What is Religion?

This is a video version of a section from my first podcast episode, as well as a kind of remake of the first video on this channel.
You can check out the podcast here: open.spotify.com/show/0ih4sqt...
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#religion #science #academia

[@jbkjbk1999]

Just to be clear, as the phrase is often misunderstood, Marx's "opium of the masses" quote wasn't meant as a blunt definition of what religion is as a whole. He was describing the role he saw religion playing for working people in the increasingly distraught and deprived time in which he lived. He's saying that religion functions as refuge for people to feel something good in a life that is otherwise primarily characterised by pain. He describes it as opium; a painkiller, a medicine. It's a soul and heart in a soulless and heartless world. It's a criticism of religion, to be sure, but it's not the blunt, edgy, "religion is just like alcoholism, and nothing more" take that people often make it out to be.

[@sacrificezone]

The reason culture and religion are seen as separate is an anthropological/historical observation. Two distinct cultures may come under the umbrella of the “same religion” yet their cultures remain distinct

[@ChessPlayer78]

one religion(Abhramic) different cultures is better that one culture different religions (Abhramic only), the writing on wall is clear, Abhramic religions are very intolerant of not only other religions but other sects within their own religions.

[@amanbirthal3514]

Actually culture is a umbrella idea which is defined by geographical features of a region where as religion is part of a culture. Religion though is most important ingredient of culture but by no means religion overshadows the culture of two different religious communities in same geographical area.

[@samantarmaxammadsaciid5156]

Gibberish, gibberish!! All humans (and their human religions and so-called non-religion) are intolerant, depending on each in its context, most intolerant because of your self-hatred is You! There is no such thing as Abrahamic religions, each one is distinct even though on the basis of geographical closeness have a common, whatever that is! Keep crying!!

[@pipo3686]

and yet a single culture can House different religion(not without them affecting the culture or the other way around of course)

[@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts]

@@ChessPlayer78 "The writing on the wall" ironic.

[@geraldmeehan8942]

Thank you Filip, I agree that taking a step back and trying to understand religion from an unbiased perspective is essential to actually understanding religions individually and as a whole

[@ChessPlayer78]

7:54 , Filip missed a very important point , it should be : a religion has a 1) Founder 2) Holy Book 3) Creed and 4) humons to believe and follow it.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Yep!

[@yengsabio5315]

@@ChessPlayer78 Hi there! What's "humon?" I asked because I can't find it in the dictionary. Thanks in advance!

[@ChessPlayer78]

@@yengsabio5315 humon = moron

[@putyograsseson]

@@yengsabio5315 one of these creatures you tend to find laying around on a couch picking their nose while watching netflix

[@sophonfilm]

As a religious studies major, I completely agree as its one of the 1st things covered in our line of study. Define religion…? I think my favourite ‘definition’ that i have come across so far is… “Religion has its origins in a desire to explain a very confusing world.”

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Very Weberian!

[@thekoreantraveler]

Eliade--Religion as orientation

[@swishcheez6021]

Naturalism and rationalism become religions under this defination. Even empiricism and scientism movements would become religions

[@jemuel6222]

Prove practically human comes from monkeys

[@baizhanghuaihai2298]

@@swishcheez6021 Your point is exactly why I could not support such a broad definition as the OP suggests…because it would essentially include even the evolution of human cognition itself, since even the sensory apparatus necessary to hunt a deer or run from a bear would fall under such a definition, rendering it so semantically broad/vague as to be essentially meaningless. It makes plenty of sense to distinguish between various epistemological ideologies, as they are not all the same. For example, while rationalism is certainly equally an attempt at meaning-making, or at least of predictive power, it is by no means epistemologically equivalent to say, revelation as a source of knowledge.

[@gotanygrapes831]

Dude keep doing what you’re doing, this content is fire.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

I will!

[@zeev]

@@LetsTalkReligion this video must go viral. amazingly good video . seriously. this video is a top top level intro to a graduate seminar.

[@kylewyle4638]

I don't believe in Religion,I don't even believe in belief at all

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

30:29 Nay, but the wrongdoers follow their own desires, without having any knowledge. Who could guide those whom God (ALLAH) has let go astray? They shall have none to support them. 30:30 Set your face steadily towards the true faith, turning away from all that is false, in accordance with the natural disposition which God (ALLAH) has installed into man. Nothing can change God's creation. Such is the ever-true faith; but most people do not know it. 30:31 Turn, all of you, to Him, and remain God-fearing. Attend regularly to prayer and do not be among those who associate partners with God, 30:32 those who have broken the unity of their faith and have become sects, each group delighted with what they hold.

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

"Have you seen the one who calls the religion [of truth (Islam)] a lie by denying the Day of Judgment? That is the one who treats the orphan with harshness, and does not encourage the feeding of the poor. So woe unto those performers of Salat, who are unmindful of their prayers, those (hypocrites) who do good deeds only to be seen (of men), and refuse small kindnesses (e.g. salt, sugar, water, etc.)." Sura Al-Maun (small kindness), Al-Quran, chapter 107 Giving to the needy (even if it's very little amount) is one of the characteristics of a believer (M'umin). Therefore, the person who does not give alms must understand that Kufr/disbelieve has prevailed over him. 36:47. And when it is said to them: "Spend of that with which ALLAH has provided you," those disbelievers say to Muslims: "Shall we feed those (poor,destitutes) whom, if ALLAH willed, He (Himself) would have fed? You are only in a plain error." 36:48. And they say: "When will this promise (i.e. Resurrection) be fulfilled, if you are truthful?" 49. They await only but a single Saihah (shout, etc.), which will seize them while they are disputing! 36:52. They will say: "Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our place of sleep." (It will be said to them): "This is what the Most Beneficent (ALLAH) had promised, and the Messengers spoke truth!" 36:53. It will be but a single Saihah (shout, etc.), so behold! They will all be brought up before Us! 36:54. This Day (Day of Resurrection), none will be wronged in anything, nor will you be requited anything except that which you used to do (in this world). Chapter 36. Surah Ya-Sin

[@azamcangame5253]

I think it's hard to define Religion because it's hard to define human Beings, or more specifically, human psychology. Because as you have said in the video that religions basically depend upon their adherents, thus due to this reality, There are as many opinions as men themselves. Religions are Subjective. People defining them can not be fully unbiased. That's why religions change over time but their main objective always remains behind the scene

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

2:177 (One obvious result of sectarianism is their pre-occupation with rituals. This is because each sect leaves the Book aside and makes its own set of dogmas they call religion). No wonder, they forget that) Righteousness and exponential development of personality is not in that you turn your faces to the East and the West. But righteous is he who has conviction in ALLAH and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the Prophets. And he gives his wealth that he loves in reverence of Him, to: Family and relatives, Orphans, Widows, Those left helpless in the society, Those whose hard-earned income fails to meet their basic needs, Those whose running businesses have stalled, The ones who have lost their jobs, Whose life has stalled for any reason, The disabled, The needy wayfarer, son of the street, the homeless, the one who travels to you for assistance, Those who ask for help, and Those whose necks are burdened with any kind of bondage, oppression, crushing debts and extreme hardship of labor. They (the truly righteous) strive to establish the Divine System, and set up the Just Economic Order. They are true to their promises whenever they make a promise. They remain steadfast in physical or emotional distress and in times of peril. It is they that have proved to be practically true, and it is they, they that indeed journey through life in Blissful honor and security. ((2:4), (3:91))

[@katakesh8566]

When I tried branching into other beliefs I ran into a lot of these issues. It became more a philosophy lesson quickly. It became more a lesson on seeing different biases; mine and others, the individual and the society. It mostly seems to be the mental images that create independent cells resonate with the material world. Creating a spiral, itll follow similar beats but it's always seeks diversity; newness. Even when its conservative it's to maintain distinction.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Seeing ones own and others' biases is a very useful thing!

