tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13308732.post112472696370014339..comments2023-10-18T02:23:07.047-05:00Comments on A Pagan Sojourn: First Pagan CarnivalS. Nicholehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04751328960282952373noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13308732.post-1124770237989407022005-08-22T23:10:00.000-05:002005-08-22T23:10:00.000-05:00Experience does tend to bring people closer togeth...Experience does tend to bring people closer together. Your meditation/prayer example is a good one, but it is, for the most part, individually experienced. I would have to say that the religious <I>community</I> is another way to bring people together in the realm of experience. Although people do go to Church/Synagogue/Circle to listen to or to participate in the "doctrinal dimension" of their religion, they also go for sense of togetherness and that is also a part of the religious experience. <BR/><BR/>People do not necessarily remember what was talked about on a certain day, but chances are they will remember who is there on a regular basis. I think that this helps to validate the religious experience which helps to bring about unity among people.<BR/><BR/>I would agree that spirituality is also involved. I guess I somewhat tie the aspect of spirituality to the psychological process, but that was implied, not stated. But then again, psychology is more about behavior and spirituality is more about a profound experience, so I have to learn to seperate the two.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by again and thanks for the wonderful, thoughtful comments.S. Nicholehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04751328960282952373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13308732.post-1124748242182578562005-08-22T17:04:00.000-05:002005-08-22T17:04:00.000-05:00Thanks for the thoughtful reply to my comment a we...Thanks for the thoughtful reply to my comment a week or so ago. No, I'm not pagan either. <BR/><BR/>Where religion is concerned, I'm more interested in its experiential than doctrinal dimension. For example, meditation in the east; contemplative prayer in the west. You mentioned everyone needs something to believe in. It's certainly true that to date, religion has emphasized competing belief systems. However, I think that when you get to the experiential aspects, you find much greater unity among people.<BR/><BR/>"The psychological aspect of religion, any religion, is in my opinion, what brings people to the practice of religion in the first place." (Your first or second post.)<BR/><BR/>I think psychology is often or usually involved. But what I'd want to call "spirituality" is also involved. I think there is a dimension to human interiority more profound than our psychologies.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14770384445526387065noreply@blogger.com