religions - 09/27/08 03:23 PM
Is there a word or term for a religion without a hierarchy or a holy text? How would you describe Buddhism or Quakerism?
Re: religions - 09/27/08 03:54 PM
Buddhism is sometimes called nontheistic. Seems to hold for Quakers, too (link). I usually put down adogmatic nontheist or secular humanist when asked for my religion, though lately I've been considering myself at some unnamed location between nontheism and transtheism.
Quote:
By nontheistic Quakers, I mean those Friends, members and attenders, whose religious perspective depends minimally on the supernatural. Several recent surveys have shown that many who might variously be described as Nontheists, Agnostics, Religious Humanists, Non-Realists, Atheists, and/or Post-Christians have been attracted to Quakerism in Britain, and there is ample anecdotal evidence of the same trend in unprogrammed Meetings in North America.
Re: religions - 09/28/08 12:03 AM
There are many kinds of Buddhism and at least five different kinds of Quakerism, ranging from Evangelical, 'bible-believing' Quakers who, along with their founder George Fox, see the 'Inner Light' that is at the centre of their religion as the Christ of the bible, to (at the other end of the spectrum) Quakers who are practically indistinguishable from Eastern mystics in the traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Buddhism is NOT a religion without dogma, hierarchies and scriptures. Nor is Hinduism. Probably the only religions without scriptures or regulatory documents of some kind are animistic ones. Even Evolutionism has 'The Origin of Species' as its founding scripture!
And even animism has some hierarchical content.
Nor is most Buddhism non-theistic. Some Buddhists will say that "pure" Buddhism is atheistic, but pure Buddhism hardly exists anywhere. Most folk Buddhists worship idols of golden statues and offer sacrifices to spiritual beings they generally call gods.
Buddhism is NOT a religion without dogma, hierarchies and scriptures. Nor is Hinduism. Probably the only religions without scriptures or regulatory documents of some kind are animistic ones. Even Evolutionism has 'The Origin of Species' as its founding scripture!
And even animism has some hierarchical content.Nor is most Buddhism non-theistic. Some Buddhists will say that "pure" Buddhism is atheistic, but pure Buddhism hardly exists anywhere. Most folk Buddhists worship idols of golden statues and offer sacrifices to spiritual beings they generally call gods.
Re: religions - 09/29/08 07:06 PM
Are there still places that ask to know your religion? I've not seen that on a form in some 20 years.
Re: religions - 09/30/08 05:20 AM
You mean when applying for a Visa or similar entry documents? I don't know, but I imagine there would be several countries that still ask that.