Religions - Religious Studies

Religion is a cultural system of behaviors and practices, world views, sacred texts, holy places, ethics, and societal organization that relates humanity to what an anthropologist has called "an order of existence", a belief in a divine power or a God. But the definition of religion is much more than this.

Religious Diversity - Differences among Religions

There are large concentrations of different religions around the world. Most countries have a mix of many different religions as well as non-religious people. Map (image) - Religious Populations in the World (wiki) - Growth of Religions (wiki) - Major Religious Groups (wiki)

Christianity - 2.4 Billion - 33%.
Islam - 1.8 Billion - 24.1%.
Hinduism - 1.15 Billion - 15%.
Secular, Nonreligious, Agnostic or Atheist - 1.2 Billion - 16%.

350,000 Religious Congregations in the United States, about 314,000 are Protestant and other Christian churches, and 24,000 are Catholic and Orthodox churches. Non-Christian religious congregations are estimated at about 12,000.
One estimate was 450,000 Churches in America. 118 million people, said they attended worship on the previous weekend.

World Population in 2020 is around 7.8 Billion.

Religion Facts - Religion

Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies

The Association of Religion Data Archives

Religions and Spiritual Traditions (wiki list)

Beliefs - Why Do We Believe

Opinions - Religious Text

Confidence Dangers - Working Together

Prayer - Proverbs - Spirituality - Placebo Effect

Secularity - Conformity - Extremism - Sins

God - Supreme Being

God is conceived of as the Supreme Being and principal object of faith. The concept of God as described by most theologians includes the attributes of omniscience or infinite knowledge, omnipotence or unlimited power, omnipresence or present everywhere or ever present, a divine simplicity, and as having an eternal and necessary existence. Many theologians also describe God as being omnibenevolent or perfectly good and all loving. God is the name given to a fictional creator of our world and the universe that millions of people believe in, and whose meaning differs depending on the religion and the person. Every person believes in God in their own way, so everyone has their own unique experience. Even people who don't believe in a God also have their own unique experience in life. God is a supernatural being that has never been proven to exist. But many people believe that God exists mostly from religions and stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. And some people believe in a God because life is just seems to incredible to have happened all by itself. But human imagination is a gift that we have to use wisely. Like everything in life, balance is extremely important, and knowledge is the key. The seven names of God of holiness are the Tetragrammaton, El, Elohim, Eloah, Elohai, El Shaddai, and Tzevaot.

Goddess is a female deity in polytheistic religions. Nymph in ancient Greek folklore is a supernatural being associated with many other minor female deities that are often associated with the air, seas, woods, water or particular locations or landforms. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate or maintain Nature (natural forces reified and considered as a sentient being) for the environments where they live, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young, and graceful maidens. They were not necessarily immortal, but lived many years before they died. They are often divided into various broad subgroups, such as the Meliae (nymphs of ash trees), the Naiads (nymphs of rivers and streams), the Nereids (nymphs of calm seas), and the Oreads (nymphs of mountains). Nymphs often feature in many classic works of art, literature, mythology and in fiction. Since medieval times, nymphs are sometimes popularly associated, or even confused, with the mythical or spiritual fairies.

Allah is the Arabic word referring to God in Abrahamic religions.

Hashem is a title used in Judaism to refer to God. It is also a given name and surname, common in Muslim societies.

Deity a natural or supernatural being considered divine or sacred.

Creator Deity is a deity or god responsible for the creation of the Earth, world, (cosmos or universe). In monotheism, the single God is often also the creator.

Shiva is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme god within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism.

Krishna is a major Hindu deity worshiped in a variety of different perspectives.

Jah is a short form of Jehovah or Yahweh, the proper name of God in the Hebrew Bible.

Odin is a widely revered god that is associated with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, battle, sorcery, poetry, frenzy, and the runic alphabet, and is the husband of the goddess Frigg.

Anunnaki are a group of deities that appear in the mythological traditions of the ancient Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, and Babylonians. Descriptions of how many Anunnaki there were and what role they fulfilled are inconsistent and often contradictory.(also transcribed as: Anunaki, Anunna, Anunnaku (singular), Ananaki, and other variations).

Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others acting like a master, a chief, or a ruler.

Jesus was a Jewish preacher and religious leader who has become the central figure of Christianity. Christians believe him to be the Son of God and the awaited Messiah (Christ, the Anointed One) prophesied in the Old Testament.

Muhammad is the central figure of Islam and widely regarded as its founder by non-Muslims. He is known as the "Holy Prophet" to Muslims, almost all of whom consider him to be the last prophet sent by God to mankind to restore Islam, believed by Muslims to be the unaltered original monotheistic faith of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. Muhammad united Arabia into a single Muslim polity and ensured that his teachings, practices, and the Quran, formed the basis of Islamic religious belief. Sharia is the religious law governing the members of the Islamic faith.

Demigod can refer to a minor deity, a mortal who is the offspring of a god and a human being, or a figure who has attained divine status after death. Not to be confused with demagogue.

Pope also known as the pontiff, is the Bishop of Rome, and therefore ex officio the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. The primacy of the Roman bishop is largely derived from his role as the traditional successor to Saint Peter, to whom Jesus is supposed to have given the keys of Heaven and the powers of "binding and loosing", naming him as the "rock" upon which the church would be built. Pope Francis.

Manifestation of God are a series of personages who reflect the attributes of the divine into the human world for the progress and advancement of human morals and civilization.

Prophet is an individual who has claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and to speak for them, serving as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people.

Solomon was a fabulously wealthy and wise king of Israel and a son of David, the previous king of Israel.

Clergy are some of the main and important formal leaders within certain religions. Buddha.

Monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of other monks.

Pantheism is the belief that reality is identical with divinity, or that all-things compose an all-encompassing, immanent god. Pantheist belief does not recognize a distinct personal god, anthropomorphic or otherwise, and instead characterizes a broad range of doctrines differing in forms of relationships between reality and divinity. Pantheistic concepts date back thousands of years, and pantheistic elements have been identified in various religious traditions.

Omniscient is someone who is infinitely wise and all-knowing.

Omnipresent is being present everywhere at once.

Omnipotence is the quality of having unlimited power.

Monotheism is the belief in one god. A narrower definition of monotheism is the belief in the existence of only one god that created the world, is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, and intervenes in the world.

Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their practices or continue to be part of their society, but typically adopt a frugal lifestyle, characterized by the renunciation of material possessions and physical pleasures, and time spent fasting while concentrating on the practice of religion or reflection upon spiritual matters.

Exclaustration is official authorization for religious bound by perpetual vows to live for a limited time outside their religious institute, usually with a view to discerning whether to depart definitively.

Spirituality - Beliefs - Multi-Faith

"God is the god of all humanity, but no single faith is or should be the faith of all humanity." Jonathan Sacks (wiki).

Supernatural is defined as being incapable to be explained by science or the laws of nature, characteristic or relating to ghosts, gods or other supernatural beings or to appear beyond nature.

Heaven is a common religious, cosmological, or transcendent place where beings such as gods, angels, jinn, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or to live. According to the beliefs of some religions, heavenly beings can descend to earth or incarnate, and earthly beings can ascend to Heaven in the afterlife, or in exceptional cases enter Heaven alive. Hell - Devil.

Positive Thinking - Icon is a religious work of art.

Divine Light is an aspect of divine presence, specifically an unknown and mysterious ability of God, angels, or human beings to express themselves communicatively through spiritual means, rather than through physical capacities.

Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Its adherents, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is the Christ, whose coming as the messiah was prophesied in the Hebrew Bible, called the Old Testament in Christianity, and chronicled in the New Testament. It is the world's largest religion with about 2.4 billion followers.

Baptism is a Christian rite of admission and adoption into Christianity with the use of water, It may be performed by sprinkling or pouring water on the head, or by immersing in water either partially or completely. Christening, naming of a vessel, as in ceremonial ship launching.

Confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant created in Holy Baptism. In some denominations, Confirmation also bestows full membership in a local congregation upon the recipient.

Quran is the central religious text of Islam, which is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion which professes that there is only one and incomparable God (Allah) and that Muhammad is the last messenger of God. It is the world's second-largest religion and the fastest-growing major religion in the world, with over 1.7 billion followers or 23% of the global population, known as Muslims, who are people who follow or practices Islam. Muslims consider the Quran (Koran), their holy book. The message of the Quran is to bring to our attention that we were not created in vain, and that we will be held responsible for our conduct on this earth. In the Quran, God indicates that He created the human to be His trustee on earth. This is actually an honor given by God to the human being, dignity to be the trustee of God even though He doesn’t need our worship and our obedience. It is for our own benefit. English Translations of the Quran (wiki) - Translation Errors.

Islam is an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion which teachings and beliefs are that there is only one God and Muhammad is the messenger of God. It is the world's second-largest religion with over 1.8 billion followers or 24.1% of the world's population, commonly known as Muslims. Muslims make up a majority of the population in 49 countries. Islam teaches that God is merciful, all-powerful, and unique, and has guided mankind through prophets, revealed scriptures and natural signs. The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran, believed to be the verbatim word of God, and the teachings and normative examples (called the sunnah, composed of accounts called hadith) of Muhammad (c. 570 – 8 June 632 CE).

Salah is one of the Five Pillars in the faith of Islam and an obligatory religious duty for every Muslim. It is a physical, mental, and spiritual act of worship that is observed five times every day at prescribed times. In this ritual, the worshiper starts standing, bows, prostrates, and concludes while sitting on the ground. During each posture, the worshiper recites or reads certain verses, phrases and prayers. The word salah is commonly translated to prayer but this definition might be confusing. Muslims use the words "Dua" or "Supplication" when referring to the common definition of prayers which is "reverent petitions made to God."

Muslims are people who follow or practice Islam, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion. Muslims consider the Quran, their holy book, to be the verbatim word of God as revealed to the Islamic prophet and messenger Muhammad. The majority of Muslims also follow the teachings and practices of Muhammad (sunnah) as recorded in traditional accounts (hadith). "Muslim" is an Arabic word meaning "submitter" (to God). The beliefs of Muslims include: that God (Arabic: الله‎ Allāh) is eternal, transcendent and absolutely one (tawhid); that God is incomparable, self-sustaining and neither begets nor was begotten; that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that has been revealed before through many prophets including Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, and Jesus; that these previous messages and revelations have been partially changed or corrupted over time (tahrif) and that the Quran is the final unaltered revelation from God (Final Testament). As of 2019, 1.9 billion or about 24.4% of the world population are Muslims. By the percentage of the total population in a region considering themselves Muslim, 91% in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA), 81% in Central Asia, 65% in the Caucasus,40% in Southeast Asia, 31% in South Asia, 30% in Sub-Saharan Africa, 25% in Asia–Oceania, around 6% in Europe, and 1% in the Americas. Most Muslims are of one of two denominations; Sunni (75–90%) and Shia. About 13% of Muslims live in Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority country; 20% in the Middle East–North Africa, where it is the dominant religion; 31% of Muslims live in South Asia, the largest population of Muslims in the world; and 15% in Sub-Saharan Africa and West Africa. Muslims are the vast majority in the Sahel, the overwhelming majority in Central Asia, the majority in the Caucasusand widespread in Southeast Asia. India is the country with the largest Muslim population outside Muslim-majority countries. Sizeable Muslim communities are also found in the Americas, China, Europe, and Russia. Islam is the fastest-growing major religion in the world.

Judaism is an ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. Judaism is considered by religious Jews to be the expression of the covenant that God established with the Children of Israel. It encompasses a wide body of texts, practices, theological positions, and forms of organization. The Torah is part of the larger text known as the Tanakh or the Hebrew Bible, and supplemental oral tradition represented by later texts such as the Midrash and the Talmud. With between 14.5 and 17.4 million adherents worldwide, Judaism is the tenth largest religion in the world.

Siddhartha is a novel by Hermann Hesse that deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautama Buddha.

Kabbalah Is an esoteric method, discipline, and school of thought of Judaism.

Hinduism is a religion, or a way of life, found most notably in India and Nepal. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as Sanātana Dharma, "the eternal law," or the "eternal way," beyond human origins. Scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse roots and no founder. This "Hindu synthesis" started to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE following the Vedic period (1500 BCE to 500 BCE).

Buddhism is an Indian religion and dharma that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. Buddhism originated in Ancient India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, from where it spread through much of Asia, whereafter it declined in India during the middle ages. Two major extant branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars: Theravada (Pali: "The School of the Elders") and Mahayana (Sanskrit: "The Great Vehicle"). Buddhism is the world's fourth-largest religion, with over 500 million followers or 7% of the global population, known as Buddhists.

Films about Religions

Around the World in 80 Faiths (dailymotion)
The Trouble with Atheism (youtube)
Trouble in Amish Paradise (youtube)
TROM - 2.22 Religion (youtube)
TROM - 2.24 Mystery and Paranormal Powers (youtube)
Christian Dilemmas (youtube)
Stephen Fry vs Ann Widdecombe: Catholic Church Debate(youtube)
Deconversion, Belief, and the Power of Silence (youtube)
Ancient Knowledge Films

Films about Ancient Knowledge

Zero Point : Volume I - Messages From The Past (youtube)
Sacred Knowledge: In Plain Sight (Decoded) (youtube)
Sacred Knowledge of vibration and the power of human emotions (youtube)
Ancient Knowledge Pt.6/1 - Number 9 Code, Vortex Based Math, Flower of Life, Fibonacci, Time, 432Hz (youtube)

Sacred Text

Sacred Text are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or central to their religious tradition.

Cultural Knowledge - Proverbs - Sacred Texts

Religious Text are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or central to their religious tradition.

Sacred Language is a language that is cultivated for religious reasons by people who speak another language in their daily life.

Catechism is a summary or exposition of doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult converts. Catechisms are doctrinal manuals – often in the form of questions followed by answers to be memorized – a format that has been used in non-religious or secular contexts as well.

Bible is a collection of writings from different authors writing at different times, sacred texts in Judaism and Christianity, which is a Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who serves as the focal point for the religion. It is the world's largest religion, with over 2.4 billion followers. The Bible is about 611,000 words long, all divvied up across 66 smaller documents called the “books” of the Bible. The Old Testament was written long before Jesus was born. The New Testament books were written about Jesus, and what it means to follow him.

Bible Overview - Bible Summary - Open Bible - English Bible Translations (wiki)

Who Wrote the Bible? (youtube, 2004, Robert Beckford) - Is the Bible or any other popular religious book, a work of fiction or non-fiction or a little of both? 

Gospel is the record of Jesus' life and teaching in the first four books of the New Testament. The teaching or revelation of Christ. Gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth, culminating in his trial and death and concluding with various reports of his post-resurrection appearances.

The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls - Quran

Book of Deuteronomy (wiki) - Grand Grimoire (wiki)

Ecclesiastes is one of 24 books of the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible.

Prayer - Chant - Mantra - Mythology

Hermetica are Egyptian-Greek wisdom texts from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

All religious beliefs and stories have changed throughout human history because of how they were translated from different languages, and also how they were changed by people interpreting religious writings to fit their own personal beliefs at the time they rewrote them. Religious beliefs and stories also changed because they were passed from person to person and were not written down by the same people who witnessed these events, so their accuracy and their meanings have always been unclear. Like all knowledge, religions went through many changes and updates, but at a much slower pace when compared to other knowledge and information that has been accumulated during that same time period.

The life of Jesus is a great story, a story that is still relevant today in 2021. The story depicts human behavior that is still being expressed by people all over the world. And what makes this story so popular is how relatable this story is, like with music lyrics. The more general the concepts are in a story, the more open the story is to personal interpretation, which means that more people can find a way to connect to the story in their own way. So the characters in the story can be applied to almost anyone, which means that everyone can play a part in this story. The names have changed, but the story remains the same. You are the metaphor, and your life becomes the moral of the story.

It does not matter how true a story is, because everything is relative. There can be benefits from believing a story, and there can be negative side effects from misinterpreting a story. So it depends on the person and the interpretation of the story. This is why everyone should be educated to recognize misinformation and also know the difference between reality and fantasy.

Jesus is born everyday and Jesus dies everyday. Jesus symbolizes anyone who has been a victim of ignorance. Every human is victimized by ignorance sometime in their lifetime. Ignorance is the birth place of sin. Jesus died for the sins of ignorant people. If we never improve education and never improve the media, and never improve religious teachings, then humanity will continue to suffer from the ignorance of people.

Places of Worship

Place of Worship is a specially designed structure or consecrated space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is sometimes called a house of worship. Temples, churches, synagogues and mosques are examples of structures created for worship. A monastery, particularly for Buddhists, may serve both to house those belonging to religious orders and as a place of worship for visitors. Natural or topographical features may also serve as places of worship, and are considered holy or sacrosanct in some religions; the rituals associated with the Ganges river are an example in Hinduism.

Church is a building used for Christian religious activities, particularly for Christian worship services. The term is often used by Christians to refer to the physical buildings where they worship, but it is sometimes used (by analogy) to refer to buildings of other religions.

One great thing about churches and religion is that they bring people together, which is a great opportunity to communicate with each other and share ideas. Photos of Different Churches.

Shrine is a holy or sacred site dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated. A shrine at which votive offerings are made is called an altar. Shrines are found in many of the world's religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese folk religion, Shinto, and Asatru as well as in secular and non-religious settings such as a war memorial. Shrines can be found in various settings, such as churches, temples, cemeteries, museums, or in the home. Although, portable shrines are also found in some cultures.

Clothing Religious People Wear

Religious Habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order.

Religious Headgear List (wiki) - Religious Attire (wiki)

Hijab is a veil worn by some Muslim women in the presence of any male outside of their immediate family, which usually covers the head and chest. The word ijāb in the Quran refers not to women's clothing, but rather a spatial partition or curtain. The term can refer to any head, face, or body covering worn by Muslim women that conforms to a certain standard of modesty. Hijab can also be used to refer to the seclusion of women from men in the public sphere, or it may denote a metaphysical dimension, for example referring to "the veil which separates man or the world from God".

Costumes (body image) - Modest Fashion

Fatwa in the Islamic faith is a legal opinion or learned interpretation that the Sheikhul Islam, a qualified jurist or mufti, can give on issues pertaining to the Islamic law.

Reality - Culture - Death - Validity

Religious Identity is a specific type of identity formation. Particularly, it is the sense of group membership to a religion and the importance of this group membership as it pertains to one's self-concept.

Tolerance - Respect

Religious Tolerance is giving other people the same freedom and respect that you have to believe in something that they hold close to their heart. It's up to us to understand why people believe differently, it is not for us to judge, it's to understand, which is the same as learning, and we should never stop learning. The human brain has enormous capacity for knowledge and information, we should use this potential to our advantage instead of using it to our disadvantage. Patience.

Institute for Religious Tolerance - Our Mission is to promote religious tolerance, interfaith dialogue, and education about religions of the world as a pathway to world peace. Intolerance.

Freedom of Religion or freedom of belief is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom to change one's religion or belief.  It also includes the freedom to change one's religion or beliefs, "the right not to profess any religion or belief" or "not to practise a religion". Freedom of religion is considered by many people and most nations to be a fundamental human right. In a country with a state religion, freedom of religion is generally considered to mean that the government permits religious practices of other sects besides the state religion, and does not persecute believers in other faiths. Freedom of belief is different. It allows the right to believe what a person, group or religion wishes, but it does not necessarily allow the right to practice the religion or belief openly and outwardly in a public manner, a central facet of religious freedom. Anti-Conversion Law.

Freedom of Association encompasses both an individual's right to join or leave groups voluntarily, the right of the group to take collective action to pursue the interests of its members, and the right of an association to accept or decline membership based on certain criteria.

Religious Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or a group of individuals as a response to their religious beliefs or affiliations or their lack thereof. The tendency of societies or groups within societies to alienate or repress different subcultures is a recurrent theme in human history. Moreover, because a person's religion often determines his or her morality, world view, self-image, attitudes towards others, and overall personal identity to a significant extent, religious differences can be significant cultural, personal, and social factors. Religious persecution may be triggered by religious bigotry (i.e. when members of a dominant group denigrate religions other than their own) or it may be triggered by the state when it views a particular religious group as a threat to its interests or security. At a societal level, the dehumanisation of a particular religious group may readily lead to violence or other forms of persecution. Indeed, in many countries, religious persecution has resulted in so much violence that it is considered a human rights problem. As it stands now, the majority of victims suffering religious persecution worldwide are Christians. Muslims suffer almost as much.

Religious Freedom Bill allows those with religious objections to oppose LGBT rights in accordance with traditional religious teachings without being punished by the government for doing so. This typically concerns an employee who objects to abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, civil unions, or transgender identity and wishes to avoid situations where they will be expected to put those objections aside. Proponents commonly refer to such proposals as religious liberty or conscience protection. Opponents of such bills frame them instead as "religious refusal bills", "bigot bills", or as a "license to discriminate", highlighting how much legislation allows individuals and businesses to openly espouse prejudice, especially against LGBT individuals. (I can discriminate against you but you can't discriminate against me). Separation of Church and State.

Sins - Bad Mistakes

Sin is to do something bad or wrong that violates a law of God or violates a religious belief, or goes against a moral law by committing a faux pas or a fault or by making a serious mistake.

Faux pas is lacking good judgment and consideration of others. Heresy.

Contrition is sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation.

Proverbs - Praying - Mistakes - Confession - Regret - Human Rights - Civil Rights - Morality

An amazing thing about religion is that religion was aware of many human behavioral problems for over a 1,000 years. The sad part is that religion did not improve education, or learn more and update the religious knowledge that they were teaching. Thus human life has suffered, but we could have suffered a lot more without religion. Luckily now we are beginning to understand our responsibility to education, and that we must improve and update our knowledge, if not, we will continue to suffer from our own ignorance, as we can clearly see today when we look at all the problems that we face. We need to stop transferring our problems and start taking responsibility for our lives, and the lives of others. Staying Ignorant is the ultimate Sin.

Redemption is the act of refraining from sins that are known to cause more harm then good. It is stopping oneself from doing evil.

The Buddha discovered that the direct causes of suffering are desire or craving, and ignorance. This is the truth of the cause of suffering, which is the Second Noble Truth. The Shadow by Orson Welles repeated this.

It's a Sin - Paul Anka (youtube) - Everything I've ever done, Everything I ever do, Every place I've ever been, Everywhere I'm going to, It's a sin.

Seven Social Sins: Politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice.


Seven Deadly Sins (wiki)

1: Pride or a false pride is a foolishly and irrationally corrupt sense of one's personal value, status or accomplishments.
2: Greed is an unhealthy and illogical longing for wealth, status, or power. To possess more than one needs.
3: Envy is when a person is illogically jealous of someone else's achievements or possessions, and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it.
4: Wrath is an anger that involves a strong uncomfortable and emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat.
5: Lust is an emotion or feeling of intense craving, appetite, or desire without real need. Addiction.
6: Gluttony is over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or wealth items to the point of extravagance or waste.
7: Sloth is extreme laziness and having an unwillingness to act despite having the ability to act or exert oneself. Showing no care or concern for responsibilities or duty. Bored - Sitting too Much.