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

The Prophet (ﷺ) said in a Qudsi Hadeeth: “ALLAH say: I created all My Servants Hunafaa’ (i.e., following the original religion of monotheism, to worship none but ALMIGHTY GOD ALLAH alone), then the devils misled them from their religion and forbade them from what I made lawful for them and commanded them to associate with Me that which I have not sent down any authority for.” [Muslim] And we all know that the main purpose of lucifer Satan's deception is to break the law of God. Amplified Bible But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ. (Bible, 2 Corinthians, Chapter 11, Verse 3) Luke 6:46 KJV Jesus also said And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

[@zaidal-hindawi1784]

What a mish-mash of words that has absolutely no meaning and just pretends to sound intelligent to impress people 😂

[@achristiananarchist2509]

I've always had some trouble with the waffling around the "religion is about belief" assertion, especially with regards to "orthopraxic" religions. Sure, in such religions individual belief might not be a matter of import to the divine, but the motivation to perform rituals still centers around communal belief. Whether you are being told that God is mad at you, personally, because you don't go to church or believe the wrong things on the inside, or being told that the gods are mad at the community, as a whole, because you didn't come to the lunar festival, belief is still at the core of both of these practices. Social participation in community rituals is still driven by beliefs surrounding those rituals. You might not be shunned for not "believing" the rituals have some effect, but the belief that the rituals have some effect is still what is largely motivating the social pressure for you to perform them. I think the distinction between orthodoxy and orthopraxy is an important one, but I think it's extending it too far to say that orthopraxic religions are completely disconnected from their belief systems. Without an underlying belief in the gods, the rituals to those gods would never even be imagined, and the practice of those rituals, in turn, perpetuates the beliefs that motivated them. At the end of the day, what separates a religious ritual from, say, an Independence Day parade, is that there is an implied belief system that centers supernatural, or at least non-obvious, beings, places, or states of mind. This is true whether *individual* belief is socially important for the religion or not.

[@QuiteWellAdjusted]

I think the orthodoxic-orthopraxic divide is more about the terms upon which someone is said to be practicing the religion "correctly" by their coreligionists. For some people, if a person believes Jesus Christ died for their sins, believes in the existence of the one true God, and believes the correct things about the Bible, then whether or not they go to church is not all that important. For others, it doesn't matter whether someone actually *believes* that Zeus consumes the smoke of the sacrifice, as long as they throw some bones onto the fire.

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

Jewish people reject the notion that Jesus is the Messiah; they are still awaiting the arrival of the Messiah. So from their perspective, the servant of Isaiah 42 stands as an unfulfilled prophecy of nearly three thousand years as their Messiah is yet to arrive. Now there is a serious issue with this understanding. We’ve already seen that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) fulfils all the criteria mentioned in Isaiah 42, so the question must be asked: why would Isaiah set out criteria that can be fulfilled by individual (Prophet Muhammad) other than the Messiah, if it is indeed the Messiah to whom Isaiah 42 refers? If Isaiah is speaking of the Messiah, then we would expect that he would set out criteria that only the Messiah can fulfil. Otherwise it defeats the purpose of prophecy in the first place, because prophecies are supposed to be specific. The first section of Isaiah 42, verses 1 - 17, describe a momentous servant in extremely positive terms, one who will be a “light for the Gentiles (non-jews/christians)” (42:6), will “open eyes that are blind” and “free people from darkness” (42:7) of idols worships. Isaiah 42:11 Even prophecies that This prophet will rise from the city of Medinah, Western Saudi Arabia. This is the righteous servant who will eliminate idolatry and spread justice (TRUE GOD's judgement) throughout the world 🌎. Any sincere person that interprets Isaiah 42 consistently will see that it simply cannot apply to Jesus, regardless of whether one takes it as a reference to his first or second coming. The fact is that Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is the only person in history that has fulfilled all of the criteria set out in Isaiah 42. In Isaiah 42:19 nation of Israel is explicitly identified as the blind and condemned people therefore the guiding and righteous servant (Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) must be someone (from the descendants of Ishmael, the Arabs) other than Israel. Duetornomy 18:18 also predected that this Prophet must have to come from among your brethren (your brother tribe; the Arabs) Just who is this condemned servant? Isaiah makes it clear that the servant of condemnation is none other than the nation of Israel: Who is blind like the one in covenant with me, blind like the servant of the Lord? [Isaiah 42:19] The “one in covenant with me” is a clear reference to the nation of Israel who were in covenant with God at the time Isaiah made this prophecy. Isaiah goes on to make it even more explicit: Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to the plunderers? [Isaiah 42:24] Yes, Isaiah 42 17-25 describes the pagans and those Jews and christians who rejected the Last Prophet (Muhammad ﷺ) of Bible.

[@achristiananarchist2509]

@@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth Most likely Isaiah 42 doesn't refer to Muhammad or Jesus, but to the nation of Israel. There are a number of passages in the bible like this, that a number of religions want to jump on and claim as their own, but Jews are neither merely pre-Christians nor pre-Muslims, and we should all stop trying to degrade a fully developed religion into a mere anticipation of our own. One gets more value out of the Old Testament when one reads it on its own terms.

[@ayoubsbai9499]

@@achristiananarchist2509 i mean we can agree that’s all the prophets have one message which is to worship one god right? It was written in the bible and the tawrath and Quran. So why until jesus then claimed he’s god either it was not written in the bible. So the last prophet which is Mohamed (pbuh) was send like all the prophets to worship the only one god and send with the Quran ( the only book that not changed ) to correct the bible (which is btw was changed by européenne and translations ). And warning us that the last day is coming and he’s the last prophet in this humanity sense Adam (pbuh) . That’s all was proven by the three books and history, so if we think with logic then it’s all clear to us . Hope god guide us to the right way 🤲🏻

[@deanjoseph2868]

I spend about 18 eighteen hours a day on KZbin. I am a tailor so it keeps my company during the day. With the hundreds of thousands of videos I've watched this maybe the most important one of them all, thanks for making it. It will take far to long to explain why.

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

Goodness (or obedience) is not to turn your face toward the east or the west, but good is someone who believes in GOD, the Last Day, the angels, the book, the prophets, and he gives the wealth, in spite of his love for it, to the relatives (and close ones), orphans, the needy, travelers (in need), and those who ask, and to free slaves, and he performs mandatory prayer and gives to mandatory charity, and they fulfill their promise when they make a promise, and they persevere (and are patient) in hardship and loss and during the hard times (and the battle). They are those who tell the truth and they are those who are cautious (of GOD). (2:177)

[@kuro758]

@@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth you have much to learn

[@comb528491]

Maybe the English word "Religion" is in itself a limited word, due to how it's been used and abused in the recent era, and it traces back to a word referring to social obligation, which also leaves more questions than answers. Maybe we won't find an answer to "what is religion" due to the nature of language. That being said, the Arabic word "Deen" has been translated as "worldview" by some who believe that the word "religion" is too limited to be a translation. The Hebrew cognate of the word has been translated as judgement. And a similar-sounding Avestan word, Daena, is also the Zoroastrian concept that has similar meanings to Deen. I believe we should replace "religion" with a concept of worldview" Under this new "worldview" conception, we should abolish the divide between "Philosophy" and "Religion" because in the end, there's really no difference between them and any attempt to differentiate between "religion" and "worldview" leaves more questions than answers. Like, anyone who tries to explain the difference between Philosophy and Theology never seems to have a proper grasp of either of those concepts, many times having a grasp of neither of them.

[@BasedYeeter42]

Well said brother, you hit the nail on the head

[@LetsTalkReligion]

All words are limited, ultimately, including the Arabic word "Din/Deen". It could be useful to describe Islam, since the latter is understood as a "Deen" within its own intellectual vocabulary. But I'm not sure it would be any more useful than "religion" as a universal term including other "religions".

[@comb528491]

@@LetsTalkReligion Ofc, but what I was trying to say is that whole the concept of "religion" may be abstract, the concept of "worldview" has a more consistent definition. So rather than talking about religions, if we were instead to talk about worldviews, everybody would rather have an actual idea what they were talking about

[@user-ry2qs7xf9k]

*people are looking for THE religion not religion*

[@zaidal-hindawi1784]

Sorry but I’ve never heard about the word “Deen” in Arabic being translated as “worldview”! “Deen” دين or “Dyana” ديانة in Arabic simply means religion. For example “Dyana’t Mohammed” means Mohammed’s religion (and not worldview).

[@friskedmooo9369]

I discovered your channel many months ago and since then I watched your videos regularly. I immediately knew that you're going to create great content because the way you talked seemed to be very professional and careful. I don't mean it in a "all things have to be viewed so nuanced all the time" way but more in a humble, respectful and reflected way. I really like that ! Much love 🌞

[@corsaircaruso471]

Always excited to see your videos, sir. I’d love to see you explore the various theories of the origin or origins of religion more specifically.

