The prophets of religions never create religions. They merely gave the Word and the Word is the doctrine of how to be good enough in life to be drawn towards God and saints. They present the doctrine in way most suitable and applicable to the times.
If these are presented in same way over the centuries, this would be inappropriate and not impactful and perhaps even somewhat not rational to the changing times and context (eg the concept that life is suffering when many in affluent West are having apparent obvious material plenty for the year 2012 though having economic recession as well)
No prophet has ever said that they are starting a religion and that those who believe in God and saints through them are the members of that religion. It is men who draw the line and create religions, not the prophets.
They inject the religious thought in the culture and traditions of men and once woven, the practices would appeal and draw men closer to one another and to belong as a group. This then became religion but over time, culture and traditions must evolve with that of society.
The religion that we know today in the name of a prophet is very different in ways and emphasis from the days of the founder.
Buddha never said that he is starting what is known as Buddhism and never did he say that there will be sects of people who believe in what he said. Religions are man made but doctrine is the same ever always though people often could only recognise the packaging and not the basic truth that often is buried and perhaps even sort of alienated by the packaging which is the religion of the day.
Effectively men and not God and saints create religions. If the founders are alive today, they would be surprised that what they seeded and started have grown to become the many and varied institutions they never dreamt off. This need not be not good but can be good.
This is the reason why Lord Bo Tien had to be tasked with the mission to rekindle the basic religious thought and enable men to dig into the religions of the day to arrive at the message of the founders. He is not amongst us to start a new religion or sect. (The Inaugural Message)
Religions have become archaeological centres or finds for men to dig into and investigate so as to arrive at the inner truth behind them that were buried over the centuries.
But do remember that religions and sects will always evolve with times and change to fit the social context. Otherwise, religions would be alienated from people and men will have less opportunities to be God centric. But once they are in religions, whether they make it or not is a different matter.
Whilst culture is needed to make a religion that more people orientated, culture can be the very reason men of religion do not grasp the simple and plain truth of God because men though are attracted by culture, they are also lost in culture and distracted by culture to be able to see the simplicity of truth that the founder of their religion wants them to grasp, not just know...
Men and not God and saints create religions. What that binds them and bond them is the ever changing culture of religion but to be saved, they need to go beyond culture and men.
Even more is required than belief and faith in God from and based on the perspectives of their fellow men. They should not just go with the bidding and pervasive opinions of fellow men but must be able to go beyond and have oneness with God and saints. For that, fellow men are not part of the equation other than at initial levels.
Whilst culture is needed to make a religion that more people orientated, culture can be the very reason men of religion do not grasp the simple and plain truth of God because men though are attracted by culture, they are also lost in culture and distracted by culture to be able to see the simplicity of truth that the founder of their religion wants them to grasp, not just know...
Men and not God and saints create religions. What that binds them and bond them is the ever changing culture of religion but to be saved, they need to go beyond culture and men.
Even more is required than belief and faith in God from and based on the perspectives of their fellow men. They should not just go with the bidding and pervasive opinions of fellow men but must be able to go beyond and have oneness with God and saints. For that, fellow men are not part of the equation other than at initial levels.
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