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You are treating them as individuals. The point of the distilled wisdom is that 1. two heads (or a gazillion) are better than one and 2. old means it has had time for trial and error to have taken effect. Basically, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.
It is inferred by its nature. To start one's own religion is to believe that one's self has superior wisdom than the collective wisdom of many which has been tried out and refined over time.Have you asked if that's what anyone here is claiming?
It is inferred by its nature. To start one's own religion is to believe that one's self has superior wisdom than the collective wisdom of many which has been tried out and refined over time.
If I had done the same thing from a broadly polytheistic, pagan, pantheistic or animistic worldview, it probably would be more accurate to classify my beliefs, spirituality and practices as a new religion, rather than a new way of practicing an old religion.
Who are you to decide what is truth? I know the phrasing makes it sound like I'm angry, but I'm not. It's not a rhetorical question; I am genuinely curious why you think you have the authority to decide what is truth and what is not. It's a way of thinking that I don't understand. My gosh, I have been blessed by G-d with a fantastic intelligence, and I've spent most of my life studying what others have to say, and I would never have the audacity (sorry I can think of no other word) to think that I could make up my own religion. At this point it is hard for me not to see this as incredibly immature and narcisstic. I'm sure it looks quite different to you. Please help me understand you.
Down through history, people simply didn't do what you say you are doing. They believed religions they were taught because they believed them to be correct. It had nothing to do with what they personally thought or wanted or it being convenient. The very very few people in history who actually started new religions, such as Muhammed or Joseph Smith, go through great pains to VALIDATE what they are doing. They make claims such as visions or visits by angels that would set them apart from the average person. They try to show how what they are revealing has been true from the beginning of time. But what they don't do is just say, "Oh I'm making up a new religion." They never treat it like some buffet that they can casually throw together whatever foods they want to make a meal. Now I might not agree with their claims, but I can certainly understand what they are doing. You, I am completely baffled by. Please help me understand you.
You have assumed I am a Christian. I am not. My religion is Orthodox Judaism. It was not created by any man.
However, I thought I very carefully explained that those men who do create religions go through very great pains to validate what they are doing, something you don't do.
I am sorry you feel offended. I had genuinely hoped you would say something to help me understand your reasoning in doing what you are doing, why you think it is just as good to come up with something on your own as to participate in something distilled over time. I think your answer did help somewhat: without authoritative scriptures, you rather ARE left on your own to figure out what to do. It doesn't make you completely understandable to me, but it does help.
However, I thought I very carefully explained that those men who do create religions go through very great pains to validate what they are doing, something you don't do.
As an Eclectic Pagan, someone who you would term as "making up my own religion", I would like to supply a second answer.Who are you to decide what is truth? I know the phrasing makes it sound like I'm angry, but I'm not. It's not a rhetorical question; I am genuinely curious why you think you have the authority to decide what is truth and what is not. It's a way of thinking that I don't understand. My gosh, I have been blessed by G-d with a fantastic intelligence, and I've spent most of my life studying what others have to say, and I would never have the audacity (sorry I can think of no other word) to think that I could make up my own religion. At this point it is hard for me not to see this as incredibly immature and narcisstic. I'm sure it looks quite different to you. Please help me understand you.
Down through history, people simply didn't do what you say you are doing. They believed religions they were taught because they believed them to be correct. It had nothing to do with what they personally thought or wanted or it being convenient. The very very few people in history who actually started new religions, such as Muhammed or Joseph Smith, go through great pains to VALIDATE what they are doing. They make claims such as visions or visits by angels that would set them apart from the average person. They try to show how what they are revealing has been true from the beginning of time. But what they don't do is just say, "Oh I'm making up a new religion." They never treat it like some buffet that they can casually throw together whatever foods they want to make a meal. Now I might not agree with their claims, but I can certainly understand what they are doing. You, I am completely baffled by. Please help me understand you.
Allow me to elaborate, and perhaps I can make this a bit more clear. To say that each of us Pagans, Wiccans, etc., is creating our own religion is accurate, but also a bit over-simplified, and often leads to misunderstanding.You ask if I think it is immature to come up with new metaphors and expressions of one's own spirituality. No, I don't. But I also don't think that doing this is the same as starting a new religion. A religion is much more than metaphors and expressions of one's spirituality. I do not have an anti-innovation attitude. But there is a difference between creavity WITHIN a religion, and creating a NEW religion.
It has nothing to do with assuming one is more wise where wisdom itself is concerned. However, I am uniquely qualified to know where I stand and what direction I need to take.To "sing a new song" is to sing authentically. But to assume that one is so wise that one can understand better than the distilled wisdom of the ages, and so cast aside all that wisdom and offer something new from scratch, DOES seem incredibly arrogant to me.
Because most of us FEEL that there's something else. Something BEYOND the ordinary. Its a difficult feeling to describe.If there is no universal truth, why bother being spiritual/religious at all. Thank you for your addition. Things are becoming a little clearer to me.
I am genuinely curious why you think you have the authority to decide what is truth and what is not.
sidhe said:Are we a legitimate religion in your eyes, or nay?
The point of the distilled wisdom is that 1. two heads (or a gazillion) are better than one
2. old means it has had time for trial and error to have taken effect. Basically, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.
If there is no universal truth, why bother being spiritual/religious at all. Thank you for your addition. Things are becoming a little clearer to me.
That's really a matter of perspective, for example to many people Judaism is the religious tradition of the Jewish people. It's origins being within the ancient Hebrews themselves, their folktales and history evolving as they were transmitted (orally at first). If you can step outside of it for a second to see it from that perspective it might give you some insights.You have assumed I am a Christian. I am not. My religion is Orthodox Judaism. It was not created by any man.
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