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

Piety is not (a ritual requiring) that you turn your faces towards the East or the West (during ´salat´). Rather, pious is he who believes (firmly) in ALLAH, the last day, the angels, the scriptures, and the prophets. (Pious is he, who) spends his wealth (in charity) _ out of love for Him _ on his kinsfolk, the orphans, the poor, and the wayfarer. (Pious is the one who) gives (help) to those who ask (for help), and (spends money) to free slaves. And (pious are those who) establish ´salat´, pay the ´zakat´(tax), and fulfill the pledges made by them. Those who endure and display fortitude during poverty and adversity, and during times of crises (during fighting against falsehood). Such are the people who are sincere! Such are the pious ones. (2:177)

[@danielmoseley8040]

Alot of people I know (who aren't even particularly religious) that play music have described it as a religious experience on at least one occasion and I definitely think of it that way.

[@nickoftime5759]

Great work! This question of “what is religion” is one I found myself pondering just this past week. It started after seeing a tweet I didn’t like (imagine that); it said “religion is a cult”. Obviously I took issue with that statement but then had trouble defining how or why. Certainly religions can be cults and vice versa, but when it came to actually pinning down a definition for what religion is itself, I was at a loss. I really like how Geertz defined it, as you showed. That works. Thank you!

[@chrisschultz8598]

Cult, religion, these are just words we use to describe the "verifying belief" that is at the heart of either a cult or a religion. Generally, though, I accept the difference as, a cult follows a living leader. Therefore, Christ, Muhammed and Buddha were leaders of cults, but when the cults outlived their leaders, they developed a more intricate and involved system of proofs and beliefs that justified continued faith after their avatar left the mortal realm. This is probably not a scholarly definition, but it's a way I can wrap my head around this topic and use it as an imperfect starting point.

[@nickoftime5759]

@@chrisschultz8598 that’s not a bad starting place for conversation. I’d say a big difference between the two is that no one in a cult believes they are in a cult. As far as I can tell, cults are only viewed as such by outsiders and what’s more, they are only called cults if they are perceived as a threat of some sort. In its early days, Christianity was viewed by outsiders as a Jewish cult, a threat in its time to both the Jewish leaders and the Roman Empire; but to its adherents, it was the progression or fulfillment of the Jewish faith.

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

@@chrisschultz8598 do you you know what culte means? It's Latin and it comes from the same root word as culture. It simply means a unit of religious worship. When Romans are talking about thr cult of hercules. They aren't talking about cult as you know it

[@chrisschultz8598]

@@nickoftime5759 Good point. Cults are as they are perceived by outsiders. Insiders are believers in the one Truth.

[@PedroPereira-si3sy]

I think, as with any definition, the word religion is impossible to define or agree with completely. I think all agreed definitions are but metaphors for our limited perception of reality. some are readily agreed upon, (shirt, car) and others are immensely debated for their perceived cultural importance and favorite flavor. Religion is one of these definitions that because of the suffering imposed for it or lack of it, stires a lot of passion, insofar that the relation most humans create to religion is of the existential kind, being for existential anxiety or real-life threatening one. And because of such passion, there will never be a consensus on which metaphysical shelf to place it. For myself, I find that religion is all culture that promotes dogmatic beliefs and imposes behaviors, utilizing rituals to facilitate the adoption, spread, and maintenance of their ideology. And I think it can be of the supernatural kind or civil religion. I think the causes for the existence of most religions are impossible to know and lost in time with their creators, but for the recently constructed cults, and from the ones who work actively to maintain recent and ancient cults alive, we can mostly understand that greed, lust for power, ignorance, and fear are at the base of the creation and maintenance of religions. From my way of thinking, any are good reasons, as they increase suffering in everyone touched by religion.

[@frank327]

Delighted to see this video! Far too often people spend their university time, or even their entire life studying a subject like history, say, without ever spending a serious amount of time thinking and studying what that discipline actually is and entails as a practice.

[@aronlukacs6911]

I love all your videos, but I have to tell you, this one is exceptionally mindblowingly good. Respect! Loved it.

[@izzymosley1970]

This is one of the reasons why I hate it when atheist say that all religion is evil because it leads to violence or something when in reality there is so much variety in religious beliefs and religious practices that saying it all leads to one outcome is absolutely ridiculous.

[@gabrielleangelica1977]

The Holy will see the commonalities. The hypocrites fight over the differences! 👺

[@kaivampire5199]

Religion is the biggest scam in mankind's history...... everyone should give it up and become vampire like me...... you will get cool powers

[@kamakiller1145]

Religion is interpreted differently by many different people Some people use it for their own self interest But this isn't what religion is

[@neo_7864]

Oh don't hate them. They have insignificant number instead the vast majority of people of religion.

[@andrewbeswick6495]

They don't mention the huge levels of violence that have been committed by avowed atheists such as Lenin or Stalin.

[@randomcontent2205]

Opinion: Good introduction to the problems inherent in religious studies. I went about it backwards, got the religion and am now trying to understand the experience. I really like this channel and appreciate the work of it's creator. Just in case you read this, thank you. John

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Thank you!

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

By ourselves we are all poor and helpless. From our good health to knowledge-intellect-Wisdom and wealth are all gifts from ALLAH. The GOD who has given us so many blessings has again instructed the rich to meet the needs of the needy. But some infidels question this instruction of ALLAH Ta'ala. They say: Why does ALLAH say to give food and clothing to the poor? Why doesn't he do it himself? Then surely ALLAH Himself does not want these people to survive... (Nauzubillah) If we realize that we do not own what we have, but that it is a gift from GOD, then it becomes easier for us to help the destitute/poor. Giving to the needy (even if it's very little amount) is one of the characteristics of a believer (M'umin). Therefore, the person who does not give alms must understand that Kufr/disbelieve has prevailed over him

[@randomcontent2205]

@@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth beautiful teaching, thank you brother. Much like my own way, Inshalla.

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

Do you know why it's taught that To be a Christian you need to keep repeating that Jesus is God? And why irani shia-rafizi says that Ali (R:) is God? And why pir-sufi says that To reach the highest level of spirituaity you need to repeat that 'I'm God and prostrate to me' like irani shia Sufi monsor hallaj (pir of dewbondi, tableeghi Jamaat, berelvi (Rizvi)? Because anti-christ dajjal will say that "I'am god/beggten son of God & prostrate to me! True Muslims will reject anti-christ for blaspheming (death penalty by TRUE GOD's Law for claiming such divinity) Because Eesa messiah (Alaihissalam) and Ali (R) never said that 'I am god or worship me.' Because Our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) never said that “I am GOD or prostrate to me!" May ALLAH Almighty protect us from this antichrist (dajjalik) fitna. Aameen Rather our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) said Do not exaggerate status of the Prophet: Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Messenger (ﷺ) of ALLAH, said, “Do not exaggerate my praises as the Christians have done with the son of Mary. Verily, I am only a servant, so refer to me as the servant of ALLAH and his messenger.” Source: S‌ah‌i‌h‌ al-Bukha‌ri‌ 3261 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Bukhari abd - ullah is also mentioned in Isaiah 42 (Bible) Isaiah 42:1- Here is my servant (abd - ullah), whom I uphold my chosen one (Mustafa) in whom I delight (Habibullah’); I will put my Spirit on him, and he (Prophet Muhhammad) will bring justice to the nations. But we need to ask this question Why Egyptian pyramid on one $ USA? There also written "in god we trust" so they believe in one-eyed antichrist? Left-eyed antichrist symbol ? Persian Shia sufi Husain bin Monsoor Hallaj also used to worship jin saytan to open his 3rd eye and he was possessed by the dev-ill (devi-iil) that's why these blasphemous words “anal haq (I’m truth/god) and prostrate to me” were coming out from the mouth of mansur hallaj. kabbalah Jews, Illuminati & Freemasons, Christian saints, Buddhists monks, Hindu pandits, Persian shia sufis, dewbondi, tableeghi Jamaat, berelvi (Rizvi) pirs and Satanists also worship jin shaytan through meditation to open 3rd eye in order to reach the highest level of spirituality. May Almighty ALLAH protect us from this antichrist dajjalik fitna Aameen.

[@randomcontent2205]

@@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth I have 11 Gods brother. That's more than enough for me. Go in peace.

[@M0U53B41T]

I think one of the most useful reasons for trying to sort a definition at all, is to be able to stand back and see more clearly one's own biases.

