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For me Buddhism is the best world religion
Do you agree? Share your thoughts on this lens about what the best world religion is. I'm sticking to the world religions, for the sake of brevity, but have included an up and coming contender: the Bahai. Aside from that, these are the world religions (by alphabetical order): Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism. So what do you think?
What's the best religion in the world?
I'll be helping you make your case by sharing the basics on each of the world religions. The main criteria I'll follow are: peaceful actions by their followers and the quality of the teachings. But I'll let you weigh in on the matter every step of the way.
Violence in the world religions?
The religions explored don't quite fit my list. They are: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism. On that list Hinduism and Buddhism are bumped into one, in the discussion of the Tokyo subway incident. The sect responsible for that attack was however hardly Buddhist OR Hindu by the usual standards.
Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence, 3rd Edition (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society, Vol. 13)
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 11/24/2009)
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Buddhism and violence
Buddhism is an unusual religion by Western standards. It adapts to whatever culture it finds itself in and morphs into something new. For instance Buddhism in the West is far less ritualistic than Buddhism in Asia.A religion that is so hard to catch is also hard to blame for violence. It is probably fair to say that no religions have been fought over Buddha. But it is at the same time true that Buddhist philosophy can be interpreted to in some cases defend violence. Human beings what they are, they will find a defense for violence anywhere. In the case of Buddhism it's the doctrine of Sunyata that lends itself best to violence: if everything is temporary anyhow, where is the crime in killing? Another frequent way to get from Buddhism to violence is the defense of the dharma (doctrine) itself. Violence against Tamils in Sri Lanka has been defended that way. In present day Burma non Buddhists have a hard time getting and keeping serious jobs.
This sort of thing is of course not unique to Buddhism, but it does go to show that in practice Buddhists can be just as partial to their own as any other religious group. Which is just part of the very serious situation in Burma where human rights are not recognized at all.
So, am I right? Is Buddhism the best world religion?
What's the best religion in the world?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, you're right, Buddhism IS the best religion in the world!
spirituality says:
It is hardest to find fault with Buddhism of all the world religions, so I guess it's the best religion. I certainly find it's lack of mandatory beliefs refreshing as well as the focus on truth before all else. This means that if science should prove religious beliefs untrue, Buddhism is not in trouble. It just gets rid of that particular belief and has done with it. Christianity still has people defending a flat earth.
Posted September 09, 2009
No way, the best religion is.... because ....
Cem Galip says:
islam is
Posted November 10, 2009
keith says:
CHRISTANITY
Posted October 31, 2009
paroma says:
I don't believe in any so called religion as such. the only relegion i very strongly believe and think to be the best is none other than 'Humanity'. every other religion emenates from it.
Posted October 20, 2009
ABDOOL RAHMAN ANWAR says:
ISLAM IS THE BEST
Posted October 09, 2009
Parmeet singh says:
sikh
is the best religion in the world and i love it
FROM
GALRIHAN
Posted October 09, 2009
Anonymous says:
No religion is the best.
Posted October 06, 2009
Spook says:
I'll agree with you that starting this is just plain silly, but I think it will be a great debate. I do not know enough about this to really comment. For me I have only ever read the Bible, the Christian one that is. In it it says,'you Simon Peter you are my rock, and upon this rock I will build my church.' So which church is that?
Posted September 13, 2009
sontrop says:
Buddhism leaves room for other religions and doesn't claim exclusiveness if you accidently allready had another religion. Maybe that makes them an instant looser :)
Posted September 09, 2009
spirituality says:
Even though I started this conversation, I think comparing religions and trying to come up with a 'winner' is just plain silly. Religions are all tangled up in culture and trying to distinguish one from the other doesn't work. The best person in the world has the best religion, whatever they call it. And that best person could as easily be a Hindu (Mahatma Gandhi for instance) as a Christian (Mother Teresa comes to mind).
Posted September 09, 2009
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Buddhism is one of the most inspiring world philosophies. On this lens you will find information on the Buddhist path, basic concepts and links to more information.
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Zen Buddhism
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Zen Buddhism (also called Chan Buddhism in China) is one of the most famous types of Buddhism in the West. It has similarities with Taoism as well. On this lens you will find video's about Zen Buddhist practice in Japan as well as links to more info...
