Introduction to Religions, Religious Experiences, and Spirituality

Chapter 1: Introduction to Religions, Religious Experiences and Spirituality  INTRODUCTION: Religion is a vital part of human life. It is one tool used in answering most of our existential questions – about life, about existence. From the beginning of human civ...

Chapter 1: Introduction to Religions, Religious Experiences and Spirituality  INTRODUCTION: Religion is a vital part of human life. It is one tool used in answering most of our existential questions – about life, about existence. From the beginning of human civilization, religion has always been a vital component of the human condition. It gave us a system of orientation on what we should live for or die for. Our constant pursuit of religion is a search for an answer to our existential and spiritual burdens. religion also functions as an anchor at the core of humanity’s existence. Most of the time, it is religion that provides meaning and sense to our daily existence. Humans, as journeying beings ‘homo viator ‘ always seeks to find something – or Someone – greater than themselves. Logical thinking would always bring us to a concept of a maker, which we often identify as God. This is the very reason why human civilization has established countless religions over the course of thousands of years  According to the a German philosopher named Erich Fromm argued that religion is an expression of our basic human needs, and all cultures will always have it. We can never get away from this because it is an inevitable truth of our existence. Looking at the world’s history, it is difficult to not notice how religions have affected our present lives, whether in a good or a bad way. There even came a point in the western narrative where religion became the end-all and be-all of everything what was considered as true was what the religious teachings prescribed. The notion of “religious experience” or the day-to-day experience of God in ordinary life. With this approach, we must go back to our raw experience, to see everything as manifestations of something greater than ourselves. The religious experience should be a day to day experience. The goal is to experience God on a daily basis. The way one experiences God, even in the most ordinary things, can never be discounted. Spirituality is treated almost in the same way. We will talk about spirituality not in the strict, monastic sense but more on the simple way of life of the ordinary believer.  Religions, religious experience, and spirituality must be understood with care. A single misstep can lead the believer, the family, and the society in the wrong direction. But with influence both on the personal and the societal level, religion, when properly understood, must transform the believer and, eventually, move society forward. In every religion is an element of transcendence, and a vision of searching for the deepest values of humanity that can only be found through an authentic connection with the destination, the Supreme Being – God.  01 Religion RELIGION There is much controversy and little clarity as to the etymology of the word “religion”, and this topic has been debated since. The perspective was presented by the philosopher Cicero who proposed the Latin relegere, which roughly means “to read or go through again in speech or thought”. On the other hand, the most commonly accepted etymology is the Latin religare, which means “to bind”.  Cicero and other early etymologists all share in the idea that religion is a system which binds a human person to a social, moral, and legal duty or contract and compels that same person to follow or avoid particular courses of actions. The said definitions of religion only provide us with its nominal meaning, but do not give us a full and real understanding of the concept.  For example, the German idealist Immanuel Kant said that “religion is the recognition of all our duties as divine commands.” For Kant, religion is never separated from ethics as a way of life. Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist, described religion from a sociological perspective. He defined religion as, “a set of ceremonial actions, assembling the group, heightening its emotion, and focusing its member on symbols of their common belongingness.” As a matter of fact, numerous scholars, philosophers, Further, Karl Marx would say sociologists, theologians, etc., that religion is the “opium of the masses” have attempted to explain what religion is. Fundamental Features of Religion 1. Cosmological 2. Soteriological Dimension Dimension Religion is an avenue to answer big Religion provides a scheme for questions about our existence. It salvation. Most religions, if not all, provides explanations about our faith, have their soteriological or salvific the universe, creation, nature, dimension. It tries to give an answer meaning, and form of the universe to the question “what happens after and the place of humanity in it. death?” and how do we make sure we Religion tries to put meaning into the have a good destination when we die, world. Religion achieves this through e.g. heaven and earth for Christians, myths, theories and visions of the samsara and moksha for Hindus, and creation, nature, meaning and forms nirvana for Buddhists of the universe, and our place in it.  3. 