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Position:Home>Philosophy> What do you think about theology?Question: What do you think about theology!? I'm interested in answers from all backgrounds (believers and non-believers), and hopefully I get non-ofensive answers, since I've been reading other answers where participants take it so personal!.
I'm considering studying Theology, it's a subject that fascinates me but I'm not sure yet, so I would like to gather some opinions!. Thank youWww@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: In a general sense most people who study theology use the knowledge to better their life and to help others!. If you are a giver it is a great field to get into, but otherwise you may not be able to make any funds off of the schooling!. You can teach it, but even that is a self sacrificing job!. I studied theology in a broad aspect and it has become a life long passion!. It seems that the more answers you uncover the more questions you are asking yourself!. At this point after 30 years Theology is the only word that can describe what I understand about God and the entire creation!. I cannot even say I am with any type of religion in particular because I understand and respect them all and see how they all play into the entire world of different religions!. They are all one to me and theology has brought me to this!. My point is this!.!.!.if you can handle questioning your own religion, and expanding your mind to respect all religions then theology is a great study that will bring your mind into many journeys throughout life!. It is a wonderful field that I would not trade for anything!. It really should be labeled as a history subject, but it is too large I guess!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Theology is great!.!.!.!.!. it is the study of human world religion!. If you refer to studying only a single religion then I think it is bunk!. If however you are intending to study the nature of religion in general, by studying a variety of religions then it is a great subject for study!. there is nothing so eye-opening as seeing how many poeple fervently believe in things they have no understanding of, nor interest in!. If you are a believer then it is your duty to study that which you believe, as well as its roots in human history!.!.!. which would include other religions!. One cannot understand Christianity without first understanding Judaism!.!.!.!.!.!. and cannot appreciate it without understanding its influence from Buddhism!.!.!.!.!.!.!.and cannot understand its rituals without studying Paganism!. Many religions are intertwined!. If you are a non-believer it can be a fascinating study into the human psyche, history, and the mental capacity and viewpoint of more primitive societies!. Either way you end out a winner!.!.!.!.!.!. unless you go into the study with a closed mind, then you are a loser!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Theology appears to be where persons attempt to reach an understanding regarding a being that either does not exist or that has made itself unknowable by postulating on the distortions of ancient text which were inaccurate to being with!. All such study results in statement that pertain more to the one making the statement than to the supposed subject of the statement!. Current theology assumes that supposedly divinely revealed scriptures, according to ones self chosen faith system, is or has actually been so revealed while discounting all other supposedly revealed works except in an attempt to discredit the same!. Theology is that taking of mythology seriously (that is as if the gods actually existed!.) Mythology, especially as it has and does pertain to the past and current social context seems much more appealing and interesting!. Good luck with your studies!. ADDITION: Lotus Cat, in the Holy Qur'an, Muslims are told not to judge others but to leave the same to Allah, Subhanna wa Ta'ala!. Are you raising yourself to that level, the level of God!? Such is blaspheme! IN the Sunnah al Hadiths, the Prophet Muhammad, salaahu 'aliahi wasalaam, tells us to treat all others with respect, even ones enemies!. Have you decided that you only need to follow certain of the hadiths and not all of them!? Such is not following all of the Five Pilars of Islam and when one does not follow all of them one is no longer a Muslim!. Smile, when one accuses others of arrogance and egotism, such is most often a reflection of the one so judging!. This one gave an honest answer based on many years of study and a life time of learning!. If the same upsets you then perhaps it would be wise to ask yourself why such is the case!. Perhaps it would also be wise to seek your own answers from within yoruself rather than to continue to profess a failed religion which you do not seem to be following by practice!. Be well!. ADDITION: Lotus Cat, There is a vast difference between being reactionary and being honest without being accusitive or attemtping to defame another simply because said person does not ascribe to the religious beliefs of the one so defaming the other!. Buddhist, as are all others, are asked to be honest both towards others and with ones self, which implies the willingness question all that one experiences ( and not blindly follow a teaching of another, even that of the Gautama Buddha himself)!. Some individuals have chosen not to do such as that same is taught in a religious system they have been taught or have chosen to follow wherein they have been taught that theological investigation is not allowed, nor is interpretation of scripture allowed although each does so and that they should follow what has supposedly been divinely revealed!. For such a person to quote the scriptures that said one suposedly adheres to while the other, to whom they are preaching, does not is an odd way by which to