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Tibetan Buddhism has been called 'Vajrayana Buddhism', because it is part of the tantric Buddhist current, within Mayahana Buddhism. The word Vajra can be explained as 'thunderbolt' or 'Diamond like'. It stands for the clear constancy of the mind of...
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So, what do you think is the most important criterium for deciding the best religion?
What should the best or ideal world religion look like?
Should Seek Universal Harmony And Oneness
All Religions come from God. God is one. Religio more...3 points
Bahá'í Faith
he Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind.[1] There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories.[2][3]Bahá'í teachings emphasize the underlying unity of the major world religions. Religious history is seen to have unfolded through a series of divine messengers, each of whom established a religion that was suited to the needs of the time and the capacity of the people. These messengers have included Abraham, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad and others, including most recently Bahá'u'lláh. In Bahá'í belief, each messenger taught of the next, and Bahá'u'lláh's life and teachings fulfill the end-time promises of previous scriptures. Humanity is understood to be involved in a process of collective evolution, and the need of the present time is for the gradual establishment of peace, justice and unity on a global scale.[4]
The word "Bahá'í" [5] is used either as an adjective to refer to the Bahá'í Faith or as a term for a follower of Bahá'u'lláh, and the word is not a noun meaning the religion as a whole.[6] It is derived from the Arabic Bahá', meaning "glory" or "splendour".[7] The term "Bahaism" (or "Baha'ism") has been used in the past, but is fading from use.
Adapted from Wikipedia
Mixing religion and politics?
The Bahai faith the ideal religion?
Being less than two centuries old, and persecuted in the Middle East most of that time, the Bahai have hardly had the time to show us what they would do if they got into power. Why mention power? Like Islam, the Bahai faith implicitly assumes that religion and politics go hand in hand.
This is directly opposite to the modern idea of the secular state. The secular state has been invented precisely to make sure that people of whatever religious background should be able treated equally before the law. This ideal has not been fully practiced anywhere, but the question the Bahai ask us by example is whether that ideal should be thrown out the window...
Should religion and politics be kept separate or not?
Is the ideal religion politically neutral?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, politics and religion don't mix
Spook says:
Religious tolerance should be a standard practise in all countries and the two don't mix.
Posted September 13, 2009
spirituality says:
Right. Glad to hear that Muhammad and Baha'u'llah were so wise. The question is, is the Bahai Faith as practiced going to separate church and state? It seems to me that the Universal House of Justice is set up to become some sort of (religious) world court were the Bahai to become a majority faith. Don't Bahai communities have a sort of internal government going on?
Posted September 10, 2009
senmcglinn says:
"...Like Islam, the Bahai faith implicitly assumes that religion and politics go hand in hand." ??? Whoa there! Abdu'l-Baha wrote a whole book on the separation of Church and State (The "sermon on the Art of Governance") and more briefly wrote: "?Should they place in the arena the crown of the government of the whole world, and invite each one of us to accept it, undoubtedly we shall not condescend, and shall refuse to accept it.? (Tablets of the Divine Plan 51). Baha'u'llah refered to and endorsed the "render unto Caesar" principle. For more see the compilation of Bahai writings on the topic at
http://senmcglinn.wordpress.com/compilations/church-n-state/
And what about Islam? The Quran says:
Call to remembrance, for you are only one who calls to remembrance (mudhakkirun). You are not (set) over them as a ruler (musaytirin). If anyone turns away to unbelief, God will punish him with a mighty punishment. (88:21-24)
Say, I am not over you as a guardian (wakiilin) (6:66).
I [Muhammad] am not over you as a warder (hafiizan) ?.(6:104)
We have not set you [Muhammad] over them as a warder, and you are not over them as a guardian. (6:107)
We have sent you to the people as a messenger (rasulan) ? whoever obeys the messenger has obeyed God, and as for those who turn away, we have not sent you as a warder over them. (4:79-80)
We know what they say: you do not have the power of enforcement (be-jabbaarin) over them. Cause them to remember, through the Quran ? (4:50:45)
See many more Quranic quotes on the separation of religion and politics at
http://tinyurl.com/ChurchstateIslam
And similarly in Christianity: "Render unto Caesar ..."
