Is it a good idea to try out a religion for a month? So asks Auntie.
People usually think of religion in terms of a lifetime of commitment, but could you learn anything from trying one out for a month?
I guess the answer to that one depends upon your belief in a deity. As I don’t I’m not sure that it would be of any benefit. So trying out Islam for a month – which is what is currently on offer, would tell me more, perhaps about the belief system in practice, but nothing that I am not already aware of intellectually. And as I don’t believe in gods, why would I want to pray to one?
However, there are some benefits:
There were tougher moments for participants; some women found being separated from the males in the group somewhat jarring. The organisers say this is all part of the experience.
Quite. If you are going to test drive, you might as well go the whole hog [sic]. And this is what religion means – rules that we may not like. Rules that make no sense to an outsider. Rules that are, frankly, backwards and medieval – because they were made during the middle ages or before. Rules that, frankly, have no basis in the modern real world. So, sure, test drive if you like – but make sure you experience the idiosyncratic absurdities that go with it. It might make you realise just how daft it really is.
That said, much of what is being talked about in the article is as much to do with culture as it is to do with the religion itself. And when travelling, I do like to absorb the local culture, language, sights and smells. Not sure I need to test drive the belief system to do this, though.
“Rules that, frankly, have no basis in the modern real world.”
Such as? – with regard to Christianity, not any of that foreign rubbish 😉
Isn’t it once a Muslim, always a Muslim?
TT, Which branch of Christianity? Given that the various sects can’t seem to make their minds up about who is right, this is a minefield. Depending your particular brand, we could go with attitudes towards homosexuality, female clergy or celibate priesthood for example or maybe such things as prohibition on the use of contraceptives…
That’s just off the top of my head. If I gave it some consideration, I suspect I could come up with more. Oh, and given that Christianity has its roots in Judea, it’s as foreign as Islam. If you want home grown, then you would need to be thinking about paganism. Proper religion, that 😉
John, yes, I believe so 😉
I’d imagine that for a lot of church-goers, here in the UK at least, it’s more about the community aspect than the actual religion.
So sampling different churches might let you find a crowd you fit in with.
Or then again, this might just be an attempt to put a positive spin on the “religion of peace”.
Andrew: it’s more about the community aspect than the actual religion.
I’d agree with this, particularly a lot of older people – they just want to be with those of a like-mind where they can feel at peace and be with another and socialise over a common cause.
At the end of the day, these are very peaceful people so I can’t see any harm in it. Some of the more dogmatic religious lot in Scotland and Northern Ireland, perhaps less so – although, even there, people are becoming more secular.
So we can expect loadsa muslims to have a try at Christianity or become jewish for a month then?
Nah, didn’t think so.
Why would you try something else when you are clearly right about everything?
Typical al-ja beeba sop to the ragheads. No doubt the authors are preening themselves, looking in a mirror and asking, “who’s a clever boy/girl then?”
I cosidered becoming a Sikh for a month so I could be excluded from wearing a motorbike helmet.
Then I remembered that Jake Mangel Wurzel tried it a few years back and still got done.
“Sikh and ye shall be fined” he quipped.