Culture and Religion

Hey Everyone,
I am curious how much you believe culture plays a part in your spiritual beliefs? If there is a post on this subject already, please feel free to lead me to it.

nightowl

I think culture has a great deal to do with one's beliefs or religion. Being reared in a certain culture, you are urged (consciously or subconsciously) to believe a certain way. Of course, as an adult, a person may come into contact with other beliefs/cultures and perhaps even change their own beliefs from those he or she grew up with, but that is likely difficult. And some may never consider a different belief system because the one they grew up with may have instilled certain values and practices that have become inherent to one's life and mental/spiritual well-being.

That's not to say that culture's involvement with religion is good or bad, mostly because there's no real way around it. We are affected by our surroundings until such a time that we realize we have a choice to not let it affect us, but even then we might not change our beliefs or perspectives because of it. And who's to say that even deciding not to let our culture influence us really allows us to stop it?

Just my thoughts. Interesting topic.

Originally Posted by Mothwing

I think culture has a great deal to do with one's beliefs or religion. Being reared in a certain culture, you are urged (consciously or subconsciously) to believe a certain way. Of course, as an adult, a person may come into contact with other beliefs/cultures and perhaps even change their own beliefs from those he or she grew up with, but that is likely difficult. And some may never consider a different belief system because the one they grew up with may have instilled certain values and practices that have become inherent to one's life and mental/spiritual well-being.

That's not to say that culture's involvement with religion is good or bad, mostly because there's no real way around it. We are affected by our surroundings until such a time that we realize we have a choice to not let it affect us, but even then we might not change our beliefs or perspectives because of it. And who's to say that even deciding not to let our culture influence us really allows us to stop it?

Just my thoughts. Interesting topic.

Mothwing,
Interesting reply. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I agree that we are often influenced by beliefs of our culture. In essence I almost believe you can not seperate the two, culture and religion. They are intermingled.
What is your veiw of one who grows up with no religious influence? A person who is raised almost in a neutral enviroment where God/religion is rarely mentioned? Do you believe there is still a residue of religion in this person because of the influence of their culture with or without the religious factor?

On another note, what within the person responds to the religion, the spirit of the person or the upbringing of the person? It could be both. In seeking a spiritual connection it would almost seem logical for that person to begin with their own cultural beliefs. Sometimes the decision can be influenced by what is available to them. I know that many times as I have spoken with others about their beliefs there are mixed beliefs and commitments to their cultural religion. Of course as you mentioned above I think that the age of the person plays a large role in what they believe. As is often with spiritual endeavors the religious veiws you begin with are not always the ones you settle on as you mature. I know I came full circle, it has been an interesting journey!

Originally Posted by nightowl

Mothwing,
Interesting reply. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I agree that we are often influenced by beliefs of our culture. In essence I almost believe you can not seperate the two, culture and religion. They are intermingled.
What is your veiw of one who grows up with no religious influence? A person who is raised almost in a neutral enviroment where God/religion is rarely mentioned? Do you believe there is still a residue of religion in this person because of the influence of their culture with or without the religious factor?

I wonder though if this is really possible? I mean, even if a person is reared in a situation where the parents (or parental figures) never mention religion (kind of how I grew up, honestly), there is still the cultural influence - school, friends, television, etc.

Originally Posted by nightowl

On another note, what within the person responds to the religion, the spirit of the person or the upbringing of the person? It could be both. In seeking a spiritual connection it would almost seem logical for that person to begin with their own cultural beliefs. Sometimes the decision can be influenced by what is available to them. I know that many times as I have spoken with others about their beliefs there are mixed beliefs and commitments to their cultural religion. Of course as you mentioned above I think that the age of the person plays a large role in what they believe. As is often with spiritual endeavors the religious veiws you begin with are not always the ones you settle on as you mature. I know I came full circle, it has been an interesting journey!

Yes, I think in youth we all sort of believe what we were reared to believe, and then we begin developing our own identity. Sometimes those beliefs change, or even if they remain the same, may grow or lessen in passion or enthusiasm in practice.

Another thing I always have to consider is that, being a spiritual person, it is difficult for me to imagine not being spiritual, yet there are people that appear to have this absence. To think that there are people in the world that may never even consider spirituality/religion as an important or active part of their life - I can't conceive it, but certainly it must be there. Then I wonder if there are those that take whatever beliefs they were fed as children and just keep them tucked in their back pocket without ever truly examining them. Surely not.

Do we all reach a moment when we realize or decide whether or not we are spiritual? When is that moment exactly? When we realize our own mortality? And are there people who have never truly pondered these things or is this a common human experience?

Mothwing,

You bring up a good point about how influence can come from outside forces and these forces can alter the influence of cultural beliefs. Today even more than in previous times, due to all the electronic connections that link the world together on a daily basis. I do believe that there are cultures that still strive to deter these influences and some who are just so isolated that one’s spiritual influences can be limited. Then again I do believe that each individual has the ability to connect with the Divine that each one of us walks out that connection differently. I choose to believe we are spiritual beings that our brains are already wired with a spiritual option. Maybe it does come down to choosing to experience these options or not. It certainly can be said that those who do experience them do so at different times in their live, at differing levels and not all progress at the same pace. In my opinion, spirituality is very fluid.