The problem has never been that the founders of the great religions don't provide the basics for a sensible society - the problem is the misunderstanding and often deliberate misuse of their message by people who think primarily in worldly terms, with power and wealth at the top of the value pyramid.
~ Sen McGlinn
Posted September 09, 2009
spirituality says:
I think the ideal state is religiously neutral and keeps open the option for people of any religious background to get power.
Posted September 09, 2009
No, let's be realistic: religion and politics have always mixed. We might as well make it official.
Christianity
Let's get to that biggest of world religions shall we? Wikipedia describes Christianity as follows:"Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in the New Testament. The Christian faith is essentially faith in Jesus as the Christ (or Messiah), the Son of God, the Savior, the manifestation of God to humankind (Immanuel), and God (Yahweh or the "Lord") himself.
Adherents of the Christian faith, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible (the part of scripture common to Christianity and Judaism). The foundation of Christian theology is expressed in the early Christian ecumenical creeds, which contain claims predominantly accepted by followers of the Christian faith. These professions state that Jesus suffered, died from crucifixion, was buried, and was resurrected from the dead to open heaven to those who believe in him and trust him for the remission of their sins (salvation). They further maintain that Jesus bodily ascended into heaven where he rules and reigns with God the Father. Most denominations teach that Jesus will return to judge all humans, living and dead, and grant eternal life to his followers. He is considered the model of a virtuous life, and both the revealer and physical incarnation of God.[7] Christians call the message of Jesus Christ the Gospel ("good news") and hence refer to the earliest written accounts of his ministry as gospels.
Christianity began as a Jewish sect and is classified as an Abrahamic religion (see also Judeo-Christian). Originating in the eastern Mediterranean, it quickly grew in size and influence over a few decades, and by the 4th century had become the dominant religion within the Roman Empire. During the Middle Ages, most of the remainder of Europe was Christianized, with Christians also being a (sometimes large) religious minority in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of India. Following the Age of Discovery, through missionary work and colonization, Christianity spread to the Americas, Australasia, and the rest of the world, therefore Christianity is a major influence in the shaping of Western civilization.
As of the early 21st century, Christianity has between 1.5 billion and 2.1 billion adherents, representing about a quarter to a third of the world's population and is the world's largest religion. In addition, Christianity is the state religion of several countries. "
Christianity does have a lot going for it. It's major ideal of compassion has wrought significant changes all over the world. It is also in a sense the first non-tribal religion. That is: Judaism is a religion only for people born Jews. Christianity hopes to save the whole of humanity.
However, the crimes Christians have perpetrated in the name of their faith are significant as well and last up till the present. Most famous is the persecution of infidels by the inquisition in Europe in the Middle ages. Recently a doctor who performed abortions was killed by Christian fundamentalists.
The idea of martyrdom is an old one in Christianity. People were willing to die for their faith, and some still are. Some martyrs will commit crimes right before that willing death. Islam is accused of supporting this, but Christianity is just as capable of producing people with such ideas.
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Yours and my favorite quotes from the Christian tradition & links to more Christian and Spiritual quotes. Submit your favorite Christian quotes in the guestbook.
Islam
Islam is a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the teachings of the Qur'an, a religious book considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God (Allah), and the Islamic prophet Muhammad's personally demonstrated examples (collected through narration of his companions in the volumes of Hadith) for implementing them. The word Islam is a homograph, having multiple meanings, and a triliteral of the word salam, which directly translates as peace. Other meanings include submission, or the total surrender of oneself to God (see Islam (term)).An adherent of Islam is a Muslim, meaning "one who submits (to God)". The word Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims regard Islam as the completed and universal version of an original monotheistic faith revealed to peoples before, including to Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. Islamic tradition holds that previous messages have changed and the revelations were distorted.
Religious practices include the Five Pillars of Islam, which are five duties that unite Muslims into a community. Islamic law (Sharia) touches on virtually every aspect of life and society, encompassing everything from dietary laws and banking to warfare and welfare. The vast majority of Muslims belong to one of two major denominations, the Sunni (roughly 85%) and Shi'a (roughly 15%). Islam is the predominant religion in much of Africa, the Middle East, as well as in major parts of Asia. Large communities are also found in China, Russia and the Balkans. Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world. About 20% of Muslims live in Arab countries, 30% in the Indian Subcontinent, and 15.6% in Indonesia alone, the largest Muslim country in absolute numbers. With 1.3 billion to 1.8 billion Muslims, Islam is the second-largest religion in the world and the fastest growing religion in the world.