[@animefurry3508]

The way I understand Religion is as an Intersection of answers (interpretations) to possible questions in a few different logic pools. Material Relations (state/economy) Psychology (mind/soul) Sociology (culture/ideology) With a sprinkle (butt load in some cases) of Anti-Empiricist Meta-Physics (Mysticism/Supernatural Beliefs), Ontological Cosmological Myths and Prophecies that justify Hierarchies and Moral systems, quite often as well as Colonialism and Imperialism. These questions what ever they be, are asked and answerd by both the self and the world. And these answers build the structures of Religions that one can be in or observe. Some parts colonize inward, others you project out of the self, but in all the answers that you give and get make your very specific and unique location in the web of Religion.

[@sgpetermann]

I would say that what distinguishes religion from other communal forms is that it seeks to discover and align itself with the sacred or ultimate profundity grounding this reality. It affirms the reality of this sacred depth and then tries to explore and live by it.

[@ottocatte5297]

I think religion is one of those words that is useful for broad categorization but not super useful for much else. I think about my own relationship with the idea of religion and how it would be difficult to categorize myself in any one religion. I worship the goddess Kali and chant mantras but I'm not sure I would really say I was a Hindu. I reread the Tao Te Ching on a regular basis and think it's one of the most insightful texts I've read but I don't think that makes me a Taoist. I read Sufi literature , practice mindfulness etc. When I think about all of that I don't really know if I would easily fall into the categories of religion that people use on a daily basis. It's an interesting thing to think about and I hope you continue the great work!

[@mcbalz]

Great improvement over the 2018 version! I appreciate the work you do; it's great for using with introductory undergraduate students.

[@scottygordon3280]

I consider myself relatively educated on these sorts of things, but it never occurred to me that the Quran is analogous to Jesus and Muhammad to Mary...But now that I think about it, that does make a lot of sense. Thank you for always being so informative and conscientious with one of the most fascinating subjects.

[@majidbineshgar7156]

Religion qua dogmatic faith in certain tenets does not equal metaphysical / transcendental spirituality i.e. religion tends to be in an extrovert fashion, community oriented whereas genuine spirituality tends to be more introvert from within.

[@ozenthelewdable5427]

Some dude here. I think this channel is such an enlightening experience for someone like me who's curious about the many faiths and religions in this world, and wants to learn about the different views, perspectives and aspects of them. Also would you be interested in making a video about each Madzhab in Islam? Like a full details of them (history, influences, etc.) in one video if not separately for each.

[@comb528491]

Most videos on this channel revolve around theology and spiritual traditions. I believe Filip doing a video on the nitty gritty details of jurisprudence and law is something that he doesn't do that often. It would be interesting to see him embark on this new concept, although much of the audience may find it boring tbh. In the end, the Madhabs are simply different methodologies of interpreting the Quran and Sunnah in order to figure out what to do. The details of how a jurist interprets a text in order to determine the most viable action may only interest those already interested.

[@claudiotavares9580]

@@comb528491 He already spoke A LOT about islam, please, let the guy take a break and speak about other subjects too. His patrons and followers aren't all muslims. I am pretty sure that Dr. Shabir Ally have plenty of videos on the subject of fiqh with a equally unbiased perception.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

They'll come up in one way or another!

[@josef2012]

Great job as always,Filip 🙏💗

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

An-Nawawi said: “ALLAH ’s saying "I created all My servants Hunafaa’": i.e. Muslims; but it was also said: they are pure from sins; and it was said: they are straight (on the Right Path), turning to ALLAH and accepting guidance … Then the devils misled them, so they took them away from what they followed and led them to falsehood.” Actually Jesus spoke Aramaic which is the language that was closely intertwined with Arabic. He said "Eli, Eli" which sounds a little like "Illa, illa" pretty much like "Illah" in Arabic 30:29 Nay, but those who do wrong follow their own lusts without knowledge, Then who will guide him whom ALLAH has sent astray? And for such there will be no helpers 30:30 So set you (O Muhammad ﷺ) your face towards the religion of pure Islamic Monotheism Hanifa (worship none but ALLAH Alone) ALLAH's Fitrah (i.e. ALLAH's Islamic Monotheism), with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Khalqillah (i.e. the Religion of ALLAH Islamic Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most of men know not. (Tafsir AtTabaree, Vol 21, Page 41 30:31 (Always) Turning in repentance to Him (only), and be afraid and dutiful to Him; and perform AsSalat (IqamatasSalat) and be not of AlMushrikoon (the disbelievers in the Oneness of ALLAH, polytheists, idolaters, etc.) 30:32 Of those who split up their religion (i.e. who left the true Islamic Monotheism), and became sects, (i.e. they invented new things in the religion (Bidah), and followed their vain desires), each sect rejoicing in that which is with it 30:33 And when harm touches men, they cry sincerely only to their Lord (ALLAH), turning to Him in repentance, but when He gives them a taste of His Mercy, behold! a party of them associate partners in worship with their Lord

[@misbpdclddugjy9041]

First time , I found a channel to discuss one of the most important subject i.e religion....with open mind and a rational approach.

[@rayneweber5904]

"An inescapable fact that cannot be escaped." -poetry man

[@LetsTalkReligion]

They tell me I have a way with words

[@rayneweber5904]

@@LetsTalkReligion thanks for reading the comments. We love the work you do.

[@mdlahey3874]

I thought I might eventually recognize something like my own perspective as I watched this video, but I don't think I did (unless I just missed it). Whilst virtually all the points-of-view expressed seemed to be considering "religion" as somehow extrinsic to the human person, I regard it as profoundly intrinsic, in that it is a response to our deeply-rooted, often unconscious sense that ultimately, our "being" can't be confined either temporally or even physically to this single human body. The presence of this all-but-universal insight or intuition in the depths of our hearts is what winds up expressed as a visibly religious impulse, in all its many forms. If you watch carefully, it is possible to see the occasional flickering of this insight emerging even in the lives of person's who insist that they are "not religious", atheistic, etc. YMMD, of course. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Thanks for the video, as always.

[@Sundar...]

Spot on!

[@jameshenderson8873]

I use the term " endoteric" as a compliment to the oft heard esoteric and exoteric. All is within.... whether we call " It" Allah or whatevah. Know acception. Peace..

[@Dr_Armstrong]

Great video essay. Good information, well-thought through presentation, good arguments. Thank you!

[@leofire7493]

My favorite religious talk is this channel. I wish for you to speak internationally and on Ted talk and much more and better. Thank you for all gr8 efforts you have invested into this content

[@whatamievendoing]

I think Joseph Campbell answers this well in his description and analysis of mythology

[@TheWorldTeacher]

😇अहिंसा परमो धर्म 😇 Ahimsa paramo dharma (“non-harm is the HIGHEST religious principle” or “non-violence is the GREATEST law”). Therefore, only a strict VEGAN can claim to be an adherent of the eternal religion (sanātana dharma).🌱

[@whatamievendoing]

@@xunqianbaidu6917 doesn't he though?

[@nickoftime5759]

Also, read Tolkien’s essay “On Fairy Stories”.

[@whatamievendoing]

@@xunqianbaidu6917 hmm well scriptures form the core of religions so... also, I grew up in the west and my perspective is also kind of eurocentric. Campbell still has the most coherent and consistent definition of religion

[@whatamievendoing]

@@nickoftime5759 checking that out right now. Thanks for mentioning it...

[@RammusTheArmordillo]

13:25 "An inescapable fact that cannot be escaped" 🤔🤔 makes you think

[@allanangeladickieson6419]

Thanks for the intro to the Channel, for me anyway; I did see another video, which I liked, but am considering it as a teaser for you channel. I watched this video from a critical perspective hoping that the content would both challenge and agree with my current understanding, which, thankfully, it did. I look forward to more challenging and informative videos. Thanks, Allan

[@betulipekozturk8056]

That was a very well-done video. Keep up the excellent work!

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

I’ve always liked Geetrz’s take on the subject.

[@giomar89]

I don’t have an answer to “what is religion”. However, I know this: when I was very young I’d say I had no religion. Nowadays I question the validity of that answer: my entire calendar is determined by catholicism, the way “special days” are determined and the way I celebrate those “special days” are determined by catholicism, and the most used set phrases, sayings, and expressions in my language have a catholic background. So, can I say I am not religious? I wouldn’t say so, or rather, I’m pretty sure I cannot say I’m 100% laic, at least culture-wise. Moreover, because my passed-away grandmother was catholic, whenever I honor her I do so adhering to the catholic tradition, since failing to do so would feel disrespectful towards her (and thus defeat the whole point of honoring her). But if I was to die today I couldn’t care less about how people engaged with my passing away, or the honoring of my memory (should they feel like I need to be honored at all) It’s such a fascinating question

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

You aren't religious. You merely come from a culture that has Christianity as its main spiritual influence

[@szymonskoczylas5225]

You're not religious

[@zaidal-hindawi1784]

Nobody asked!

