Religious Rituals

Ultimately are they anything more than more widely accepted and formalized superstition and/ or OCD?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Ultimately are they anything more than more widely accepted and formalized superstition and/ or OCD?

Some peoples disciplines are suited toward performing rituals. You just gotta know where everything fits and that the ritual can be like the object of worship(idol) , it can overshadow the true meaning of spirituality, which is not in the ritual. The ritual is used for "purification" only.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Some peoples disciplines are suited toward performing rituals. You just gotta know where everything fits and that the ritual can be like the object of worship(idol) , it can overshadow the true meaning of spirituality, which is not in the ritual. The ritual is used for "purification" only.

By "purification" do you mean as a means of relieving anxiety as does a person with OCD?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
By "purification" do you mean as a means of relieving anxiety as does a person with OCD?

I think so.
Relieving stress/anxiety properly and permanently involves aquainting oneself with ones "spiritual side". Some people need ritiuals for this.
I find some people are more prone to OCD than others. I'm not sure their is a correlation with performing rituals...

Originally posted by karoly aczel
I think so.
Relieving stress/anxiety properly and permanently involves aquainting oneself with ones "spiritual side". Some people need ritiuals for this.
I find some people are more prone to OCD than others. I'm not sure their is a correlation with performing rituals...

Seems like both religious rituals and OCD rituals are about deluding oneself into believing those actions are effective in removing the actual source of the anxiety. As such they cannot "properly and permanently" relieve the stress/anxiety through those actions. What do you think?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Seems like both religious rituals and OCD rituals are about deluding oneself into believing those actions are effective in removing the actual source of the anxiety. As such they cannot "properly and permanently" relieve the stress/anxiety through those actions. What do you think?

before I go on (with not having given much thought to my responses thus far. Kinda thinking about it in hindsight), you are talking about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, right?

Originally posted by karoly aczel
before I go on (with not having given much thought to my responses thus far. Kinda thinking about it in hindsight), you are talking about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, right?

Yes, by "OCD" I mean "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder"

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Ultimately are they anything more than more widely accepted and formalized superstition and/ or OCD?

In my opinion, rituals has nothing to do with religion.

Why would a supernatural intelligent being be happier if men and women performed rituals? Why would men and women make anything wrong against this supernatural intelligent being by not performing these rituals?

These rituals are invented by men in order to [guessing] know who is loyal to the religion and who is not [/guessing].

Originally posted by FabianFnas
In my opinion, rituals has nothing to do with religion.

Why would a supernatural intelligent being be happier if men and women performed rituals? Why would men and women make anything wrong against this supernatural intelligent being by not performing these rituals?

These rituals are invented by men in order to [guessing] know who is loyal to the religion and who is not [/guessing].

The idea that an omnipotent being would dispense reward or punishment
depending on whether or not the proper rituals were performed is indeed bizarre. However, I'd have to say that it has much to do with religion as most, if not all, religions have rituals of one sort or another. Also it seems likely that rituals were created as an attempt to curry favor with the supernatural.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Seems like both religious rituals and OCD rituals are about deluding oneself into believing those actions are effective in removing the actual source of the anxiety. As such they cannot "properly and permanently" relieve the stress/anxiety through those actions. What do you think?

Rituals do not have to include delusion. And OCD rituals can be quite effective at relieving stress - which is a large part of why they form. I think we are all a little obsessive compulsive - just not always to the point that it gets labelled a disorder. We like routine - partly because it means we need to think less about what we are doing.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Rituals do not have to include delusion. And OCD rituals can be quite effective at relieving stress - which is a large part of why they form. I think we are all a little obsessive compulsive - just not always to the point that it gets labelled a disorder. We like routine - partly because it means we need to think less about what we are doing.

Rituals do not have to include delusion.

Can you give examples of rituals that are not "about deluding oneself into believing those actions are effective in removing the actual source of the anxiety"?

And OCD rituals can be quite effective at relieving stress - which is a large part of why they form.

Which is also likely a large part of why religious rituals form and religion itself forms.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Yes, by "OCD" I mean "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder"

I dont think OCD is such a bad thing.
Religous fervor can be a good thing. I dont know, I try to see the positive side of things. There is usually a positive side.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
I dont think OCD is such a bad thing.
Religous fervor can be a good thing. I dont know, I try to see the positive side of things. There is usually a positive side.

Ultimately avoidance of reality is not a "good thing". Seems like those who insist on looking on the "positive side" are avoiding reality.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Ultimately are they anything more than more widely accepted and formalized superstition and/ or OCD?

If meditation and yoga are considered OCD activities, the same as praying, then perhaps your argument is well founded. Since I don't think singing hymns, praying, or studying/reading/discussing ancient writings to be an OCD activity, then I'd disagree with your prermise.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Ultimately avoidance of reality is not a "good thing". Seems like those who insist on looking on the "positive side" are avoiding reality.

The postivie side is a part of reality, so your not completely avoiding it.🙂