Thank you wikipedia
Jews were traditionally respected in Islam, alongside Christians, as people of the book (dhimmi). In the past decades however it has become increasingly difficult for minority groups to eke out an acceptable living in many Middle Eastern countries. Since Islam traditionally protected these minorities, it is clear this is not about Islam, whatever the excuse may be that is used to persecute people.
Islam in the defensive about women
These days the Muslim world struggles, like in many ways we all do, with 'modernity'. What to take from the 'West' and what to reject?
Should women and men be treated equal? Muhammad made sure women in his time were treated better than they were before he came along. He married a wealthy independent woman, a strong first wife. However, the rules he set up look pretty weak in the face of the full equality women are granted in many western countries today.
The question Muslims have to ask and answer is: Did Muhammad mean to leave women dependent on men, or did he want them to have more power and safety than they did before? And what does that mean for women and girls today?
This is just one of many issues.
Fundamentalism in Christianity and Islam
Ironically this is partly a democratization: after all, interpreting an ancient text through the eyes of scholarship requires schooling. If you are only going to look at the most literal meaning of a text, you do not need any help. Anybody can do it.
Sound familiar? It should. It's the same thing Christianity has gone through. After all, who needs to learn Latin, Greek or Hebrew if you can pick up a translation of the Bible in any bookstore? And who needs a reverend to help interpret it if you can read yourself? For Christians this process started in the reformation, which was centuries ago. Muslims have only just started on this path.
Perhaps more energy should be put into making sure the Muslim intelligentsia have the means to interpret Islam in context? I'm not saying extremism should not be fought, in whatever form it comes, but a bit of patience is also in order I think.
Am I right, should Muslims be given more time to adapt?
Should we be patient with Islam, or should all Muslims be treated as pariah's, whether they're personally supporting terrorism or not?
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Hinduism: castes and polytheism
For once I'm not trusting wikipedia to define Hinduism for you. I'll instead fall back on the many classes I took on Hinduism and Indian culture.Hinduism is traditionally defined as polytheism, which is correct but superficial. Yes, Hindus do believe in many gods, but they usually also believe in one fundamental divine being that includes them all. This idea is called pantheism or panentheism, depending on the details of the belief. The upshot of it is: while there are many divine forces in nature, there is an underlying unity from which all else comes. The result is as monotheistic as Spinoza.
This diversity in unity is also part of the Indian spirit. Why talk of India? Because the one thing we can say for sure about Hinduism is that it is the religion of people living on the Indian subcontinent. Everything else I end up saying here will be likely untrue about one group of people or another who call themselves Hindu.
Talk about India and you talk about the Caste system. The caste system is usually explained to consist of four or five varnas (colors). The Brahmins at the top, the untouchables at the bottom. Merchants, kings and skilled tradesmen in between. This is in fact a theological explanation. The practical fact is that there are thousands of 'castes' and hundreds of types of Brahmin's alone. Each Hindu tribe has a place in the caste system and the untouchables form 25% of the whole. (note that 13% of Indian citizens are Muslim)
This makes Hinduism a tribal religion of sorts, just like Judaism. The difference is that what's hereditary isn't so much the religion, as the position in the caste system.
This summary would not be complete without noting that many Hindu leaders have protested against the caste system and the social ostracizing it involves. Discrimination is illegal in India, yet law and practice are still two very different things unfortunately in this case.
Sikhism
"Sikhism, founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev and ten successive Sikh Gurus (the last one being the sacred text Guru Granth Sahib) in fifteenth century Punjab, is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat (literally the counsel of the gurus) or the Sikh Dharma. Sikhism originated from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root sisya meaning "disciple" or "learner", or siksa meaning "instruction".
