Discussion: Elements of Religion
How do you define sacred? How do religious traditions orient their conception and location of the sacred?
Sacredness in many religious institutions is defined as the act of preparing a ceremony that is geared towards cleanliness, consecration, sanctification, and ultimate holiness. The objective is to repudiate secular outside influences and to follow a higher purpose in God or another deity. In some religions, to be sacred, means to be completely consumed with a specific doctrines philosophy on spirituality, growth, perception, and the afterlife, whereas other religions often found in various countries may make graven images, or animals sacred. To be sacred is a discretionary act of taking an object or position and setting them apart from worldly influence or contamination.
Sacred is not a ceremony per se, it is a method for setting oneself apart from everything and everyone that is of negative influence. For instance, the Amish culture, maintains a form of sacredness that cuts off contact with the outside world in order to live "in" a world without actually being "of" the world.
In the Christian faith, there is a communion ceremony that remembers the Blood of Christ that was shed during the crucifixion of Jesus on the Cross. As an honorary tribute and remembrance for His selfless act, Christians conduct a sacred ceremony that includes eating unleavened bread which is a symbolism of the flesh that was pierced when Jesus was wounded, and beaten severely on behalf of sin. Red wine (or in many churches "grape juice," is a substitute for wine) is symbolic to the blood that was shed. This ceremony or act of adoration for a deep selfless act of love is sacred for the reason that no one is permitted to take communion without first examining oneself to determine if he/she is in fact worthy of taking communion, if an individual takes communion without examining whether or not he/she is eligible and acting in accordance with his/her examination such as; true repentance, the individual may be in danger of facing a verdict of judgment against his/her own soul 1 Corinthians 11:29.
Catholics have a similar sacred ceremony regarding the crucifixion of Jesus, however the difference is that an individual may not take holy communion if he/she is not a member of the Catholic faith.
How do the following concepts about God differ: Monotheism, polytheism, patheism, atheism, agnosticism, and nontheism?
Monotheism- "belief in single God: the belief that there is only one God, as found in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam." (Encarta, 2005).
Polytheism-"belief in several deities: the worship of or belief in more than one deity, especially several deities."(Encarta, 2005)
Pantheism "is the view that God is everything and everyone and that everyone and everything is God. Pantheism is similar to polytheism (the belief in many gods), but goes beyond polytheism to teach that everything is God. A tree is God, a rock is God, an animal is God, the sky is God, the sun is God, you are God, etc. Pantheism is the supposition behind many cults and false religions (e.g., Hinduism and Buddhism to an extent, the various unity and unification cults, and "mother nature" worshippers)."(GotQuestions.org, 2005).