What are some good qualities of already established religions?

Question

I am currently working on a religion of my own, but I'm not establishing it any time soon. Anyway, I decided that one way to make a good religion is to know more about religions that already exist. Note to christians, jews, and muslims that I still believe in the same god as before. Note to people who think that that previous note was a generalization that jews claim to believe in the same god as christians, and muslims claim to believe in the same god as jews, so if you apply socratic logic to this, muslims claim to believe in the same god as christians. Anyway, please give me serious answers; I have gotten plenty of answers before that just disgust me.

My religion's morals are pretty much respect, peace, generosity, and worship, the only exception to peace is when war is the better option (in other words, when peaceful negotiations simply don't work).

Also, I am planning on making my religion a non-profit organization, so that none can claim that I am taking advantage of the gullible (in order to constitute "taking advantage of," it must benefit the person who is doing it).

In response to RW: I never said that christianity came first, nor did I say that there aren't differences between faiths.

Answer 1

I agree that the best way to find ideas from other established religions is to read about those religions and decide for yourself what you feel is best. These are good sites to do that:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/
http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/profiles/listalpha.htm

Aspects that I like about various religions are:
Buddhists: peaceful
Amish: self-sufficient and strong community ties
Hindu: tolerant of other faiths
Holiness (Christian denomination): Women dress respectfully and modestly
Catholic: A lot of charity work, beautiful rituals
Wicca: tight-knit groups, loyalty to oaths
Asatru: Intensive study of historical culture, mythology, and practices
Judaism: very devoted, strong community ties
JW: services are more geared towards teaching than preaching, do not pass a collection plate
YMMV

Answer 2

Perhaps you should read the writings of the worlds different religions and decide for yourself. What is a good quality to someone else may not be to you. If you are serious about this, you will know what you are looking for when you read it...and personally I really wouldnt start a religion based on suggestions from an internet website getting replies from people with nothing better to do (like me).

Really, hit the libraries, and just read read read. Every religion has something to offer, but it is important to learn the background story behind these things as well, and the context in which they were used.

Answer 3

You seem intelligent, well read and educated, I believe if you want to establish a true religion use those qualities you find good in the others and leave out the bad, qualities like truth , honesty, love that you like to see in humans however be aware without a deep truth, a personal belief in what you will share it will not hold up so study the major holy books and look for your own spiritual awaking otherwise you will be repeating the mistakes of others

Answer 4

>>". Note to christians, jews, and muslims that I still believe in the same god as before. Note to people who think that that previous note was a generalization that jews claim to believe in the same god as christians, and muslims claim to believe in the same god as jews, so if you apply socratic logic to this, muslims claim to believe in the same god as christians."<<

... you've got some confusion on the time line here.

Judaism came first. that is, that it came like a thousand years or more before christianity. it (for all intents) introduced the whole concept of the single all encompassing deity.

Christianity then split off from judaism and developed into its own thing.

then islam split off of Christianity, further extreme in some ways, and More like Judaism in some ways.

theres a HUGE issue of one-ness between Jews/Muslims, and Christians.

in Judaism there is ONE God, all-everything, all encompassing everything, undivided. lets say this is like a huge, flawless stone Obelisk. facets, but each facet not being separate in any form, merely different angles of viewing it.

in Christianity its an allegedly one God, but at least for most christians, this has 3 parts. its rather confusing. but the conclusion a friend of mine and I cam eup with.... its more like a single tree, with a trunk that splits into 3 parts.
from their view the fact that its 1 tree is one-ness. from the jewish point of view though, having the 3 branches of it, counts as polytheism.

but, at least from the way I understand it... Islam believes in a "true" monotheism, as Judaism does.

hopefully thats helpful.

edit:>>"In response to RW: I never said that christianity came first, nor did I say that there aren't differences between faiths."<<

just clarifying that its Christianity that claims to believe in the same God as Judaism. Judaism doesn't claim anything. it believes what it does. its the others that branched off and claim to follow the same Deity.

Answer 5

Interesting! Why don't we make it the other way round? You tell me what you consider as good qualities a religion should be established upon and I prove to you they are - and more - already part of my religion? May be there is no need for you to re invent the wheel?

Answer 6

if you want to come up with your own religion, its probably best to ignore the teachings of current religions and use what YOU think are good values