[@jeffreyreedy8575]

Mawlana Shaykh Nazim when asked what is Sufism said, “the way of the Sufi is the way of Heaven! Sufi ways are Heavenly ways!” I think this is a good definition of religion! There are many good descriptions of religion from the inside of religion! I’m reluctant to accept the definition of those from the outside who seek to define it! And God knows best!

[@nicholascittadino5888]

thank you, great help for my religious studies class. You discussed much of what we went over in Ch 1. Great narration.

[@ronaldofrias2176]

Can you do a video about Feng Shui...

[@TheMagicofJava]

Once again thank you Filip a very valuable vlog. I often liken Al-Quran to the Book of Psalms, but to Jesus is worth considering. I seem constantly to be berated in post by Protestan Christians who's understanding of Islam is based on impossing a Christian structure on Islam. Worse still this structure appears to be held by many Muslims.

[@user-ry2qs7xf9k]

*can you explain the similarity between Psalms and Quran*

[@TheMagicofJava]

@@user-ry2qs7xf9k it's mystery is revealed when chanted by Surat.

[@user-ry2qs7xf9k]

@@TheMagicofJava Sorry I didn't understand

[@TheMagicofJava]

@@user-ry2qs7xf9k look in your heart.

[@oceanmachine1906]

Closest the Bible has to in the Qur'an is the Torah when revealed on Mt Sinai. The words that Moses got from God when he was on the mountain, but not the book narrating the events of his life. The Qur'an is purely only "and God said" but no brackets, because it is solely just what God said. It's in the name Qur'an too which means "recitation". When Muslims say the Qur'an is perfectly preserved, this is what we mean. The Qur'an is not Muhammad talking about God, it's not anyone else speaking. It's God itself speaking to Muhammad, the early Meccans and us too. This is again distinguished from the Bible's books which are summed up as mostly third person narratives written by scribes. There is the "and God said" in the Bible but again it takes place within the context of narrative and isn't the author itself's voice.

[@ready1fire1aim1]

What is zero, anyway? Our understanding of zero is profound when you consider this fact: We don’t often, or perhaps ever, encounter zero in nature. Numbers like one, two, and three have a counterpart. We can see one light flash on. We can hear two beeps from a car horn. But zero? It requires us to recognize that the absence of something is a thing in and of itself. “Zero is in the mind, but not in the sensory world,” Robert Kaplan, a Harvard math professor and an author of a book on zero, says. Even in the empty reaches of space, if you can see stars, it means you’re being bathed in their electromagnetic radiation. In the darkest emptiness, there’s always something. Perhaps a true zero - meaning absolute nothingness - may have existed in the time before the Big Bang. But we can never know. Nevertheless, zero doesn’t have to exist to be useful. In fact, we can use the concept of zero to derive all the other numbers in the universe. Kaplan walked me through a thought exercise first described by the mathematician John von Neumann. It’s deceptively simple. Imagine a box with nothing in it. Mathematicians call this empty box “the empty set.” It’s a physical representation of zero. What’s inside the empty box? Nothing. Now take another empty box, and place it in the first one. How many things are in the first box now? There’s one object in it. Then, put another empty box inside the first two. How many objects does it contain now? Two. And that’s how “we derive all the counting numbers from zero … from nothing,” Kaplan says. This is the basis of our number system. Zero is an abstraction and a reality at the same time. “It’s the nothing that is,” as Kaplan said. He then put it in more poetic terms. “Zero stands as the far horizon beckoning us on the way horizons do in paintings,” he says. “It unifies the entire picture. If you look at zero you see nothing. But if you look through it, you see the world. It’s the horizon.” Once we had zero, we have negative numbers. Zero helps us understand that we can use math to think about things that have no counterpart in a physical lived experience; imaginary numbers don’t exist but are crucial to understanding electrical systems. Zero also helps us understand its antithesis, infinity, in all of its extreme weirdness. (Did you know that one infinity can be larger than another?) 0D Monad 1D Line 2D Plane 3D Volume 4D Architecture 5D Design space 1. a continuous area or expanse which is free, available, or unoccupied. "a table took up much of the space" 2. the dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist and move. "the work gives the sense of a journey in space and time"

[@PedanticAntics]

Religion and culture are like a Venn diagram: Not simply two things Yet, not simply one.

[@CAPSLOCKPUNDIT]

At first glance, that seems profound and meaningful, but is ultimately no help in determining whether or not set theory is a religion.

[@PedanticAntics]

@@CAPSLOCKPUNDIT That may be the best response comment I have ever seen.

[@zohair000]

What does everyone think of this definition?: Religion is the way of life. The way every human lives, that is their religion. Therefore atheism is definitely a religion as well.

[@anwarsofian354]

God created you with reason, but you think God's existence doesn't make sense

[@nickoftime5759]

Well said. But as I put in an earlier comment, what of Christian Buddhists, for an example? People who use Buddhist practices to strengthen their Christian faith?

[@warped_rider]

Does not believing in Bigfoot make someone a cryptozoologist? If everything is a religion what's the point? It's essentially saying "people do things" and yeah that's accurate but it's also incredibly reductive and useless.

[@EcclesiastesLiker-py5ts]

@@nickoftime5759 Surely a sect of Buhhdism? Syncretism with other religions makes perfect sense for a buhhdist, but isn't found in the teachings of Jesus, he saw himself as a continuation of Judaism, not anything else,

[@claudiotavares9580]

@@nickoftime5759 This makes no sense at all. A christian can admire buddhist teachings, but he cannot BE a buddhist without become a heretic in his own religion first, unless is one of those new age orientalists that thinks oriental religions are nothing more than "philosophies" for his amusement.

[@gabrielleangelica1977]

Still debating whether Buddhism is a religion ☯️...

[@Walkman-hf9et]

@Methodius Thai forest tradition laypeople don't intercede for Bodhisatvas. It's more like we'd practice meditation and samadhi samadhan by ourselves and elevated the Mind by our own. And majority of laypeople in Theravada tradition.

[@gabrielleangelica1977]

@Methodius Interesting...🎍

[@gabrielleangelica1977]

@@Walkman-hf9et ...and the debate continues. 🎋

[@nickoftime5759]

I think it depends on the level of the individual practitioner. For many, Buddhism is more of a life’s philosophy or way of living, rather than a religion with spiritual beliefs or creed. But if one commits themselves to the Buddhist practice, making it their single or greatest focus, then I’d say it’s certainly a religion for them. Also, consider for example Christian Buddhists, basically Christians who practice their faith in a manner like how Buddha would have if he followed Christ. Some would argue those people are neither truly Christian nor Buddhist, but others would see it as a way of strengthening their Christian faith through Buddhist practices.

[@Walkman-hf9et]

​@@gabrielleangelica1977 If you have time, this Monk has explained the concept very profoundly in the first 10 minuntes kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3qroaqBlpV4aLM

[@wordawakeningny]

Great teaching Mr. Holm. Very insightful!

[@RayoAtra]

"Religion is a verbal hobby" - Peter Joseph

[@OrganizedMess0025]

Hi Filip. I'd like to ask if you could do a video on the different kinds and forms of heresy that have formed over the history of the Islamic faith. Some notable examples from the more classical period of heresy, some distinct sects that were considered by their fellow Muslims to be heretical/kufr, what sunnis and shias respectively consider to be heretical, and any modern day examples of heretical beliefs/sects in Islam.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

The word /concept "heresy" has no place in an academic or neutral discussion on any religion. It is a polemical word only used by people to discredit what they conceive of as a false belief or movement. So I will probably not be making any videos about heresies. But it is quite likely that I will cover movements that have been considered heretical by some people in history.

[@OrganizedMess0025]

@@LetsTalkReligion hello. I get what you're saying. That's more what I was getting at.

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

@@LetsTalkReligion sorry but when a what was originally part of the mainstream religion. Goes off on a wildly different paths with very different spiritual beliefs. That is heretic. Durz for example are a heretical branch of Ismail shia

[@basharkano9658]

The point about Hinduism not being a single religion is especially true. I remember asking an indian classmate who are the main gods in this religion. I then told these names to a different hindu classmate and he told me that he has never heard of them 😂.

