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Circumlectio(5/15/2003) The past quarter our religion lectures and group presentations have focused mainly on three sections of religions and their effect on the numerous religious denominations. These three sections are: How the individual person and relationship with God fits into a religious denomination, how the sense of community fits into a religious denomination, and how the sense of the Gods or " cosmos" fits into a religious denomination. The individual: In every religious denomination there is the existence and need for a sense of the individual with God or the "cosmos". Within these difference denominations the importance varies greatly, and has a tremendous effect on how and on what level people worship. For instance, in Hinduism the individual prayer and worship to deities and God is an essential part of its religion. The sense of community and need for a gathering of people for worship is not as needed or stressed. Hinduism like may other religions is a very individual based religion which deals with meditation and the eventual enlightenment and fulfillment of the cycle of their being in terms of becoming complete. Other approach to the individual in the cosmos is seen in Taoism, where the individual is not a separate part of any event, but merely existing in it. This is a different concept than the previous mentioned religious denomination in that its goal is to achieve a closeness and oneness with nature itself. The way that those aforementioned religions fit into the make-up of their religious beliefs and system as it pertains to the individual, another essential part is the status of an individual in a religious denomination. In Buddhism, we as individuals are simply asleep, and waiting to be awoken by the enlighten. In Christianity the status of the individual is a progressive state in which one becomes t better understand God and your role in his kingdom. All religious must have a relationship between the individual and the " cosmos"; it just varies in degree and beliefs. Community in the different Religious Denominations and its importance: While the individual is always existent in any religious denomination, the sense of community is not necessarily there. While in some denominations where the community is either weak or non-existent due to the fact that the relationship and worshipping is on a more personal basis. This is idea is true of Hinduism and Buddhism, a more communal sense of worship and praying is evident in the Christian religions where one of the central parts of the religion is a communal mass which celebrates Jesus Christ. For example, in the Catholic Church, the mass is seen as a celebration of the Eucharist, the central part of their faith and celebration. The existence and prevalence of community worship and prayer has several factors. It provides for its members a "umbrella protection" granting them acceptance with others who share the same religious beliefs. This gathering of people is not simply by de-facto, but a calculated effort to strengthen and protect the community. This idea is not limited to Catholicism or other Christian religions, but also Islam and many religions, which possess a large group of people. The existence of religious communities also leads to the development of leaders inside the community, where in other religions not as centered in a community the power maybe less structured and reliance on personal reflection rather than prayer led in community. The existance of the "cosmos" in religious denominations and the influences on the two aforementioned elements of religions: In every religion there is exists a focal point of the religions which is the belief or dedication to a spirit beyond and spiritually above that of the community or the indiviual. This focal point is the driving force in worshipping, and the reason for the continued existance of the religious group. The "cosmos" gives order to the religions, and give it a sense of direction. While certain religions may possess certain characteristics which other religions possses about figures of spiritual origin and supreme religion, it is the differences in the beliefs that seperate the religion from one another. The cosmos is the origin of the beliefs and the leading elements of establishing rules and traditions of the religion traditions. Without the existance of these cosmotic figures religions would cease to exist. The cosmos of a religion is also the essential part of indiviual meditation, it is its focal point and gives the worshipping process validity and importance. The cosmos is the reason for both a religious community and indiviual worshipping and defines a religion whether it be a monotheistic or polytheistic one. The trancendant nature of the the cosmos allows for the communication of a religion and worshopping from the cosmotic state to that of a communal and anthropolic state.