The principal belief of Sikhism is faith in waheguru-represented using the sacred symbol of ik oankar, the Universal God. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined, personal meditation on the name and message of God. A key distinctive feature of Sikhism is a non-anthropomorphic concept of God, to the extent that one can interpret God as the Universe itself. The followers of Sikhism are ordained to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh gurus, or enlightened leaders, as well as the holy scripture entitled the Guru Granth Sahib, which, along with the writings of six of the ten Sikh Gurus, includes selected works of many devotees from diverse socio-economic and religious backgrounds. The text was decreed by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, as the final guru of the Khalsa Panth. Sikhism's traditions and teachings are distinctively associated with the history, society and culture of the Punjab. Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs (students or disciples) and number over 23 million across the world. Most Sikhs live in Punjab in India and, until India's partition, millions of Sikhs lived in what is now Pakistani Punjab."
From a historical and philosophical point of view, Sikhism is clearly a syncretic influenced by both Hinduism and Islam which thrives in the area where the two religions meet: the Punjab. Sikhism is more clearly monotheistic than Hinduism while it's practices are mostly based on Indian traditions. Sikhism has had political aspirations since the 17th century and grew to have strong regional political power. Early in the 19th century the legendary Ranjit Singh founded the Sikh empire, a kingdom that never became as powerful again.
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Judaism
"Judaism (from the Latin Iudaismus, derived from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, and ultimately from the Hebrew Yehudah, "Judah";[1][2] in Hebrew: Yahedut, the distinctive characteristics of the Judean ethnos is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts. Judaism presents itself as the covenantal relationship between the Children of Israel (later, the Jewish nation) and God.
Judaism can claim a historical continuity spanning close to three millennia. It is one of the oldest monotheistic religions,[4] and the oldest surviving. Many of its texts and traditions are central to the other Abrahamic religions, with Jewish history and the principles and ethics of Judaism having influenced Christianity and Islam, as well as some non-Abrahamic religions. As the foundation of Western Christianity, many aspects of Judaism also correspond to secular Western concepts of ethics and civil law.
Followers of Judaism, whether converts or born into the Jewish nation (including seculars), are called Jews. The Jewish collective is regarded as an ethnoreligious group, for reasons derived from the sacred texts that define them as a nation, rather than followers of a faith. In 2007, the world Jewish population was estimated at 13.2 million people, 41% of whom lived in Israel and 40% of whom lived in the United States.
In modern Judaism, central authority is not vested in any single person or body, but in sacred texts, religious law, and learned rabbis who interpret those texts and laws. According to Jewish tradition, Judaism begins with the Covenant between God and Abraham (ca. 2000 BCE), the patriarch and progenitor of the Jewish nation. Throughout the ages, Judaism has adhered to a number of religious principles, the most important of which is the belief in a single, omniscient, omnipotent, benevolent, transcendent god, who created the universe and continues to govern it. According to most branches, God established a covenant with the Israelites and their descendants, and revealed his laws and commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai in the form of both the Written and Oral Torah. However, Karaite Judaism maintains that only the Written Torah was revealed. Judaism has traditionally valued Torah study and the observance of the commandments recorded in the Torah and expounded in the Talmud."
Judaism as a world religion
This makes Israel the one country on earth where ethnicity is the main characteristic of citizenship. The Palestine people living in and near it's borders are second class citizens precisely because they were not born Jews.
Everybody created equal in the sight of God?
Should the ideal religion be an emancipating force? In other words: do you think that all human beings are created equal in the sight of God, and should therefore have the same rights?
Are we all created equal in the sight of the Divine?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, we're all equally loved by the Divine
jptanabe says:
Yes, in the sense that we are equal in love. But we are all different, unique, and so some of us are better at or better suited to certain things than others. No, it's not "we're all equal but some are more equal than others"! It's like in a family, all children are (at least in the ideal) equally loved by their parents, but they are not the same in their talents and abilities, interests, or even appearance. Even the way they are loved is not the same - some children need a lot of comfort, reassurance, and hugs, while others need more direction, guidance, and even discipline (done with a heart of love of course!). God loves us all, each in the way we need to be loved. Don't compare, because then you feel jealous. Receive the love and give your love in return. We each express love differently too. That's what makes humankind so amazing - and gives the greatest joy to God! Equal in value but different in so many ways.
Posted September 13, 2009
spirituality says:
I'm sort of a Hindu on this one, though I think the caste system is a disgrace. I think we were all created equal but different in the sight of God. We all have something to contribute to this world and each of us is essentially part of the divine One that shines in everything.