Five Hindrances (wiki)

1: Sensory desire (kāmacchanda): the particular type of wanting that seeks for happiness through the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and physical feeling.
2: Ill-will (vyāpāda; also spelled byāpāda): all kinds of thought related to wanting to reject, feelings of hostility, resentment, hatred and bitterness.
3: Sloth-torpor (thīna-middha): heaviness of body and dullness of mind which drag one down into disabling inertia and thick depression.
4: Restlessness-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca): the inability to calm the mind.
5: Doubt (vicikicchā): lack of conviction or trust.


Skandha refers to the five aggregates concept that asserts five elements constitute and completely explain a living being’s mental and physical existence. The five material and mental factors that take part in the rise of craving and clinging. The five aggregates or heaps are: form (or material image, impression) (rupa), sensations (or feelings, received from form) (vedana), perceptions (samjna), mental activity or formations (sankhara), and consciousness (vijnana).

Absolutism - Validity - Opinion - Karma - Cause and Effect - Human Nature - Spiritual

Redemption in theology is the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil. The act of purchasing back something previously sold.

Salvation in theology is the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil. The state of being saved or preserved from harm. Saving someone or something from harm or from an unpleasant situation.

Confess - Confessions

Confession is a formal statement admitting that one is guilty of a crime.

Admit is to declare something to be true or to reveal the existence of something or the reality or the truth of some action or thought. To stop denying what is true and to blow the whistle on yourself.

Reveal is to make information known to the public that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret.

Mea Culpa is an acknowledgment of one's fault or error. An acknowledgement of having done wrong.

Confession in religion is the acknowledgment of one's sins or wrongs. Intervention.

Repentance is the activity of reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs. It generally involves a commitment to personal change and the resolve to live a more responsible and humane life. Repentance in Judaism recognizes that everybody sins on occasion, but that people can stop or minimize those occasions in the future by repenting for past transgressions. Thus, the primary purpose of repentance in Judaism is ethical self transformation.

Confession is a statement made by a person or by a group of persons – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information that he believes the other party is not already aware of, and is frequently associated with an admission of a moral or legal wrong: In one sense it is the acknowledgment of having done something wrong, whether on purpose or not. Thus confessional texts usually provide information of a private nature previously unavailable. What a sinner tells a priest in the confessional, the documents criminals sign acknowledging what they have done, an autobiography in which the author acknowledges mistakes, and so on, are all examples of confessional texts. Regret.

Legal Confession in law involves an admission of some wrongdoing that has legal consequence. s a statement by a suspect in crime which is adverse to that person. Some secondary authorities, such as Black's Law Dictionary, define a confession in more narrow terms, e.g. as "a statement admitting or acknowledging all facts necessary for conviction of a crime," which would be distinct from a mere admission of certain facts that, if true, would still not, by themselves, satisfy all the elements of the offense.

Concede is to admit to a wrongdoing. Be willing to admit or forced to agree. To give over and surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another. Acknowledge defeat.

Why do some people confess to crimes they haven’t committed?

False Confession - Interrogations - Intimidation - Threats - Trick Questions

Contrition is sorrow for sins arising from fear of damnation or being condemned. Contrition requires sincere examination of conscience. Confession is owning up honestly about sin, accepting responsibility for sin. Satisfaction is doing what is possible to repair harm of offence. Absolution is forgiveness by Jesus through the priest.

People need to confess more often. I like it how churches offer people a chance and a place to confess the things they regret doing, or things that they realized were bad. But people should advise a lawyer first before going to confession. Confessing is not a guarantee that you will learn from your mistake, or will it relieve you of its impacts and side effects. So you will need to seek the advice of another professional, a therapist, one who is an expert in admissions of guilt and the necessary steps to overcome life altering mistakes. You should also seek out more professionals, like people with PhDs in philosophy, psychology, biology and physiology, just to name a few. Just remember that confessions are not without risk.

Proverbs - Biblical Principles

Proverb is a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people.

Moral Principles - Religious Text - Prayers - Life Quotes - Poetry

Proverbs 2:6 - “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.”

Proverbs 19:2 - “Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, and he who makes haste with his feet errs.” Errs is to make a mistake or be incorrect. Wander from a direct course or at random.

1. Ask a lot of questions.
2. Don’t fall prey to “wishful thinking” or let your emotions get the best of you.
3. Remember that there are two sides to every story.
4. Is the pressure of time forcing me to make a premature decision?
5. Make sure you are not the only one who holds to your interpretation.
6. Do you have all the facts?
7. Beware of the “once in a life time” deal and the lure of instant gratification.
8. Don’t let the fear of missing out drive your decision.
9. When in doubt, leave it out.
10. What possible motives are driving your decisions?
11. Acknowledge that you have “blind spots.”
12. Honestly assess your motives, both good and bad.
13. Give others permission to speak in to your life.
14. How should past experiences inform my decisions?
15. Look for patterns of behavior – “triggers.”
16. Understand how your family back ground might affect your thinking.
17. Learn from your mistakes!
18. What is the collective counsel of my community?
19. Avoid having many separate conversations.
20. Recognize the difference between “selling” and “sharing.”
21. Know when to “open the circle.”
22. Have you honestly considered the warning signs?
23. Don’t think that you are the “exception” to the rule.
24. Remember that God’s way is the best way.
25. Have you considered all the possible outcomes for your course of action?
26. Work toward the “center” rather than flirt with the “edge.”
27. Ask yourself, would this pass the “newspaper” test?
28. Keep short accounts.

Proverbs 22:7 - “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”
Philippians 4:8 - “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
Proverbs 18:13 - “He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him.”
Proverbs 18:17 - “The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.”
Proverbs 21:5 - “The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
Proverbs 11:14 - “Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is victory.”
Proverbs 18:1 - “He who separates himself seeks his own desire. He quarrels against all sound wisdom.”
Proverbs 18:2 - “A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own mind.”
Proverbs 10:17 - “He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who forsakes reproof goes astray.”
Proverbs 16:25 - “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
Proverbs 27:6 - “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”
Proverbs 14:1 - “The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.”
Proverbs 14:15 - “The naïve believes everything, but the prudent man considers his steps.”
Proverbs 27:12 - “A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naïve proceed and pay the penalty.”
Proverbs 11:30 - “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.”

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.

Prayer of Saint Francis (wiki) - Missionaries of Charity (wiki)

Lord's Prayer - "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

Lords Prayer Translated: Be good as if you were a God. Remember to eat healthy and be grateful for what you have. Forgive yourself for the mistakes that you made, and forgive other people for the mistakes that they have made. Be careful of addictions and know the difference between your needs and your wants, especially when wants make you do bad things.

Life Quotes - Pray

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. If you feed a human one fish, then you will feed that human for the day. But if you teach a human how to fish, then that human could feed themselves for a lifetime, and even help feed others, and also help teach others. Knowledge is Power. Power to the People.

If you teach person how to talk, then that person could learn from other people who can talk. But if you teach a person how to read, then that person can learn from almost every person who has ever lived throughout recorded history. A person who knows how to read can then listen to millions of people talk, and not just listen to a few people speak who are close to them.
Knowledge is Power. Power to the People.

If you teach a person how to understand knowledge and information, then that person can understand almost everything in the universe. Knowledge is Power. Power to the People.

When you solve a problem, it's best to solve the root of the problem. You need to cure the disease, and not just treat the disease. The disease is ignorance.


Cardinal Virtues (wiki)

1: Prudence (φρόνησις, phronēsis; Latin: prudentia): also described as wisdom, the ability to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time.
2: Justice (δικαιοσύνη, dikaiosynē; Latin: iustitia): also considered as fairness, the most extensive and most important virtue; the Greek word also having the meaning righteousness.
3: Temperance (σωφροσύνη, sōphrosynē; Latin: temperantia): also known as restraint, the practice of self-control, abstention, discretion, and moderation tempering the appetition; especially sexually, hence the meaning chastity.
4: Courage (ἀνδρεία, andreia; Latin: fortitudo): also termed fortitude, forbearance, strength, endurance, and the ability to confront fear, uncertainty, and intimidation.


Ten Commandments (wiki)

Or maybe just "5 Good Ideas to Live by", this way they could display these 5 good ideas in more places without infringing on other peoples beliefs. (Moses 2.0). Sins.

1: Do Not Kill. (Do not kill without justification or valid excuse, which should be almost never). Murder is illegal.
2: Do Not Steal. (Do not take more than you need, or take something that does not belong to you, or waste things, or obtain money or resources under false pretenses).
3: Do Not Commit Adultery (Don't have sex with someone else's wife, husband or friend without permission or need)
4: Do Not Bear False Witness. (Don't lie or mislead).
5: Do Not Covet. (Do not wish for, long for, or crave for something, especially the property of another person. Do not be jealous or envious of otheres) Do not to desire without need. (but this does not mean to ignore people who hoard, or who unfairly and illogically have more than others).
The other 6 Commandments.
6: I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (let us give credit to people first and the reasons why they are credited, this way people understand their potential and their responsibility to life, after that if you would like to give credit to other possible factors of success, then so be it).
7: Thou shalt have no other gods (we don't want to control peoples belief, but the fear is that if people were to worship anything they want, then people would be confused and unable to accurately determine what's important or valuable? But science can answers those questions now, so we can skip this commandment because it's to confusing).
8: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image (not necessary if improve education and all people are educated).
9: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain (not necessary if we improve education).
10: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (rest and taking breaks are necessary, so this is not necessary if all people are educated, to say that time off needs to be holy is illogical because there are many beneficial things that a human can do, one would be learning).
11: Honor thy father and thy mother (you honor those who honor life and who respect human rights, to narrow the scope of who should be honored would be illogical in it self, it would also diminish the meaning and value of honor).
I added one more commandment for good measure..
12: Thou Shall Learn and Gain knowledge and Skills during ones entire lifetime.

Moses was a prophet in the Abrahamic religions. According to the Hebrew Bible, he was adopted by an Egyptian princess, and later in life became the leader of the Israelites and lawgiver, to whom the authorship of the Torah, or acquisition of the Torah from Heaven is traditionally attributed. Also called Moshe Rabbenu in Hebrew (מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, lit. "Moses our Teacher"), he is the most important prophet in Judaism. He is also an important prophet in Christianity, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, and a number of other Abrahamic religions.

Matthew 5 is the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. It contains the first portion of the Sermon on the Mount, which will also take up chapters 6 and 7. Portions are similar to the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6, but much of the material is found only in Matthew. It is one of the most discussed and analyzed chapters of the New Testament. Warren Kissinger reports that among Early Christians no chapter was more often cited by early scholars. The same is true in modern scholarship. - Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.


Benjamin Franklin 13 Guidelines:

1. Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. Industry. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
11. Tranquility. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.


Native American Ten Commandments: 

1. Treat the Earth and all that dwell therein with respect.
2. Remain close to the Great Spirit.
3. Show great respect for your fellow beings.
4. Work together for the benefit of all Mankind.
5. Give assistance and kindness wherever needed.
6. Do what you know to be right.
7. Look after the well-being of Mind and Body.
8. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater Good.
9. Be truthful and honest at all times.
10. Take full responsibility for your actions.
Indian Tribes

Works of Mercy are practices which Christians perform.

Corporal Works of Mercy - To feed the hungry. To give water to the thirsty. To clothe the naked. To shelter the homeless. To visit the sick. To visit the imprisoned, or ransom the captive. To bury the dead.

Spiritual Works of Mercy - To instruct the ignorant. To counsel the doubtful. To admonish sinners. To bear patiently those who wrong us. To forgive offenses. To console the afflicted. To pray for the living and the dead. Ancient Knowledge.

In Methodism - Doing Good. Visiting the Sick and Prisoners. Feeding and Clothing People. Earning, Saving, Giving All One Can. Opposition to slavery.

Beliefs - Believing

Belief is a personal view that is thought to be true even though there is no proof or evidence that it is true. A belief is a hypothetical possibility or an opinion about something. Not to believe is still a belief, especially when there's no proof or evidence that proves your nonbelief. And just having correlations does not always prove causality.

Believe is to guess that something may be true, even though you can't be sure because there is a lack of evidence and information. Believing is having a general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled. A belief is a vague idea in which some confidence is placed. Believing is anticipating an event without having a guarantee that it will happen. To believe can also mean to think or expect that something is probable or likely to be, or likely to happen.

You have the right to believe, but just believing is not good enough, you have to Know. I have a belief, and you have a belief. I like your belief, but I also like my belief too, but can you like my belief?

Pretending to Know - Memory Flaws - Wishful Thinking - Hope - Placebo Effect - Why do we Believe

Religious Beliefs refers to attitudes towards mythological, supernatural, or spiritual aspects of a religion. Religious belief is distinct from religious practice or religious behaviors with some believers not practicing religion and some practitioners not believing religion. Religious beliefs, being derived from ideas that are exclusive to religion, often relate to the existence, characteristics and worship of a deity or deities, divine intervention in the universe and human life, or the deontological explanations for the values and practices centered on the teachings of a spiritual leader or group. In contrast to other belief systems, religious beliefs are usually codified, which is the process of collecting and restating the law of a jurisdiction in certain areas, usually by subject, forming a legal code, i.e. a codex book of law. Codification is the defining feature of civil law jurisdictions.

Conviction is an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence. Conviction in criminal law is a final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposed. Heresy - Rumors.

Orthodoxies are generally accepted theories, doctrines, conformities or practices.

Dogma is a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof. Dogmatic is the assertion of unproved principles.

Credo is a statement of the beliefs or aims which guide someone's actions.

Creed is any system of principles or beliefs. The written body of teachings of a religious group that are generally accepted by that group.

Doctrine is a belief or system of beliefs that are accepted by some group or school. Philosophy.

Belief System is a set of mutually supportive beliefs. The beliefs of any such system can be classified as religious, philosophical, political, ideological, or a combination of these. Philosopher Jonathan Glover says that beliefs are always part of a belief system, and that tenanted belief systems are difficult for the tenants to completely revise or reject.

Combing Beliefs - Having Multiple Faiths

Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing; or the observance of an obligation from loyalty; or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement; or a belief not based on proof; or it may refer to a particular system of religious belief, such as in which faith is confidence based on some degree of warrant. The term 'faith' has numerous connotations and is used in different ways, often depending on context.

Faith and Rationality are two ideologies that exist in varying degrees of conflict or compatibility. Rationality is based on reason or facts. Faith is belief in inspiration, revelation, or authority. The word faith sometimes refers to a belief that is held with lack of reason or evidence, a belief that is held in spite of or against reason or evidence, or it can refer to belief based upon a degree of evidential warrant.

Leap of Faith is the act of believing in or accepting something intangible or unprovable, or without empirical evidence. It is an act commonly associated with religious belief as many religions consider faith to be an essential element of piety.

Interfaith - Atheism (not believing)

Faith is not just about Religion. Faith is part of all belief systems. Faith in God, faith in religion, faith in country, faith in family, faith in friendship, faith in your job, faith in yourself, faith in brotherhood, faith in political party, faith in government, faith in followers, faith in leaders, faith in humanity, faith in love. Everyone has faith of some kind. But faith should not be tested, challenged or punished. Faith is not an answer or a reason. You can say "I believe this", but under some particular circumstances, your faith or belief may not be part of the reasoning process. There is right and wrong, good and bad, and then there is faith. And faith is neither right or wrong, or good or bad. It is your faith. It's not a promise, it's not your ego, your arrogance, your conviction, your stubbornness and it's not your pride, it is your faith. You control faith, faith should not control you. Faith should not be used as a stonewall or a barrier. Faith is a guide. And if you need to apostatize, korobo, trample, change your mind, or change your stance because of the current reality and facts, or just temporally suspend a particular belief, then there is no shame, no guilt and no regret, especially when the decision saves lives or avoids destruction. Keep your faith, but never let go of your intelligence.

Dogmatic people seek less information even when uncertain. People who are dogmatic about their views seek less information and make less accurate judgements as a result, even on simple matters unrelated to politics, according to a new study. Dogmatic people are characterised by a belief that their worldview reflects an absolute truth and are often resistant to change their mind, for example when it comes to partisan issues. This tendency can have societal impacts by polarising political, scientific and religious debates. However, the cognitive drivers of dogmatism are still poorly understood.

Mythology can refer to the collected myths of a group of people—their collection of stories they tell to explain nature, history, and customs—or to the study of such myths.

Superstition is any belief or practice that is considered irrational or supernatural. A widely held but unjustified belief in supernatural causation leading to certain consequences of an action or event, or a practice based on such a belief. Superstition is the belief that one event causes another without any natural process linking the two events, such as astrology and certain aspects linked to religion, like omens, witchcraft, and prophecies, that contradict natural science.

How Superstitions Spread. Even seemingly irrational beliefs can become ensconced in the social norms of a society.

Psychosis is when contact with reality is lost or highly distorted.

Sentiment is a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty. A tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion.

Worship - Religious Devotion - Conformity - Praying

Cognitive Inertia refers to the tendency for beliefs or sets of beliefs to endure once formed. In particular, cognitive inertia describes the human inclination to rely on familiar assumptions and exhibit a reluctance and/or inability to revise those assumptions, even when the evidence supporting them no longer exists or when other evidence would question their accuracy.
Cognitive Distortion - Divided.

Philosophy - Positive Thinking - Denial - Bias

Deism is a philosophical belief that posits that God exists as an uncaused First Cause ultimately responsible for the creation of the universe, but does not interfere directly with the created world. Deist is a person who believes that God created the universe and then abandoned it. Deism combines the rejection of revelation and authority as a source of religious knowledge with the conclusion that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to determine the existence of a single creator of the universe.

Atheism is the belief that there are no deities or Gods.

Invalid Arguments are in almost every aspect of society. Pretending to know the truth or pretending that you know the answer to a question, is debilitating and also illogical. Religion should not create an information bubble. Everyone has to keep learning. 

Gospel is an account describing the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.

You are still religious even if your are an atheist, you still have beliefs. You just happen to believe that you ascended from nothing and that you will descend into nothing, like nothing ever happened. I would still want to know you and I would still want to learn about how your beliefs affected your life.

Natural Theology is a type of theology that provides arguments for the existence of God based on reason and ordinary experience of nature. This distinguishes it from revealed theology, which is based on scripture and/or religious experiences, and also from transcendental theology, which is based on a priori reasoning.

Doxa is "to appear", "to seem", "to think" and "to accept", a Greek word meaning common belief or popular opinion.

Esotericism in the west is a scholarly term for a wide range of loosely related unconventional ideas and movements which have developed within Western society.

Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising the Church of England and churches which are historically tied to it or hold similar beliefs, worship practices and church structure.

Sociology of Religion is the study of the beliefs, practices and organizational forms of religion using the tools and methods of the discipline of sociology.

Mores meaning "manner", "custom", "usage", "habit".

Rituals - Traditions - Prayer

Veil is to make something undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing. Just like what ignorance does to the human mind. Fallacy's.

Theology is the critical study of the nature of the divine. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities, seminaries and schools of divinity.

Why do People Believe

If we did not believe in things, we would not be here. You have to believe in something in order to act. If scientists or inventors did not have Theories, we would not have any of the technological advances or any of the luxuries that we have today. So it's human nature to believe, and it's also extremely important to believe. But it's what you believe in that can make all the difference. Sometimes believing in something can give a person hope, especially when hope is sometimes the only thing that a person has. The only danger with a belief is that it may cause you not to seek out solutions to your problems, thus you will be vulnerable to failure, which is the same problem with having Optimism and Expectations. There's a big difference between believing that things will be all right and actually taking the necessary steps to improve your chances to make things better. Sometimes a belief can relieve you from having to worry about something, maybe something you can't understand, but why would you stop asking questions or stop learning? 

The beliefs that a person may have are not as important as what those beliefs makes a person do or think. If a belief stops you from learning or stops you from asking questions, then you're using your beliefs as an excuse not to learn and not to be informed. Your beliefs are not a reason to make assumptions. This is not what believing in God is supposed to do to you. A belief should free your mind. A belief should never box you in or imprison you, because then you will find it hard to be close to any God anywhere. You need to be aware of labels. When someone tells you their religion or any other detail like their gender, their political affiliation, or a particular belief, all that does is tell you just one detail among the thousands of other details that would help to explain some of their behaviors in their personal life and in their public life. Beyond that, a person is communicating very little about who they really are. I would start with telling people your name and then explain your purpose in life and the verifiable benefits that are the direct result of how you live your life, and also mention that you don't prejudge or assume things about other people, even people you think that you know well. 

"I have to believe in things in order to make things up."

A Religious Belief may have both positive and negative impacts on health and morbidity and having an abnormally gloomy or unhealthy state of mind. Having narrow minded political beliefs can also have negative impacts on your life and others.

You have the Right to Believe in Anything that you want, but you do not have the right to believe that you're above the law, or can a belief give you an excuse to pretend that you're right about everything that you do or think. A belief does not give a person the right to break the law or can a belief give you an excuse to pervert moral laws. This is why we have courts and a justice system, so that we can argue our reasoning in front of a judge and jury, or defend ourselves with witnesses. But what happens when the law and the justice system are also controlled by beliefs? We should not just compare our beliefs, we need to compare the facts, things that are provable and real.

You have the Human Right to Believe, but not the right to force your belief on someone else, especially when they too have the right to believe. Your belief can not cancel out someone else's belief. But one belief may be more relevant then another. Relevance being measured by the importance and the known benefits that are the result of that particular belief. And this is how beliefs have been changing since the beginning of human history. All through history we have seen our beliefs change. It doesn't mean that the belief is gone completely, because it is part of our past and our culture, a memory that reminds us that beliefs have changed, and will continue to change, because we learn. Our ability to learn has given us many improvements. We learn to be fair, we learn to understand, we learn to be compassionate. we learn, and we will continue to learn till the end of time, that's if there is even an end at all, there may never be an end, just change.

Freedom of Religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom to change one's religion or beliefs. Freedom of religion is considered by many people and most of the nations to be a fundamental human right. In a country with a state religion, freedom of religion is generally considered to mean that the government permits religious practices of other sects besides the state religion, and does not persecute believers in other faiths. Freedom of belief is different. It allows the right to believe what a person, group or religion wishes, but it does not necessarily allow the right to practice the religion or belief openly and outwardly in a public manner, a central facet of religious freedom.

I use to think that way, but I don't think that way anymore. I use to believe that, but I don't believe that anymore. I have more information now and a better understanding of how ignorant it is to make assumptions and how not to pretend to know things. I ask questions now instead of believing that I know the answers. And most of the answers that I have now are not written in stone, this way I can update or modify my knowledge in order to adapt to a new reality.

