Well, your parents most likely chose your religion for you along with a place of worship and the sacraments/rituals. But what if it (the choice) does not fit your particular soul? What if the morals of that religion are not the ones you chose and follow as an adult? And what about practice- is it daily or just once a week? I don't think religion makes you a good, moral person- like the dishonest merchant who shows up for church on Sundays just to make an impression- and for some this is quite important along with the observance of holy days, etc. because they look "good" or holy to their neighbors. In a sense, this makes religion a human invention- something to do with cultural solidarity.
So- Who are we praying to? :-) I went to a graveside Kaddish today for a neighbor- my first. It was a lovely ceremony so I am glad I made an exception about not attending any more funerals! On Sep 14, 9:08 am, Lee Douglas <[email protected]> wrote: > Heh rejoice, naaa man I'm not like that. > > No sir I agreed with your definitions, and then I said I see no > differance between what I have called dogma and what you call dharma. > > Let me ask agian what is the point of dharmic practice, what is the > point of religious practice? > > The point of both you understand, not any further definintion. > > Those who think that religion is a root of morality are deluding > themselves Vam. My own morality was there ever before I was old > enough to even hear about the concept of God, wasn't yours? So nope > religon is no reason for being honest. > > By labeling me 'less than' honest, what does this say about the level > of discourse now Vam? > > On Sep 14, 1:41 pm, Vam <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > On Sep 13, 2:46 pm, Lee Douglas <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Meh! Vam giving in so easily? > > > Rejoice, Lee ! > > > > Yes Panth and Amrit is religous dogma, and Ik onkar is the root of the > > > faith so could be called dharma. But I say that religous practices, > > > or dogma if you wish is the same as dharma. > > > You saw the difference but did come back to say there is no > > difference ! So, whilst you can say anything, check up on yourself for > > the contradictions you are dishing out. > > > > As I asked you Vam, what is the point of dharmic practice, what is the > > > point of religious practice? > > > Dharma is truth. Religion is claim of truth. > > > Dharma is honesty without a reason. Religion is reasons for being > > honest. > > > In fact, in my view, your recent posts are less than honest, less than > > true ( to your own self !). > > Which you can only cover up, in truth, by situating yourself in Dharma > > and not on religion, whatever it be. > > > > On Sep 12, 6:27 pm, Vam <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I'll be a little sharp here, Lee. > > > > > The Panth, Akal Takht, and the Amrit rituals in Sikhism is religion, > > > > Lee. > > > > > Eko Onkar... kindness, compassion, unity in diversity, honesty, > > > > truthfulness... is dharma. > > > > > Religion claim dharma but are not. Dharma claims no religion. It just > > > > is. > > > > > There is nothing more to be said on the topic, to those who may > > > > appreciate and to those who cannot. > > > > > Lee Douglas wrote: > > > > > Heh yep I disagree with Vam, clearly. I see no differance and see > > > > > this as a purely semantic issue. Perhaps Vam simply does not like the > > > > > conitations of the word religion (for some) in his own religion. > > > > > > I agree that perhaps the word Dharma is not a straight translation of > > > > > the word Religion or indeed the other way around. But the concepts > > > > > are exaclty the same. See RP Singhs post, he has it right I belive. > > > > > > On Sep 12, 4:49 pm, Allan H <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Vam is referring to the old concept of dharma and that has nothing > > > > > > at all > > > > > > to do with religion,, as wit all things in evolution meaning of > > > > > > words also > > > > > > change evolve. Well Lee you and I have different concepts than > > > > > > other > > > > > > people. > > > > > > Allan > > > > > > > On Mon, Sep 12, 2011 at 11:40 AM, Lee Douglas > > > > > > <[email protected]>wrote: > > > > > > > > I'll say it again. I find no differance between the concepts of > > > > > > > dharma and religoin. > > > > > > > > What is the point of dharmic practice, what is the point of > > > > > > > religious > > > > > > > practice? > > > > > > > > On Sep 10, 8:32 am, Vam <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > Therefore ? I didn't see the logic. > > > > > > > > > Dharma is universal values... I agree that isn't very universal > > > > > > > > ! > > > > > > > > > rigsy03 wrote: > > > > > > > > > How is one instructed by Dharma except by tradition? > > > > > > > > > Therefore it does > > > > > > > > > not exist as a Universal. > > > > > > > > > > On Sep 9, 10:12 am, Vam <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > A post elsewhere... which cud be juxtaposed with thoughts > > > > > > > > > > generally > > > > > > > > > > expressed here : > > > > > > > > > > > " ... the word " religion " itself is a Western construct, > > > > > > > > > > meaning as > > > > > > > > > > it came to be practiced by people - looking for salvation, > > > > > > > > > > believing > > > > > > > > > > what they were told, and launching on their conversion > > > > > > > > > > drives > > > > > > > > > > everywhere they went with their gun and swords and recycled > > > > > > > > > > loot. > > > > > > > > > > > " Dharma is a totally different construct... the whole > > > > > > > > > > universe of > > > > > > > > > > values and truths in and of which all beings are born, in > > > > > > > > > > and of > > > > > > > which > > > > > > > > > > they live, in and of which they depart, and in and of which > > > > > > > > > > they are > > > > > > > > > > reborn. It is life and living itself, which exhorts us to > > > > > > > > > > do the > > > > > > > > > > needful and the right, even while leaving us with the > > > > > > > > > > freedom and the > > > > > > > > > > choice to do otherwise, as we please but with their > > > > > > > > > > respective > > > > > > > > > > consequences. > > > > > > > > > > > " Dharma is life itself, and the way of living in accord to > > > > > > > > > > universal > > > > > > > > > > values and truths." > > > > > > > > > > > ornamentalmind wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Yet, are those traditions in any way strictly > > > > > > > > > > > monotheistic? Most > > > > > > > that > > > > > > > > > > > I am aware of do not make such a claim; although as you > > > > > > > > > > > say some > > > > > > > do. > > > > > > > > > > > > When it comes to the presentation of an argument, the > > > > > > > > > > > terms used > > > > > > > are > > > > > > > > > > > often important as Vam knows. Making a claim for all > > > > > > > > > > > cases in such > > > > > > > a > > > > > > > > > > > case is asking for rebuttal. Of course, that may have > > > > > > > > > > > been his > > > > > > > intent! > > > > > > > > > > > > On Sep 9, 4:16 am, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > I would disagree in that there are mystical traditions > > > > > > > > > > > > to many > > > > > > > eastern > > > > > > > > > > > > and western religions that do none of those three. > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Sep 9, 6:34 am, Vam <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Monotheistic Religions, as they are, do three things : > > > > > > > > > > > > > 1 Assure salvation, the power for which is entirely > > > > > > > > > > > > > with > > > > > > > another > > > > > > > > > > > > > 2 Demand Belief in a defined presentation of thought > > > > > > > > > > > > > and > > > > > > > ideology > > > > > > > > > > > > > 3 Convert others to their fold through material > > > > > > > > > > > > > lure, physical > > > > > > > and > > > > > > > > > > > > > mental fear and reward. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Atheistic disciplines, pantheistic and polytheistic > > > > > > > > > > > > > ways of > > > > > > > living do > > > > > > > > > > > > > none of these. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > They are therefore not religions as the people in the > > > > > > > > > > > > > West and > > > > > > > Middle > > > > > > > > > > > > > East believe in and understand !- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text - > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > ( > > > > > > ) > > > > > > |_D Allan > > > > > > > live is for moral, ethical and truthful living.- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
