We usually define things by their descriptions, their qualities. For example,
Apple:
- spherical
- about 3in. / 7cm. in diameter
- classically red
- whitish inside
- has a center core with dark seeds
- can be sweet or tart
- eatable
- etc.
Yep, you’ve got yourself what we call an apple, alright.
But getting to something’s (what we might call) “essence” is another challenge. The “essence of evil” is a great example. Evil is the kind of thing that, well, we seem to know it when we see it. So evil exists more by its descriptive qualities than by some singular definition. [Which begs the question, is unplugging terminal grandma good or evil? Hmm.] Anyway…
Let’s talk about something as nebulous as religion.
Here are the Questions:
(1) Like I did for the apple, what is (tick off) your general description of this phenomenon we call “religion”; i.e., what are its qualities?
(2) At its most fundamental, how do you define religion? Do it in just one concise sentence, if you can.
I’m curious to see if you will get any challenges here.
Thanks for recommending.