Believing is a Natural Human Instinct and a Design of the Human Brain. If humans did not believe, humans would never act, thus they would never live or survive. Humans need to believe in something in order to interact with life and the environment. But believing was never designed to replace learning, or stop us from acquiring knowledge or stop us from questioning reality. Pretending that you Know enough, or being content with what you know about yourself and the world around you, has devastating consequences. Fear is a natural response that helps us react to dangerous situations that are unfamiliar to us and also familiar to us. But fear was never designed to paralyze us or discourage us from learning, or stop us from effectively reacting to the world. Humans have natural instincts that help us to survive. But natural instincts were never intended to stop us from living or learning. But here we are, just learning about this as if a veil has been lifted from our eyes.

"Believing in God helps me to feel less alone and also makes me feel loved. But I know those are just feelings, and feelings of loneliness and love are things that I can control. But there are things that I can't control. That's when God comes to mind."

"Everyone should be allowed to believe in anything that makes them happy, as long as that person is aware that what they have is only one belief and that there are many other things that are involved in creating happiness."

Freedom of Thought is essential. But we have to be extra careful not to turn our own thoughts into actions that do not truly benefit everyone fairly, accurately or justly. I truly want to know what you think, and I also look forward to sharing my thoughts. To have freedoms is to be truly blessed. But the gift of freedom can not be used to deny other people their freedoms, if it is, then that's not freedom, that's criminal. Ideas are to be debated and researched. We have a history that is filled with failures, failures that we can learn from. Lets us not insult our ancestries by making the same mistakes, let's honor their lives by showing them that we have learned from their experiences and that we are ready to put those benefits into positive actions. You can believe in God, or you can deny God, but you cannot deny what we have learned and what we have come to understand.

God can not be defined or limited to your definition. It's not fair to God, fair to you, or fair to anyone, to Limit God to fit your personal definition, especially when there are infinite number of possibilities. Every one believes in God in their own special way. But I can not say what God is or who God is. All I can say is I believe there is a Higher power beyond my comprehension, why else would I be here? Besides that, we are learning so many things about ourselves and the world around us then ever before. And in doing so, we have found many things beyond our comprehension, like all the different light waves, and atoms and on on. We are just beginning to understand. So instead of believing that we know the answers, we should just keep learning, because that is definitely the right path to be on. God can be an infinite number of possibilities. So the more we know, the more we know God. Knowledge will bring you closer to God.

A belief in God is mostly defined by a persons personal interpretation of what believing in God means to them. No two people could share the exact same experience because everyone experiences things a little differently, which is mostly based on an individuals upbringing and the influences of their parents, as well as, the influences from the environment, the influences from schools and knowledge in general, the influences of society, the influences from their own personal experiences, and the influences from a corporate controlled media. Even though people can conform to a particular set of beliefs and values, each individual could never accurately confirm how another individual interprets the same thing in the exact same way that they do, this is because there are many variables that are produced by all the different kinds of external and internal influences that each person experiences in their life. This is one of the reasons why some people can't agree on things. If people want to see eye to eye, we need to have defined rules for communication that focus on the facts, and not our own personal subjective opinions.

God does not personally belong to you, God belongs to everyone, equally and individually. When you believe to know what God says or what God does, that is your own personal God, and no one else's. Every person has a mind of their own. And everyone has the right to believe what they think God is saying or doing. But you must remember that is only your side of the story. Even though other people may share the same story as you, those thoughts are is still in your mind only. And only God can read the thoughts that each individual has deep in their mind. And thoughts can only happen with words, so choose your words wisely.

What if you had to be God? Would you be a good god or bad god? And would you know the difference between a good God or a bad God? Lets say that we are all Gods, could Gods work together? Maybe Gods have worked together before because we are here. This whole human race is one big family.

We can see a belief as being like a mountain, but we know that a belief flows like water, it never stays exactly the same. The mountain will slowly dissolve into the sea, the sea of change. Instead of trying to stop a belief, you should see where the belief takes you by questioning and inquiring. Life is a journey, and on this journey we learn many things. It's when the journey of learning is restricted, that's when the problems and mistakes happen.

You can't say no to something that gives you the ability to say no. If something gives you abilities, it's not to have the ability to restrict others from having abilities. You are not given life to kill life, you are given life to preserve life, that is how life survives, in its preservation, and not in its own destruction. We must give people choices, but we must educate people on the choices they have so they will make good choices. All life survives this way. You have to know what good choices are in order to make them.

When we stop asking questions, we stop seeing the possibilities. Life is about discovery, it's not about possessions, whether those possessions are in the form of beliefs or material objects. There will come a day when we all agree.

You can say there is no God, but you can't say that there is no belief in God. Believing in God does not prove that God exists, but not believing in God does not prove that God does not exist. To believe or not to believe is not the question. The question is, what matters? What does your belief explain? What are the benefits of your beliefs? What are the side effects of your beliefs? Let us not single out just one detail of a belief, let us consider all beliefs as a whole, as you would a person.

Canonization is the act by which the Catholic Church and Anglican Communion declares that a person who has died was a saint.

Saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness or likeness to God.

Sacred is something worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspiring awe or reverence among believers.

Divinity is the state of things that come from a supernatural power or deity, such as a god, supreme being, creator deity, or spirits, and are therefore regarded as sacred and Holy, which is belonging to or derived from or associated with a divine power, A sacred place of pilgrimage, which is a journey to a sacred place.

Atheism - To Believe or Not to Believe is still a Belief

Atheism is the belief that there is no God. A lack of belief in the existence of God or gods. The absence of belief in the existence of deities.

Negative and Positive Atheism is any type of atheism where a person does not believe in the existence of any deities but does not necessarily explicitly assert that there are none. Positive atheism, also called strong atheism and hard atheism, is the form of atheism that additionally asserts that no deities exist. "I Thank God I'm an Atheist".

Nontheism is a range of both religious and nonreligious attitudes characterized by the absence of espoused belief in a God or gods. Nontheism has generally been used to describe apathy or silence towards the subject of God and differs from an antithetical, explicit atheism. Nontheism does not necessarily describe atheism or disbelief in God; it has been used as an umbrella term for summarizing various distinct and even mutually exclusive positions, such as agnosticism, ignosticism, ietsism, skepticism, pantheism, atheism, strong or positive atheism, implicit atheism, and apatheism. It is in use in the fields of Christian apologetics and general liberal theology. Intelligent Design.

Agnosticism is the view that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. Another definition provided is the view that "human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist." A religious orientation of doubt or a denial of ultimate knowledge of the existence of God. A person who claims that they cannot have true knowledge about the existence of God (but does not deny that God might exist).

Agnostic is someone who is doubtful or noncommittal about something. Uncertain of all claims to knowledge.

Ignosticism is the idea that the question of the existence of God is meaningless unless the word "God" is given a coherent and unambiguous definition, preferably yielding falsifiable logical consequences.

Secular - Separation of Church and State - Independent - Divisions in Religions

Ietsism is an unspecified belief in an undetermined transcendent reality. It is a range of beliefs held by people who, on the one hand, inwardly suspect – or indeed believe – that "there must be something undefined beyond the mundane and that which can be known or can be proven", but on the other hand do not necessarily accept or subscribe to the established belief system, dogma or view of the nature of a deity offered by any particular religion.

Apostasy is someone not faithful to religion or party or cause. A disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.

Heathen is a person who does not belong to a widely held religion. Not to be confused with Hedonism.

"I 'm not a Heathen, or a Pagan, or an Atheist, I'm just a Man of God in Waiting."

Pagan is someone who does not follow one of the Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism); the most common meaning.

Nones are people who do not identify with a denomination.

States with Constitutions Prohibiting Atheists from Running for Office: Arkansas, Article 19, Section 1: No person who denies the being of a God shall hold any office in the civil departments of this State, nor be competent to testify as a witness in any Court. Maryland, Article 37: That no religious test ought ever to be required as a qualification for any office of profit or trust in this State, other than a declaration of belief in the existence of God; nor shall the Legislature prescribe any other oath of office than the oath prescribed by this Constitution. Mississippi, Article 14, Section 265: No person who denies the existence of a Supreme Being shall hold any office in this state. North Carolina, Article 6, Section 8 The following persons shall be disqualified for office: Any person who shall deny the being of Almighty God. South Carolina, Article 17, Section 4: No person who denies the existence of a Supreme Being shall hold any office under this Constitution. Tennessee, Article 9, Section 2: No person who denies the being of God, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of this state. Texas, Article 1, Section 4: No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a supreme being.

The Thinning of the Flocks: Can churches and religious schools survive as more and more people become religiously unaffiliated? Yes, but they need to modernize and update so they can become more aligned with a world that is becoming more and more educated, more advanced, more informed and more aware. We know that churches are more than just a religion. Churches and schools have many different functions and provide many services within a community. And with their doors open to the public, churches are also a place of refuge for many people in need of hope and prayer. So as churches and schools make the transition, they will need to find ways to preserve their traditions, their heritage and their culture, and at the same time, learn to communicate more, and work together more on solving the problems that are plaguing modern day society. They need to have more outreach and stop making outrageous claims and false advertising, because we don't want religion to become corporatized, because we all know that the corporate world is going to be fazed out soon, as we welcome a new era in world democracy and sustainability.

American Millennials (generations) - Ancient Hope

Americas Changing Religious Landscape - Templeton Prize

I see too many people blaming religion for a lot of the suffering and pointless killing throughout our history. It's not the fault of religions, it was the lack of information and knowledge. We know what the lack of information and knowledge does to society. Most criminals and people in prison are the result of a poor education. But what we also learned, was that a great education is not a guarantee that a person will do good in life. Perfect examples of that are politicians and corporate leaders. So that is why we must improve education, whether it would be of religious nature or not. 

Do you believe in space aliens?

Remember Versus Know Judgments (memory flaws) - Reasoning

There seems to be this profound difference between believing and knowing. Knowing increases awareness, believing decreases awareness. 

Multiple Beliefs - Multi-Faith

Multifaith is to be more open and understanding of more than one religion, philosophy or world-view. And perhaps to believe that no one is superior to the others.

Interfaith is involved with improving communication between different religions.

Religious Pluralism is an attitude or policy regarding the diversity of religious belief systems co-existing in society.

Pluralism - Interfaith Youth Core - Secular

Cooperation (working together) - Tolerance

Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, while blending practices of various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merger and analogizing of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for an inclusive approach to other faiths. Syncretism also occurs commonly in expressions of arts and culture, (known as eclecticism) as well as politics (syncretic politics).

When someone says that they're religious, I wonder how religious they are what being religious really means?

Hermeticism is a religious, philosophical, and esoteric tradition based primarily upon writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus ("Thrice Great"). Hermetica.

Manifest Destiny was a widely held belief in the United States that its settlers were destined to expand across North America. Genocide - Over Development.

Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one god or in the oneness of God.

Polytheism is the worship of or belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religions and rituals.

Animism is the religious belief that various objects, places, and creatures with whom humans engage possess idiosyncratic spiritual qualities.

Theism is broadly defined as the belief in the existence of the supreme being or deities. Theist is a person who believes in the existence of a god or gods.

Protestantism a member or follower of any of the Western Christian churches that are separate from the Roman Catholic Church and follow the principles of the Reformation, including the Baptist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches.

Conflicting Beliefs - Heresy - Blasphemy

My Belief is better than Your Belief is just a silly argument that serves no purpose. They are both beliefs. To each his own means that every person is entitled to his or her personal preferences, tastes or beliefs, just as long as their beliefs don't hurt anyone or violate human rights or violate human decency.

Freedom of Speech - Whistle Blower - Above the Law - Contempt

Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religious teachings, but is also used of views strongly opposed to any generally accepted ideas. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy is any belief or theory that has conflicting facts, claims or opinions that differ from popular or older beliefs or customs. Bias - Discrimination.

Heretic is a person who holds controversial opinions, especially one who publicly dissents from the officially accepted dogma. A person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church.

Slander - Frivolous Lawsuit - Invalid Reasoning

Blasphemy is the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence to a deity, or sacred objects, or toward something considered sacred or inviolable. Blasphemy is the act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk. Blasphemy is the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence to a deity, to religious or holy persons or sacred things, or toward something considered sacred or inviolable. 

Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object, site or person. This can take the form of irreverence to sacred persons, places, and things. When the sacrilegious offence is verbal, it is called blasphemy, and when physical, it is often called desecration. Sacrilege is blasphemous behavior or the act of depriving something of its sacred character.

Desecration is the act of depriving something of its sacred character, or the disrespectful, contemptuous, or destructive treatment of that which is held to be sacred or holy by a group or individual.

Abomination in English is that which is exceptionally loathsome, hateful, sinful, wicked, or vile.

Sacrosanct is something that is regarded as too important, sacred or valuable to be interfered with.

Variance is the fact or quality of being different, divergent, or inconsistent. An event that departs from expectations. Discord that splits a group. A difference between conflicting facts, claims or opinions. The quality or degree of being subject to variation. An activity that varies from a norm or standard.

Denounce is to criticize or speak out against someone or something and to point out as deserving of reprehension, etc.; to openly accuse or condemn in a threatening manner; to invoke censure upon; to stigmatize; to blame.

Defrock is to deprive someone of professional status or membership in a prestigious group and the removal of their rights to exercise the functions of the ordained ministry. You're Fired.

Just because a law is written, this does not mean that the law is understood the same way by everyone, or does it prove that the law is even valid or that the law can be challenged. You cannot limit something to a particular label, because labels cannot be uniformly translated or understood the same way by everyone. Just because you have given something a label, this does not mean you don't have to explain your label, an explanation will always help assure that your label is fully understood by everyone. If you don't teach skepticism you will fail to teach the most important element of learning, which is questioning. Without questioning you make people vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation. Don't define a word so much that you confine or limit its meaning.

Unambiguous is having or exhibiting a single clearly defined meaning. Cognitive Dissonance.

Nothing is definitive. We define things out of necessity. This is not to say that something is definitive. We define something just enough so that we can communicate effectively and continue to move forward and progress.

The awareness of our perceptions seems to be different when looking at the same thing. We need to define the things we see and find a middle ground on which to agree. For a middle ground is all we have, for we have known for some time that there is only one planet on which we all live. We can no longer afford to believe that we are some how separated from the rest of the world, we know that we are not. We have to share this world as well as share our beliefs. Is it All or Nothing or Something for Everyone? Let us Negotiate, work together and Compromise.

Why do some religious practices and traditions become irrelevant and impracticable as we learn more?

Irrelevant is having no bearing on or connection with the subject at issue.

Impracticable is not capable of being carried out or put into practice.

The last thing you want to do is use your own beliefs to attack someone else's beliefs.

So what's your perception of perception?

Philosophy - Evolution - Multiple Beliefs - Atheism

Phenomenology of Religion concerns the experiential aspect of religion, describing religious phenomena in terms consistent with the orientation of worshippers. It views religion as made up of different components, and studies these components across religious traditions in order to gain some understanding of them.

People should try to avoid deferring their questions to a higher power. If the question seems to big to answer then try breaking down your question into smaller questions that you can answer yourself.

Inquisitor was an official with judicial or investigative functions in an Inquisition. Inquisitor is an organization or a program intended to eliminate heresy and other things contrary to the doctrine or teachings of the Catholic faith. Public Debate.

Inquisition was a group of institutions within the Catholic Church whose aim was to combat heresy.

Grand Inquisitor is the title that usually refers to the chief inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition.

Autonomy is one who gives oneself one's own law, which is a concept found in moral, political, and bioethical philosophy.

Truth - Value System

Stoicism taught that destructive emotions resulted from errors in judgment, of the active relationship between cosmic determinism and human freedom, and the belief that it is virtuous to maintain a will (called prohairesis) that is in accord with nature.

Polarization - Factions

Philosophical Realism is the belief that some aspects of reality are ontologically independent of our conceptual schemes, perceptions, linguistic practices, beliefs, etc.

Philosophy - Intelligence

Transcendence refers to the aspect of a god's nature and power which is wholly independent of the material universe, beyond all physical laws.

Traditionalist School was a group of 20th century thinkers concerned with what they considered to be the demise of traditional forms of knowledge, both aesthetic and spiritual, within Western society.

Correspondence Theology is a basic relationship found between two levels of existence. Light corresponds to wisdom because wisdom enlightens the mind as light enlightens the eye. Warmth corresponds to love because love warms the mind as heat does the body.

Protestant Reformation (wiki)

Orthodoxy is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion.

Bahai - Church of Reality

Jainism central tenet is non-violence and love towards all living beings.

Religious Order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates (laity) and, in some traditions, ordained clergy. Religious orders exist in many of the world's religions.

Holy Orders are ordained ministries such as bishop, priest or deacon.

Fraternal Order is a fraternity organized as an order. Traits sometimes allude to aspects of the original religious or chivalric orders of the Middle Ages. Contemporary fraternal orders typically have secular purposes, including social, cultural and mutually beneficial or charitable aims.

Define is to Limit

To Define is to Limit: Does defining something confine that something to just that definition? No. Context. We need consistency and predictability, but we also need adaptability and flexibility. It's All Relative.

Equivocation (words)

Frame Problem is formulated as the problem of limiting the beliefs that have to be updated in response to actions. In the logical context, actions are typically specified by what they change, with the implicit assumption that everything else (the frame) remains unchanged.

Why do certain religious teachings look similar to an Open-Loop Controller and an Isolated System?

Is religion a closed Concept or an open concept?

Semantics is the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text.

Axiom is a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits.

Is Truth is Stranger than Fiction?

People prescribe to a certain way of life, not a way of life that they created, but a way of life that was created by ancestors 100's of years before they were born. But as people grow older they realize that the world is filled with all kinds of people who have all kinds of beliefs that are different than theirs. And these differences all depend on where a person was born and how they were raised. So most beliefs are related to regions, and not so much related to truth. And one of the universal truths that all humans share is that we are all human and that we are all living on the same planet. This is our common ground. People should not separate themselves because of their cultures or their beliefs, but should use these different points of view to examine what we have learned from life, so that we can continually improve life for future generations.

"Never doubt the value of information and knowledge based solely on the source, whether you hear something from a religious leader, or read something from a religious book, always remember that any information could lead you to an answer, whether it could happen indirectly or metaphorically."

"You may choose what you want, but don't be all that you choose..Spending too much time believing, instead of learning and doing, will leave you vulnerable. A life unbalanced is a life that is fragile, unaware and unpredictable."

Religion is not just about believing in God, Religion is also about culture, history and a quest for understanding. Though Religions make presumptions and atheism is believing in nothing, I would still rather believe in something as long as I don't assume that I know exactly what that something is, even though I have a right to a theory. It's not so much what you believe, it's how your belief effects your perception. There is really no clear definition of what 'believing in God' really means. But I have a feeling that science will eventually find God, for scientists are the only ones who are looking in more then one place, even though they are not directly looking for God. And I have another feeling too that when we do eventually find proof of God, God will be something that we never imagined, which will not be all that surprising, after all, it's God. Don't look at science as a threat to Religion, look at science as a friend who took a different path. And all these different paths that we are taking will eventually help us all to become more aware of our existence. 

Integrating Science and Faith - Cosmic Fingerprints

As Above, So Below - Everything is Connected

"You can still experience many things in your life without having to dedicate your entire life to just one experience. Sampling things and exploring the world has its benefits, and its dangers, but so does dedicating your entire life to just one thing. But whatever lifestyle you choose, it should not include limiting yourself to knowledge and information. And experiencing more does not necessarily mean that you are learning more, because first you would have to define what is the most important and the most valuable knowledge and information that the world has to offer. So till then, whatever you chose to do with your life is your choice. But please don't deny yourself to be the best that you can be, because that would be illogical and a waste of your potential."

Why so many people believe in God is simple, human life is just too freaking incredible and just too amazing to have happened all by itself. But that's not a reason to believe in God, that's just clearly recognizing the fact that human life is, without a doubt, a remarkable journey. Of course everyone wants someone to be there at the end when they die, someone to greet them. And most people would agree that they would want to see God. After all, God represents the only person who's qualified to explain just exactly what your life was all about. It's matter of trust, in God we Trust. Having an expert witness is important.

Religion and science are one in the same. They are both on the same path, looking for answers in their own way, using different methods for learning. Religion has been looking for answers for 100's of years, that is why there are so many religions and why religions have gone through so many changes. And science has also gone through many changes. The only difference between religion and science is time. And the time of stubbornness and narrow-mindedness is coming to an end. It's time for religion and science to admit they're friends, both in search for truth, both looking for answers.

Letter to Albert Einstein January 19, 1936 - My dear Dr. Einstein, We have brought up the question: Do scientists pray? in our Sunday school class. It began by asking whether we could believe in both science and religion. We are writing to scientists and other important men to try and have our own question answered. We will feel greatly honored if you will answer our question: Do scientists pray, and what do they pray for? We are in the sixth grade, Miss Ellis's class. Respectfully yours,  Phyllis.

Reply from Albert Einstein January 24, 1936 - Dear Phyllis, I will attempt to reply to your question as simply as I can. Here is my answer: Scientists believe that every occurrence, including the affairs of human beings, is due to the laws of nature. Therefore a scientist cannot be inclined to believe that the course of events can be influenced by prayer, that is, by a supernaturally manifested wish. However, we must concede that our actual knowledge of these forces is imperfect, so that in the end the belief in the existence of a final, ultimate spirit rests on a kind of faith. Such belief remains widespread even with the current achievements in science. But also, everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that some spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe, one that is vastly superior to that of man. In this way the pursuit of science leads to a religious feeling of a special sort, which is surely quite different from the religiosity of someone more naive. With cordial greetings, your A. Einstein.

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” - Albert Einstein

Spirituality, Religion May Protect Against Major Depression by Thickening Brain Cortex - Meditation

We can't allow ourselves to be separated by our own beliefs anymore. We just don't have the time or the resources. We have a lot of information and knowledge that is a great benefit to all of us. So let us begin to use our information and knowledge to the best of our abilities. We have opportunities that we cannot afford to waste.

"We can no longer afford to devote ourselves to live under one word or one ideal. We must understand that information is only useful to us when it is used correctly as a whole. A separate piece of information that excludes other information cannot exist on its own, it needs other information in order for it to live and to be realized. For example, a Word cannot stand on it's own, a word needs Context."..To deny language its purpose and potential is to deny life itself...

Extremism - Radicalization

Extremism is any political theory favoring immoderate uncompromising policies. Extremism or any type of restricted ideology, can cause people to have extreme prejudice towards new knowledge and new information, which causes a person to have an extreme narrow view of the world, making them extremely vulnerable to bad mistakes and bad choices.