supposedly conveince the other!. Such might be likened to trying to teach science, with its valid, reliable and verifiable, quantifiable, systematically collected and analyzed data to a creationist who has no such evidence and relies solely on "faith" in the unseen, unknown and unknowable!. Perhaps it is wiser not to throw stones at the houses of others especially when and if the others house is built on solid ground as opposed to sand!. Let each follow the path that each one has chosen for that ones self as it is said in the Holy Qur'an, "I will not believe that which you belive nor will you believe that which I choose to believe" and, in the end, the truth will prevail and be revealed in a moment of enlightenment to each!. Be well, Lotus Cat, be wise, do not judge or defame others because their beliefs are now different than your own as there is no compulsion in religion!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Among the most convincing of the non-believers are Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris, all of whose works you should have at least a brief look at!. Hitchens suggests that all the major religions (at least) be taught in school from a historical perspective—free of the catechismic approach that attempts to make its students subject to religious law!. Theology is indeed an interesting subject, but its study will not necessarily support faith!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Theology is meant for people who seek to gain an understanding of what cannot be understood/explained!. As far as human beings can understand in a logical sense, there is no proper undisputed answer for the big questions like "What is the meaning of life!?"!. So the idea of theology, is to have unwavering faith upon a theory to suppress one's curiosity!. In a nutshell, Theology is: "Father, why is death a part of life!?" "Because Todd, God said so!." I think that the only thing I can say is "wrong" about Theology, is the fact that there are so many different religions contradicting each other-- it supports and influences people to believing "We're different from them" in terms of morals!. Hate comes from difference, and so anything that spawns hate is what I classify to be "wrong"!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Since Christianity plays a very big role in our country today, I recommend everyone study theology at least a little!. I think you need to know what people believe and why, because it has such an effect on our society!. I found it to be very interesting, and during my studies I became an atheist!. I think it was very worthwhile!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Theology is the correlation of faith and reason, a correlation measured and judged by the truths of Divine revelation!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Go ahesd with your studies, it will be fascinating!. I hope that God will help you through your journey!.Www@QuestionHome@Com i dont thinkWww@QuestionHome@Com Yes great subject!. And ignore comments from those such as Kisshomaru above, who very sadly looks like he has sealed his own heart with his very own arrogance!. There is only One God, source of all there is, just as a mountain has only one summit!. Its logical and simple and beautiful to know as such and knowingness comes from the heart!. His attributes: http://www!.noblesanctuary!.com/ghazali!.ht!.!.!. God (Allah subhana wa ta'ala !.!.!.!.Glorious and Exalted is He) is all that exists and we have been blessed with the divine breath so God is our very source!. This ego-self belongs to the realm of non-existence and that is the basis for all our grief!. Studying Theology will help you draw closer to God, inshaAllah!. If you study Theology I recommend Islam, from a Sufi perspective, which covers the inner esoteric element!. Sufism, the inner path of Islam, is the path of the heart and soul and therefore the path of the heart!. "The Sufi is a traveler on the path of love, a wayfarer journeying back to God through the mysteries of the heart!." --- Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee http://www!.goldensufi!.org/A-SufiMeditati!.!.!. We are all on a journey, though many sadly do not realise it, back to our very source!. Sadly, some may actually choose to walk the opposite way first, to non-existence, which is Hell!. "Be always at work scraping the dirt from the well!. To everyone who suffers, perseverance brings good fortune!. The Prophet has said that each prostration of prayer is a knock on heaven's door!. When anyone continues to knock, felicity shows its smiling face!." ---- an excerpt from "Love is a Stranger" by Jalaluddin Rumi "Dear friend, your heart is a polished mirror!. You must wipe it clean of the veil of dust that has gathered upon it, because it is destined to reflect the light of divine secrets!." --- Al-Ghazali "Everyone sees the Unseen in proportion to the clarity of his heart, and that depends upon how much he has polished it!. Whoever has polished it more sees more--more Unseen forms become manifest to him!." --- Rumi (Jalaluddin Muhammad Balkhi) "Heaven and earth cannot contain Me (God), but the heart of the believer containeth Me" --- Hadith Qudsi [God's speech to Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alaihi wa salaam) *edit* Kisshomaru - Saying one has done something with his own arrogance is totally different to saying one is arrogant for we all have some arrogance in us for we are Not God but on a stage of ego-purification towards God!. What is with the over reactionary, turning words, knee-jerk response to my comment !.!.!.are not Buddhists meant to be non-reactionary!. Only God exists and ego-self is non-existence!. Have a nice day dear!. May God guide us all astraight, insha'Allah, towards His light!. La ilaha illa Allah!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |