Culture and Religion

Originally Posted by Mata Das

non-reality is an illusion...

Yeah... It goes both ways...

reality is real, unreality is illusion. so where as you see both ways, i only see one. but this is beauty of democratic fellowship.
your servant
Mata Das

Originally Posted by Mata Das

reality is real, unreality is illusion. so where as you see both ways, i only see one. but this is beauty of democratic fellowship.
your servant
Mata Das

I see everything in both ways. This is my "reality".

[7luminaries]

Originally Posted by nightowl

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

In a few major ways, they do reinforce one another...in other ways, one's spirituality is above or beyond culture.

I would say that in regard to valuing life and valuing everyone equally before God...my culture tends to reinforce this spiritual belief. At least in theory...which is still something.

It is so central to my spirituality that it must be a harsh disconnect for those who live in societies where they are not valued and yet whose spiritual beliefs do align with the value that all life is important and valued equally before God.

Also, there is a subtle yet important corollary...that human law is not arbitrary, that it is (in theory!) applied equally and fairly...ok we know this is always a work in progress. But my culture (in theory) tends to reinforce this spiritual belief.

peace & blessings,
7L

There have been many interesting replies to my intial question and I am glad we all can share our thoughts openly. Many of my personal spiritual beliefs have come from how I was raised. I am aware that there are some cultures and religions that can be closed in what they teach pertaining to those outside of that culture or religion. I am also aware of many cultures and religions who teach just the opposite.

I suppose I wasn't looking at culture so much from the perspective of how we view each other but more along the vain of spiritual beliefs and heritage. Carrying a belief that you were taught by your grandmother or father and so on and how it has either changed, expanded or disappeared in what you now believe. Thanks for sharing...

Culture has been a huge essence which shaped my spiritual beliefs, although i think the main aspect was realizing the paradox and truth in everything, which first stemmed from being mixed race and adopted. I am mixed race and my descendants, ancestry are mainly from the aboriginal race, huichol aztecian, mayan, k'omoks salish, cree buffalo nation, mohawk, Egyptian, brazilian, australia and east indian, i have irish and german, and probably other things, yet i was raised a Christian, found my own path back to native culture which resonated with me mostly. I have over 182 spirit guides, probably the result of my mixed race territories, being ancestors, they come to me from all cultures, even ones i am sure i don't have the blood. I was led to exploring all cultures and their beliefs. I even meet races that could not exist, or possibly existed way back. My spirituality is an essence of everything. My life path has led me to the conclusion that life and all beliefs is paradoxical, intertwined, one.
I mostly have experience with sacred cultural traditions of the first nations, which accounts for the whole of thousands of nations, and tribes within nations as well, because such are similar.

Originally Posted by Ciqala

Culture has been a huge essence which shaped my spiritual beliefs, although i think the main aspect was realizing the paradox and truth in everything, which first stemmed from being mixed race and adopted. I am mixed race and my descendants, ancestry are mainly from the aboriginal race, huichol aztecian, mayan, k'omoks salish, cree buffalo nation, mohawk, Egyptian, brazilian, australia and east indian, i have irish and german, and probably other things, yet i was raised a Christian, found my own path back to native culture which resonated with me mostly. I have over 182 spirit guides, probably the result of my mixed race territories, being ancestors, they come to me from all cultures, even ones i am sure i don't have the blood. I was led to exploring all cultures and their beliefs. I even meet races that could not exist, or possibly existed way back. My spirituality is an essence of everything. My life path has led me to the conclusion that life and all beliefs is paradoxical, intertwined, one.
I mostly have experience with sacred cultural traditions of the first nations, which accounts for the whole of thousands of nations, and tribes within nations as well, because such are similar.

Ciqala,

Thanks for sharing how culture has influenced what you believe. I like that you used the word " essence", the spiritual life blood of the soul, at least that's how I visualize essence.

In his book Revelations of 2012, The Prophet of Life writes that most people follow the religion of their family and culture. Most of the time they do this to fit in with their peers. They never look beyond the religion or belief system they were born into. He has written that after 2012, there will be a gradual change in the spiritual psyche of humanity and people will, eventually become familiar with all of the religions / belief system / culture of all 5 major prophets.