Extremist is a person who holds extreme views far beyond the norm and beyond logical thinking and reasoning. A person who holds extreme or fanatical political or religious views, especially one who resorts to or advocates extreme action.

Militant is someone who prefers hard-line policies, warfare and fighting. Someone who likes to engaged in war.

Hard-Liner is a member of a group or a political group who adheres uncompromisingly to a set of ideas or policies. Hardline describes a stance on an issue that is inflexible and not subject to compromise. The stance is usually far from the centrist view. People, policies, and laws can be considered hard-line. A hardliner may be either a reactionary or a revolutionary. Synonyms for hardliner include diehard, hawk, extremist, fanatic, or zealot. The term is almost always relative to the Overton window of a given time and place. Demagogue.

Radicalization is a process by which an individual or group comes to adopt increasingly extreme political, social, or religious ideals and aspirations that reject or undermine the status quo or undermine contemporary ideas and expressions of freedom of choice. "You alter the facts to fit your view, when you should be altering your views to fit the facts. It's better to face the hard truth than a reassuring fate based on lies."

Blind following the Blind - Just Following Orders - The Devil Made Me Do it

Radicalism is the political orientation of those who favor revolutionary change in government and society.

Radical Belief is any faith-based belief that cannot be proven or logically explained.

Fundamentalist is the distorted interpretation of every word in the sacred texts as literal truth. Truth is debatable, which is one of the main reasons why we have courts of law.

Fundamentalism is the stubborn unwavering attachment to a set of perceived irreducible beliefs that ignore relevance. Usually has a religious connotation that indicates unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs. A strong sense of the importance of maintaining ingroup and outgroup distinctions, leading to an emphasis on perceived purity and the desire to return to a previous ideal that they claim to understand, from which advocates believe members have strayed. Rejection of diversity of opinion as applied to these established "fundamentals" and their accepted interpretation within the group often results from this tendency.

Absolutism is the acceptance of a belief in absolute principles in political, philosophical, ethical, or theological matters.

Moral Absolutism is an ethical view that all actions are intrinsically right or wrong. Something may still be wrong even if it's done for the well-being of others and even if it does in the end promote something good. But this will always be relative to the situation and the facts that surround it. Self Defense - Revenge - Desperation.

Splitting in psychology is also called black-and-white thinking or all-or-nothing thinking, which is the failure in a person's thinking to bring together the dichotomy of both positive and negative qualities of the self and others into a cohesive, realistic whole. It is a common defense mechanism.

Fanaticism is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal or with an obsessive enthusiasm.

Fanatic is a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious or political cause. Marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea.

Ardent is being very enthusiastic or passionate with intense emotion. Ardent can also mean glowing or shining like fire.

Worship is a feeling of profound love and admiration for something or someone. Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. An act of worship may be performed individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader. Worshipping is love that is unquestioningly and uncritically, or to excess. To venerate something as an idol or to show devotion to a deity. Prayer - Beliefs.

Denial - Lack of Empathy - Distorted Reasoning - Ignorance - Conformity

Deradicalization refers to preventive counterterrorism measures that aim to have those with extreme and violent religious or political ideologies adopt more moderate and nonviolent views. This is most effective when counteracting an ongoing - rather than well advanced process of radicalization (counter-radicalization) whereby individuals or groups gradually develop a mindset that increases the risk of violent extremism or terrorism. Deradicalization is not to be confused with anti-radicalization in which radicalization is aimed to be deterred and prevented from occurring in the first place. De-Radicalization has been described as an emerging science. Education Reform.

Indoctrination - Terrorism - Racism - Religious Factions - Political Factions

If someone is trying to sell you an after life full of promises, and if the only way to know if this heaven is true, is to die, then you are already dead inside. There are con men of the spirit who will exploit the name God in order to steal your soul. So you need to focus on living a good life instead of thinking that death is a reward and that your death will end the suffering. To stop the suffering, you need to stay alive, because once you're dead, you can no longer help ease the suffering. Death only adds to the suffering. Gods needs you on earth, why else would God give you life on earth? God does not give life so that you can die, God gives life so that you can live.

Religious Paranoia is an irrational fear of being purposefully attacked by an outside agent(s) in or through some religious context. Some examples: The fear of one's soul being stolen. The fear of being tempted by demons. The fear of being plotted against by cultists. The fear of God or Satan. It is a condition which has been compared to extremism and intolerance. It has been cited as a possible contributor to political violence. It is often related to splitting, psychological projection, a desire to maintain a sense of purity in situations of real or perceived persecution, and rigid and unchallengeable attitudes. In an alternate form of religious paranoia of a psychiatric nature, the patient can suffer from a permanent delusion of a primarily religious nature. He could, for example, believe that he is the messenger of God who has been sent to the world to propagate some religion.

Moral Panic is a feeling of fear spread among many people that some evil threatens the well-being of society. The process of arousing social concern over an issue that is not real and is mostly fabricated in order to divide people. Hoax.

Lunatic Fringe is a term used to characterize members of a political or social movement as extremists with eccentric or fanatical views.

"Those who believe without reason, are hard to be convinced by reason." - James Randi.

People who don't use reasoning in their thinking are hard to teach using reasoning. This does not say that people don't have reasons for doing things or reasons for thinking things, people just don't fully understand what reasoning is. Reasoning is more than a long process of doing a lot of research and learning everything that you can, reasoning is knowing that there will always be things in life that you will not be able to fully understand, and the things that you do understand, will always come from continually learning everything that you can, so when you do present reasons, those reasons will be well documented, transferable, and comprehensible to yourself and other people.

Cults - Cult Like Organizations

Cult is a group of people who are almost entirely controlled by or dominated by a single individual or leader. Cults use isolation, sleep depravation, control, dependence, punishment, reward and admiration or love bombing.

How do you know if you're in a Cult? These are some of the signs and behaviors of a cult, things to look out for. 1. Beware of any kind of pressure or any kind of pressure to make a quick decision about becoming involved in any intensive kind of activity or organization. 2. Be wary of any leader who proclaims him or herself as having special powers or special insight or divinity. 3. The group is mostly closed, although there may be outside followers, there's usually an inner circle that follows the leader without question, and that maintains a tremendous amount of secrecy. 4. The group uses deceptive means, typically, to recruit new members, and then once recruited will subject its members to an organized program of thought reform, or what most people refer to as brainwashing. 5. Typically cults also exploit their members. Within the group, they'll exploit members financially, psychologically, emotionally and, all too often, sexually. 6. A very important aspect of cult is the idea that if you leave the cult, horrible things will happen to you. This is important, and it's important to realize. That people outside of a cult are potential members, so they're not looked upon as negatively as people inside the cult who then leave the cult.

How to Spot a Cult (youtube) - Extremism

Attrition is the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure. Attrition in warfare is a military strategy consisting of belligerent attempts to win a war by wearing down the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and material. The war will usually be won by the side with greater such resources.

Mind Control - Subliminal - Brain Washing - Click Bait - Red Flags - Pretending to Know

Love Bombing is an attempt to influence a person by lavish demonstrations of attention and affection.

Coercion is the practice of forcing another party to act in an involuntary manner by use of intimidation or threats or some other form of pressure or force.

Persuasion Propaganda - Political and Corporate Terrorists

Psychological Manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the behavior or perception of others through abusive, deceptive, or underhanded tactics.

False Flag - Divided we Stand

Proselytize is to convert or attempt to convert someone from one religion, belief, or opinion to another. Proselytism is the act or fact of religious conversion, and it also includes actions which invite it.

Cult Awareness Network was an organization created by deprogrammer Ted Patrick that provided information on groups that it considered to be cults, as well as support and referrals to deprogrammers. It was founded in the wake of the November 18, 1978 deaths of members of the group Peoples Temple and assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan in Jonestown, Guyana, and was shut down in 1996. Its name and assets were later bought by a group of private donors (some of whom were Scientologists) in a bankruptcy proceedings; with the transfer of ownership, the organization was renamed the New Cult Awareness Network. CAN and its representatives were known for being highly critical of Scientology, Landmark Education, and some other groups and new religious movements, referring to some of these groups as "destructive cults".

Anti-Cult Movement opposes any new religious movement (NRM) that they characterize as a cult.

Zealotry means one who is zealous on behalf of God.

Zealous is marked by active interest and enthusiasm.

Advertising (marketing) - Accessory to a Crime

The 1975 film called Tommy shows the dangers of blindly following.

Reward System - Gratification - Reward Stimulus (praise)

Compensation is a strategy whereby one covers up, consciously or unconsciously, weaknesses, frustrations, desires, or feelings of inadequacy or incompetence in one life area through the gratification or (drive towards) excellence in another area. Compensation can cover up either real or imagined deficiencies and personal or physical inferiority. Positive compensations may help one to overcome one's difficulties. On the other hand, negative compensations do not, which results in a reinforced feeling of inferiority. There are two kinds of negative compensation: Overcompensation, characterized by a superiority goal, leads to striving for power, dominance, self-esteem, and self-devaluation. Undercompensation, which includes a demand for help, leads to a lack of courage and a fear for life.

Conformity - Blind Adherence - Interventions

Secret Society is a club or an organization whose activities, events, and inner functioning are concealed from non-members. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence.

Religious Movement is used as an alternative phrase to the word cult.

Religious Conversion is the adoption of a set of beliefs identified with one particular religious denomination to the exclusion of others.

Missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to promote their faith or offer their particular style of education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development. Most religious people have good intentions, but just like most non-religious community services, they too can be exploitive and manipulative and sometimes have very little oversight and very little transparency. Public Services are not supposed to have secret motives, yet here we are.

Zionism is the national movement of the Jewish people that supports the re-establishment of a Jewish homeland in the territory defined as the historic Land of Israel (roughly corresponding to Palestine, Canaan or the Holy Land).

Theocracy is a form of government in which a deity is the source from which all authority derives. The Oxford English Dictionary has this definition.

Religious Affiliations of Inmates in U.S. Prisons

This information can be easily flawed, it's hard to prove that a particular religious affiliation or practicing religion is not the only influence that a person has on their life, and to what degree did these affects have on this particular individual? Getting accurate, reliable data on the religious identities of US federal prisoners is often difficult because the Federal Bureau of Prisons does not release that information unless someone requests it through the Freedom of Information Act. The data here is self-reported, so it’s also dependent on whether prisoners were willing to disclose their religion. Seventeen percent of inmates listed “no preference” for their religion, but the Bureau of Prisons couldn’t clarify how that is different from the 3 percent of prisoners who described themselves as “Other”. Many chaplains report growth from religious switching in the numbers of Muslims and Protestant Christians, in particular. Some prisoners usually choose the religion that they claim according to gang affiliation or special privileges given to certain faiths. A minister who used to do ministry at youth jails, says that almost all of them say they ‘believe in God.’ Most criminals in prison are republicans or victims of republican abuses.

Religious Leaders Convicted of Crimes (wiki) - Religion in U.S. Prisons (wiki) - Education in Prison.

You Can't use a Religious Belief as a Reason to Break the Law or to do something Wrong or Bad. You have to have reasons and evidence that proves that you had no other choice or option, and that you were forced to do something wrong or bad. So please explain yourself. Can you prove to everyone else who follows the law and who also has moral respect for other people, that you should be allowed to be an as*hole? Everyone else has to be nice and have human decency, except for you? All because you have some excuse that has no proof or evidence? Laws are made because of proof and evidence, so where is your proof and evidence? Laws are written and people agree to do things because that keeps society from degrading and becoming a living hell. If anyone could come up with any kind of excuse that they want to, in order to do something wrong, then society would have no law and order, as we can clearly see today in several areas around the world. And just remember that you can't solve problems using ignorance or violence. And it's not a protest if people are abused or murdered. One of your main responsibilities is to keep educating yourself because you can't fight ignorance with ignorance. Keep learning, and together we will solve every problem known, and we will even solve the problems that people don't even know exist yet.

Church Sexual Abuse Cases has been going on for over a hundred years in many countries. Why?

Fascism (political groups) - Divide and Conquer - Conformity - World View (ideology) - Popularity

Surrender means that a believer completely gives up his own will and subjects his thoughts, ideas, and deeds to the will and teachings of a higher power. It may also be contrasted with submission. Surrender is willful acceptance and yielding to a dominating force and their will.

Biblical Criticism is an umbrella term for those methods of studying the Bible that embrace two distinctive perspectives: the concern to avoid dogma and bias by applying a non-sectarian, reason-based judgment, and the reconstruction of history according to contemporary understanding. Biblical criticism uses the grammar, structure, development, and relationship of language to identify such characteristics as the Bible's literary structure, its genre, its context, meaning, authorship, and origins. Biblical criticism includes a wide range of approaches and questions within four major contemporary methodologies: textual, source, form, and literary criticism. Textual criticism examines the text and its manuscripts to identify what the original text would have said. Source criticism searches the texts for evidence of original sources. Form criticism identifies short units of text and seeks to identify their original setting. Each of these is primarily historical and pre-compositional in its concerns. Literary criticism, on the other hand, focuses on the literary structure, authorial purpose, and reader's response to the text through methods such as rhetorical criticism, canonical criticism, and narrative criticism. Biblical criticism began as an aspect of the rise of modern culture in the West. Some scholars claim that its roots reach back to the Reformation, but most agree it grew out of the German Enlightenment. German pietism played a role in its development, as did British deism, with its greatest influences being rationalism and Protestant scholarship. The Enlightenment age and its skepticism of biblical and ecclesiastical authority ignited questions concerning the historical basis for the man Jesus separately from traditional theological views concerning him. This "quest" for the Jesus of history began in biblical criticism's earliest stages, reappeared in the nineteenth century, and again in the twentieth, remaining a major occupation of biblical criticism, on and off, for over 200 years. In the late twentieth and early twenty-first century, biblical criticism was influenced by a wide range of additional academic disciplines and theoretical perspectives, changing it from a primarily historical approach to a multidisciplinary field. In a field long dominated by white male Protestants, non-white scholars, women, and those from the Jewish and Catholic traditions became prominent voices. Globalization brought a broader spectrum of worldviews into the field, and other academic disciplines as diverse as Near Eastern studies, psychology, anthropology and sociology formed new methods of biblical criticism such as socio-scientific criticism and psychological biblical criticism. Meanwhile, post-modernism and post-critical interpretation began questioning biblical criticism's role and function.

Friedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher, cultural critic, composer, poet, philologist, and Latin and Greek scholar whose work has exerted a profound influence on modern intellectual history. Nietzsche's body of work touched a wide range of topics, including art, philology, history, religion, tragedy, culture, and science. His writing spans philosophical polemics, poetry, cultural criticism, and fiction while displaying a fondness for aphorism and irony. His early inspiration was drawn from figures such as Arthur Schopenhauer, Richard Wagner, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth in favor of perspectivism; his genealogical critique of religion and Christian morality and his related theory of master–slave morality; his aesthetic affirmation of existence in response to the "death of God" and the profound crisis of nihilism; his notion of the Apollonian and Dionysian; and his characterization of the human subject as the expression of competing wills, collectively understood as the will to power. He also developed influential concepts such as the Übermensch and the doctrine of eternal return. In his later work, he became increasingly preoccupied with the creative powers of the individual to overcome social, cultural and moral contexts in pursuit of new values and aesthetic health. (15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900).

Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of information.

Zionism is a nationalist political movement of Jews and Jewish culture that supports the re-establishment of a Jewish homeland in the territory defined as the historic Land of Israel (roughly corresponding to Palestine, Canaan or the Holy Land).

Jihadism or Jihad is a holy war waged by Muslims against infidels. A holy struggle or striving by a Muslim for a moral or spiritual or political goal.

JIHAD. The Bafta-nominated film by Deeyah Khan. ©Fuuse Films (youtube)

Religious Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group of individuals as a response to their religious beliefs or affiliations or lack thereof.

Expectation is what is considered the most likely to happen. Don't expect, plan and anticipate.

Fraternity connotes an organization of men, a fraternity, as a type of organization.

Branch Davidians are a religious group that originated in 1955 from a schism in the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists ("Davidians"), a reform movement that began as an offshoot from the Seventh-day Adventist Church ("Adventists") around 1930.

The Family (Australian New Age group) (wiki)

Faith Leaks

Jehovah's Witnesses are directed by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, a group of elders in Warwick, New York, which establishes all doctrines based on its interpretations of the Bible. They prefer to use their own translation, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, although their literature occasionally quotes and cites other Bible translations. They believe that the destruction of the present world system at Armageddon is imminent, and that the establishment of God's kingdom over the earth is the only solution for all problems faced by humanity. The stated purpose of The Watchtower is to draw attention to the kingdom of God, which Jehovah's Witnesses believe is a real government that will soon replace all earthly governments. Jehovah's Witnesses are best known for their door-to-door preaching, distributing literature such as The Watchtower and Awake!, and refusing military service and blood transfusions. They do not observe Christmas, Easter, birthdays or other holidays and customs they consider to have pagan origins incompatible with Christianity. Adherents commonly refer to their body of beliefs as "the truth" and consider themselves to be "in the truth". They consider secular society to be morally corrupt and under the influence of Satan, and most limit their social interaction with non-Witnesses. The group reports a worldwide membership of more than 8.3 million adherents involved in evangelism and an annual Memorial attendance of more than 20 million.

Anticipation or being enthusiastic, is an emotion involving pleasure, excitement, and sometimes anxiety in considering some expected or longed-for good event.

Enthusiasm is intense enjoyment, interest, or approval.

Irreducible is lacking the capacity or ability to simplify.

Addictions - Behavior - Media Literacy

Entice is to Provoke someone to do something through often false or exaggerated promises or persuasion.

Persuasion is a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty. Allure, allurement, appeal, attractiveness, bait, captivation, charm, come-on, courting, draw, drawing power, enchantment, endearment, enthrallment, enticement, fascination, gravitation, inclination, inducement, interest, invitation, lure, magnetism, pull, seduction, solicitation, temptation, tendency. Antonyms: repulsion, revulsion. Persuasion techniques - Influences.

Heresy - Blasphemy

Purgatory is an intermediate state after physical death in which some of those ultimately destined for heaven must first "undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven". Only those who die in the state of grace but have not yet fulfilled the temporal punishment due to their sin can be in Purgatory, and therefore no one in Purgatory will remain forever in that state nor go to hell. This notion has old roots.

Shape Shifting is the ability of a being or creature to completely transform its physical form or shape. This is usually achieved through an inherent ability of a mythological creature, divine intervention, or the use of magic.

Self-immolation is an act of killing oneself as a sacrifice.

Axiom is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments.

Fear is not a good teaching method, what other methods can help make someone aware of danger without using scare tactics?

Punishment - Prisons

A religious person becomes a terrorist when they use their belief as an excuse to commit a crime, or when they use their belief to deny the rights and the freedoms of other people. An ignorant contradiction of the golden rule.

Praying 24 hours a day, seven days a week will not solve our problems. It's better to die standing up against injustices then to die on your knees. Not to say that praying doesn't make a difference, but if that's all you do, then it will not. I pray that my life will make a difference in peoples lives, I pray that my actions will save lives and reduce suffering.

I don't understand certain passages, It feels like I'm outsourcing reality, like I'm transferring ownership of my life, or like I'm creating a diffusion of responsibility. I believe that the power of God would be better served if we focused more on our abilities and our potential. After all, God gave us abilities and potential, like the ability to use language to transfer knowledge and information to ourselves and to others. This transference of knowledge is extremely important to everyone on the planet. If we are not careful with the knowledge we convey, we may do more harm then good.

We need to take responsibility for our actions, we need to learn to solve our problems, we can't keep passing the buck, because eventually, we all know that the pyramid schemes always collapse, and the last one holding the bill this time, will mark the moment of our extinction. I would never say that ideologies killed us all, but I would say that the combination of our ideologies has given us incredible potential, enough potential to stop the killing, and to end all suffering. Our ability to communicate is our greatest strength, but we need to use our language wisely. We cannot depend on always being understood the way we would like to be, we have to learn how to use language carefully, effectively and efficiently. We should come up with a procedure for language use, so that we can have a guide to help us communicate better.

Truth Saves - Addiction - Problem Solving

Televangelism is the use of media, specifically radio and television, to communicate Christianity.

Why does religion sometimes look like a Milgram Experiment? Can something be sacrosanct?

Glossolalia Speaking in Tongues is a phenomenon in which people appear to speak in languages unknown to them.

Is allowing people to have special privileges just another form of discrimination and prejudice?

Should any Religion have the right to abuse human rights or civil rights? No. You cannot justify.

Can codependency also be related to the publics interpretation of the world or world view?

Practice What You Preach, why is this so difficult? Counterintuitive.

Evolutionary Psychology of Religion is the study of religious belief using evolutionary psychology principles.

Do as I say, not as I do. Where's the good example? 

Sacrifice is to do without something in order to survive or to reach a goal. Changing priorities and temporally suspending certain activities so that you can work on the things that are now more important.

These are the things that we have to do to maintain our existence, and to guarantee that our children will have a chance to enjoy this incredible planet as we did. I'm not saying the world is full of joy, but it can be. But at the moment I can't enjoy knowing that others are dying and suffering because of the cost of other people's enjoyment, we can't allow ourselves to contribute to this diffusion of responsibility, we owe it to the billions that have lived and we owe it to the trillions of people that will live in our future. Of course we are talking more the trillions of people....Lets say that we have 4 billion years left on our planet, and lets say we stay at our current population size of 7 billion, and lets say that everyone lives for a hundred years, So now we can say that every 100 years we will have 7 billion new people on the planet. 7 billion new lives every 100 years, 4 billion divided by 100 is 40 million, So 7 billion times 40 million is a number so big it cannot be visualized, so lets just say Quadrillions of humans who will experience life on this planet after you are dead and gone, that is a lot of people counting on you. and that is a lot of people to be responsible for. But it is also good knowing that trillions more people will experience life on this planet, and look back on our time in history as being the defining moment, we cannot deny this fact that we are in this moment now, it's time that we open our hearts and our minds, we have a lot of work to do, and a lot of lives to save, so here we go...let us start talking, let us start doing, let us start living as intelligent humans. Let us not break the chain of life, let us make the chain of life stronger, so that humans can live forever, in peace, and in harmony.

Thinking that God will punish evil and corrupt people is foolish, this will not solve our problems. We have to solve these problems ourselves. We can no longer Transfer our Responsibilities away that easy. Our beliefs and our hopes are comforting, but we all know that we can not just wish away our problems, we tried that already, it failed. So it's time we except our responsibilities. It's time to learn, it's time to live, it's time to love, it's time to progress.

There is nothing wrong with religion, the only thing wrong is peoples ignorance, and if someone wants to blame their ignorance on religion, or use their religion as an excuse for ignorance, then they only prove one thing, and that is that they are ignorant.

