Holy? Whats that?
I have long wondered the nature of Faith and Religion. What is Holy? How is it defined? Is it objective or subjective? If I find something sacred in that without it I feel that a part of what I believe in will be lost, should it not be considered Holy? Faith is just a belief in that which cannot be entirely explained. We hope, maybe even pray, that what we believe to be true is in fact true. That is faith. And religion is based on faith. Why is it then that faith placed in something else does not constitute a religion? Why does religion depend on a Deity? Buddhism is the only major religion that depends on a belief in morals and values, and even they have a "one" to look to for spiritual needs (Siddhartha Gautama a.k.a. The Buddha). The only religious beliefs that don't depend on someone, whether it be God or many gods or an ideal person, is Atheism, which is more of a counter-religion. Does nobody else find it slightly odd, maybe even disturbing, that religions that base themselves upon values go against those values in the name(s) of their God(s)/Godess(es)? The Crusades were searches for the Holy Land and Holy artifacts. But what made these holy? A belief that Jesus Christ was the son of God. Suppose Jesus wasn't though? What is Jesus of Nazareth was just an average man? Would these items then be considered unholy? Maybe even Sac-religious or Blasphemous? Does holiness then depend on fact rather than faith? And if so what is it that makes something holy? If it depends on faith, then why are so few objects considered holy, even by the minorities?