Jarred tagged me with Matt Stone's meme "What religions interest you apart from your own"?
That's a fantastic question, and I am looking forward to reading more answers.
List three "religions" (i.e. religion/belief system/philosophy/irreligion) :
1. which, if any, "religion" you personally identify with
2 & 3. two other "religions" that interest you.
If you're brave, explain why the other religions interest you.
1. Jesusism. I don't like to call it Christianity, because it's 98% not traditional Christianity (i.e. what percentage of the bible consists of words Jesus actually said?). But what I can say is that no matter how I have stretched my boundaries, Jesus has a grip on me that I can't shake. I have tried to walk away, but have had no peace until I have returned to him. I have no real explanation, except to say that is where I fall and I'm happy with it.
2. Druidry. For its connection to nature, which is where I find God most readily, most powerfully, and most profoundly. For the fundamental belief that all life is spiritual.
3. I don't know if this counts as a *religion*, but panentheism, which in the simplest terms possible is "a belief system which posits that God exists and interpenetrates every part of nature, and timelessly extends beyond as well. Panentheism is distinguished from pantheism, which holds that God is synonymous with the material universe", as quoted from Wikipedia. I particularly like this description of biblical panentheism.
Thanks for participating, Erin. And I like your list. :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting stuff. My own contribution is here.
ReplyDeleteOh, damn, you woman, I've been memed :) Haha.
ReplyDeleteOkay then, I"ll play.
Oh, and that reminds me, Barbara tagged me for something two weeks ago when I was having a meltdown. Must get onto that :)
I like your number 1. Jesusism. I am having a renewed grapple with where I stand with the Bible at the moment. Is it literal to me? No, not at all, not for years. But I'm trying to glean underneath that, what it can mean, how much of God is woven into these accounts written by fallible humans often years after the events and some - like in the old testament - written CENTURIES after the events. I agree with you, though, Jesus has a grip on me I can't shake. And oh, I can't tell you how relieved i am about that at the moment. For a few days there, following my own intellectual honesty, I was wondering if there would be anything left out the other side of the jaunt.
2. I would love to hear you talk more about druidry and what you have discovered, if thou darest :)
3. I am purely and utterly a panentheist. Totally. Utterly. Amazingly wonderfully beatufiul :)
I know that feeling, Sue...wondering if anything will be left in the end. It's been interesting, for sure.
ReplyDeleteDruidry...well I read The Druidry Handbook by John Micheal Greer, the Grand Archdruid of AODA. Fascinating book, and I love many aspects of the practice, but two things I found bother me.
1) The lack of historical continuity, which isn't a big deal because it's obvious the spirituality works for people, but means it lacks a real, deep, ancient connection, which is really what draws me. 2) It's still just a religion, with ritual, hierarchies, expectation and demands. I certainly don't have a problem with that for those who adhere, but you know where I personally am with that.
John Micheal Greer has a blog I read regularly, The Archdruid Report, that has incredible insights into ecology, economy and the future of industrial civilization.
There are many aspects of earth based spirituality that draw me, in powerful ways, but I have been going my own way in that because of the difficulty of integrating Jesus into so many of them. And he's non-negotiable for me.
Which brings me to panentheism...which is also non-negotiable for me, always has been, even decades before I knew there was a word for it. :)
Yeah, me too regarding the panentheism. And it was non-negotiable even when I would read the bible through lenses that sometimes didn't seem to fit it on. But it makes so much sense to me. You can *feel* it. It makes the world a beautiful thing
ReplyDelete"Just a religion"? *mock horror*
ReplyDelete;)
I completely agree, Sue. It can be felt, like the earth is breathing.
ReplyDeleteJarred - You know what I mean :)
ReplyDeleteI think for me the idea of anything ritualistic is "just a religion". I don't mean that as a negative in general, just for me personally. I don't know, I guess the word "just" in there is a problem...it's not meant to imply something lesser-than. And it's not that ritual is a bad thing, not at all. I'm just burned out on it. But maybe the problem is simply the wrong rituals. :(
Erin: No worries! Besides, you know I'm just teasing. ;)
ReplyDeleteAt least I hope you know that. ;)
Yay! A meme! I think I might do this one. Maybe it will get me back in the swing of things over at my place. :)
ReplyDeleteI look forward to it, Kay! This was a fun one.
ReplyDeleteI find that you speak the truth. What Jesus taught and what is practiced by in large in the church are tow different things. You mention 5 of the commands of Jesus in a row and say people have to obey them and you are in an argument.
ReplyDeleteNormally you can't get passed 2 commands