What is the goal of your religion?

[JasperJackson]

To love God, be content in Him and to spread the good news that eternal life is on offer to anyone who believes in Jesus (all he said and did).

 

[awitch]

Hmm...I suppose my path's goals would be to get through this life while making a positive contribution to society and trying to minimize any damage.

 

[Delphiki]

Hmm...I suppose my path's goals would be to get through this life while making a positive contribution to society and trying to minimize any damage.

Same, though, I'm not sure if I would consider mine a religious goal. It's really just a goal out of consideration for others.

 

[awitch]

Same, though, I'm not sure if I would consider mine a religious goal. It's really just a goal out of consideration for others.

Good point...I suppose there is nothing inherently religious about that goal.

 

[HumbleSiPilot77]

I have changed my icon, thank you for the prompt I even feel like an Agnostic now, have I also become a liberal now?

You are a Brit... Churchill was a liberal, so I think that goes a long way... You decide what you are. Though, your "other" political statement is duly noted.

 

[b&wpac4]

I will summarize:

Isaiah 1
16 wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds
out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.





Micah 6
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

 

[Sojourner1]

I'm pretty impressed so far with the answers given in this thread. Seems that there are a few common themes among different religions. I must admit that I'm not so sure I would have the same attitude of wanting to make a difference here on earth and contributing to the welfare of other people. It sounds great and all, but I think apart from Christ I would probably be a nihilist and the thought of there being no life after this one would be fairly discouraging to me. My attitude might be to just live it up here on earth and do whatever I want to do because once it's over it's over. Not really sure though. Of course I see God in all of creation so maybe if I weren't a Christian I would be drawn to a religion that was focused on our creation.

 

[Sojourner1]

The purpose of my religion is to glorify God.

------

As for religious 'law' (a.k.a. Sharee'ah), Islamic scholars state that it has five purposes/goals:

- protection of religion
- protection of life
- protection of honor/lineage
- protection of wealth
- protection of intellect

----------

I agree with Willow when she indicates that things seldom have ONE goal... everything I do is usually motivated by many factors, some conscious and some unconscious. Pleasing God is my goal. Heaven is a goal of mine as well. Living a happy and useful life in this world is also a goal.....

I didn't know that those were the five Islamic goals. That's pretty interesting.

 

[ToHoldNothing]

I wouldn't say Buddhism (Rinzai Zen in particular for me) as I understand it has a goal in the sense of telos so much oriented in the future. If there was a Greek term, I cannot find it at present. Enlightenment in any sense in Buddhism is not an achievement in the sense of reaching a certain stratified level, it's a paradigm shift, it's progressive almost in that you have to keep striving. The goal if anything is to overcome attachment to goals and let things develop naturally at a basic pace, mindful of the moment, and aware of things in a deeper sense of their immanence (not of God, of course, but their thusness)

 

[Sojourner1]

I will summarize:

Isaiah 1
16 wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds
out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.





Micah 6
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

I have had Micah 6:8 as my signature for a long time. It's a great verse to live your life by.

 

[b&wpac4]

I have had Micah 6 as my signature for a long time. It's a great verse to live your life by.

The prophets are always a bit difficult to read, as you tend to find them basically yelling right at you.

 

[JJWhite]

I didn't know that those were the five Islamic goals. That's pretty interesting.

They call them Maqaasid Ash-Sharee'ah.

 

[AskTheFamily]

Here is the purposes according to Quran which in reality are related (and only happen together):

1) So humans rise for justice:

57:25
We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His messengers: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will).


The word "yaqoomoo" means "standing" .

2) So as to reflect:



16:44
With clear proofs and scriptures; and We have revealed to you the Reminder that you may make clear to men what has been revealed to them, and that haply they may reflect.



34:46
Say: I exhort you only to one thing, that you rise up for God's sake in twos and singly, then ponder: there is no madness in your fellow-citizen; he is only a warner to you before a severe chastisement.

38:29
(It is) a Book We have revealed to you abounding in good that they may ponder over its Signs/verses, and that those endowed with understanding may remeber

3) So to remember:

54:17
And certainly We have made the Quran easy for remembrance, so is there one who will mind?
Nay! verily it is an reminder.
So that whom wants to may remember (80:11,12)


4) To purify us and to teach us knowledge

3:164
Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His signs and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error.

