology is the Latin religare, meaning “to bind.”
• Idea that religion is binding of a human to a social, moral, and legal duty
• Definitions only provide its nominal meaning

Philosophers' Religious Views

• Immanuel Kant believed religion is recognizing duties as divine commands and that religion cannot be separated from ethics as a way of life.
• Emile Durkheim described religion sociologically as ceremonial actions assembling a group, heightening emotion, and focusing on symbols of common belonging
• Karl Marx said religion is the "opium of the masses."

Fundamental Features of Religion

• Religion has seven dimensions

Cosmological Dimension

• Religion answers existence questions, providing explanations about faith, the universe, creation, nature, and humanity, while giving meaning to the world and using myths, theories, and visions.

Soteriological Dimension

• Religion provides a scheme for salvation, seeking to answer what happens after death and how to ensure a good destination, such as heaven for Christians, samsara and moksha for Hindus, and nirvana for Buddhists.

Anthropological Dimension

• Religion teaches proper living and reveals more than the mundane world. Religion encourages its followers to pursue things beyond finite human experience to aspire for the greater ideals of life.

Symbolic Dimension

• Religions utilize symbols and rituals, which are used to convey sacred ideas and give meaning to behavior

• Religious practices are prescribed and aim for the enrichment of both believer and religion

• Symbols and rituals create and transform religious tradition, such as the cross for Christians, “om” for Hindus, and male circumcision for Jews.

Moral Dimension

• Religion provides a moral compass, sensing a right way to live and act morally.

• Living a moral life means living by the religion's precepts.

• The idea of good and evil guides believers, although definitions of a good life vary across religions

Organizational Dimension

• Religions recognize religious authority for settling religious matters.
• Religions are headed by trained priests or pastors. Other religions emphasis internal authority and understanding of how to live.

Theological Dimension

• Religions introduce a supreme being, defining religion.

• Devotion and practice are centered on the "god" and systems considered expressions of the divine.

Religious Experience

• Religious experience refers to the personal sense of encounter with the Sacred within a religious framework, or an experience of God.

• "Religious" refers to divinity, holiness, or sacredness, distinct from the profane, and relates to a set of beliefs

• Experience is defined as personal event or subjective interaction with oneself or nature.

• William James distinguished religious experience through philosophy, saying that religious experiences are transcendental, blocking everything else out.

• Transcendental experience removes from our normal physical experiences

• Experiencing the divine helps people to feel connected

• James identified that religious experience blocks away focuses on the particular experience and blocks outside experience

• In modern societies, the claim of a religious encounter is more challenging in the age of science

• Religious experiences can be difficult to grasp with limited understanding.

• Rudolf Otto stated that religious experiences not readily obvious to everyone .

• Focus should be on the consequences of religious experience, not the recognition or cause.

Spirituality

• Spirituality deals with the problems of spirit or soul, which shows a body and spirit existence –Sawan Ashram: Spirituality is developing higher consciousness in the soul and going beyond senses so to understand the divine plan

• Spirituality exists without religion –spirituality can exist without religion. A person does not have to believe in any religion in order to pursue spiritual growth –spiritual meaning is better with spirituality

• Religiosity includes religion, traditions, and beliefs and externally show to world –spirituality is internal

• Spiritual and religiosity trends both grow, being religious but not spiritual or spiritual but not religious –together will produce better outcomes than if not performed

• Spirituality is separated from:Spiritism, survival of the soul that haunts the earth, Spiritualism, using living and dead that is a Ouija board,Mesmerism is like hypnosis,and hypnosis and magnetism, all being separate matters to the sole.