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- Sep 25, 2008
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I wanted to present this definition of religion in hopes of spurring interesting and intellectual discussion. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
"Organized religion is based on institutionalized group activity, which takes place in a designated location and involves appointed officials who may or may not have had personal experiences with spirituality. Once a religion becomes organized, it often loses it's connection with the spiritual and becomes a secular institution that exploits human spiritual needs without ever satisfying them. Organized religions tend to create hierarchical systems focused on money, power, control and politics. These are secular pursuits. Under these systems, religious hierarchy discourages it's members from having actual spiritual experiences, because they foster independence and cannot be effectively controlled. In these cases, genuine spirituality is manifested in only the mystic branches, monastic orders and ecstatic sects of the religion involved." - Stanislav Grof, M.D.
Generally speaking, I think this definition is spot on. This comes from my personal experience as well as anecdotes I have been told from friends and acquaintances about their experiences with organized religion.
"Organized religion is based on institutionalized group activity, which takes place in a designated location and involves appointed officials who may or may not have had personal experiences with spirituality. Once a religion becomes organized, it often loses it's connection with the spiritual and becomes a secular institution that exploits human spiritual needs without ever satisfying them. Organized religions tend to create hierarchical systems focused on money, power, control and politics. These are secular pursuits. Under these systems, religious hierarchy discourages it's members from having actual spiritual experiences, because they foster independence and cannot be effectively controlled. In these cases, genuine spirituality is manifested in only the mystic branches, monastic orders and ecstatic sects of the religion involved." - Stanislav Grof, M.D.
Generally speaking, I think this definition is spot on. This comes from my personal experience as well as anecdotes I have been told from friends and acquaintances about their experiences with organized religion.