4. Symbolic Anthropologic Dimension al Dimension Exam nt Religions have symbols and rituals. conte Symbols are signs used for sacred While religion teaches us to live objects or ideas and areused to give together properly, it also teaches us meaning to human behavior. Religious that there is more than this mundane rituals and practices are prescribed, world. It encourages us to seek repeated behaviors with desired and beyond the finite human experience intended outcomes for the enrichment and aspire for what is greater which of the religion and our mind could not comprehend. the person. Symbols and rituals help in creating a sound tradition and transform through religious tradition, e.g. cross for Christians, “om” for Hindus, and male circumcision of Jews.  5. Moral 6. Dimension Organizational Every religion provides a moral compass. All Dimension religions have a sense that there is a right way to live and act – morality. To All religions recognize an authority. Religious live a moral life is to live out the matters are often settled by religious precepts of the religion. The idea of authorities. good and evil has been an effective Most religions today are headed by priests or doctrine in providing us with moral pastors who undergo years of training and guidance. It must be noted, however, education to fulfil their religious role as leaders. that the major religions vary in their In other religions, the emphasis is placed on an definitions of what constitutes a good internal authority and personal understanding life, and the line between moral of how to live in the world philosophy and religion is far from clear  7. Theological Dimension Religions introduce the existence and nature of a supreme being. This is the defining feature of religion. A god is the primary object of all religious practice and devotion. The understanding of a particular religion mainly involves the necessary knowledge and appreciation of the supreme being or beings. All forms of religious devotional systems are considered expressions of the divine.  To understand religious experience, let us Religious first define the two words, separately. The Experience term "religious” may refer to divinity and to something holy or sacred. hence, it does not refer to the profane. It may also refer to a set of beliefs. These two words may sound so simple but if we pay On the other hand, the word “experience” more attention and reflect on them, we may may be defined as something that occurs in realize that these two words are not as easy as life, an event, often something personal or they appear. subjective in nature.. What is a religious experience? Which when put together, religious experience experience is to be considered as religious? may mean as a personal experience that Do you strictly need to witness a miracle or pertains to an encounter of the Sacred see? which is understood within a religious God face to face so that you can say that framework. It is an experience of God. you have had a religious experience? These are only some of the questions surrounding the concept.  According William James, who had made a lot of contributions in the field of philosophy in our modern society where science and of religion. James provided a clearer technology have greatly advanced, saying distinction between normal experience and that you have encountered something religious experience. what distinguishes religious is more challenging than it was religious experience is that it is hundreds of years ago transcendental and that it blocks everything away when you Experience it. What transcendental means is that it takes us away from our normal physical experience. It makes us feel that we are connected to the divine. Further, religious experience blocks everything away wherein you would only want to focus your attention and engage only on that particular experience.  This should not be considered a problem because religious It is not the recognition we get from our experiences are really difficult to religious experience that is of understand and even sometimes importance here. impossible to be grasped by our limited minds. Also, to find out the reason or the cause of the religious experience is not what we should exhaust our energy into. according to Rudolf Otto, What we should pay attention to are the religious experience is not consequences of our religious something readily given to experience. everyone because it is not something that is obvious.  Spirituality 3. Spirituality is not mesmerism or animal 1. Spirituality is not similar to spiritism, or magnetism. Mesmerism is an activity that the belief that spirits exist apart from is performed which makes the subject matter. It is also the conviction that dazed and be subordinated to the when the spirit splits from the body, the operator. spirit haunts the world as ghosts. 4. Spirituality is not hypnotism. 2. Spirituality is not the same as Spiritualism, or the belief in the survival of the human 5. Spirituality is not similar to religiosity. personality and in communication Religiosity is oftentimes confused with between the living and the dead. An spirituality. Religiosity concerns itself with example of spiritualism is the use of a religion, traditions, and beliefs; hence, it Ouija board. is man-made, external and visible to the eye. Religiosity is the outward show of religion.  what is spirituality can exist without religion. A person does not have to believe in any spirituality? religion in order to pursue spiritual growth spirituality is concerned with the problems connected with the spirit or we may say that both religiosity and soul. This definition presupposes that we spirituality would grow more if they are are embodied spirits. What this means practiced together. The terms “religious but is that we are composed of a body and a not spiritual” and “spiritual but not religious” spirit. are becoming a trend today. according to Sawan Ashram,“ Spirituality is spirituality and religiosity will be practiced the science of developing higher together, it would produce a better outcome. consciousness in Man on the level of the soul, and making one transcend from mere Spirituality can give better meaning to bodily consciousness into cosmic religiosity while religiosity can guide our consciousness, so as to enable one to spirituality. understand the working of the divine plan.”  Summary and Conclusion we have tried to elucidate different concepts such as religion, religious experience and spirituality. We have learned that there are many ways to define each concept. that is why it is necessary for us to keep an open mind in order to understand them properly. The study of religion is harder and more technical than we think it is. However, as we move along our discussions and start studying a particular religion, these concepts will hopefully make more sense to us.