I too was not raised with any particular belief system. God was rarely mentioned in my family sphere, though it was implied there was a “power that be” or “the Almighty”. We had no traditional training whatsoever. My family believed and understood the signs of nature and gave credence to understanding the world around us and how we work together. I have always felt a connection with something beyond what my senses could perceive. I believe that through different experiences I have had even as a child and as an adult that I have always had that spiritual spark ignited within my being. As my journey has progressed, and if I were to put a label on my belief system I would choose to call it folk religion. Belief in a divine which I call Awen, and our inter-connectedness to creation/nature these complete my sacred circle. In my discovery of spirituality I have found that things that I already did or experienced have come together to form my spiritual identity. Not having this spiritual dimension in my life would seem odd to me, but as I have said before we are all different and therefore our spiritual paths are different. What is most important is that we are true to the path the Divine has offered to us as individuals. These individual paths converge throughout life with the paths of others connecting all that is Divine, that we may love and care for one another. There is much to be learned from all the cultures of the world and many of the lessons can profoundly affect an individual’s spiritual perspective if they are open to them.

Another little bunny trail. Is culture and heritage the same? How much of our spiritual DNA is connected to our ancestors?

Originally Posted by nightowl

Another little bunny trail. Is culture and heritage the same?

To answer this, I defer to a brief part of an article by Jerri Ann Jenista called "Culture, Heritage, and Sterotypes" ---

"What is culture?

"Culture is what tells you how to live your life. Culture defines what you expect to eat for breakfast, how you address your boss or your teacher, how close to stand to your friends, how to sit in a chair. Culture involves values. Culture tells you whether your family or your job is more important, who would be a good choice for a marriage partner, and how much skin you can decently expose at the swimming pool.

"You learn culture by living it. Depending on the values of your culture, you may lose your job because of your dyed purple hair or you may be considered a valued eccentric who brings a fresh whiff of creativity. You can change your culture (with effort) by living in another culture. The older you are, the harder it is to live successfully in a new culture just because you have so many years of cultural education to unlearn.

"What is heritage?

"Heritage is what belongs to you by virtue of your birth. Heritage includes your genetic background, physical features, and ethnic origin; it includes the history of the people who share those features with you. Heritage consists only of facts, but one's culture may place more or less value on those facts. Whether or not you know or care anything about your heritage, it belongs to you.

"Classifying a person solely by heritage is what we call stereotyping. For example, when meeting a Japanese person, there is an almost irresistible urge to assign to that person the characteristics we perceive as "Japanese," such as obedience, industry, interest in computers, and lack of humor. However, if that Japanese person was born and raised in Iowa, he or she might be a lot more interested in corn farming and Saturday Night Live than in electronics or raw fish. Stereotyping unfairly assigns a person a culture based on his or her heritage alone. It's the same as considering a young woman air-headed (culture) based on her genetic heritage (blonde hair)."

Originally Posted by nightowl

How much of our spiritual DNA is connected to our ancestors?

Now, that is an interesting question! It wasn't long after I began studying the Celtic pantheon and practices that I discovered my ancestors on my Mother's side were from Scotland. Coincidence?

I can see how we may have "memories" attached to our DNA based on the collective experiences of our ancestors. (Where did I hear about that? I think it was What the Bleep Do We Know?: Down the Rabbit Hole. GREAT FILM!) But that begs the question too - if we are reincarnated spirits, do we necessarily reincarnate along the same bloodline? Sometimes I am inclined to believe this, because the rare, subliminal past-life connections I have made with my own soul are easily connected to my family's history. However, I don't like the idea because I feel it limits our opportunities for experience.

Originally Posted by Mothwing

To answer this, I defer to a brief part of an article by Jerri Ann Jenista called "Culture, Heritage, and Sterotypes" ---



Now, that is an interesting question! It wasn't long after I began studying the Celtic pantheon and practices that I discovered my ancestors on my Mother's side were from Scotland. Coincidence?

These a great explanations of culture and heritage. Thanks for sharing them.

I like the story about researching Celtic beliefs and finding a ancestral connection. I too have a Celtic heritage. I was not outwardly exposed to anything Celtic as I was growing up. But I have found that many of the little things we did in our family were based in our Celtic heritage. I felt a real strong drawing to Celtic Spirituality and it just felt soooo right to me. I guess this is when I began to wonder if there was like a type of spiritual DNA. I have always believed that many spiritual abilities are passed down through families but I never looked at it from the point of view that maybe it was something woven deep within our spirits. Very cool possibility

[psychoslice]

For me, none at all.

Originally Posted by psychoslice

For me, none at all.

Of course all future orientated individuals tend to be beyond their cultures. People tend to get in the way for most of my endeavors.

[psychoslice]

Originally Posted by Zeliar791

Of course all future orientated individuals tend to be beyond their cultures. People tend to get in the way for most of my endeavors.

In the way of who ?, there really isn't anyone to get in your way, their just mind body organisms believing that they have a life separate from you.