Religion: Meaning of Life and Karen Armstrong Essay

Religion should have an impact on every nonp argonils support. check to Karen Armstrong, without religion, community would non be able to discover their consume personalised reason of manners with a pure reason or purpose set by whatsoever guidelines. As a prove of obtaining a good foundation of faith in your religion, it bequeath not only positively affect your life on a personal level, hardly the community as a hale. If we look back at human antiquity, we commonly find that plenty of many different religions, traditions, and cultures had one main goal of finding the substance of peace and purity in their own selves.In the seventeenth century BCE, the Hindus created a book of philosophical texts c all(prenominal)ed the Upanishads, holding the main idea of finding ones reverend self, or atman. This sacred book led tranquility and serenity into the everyday have a go at its of many Hindus. According to Armstrong, the purpose of religion has been and always should be to help us live peace in full, creatively, and even joyously. Armstrong also state of matters that by engaging in religious practices and forms of life, race can live their lives on a higher(prenominal) prophesy knock off and thus discover their own true selves. Karen Armstrong believes that religion does help plenty to find beneficial centres in their lives and does allow bulk discover their inner(a) selves. Throughout the passage human beings Religiosus written by Karen Armstrong, there are many historical events coming from various cultural and religious backgrounds that contribute her judgement in which religion does and should play a crucial disassemble in everyones lives. However, not only does religion bring accord and principle in pluralitys lives, but religion also aids people in finding a legitimate meaning in their life and in the world.It helps to positively strengthen the relationship betwixt the people leading to the elimination of covetousness, hatred, and pride in communities. Like Confucius beliefs, the Buddhists had a state of peace of their own. Nirvana was the natural result of a life lived according to the doctrine of Buddhas anatta. Anatta required Buddhists to live as if though the self did not exist, which led to corruption fading away. It is utter, His (a monks) greed fades away, and formerly his cravings disappear, he experiences the rel quieten of the mind (Miller and Spellmeyer 37).This text states that when the people perceive about annata, their hearts were occupied with joy and they immediately experienced Nirvana. As a result, people were living between each other with love, care, and ease towards one another which led to a better life tendency overall. The far-famed Confucius practice well-disposed incur is also another display case of religion brining peaceful meanings in ones life. Confucius, the most famous religious picture in Chinese history, clarifies the meaning behind the Golden Rule. The Golden Rule states that an individual should treat another the same way he/she would wish to be treated by others.Confucius would later explain that the practice of the Golden Rule would bring people into a state of ren, which is a state of compassion and love. Although ren did bring peace and love between the people of Confucius, it is stated that it was so hard to entirely be in this state. It was stated that people had a hard time achieving a full state of ren. Nonetheless, people desired being in this pure state. Yan Hui, Confuciuss greatest student, state with a deep sigh, Yan Hui stated, The more I strain my gaze towards it, the higher it soars.The deeper I bore down into it, the harder it becomes. I see it in front, but suddenly it is behind. Step by step, the Master skillfully lures one on. He has broadened me with culture, restrained me with ritual. Even if I wanted to stop, I could not. Just when I felt that I have exhausted every resource, something seems to rise up, rest over me sharp and clear. Yet though I long to follow up on it, I can find no way of getting it all (Miller and Spellmeyer 38). This passage explains how hard people were trying to obtain this state.Religion as defined by the mentors of great countries give care India, China, and the Middle East was not something impossible, yet it was a realistic one. It was not about believing in a God or believing in a divine being. Religion was based on physical activities, disciplined work, and robust undertakings on a daily basis. Back then, religion had its real meaning of organizing ones life and basing ones life on religion. Sadly, religion has its own different inappropriate meaning nowadays.Which leads to my point of Karen Armstrong talking about how many people find the supposition of God and religion so troublesome simply because they have disordered sight of this important understanding. She also explains how for each separate religion, there is an ontological approach to understanding it. Many people have simply skillful given up on God because of self-corruption like greed, stubbornness, and impatience. In classic mythology, it is stated, No god can survive unless he or she is actualized by the practical activity of ritual, and people often turn against gods who fail to deliver.The rites and practices that that once made him a persuasive symbol of the sacred are no womb-to-tomb effective, and people have stopped participating in them. He has therefore become otiosus, an etiolated reality who for all intents and purposes has indeed died or gone away (Miller and Spellmeyer 31). If God does not comply the peoples needs, then they will turn against this god and he/she will no longer be effective. In the passage, it is also explains how religion requires a disciplined cultivation of a different mode of consciousness.This basically means that before you perform any religious task, you must pursue ekstasis, which literally means stepping out the average you are accu stomed to. Unfortunately, nowadays people are either to lazy or lost desire to seek any religious salvation simply because many things have taking over our world like media, entertainment, sports, music etc. They pursue other means to stand away the norm. It is like they almost feel free when they are listening to the emblem of music they desire, or play the type of sport they seek, or are entertained by media that they desire.Karen Armstrong proves her point Today people who no longer find it in a religious setting resort to other outlets music, dance, art, sex, drugs, or sport. We make a point of seeking out these experiences that stir us deep within and lift us momentarily beyond ourselves. At such times, we feel that we inhabit our humanity more fully than usual and experience an enhancement of being (Miller and Spellmeyer 27) In conclusion, Armstrong strongly anchors her belief of religion having a positive influential affect on peoples lives, helping them find a purpose in their life, and aiding them in discovering their true selves.She has her belief backed up by many famous religious icons from different backgrounds like Buddha, Confucius, and even Greek mythology. She explained how it helps organize peoples lives, better the relationship between two people and final stage but not least, it helps purify a persons whole entire life. Reassuringly, religion, does quite in fact, impacts the lives of many. Works Cited 1)Miller, Richard E. , and Kurt Spellmeyer. Homo Religiosus. The New liberal arts reader. quaternary ed. Boston, Massachusetts Lyn Uhl, 2009. 38. Print.2) Vinaya Texts, Part I (SBE 13) Mahavagga First Khandaka. Internet taboo Text Archive Home. N. p. , n. d. Web. 13 Sept. 2013. 3) Miller, Richard E. , and Kurt Spellmeyer. Homo Religiosus. The New humanities reader. 4th ed. Boston, Massachusetts Lyn Uhl, 2009. 37. Print. 4) Miller, Richard E. , and Kurt Spellmeyer. Homo Religiosus. The New humanities reader. 4th ed. Boston, Massac husetts Lyn Uhl, 2009. 27. Print. 5) Miller, Richard E. , and Kurt Spellmeyer. Homo Religiosus. The New humanities reader. 4th ed. Boston, Massachusetts Lyn Uhl, 2009. 31. Print.