Religious Literalism

Just had an experence of how this sudject effects sersiaty today it got me thing of how people can take a teaching written as myth as the truth. And how it sometimes gets people hating other. When we should all be one. Just thought it was interesting. All culters do it. Not only in the above way iv said bur it also applies to some culter rituals as the use them in a way to reenact myth some more extrem the other. Is it a good thing or a bad think for a culter or is it like most things in life a grey area, no black or white

Well, since it doesn't serve a beneficial purpose from a rather global point of view, one could say it is generally a bad thing. On the other hand, I can see how people with similar beliefs can build very good communities and feel comfortable and be happy having their views. So there might be a good side to it. I think that it should be allowed for as long as it is no threat to society and neighboring cultures and does no harm to the individual. It should maybe not as much be promoted since that would inhibit contrary beliefs that should have a right to be held just as well.

I take a lot of mythology literally. I literally think that the stories teach you some very good lessons in life. Do I think they actually happened? No. That is neither the point nor purpose of mythology and thinking that they literally happened is ridiculous...

thats what got me thinking cos when you take it literally as in one for word that really happened you must have some kind of unshakeable faith to ignore the massive amount of contradiction. but then again if you take it literally in the other way that could benifit as a teaching through applying it to yourself or using the recreation of myth in some religious rituals than mark a point in your life. it can help. its interesting to me. i mean where would you draw the from helpful myth re-enacting to literal word for word extream that could be spiritually harming to you and the humanity you encounter everyday

flip wrote: where would you draw the from helpful myth re-enacting to literal word for word extream that could be spiritually harming to you and the humanity you encounter everyday

When you stop questioning whether you're right or not...

yeah but you cant say whether your right or wrong. things change in your mind and your heart so one day you could think youre right the next think you're wrong. if you stopped 'questioning' yourself there would be no way for you mind and spirit to evolve. you have experiences then you learn then you question. its a cycle

I'd like to expand on this topic and include all literalism. My favourite one is capital literalism: I have more money than you, therefore I have more worth as a human being. If you don't have a job, you're a worthless human being. Money is God. Worship it's mightiness at the altar of the bank teller. Meditation is a waste of valuable shopping time.

Thats a really good exspantion. Its really just the same I worship money so that litrelism its from sersiaty myths of bigger and more is better. Whicg in the same way shows you what somes humanity is like. Its what happens when you take sersiaty litrally. I thinks its a really good point I didnt think of that

Akkarin wrote:

flip wrote: where would you draw the from helpful myth re-enacting to literal word for word extream that could be spiritually harming to you and the humanity you encounter everyday

When you stop questioning whether you're right or not...

Please, elaborate.

Questioning and examining one's own beliefs should be practiced but also balanced, in order to produce a healthy set of beliefs. There is a sensible amount of critical thinking that may lead you to believing the story is not demonstrably true, but there is also an amount that would additionally make you miss its purpose and teachings. No questioning at all may lead you to believe and protect its literal contents much rather than the teachings it is supposed to convey.

Gisteron wrote:

Akkarin wrote:

flip wrote: where would you draw the from helpful myth re-enacting to literal word for word extream that could be spiritually harming to you and the humanity you encounter everyday

When you stop questioning whether you're right or not...

Please, elaborate.

A better phrasing might be "When you put yourself above being questioned." it is just a short phrase so doesn't cover every possible iteration that may occur but it should get the general idea across...

The gist of the idea is "Know your ignorance."