Posted September 09, 2009
No, God and or Karma created differences, so they are supposed to be there.
Spook says:
A tough one, it depends on what you consider to be equal. There are too many discrepances here for me to think otherwise. Equal in rights,sure. Equal in mind and capabilities, not so sure.
Posted September 13, 2009
The best world religion is... give me your opinion
I'm a theosophist... learn more
As a theosophist I am free to decide my own faith. That isn't to say that theosophists don't generally share certain ideals and beliefs, like karma and reincarnation, just that it's OK if we change our minds. We're expected to keep questioning our whole life. For that reason theosophy is not traditionally considered a religion, however it does concern itself with the classic religious questions.-
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Theosophical Society - theosophy
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Annie Besant, teacher, lecturer, secularist and theosophist...
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Karma and Reincarnation: are we reborn?
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The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy
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It unites science and religion in a unique synthesis. Changed my life and my world view completely. Contains many of the themes of the modern New Age movement like: karmic evolution, Atlantis, parapsychology, Unity of All Life/everything, unity of al...
So, one more time: what do you think is the best world religion?
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Reply
- Silver_Lotus Silver_Lotus Sep 18, 2009 @ 5:06 pm
- John Lennon wrote and sang, "God is a concept by which we measure our pain."
I'm not aware of any religion that doesn't have at least a little blood on its hands. Don't think there is a "best" one.
Suggest reading "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" (2007) a critique of religion by author and journalist Christopher Hitchens. It's quite the book.
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Reply
- jptanabe jptanabe Sep 13, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
- Very brave lens! Love your take on this. In my view the ideal religion is that the world is in a state that we don't need religion. In Christian terms, Adam and Eve didn't have a religion, they were just God's children and could communicate directly with the Divine (until they Fell, got kicked out of the Garden of Eden, and needed religion to connected to God). That's how humankind should be - living in harmony and peace together with God and all creation. No need for religion, rituals, doctrinal squabbles. Just human beings true to themselves, living happily in this world and the next.
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- HorseAndPony HorseAndPony Sep 13, 2009 @ 11:20 am
- I am going with there is not one. However, I do not think it is because one believes this and another believes that. I have a difficult time with religions. I normally would say that I am of the Christian variety but after reading your post about Theosophists I need to do some reading. My beliefs are not acceptable to the Christian church. They believe that if I do not change I am going to hell. Well, I am not of the opinion that I am the one that needs to change. So what am I? I will be back to read more of your lenses. I am usually very put off by religious discussions but this lens was great. Thanks for the info.
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- Spook Spook Sep 13, 2009 @ 7:00 am
- You are very brave with this one. It's a touchy subject. I hope you find what you are looking for. All the best.
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- dchmelik dchmelik Sep 13, 2009 @ 5:53 am
- There is not one. Even Bahai has dogma. It also exoterically rejects some/most Theosophy and its ideas that are in Dharma, etc.. Its founders did not have the amount of ahimsa as most farther Eastern religious founders are said/known to have had, but Bahaullah's son may have had. Bahai's idea of accepting all Asian 'great' religions is good, but it would probably reject paganism. Sometimes the statement 'Theosophy is a religion' can be true, and sometimes a statement any religion on this list is not a religion can be true--because they have dogma. Even when Theosophy is a religion--like people accepting most/all HPBs statements (whether they accept them with enough skepticism) including about White Lotus Day--it can still be called 'perennial Philosophy,' i.e. 'eternal law' (a 2nd definition of it after 'Hinduism.') That is the best 'religion.' It occurs in most religions except dogmatic sects. It has a specific set of reasonable ideas common to most religions.
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- spirituality spirituality Sep 13, 2009 @ 4:25 am | in reply to spunkyduckling
- Hi, only three people voted so far, so I don't think the poll is very representative just yet. I'm not a Bahai, I'm a theosophist. Theosophy isn't on that list because it's not A religion, it's the essence of all religion. Theosophists are free to believe what they will.
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- spunkyduckling spunkyduckling Sep 13, 2009 @ 1:58 am
- The Bahai Faith. Seem A Lot of people voted high in that arena. Are you a Bahai.
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