The Practices of Religion
Sometimes the practice of religion refers to participating in worship and ritual. Sometimes it refers to the idea of putting faith into practice. In Christian parlance, this might be denoted as “picking up one’s cross and following” or “being perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” But of course, putting one’s faith tradition into practice in this second sense is not unique to Christianity.
This second sense in which faith is practiced might be conceived of as becoming more saintly – or saner – in our own persons. We learn to recognize our saner tendencies and to develop habits and ways of life that take direction from them in order to help foster them. Practice of this kind looks pretty similar regardless of our varying practices of worship and ritual. Those who do not participate in worship or ritual at all are not prevented from committing themselves to greater sanity.
What do you think it means to become increasingly saintly or sane? The two words do have different connotations but to me seem to have a lot in common. And whether we look at the concept in “religious” “secular” or even “Darwinian” terms, it has become increasingly clear that for more of us to put more of an emphasis on cooperation, compassion, and far-sightedness, and less on narrow self interest and short-term gratification, has become a matter of the survival of the species.
This second sense in which faith is practiced might be conceived of as becoming more saintly – or saner – in our own persons. We learn to recognize our saner tendencies and to develop habits and ways of life that take direction from them in order to help foster them. Practice of this kind looks pretty similar regardless of our varying practices of worship and ritual. Those who do not participate in worship or ritual at all are not prevented from committing themselves to greater sanity.
What do you think it means to become increasingly saintly or sane? The two words do have different connotations but to me seem to have a lot in common. And whether we look at the concept in “religious” “secular” or even “Darwinian” terms, it has become increasingly clear that for more of us to put more of an emphasis on cooperation, compassion, and far-sightedness, and less on narrow self interest and short-term gratification, has become a matter of the survival of the species.
Posted by Paul at 12:04 AM Permalink
21 Comments:
Becoming closer to God, to me, is not about tedium of ritual, but about dropping ego boundries and learning to truly love yourself and others. It is about becoming more psychologically healthy, dealing with past issues and pains, so that one is able to care about all humanity on a deeply individual and pure level.
That, in turn, makes us more sane AND more saintly.
In order for me to be saintly, closer to God, walking his path, does not require that I be completely in touch with reality. To me, being saintly merely suggest that I follow a path of righteousness, of goodness, and because I do I become closer to God and therefore more saintly.
Now my sanity, well that is another story all together. Do you think God woud deny because my mind is not all on the same page:? I think not.
As a child, I lived in a constant setting of physical and sexual abuse. I canot say at that time I was entirely sane. How could I be? And yet, I ran to the church, spent as many days and nights there as I could, I found comfort there. Of course partly because I was not home, but also because I felt loved by God and because of that, I followed a path that was quite saintly, although I am sure that is not the word I would have used as a child.
I may be not getting this as you see it... but is my take on it.
INSIDE/OUTSIDE: “Now my sanity, well that is another story all together. Do you think God woud deny because my mind is not all on the same page:? I think not.” This sounds like an important point, but I’m not sure I'm following so would need to hear more.
Beyond that, I notice you refer to following a path of spiritual development. That path may be important to bear in mind in thinking about the nature of saintliness. When you mention childhood, for example, that’s so early in the path that the word doesn’t apply. We’re still discovering ourselves and receiving influences that shape us, for better and for worse, into that mass of knots we have to untangle later on!
Beyond this, well beyond it, maybe sanity shades into saintliness at the further distances of our human capacity to follow the path.
CRYSTAL: I’d imagine that evolutionarily, both types of traits – let’s simplify them, to, say, “cooperative” and “competitive” tendencies – would always have been necessary for the survival of the species. On the one hand, competing against members of other species, and sometimes against one’s own, would have been critical. On the other, hunting with primitive weapons would, for example, have been impossible if people weren’t getting along with each other a lot of the time.
Looking at the state of the world today, it seems to me that unless the proportions change to emphasize the cooperative more than it may have been emphasized in “the jungle,” we represent a real danger to ourselves.
But a person cannot judge his own sanity or saintliness! We cannot judge that of others either, unless we are qualified.
So they are words we apply lightly to others, usually with an opposite connotation. "Insane" is any behaviour I cannot understand. "Not very saintly" describes behaviour of a religious hypocrite.
