….almost all sins are animal instinct and virtues are descriptions of when we overcome and keep those instincts in check with our higher cognition? Do you think that religions may have been a way for societies to reward people who were able to show self discipline and not give in to instinct by giving them a pat on the back (calling them virtuous) and promising them rewards after death for their self control?
2006-09-06 11:00:43 · 12 answers · asked by thewolfskoll 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Eastern religions teach you to suppress and lose your sense of self. Survival instinct tells you that self is supreme.
2006-09-06 11:06:33 · update #1
Selflessness is not taught in Pagan beliefs?
2006-09-06 11:07:44 · update #2
Be fruitful and multiply……..but with only ONE mate. In the case of multiple wives could it have been an attempt to indulge an instinct to a degree for the stronger and consequently more dangerous alpha males of the tribe?
2006-09-06 11:10:58 · update #3
I am not saying that it was needed for all the populace but for a vast majority it seems valuable even today. There are people who need the reward/punishment structure to feel secure.
2006-09-06 11:15:26 · update #4
Most Pagan religions do not teach this.
I am forbidden from refusing help to those who ask as long as it's in my means, but this is not selflessness.
Love is the Law, Love under Will
I can refuse to do anything that would interfere with my path or that would bring harm to myself and my family. Altruism is NOT a Pagan virtue. If anything, it's a crime. It breeds weakness and dependancy. It encourages people to depend on the "kindness of strangers" rather than themselves. However, giving IS an instinctive action. If it weren't, we wouldn't feel guilty for not doing it.
I go by the code of- if I feel guilty, I did wrong. If I brought harm to anyone (including myself) I did wrong. And there's no begging, pleading or offerings that's going to fix it. I will suffer the consequences of my actions. Like attracts like.
Otherwise, it's all good.
One of the Gods I worship is Aphrodite. Seducing a man and having wonderful sex does her honor. However, being sneaky about it or bringing shame to her sacred Rite is a BAD THING. Is it instinctive to be sneaky, to have sex under false pretenses and lie? I don't think so. Otherwise we wouldn't have a hard time doing it. Aphrodite doesn't have any problem with people having multiple lovers, only lying about it- Though that's not exactly accurate either, but it's hard to explain. It's about love and pleasure, not conquest. You know?
As for drugs and things... well, ecstacy is a natural need. Many of us Pagans have learned to reach ecstatic states through drumming, dancing, meditation, trance, astral projection, channelling, etc. I'm not saying there aren't addicts among us, but these activities fulfill this need and make drugs less of a draw. And doing drugs makes us less healthy, does us harm, and makes us less powerful, it destroys our ability to harness our own energy. People who get involved with these activities haven't been taught healthy ecstacy. It's sad really.
2006-09-06 12:59:42 · answer #1 · answered by kaplah 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, I do not believe this. I think that if we followed true pack behavior, we would ALL be better off. Do you see dogs killing each other? NO! Only when trained to do so by man. Yet man, by disobeying his nature, is a killer by instinct...sad, but true. MORE men have been murdered in the name of this god or that god than for all other reasons put together. Only when we rid ourselves of this GOD thing will we see his true light..."Do unto others as you would have done unto you." That is the ONLY law we need obey to survive very well. Kindness to all, love to all. But with the GOD systems in use, NONE OF THESE lead to kindness of any kind....even among followers of the same GOD, you find murder, deciet, hate used as "God's tools" IF God were to come back today, I suspect the first to taste the fires of hell would be his "followers" who have distorted his meanings to a point that are unrecognizable. Sorry, but there it is on the table.
2006-09-06 11:07:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I know people who are not religious, but have self discipline/control.
Religions came about because men have a place within their being that only God can fill. Until they come to understand that is what they are searching for, people fill their lives with meaningless actions, drugs & alcohol, lots of stuff, work, sex, idolizing another person, trying to find something to fill the void.
Nothing can fill that void except God.
2006-09-06 11:07:47 · answer #3 · answered by Linn E 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not the case of tantric religions and many tribal religions.
Religions promote the values society at the time finds useful. Judaism called on people to have sex by "be fruitful and multiply" when they needed more people. They just did not explicitly call for sex.
2006-09-06 11:06:03 · answer #4 · answered by dugfromthearth 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think you have a point with the Judeo-Christian heritage. I agree with bbwgoddess60. Some religions don't take such a punative stance against our normal instinctive behaviors.
2006-09-06 11:07:33 · answer #5 · answered by Zen Pirate 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
no, actually, In my religion, in Islam, all people are naturally good and their instinct is to be good first, but then satan leads them astray and they do bad. Islam isn't like a reward system, its more of a system of consequence, if you do something God said not to do, you'll be punished.
2006-09-06 11:08:35 · answer #6 · answered by ~*Prodigious*~ 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
not true of all religions--only true of judeo-christian religions.
asian religions teach to be true to your nature.
pagan religions accept our 'animal' nature for what it is: we are not that far above the other animals on this planet, and some would argue (successfully, too) that some animals are better than most people.
2006-09-06 11:04:04 · answer #7 · answered by bbwgoddess60 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
... Not in Paganism. ^^ Your only sins are things that involve hurting others.
2006-09-06 11:03:47 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
it is time to leave the temple grasshopper!
2006-09-06 11:06:09 · answer #9 · answered by prometheus_unbound 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
u got a point.
2006-09-06 11:02:18 · answer #10 · answered by askance 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