Thinking for yourself can only happen when when learn how to think without confining and controlling influences.

Labels - Profiling

Belonging to a group does not mean that you are connected, or excepted, or protected. Even if you belong to a group and your are connected to a group, but if the group you're connected to is not connected to the rest of the world, and is isolated by prejudice or beliefs that cause you to be bias against useful and important information, then your group will eventually go extinct, as history has proven. We want to encourage groups and socializing, but if a group isolates itself and tries to disconnect itself from the rest of the world, then that is the same as a self-induced solitary confinement.

Evil - The Devil Made Me Do It

There is No Devil. The Devil is just a metaphor for ignorance. When someone says that the devil will trick you, what they mean is that ignorance will trick you. So the only thing you should fear is ignorance. To overcome ignorance you need to learn and educate yourself. Ignorance is a sin.

Making Deals with the Devil - Devil's Advocate - Selling your Soul to the Devil

Devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in many and various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Hell.

Problem of Evil refers to the question of how to reconcile the existence of evil with an omnibenevolent, omniscient and omnipotent God. Heresy.

Wicked Priest or the man of the lie, the Liar is always associated with "false doctrine and the act of misleading" whereas the Wicked Priest is associated with "cultic transgressions and non-observance.

Exorcism for Ignorance

Being ignorant can be similar to being possessed by the devil or similar to being controlled by an evil spirit. So you may need to do an ignorance exorcism that helps to enlighten the person so they can begin to free themselves from the ignorance they have that is causing all the havoc in their life. An ignorance intervention is sometimes necessary. Make sure that the person is in a safe and quite place before you begin to recite the therapeutic words that will help to release the demon of ignorance that resides in ones being. Here is one recite example of therapeutic words to use...."The Power of Knowledge compels you, The Power of Knowledge compels you! Thou cast out all ignorance! Dumbness be gone! Thou cast out all unclean spirits, all satanic powers, all infernal invaders and all wicked sects. We drive this ignorance from us. God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost commands you. O Lord grant us thy powerful protection that knowledge gives us. Deliver us from the snares of the devil we call ignorance, keep us safe and sound."... If that doesn't work, then you might want to help educate the person and help them do a lot of reading. Eventually the ignorance devil will flee the body in search for another ignorant person to possess and control, which usually doesn't take too long. Extremism - Evil Puppets.

Exorcist is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or performs the ridding of demons or other supernatural beings who are alleged to have possessed a person, or (sometimes) a building or even an object. An exorcist can be specially prepared or instructed person including: priest, a nun, a monk, a witch doctor (healer), a shaman, a psychic or a geomancer (Feng shui - Chinese geomancy). (Of course we now have medical interventions from healthcare professionals).

Demonic Possession involves the belief that an alien spirit, demon, or entity controls a person's actions. Those who believe themselves so possessed commonly claim that symptoms of demonic possession include missing memories, perceptual distortions, loss of a sense of control, and hyper-suggestibility. Possession, in which Satan or some demon(s) takes full possession of a person's body without their knowledge or consent; the victim is morally blameless. Obsession, which includes sudden attacks of irrationally obsessive thoughts, usually culminating in suicidal ideation, and which typically influences dreams. Oppression, in which there is no loss of consciousness or involuntary action, such as in the biblical Book of Job in which Job was tormented by a series of misfortunes in business, family, and health. External physical pain caused by Satan or some demon(s). Infestation, which affects houses, things, or animals; and Subjection, in which a person voluntarily submits to Satan or some demon(s). Sometimes a possession may be a manifestation of superhuman strength. Speaking in tongues or languages that the victim cannot know. Revelation of knowledge, distant or hidden, that the victim cannot know. Blasphemous rage, obscene hand gestures, using Profanity and an aversion to holy symbols, relics or places.

Exorcism is the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that is believed to be possessed. Depending on the spiritual beliefs of the exorcist, this may be done by causing the entity to swear an oath, performing an elaborate ritual, or simply by commanding it to depart in the name of a higher power. The practice is ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions. Exorcism in the Catholic Church are for those who are believed to be the victims of demonic possession or mental health problem. Just because someone is suffering from a mental health problem or physical health problem does not mean that the person is possessed by the devil, they could just be a republican. Signs of demonic invasion vary depending on the type of demon and its purpose, including: Loss or lack of appetite. Cutting, scratching, and biting of skin. A cold feeling in the room. Unnatural bodily postures and change in the person's face and body. The possessed losing control of their normal personality and entering into a frenzy or rage, and/or attacking others. Change in the person's voice. Supernatural physical strength not subject to the person's build or age. Speaking or understanding another language which they had never learned before. Knowledge of things that are distant or hidden. Prediction of future events (sometimes through dreams). Levitation and moving of objects / things. Expelling of objects / things. Intense hatred and violent reaction toward all religious objects or items. Antipathy towards entering a church, speaking Jesus' name or hearing scripture. The demon may hold control over their physical body. Exorcism in Christianity (wiki).

Devil in My Car - The B-52's (youtube) - Help! The devil's in my car. Help! The devil's in my car. Help! The devil's in my car. Ho, devil's in my car, whoa please. Please! Leave me alone! We're really tearin' tar. We're goin' 90 miles an hour. Ho! He's drivin' me crazy. He's drivin' me to Hell now. He's pointing his pitchfork at me. He's in the front seat of my car! He's taking over! Ooh, he ripped my upholstery. He's at the wheel, Help! The devil's in my car. Help! He's drivin' too far. Ooh! Whoa! I can't lock the door, I can't put on my safety belt. There's nothing for me to do but yell help! Devil's in my car! I'm goin' to Hell in my old Chevrolet, I don't know which way. Oh, help! Devil's in my car! Yeah, yeah. He's gone too far. I won't see ya tomorrow. I won't see ya anymore. He's got his cloven hoof on the clutch. Oh! Ow! I'm sitting on his tail. Oh-oh, I don't want to go to Hell. (I don't want to go to the devil.) He's in my car, in my car, in my car. Oh-wah! The radio gives me static, There's nothing on my CB. Oh, help! the devil's in my car. Oh, he's in my car. He's in my car. The devil's in my car. We're turning off the road. Oh! Where ya taking me devil? Oh! He's grinning door to door. He's got his cloven hoof on the clutch. Help me! Oh, I don't want to go to Hell. (I don't want to go to the devil.) He's in my car. Freeway to Hell. We're burning up the road. Freeway to Hell. (Right through the tollbooth), we're burning up the road. (1980).

Runnin' With The Devil - Van Halen (youtube) - I live my life like there's no tomorrow, And all I've got, I had to steal, Least I don't need to beg or borrow, Yes I'm livin' at a pace that kills, Runnin' with the Devil. (1978).

Dies irae or the Day of Wrath, is a Latin chant or hymn. It is a Medieval Latin poem characterized by its accentual stress and rhymed lines. The metre is trochaic. The poem describes the Last Judgment, trumpet summoning souls before the throne of God, where the saved will be delivered and the unsaved cast into eternal flames. It is best known from its use in the Requiem (Mass for the Dead or Funeral Mass). An English version is found in various Anglican Communion service books. The first melody set to these words, a Gregorian chant, is one of the most quoted in musical literature, appearing in the works of many composers. The final couplet Pie Jesu has been often reused as an independent song. The sequence dates from at least the thirteenth century, though it is possible that it is much older, with some sources ascribing its origin to St. Gregory the Great (d. 604), Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153), or Bonaventure (1221–1274). (If you learn from your mistakes, you will live a better life or be in heaven. If you don't learn from your mistakes, you will live a difficult life, or be in hell).

Dorian mode can refer to three very different but interrelated subjects: one of the Ancient Greek harmoniai (characteristic melodic behaviour, or the scale structure associated with it), one of the medieval musical modes, or, most commonly, one of the modern modal diatonic scales, corresponding to the white notes from D to D, or any transposition of this.

Accentual verse has a fixed number of stresses per line regardless of the number of syllables that are present. It is common in languages that are stress-timed, such as English, as opposed to syllabic verse which is common in syllable-timed languages, such as French.

Church and State - Secular - Separate but Not Divided

Secular State is a state that claims to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion. But this is hard to prove since there is no definitive evidence that there is a clear separation of church and state, because these teachings can be very subtle and difficult to detect. Society has a belief system that is embedded in almost every school, university and institution, and also embedded in almost every media outlet. So there is no real separation, only a type of belief system that most people have no idea how it exists, or why it exists or who controls it? A secular state claims to treat all its citizens equally regardless of religion, and claims to avoid preferential treatment for a citizen from a particular religion or non-religion over other religions or non-religions. Secular states do not have a state religion, established religion or equivalent, although the absence of a state religion does not necessarily mean that a state is fully secular; however, a true secular state should steadfastly maintain national governance without influence from religious factions. But what about the influence of partisan political ideologies, or the influence of money? The root of all evil seems to be ignored, just like the ignorance of people is ignored. But of course that's not the only problem is it? We have this corruption problem too. Decisions need to be based on facts and scientific evidence because this gives us the best accuracy and also reduces mistakes, errors and corruption.

Secular are attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis. Not subject to or bound by religious rule and not belonging to or living in a monastic or other order. Atheism.

Secularity is the state of being separate from religion, or of not being exclusively allied with or against any particular religion.

Secularism is the principle of the separation of government institutions and persons mandated to represent the state from religious institutions and religious dignitaries. One manifestation of secularism is asserting the right to be free from religious rule and teachings, or, in a state declared to be neutral on matters of belief, from the imposition by government of religion or religious practices upon its people. Another manifestation of secularism is the view that public activities and decisions, especially political ones, should be uninfluenced by religious beliefs and/or practices. Separate does not mean closed minded or stubborn.

Secular Humanism embraces human reason, ethics, social justice, and philosophical naturalism while specifically rejecting religious dogma, supernaturalism, pseudoscience, and superstition as the bases of morality and decision making.

Secular Morality is the aspect of philosophy that deals with morality outside of religious traditions. Modern examples include humanism, freethinking, and most versions of consequentialism. Additional philosophies with ancient roots include those such as skepticism and virtue ethics.

Morals without Religion - Margaret K. Knight - Humanism Today

Deconsecration also called secularization, is the act of removing a religious blessing from something that had been previously consecrated by a minister or priest of that religion. The practice is usually performed on churches to be rendered to non-religious (secular) use or demolished.

Separation of Church and State is an illusion. When you have religious people working in the public sector, like teaching, administrating and governing, then there is no real separation of church and state, especially when they're so much alike. This is why there are religious symbols found in a lot of government buildings. Separation is almost impossible. So in a way the state is a church. And the state believes in controlling it's followers just like most religions do. The State Worships Money and they expect their followers to do the same. So the state is just like another form of religion where people live their lives in fear and worship a God they call money. So where is this separation? Shouldn't we just be separating the good ideas from the bad ideas? We should not blur the lines between good and bad. The state should not exploit religion, and religion should not exploit the state. There is collusion to a certain degree, so who's really in control? It's not a true democracy. And the constitution or human rights doesn't seem to make it into the conversation, especially when a religious person can use their religion as an excuse to be an as*hole to people and violate peoples rights. I don't think that "Thou should be an as*hole" is in any religious book. But some religious fanatics feel they can use their religion as a weapon and pretend to be above the law, which makes their religion look more like a terrorist organization than a religious organization. And this is not about respecting their religious beliefs, it's more about how ignorant they are, and that they use religion as their excuse for being ignorant, which there is no excuse, except for having a very low level of education and never educating themselves to acquire the most valuable knowledge and information that is currently available. Religious Freedom Bill is an example that there is no separation of Church and State. Giving religious people an excuse to discriminate and to humiliate people is just influencing more extremism and more terrorism, and just another way for the state to keep people divided. We need exemptions, as long as exemptions are not used as an ignorant excuse to commit a crime or as an excuse to put other people in danger. Factions - Sovereignty.

Separation of Church and State refers to the creation of a secular state, that is with or without legally explicit church–state separation and to disestablishment, or the changing of an existing formal relationship between the church and the state. Although the concept is older, the exact phrase "separation of church and state" is derived from "wall of separation between church and state", a term coined by Thomas Jefferson. The establishment clause separates church from state, but not religion from politics or public life. Individual citizens are free to bring their religious convictions into the public arena. But the government is prohibited from favoring one religious view over another or even favoring religion over non-religion. In a society, the degree of political separation between the church and the civil state is determined by the legal structures and prevalent legal views that define the proper relationship between organized religion and the state. The arm's length principle proposes a relationship wherein the two political entities interact as organizations each independent of the authority of the other. Right-Wing Media.

Arm's Length Principle is the condition or the fact that the parties of a transaction are independent and on an equal footing. Such a transaction is known as an "arm's-length transaction". It is used specifically in contract law to arrange an agreement that will stand up to legal scrutiny, even though the parties may have shared interests (e.g., employer–employee) or are too closely related to be seen as completely independent (e.g., the parties have familial ties). An arm's length relationship is distinguished from a fiduciary relationship, where the parties are not on an equal footing, but rather, power and information asymmetries exist.

The Lord is Not on Trial Here Today (video by Jay Rosenstein - PBS)

Vashti McCollum was the plaintiff in the landmark 1948 Supreme Court case McCollum v. Board of Education, which struck down religious education in public schools. The defendant in the case was the public school district of Champaign, Illinois; instructors chosen by three religious faiths had taught religion classes within the district's schools. McCollum wrote a book on the case, One Woman's Fight (1953), became a world traveler and served two terms as president of the American Humanist Association from 1962–1965. She was also a signer of the Humanist Manifesto II in October 1973 and the Humanist Manifesto III in 2003. In 1948 McCollum told The New York Times "As long as the public school is used to recruit the child or to segregate the children according to religion or to use the truancy power of the public schools to make them go to religions classes, I'm against it".(November 6, 1912 – August 20, 2006). - Released Time is time set aside during school hours, typically an hour a day or a week, for students to receive off-campus private religious education.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount

Golden Rule states that one should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself (positive or directive form). One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated (negative or prohibitive form). What you wish upon others, you wish upon yourself (empathic or responsive form).

Hortative are verbal expressions used by the speaker to encourage or discourage an action. Different hortatives can be used to express greater or lesser intensity, or the speaker's attitude, for or against it. The cohortative is a hortative modality in English. The cohortative is used for mutual encouragement or discouragement. it signals mutual encouragement for the speaker and the addressee(s). Imperative Mood is a grammatical mood that forms a command or request. Linguistic Modality is about a speaker's or a writer's attitude towards the world. A speaker or writer can express certainty, possibility, willingness, obligation, necessity and ability by using modal words and expressions. Speakers often have different opinions about the same thing. Meaning.

If you violate other peoples rights, then that means you're saying that other people can violate your rights, which means that you're inciting a war. Stopping this ignorant cycle of abuse begins with you. You can't use a belief as a reason or as evidence for another belief. No one is saying that you have to give up your beliefs, we are just saying that you should not use your beliefs as a reason not to learn or as a reason not to adapt. It's better to look keep looking for answers than pretending that you know the answers.

Apostasy is the state of having rejected your religious beliefs for your political party or a cause. The act of abandoning a party for cause. Apostasy is the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief. is the formal disaffiliation from, abandonment of, or renunciation of a religion by a person. Silence (2016_film) (wiki).

Religious Disaffiliation is the act of leaving a faith, or a religious group or community. It is in many respects the reverse of religious conversion.

Center for Inquiry is to foster a secular society based on science, reason, freedom of inquiry, and humanist values.

Roger Williams in theologian was a Puritan, an English Reformed theologian, and later a Reformed Baptist who was an early proponent of religious freedom and separation of church and state, and a supporter of members of the Free Will Baptist movement.

The Age of Reason was written by Thomas Paine who wrote about the corruption of the Christian Church and criticized its efforts to acquire political power. Paine advocates reason in the place of revelation, leading him to reject miracles and to view the Bible as "an ordinary piece of literature rather than as a divinely inspired text". It promotes natural religion and argues for the existence of a creator-God.

Judeo-Christian Ethics underpins American politics, law and morals has been part of the "American civil religion" since the 1940s. In recent years, the phrase has been associated with political conservatives.

Educators and their Political Leanings. Even though most educators keep a politically neutral front as part of their jobs, politics has a way of creeping into their classrooms through the text books they use and from school administration requirements. The teaching of ideological beliefs can be very subtle to the untrained teacher and student. But it's mostly the lack of knowledge and skills that schools fail to teach that ends up doing the most damage. Among actors and actresses, there are 90 Democrats for every 10 Republicans. Teachers are actually as liberal or even more so than those in acting. Among English teachers, there are 97 Democrats for every three Republicans, with the proportion being even more one-sided among health teachers, with 99 Democrats for every one Republican. While there are slightly more Republicans among math and science teachers, among high school teachers overall, there are 87 Democrats for every 13 Republicans. Forty one percent of respondents described themselves as Democrats while another 30 percent said they were independents. Just 27 percent were Republicans. Half the respondents voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Another 29 percent voted for Trump. Thirteen percent selected a third-party candidate. Forty three percent of the educators surveyed see themselves as moderate. The rest were slightly more likely to lean to the left than the right. Nearly 30 percent describe themselves as liberal or very liberal. Twenty seven percent view themselves as conservative or very conservative. Seventy percent give Republicans a "D" or an "F" for their handling of K-12 policy. Forty five percent give Democrats a "D" or "F." Each party gets an "A" from only 1 percent of respondents. Right-Wing Media.

State Religion is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. A state with an official religion, while not secular, is not necessarily a theocracy, a country whose rulers have both secular and spiritual authority. State religions are official or government-sanctioned establishments of a religion, but the state does not need be under the control of the religion (as in a theocracy) nor is the state-sanctioned religion necessarily under the control of the state.

State Atheism is the incorporation of positive atheism or non-theism into political regimes. It may also refer to large-scale secularization attempts by governments. It is a form of religion-state relationship that is usually ideologically linked to irreligion and the promotion of irreligion to some extent. State atheism may refer to a government's promotion of anti-clericalism, which opposes religious institutional power and influence in all aspects of public and political life, including the involvement of religion in the everyday life of the citizen. In some instances, religious symbols and public practices that were once held by religion were replaced with secularized versions. State atheism can also exist in a politically neutral fashion, in which case it is considered as non-secular.

Factions - Dissenting Religions - Religions Splitting

Schism is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a split in what had previously been a single religious body, such as the East–West Schism or the Great Western Schism. It is also used of a split within a non-religious organization or movement or, more broadly, of a separation between two or more people, be it brothers, friends, lovers, etc. A schismatic is a person who creates or incites schism in an organization or who is a member of a splinter group. Schismatic as an adjective means pertaining to a schism or schisms, or to those ideas, policies, etc. that are thought to lead towards or promote schism. Fragmented.

Multiple Beliefs - Cultural Changes - Adaptation - Diversity - Self Manage

Faction is a small organized dissenting group within a larger one. A state of conflict within an organization.

Divisions - Polarized - Subgroups of Society - Factions in the Republican Party

Sect is a subgroup of a religious, political, or philosophical belief system, usually an offshoot of a larger group.

Religious Denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.

New Religious Movement is a religious or spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture.

Religious Exclusivism is the doctrine or belief that only one particular religion or belief system is true. Denial.

Religious Conversion is the adoption of a set of beliefs identified with one particular religious denomination to the exclusion of others. Thus "religious conversion" would describe the abandoning of adherence to one denomination and affiliating with another. This might be from one to another denomination within the same religion.

Forced Conversion is the adoption of a different religion or the adoption of irreligion under duress. Someone who has been forced to convert to a different religion or irreligion may continue, covertly, to adhere to the beliefs and practices which were originally held, while outwardly behaving as a convert. Extremism - Cults.

Anti-Conversion Laws are enacted to protect people from forced conversions, or from being forced to abandon their religion or forced to join a religion. Those accused of fraudulently converting adults, minors or those from a marginalized community, will face a jail time or a fine. A person should not have the right to convert other person to one's own religion. Anti-conversion act criminalizes unlawful religious conversion and inter-faith marriages with the sole intention of changing someone's religion. Freedom of Religion - Religious Tolerance.

Religious Discrimination is treating a person or group differently because of the particular beliefs which they hold about a religion. This includes instances when adherents of different religions, denominations or non-religions are treated unequally due to their particular beliefs, either before the law or in institutional settings, such as employment or housing.

Religious Intolerance is intolerance of another's religious beliefs or practices or lack thereof. Mere statements which are contrary to one's beliefs do not constitute intolerance. Religious intolerance occurs when a group or person specifically refuses to tolerate another persons practices or beliefs based on their won religious beliefs. Hypocrite.

Intolerance is the unwillingness to recognize and respect differences in opinions or beliefs.

Religious Segregation is the separation of people according to their religion. The term has been applied to cases of religious-based segregation which occurs as a social phenomenon, as well as segregation which arises from laws, whether they are explicit or implicit. Secular State.

Heterodoxy are any opinions or doctrines at variance with an official or orthodox position.

Schism is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination.

Inculturation is the adaptation of the way Church teachings are presented to other, mostly non-Christian, cultures and, in turn, the influence of those cultures on the evolution of these teachings.

Defunct Religious Organizations (wiki)

Islamic Schools and Branches summarizes the different branches and schools in Islam. The best known split, into Sunni Islam, Shia Islam, and Kharijites, was mainly political at first but eventually acquired theological and jurisprudential dimensions. There are three traditional types of schools in Islam: schools of jurisprudence, Sufi orders and schools of theology. The article also summarizes major denominations and movements that have arisen in the modern era.

Abrahamic Religions are a group of Semitic-originated religious communities of faith that claim descent from the Judaism of the ancient Israelites and the worship of the God of Abraham. The Abrahamic religions are monotheistic, with the term deriving from the patriarch Abraham (a major biblical figure from the Old Testament, which is recognized by Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others).

Shia Islam is one of the two main branches of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor and the Imam (leader) after him, most notably at the event of Ghadir Khumm, but was prevented from the caliphate as a result of the incident of Saqifah. This view primarily contrasts with that of Sunni Islam, whose adherents believe that Muhammad did not appoint a successor and consider Abu Bakr, who they claim was appointed caliph by a small group of Muslims at Saqifah, to be the first rightful caliph after the Prophet. One of the most crucial differences between Shia and Sunni Muslims is the importance that the Shiites give to Ali, whom the Sunni do not recognize as being the prophet's rightful successor. Both sides agreed that Allah is the one true God and that Muhammad was his messenger, but one group (which eventually became the Shiites) felt Muhammad's successor should be someone in his bloodline, while the other (which became the Sunnis) felt a pious individual who would follow the Prophet's customs was acceptable. The Quran, together with hadith (especially those collected in Kutub al-Sittah) and binding juristic consensus, form the basis of all traditional jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. Sharia rulings are derived from these basic sources, in conjunction with analogical reasoning, consideration of public welfare and juristic discretion, using the principles of jurisprudence developed by the traditional legal schools.