[@theharshtruthoutthere]

To every religious soul out there: BIBLE (KJV) John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

[@kuro758]

'hinduism' is a western term coined to represent the collection of ideologies in india. it's like calling christianity, islam & judaism as one 'abrahamic religion' but 10-20x more complex.

[@smroog]

EXCELLENT !!!! EXCELLENT !!!! So much information presented as just KNOWLEDGE !!! Simple but so much KNOWLEDGE !! No personal opinions from Filip. Just information. A True Learning Environment. Thank you.

[@leohorishny9561]

I do find comparative religion, and even, theology study interesting but I have to admit, though I find esoteric and arcane ideas interesting, but the knowledge you and Dr. Sledge bring up and foundational beliefs from prehistoric and foundational religious beliefs is really important. The stories, ideas, powers and forces earlier people considered important, is critical, and having the 2 of you present those stories in an ecumenical manner is unique. I understand so much of religion and theology in parts of the world is still transmitted orally, in general; I look forward to when your focus turns towards wider Africa, and the Americas, over time. There is so much out there we can all discover still about parts of the world we know little of their beliefs.

[@user-wz6oo9bq5j]

Why aren't amercanism, socialism (& even sometimes atheism) ..etc considered religions? I mean they act as if they were so. Could this be just false dichotomy?

[@kauswekazilimani3736]

@Methodius So you would consider concepts such as capitalism or socialism a religion? Or the absence of belief in a spiritual realm as religion? And inherently 'wordly' position, as religion? I think all these concepts are disrespected by doing this.

[@warped_rider]

Dogma doesn't necessarily mean religion. If it did that would mean any political opinion could be considered a religion, and then any strongly held opinion or belief could be considered a religion, and that to me just seems to be diluting the word to almost meaninglessness.

[@michaeldillon3113]

I always thought that religion was derived from the Latin religio which means to tie/join ( ligare ) again ( re ) . This is similar to the word Yoga which means to yoke or to join . So broadly religion is related to the sense that the individual is separate from it's source ( eg God or Nirvana ) and will only be complete when it is United once again with its source. Religious structures provide the pathway back to the Source for the individual.✌️

[@jameshenderson8873]

Religare, mang.

[@varana]

The Romans used their word _religio_ a bit differently than we understand it, though. For them, it meant diligent practice, esp. careful observation of the rituals, the feeling of awe in front of the gods (and could mean "superstition" in that way, as well), and only finally the sum of religious practice. Becoming _one_ with the gods, was a rather alien concept to classical Roman religion; it was more about placating them, and offering them the right donations and rituals to gain an advantage in life.

[@michaeldillon3113]

@@varana Thank you for your comment. What does the term religio literally mean ?

[@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth]

do you know why it's taught that To be a Christian you need to keep repeating that Jesus is God? And why irani shia-rafizi says that Ali (R:) is God? And why pir-sufi says that To reach the highest level of spirituaity you need to repeat that 'I'm God and prostrate to me' like irani shia Sufi monsor hallaj (pir of dewbondi, tableeghi Jamaat, berelvi (Rizvi)? Because anti-christ dajjal will say that "I'am god/beggten son of God & prostrate to me! True Muslims will reject anti-christ for blaspheming (death penalty by TRUE GOD's Law for claiming such divinity) Because Eesa messiah (Alaihissalam) and Ali (R) never said that 'I am god or worship me.' Because Our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) never said that “I am GOD or prostrate to me!" May ALLAH Almighty protect us from this antichrist (dajjalik) fitna. Aameen Rather our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) said Do not exaggerate status of the Prophet: Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Messenger (ﷺ) of ALLAH, said, “Do not exaggerate my praises as the Christians have done with the son of Mary. Verily, I am only a servant, so refer to me as the servant of ALLAH and his messenger.” Source: S‌ah‌i‌h‌ al-Bukha‌ri‌ 3261 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Bukhari abd - ullah is also mentioned in Isaiah 42 (Bible) Isaiah 42:1- Here is my servant (abd - ullah), whom I uphold my chosen one (Mustafa) in whom I delight (Habibullah’); I will put my Spirit on him, and he (Prophet Muhhammad) will bring justice to the nations.

[@michaeldillon3113]

@@Fear_ALLAH_and_speak_the_Truth I have the greatest respect for the Sufi Saint Al Hallaj . Like Christ he was tortured and killed for his beliefs and teachings ✌️

[@transientimages]

Is there any chance you could tell what the clip at 3:53 is depicting? Or at least where the clip is from?

[@regatta2k]

Great video, excellent ideas. Love it !

[@johnsondoeboy2772]

Please do a video on Satanism/Luciferianism And a bonus video discussing Astrotheology (even though it’s not technically a religion) Thanks.

[@michelleburkholder2547]

That's Angela's Symposium department. Dr Justin Sledge does a lot in on that subject also.

[@johnsondoeboy2772]

@@michelleburkholder2547 I’m subscribed to her, but her work comes across as too biased in my opinion.

[@laiskiainenjumalatar3240]

Religion is perfect tool / weapon if you have ambitions in the politics and it's leader places. Fastest way to manipulate the masses.

[@robs.2671]

That goes for secular alternatives to religion as well, Communism was weaponized by Stalin and Mao; who both racked up body counts higher then all other previous religious wars combined during their respective tenures as leaders. Capitalism will inevitably kill off the Earth through environment devastation. Celebrity worship has been a bizarre problem for a while now. And it also goes for r/atheist edgelords who have an ax to grind with people who practice their faith and want nothing more then to get back at religious institutions

[@MuhammadIbrahim-yt5wy]

Where can I find Robert Audi's family resemblance definition of religion?

[@noahdanielg]

Very important topic, I remember learning about all these scholars and perspectives in my courses!

[@alexbadila1]

Great video. I've been told multiple times by different people that Buddhism is not a religion. This offends me greatly as a Buddhist. I think it has to do with the Western framing of what a religion is.

[@rmglabog]

Who told you buddhism is not a religion? That's a new age repackaging of buddhism.

[@americanliberal09]

They seriously wanna believe that a religion needs to be theistic in order to be one, because they tend to be biased towards other religions such as "christianity". So that's why.

[@sysyphenf8ewtfr603]

I think that even though humans have both a natural desire in socializing with each others as well as a natural desire in belief in higher power, I think it is inaccurate to include the social aspect into the religion. The socializing aspect is much broader and wider because you can include it anywhere as you said in the video and if humans have suddenly lost this desire then that would not affect the main part of religion which is the belief in higher power. If on the other hand the belief in higher power is suddenly lost then religions ceases to exist. So I would define it this way: Religion is a natural result of humans' innate desire in belief in higher power.

[@wardenofeden]

thank you filip, you work very very fast. take time for yourself when you need. we'll be here

[@Damons-Old-Soul]

Years ago in my Roman Catholic HS Ethics class, the subject of what religion is came up when doing a section in cults. When we put our traits of each side by side, the only significant difference was the number of people who followed it. Though we were never able to come up with a rough number where a cult turns into a religion. This was too many years ago to remember specifics. The teacher was also a Lay teacher, as was all but the principal of the school. (If you don't know what that last sentence means, then it doesn't matter.)

[@toffeem944]

Amazing video like always, Keep up

[@davidcheater4239]

Love your videos. From the point of Judaism. Defining what is a Jew comes down to what is a religious community. Going by conversations with Christians and Muslims in Real Life as well as in social media; our perspective that Jewishness does not require a belief in the supernatural is something that they have a lot of trouble understanding. I had a very long talk with a Christian student who simply couldn't accept my answer that there is no Jewish belief in the afterlife any more than there is a consensus on which music is better.

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

I am very sure that if you talked to your ancestors just a couple centuries ago they would smak you for believing that. Because the only reason that jews never melted in all the different lands they been in. Was there special beliefs in that they got a covenant with God and that they have these spiritual beliefs and duties they have to upheld. That is why they didn't die as a group..... That spiritual beliefs you are mocking

[@davidcheater4239]

@@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl Reread the answer. There is no standard Jewish belief in the Afterlife. Judaism is focused on this life not on speculation of the Afterlife. And yes, going back a few centuries or a few millennia Judaism avoided speculation on the Afterlife. Judaism is focused on serving G-d in this life.