5) To bring us to the light

57:9
He it is who sends down clear communications upon His servant, that he may bring you forth from utter darkness into light; and most surely Allah is Kind, Merciful.


6) To rule by what God has brought down, to rule by justice:

5:44
Surely We revealed the Taurat in which was guidance and light; with it the prophets who submitted themselves (to Allah) ruled/judge (matters) for those who were Jews, and the masters of Divine knowledge and the doctors, because they were required to guard (part) of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses thereof; therefore fear not the people and fear Me, and do not take a small price for My Signs/revelations/guidance; and whoever did not rule/judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unbelievers.

4:58
Surely Allah commands you to make over trusts to their owners and that when you judge/ruble between(/by the (is possible translation)) people you judge/rule with justice; surely Allah admonishes you with what is excellent; surely Allah is Seeing, Hearing.

7) As a mercy and healing for what is in the hearts:

10:57
O men! there has come to you indeed an admonition from your Lord and a healing for what is in the breasts and a guidance and a mercy for the believers.

8) For being guided in the ways of peace and following God's pleasure:

5:16
With it Allah guides him who will follow His pleasure into the ways of peace and brings them out of utter darkness into light by His will and guides them to the right path.

20:47
So go you both to him and say: Surely we are two messengers of your Lord; therefore send the children of Israel with us and do not torment them! Indeed we have brought to you a Sign from your Lord, and peace is on him who follows the guidance;

9) For him to complete his favor to as for us to be give thanks (highest state of Worship):

5:6
...Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may give thanks.

10) To judge the differences that have occurred amongst people 2:213
All) people are a single nation; so Allah raised prophets as bearers of good news and as warners, and He revealed with them the Book with truth, that it might judge between people in that in which they differed; and none but the very people who were given it differed about it after clear arguments had come to them, revolting among themselves; so Allah has guided by His will those who believe to the truth about which they differed and Allah guides whom He pleases to the right path.

And also ofcourse to reward us with himself, and give us an honorable sustenance which is in many verses.

 

[AskTheFamily]

They call them Maqaasid Ash-Sharee'ah.

Whom is "they"?

 

[AskTheFamily]

Oh yeah, so Islam becomes dominant in the world:

48:28
He it is Who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the true religion that He may make it prevail over all the religions; and Allah is enough for a witness.


That's the one that ofcourse the rest of you won't like

 

[b&wpac4]

Oh yeah, so Islam becomes dominant in the world:

48:28
He it is Who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the true religion that He may make it prevail over all the religions; and Allah is enough for a witness.


That's the one that ofcourse the rest of you won't like

Christianity and Judaism have similar beliefs with respect to their own beliefs, it isn't shocking that Islam would believe this.

 

[Sojourner1]

As for religious 'law' (a.k.a. Sharee'ah), Islamic scholars state that it has five purposes/goals:

- protection of religion
- protection of life
- protection of honor/lineage
- protection of wealth
- protection of intellect

I was thinking about this some more and I realized that these goals (minus the protection of life) are completely different from the "goals" of Christianity. Christianity promotes humility, putting others before yourself, serving others, storing treasures in heaven and not on this earth, the last will be first, money is the root of all evil, etc.

 

[JJWhite]

I was thinking about this some more and I realized that these goals (minus the protection of life) are completely different from the "goals" of Christianity. Christianity promotes humility, putting others before yourself, serving others, storing treasures in heaven and not on this earth, the last will be first, money is the root of all evil, etc.

The goals you are talking about would go under the category 'religion'. As for welath, it's not restricted to money, and what that means is that one of the reasons the law is there to protect people's wealth/property... like, theft is prohibitted, there are rules regarding business transactions, etc... all of those things are there to protect the property of the individual.

 

[JJWhite]

Whom is "they"?

Assalaamu alaikum, akhee.

"They" is Islamic scholars ... I believe this list of the five (maybe not in that order) was first specified by Al-Imam Ash-Shaatibee? Allaahu a'lam. It is very common in the books of Usool. I'm Sunni, btw.

 

[AskTheFamily]

Assalaamu alaikum, akhee.

"They" is Islamic scholars ... I believe this list of the five (maybe not in that order) was first specified by Al-Imam Ash-Shaatibee? Allaahu a'lam. It is very common in the books of Usool. I'm Sunni, btw.

Alaikom As-Salam sis

To be honest, this is the first time I came across the term.

It's all Sunni scholars whom say this?