What role does religion play in the coming age...

Is it relevant or not?

If not, why?

If so, why?

Religion, as it is now, is quite subjective. It seems to not as much be a source of harmony, but a source for dichotomy and polarization.

Indirectly proportionate with the happiness of this world.

The more religion loses ground, the less happy Dharti Maa will be.

Religion, as it is now, is quite subjective. It seems to not as much be a source of harmony, but a source for dichotomy and polarization. Perhaps you can expand to show how religion will be beneficial for Dharti Maa, while irreligion will be detrimental. I will include the first two sentences in my opening query.

back to basics - religion was never a part in the ancient times, only science and spirituality.

going back to basics will build more compassion and love for humananity to appreciate another human, the plants, the earth, the sky etc and whatever we are blessed with.

Do you feel that it would be prudent to de-construct the establishments of religions and to support those aspects of religions which encourage spirituality and conscious awakenings?

Maybe because rules have become more prominent with its Do's and Dont's not letting the intricacies of proper spiritual understanding prime.

The important question is - in what way is this question relevant to this email list. This is plain and simple trolling.

:deal:people- DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS.

If, by that, you mean I'd like to get some thoughtful remarks, then yes.

We are coming to an age where the real fight will be that of religion vs. atheism. I can assure you of this. The problem currently is that religion (as a whole) cant seem to wrap itself around a centrally focused set of fundamentals, and remains a shattered and fragmented body (like a beautifully faceted gem which has been struck with a mighty hammer). There is very little which can be agreed upon among the religious, with the fundamentals riding backseat and arguments prevailing about the facets. Even on this forum there are constant disagreements, i.e. Shakti vs. Ishvara etc...

This question is as relevant as you claim you are religious. How will your religion harmonize you with someone of a different understanding? Or, will it polarize you?

As a religious body, we have to ask ourselves these questions. Perhaps that will be my next "trolling" question.

India (with its notable stance of religious tolerances) has had its history of religious violence, its hands stained with the blood of innocents, and religious violence is contemporary in India as well. Look at the recent skirmishes between the "ChristianIndians" and the "HinduIndians". India (and the philosophies of it) are not unblemished. The same goes for the tensions in the Middle East. Jews, Christians, Muslims, Shaktis, Shaivites, Vaishnavas, Advaitins, Buddhists (?), etc... all seem to go for the sword after all has been said or done. Now we have a prevalence of Atheists. This is rapidly gathering support. Dawkins and others are the present day "acharyas" of critical thinking.

Perhaps we need some critical thinkers among the religious who aren't intimidated by questioning what exactly religion has to offer to the world, who don't stamp questions haphazardly, "Trolling". The rest will likely pick up stones to cast at each other.

I dont see what relevance this question has to 'Hindu Sadhana'. Narasingh, I notice you have avoided answering that question.

Many religions have "sadhanas" which, objectively, contradict one another. It is this basis through which people find differences with eachother. Some sadhanas involve japa of Names of Divinity. Some religions determine that it is a sin to address the Divine, by Name.

I understand that my thread post could have been posted in another forum, yet, if sadhana is part of religion, "the shoe fits".

yes- but your question has nothing to do with any kind of sadhana- not to mention Hindu Sadhana. Your attempt is to question the utility/relevance of religion itself. Your last post is just sophistry. This shoe definitely does not fit- you probably need an atheist forum to post this on.

If the "bone" you'd like to pick is, whether or not I have chosen the appropriate forum to place my question, then it is certainly a matter of relativity. My attempt is most definitely to question the relevance of religion (as I said before, sadhana is included in religion). I feel that, without this sort of questioning, those of religious nature don't allow for critical thinking. All too often we settle into our sadhanas and don't consider the validities or lack thereof of other sects or religions or even of our own. In fact, as I've said before, we discredit the others based on our objective differences. (Hindus are no exception to the rule). Sadhana is a form of "orthodoxy" which, when fundamentalized, causes the greatest rifts in the differences of humanity and the world at large. Take, for instance, the sadhanas of Gaudiya Vaishnavas vs. the sadhanas of the smarth pundits or the Harijans vs. the temple priests, the caste system (is this not a standard of sadhana in that it is chaste to the Vedic ideal?), the roles of women's sadhana vs. men's sadhana and the differences between, the sadhanas of the thugees etc.... All these things are questioned in contemporary society, and will ultimately need to be answered by the likes of you and me.

Show me how my question has nothing to do with any kind of sadhana including Hindu Sadhana. As of now, you have simply lambasted this thread with your opinion of trollery and sophistry while not offering any reasoning. I have answered each of your posts. Now you are using overly simplistic arguments like, "Your last post is just sophistry" and "This shoe definitely does not fit". These are merely statements without substance behind it. If you don't like to take the time to substantiate your statements perhaps it would be better to simply not post (notice how the thread isn't getting many posts on its own). Otherwise you may wish to consider yourself "trolled" since you keep seeming to come back to it.

Yes I have fed the trolls and will not do so any more.

Hello,

Religion is important not only in the comiing age but nowadays too. Well I'm not implying people do not practice relgion nowadays, infact they do. From what I read and see in today's world something is amiss. Even we have many great religions, yet there are divisions, war, unrest and so much suffering here and there. Maybe we just blindly follow the tennets of religion without appreciating the core values. Apart from it, I do feel some nice values such as tolerance and respecting beliefs of one's religion or of others must be cultivated from young.

Yes, Kshama, I very much agree with your post. There seems to be a dichotomy in the way in which people can approach religion. One being: valuing its core, and the other being: literal practice. At some point it seems a religious person will have to either "agree to disagree" with or convert a walker of a different path.