The Importance Of Religion And Sacredness

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There are many different religions in the world, all of which vary in their religious traditions and their relationship with the sacred. Sacred, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, means entitled to reverence and respect (2014); in this context, sacredness is not limited to a single belief system but applies to all religions where the upmost reverence and respect is given. In the pursuit of studying religions across the globe, scholars have developed a way of understanding religions through three specific questions. The first is what a religion and its traditions say to its followers such as its structured belief system and how it is taught. The second is what a religion does for its followers whether it is through a ritual or religious community. The final question is how a religion organizes inside itself, such as smaller groups within the community for closer understanding or by providing its followers with a knowledgeable guide. As will all areas of study, there are barriers or issues that prevent people from obtaining a full picture, such as inflexibility or misconceptions due to media exposure. All religions in one way, shape, or form honors the sacredness of their religion, whether it is a quest guided by a leader, or a ritual to affirm devotion. This paper will attempt to explore each of these topics and explain how they related to sacredness.
What Religious Traditions Say
Every belief system has a means in which the structure of that belief system is communicated to its disciples. One of the age old ways of communication is what scholars call oral traditions where stories and myths were passed around by word of mouth from one generation to the next (Cruikshank, 1994; Simpkins, 2002). Another metho...

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...rom a child to an adolescent, they are confirmed in their conviction to serve the Lord. Baptizes preformed on adults are considered the same as adolescent confirmation as both are conscious acknowledgement of faith (The General Board of Discipleship, 1996).
Conclusion
This paper has attempted to explore how religious traditions honor that which is sacred in the world. Scholars generally agree that true understanding can take place by asking three questions of each religion; what a religion says, what a religion does, and how a religion organizes. This paper also covered how critical issues hinder society and religion from seeing each other on the same level of understanding. Sacredness has no direct explanation; it cannot be limited to just one religion or tradition, but must expand to all religions and that which any person deems to be respected and revered.

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