I did spend much of my earlier life on a spiritual quest which equated sanity and saintliness, but it seems bizarre now.
Paul your last sentence is a good example of revisionist Christianity, aligning its teachings with global imperatives.
How do I, a typical human, put "more emphasis on co-operation, compassion and far-sightedness"? What will bring about this shift in me?
You commented on my "intimacy" site but I am wondering if you visited my Goodness Graciousness site?
Just yesterday I posted a little prose on my spiritual journey that seems to reflect this article!
Anyway.. I'm excited for your new book to come out, and to read more of your vast knowledge and wisdom!
Warmest wishes... I'm glad i found you in this cyber world!
Jennifer
YVES: One time I think on another blog you jokingly referred to agreeing with me for a change. But I'm not convinced you so much as disagree most of the time as that you have your own outlook on life. My sense is that you tend to respond less to the content of my posts in their own terms than to point out how they don't express your own outlook!
I'd be interested in seeing you do one or more posts on your outlook on life to get a better sense of where you're coming from.
JENNIFER, thank you, and for pointing out one of your other blogs - and, even better, the one that is not the "jerk' one, LOL! I'll be checking in with you again.
BRIAN, thanks for stopping by, but help! For some reason there's no link from your name to your blog. I must have clicked onto your blog from another blog and don't know how to find you again...
I understand that as children we are just forming our position when come into faith and religion. But I believe under extreme circumstances that children can choose their path. In my own sanity, insanity, being saintly or not it does not matter. I simply believe that no matter what state we are God does not turn away from us.
Maybe I am just seeing this post differently than you mean.
I am currently taking a World Religion course with Robert S. Ellwood, who is Emeritus Professor of Religion at USC.
I wish I had had Dr. Ellwood's class when I was 16 instead of 56. For my religious visitation experience, I went to a Unitarian Universalist service in the Cleveland area. It was very insightful using Dr. Ellwood's forms of expression model.
As you know, Dr. Ellwood was educated at the University of Chicago; a place familar to you, Paul.
Just thought I'd share this with you.
All the best, Don
DON I: Sounds great. I can see what you mean about wishing you'd been sixteen. At the same time, it must be wonderful to have the opportunity to devote so much energy to these matters now.
VINCENT, thanks I'll be interested in reading this -
I've really been rethinking the saintly and sanity question since working with the Signs followers. They are some of the saintliest people I've ever met. They are also definitely not crazy. Yet "living by the signs" is very dangerous and to an outsider it does look unbalanced.
I've been thinking of it in larger terms of the sustainability of religious sects and practices. Like the Shakers and their celibacy. It seems to me that if you write into your belief structure something like universal celibacy, or serpent handling...the sect and belief structure will have an automatically shortened and predetermined lifespan. You have to appeal to the ego, comfort level and self-interest of the believers if you want to sustain the religion and/or ritual.
I'm not sure if this really addresses what you are asking...but I think it's sort of connected. People, even if they are extremely committed to a ritual, will eventually stop doing it if it threatens their survival. I've learned from working with the Signs people that you can be very sane and still do these things and believe in these things. It's been really interesting.
ROSIE, good to "see" you. I don't happen to know anything about Signs followers. It sounds like you're raising the question of whether people can hold beliefs that aren't widely accepted but still be sane. I guess I'd tend to think so. For myself, I think of mental wellness/unwellness mostly in terms of the state of someone's inner life and how that leads them to act in the world - for the good or to the detriment of others.
Looking within, whether we want to call it becoming "saner" or more aware of the reality of oneself and the world s/he is creating, I am amused to think that this process might make one appear increasing less sane to those observing an individual's life.
We have fewer reasons to judge, I think, as we become "saner," and this, unfortunately, bothers people until they reach the point where the need for opposites falls away.
My best guess is that this isn't a realistic picture of - saintliness, enlightenment, or whatever word may best apply.
To reach a place of spirituality one only has to take the first step and look inside. Understanding is right there, and understanding = inner peace.
Meditation is a great example of that - and I need to do it more often! =)
MARISSA: But when are you running for president? You at least need to work your way up to presidential advisor. Although first, we do need to get a president with the ability to listen to other human beings. George claims to receive his advice from his "other Father" but that doesn't seem to be working out really well. No doubt The Enemy is garbling communications...
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