Cultural Christian are nonreligious persons who adhere to Christian values and appreciate Christian culture. As such, these individuals usually identify themselves as culturally Christians, and are often seen by practicing believers as nominal Christians. This kind of identification may be due to various factors, such as family background, personal experiences, and the social and cultural environment in which they grew up.

Flawed Reasoning

When someone says that there's no proof of something, it could mean that someone is either lying or they're expressing a fallacy. All you can say is there is not enough evidence that you know of, or are aware of, that would support a particular belief. You have to look at all the evidence that is currently available and analyze the evidence very carefully. And you have to conclude that there's more questions that need to be answered, because the evidence that you do have, as far as you know, does not prove for certain a particular causality. And this also does not mean that there is other evidence that has not been looked at or carefully analyzed. To say that there's no proof would mean that all the evidence that is currently available indicates that something else may be the cause, and we should investigate this further. The absence of evidence does not prove anything. So you cannot use the absence of evidence as an excuse or as a reason to say something that you have no proof of. That type of reasoning is absurd and illogical. Pretending to know the answer is more dangerous than knowing that you do not have the answer. Your theory is not better than another theory if you never explain your theory. It's hard to prove that the universe and life on our planet just happened all by it self. So anyone can have a theory. And it's not just a theory if the theory itself stops people from learning and stops people from seeking knowledge and making new discoveries, especially knowing that every person alive today is the direct result of people learning and people seeking knowledge. So there is no point in pretending that we have learned everything that there is to know, and that there's no point in learning anymore, which is saying that there's no point to life or no point in living, which sounds like the devil talking. Of course we have a lot more to learn. And so we shall, for learning has brought us this far, so let's see how far we can go. If you believe something, you have to remember that the word believe means that there is no evidence or that there is a lack of evidence. Everyone needs to learn how to finish a sentence and stop pretending that they are saying something just because they used a few words. To say that there is no proof of God is a lie, and to say that there is proof of God is also a lie. All you can say is that you believe in God, and a belief means that there's no evidence or there is a lack of evidence. People need to stop pretending that they know something, and they need to start learning and start doing some research. People have to understand that people can say almost anything they want, because they know that people are gullible and naive. And conforming to someone else's lie only makes lies spread like a virus. Just because there is not enough evidence to arrest someone, this does not mean that someone is innocent and not guilty of committing that crime.

Justified True Belief states that in order to know that a given proposition is true, one must not only believe the relevant true proposition, but also have justification for doing so. In more formal terms, an agent S knows that a proposition P P is true if and only if: P is true. S believes that P is true, and S is justified in believing that P is true.

Two Wrongs don't make a Right - Invalid Argument - Heresy - Sin

No one likes a Dictator, but everyone is guilty of excepting what has been dictated to them.

When people use other peoples misused unverified information as a reason for them to spread their own form of misused unverified information, that is not only a contradiction and ironic, it's using lies to spread more lies. I don't mind people having theory's or beliefs, but people shouldn't pretend to be reinforcing their beliefs because someone else's misconstrued beliefs makes their beliefs look better. Other peoples bullshit doesn't make your bullshit any less bullshitty. Don't try to make your beliefs look better by comparing your beliefs to other peoples so called beliefs, compare your beliefs to knowledge and information that can be verified, or at the least, admit that you have a lack of verifiable knowledge and information.

I see no difference between a private faith school and a public school. Both are guilty of leaving out knowledge based on personal beliefs. Studying a religion is not bad. What is bad is not giving a child a complete education. When people exploit religious beliefs to fit their own style of personal beliefs, they only confirm that their version of knowledge and information is unreliable and manipulative. You can't enlighten people with Contradictions, and at the same time call it the Words of God.

You can't totally separate two things that are not totally defined, or definitive in themselves. You can only define the parts, and when you define the parts, you are not defining the whole, only the parts. And those particular parts can be compared to other parts from other ideas. And then you can define which qualities are better, or more logical, depending on it's use or application. Generalized ideas may seem to have differences, like science and religion, but there are always some connections between them and they will always intersect in one way or another. Racism (prejudice) - Conservative?

Pretending to be separate from Other People based solely on your personal belief is a cruel and deceitful lie. We are all "Other People". No religion or ethnic group can claim ownership of suffering, prejudice, murder or genocide, for these diseases have plagued all mankind from the beginning.

Even religious people can be corrupted by power, so not even God can save you from your own ignorance. Learning how to protect yourself from the corruptible influences of society is your responsibility, not God's. And every human on the planet shares that responsibility of learning. You learned how to believe in God, now you just have to learn how to believe in your own abilities, because no one will ever do that for you, not even God.

When peoples ignorance is improperly reinforced by their religious beliefs, or when they interpret things that only match the things they think they know, or when a person only hears one side of the story, or uses perceived popularity as some kind of measurement for value or truth, then that person will always be ignorant and they will never understand things the way the really are. This is another good reason why education needs to improve. We need to stop radicalizing people with these dumbed down education systems.

I'm not irreligion, I'm just not 100% affiliated with just one religion.

I love all religious people, but not for their religion, but for their commitment, their discipline, and their hope. I'm more interested in who they are as a person, and not just the nuances of their daily rituals. The ritual is one thing, the person is the other. I have lived long enough to know that the person is the most important, and not my perception of who I believe they are based on their beliefs. I just hope they do the same for me. I don't want to be defined with a word, but defined with several kind words.

I respect the beliefs of others but I do not agree with every belief that a person has or do I agree with every belief that a religion has. If a belief stops you from realizing logical solutions to problems and keeps you from having a clear understanding of knowledge and information, to the point where you cannot make logical decisions and choices, then that is a belief that I do not agree with. Knowledge and information gives you a greater awareness of yourself and the world, I have personally experienced this awareness in myself and have also witnessed this awareness in others. I cannot ignore cause and effect or can I ignore all the knowledge and information that our species has learned and acquired in the last two thousand years. I would not ask anyone to give up their beliefs. All I would ask is that we talk and listen to each other and share our knowledge and wisdom. We can learn a lot from each other. We may feel like we live on separate worlds, but we know that we don't.

I'm more interested in knowing whether a person knows the same things that I do. We don't have to believe in the same things or think the same way. We just have to know some of the same things. We have our personal beliefs, but we also have our knowledge and our life experiences. We can still benefit each other even though we don't believe in the same things, or believe in the same way. Because we will always have some commonality in our knowledge and in our experiences, enough to communicate effectively and efficiently. You shouldn't let your belief in God undervalue Humans or undervalue other people.

A persons religion is only one detail of many details that makes a person who they are. A person is a collection of their personal experiences. And how a person interpretes those experiences will determine their behaviors and expressions. A person is also a collection of the knowledge and information that they have acquired so far in their life. And how much a person has learned in their life will determine how much they will understand about themselves and the world around them. So what ever religion a person believes in, it is still just a small percentage of who you are as a person. I don't judge people for their hobbies, I judge people most by their character. Instead of criticizing someone's behavior, I would rather ask questions about their behaviors. My goal is to understand, not to assume or be passive.  

Having friends is like having witnesses to moments in your life. This is probably why so many people believe in a God. God is like having the ultimate witness to your life, someone who so it all. This is probably why so many people are nice to God. You don't want to make your best friend angry because God might reveal some of your life's most embarrassing moments, wouldn't that be funny? Sure beats going to hell. 

Death - After Life - Heaven

I believe in God, but I do not worship my belief. Beliefs are not made to be worshiped. Beliefs were created to give us hope in the absence of knowledge. And now that there is an abundance of knowledge, I have replaced many of my beliefs with knowledge. This process has certainly helped me to understand things a lot better. I will always believe in God, but I can not be so presumptuous in guessing what that means. Trying to express your own version of a fantasy does not convey enough useful information, unless you are just trying to entertain people like you would with a fairytale. So then your not so much a religion, but more of an entertainment facility where people pay a fee to play a part in a group fantasy. Preaching is not the same as teaching. We as Humans are really fortunate to have had so many people searching for truth in so many different directions. We have learned so much about ourselves and have learned so much about our world. Ignoring this information is not logical. We are all one big family living in a delicate system called earth. Do not let your beliefs blind you from the known world. Instead, let your beliefs live on in history. Preserving the past does not mean you have to live in the past.

Instead of giving me a puzzle made of words, why don't you just tell me what you're saying?

Thin Place: Where heaven meets earth. A thin place is a place of energy. A place where the veil between this world and the eternal world is thin. A thin place is where one can walk in two worlds. Thin places aren't perceived with the five senses. Experiencing them goes beyond those limits.

Thin Places - Overtoun Bridge (wiki) - Following the Leader could be Dangerous.

If you are truly trying to teach Moral Responsibility, then you certainly can't ignore the fact that there is a lot more information and knowledge in our world today then ever before. And this information and knowledge can definitely help explain the logic that is behind having Moral Responsibility or a having a Conscience. So it makes sense to update your knowledge-base, especially when other people depend on you and rely on you to help them, and also to help guide them through this world.

What's the difference between having an imaginary friend and believing in God?

What's the difference between compensation and believing that there is a heaven? Death.

Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || Spoken Word Poem (youtube)

There's nothing worse then a Perverted Interpretation of Information.

Tree of the Knowledge

If you were God, what would you do? 

What if you could never become the thing that you love the most, then what will you become?

If God created the Universe, then who created God?

And just where was God living before the Universe was even created?

If you could never imagine that you could be a God or be God like, then how God could exist? God had to learn how to be God, how else could someone become a God without learning what being a God is, or without learning what the responsibilities of being a God is. It must be a really good school. School of God or God University?

You give power to a leader because you can also be a leader. You allow others to teach you because you can also teach others, including yourself.

My Personal View on Religion

It is not that unusual to think outside yourself and believe in the possibility that you are not alone in life. I kind of feel that someone is out there, but that someone can be almost anything, and that something could exist on some other level or dimension that my senses are unable to understand. So what does this mean? There is something else, but I have no way of knowing what that something else is. So until then, I need to focus on the reality that is clearly in front of me. And if someone on the other side chooses to send me a message, then please do, I just hope that I will understand the message. So if there is a way to communicate or a way to open up a channel, then I guess that is something else that I will have to learn, which is no problem, because I like learning. Intelligent Design.

People love stories, especially stories about fantasies. People like to fantasize about what God may be like, everyone does it, it seems natural, and it's also fun to imagine fantastic levels of existence. So it's not bad, but some people tend to hold on to these stories as if they are true. No one should blame people for their beliefs or judge them in anyway. I understand that everyone needs something to hold on to, so who am I to say what that is. All I'm saying is that we should not use our beliefs to escape reality or try to separate ourselves from each other. We all share reality. And there are many things is this world that can distort reality. So we need to stay true to our reality, and also stay true to each other.

Most religions are a collection of stories about love, struggle and hope that expresses views about the human experience. Religious writings talk about a relationship with a Lord or a significant figure. Religious writings also talk about our relationship with the belief of a creator or God that resides beyond our comprehension. But Religions do not provide me with all the necessary knowledge that I need. So I spend more time outside the religious realm, but never to far away where I stop listening because some religious knowledge, sacred texts and ancient knowledge can be very useful to the right person at the right time. But this knowledge needs to be deciphered and correctly explained so that the symbolism, correlations and similarities are not confused with things that are just a coincidence.

It's a good idea not to live your whole life or plan your entire life solely based on your religion. There is so much more knowledge today then any other time in human history. And knowledge is extremely valuable when trying to understand yourself and the world around you. And Life has also changed tremendously since religions were written. The moral rules that now govern society need to be considered. A person can no longer use religion as the only excuse for a particular behavior or action. Religion should be more of a guide, and not used as a reason. Reasons are more accurate when based on facts and experience, and not exclusively based on beliefs.

"It is said that Men may not be the Dreams of the God, but rather that the Gods are the Dreams of Men."

"If you find evidence that one or more of your beliefs is a contradiction, then it doesn't necessarily say that your belief isn't true, all it is saying is that you can no longer say that those particular beliefs are considered to be true, not unless you prove that the contradiction is false, if so, then you can continue with your belief, or you can, find a new belief with less contradictions."

"Believing more in something doesn't make that something anymore real, you just make it more exaggerated." 

Story Telling - Hobbies

Exaggerated is making something to seem more important than it really is. To lie about certain details about something in order to persuade people to like what you are saying, like in marketing. To enlarge beyond bounds or the truth. The act of making something more noticeable than usual. Represented as greater than is true or reasonable.

Just because information contradicts your beliefs, this does not mean that your beliefs are totally wrong, it just means that the way you understood your beliefs to be true needs to be explained better so that there are no Contradictions.

I'm not so concerned about whether a person believes in God or does not believe in God. To me that is just one belief. I am way more concerned about all the other beliefs that a person may have or not have. For me, the more I know about someone the easier it is to understand them. Just knowing someone's religion tells me very little about them.

"Although the unconscious slavery of modern man to the industrial age is a serious matter, the emancipation of mankind from physical and economic slavery is a comparatively easy affair. The real slavery, because it is the most cruel and destructive of all, is the intellectual bigotry which claims to possess an exclusive monopoly on all truth. It is people obsessed by such a belief who, when they happen to be in a position of material power, hasten the downfall of a laboriously built civilization or the disintegration of a living religion. Man can be redeemed from all types of bondage — physical, mental, spiritual, social, political, moral — sooner or later. But the redemption of man from the self-imposed shackles of intellectual self-sufficiency, uncritically accepted ideals and a dry religious heritage is a task which is well-nigh superhuman. Here is the real task of the aspirant: to pierce through his own layers of self-imposed self-sufficiency and insensitivity so that he may expose a layer of vital awareness to the world about him, which would teach him if it could." Meher Baba.

"Why is there suffering? What gives my life meaning? Is forgiveness possible? These types of questions cannot be correctly answered by the church, they are better answered by scholarly research and intelligent collaboration."

“Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one” - (Bruce Lee).

Bias, prejudice, discriminate, selective, everyone is a contradiction to themselves. We don't use logic as much as we should. It seems we have a separate set of rules and values for our beliefs, as if they some how defy logic. This is an error that everyone makes, so this is not unusual. I see people apply logical thinking to several areas of their life, but I also see them not using the same process of logical thinking in other areas of their life. We are selecting when to use logic, and we don't fully understand how to use logic effectively. We want people to hang on to their beliefs, but we also want people to understand their beliefs, so they're more aware and more knowledgeable about themselves and the world around them. I can prey to God and be intelligent at the same time.

God is Knowledge - Knowledge is God - I was Blind but Now I See

We know that information and knowledge is extremely important to everyone's wellbeing, so you could very well say that in a way, God is Information, Information is God. How else could have known that God even existed if no one communicated this information to you? How else could have known that God existed if no one wrote this information in a book? The wealth gained from knowledge is tremendous. The potential for good is immense. And the dumbing down of education is catastrophic, which is Anti-God and Anti-Life. Anti is not in favor of. A person who is opposed or against something.

Keep learning, if not for your own sake, Keep learning for God's sake. Learning is something of great importance, so you can almost go as far as saying that, " God is Learning, Learning is God ". The Revelation is that the Words of Knowledge is our Salvation. And the The Holy Grail of Knowledge is finally in our reach, thank God! "God is Life, Life is God." God is like a Super Hero and an Inspiration.

Sake is a reason for wanting something done or the purpose of achieving or obtaining. 

Learning something new and important is like being born again, it frees you from uncertainty, while at the same time, opens your eyes to more possibilities. Updating Beliefs.

Possibilities is a future prospect or potential. Capability of existing or happening or being true. A possible alternative.

Opportunities is a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances, like learning something valuable.

Salvation is saving someone from harm or from an unpleasant situation. A means of preserving from harm or unpleasantness. The state of being saved or preserved from harm. Salvation in theology is the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil.

What Moses really said was "Let my people go, go to school, so they can worship knowledge instead of false beliefs, and let people serve every man, women and child as God has intended, as well as, let people take care of our precious planet that God has given to us all and has also given to all other life forms that we share life with on this amazing planet that we all call home. Let my people go and let them be free, free from ignorance and free to educate themselves to the highest degree."

The Exodus was to escape from a hostile environment, an environment that was derived from ignorance. But the ignorance followed us and we did not escape its wrath. So this time, we will not run, we will defeat this enemy, so no matter were we go, we will always be free. So let us part this sea of ignorance, and only let it collapse and drown those who stop learning. Rosh Hashanah (wiki).

To be a disciple is to be a follower and a student of knowledge and information. For we are all apprentices of knowledge and information, and we are all on an endless journey of discovery, a journey that will one day lead us to God, or one day, lead God to us.

Disciple is someone who believes and helps to spread the doctrine of another. Doctrine is a system of beliefs.

God is knowledge. Knowledge will bring you closer to God. Learn the worlds most valuable knowledge. Proverbs.

The more you learn about life the more fantastic life gets. life is absolutely mind blowing. Even though there are some things that you learn about our world that are disturbing and painful, it's all the other amazing things that you learn about that drives you to want to know more and understand more. Knowledge is Power, but not just the power of control, the power that comes from knowledge is in the form of energy, pure energy. And energy is the driving force of the universe, without energy life could not exist. So maybe God is Energy and Energy is God. And if not, it doesn't matter, because I'm going to find out what the truth is eventually, because I'm never going to stop learning. So ready or not, here I come.

Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in northeastern Greece and an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism.

Revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities.

"God is not an old man in the clouds, God is everything. But I guess if God wanted to be an old man in the clouds, then I guess God could be an old man in the clouds, after all, God is everything."

Adam and Eve were not banished from the Garden of Eden, they just failed to understand the responsibilities of knowledge, and that learning needs to be fully understood. It is not forbidden to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge, it's just that there are many dangers and vulnerabilities if the responsibilities of knowledge are never fully understood. Sin is a product of ignorance. Idle hands are the devil's workshop, and idle minds is where the devil can take control. Keep learning my friends.

knowledge and information have been here since the beginning of human existence. And religion is an interpretation of some of the things that we have learned from knowledge and information. Religion is one of many steps that humans have taken in human history, and we have many more steps to take. You don't have to desert God in order to learn more about what God has given you.

Galileo Galilei: Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany, 1615. - I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with senses, reason and intellect has intended us to forego their use and by some other means to give us knowledge which we can attain by them. He would not require us to deny sense and reason in physical matters which are set before our eyes and minds by direct experience or necessary demonstrations. This must be especially true in those sciences of which but the faintest trace (and that consisting of conclusions) is to be found in the Bible. Of astronomy; for instance, so little is found that none of the planets except Venus are so much as mentioned, and this only once or twice under the name of "Lucifer." If the sacred scribes had had any intention of teaching people certain arrangements and motions of the heavenly bodies, or had they wished us to derive such knowledge from the Bible, then in my opinion they would not have spoken of these matters so sparingly in comparison with the infinite number of admirable conclusions which are demonstrated in that science. Far from pretending to teach us the constitution and motions of the heavens and other stars, with their shapes, magnitudes, and distances, the authors of the Bible intentionally forbore to speak of these things, though all were quite well known to them. Such is the opinion of the holiest and most learned Fathers, and in St. Augustine we find the following words: " . . .Hence let it be said briefly, touching the form of heaven, that our authors knew the truth but the Holy Spirit did not desire that men should learn things that are useful to no one for salvation."

"It's not just what you do in your life, it's what you have learned in your life. Did you learn more then the previous generation? And will your knowledge benefit the next generation? That's eternal life, that's the key to the gates of heaven. It's not so much your actions in life, it's the value of the knowledge that you shared. That's the reason why all life survives. The strongest genes survive, and not what those genes did for a living. But there is one seed that has the ability to trump all seeds, that's the seed of knowledge. Humans don't have to totally rely on just their genes for survival, they have this extra ability to learn, even more then plants and animals do. But the act of learning has become an enigma for humans. We need to correct this if we want to survive."

Enigma is something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained. A difficult problem.

"With every deed you are sowing a seed, though the harvest you may not see."

Why do People Believe?

Catharism was a Christian dualist or Gnostic revival movement that thrived in some areas of Southern Europe, particularly what is now northern Italy and southern France, between the 12th and 14th centuries. "the pure [ones]".

Gnosticism or having knowledge is a collection of ancient religious ideas and systems which originated in the first century AD among early Christian and Jewish sects. These various groups emphasised personal spiritual knowledge (gnosis) over orthodox teachings, traditions, and ecclesiastical authority. Gnostic cosmogony generally presents a distinction between a supreme, hidden God and a malevolent lesser divinity responsible for creating the material universe. Viewing this material existence as flawed or evil, Gnostics considered the principal element of salvation to be direct knowledge of the supreme divinity in the form of mystical or esoteric insight. Many Gnostic texts deal not in concepts of sin and repentance, but with illusion and enlightenment.

God is Brilliant

You don’t need religion to believe in God..do you? No matter how much you can decipher this world and no matter how much you can explain and understand about this world, you still can’t help but feel just how freaking incredible life is at times. How could you not feel that you are a part of something that is greater then yourself, especially in those moments of grandeur and inspiration? I can’t say that you will meet God when you die because how do you know if death is the final stage. I mean it would be nice to know that God will greet you when you die, but we are talking about God, and how could you be so presumptuous when talking about God? If I do see God when I die I would like to shake God’s hand and say “Wow! You really know how to mess with someone’s head” “That was just one freaking incredible experience that I will never forget” “How did you ever come up with this?” “You’re freaking brilliant God, just freaking brilliant!”

"God is Great" “Now what’s next God, or should I even dare to ask?” What If ?

Too Many Open Ended Questions? A closed-ended question contrasts with an open-ended question, which cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no", or with a specific piece of information, and which gives the person answering the question scope to give the information that seems to them to be appropriate. Open-ended questions are sometimes phrased as a statement which requires a response.

Moody Blues - Question (youtube)

Noah's Ark - Knowledge Ark - Ark Replica

The second coming of Christ or savior may not be in the form of a human, it just may be in the form of a mass awareness or mass spiritual awakening. Because we all know, we do not need another leader, or someone to deliver us from evil. What we need is knowledge. The knowledge that our Lord and God has been trying to bestow on us from the beginning. So the second coming may not be something that you will see with your eyes, but something that you will feel with your heart.

To say that there must be a God just because life is incredibly amazing, is illogical. Just because you believe that there must be a creator, to call the creator a God is illogical. To call anyone or anything a God is illogical, mostly because you cannot accurately define what God is because descriptions are not explanations. So what would you call something that you don't understand? I would use the 3 most powerful words in the universe, which are "I don't know." Because you have to admit that you don't know things in order to start the process of knowing. Pretending that you know something means that you will never know. Because if you stop asking questions because you believe that you know the answer, that means that you will never know the answer, and most likely, you will never know God.