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

@@davidcheater4239 ohhh no you read what you said. You said belief in the supernatural isn't required...... That is what I am talking about. Not the afterlife

[@davidcheater4239]

@@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl And there were Rabbis in the Talmud who were Atheists. Judaism is focused on proper practice rather than proper belief.

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

@@davidcheater4239 there is no such thing as atheist rabbis because again the practices that are so important. are important in the first place because they are are believed to come from God. A divine {supernatural} force. You seem to be confused by something. The details of theology isn't important{proper belief as you call it} . But you absolutely have to believe in God and his prhopets and their miracles. The reason that these laws and practices matter in the first place is due to there supposed divine {again supernatural} origin. With out believing in the divine origin in the laws and rituals of being a jew........ They are worthless and fake. Stuff that is made up. And not comes from the super special connection to the divine

[@agniswar3]

Dear host, can you please make a video on Vaishnavism?

[@stephanieparker1250]

That seems like a super deep question for a 15 video lol but, you actually address this in other ways in most of your videos, so I highly recommend everyone watch all of them! 🙌🙌🙌

[@dropintoseeme69]

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

[@Uzair_Of_Babylon465]

Fantastic video keep it up your doing amazing job

[@jameshenderson8873]

We'll see next time. As always, props to Master Filip for his muddied clarity and eloquent exposition of this, the most intriguing of concepts @ our disposal. Mayhaps the light shed herein is a snippet of the idea that becoming " fishers of men " has, as we see, morphed into the " fissures of Man ". Be a light unto yourself and, as such, be Alone in your understanding / experience of the earth and of Gods. Sow as you seek and the harvests will blossom in hearts and the fragrance shall be your breath... THAT ye wouldst rejoice through all the seasons. Know acception. Peace...

[@lashamartashvili]

Thank you for the video. Day's definition is the single best and most accurate statement about what religion is, but it's not the full definition. It highlights overlapping between two domains - sociological, which religion is, and psychological, which believing is. I'd say the believing of belonging is where the believing part ends in most of the religions, while some extend it to encompassing supernatural fenomena and things like spirits and gods too.

[@Ulriquinho]

Flashbacks to my theories and methods of religious studies class…

[@rkmh9342]

Thank you for the fantastic conceptual analysis! From an analytical point of view, anytime you try to specify [i.e., define] what a genus is, you have defined a species of that genus, not the genus [by definition.] So if we cannot specify or define a genus without conceptually distorting the subject matter, i.e., thereby changing the talk of a genus into that of a species, how do we comprehend what a genus is? By distinction from another genus. Like comparing sports with religion, eh eh? By comparing the functions of different families of behaviour. By observation of what would be lost if we could not use the concept to articulate reasons to act. By observing how changing the context of the genus changes what actions mean [e.g., telling an observer that someone's action is part of a sport v. telling them the same action is religious.] But the conceptual issue of definition is fraught when applying it to abstract and general concepts and this has nothing to do with religion per se. I also like to consider the definition of false religion. Consider how some may believe that all religions are false. This is an artifact of what definition such people would be utilizing; after all, empirical content depends on falsification in principle. For the sake of argument, consider the possibility that Christianity is a false religion. What difference would it make if you found out that Christianity was a false religion? For most people I have talked to about this, their response is almost one of panic and forgetting that it is a hypothetical thought experiment ask me what religion they should switch to. I do not know if your experiences would be similar but it feels like people take the idea that a religion could be a false religion seriously. Religion is supposed to prescribe solutions to spiritual problems. And if the religion is a false religion, what it prescribes is not just useless but likely harmful as well. Perhaps different religions can be specified by how they typically articulate what our spiritual problems are, and what distinguishes a problem as spiritual instead of social or cultural. The fact that I had to hedge what I said about how religions "typically" articulate what a spiritual problem is versus a different sort of problem indicates that there is an interplay between the tradition and the necessity of an interpretive act in every interaction between a person and that tradition. Every abstraction presupposes a starting point, a choice of what to ignore in the abstraction process as irrelevant and a choice of what is integral to the concept. The issue of what we ignore and choose as irrelevant depends on our motivations. Suppose you are a mathematician and you are motivated by the idea that all mathematical truths have a direct proof, in principle. But you also have to sort out whether your math is computational or just a sort of input-output impredicative and extensional sort. If you try to combine both sorts of motivations, voila you are now a classical mathematician with mathematical truths being possibly true independent of a direct proof. The point is that we have to take responsibility for how our motivations shape how we think on a fundamental level. On a related note, just because we want answers does not obligate the world to be such a way that we can learn the answer to our questions. So with all this criticism and place-setting, what could I say about religion in positive terms? The idea of a spiritual problem presupposes a sort of responsibility that can inspire ritual and/or devotional behaviour within a tradition. The relevant tradition is where that responsibility is authoritatively discharged by the relevant ritual or devotional behaviours. Thus the question of how a sense of responsibility inspires humans and how authority inspires behaviours in a tradition are the basic parameters of a religious mode of cognition. This is distinguished from the idea of how authority compels compliance as one might find in political theory. However, the idea of a theocratic state [where the ruler is also the head of the state religion] illuminates how central the notion of authority over how to solve spiritual problems is and how easy it is to define any problem as spiritual: whatever the authority says is a spiritual problem is a spiritual problem. I am not motivated to accept ad hoc definitions and I hope you share that motivation. After all, there is no arguing with motivations [you have to care about the argument in the first place for it to motivate you to change your attitude or mind etc.] Personally, I find this perspective can help people prone to being excessively religious. Helping them articulate the difference between spiritual issues and mundane issues might give them personal tools that provides a sense of agency that helps with the fear that tends to inspire excessive zealousness. So what makes a problem spiritual instead of social or political or personal or emotional etc.? My motivations here are to be as general as possible, to allow for any reasonable definition of what makes a behaviour spiritual. A central truth of the human condition is that we can become inspired. That many of our problems are due to a failure to find inspiration in what we do, and in how we live. Inspired by what you might ask? That depends on dogma, tradition and personal interpretation of how you apply the tradition (even if you uncritically just do as you are told, you are still responsible for that interpretation of your responsibilities.) In my experience, I feel lucky to be alive with all the gifts and talents I inherited from the ancestors and this inspires responsibility both to the ancestors and my neighbours going seven generations into the future. It means seeking atonement for the evil that made my luck happen. It means reconciliation and solidarity with the alien, the widow, the orphan and the oppressed. There being false religions does not presuppose there is true religion. But if there is a true religion, if it is not fundamentally about being inspired to take care of each other as you would yourself, I would never be motivated to be so irresponsible. Much love!

[@zakiamashhdi3672]

Another brilliant lecture from you. Thanks

[@lucasgolombek5196]

To me, religion is a collective escape from reality. As humans, we continuously create trascendental beliefs to justify the world´s existence and our own. Although I´m an atheist, I truly think religion (in the plurality of ways it manifests) is one of our deepest, most humane practices.

[@uditverma7386]

Possibly my favorite definition is "Religion in the eyes of God is Islam (submission to him and his oneness)" but that is bcuz I'm Muslim 😂😌🌻

[@hiiiiir]

Muslim with hindu name 🤡

[@user-ry2qs7xf9k]

that's THE religion,if people don't understand what you've said they'll never understand what religion is and they'll always confuse religion with ideology, philosophy, lifestyle, culture...........

[@mahdidi96]

Hi, I wanted to bring up something I find unique about Islam, as a Muslim myself. And that is that Islam seems unique in its ability to codify its ethics in a way such that it’s core tenants and rituals are uniform among its believers. You brought Islam being different in Morocco and Indonesia. How? This makes no sense to me as a Muslim. They both pray the same (minor differences in Madhabs aside), have the same sense of right and wrong, etc. At most you can say they dress differently and speak different languages but Islam never disallowed that or had an opinion on that in the first place. So don’t you think Islam is unique in that regard?

[@BasedYeeter42]

Salam, I suggest you to look into one book which perfectly encapsulates your query regarding the religion/culture dichotomy and tries to give a pretty decent answer imo, which is “Lived Islam: Colloquial Religion in a Cosmopolitan Tradition” by A. Kevin Reinhart

[@varana]

That also heavily depends on what you define as "core tenets". I would definitely argue about the "sense of right and wrong", though. Not even between Morocco and Indonesia; various groups within one society have their differences, as well. "Is it right to do X?" is answered wildly differently, depending on topic, between Muslim groups. I've seen Muslims drink alcohol (to choose a very blatant example). Now, sure you could say "they're not behaving correctly as Muslims should, then". But that is the point - clearly they didn't share the same sense of what is right or wrong. Or when it comes to dressing in a certain way - women's clothing is a very obvious example. In both cases, religion is used as to enforce or forbid certain practices while others behave differently, and still are part of their Muslim community. Islam is, like all religions (and especially because it is spread over so large an area, with so many followers from different cultures, not to mention historic interpretations of the faith), very diverse.

