Which religions can be defined as pagan? And why? And how’s the term ‘religion’ defined in a pagan religion as compared to ‘book religions’?
dictionary defines pagan as "One who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, especially a worshiper of a polytheistic religion"....
since Muslims, Jews and Christians all believe in the same God, who they believe to be the Only True God, hence they r separated from the rest....
and since they have been given a book by God for guidance, they place themselves as the elite "people of the Book"....
now this becomes confusing for me, since i thought other nations/religions too were created by the same God and they too were given their own books/scriptures....
e.g. in iran the zoroastrians r considered people of the book and their founder, considered as a prophet (i've seen iranians calling him hazrat zartusht aleyhi salam)....
Re: Pagan religions
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*Originally posted by sabah: *
Which religions can be defined as pagan? And why? And how's the term 'religion' defined in a pagan religion as compared to 'book religions'?
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japanese technically pagan compared to bangaldesh who cares? how we define
third world?
right now. hm lets see.
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Rastafarianism, Zoarastrianism.
Those that dont trace their religion or who's teachings have absolutely no connect with Abrahimic faiths (islam,christianity, judiasm, one more i dont know the name of).
Armughal, we might be able discern from their teachings whether or not they have any connection to abrahimic faith.
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since Muslims, Jews and Christians all believe in the same God,
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this may be the subject of another thread, but hopefully you realize that this is purely a muslim belief. I doubt that any Christian scholar would concur that your Allah is the same entity as their God. In much the same way, I doubt a Jewish scholar would agree that their Jehovah is the same entity as the Christian God or Islamic Allah. Only muslims believe He is one and the same ala your "people of the book"
^ So Stu, what do you think? IYV, is there only one God, or are there three different gods? Or that only one of these three faiths got the right connection to the real deal and the rest got defrauded?
^ Faisal :D
Honestly, I think all of them were invented by humans to answer basic questions like "why are we here" and "how did we get here". I think that's pretty obvious.
There is a higher power, but he/she doesn't care if someone eats pig meat. He wants us to evolve to understand him.
Looking at it from a different perspective though, I think you'd have to give credit for the "real God" to the Jews. All the others are guilty of copycatting like SheeN did in general. Wouldn't you agree?
Well, Jews were hardly the first one. Start with Adam, if you must.
^ I'm not following you. as in Adam & Eve?
Yes. Well you said that you think "all of them (God/gods) were invented by humans", so if that were the case, then jews are hardly the first one to have come up with the idea. Adam (as in Adam & Eve) was supposedly the first person to have said there is only one God. I suppose you are suggesting that he "invented" the concept to keep his kids in check.
How do you know Adam said there is one god? IS there is a reference from Adam's time. Mostly it is Johnny come latelies who put words into Adam's mouth to rationalize their being...hence the copycat syndrome.
Well, no one is alive from Moses' time as well, so its again a fairly circular argument.
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*Originally posted by ravage: *
Armughal, we might be able discern from their teachings whether or not they have any connection to abrahimic faith.
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yea, every nation was sent a warner/guide.
the gods of hinduism mightve been prophets, who were turned into heroes/legends and worshipped as gods.
people who dont believe in historical arguments shud not even visist the religion forum, imo....
Honestly, I think all of them were invented by humans to answer basic questions like "why are we here" and "how did we get here". I think that's pretty obvious.<<
If that is/was the case (lets assume it is), why do we need more than 'one' excuse / explanation to all of our basic questions? I mean how do you think a snake / guru / insect, for that matter, would answer a basic question like this "how did we get here" any different from a Jews God?
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*Originally posted by ravage: *
right now. hm lets see.
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism, Rastafarianism, Zoarastrianism.
Those that dont trace their religion or who's teachings have absolutely no connect with Abrahimic faiths (islam,christianity, judiasm, one more i dont know the name of).
Armughal, we might be able discern from their teachings whether or not they have any connection to abrahimic faith.
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The most harmfull and dangerous religions are which connect to Abrahimic faith.
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*Originally posted by armughal: *
people who dont believe in historical arguments shud not even visist the religion forum, imo....
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That opinion is based on your opinion of what religion is, which is nothing more than just another opinion.
^
and even more dangerous r the thoughts that arise from the likes of u....
if the reins of the world ever got in to ur hands, the world wud be worse than hell....
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*Originally posted by armughal: *
^
and even more dangerous r the thoughts that arise from the likes of u....
if the reins of the world ever got in to ur hands, the world wud be worse than hell....
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Wrong,,, if the Mullahs are at the helm the ship is destined to sink.
The world would have been a better place without Mullahs, Rabbis and Clergymen.