"I see a day that all churches will be more then a place of prayer, refuge, hope and deities, but a place that will also become a symbol of knowledge and information."

"One of the greatest experiences is learning from other people, I'm nothing without you, or me or everyone. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is us. The Mother, the Daughter and the Holy Spirit, is us. Without each other, there's nothing, no one exists without the other."

"life is not about suppression, life is about expression. This is how we have survived and learned from the beginning of time. And as a result, everyone alive today is an expression."

Express is precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable; leaving nothing to implication. Articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise. Indicate through a symbol, formula, etc.. Manifest the effects of (a gene or genetic trait)

My Favorite Religious Songs

Jesus Christ Superstar (youtube) (the entire album)
Spirit in the Sky: Norman Greenbaum (youtube)
The Mamas and the Papas: Dedicated to the one I love (youtube)
Grand Funk Railroad: I can feel him in the Morning (youtube)

Carl Orff - O Fortuna ~ Carmina Burana (youtube)
Carmina Burana (Orff) is a scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936, based on 24 poems from the medieval collection Carmina Burana. Its full Latin title is Carmina Burana.
Carmina Burana is the name given to a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century.
O Fortuna is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem written early in the 13th century.
Carl Orff's O Fortuna in Popular Culture.

Amazing Grace (Lyrics) - Susan Boyle (youtube) - Scottish Bagpipes - Amazing Grace (youtube)

There's a lot of Music that has come from religion. Religion and Music.

Religious Music is music performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. Ritual music is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as ritual. Christian Music Artists (wiki) - Atheists in Music List (wiki).

Church Music is music written for performance in church, or any musical setting of ecclesiastical liturgy, or music set to words expressing propositions of a sacred nature, such as a hymn.

Meditation vs. Praying - Spirituality

Spirituality is an individual's search for meaning and purpose in life. Spirituality is distinct from organized religion in that spirituality does not necessarily need a religious framework. That is, one does not necessarily need to follow certain rules, guidelines or practices to be spiritual, but an organized religion often has some combination of these in place. People who report themselves to be spiritual people may not observe any specific religious practices or traditions. Spirituality can also refer to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape of man," oriented at "the image of God" as exemplified by the founders and sacred texts of the religions of the world. Spiritual Leaders.

Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. May take place in public or in private. Involves the use of words, song or complete silence. When language is used, prayer may take the form of a hymn, incantation, formal creedal statement, or a spontaneous utterance in the praying person. Grace - Blessing.

Pray is to address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship.

Supplication or Invocation is a prayer asking God's help or a humble request for help. The act of communicating with a deity, sometimes as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving.

Amen means "so be it", usually uttered at the end of a prayer or hymn. It is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. It is found in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim worship as a concluding word or response to prayers. Common English translations of the word amen include "verily" and "truly". It can also be used colloquially to express strong agreement, as in, for instance, amen to that.

When we pray, are we just asking ourselves a question? Would we be more responsible if we just excepted that we are the ruler of our lives? Not to say that we are alone, just saying that we need to take control of our lives and become the leader of our soul, instead of transferring our responsibilities to outside entities. But I guess it doesn't hurt to ask the universe for a little help now and then, or ask God for a sign. It's worth a shot, or a prayer. Some people can live on a prayer.

Mindfulness - Homage - Chant - Mantra - Proverbs - Mythology

Prayer Flag is a colorful rectangular cloth, often found strung along mountain ridges and peaks high in the Himalayas. They are used to bless the surrounding countryside and for other purposes. The prayer flag is a symbol for 5 elements.

Sermon is an address of a religious nature usually delivered during a church service. A talk on a religious or moral subject, especially one given during a church service and based on a passage from the Bible. A sermon is an oration or lecture by a preacher. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. Elements of the sermon often include exposition, exhortation, and practical application.

What are the differences and similarities between Meditation and Salah? They both make you concentrated and focused on what is important to you. They both wipe out unwanted thoughts. They both calm you down by increasing your control over your thoughts. They both give you little extra confidence and fulfillment by giving you the feeling of achievement (on overcoming a daily challenge). They both need high attention to be done correctly. They both can be done in group.

Differences: Salat can be considered as meditation, but meditation is not salah. In mediation you give your attention to your breath, any chanting you want, your instructor or your object of meditation, but in Salah you have to give your attention to the verses and to Islam's god. The goal of meditation can be varied, from reaching tranquility of mind to solving a problem to satisfying a god(in traditional methods), salah is to satisfy Allah only. If you skip your meditation you will not feel guilty, but if you skip salah you will feel guilty and you have to do the skipped salah. You don't have to be religious to meditate, but you have to be a Muslim to do salah. Meditation times can be defined by yourself while salah times are predefined. Meditation can be as short as 5 min up to one hour or more, salah be very fast if you can say verses fast (with less attention) and it can take longer if you choose long verses (normally not more than 15 minutes in any case). You can listen to music in meditation but that is not a good idea for doing salah. You can practice meditation under a female instructor (couch, teacher or guru) but you cannot have a female leader for group salah. Meditation doesn't motivate you toward a specific goal while salah gives you motivation to follow Islam and obey Allah. You can talk or move during meditation, but movements and chants are restricted in salah.

Hallelujah is a shout or song of praise to God.

Piety is the quality of being religious or reverent. A virtue which may include religious devotion, spirituality, or a mixture of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility, which is a lack of false pride.

Litany is a prayer consisting of a series of invocations by the priest with responses from the congregation. A series of petitions for use in church services or processions, usually recited by the clergy and responded to in a recurring formula by the people. A form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions. Litany is any long and tedious address or recital. Incantation.

Day By Day - Robin Lamont - Godspell (1973) - Oh dear Lord, three things I pray, May I know Thee more clearly, Love Thee more dearly, Follow Thee more nearly, day by day.

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Conformity

Conformity is the act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to a group, like a child who imitates other people in order to fit in. Mimic.

Social Conformity is when people have different opinions in a group but they often adjust their own attitudes and behaviors to match the group opinion, thus end up being submissive and lacking individuality and creativity.

Don't Confuse Conformity with Working Together. We should see conformity as a behavior that can be illogical and extremely risky to society when used incorrectly. We need consistency and reliability, but when behavior becomes submissive and dependent on what is perceived to be popular, then that restricts learning and development, which are two extremely important activities for every human being on this planet earth. When each of us reinforces bad behavior, we become part of the problem. When conformity stops a person from questioning things, then this puts the whole system at risk. And when a persons questions are never heard, a tragic accident may occur. When foresight is blinded by a conformist behavior, or by the fear of being called a nonconformist, then progress and adaptation are impeded, and life becomes stagnant and vulnerable to suffering and death, which is clearly the state that we are still in today in 2020. When everyone thinks the same way and looks the same way, then diversity and creative thinking is lost. How do know right from wrong if everyone is wrong? People with good paying jobs can be the most dangerous conformists. They can be afraid to speak up in fear of losing their good paying job. It's like they have been bought. They took the bribe and sold out and swallowed their pride. They turned their back on honor, and people died. "I would rather live standing up against injustice than to die on my knees as a coward. It's better to die standing than to live on your knees." Non-Conformity is being unique and authentic and not wanting to be boxed in order to just to fit in and to be accepted. Do I need validation?

Monkey See, Monkey Do is a saying that refers to the learning of a process without an understanding of why it works. Another definition implies the act of mimicry, usually with limited knowledge and/or concern for the consequences.

Romans 12:2 (English Standard Version) - Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do refers to the importance of conforming yourself to the customs of the people who are in a certain place or situation and behave like they do.

Social Validation is a psychological phenomenon where one or more passive individuals follow or conform to the actions of others within a group.

Social Influences - Popularity - Confidence - Auto Pilot - Status Quo

Communal Reinforcement is a social phenomenon in which a concept or idea is repeatedly asserted in a community, regardless of whether sufficient empirical evidence has been presented to support it. Over time, the concept or idea is reinforced to become a strong belief in many people's minds, and may be regarded by the members of the community as fact. Often, the concept or idea may be further reinforced by publications in the mass media, books, or other means of communication. The phrase "millions of people can't all be wrong" is indicative of the common tendency to accept a communally reinforced idea without question, which often aids in the widespread acceptance of factoids. A very similar term to this term is community-reinforcement, which is a behavioral method to stop drug addiction.

Mainstream is the prevalent current thought that is widespread. It includes all popular culture and media culture, typically disseminated by mass media. This word is sometimes used in a pejorative sense by subcultures who view ostensibly mainstream culture as not only exclusive but artistically and aesthetically inferior. It is to be distinguished from subcultures and countercultures, and at the opposite extreme are cult followings and fringe theories. In the United States, mainline churches are sometimes referred to synonymously as "mainstream."

Being narrow minded is similar to conformity when you're conforming to a belief. Conforming is not the same as adapting. Adapting is learning how to live, conforming is not learning how to live but just waiting to die. Everything that you have is from ancestors learning how to live. And now you want to throw it all away and ignorantly assume that you're preserving something. Peer Reviewed or Peer Refused?

Orthodoxy is the adherence to accepted norms or creeds imposed by some institution, without question or debate, which could put limits on development and improvements.

Conformity does not say that the behaviors are wrong or right. You can say what the norms are, but these norms do not explain the reasons why they are excepted? And just because Laws are written does not mean that they can't be challenged or debated, which is one of the main reasons for a Democracy. And just because you follow a law does not mean that you're conforming, it could just mean that you understand that if everyone follows certain rules, we will have less problems and less chaos. When people don't follow the rules we have Crimes. And sometimes peoples conformity can turn into obsessive behavior. This is why diversity is important, especially diversity in thinking.

When people conform to the influences of ignorant people, then ignorant things will happen, and people will ignorantly help spread more ignorance. How The US Government Kept A Town Of 75,000 People Secret and in the dark about what they were doing. The same thing is happening to the other 300 million Americans who have no clue what is going on. Oak Ridge, Tennessee (wiki).

When you are not fully aware of everything or have a full understanding about the true state of reality, you are vulnerable.

As far as you know - Do you think that you Know Enough?

Inadvertently is to do something unknowingly and unwittingly without knowledge or intention.

Nationalism or Patriotism needs to be defined in order to avoid manipulation. 

Drinking the Kool-Aid is a phrase that describes a persons unquestioning obedience or loyalty to someone or something. This expression is commonly used to refer to a person who believes in a possibly doomed or dangerous idea because of perceived potential high rewards. People who are willing to die for their ignorance. It can also mean the acceptance of an idea or changing a preference due to popularity, peer pressure, or persuasion. Everyone is drinking a Poison Cocktail.

Social Contract is when individuals have consented, either explicitly or tacitly, to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority (of the ruler, or to the decision of a majority) in exchange for protection of their remaining rights or maintenance of the social order. Polarized.

Group Cohesiveness arises when bonds link members of a social group to one another and to the group as a whole. Although cohesion is a multi-faceted process, it can be broken down into four main components: social relations, task relations, perceived unity, and emotions. Members of strongly cohesive groups are more inclined to participate readily and to stay with the group.

Social Group can be defined as two or more people who interact with one another, share similar characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity. Other theorists disagree however, and are wary of definitions which stress the importance of interdependence or objective similarity. Instead, researchers within the social identity tradition generally define it as "a group is defined in terms of those who identify themselves as members of the group". Regardless, social groups come in a myriad of sizes and varieties. For example, a society can be viewed as a large social group.

Social Isolation a state of complete or near-complete lack of contact between an individual and society. It differs from loneliness, which reflects temporary and involuntary lack of contact with other humans in the world. Social isolation can be an issue for individuals of any age, though symptoms may differ by age group. Social isolation has similar characteristics in both temporary instances and for those with a historical lifelong isolation cycle. All types of social isolation can include staying home for lengthy periods of time, having no communication with family, acquaintances or friends, and/or willfully avoiding any contact with other humans when those opportunities do arise.

Fit in or F*ck Off is an informal reference to a controversial human resources philosophy whereby the employee is expected to conform to the prevailing organizational norms or get fired. It is also used to impose conformity to perceived racial, national, gender or societal norms.

Fall in Line is conform with others with accepted behavior. Passive.

Sheep is a person who is too easily influenced or led. Sheep is also a domesticated ruminant animal with a thick woolly coat and (typically only in the male) curving horns. It is kept in flocks for its wool or meat, and is proverbial for its tendency to follow others in the flock.

Sublimation Psychology is a mature type of defense mechanism, in which socially unacceptable impulses or idealizations are transformed into socially acceptable actions or behavior, possibly resulting in a long-term conversion of the initial impulse.

You will be much better off if you are more of a reformist than a conformist.

Identity in social science is the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks and/or expressions that make a person (self-identity) or group (particular social category or social group).The process of identity can be creative or destructive.

Shared Information Bias is when people in groups, discuss common, shared information with more time and energy. In other words, they like to talk about topics everybody is familiar with and therefore avoid new information. Consensus feels good. The result is that everybody is less informed, leading to worse decisions.

Familiarity Heuristic is an easy-to-compute procedure or "rule of thumb" that people use when forming beliefs, judgments or decisions. The familiar is favored over novel places, people, things. The familiarity heuristic can be applied to various situations that individuals experience in day-to-day life. When these situations appear similar to previous situations, especially if the individuals are experiencing a high cognitive load, they may regress back to the state of mind in which they have felt or behaved before. This heuristic is useful in most situations and can be applied to many fields of knowledge, however, there are both positives and negatives to this heuristic as well.

Don't let Patriotism or Nationalism Blind You. To many times people have had there Loyalty and their Love of Country exploited by governments and corporations.

Sometimes I feel like that guy in the Midnight Express Movie walking in the opposite direction of everyone else. (youtube)
Midnight Express (1978 Film) (wiki).

Pluralistic Ignorance is a situation in which a majority of group members privately reject a norm, but incorrectly assume that most others accept it, and therefore go along with it. This is also described as "no one believes, but everyone thinks that everyone believes." In short, pluralistic ignorance is a bias about a social group, held by that social group.

Staunch is being firm and dependable especially in loyalty. Stubborn.

Life Stance is their relation with what they accept as being of ultimate importance. It involves the presuppositions and theories upon which such a stance could be made, a belief system, and a commitment to potentially working it out in one's life.

World View is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the entirety of the individual or society's knowledge and point of view.

Social Influences - Do you know the Status Quo, or just Pretending to Know?

Cultural Bias occurs when people of a culture make assumptions about conventions, including conventions of language, notation, proof and evidence. They are then accused of mistaking these assumptions for laws of logic or nature. Numerous such biases exist, concerning cultural norms for color, location of body parts, mate selection, concepts of justice, linguistic and logical validity, acceptability of evidence, and taboos.

Group Polarization refers to the tendency for a group to make Decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclination of its members. These more extreme decisions are towards greater risk if individuals' initial tendencies are to be risky and towards greater caution if individuals' initial tendencies are to be cautious. The phenomenon also holds that a group's attitude toward a situation may change in the sense that the individuals' initial attitudes have strengthened and intensified after group discussion, a phenomenon known as attitude polarization.

Attitude Polarization the tendency of people to search for and interpret evidence selectively, to reinforce their current beliefs or attitudes. Confirmation bias.

Finishing School is a school for young women that focuses on teaching social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects that it follows on from ordinary school and is intended to complete the education, with classes primarily on deportment and etiquette, with academic subjects secondary. It may consist of an intensive course, or a one-year programme. In the United States it is sometimes called a charm school. Graeme Donald claims that the educational ladies' salons of the late 19th century led to the formal, finishing institutions evidenced in Switzerland around that time. At their peak, thousands of wealthy young women were sent to the dozens of finishing schools available. A primary goal was to teach students to acquire husbands. The 1960s marked the decline of the finishing school. This can be attributed to the shifting conceptions of women's role in society, as well as succession issues within the typically family-run schools and sometimes commercial pressures driven by the high value of the properties the schools occupied. The 1990s saw a revival of the finishing school, although the business model has been radically altered. Arranged Marriage.

Public Opinion is a term used that tries to guess what the majority of the people have an opinion on a particular subject. You can say that a poll was taken and here are the results, but a poll does not tell you if everyone understood the question accurately, which makes this type of evidence unreliable. Same goes for Voting.

Mere Exposure Effect is a psychological phenomenon by which people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them. In social psychology, this effect is sometimes called the familiarity principle. The effect has been demonstrated with many kinds of things, including words, Chinese characters, paintings, pictures of faces, geometric figures, and sounds. In studies of interpersonal attraction, the more often a person is seen by someone, the more pleasing and likeable that person appears to be. Mere-Exposure Effect.

Because most peoples lives are very busy and filled with lots of things to do, they never seem to have the time to stop to think and they never stop to analyze themselves and the world around them. Peoples worlds are so localized, and they never think about the outside world, only what is happening around them. People can't see the whole picture because you never learned how to stop and take a look around. Understanding the world as a whole requires a person to educate themselves to a high degree.

Generations - History (ages) - Genealogy

Everyone sees things a little differently. We only see things the same way, or in similar ways, when other people have the same knowledge and the same information that you do, and also understands that knowledge and information similar to the way that you understand it. Not everyone has the same knowledge and information, which means that not everyone will see things in the exact same way that you do. This is one of the main reasons why education needs to improve. If everyone had a high quality education and shared a lot of the same knowledge, information and understanding, then everyone would see eye to eye with greater accuracy, and also understand the world with greater accuracy. But when almost every human is undereducated as they are now, then everyone will be similar in ignorance. Humans have relied way to much on Conformity as a measurement of Reality. Conformity is good, but conformity can also be extremely dangerous. When we see a crowd of people acting similar, we can then say since all the people have the same behavior, like sitting and talking peacefully, then we can assume that there are no immediate threats or dangers. With animals, if one animal starts running then this sounds an alert to the other animals in the herd that something dangerous is near. But in a crowd of humans, if only one person was running in a crowd, then we would most likely not think that there is any danger, it's only when several people are running do humans sense danger. But what if only one person was right and only one human knew about a threat or danger, how would you know? You would have to have a better awareness and the necessary knowledge and information that is needed in order to accurately analyze that particular situation. You need to think for yourself, and not rely totally on the awareness of others or the knowledge of others. If everyone is using conformity then who's' doing the actual thinking?

Patience and Tolerance without Acceptance - Enabling

Norms are cultural products (including values, customs, and traditions) which represent individuals' basic knowledge of what others do and think that they should do. Sociologists describe norms as informal understandings that govern individuals' behavior in society. On the other hand, social psychology has adopted a more general definition, recognizing smaller group units, such as a team or an office, may also endorse norms separate or in addition to cultural or societal expectations. In other words, norms are regarded to exist as collective representations of acceptable group conduct as well as individual perceptions of particular group conduct. You can say that norms are implicit, unsaid rules, because that would be ignorant. Who said and Why?

Social Norms (morality)

Convention norm is a set of agreed, stipulated, or generally accepted standards, norms, social norms, or criteria, often taking the form of a custom. Certain types of rules or customs may become law and regulatory legislation may be introduced to formalize or enforce the convention (for example, laws that define on which side of the road vehicles must be driven). In a social context, a convention may retain the character of an "unwritten law" of custom (for example, the manner in which people greet each other, such as by shaking each other's hands). In physical sciences, numerical values (such as constants, quantities, or scales of measurement) are called conventional if they do not represent a measured property of nature, but originate in a convention, for example an average of many measurements, agreed between the scientists working with these values.

Many aspects of society have Cult like Characteristics. Some jobs are cult like, some schools are cult like, some organizations are cult like, the media is cult like, the justice system is cult like and so on. People who have been in cults, and have left cults, still have no idea that they still may be in a cult, whether it's a family cult, political cult, belief cult, or any kind of blind following where people fail to question the accuracy of the goals and purpose of their group. Even an entire country can be a Cult, like North Korea. North Koreans are of course good people. But they have no ideas that they are in a cult because information and knowledge is strictly controlled, just like in America and other countries, except not to that extreme degree, but still with devastating consequences. So you see, if you control information and knowledge, you can control an entire country, and even control almost every person on the planet to a certain degree.

Accessory to a Crime - Bullying

Whether to float with the tide, or to swim for a goal?

Standard is a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated. The ideal in terms of which something can be judged. Conforming to or constituting a standard of measurement or value; or of the usual or regularized or accepted kind. Established or well-known or widely recognized as a model of authority or excellence. Conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers. Regularly and widely used or sold.

"To be adjusted to a sick society is to be sick without knowing that you're sick because you act the same and look the same as everyone else."

"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986).

"These millions of abnormally normal people, living without fuss in a society to which, if they were fully human beings, they ought not to be adjusted, still cherish "the illusion of individuality," but in fact they have been to a great extent deindividualized." Aldous Leonard Huxley (1894 – 1963).

Mimicking

Mimic is to imitate someone and copy their actions or words. Mimic of an animal or plant is to resemble or imitate another animal or plant in order to deter predators or for camouflage.

Conforming - Mocking - Two Faced - Influenced - Echolalia

Mirroring (child development) - Bio-Mimicry - Artificial Intelligence

Conformity can very well be an inbred or inherited behavioral trait that helps people to avoid being detected by predators. But when people don't fully understand innate behaviors, they may misinterpret these behaviors and end up doing themselves more harm than good.

Mimicry functions to protect a species from predators by resembling other species so they are seen as not a threat or seen as something that is not good to eat. The resemblances that evolve in mimicry can be visual, acoustic, chemical, tactile, or electric, or combinations of these sensory modalities. Mimicry may be to the advantage of both organisms that share a resemblance, in which case it is a form of mutualism; or mimicry can be to the detriment of one, making it parasitic or competitive. The evolutionary convergence between groups is driven by the selective action of a signal-receiver or dupe. Birds, for example, use sight to identify palatable insects, whilst avoiding the noxious ones. Over time, palatable insects may evolve to resemble noxious ones, making them mimics and the noxious ones models. In the case of mutualism, sometimes both groups are referred to as "co-mimics". It is often thought that models must be more abundant than mimics, but this is not so. Mimicry may involve numerous species; many harmless species such as hoverflies are Batesian mimics of strongly defended species such as wasps, while many such well-defended species form Mullerian mimicry rings, all resembling each other. Mimicry between prey species and their predators often involves three or more species.

Anti-Predator Adaptation is avoiding detection through mechanisms such as camouflage, masquerade, apostatic selection, living underground, or being nocturnal. Defenses may work by signaling to the predator that pursuit is not worthwhile, or by distraction, or by startling the attacker, or by using defensive structures such as spines, and by living in a group.

Mimicking Operations is shielding friendly forces as well as foes from detection and deception.

Talking Bird are birds that can mimic the speech of humans. Camouflage.

Talking Animal is any non-human animal that can produce sounds or gestures resembling those of a human language. Several species or groups of animals have developed forms of communication which superficially resemble verbal language, however, these usually are not considered a language because they lack one or more of the defining characteristics, e.g. grammar, syntax, recursion and displacement. Researchers have been successful in teaching some animals to make gestures similar to sign language, although whether this should be considered a language has been disputed.

