Being Too Religious

I didn't manage to attend this lecture, so if for some reason what I am about to write has since been surpassed by some enlightening realisation that was presented during the lecture then I apologise!







OK, so can you be too religious? As I sit down to write something that gains relevant headway here, I find it surprisingly difficult. I am not a religious person, as such. I am from a Church of England background, my mother is still a weekly churchgoer and also regularly involved with church activities. She is very understanding with me and the fact that I could not accept what I was taught when I was younger, and that I have found my own 'faith' if we shall call it that (which I don't like to) by other means. I simply can't prescribe to the Christian narrative, and the dualism that necessarily accompanies this narrative. Likewise, however, I am equally understanding of my mother's Christian faith, as she is of my non-Christian faith. Call it reciprocal understanding! My stance is 'one-light, but many fires'. If you are unsure of what I mean by that, try reading some Dan Millman or Paolo Coelho.



Anyway, after slightly dodging the issue, can we be too religious? Many would point to religious fanatics and their sometimes terrorist actions that follow extreme faith and say a categorical 'yes'. Likewise, religious cults, particularly in the US, show equally fanatical and extreme religious views and again draw us to say 'yes'. I propose that the (wait for it... drum role...) LINE (yes folks, it's being bad and there's another line appeared!) depends upon what we are now willing to define as and subsequently accept in the 21st century as religious faith, religious behaviour and practice. I know that, through the advent of relatively new faiths of the past 100 years or so, and their continued evolution, organisations such as the Jehovah's witnesses and the church of Scientology have pushed the line higher. I think it is fair to say that Islamic terrorists and their behaviour most probably take themselves above the line, because as fair as my limited knowledge of Islam understands, there is nothing in the Muslim doctrine that states that infidels should be committed to death simply because of their lack of Islamic faith. So in conclusion to that, the terrorist's actions breach Muslim faith and therefore do not constitute extreme religious behaviour and thus take their action above the line and out of the context of what we are trying to draw out here. There is a lot more thinking for me to do on this topic, it is quite complex to try and ascertain where this 'line' is, so I will go away and meditate and try to come back with more insight.



While I'm away, here is a link to the Church of Scientology website so that you can have a look at their beliefs and draw some conclusion that could be posted on here...'nudge nudge, wink wink'!



http://www.scientology.org/