Religion and Intercultural Communication
As I was reading this article I found it interesting that when the book compared Western religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism that the Western religions were all primarily monotheistic, or belief in one God, while the Eastern religions were primarily pantheistic, or belief that there can be many gods in different forms. The book goes on to say that Western religions are also more structured and based on the individual and his/her relationship with God and the purpose to life while Eastern religions are based on the circularity of life and more of an understanding that one should search self and society for answers (Ellwood, 1992). I wonder how these certain religions all ended up by each other (for the most part) geographically and all have the same norms and values and if one day it will be possible to combine all of them somehow into one hybrid religion for the whole world.
Another interesting article to me was Religion and Cultural Identity. The book gives an example about all Irish not being Catholic and not all Catholics are Irish. I never gave much thought about how much culture and sometimes ethnicity can affect what assumptions people make on your religious views when they see you or know where you are from. I think religion should be based on what you believe as an individual and personal beliefs rather then what is associated with the region where you are from or your cultural background. No one should have the right to push their own beliefs on you and force you to believe what they do, it should be a personal choice that you will figure out as you grow as a person.
Questions:
1) Do you think it will ever be someday possible to have a "hybrid" religion that might contain portions of every main religion that everyone could agree on and accept at a worldwide level?
2)Will stereotypes about religion based on where people think or know you are from ever change or be erased completely?
To answer your first question, I dont believe that one day we will have a one hybrid religion. Though it would be nice I dont believe it's possible. I don't think its possible because in the article it says western religions believe in absolutism which means they believe their religion is the only true religion. And with them believing this I find it hard to believe that they would want to mix with other religions outside of their own.
ReplyDelete--Dylan Goodell
I agree with the above comment. I am in RELG 150 and it says that everyone believes in something. Believing in nothing is still a belief. Religions vary tremendously. If you ever tried to combine them into a worldwide accepted religion everything would contradict. Some believe in many Gods, some believe in one God, some believe in no Gods. Some believe in a Heaven, some believe that when you die you are reincarnated. Some believe its through faith that you will prosper, some believe life is about finding nirvana, and some believe that good works will make you more holy. If you could make a hybrid religion I believe it would have already been invented. Religions are so unique that I don't believe this would be possible.
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