Apostatic Selection describes the survival of individual prey animals that are different through mutation from their species in a way that makes it more likely for them to be ignored by their predators.

Frequency-Dependent Selection is an evolutionary process by which the fitness of a phenotype or genotype depends on the phenotype or genotype composition of a given population. Survival.

Pretending to be Nice - Flattery will get you Nowhere

Yes Man is a person who agrees with everything that someone says, even if that person is wrong or lying. A person who supports the opinions or ideas of someone else just to earn that person's approval, even if that person is bad.

Don't be a Yes Man and just following orders, it's your responsibility to blow the whistle and report bad behavior.

Lying - Bribes - Quid Pro Quo - Being nice just to get what you want

Suck Up is someone who is attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery and pretending to like them, especially for one's own advantage. .

Brown Noser is a person who acts overly obedient or attentive to a grossly excessive submissive degree. (the color brown refers to a person kissing someone's as* so many times that their nose turns brown from being to close to the poop hole).

Kiss-Up is a person who flatters a supervisor, or superior, in order to get special attention that they don't deserve. Fraudulent Attention.

Subordinate is an assistant subject to the authority or control of another. Lower in rank or importance or consider of less value. Subject or submissive to authority or the control of another. Condescending.

Subservient is compliant and obedient to authority. Abjectly submissive and characteristic of a slave or servant.

Insinuate is to introduce or insert oneself in a subtle manner, or to maneuver oneself into a position of favor by subtle manipulation. The act of gaining acceptance or affection for yourself by persuasive and subtle flattery intended to persuade.
An indirect and usually malicious implication that is calculated to please or gain favor. To suggest or hint that something is bad or reprehensible in an indirect and unpleasant way.

Sycophant is a person uses insincere flattery toward someone important in order to gain advantage. Attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery or excessive or insincere praise. Sycophancy is making false accusations or an unjustified complaint. Someone that purposely spreads lies about a person, in order to harm this person’s reputation. Psychopath.

Superficial Charm is the tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming, slick and verbally facile. Charisma.

Faking emotions at work does more harm than good. The adage "Fake it until you make it" -- the idea that someone can fake a positive attitude to elicit real-life benefits -- often backfires when used with co-workers, according to a study led by a University of Arizona researcher. When it comes to regulating emotions with co-workers, four types of people emerged from the study: Nonactors, or those engaging in negligible levels of surface and deep acting; Low actors, or those displaying slightly higher surface and deep acting; Deep actors, or those who exhibited the highest levels of deep acting and low levels of surface acting; and, Regulators, or those who displayed high levels of surface and deep acting. In each study, nonactors made up the smallest group, with the other three groups being similar in size. Back Stabbing.

Followers - Too Many Follow and Not Enough Lead

Follower is an adherent or devotee of a particular person, cause, or activity who accepts or trusts the leadership of another. A person who moves or travels behind someone or something. A follower can also be someone who's watching you because they either hate you or fear you, or they're envious of you.

The main problem with being a follower is that the follower can blindly believe that the leader is making decisions on their behalf and for their benefit. But sometimes leaders make decisions for only the few and not the many, because the motives of leaders can be easily corrupted. We need to trust other people and believe that they will act responsibly, fairly and logically. But we can not transfer the responsibility that we have for ourselves, or transfer the responsibilities that we have for other people. I would rather be shoulder to shoulder than be a leader or a follower.

Indoctrination - Tribalism (culture) - Cults - Popularity Trap - Gullible - Naive

The Blind Leading the Blind is an expression applied to leaders who know as little as their followers and are therefore likely to lead them astray. Having a leader who is no more informed than his followers, both of whom are unequipped to deal with the situation at hand. A situation where a person who knows nothing is getting advice and help from another person who knows almost nothing.

How many times have you heard about people who were trusted and admired but turned out to be a criminals? Why do people fall for charismatic leaders like Hitler. Adolf Hitler was an unlikely leader but he still formed a connection with millions of German people, generating a level of charismatic attraction that was almost without parallel. Hitler was the archetypal charismatic leader. He was not a normal politician but he made promises like lower taxes and better health care.

How many political leaders have turned out to be criminals? Is voting in an election ever enough?

Why do women sometimes date the wrong men? Some people are not who they say there are.

Why do some Animals Run off a Cliff Together? - Just Following Orders

I Asked German Experts Why Germans Followed Hitler (youtube) - David Hoffman

Animal Suicide refers to any kind of self-destructive behavior displayed by various species of non-human animals. There are anecdotal reports of grieving pets displaying such behavior after the death of their owner, or monogamous animals refusing to feed after the death of their mate.

Thin Place - Suicide - Conformity Dangers - Fight or Run - Adapt or Compromise

You just can't be a Follower, you must also be a Leader. Everyone needs to be a Leader and understand that leadership is the responsibility of every person on the planet. You lead by example. You lead by not blindly following or trusting. You lead by continually learning. You lead by taking responsibility for yourself. You lead by taking responsibility for other people. You lead by taking responsibility for our planet that makes life possible now and for many years to come.

Passive - Submissive - Look the Other Way

Passive is the trait of remaining inactive and lacking initiative. Being submissive to others with outside influences, usually because of fear, threats, ignorance or denial. Passive is peacefully resistant in response to injustice. Lacking in energy or will.

Deference is the condition of submitting to someone or allowing to be influenced by people who are perceived to have more power than you. Enabling someone because of the fear of being in contempt. Blindly following the leader can sometimes be deadly. Deference implies yielding or submitting to the judgment of a recognized superior, out of respect or reverence.

Indifference is unbiased impartial unconcern. Apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions.

Students who tolerate cheating in the classroom may also turn a blind eye to unethical behavior in the workplace.

Turning a Blind Eye is when a person ignores undesirable information or ignores corruption and criminal activity.

Look the Other Way is to deliberately ignore wrongdoing by others.

Accessory - Complicity - Kiss Up - Enable - Consent

Complacent or contented is being satisfied with things as they are, and not looking to improve things or adapt to the changes. Complacent is uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's achievements. Contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions.

Smug is marked by excessive complacency or self-satisfaction.

Denial - I Don't Feel Like It - Privileged

Acceptance is when a person agrees to the reality of a situation, often a negative or uncomfortable situation, without attempting to change it or protest it. The concept is close in meaning to acquiescence, derived from the Latin acquiēscere (to find rest in).

Contentment is a mental or emotional state of satisfaction maybe drawn from being at ease in one's situation, body and mind. Colloquially speaking, contentment could be a state of having accepted one's situation and is a milder and more tentative form of happiness. Idle hands are the devil's workshop - Adapt.

Three Wise Monkeys or three mystic apes, see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. The three monkeys are Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil; Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil.
The phrase is often used to refer to those who deal with impropriety by turning a blind eye.

Willful Blindness is a situation in which a person seeks to avoid civil or criminal liability for a wrongful act by intentionally keeping themself unaware of facts that would render him or her liable or implicated.

"The only way for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing." Silence Is Betrayal--Martin Luther King Jr. (youtube).

Risk Aversion - Fight or Run - Resilience - Be Thankful but Not Content

Bypassing is to avoid something unpleasant or laborious, without stopping it, correcting it or curing it. Pass the Buck.

Bystander is a person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part.

Bystander Effect is when individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when there are other people present; the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that one of them will help.

Linger is to remain present although waning or gradually dying. To leave slowly and hesitantly. To take one's time and proceed slowly.

It's not that some people are afraid to do something about the injustices they see, it's just that people don't fully understand how to solve these problems. So people find it easier to conform than to try to improve something. And society does not make it safe for people to speak or give people a place to speak where they can be heard by everyone and not just heard by a few people. Reporting a crime is sometimes dangerous and can also be a discouraging action. And this should not be. Every school on the planet should teach the skills of civic duty and the media must inform the public on a regular basis.  

Submissive is allowing to be controlled or ruled. Unable to stand alone. Being less important and consider less valuable. Dependent on others.

Docile - Easily Indoctrinated - Gullible

When you Settle for Less or accept things the way they are, you may forget what good is and you may not remember what being better is like. This is much more than a lack of satisfaction, it's a gradual sinking to a lower level. And sometimes you can drag other people down with you. Come to terms with that.

Prostrate is to be stretched out and lying face downward at full length along the ground, as in submission and rendered helpless or defenseless.

Sympathizer is a person who agrees with or supports a sentiment or opinion of another person or group. A loyalist to an enemy or a blind follower. Sympathizer is not the same as sympathy.

An agreement to be submissive can only be made when informed consent is proven and understood. If not, it's usually manipulation or exploitation. A crime.

Submission is the condition of submitting to someone you choose to follow. Allowing to having legitimate influence from one's superior or superiors.

Dominance and Submission is a set of behaviors, customs, and rituals involving the submission of one person to another in an erotic episode or lifestyle. DISC Assessment (wiki).

Obedience is complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority. Dutiful or submissive behavior in being willing to obey.

Implied Consent - Accessory (going along with a crime) - Bribe

Silence Procedure means that he who is silent is taken to agree, or silence implies consent.

Meekness is the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness. A disposition to be patient and long suffering. Introvert.

Compliance is acting according to certain accepted standards. Conforming to a rule, such as a specification, policy, standard or law. A disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others. The act of submitting; usually surrendering power to another. Role Playing.

Docile is being willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed, sometimes without questioning or validation. Someone who is easily handled or managed. But don't confuse docile with someone who is understanding and intelligently diplomatic. We want people to follow orders and to follow the law. But not follow like Mindless Robots.

Placid not easily upset or excited. Calm and peaceful, with little movement or activity.

“He who stands on tiptoe, doesn't stand firm." Tao Te Ching (wiki)

"I have no choice but to obey my conscience, here I stay, I can do no other, God help me."~Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546).

Partisan (divided creates weakness) - Polarized

Acquiescence is the reluctant acceptance of something without protest. Acquiescence occurs when a person knowingly stands by without raising any objection to the infringement of his or her rights, while someone else unknowingly and without malice aforethought acts in a manner inconsistent with their rights. the reluctant acceptance of something without protest.

Social Contract is when individuals have consented, either explicitly or tacitly, to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the ruler or magistrate (or to the decision of a majority), in exchange for protection of their remaining rights.

Do Not Consent to Searches - Consent

Silence Procedure states that he who is silent is saying they agree. Your silence implies consent.

Questioning the status quo is called learning. To be neutral and passive is to collaborate." (Howard Zinn)

Maintain the status quo is to keep things the way they are even if they're bad. Conservative.

System Justification happens when people incorrectly seek stability in their lives that they resist change even when it's for the better. This causes people to wrongly justify holding on to opinions about ourselves, our groups, and the larger system. This in turn defends the status quo.

Consistency Bias is when people assume things haven’t changed, when in fact they did.

Collaborationism is cooperation with the enemy against one's country in wartime.

Employee Silence refers to situations where employees withhold information that might be useful to the organization of which they are a part, whether intentionally or unintentionally. This can happen if employees do not speak up to a supervisor or manager. Within organizations people often have to make decisions about whether to speak up or remain silent - whether to share or withhold their ideas, opinions, and concerns ... [The problem is that] in many cases, they choose the safe response of silence, withholding input that could be valuable to others or thoughts that they wish they could express. — Frances J. Milliken and Elizabeth Wolfe Morrison, Shades of Silence: Emerging Themes and Future Directions for Research on Silence in Organizations. This means the situation is not going to change for the better anytime soon. Employee silence does not only occur between management and employees, it also occurs during conflict among employees, and as a result of organizational decisions. This silence keeps managers from receiving information that may help to improve the organization. When trying to avoid employee silence, managers and leaders also need to know “how to facilitate varying opinions in a way that allows healthy discussion to develop towards consensus or best solutions”. In a recent business column entitled “Silence Does Not Equal Agreement,” some advice is given for leaders looking to diminish employee silence. The article suggests: "When presenting information or asking questions of a group, make eye contact with each person at the table or as many people as possible in the room. This gesture gives a message of interest and connectedness. Watch for the subtle signs of people agreeing or disagreeing with what is being said. Positive gestures include: maintaining eye contact, a slight smile, nodding. Gestures of dissension include: raised eyebrows, rolling of eyes, a slight sneer, looking down, shifting in the seat, avoiding eye contact. When someone does make a comment or suggestion, do not rush to discount their opinion or defend your own. To shut down someone who speaks up will send the message that you are not sincere, and people will retreat back into non-participation. Instead, say something like, ‘Thanks for your idea, Holly, let me think about that.’ Learn to be comfortable with silence. It takes getting used to, but allowing silence to be in the room is a powerful presence that gives people a chance to digest what was said, and to consider whether they have a response or contribution, and how they may want to present it. If you try to encourage more openness, and at first others are unresponsive or hesitant to participate, consider asking someone you trust after the meeting if there is something that you might have missed or could have done differently to achieve the desired result".

"If you look the other way, then you are turning your back on yourself. We must stop criminals when ever we can, and if you can't stop them yourself, then seek help, sometimes people are unaware of crimes until someone speaks up."

If give you someone an inch, they will take a mile.

Let it Slide can mean several things. It can mean to temporally allow someone not to live up to their end of a deal or bargain. Or it could meant to give someone more time or to give someone a little slack because of unforeseen difficulties. Or it could mean to negligently allow something to deteriorate and do nothing about another person's mistake or bad behavior. It's Relative.

Let's See How this Plays Out is to decide not to stop something or intervene until you see what happens or see how something unfolds. Lets wait and see what happens first before we act. But what happens when we wait to long and it's too late to act?

Watch the World Go By is to pause and remain still whilst doing nothing but surveying the environment around oneself.

People who Stand by and Watch the World Die, are already dead, inside. People can have all kinds of excuses for not getting involved or not supporting good causes. Some believe that someone else will do it, or they don't have the time, or they don't want to stick their neck out.

Sit This One Out means to not participate in an event or a discussion.

Stick Your Neck Out means to personally except responsibility for ones life and expose oneself to some risk and danger in order to support a cause and to stand up for what is right and do what is good, just like the millions of other people have done for you throughout history. Some people would rather risk their reputation doing what is right than to have a reputation based on lies. The phrase is a symbol for when a turtle takes a risk when it sticks its neck out beyond the safety of its shell.

“Most people are, in the most ordinary sense, very limited. They pass their time, day after day, in idle, passive pursuits, just looking at things – at games, television, whatever. Or they fill the hours talking, mostly about nothing of significance – of comings and goings, of who is doing what, of the weather, of things forgotten almost as soon as they are mentioned. They have no aspirations for themselves beyond getting through another day doing more or less what they did yesterday. They walk across the stage of life, leaving everything about as it was when they entered, achieving nothing, aspiring to nothing, having never a profound or even original thought…This is what is common, usual, typical, indeed normal. Relatively few rise above such a plodding existence.” (Richard Taylor, Restoring Pride). Depression.

I'd Love to Change the World - Ten Years After (youtube) - Everywhere is freaks and hairies, Dykes and fairies, tell me, where is sanity? Tax the rich, feed the poor, 'Til there are no rich no more. I'd love to change the world, But I don't know what to do, So I'll leave it up to you. Population keeps on breeding, Nation bleeding, still more feeding, economy, Life is funny, skies are sunny, Bees make honey, who needs money? No, not poor me. I'd love to change the world, But I don't know what to do, So I'll leave it up to you. Oh, yeah! World pollution, there's no solution, Institution, electrocution, Just black and white, rich or poor, Them and us, stop the war. I'd love to change the world, But I don't know what to do, So I'll leave it up to you.

Institutions

Institution is a structure or mechanism of social order that governs the recurring patterns of behavior of a set of individuals within a given community, sometimes impeding individuality and intentions by mediating the rules that govern a particular world view or living behavior. Schools or Institutions are identified with a social purpose that is not always clearly understood or transparent.

School Institutions - Indoctrination - Banking Institutions - Media Institutions - Government Institutions - Church and State.

Academia is the environment or community concerned with the pursuit of research, education, and scholarship.

Everyone is in an Institution of some form. It's just that some institutions are better than others. Some institutions are so subtle that you might not even know that you're in an institution. Everyone is also in some form of Foster Care. Everyone experiences most of the same problems that foster care children do, it's just in different proportions and under different names.

Foster Care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home or residential child care community, treatment center, or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a "Foster Parent" or with a family member approved by the state. The placement of the child is normally arranged through the government or a social service agency. The institution, group home or foster parent is compensated for expenses unless with a family member. Almost 10% of children in foster care have stayed in foster care for five or more years. Nearly half of all children in foster care have chronic medical problems. 8% of all children in foster care have serious emotional problems, 11% of children exiting foster care aged out of the system, in 2011. Children in foster care experience high rates of Child Abuse, emotional deprivation, and physical neglect. In one study in the United Kingdom "foster children were 7–8 times, and children in residential care 6 times more likely to be assessed by a pediatrician for abuse than a child in the general population". A study of foster children in Oregon and Washington State found that nearly one third reported being abused by a foster parent or another adult in a foster home. A higher prevalence of physical, psychological, cognitive and epigenetic disorders for children in foster care has been established in studies in various countries. Foster children have elevated levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in comparison to children raised by their biological parents. Children in foster care have a higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Foster children are at increased risk for a variety of eating disorders in comparison to the general population. Nearly half of foster children in the U.S. become homeless when they turn 18. Children in foster care are at a greater risk of suicide. Children in foster care have an overall higher mortality rate than children in the general population. 56% completed high school compared to 82% of the general population, although an additional 29% of former foster children received a G.E.D. compared to an additional 5% of the general population. Children in the child welfare system have often experienced significant and repeated traumas and having a background in foster homes—especially in instances of sexual abuse—can be the precipitating factor in a wide variety of psychological and cognitive deficits it may also serve to obfuscate the true cause of underlying issues.

Institutional Care is care provided in a hospital, nursing home, or other facility that is usually certified or licensed by the state, primarily affording diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative, maintenance, or personal care services.

Govern Oneself - Freedom of Thought

Freedom of Thought is the freedom of an individual to hold or consider a fact, viewpoint, or thought, independent of others' viewpoints. It is different from and not to be confused with the concept of freedom of speech or expression.

Free Thought is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and that beliefs should instead be reached by other methods such as logic, reason, and empirical observation.

Unorthodox is being independent in behavior or thought. Breaking with convention or tradition.

Sovereignty (freedom to govern oneself) - Thinking (thoughts)

Inequity is injustice by virtue of not conforming with rules or standards. Activism - Responsibilities.

Dissent is the difference of one judge's opinion from that of the majority. Dissent is a non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea.

Insubordinate is not being submissive to authority by challenging established rules that may be deemed to be unfair.

Aberrant is departing from an accepted standard. Diverging from the normal type. Creativity.

Collective Responsibility is when you are responsible for other people's actions by tolerating, ignoring, or harboring them, without actively collaborating in these actions.

Proactive is controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than waiting to respond to it after it happens.

Humanism is a philosophical and ethical stance that emphasizes the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and affirms their ability to improve their lives through the use of reason and ingenuity as opposed to submitting blindly to tradition and authority or sinking into cruelty and brutality. Humanist (humanitarian) - Humanistic Values.

Uniformity is a condition in which everything is regular and unvarying. The same throughout in structure or composition. Evenly spaced. Symmetry - Balance.

Consistent is agreement or reliable. Capable of being reproduced. Marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent relation of parts. The same throughout in structure or composition.

Choosing to speak the same language, choosing to use the same measuring system. Conforming could improve communication.

Defqon.1 Weekend Festival 2016 | POWER HOUR (youtube)
Rockin'1000 That's Live 2016 | Seven Nation Army 15000 people - 1000 musicians - 17 songs - 1 show (youtube)
The White Stripes - 'Seven Nation Army' (youtube)

Not all Conformity is bad. When we all decide to drive on the right side of the road we avoid having accidents. When we don't have conformity we will always have problems, accidents and mistakes. Drivers are 40% more likely to be involved in a crash than those using "normal" left hand drive (LHD) vehicles.

Countries in red drive all their vehicles on the right side of the road. Countries in Blue drive on the left side on the road.


Dangerous Social Influences of Conformity.

Conformity makes a lot of people jump to conclusions. They believe that there are following commonly accepted standards, but they cannot confirm these standards or even validate them, because there is no defined basis for comparison; no measure of pros and cons. No reference point against which other things can be evaluated. No ideal terms of which something can be judged. Accepted does not mean verified. Accepted does not mean that more then the majority of people agree, or even understand what the agreement is about.

We know how dangerous conformity can be, because we know how dangerous being biased is.

We need to be Working Together, not conforming or accepting. Toleration is not about accepting, Toleration is about learning how to adapt to a difficult situation, and to never stop working towards normalcy and regaining balance again. You must not except the cards that you were dealt, because there are more cards in the deck, and there are more hands to play, the game is not over. But the game would be over if you were a conformist.

Working Together

Working Together is acting together as agents or circumstances or events. A state of cooperation. Balance among the parts of something. Compatibility of observations. Agreement of results.

Conformity could easily make people become unimaginative, deficient in originality or creativity, and lack the powers of invention, and also lack the ability to deal with concrete facts, and also lack spontaneity and individuality. Most advancements come from the countries that preserve human rights and freedoms. But we still have a huge problem when people abuse freedom and use it for evil purposes. But because certain societies are free to learn, then we will eventually solve this problem and help people stop abusing their freedoms and everyone else around them.

Values Alignment is an emergent property in organizations that have a critical mass of people with a common language of values and clarity about how their personal values, personal vision/mission and goals align with the desired values, mission/vision and goals of the organization.

We need free thinkers, dreamers, idea makers, visionary's, people who can look at things differently, and present observations that may give us a better understanding of our problems and our difficulties. These are the people who have advanced society, these are the people who have made most of the greatest improvements in our world. So we should stop squandering and impeding free thinking. Because this will only keep starvation, suffering, crimes, corruption, disease and avoidable deaths to continue to happen every day. This I cannot conform too, or accept. Let us work together, it is truly our only hope.

Validity - Verifying - Truths - Facts - Opinions - Errors - Lies

Some contradictions are contradictions in themselves. Something could be a contradiction to your actions and still be a contraction to itself, because it also did not answer all the questions, thus it too could be in contradiction for another reason. So maybe you still need to answer the question, "How do you justify the action?", which is based on true reality and responsibilities of your life. But even if you don't have any logical reasons why you do what you do, you could still be right because there are other reasons that you have yet learned about. You can say I pray everyday around this time, but it still may have other benefits even without the prayer. The prayer could be added because that is something that you like and feel good about, which is fine. But we need to see the whole picture, and wee need to see all the layers. All actions have effects, with some actions have many effects.