[@claudiotavares9580]

No. The beliefs of a muslim in saudi Arabia and Indonesia differ vastly, it's not only about the ritualistic. The indonesian and South East Asia islam is heavily influenced by their local cultures and even previous polytheistic beliefs, while islam in the middle east is more legalistic in nature and even far more puritanist in some instances. Same with North and subsaharan Africa and the greater Iran region, while they are more close theologically to saudi Arabia islam, they are at the same time heavily influenced by sufi mysticism to this day. What a senegalese or indonesian thinks can be consider as shari'a or aqeedah can differ widely from what a saudi arab or a egyptian think (a egyptian or saudi would probably pass a takfir upon them). And there are other minor differences in belief too, like South East Asians believing in local curses and spirits while arabs would see as just pagan superstitions, or the prominence that a muslim indian or pakistani gives to local saints while arabs deny completely their importance and even denounce their veneration as kufr.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

I don't think Islam is unique in that way compared to other religions. Islam changes over time and place just like other traditions. And there can indeed be more significant aspects of the religious practice that differs in different regions. In Morocco the Sufi saints and their authority and practices related to it has played a central role historically, whereas in Saudi Arabia today those aspects are almost entirely absent due to the popularity of Salafi/Wahhabi understandings of Islam.

[@mahdidi96]

@@LetsTalkReligionI am not a scholar of religion so I don’t know the details and can only speak on my experience, that’s why I ask someone like you. But from what I have seen, I can enter a Moroccan, Somali, Yemeni or Bangladeshi mosque and know almost 100% what to expect. I just don’t see that level of uniformity in other religions. At most there are diversions in cultural practices but people know that that is just a cultural thing, bid’ah, and not the fardh of the religion. In Bangladesh many people will greet an elder by touching their feet. It’s a part of the Islamic culture there but people are still aware that it is not part of the core religion. Or like drinking among Uzbeks, they do it but they know their religion disagrees with it. To me, and to most Muslims, Islam feels like a warm, familiar, global blanket, and apologies if this comes off as blunt, but focusing on these minor cultural differences seems like academic pedantics.

[@ideologicalfather9650]

I would define a religion as a structure that is hierarchical in its nature. In which each layer has its function. And the whole structure is held in place by fear, reward, and punishment. Without any of those, religion falls apart. Where the guiding principle of ones life, both belief and action, are guided by whatever is most important to the individual or group (tip of pyramid = god). Religions have layers: top = god (could be any priority) Near top = prophets (who defines the rules of this society) middle = priests (thse who teach, enforce and propagate the ideas) Lower = those who simply obey. Please let me know what you think

[@heqaib]

I have noticed that few ask this question. Religious leaders RETREAT to teaching practice (oh so easy), but when you ask WHY you typically get simplistic answers that such a prayer is more critical and standing shows more respect, etc. The problem is that as I look around, books written by mainstream religious scholars avoid topics of belief. (As you said, performance trumps meaning.) Thanks for raising this question!

[@ArtyomLensky]

A good book on the topic of why people believe, written at a scholarly level is "Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent" by J.H. Newman. It explains why people believe firstly in Christianity, but also in anything else.

[@skepticalorganism6007]

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.” ― Seneca

[@kaiserkhan9501]

Perfect

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

Most rulers and elites believed in there own religion. Even Greco-Roman ones

[@MohamedRamadan-qi4hl]

@@devinreese7704 most of these philosophical tradions were not atheist. Epicurus didn't deny the existence of the gods. He denied that the involved themselves with the human world. Most of these philosophical tradions were very much thesistic. Like neoplatonic

[@zaidal-hindawi1784]

That is a brilliant quote, thank you 🙏

[@waltonsmith7210]

I think Karl Marx's "opiate of the masses" quote is actually really beautiful and profound if fully read in context. "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people."

[@physics77guy]

very nicely done.... great job

[@americanliberal09]

And, what people tend to forget to realize is that not all religions need to be theistic in order to be one. There are plenty of non-theistic religions such as "theravada buddhism" that do exist.

[@aamirali8114]

i guess religion is a guideline for a human towards humanity and love and affection towards Almighty Creator of this universe

[@samantarmaxammadsaciid5156]

Religion and non-religion is the same thing = Zombie humanity = chaotic and contradictory humanity! Humanity is the problem of the humanity! Love and Affection along its opposites Hate and Animosity!

[@frankrusso5997]

😅

[@frankrusso5997]

I’m

[@frankrusso5997]

😅

[@frankrusso5997]

😅😅

[@jamesreed4483]

Not mentioned, the core of religion, death.

[@TheWorldTeacher]

😇अहिंसा परमो धर्म 😇 Ahimsa paramo dharma (“non-harm is the HIGHEST religious principle” or “non-violence is the GREATEST law”). Therefore, only a strict VEGAN can claim to be an adherent of the eternal religion (sanātana dharma).🌱

[@ultrasignificantfootnote3378]

I think the religions seem to deny death, and claim eternal life.But without death religion would be less needed.

[@IsomerSoma]

​@@ultrasignificantfootnote3378 By building an ideology and mythology around an eternal after-life religion worships death and therefore ultimately the nothing. Like in christianity life is often associated with evil. Christianity therefore denies life, worships death and is at its core nihilistic.

[@dmitriyg1030]

Wow, man, I like your channel, you make great content. I just imagine, how wise you may be in your 60-s) good luck!

[@Marbo12f]

I once heard the blunt "A belief in the supernatural" definition changed in a simple yet dramatic way to "A non-scientific belief". In particular noting how this opened religion to include things like Veganism: its not a supernatural belief, but saying "Animals deserve not to be eaten" is still a values judgment not grounded in science. And then we see how they organize themselves into a community with its own practices, literature etc. This also accounts for cults of personality like Mao and Stalin. Notable atheist Christopher Hitchen even stating that the most religious society on the planet was the officially atheist state of North Korea, where Juche ideology and the worship of the Kim Dynasty is all consuming. Then we have atheist and secular organizations like Sunday Assembly who un-apologetically model themselves themselves like churches in apparent recognition of humanity's inclination toward religious habituation, even if doctrinally opposed to such beliefs.

[@ArturHolanda91]

For me religion is a faith based ideology. Like a system to organize and/ or explain the world that is based on faith.

[@abiomer415]

This was very interesting, thank you

[@AnnoDomini56]

I think the biggest problem is the fact that there isn’t a lot of understanding around religion, and often secularists try to define religion in unrealistic terms without properly understanding what is truly is, and they start trying to separate it from societal practices altogether, without realizing that religion is a complex social, cultural, and political based concept, resulting in its decline and it slowly strips away at our own society and culture as a result.

[@itzgunns]

its important to have a video like this

[@Rajeev_kumar991]

What i see in religion is calmness, money, political advantage forms a community a group who supports you. Reading scriptures builds a habit to read more and efficiently retain verses facts in memory sharps the memory.

[@jasonstoodley4464]

The element I would add is that the pre-Age of Exploration meaning was something along the line of "sacred duty" or "obligation." Religion in this traditional sense of the word could be things a person or group does (or thinks, feels, seeks, etc.) out of a sense of moral or spiritual obligation to some being or principle that has a claim over them.

[@Mick116]

Brilliant summary. Thank you. 🙏

[@Bumpkin_fen]

Thank You for all your incredible documentaries/ thesis/ dissertation per video. Absolutely hypnotic tbh, you talk me to sleep (in a good way"thanks"). Anytime your in Cornwall to research the dodgy Celts, spare room available . nice village called flushing..2 pubs and the sea..come visit.

[@doctoryousuf8521]

Great , Extraordinary Skill You Have to Deliver Deep Knowledge, That is GOD GIFTED... Please keep it Up...i Appreciate Your Knowledge and Work. Your Work will be Remembered in History...

[@dlloydy5356]

Great explanation of ideas. Interesting discussion

[@keturahspencer]

It's also hard to define what it's not. I'm an Atheist. That is not a religion nor a religious belief, yet many people will tell me it's my religion.

[@alhadiyonisa8629]

I agree with Edward B. Tylor.