Comparative Religion

Comparative Religion:
Religion is a common set of belief held by different individuals available within a society. Religion concerns itself with purpose, cause, and nature considered for the creation of a superhuman agency fitted with several moral codes. The codes provide guidance on how humans should conduct themselves throughout their life time. Religious beliefs are known to fall into a pattern of 8 different elements such as the belief system, community, central myths, rituals, an ethical system, experiences of the emotions, expressing religion in a material manner, and the ability of being sacred (Jacobs, 2005).
Religious Beliefs Patterns:
As a Christian, my religious beliefs fall into the already identified pattern to a certain extent
despite the fact that certain elements hold more weight compared to other elements. The 'belief system ' element is taken into consideration and provided with a lot of weight within the Christian religion. Christians hold a belief that people should always take into consideration the manner in which they dress when attending a church service. Christian followers should wear decent clothes and not provocative clothing. Women should wear long skirts and men long trousers while attending a church service as a form of respect for the supernatural being.
In addition to this, as a Christian, a lot of emphasis is put on the community element since every Sunday after the church service, the church followers meet to organize meetings with different followers from different locations with a purpose of strengthening the community ties and at the same time spreading the gospel.
The central myth on the other hand refers to the incident where Adam and Eve fed on the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. This element does not hold much weight however.
Considering the ritual element, our religion does not allow us to work during the Sabbath day. This begins during the sunset on Friday as a way of marking the beginning of the Sabbath day. It however requires us to light candles and pray during the Sabbath while at the same time take wine and bread during the church service.
The ethical system element is provided with more emphasis and weight. We are required to follow the Ten Commandments as a form of enhancing peace as we live with others in our community. 'Emotional experiences ' element is not provided with much more weight in our religion however, a sense of togetherness is enhanced during the church services. The element of material expression within our religion holds much weight as the followers are expected to offer tithes in the form offerings. The offerings provided are a way of showing gratitude to God for what he has done for
us.
Finally, considering the sacredness element, our religion considers the church itself to be a sacred and a holy place where the followers should display a higher amount of respect when visiting. This is done through dressing properly and conducting oneself respectfully while in the institution.
Falun Gong Movement:
Several new religions have emerged in the world today which may either pay much attention on the 8 elements of religion or less.
Falun Gong is an example of an emerging religion which provides a combination of religious beliefs and physical exercises. Considering the movement 's belief system, Falun Gong believes that there is a connection between the human mind-body and the universe and at the same time, they also believe in Karma. In addition to this, they pay attention to the ethical system which is provided with a lot of weight compared to the other systems. The followers of this movement are not allowed to smoke, gamble, take alcohol, engage in a homosexual behavior and premarital sex, and do drugs. Moreover, they are also required to keep their jobs and any involved secular connections with the world (Penny,
2005).
In addition to the above ethical system, the followers to this movement are required to carry out exercises which involve some identified movement styles such as slow qigong while one follower is seated and four others are standing. The reason behind this is that; the followers to this movement hold an ethical belief that performing these form of exercises and combining it with the act of upholding an ethical belief system bring an individual closer to enlightenment after curing certain diseases.
Falun Gong does not pay attention to all the eight elements of religion since there are others which are totally absent. The movement has no leader and at the same time does not carry out any form of rituals unlike the Christian religion. In addition to this, the movement does not hold central myths. They are however known to express their religion in a material manner such as through performing exercises while holding a belief that it is a way of keeping illnesses away and enhancing enlightenment (Penny, 2005).
Some of Falun Gong 's religious elements do not hold more weight compared to other elements since there are only limited number of elements which the movement pays attention to. The other available elements which don 't have a substantial amount of weight are completely done away with. The new movement therefore does not pay attention to all the eight elements of religion identified above.

References:
Jacobs, H.E. (2005). Elements of religion. Retrieved in January 5, 2012, from http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=byo9YdhRmOsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Penny, B. (2005). The Falun Gong, Buddhism and "Buddhist qigong". Asian Studies Review, 29(1), 35-46. doi:10.1080/10357820500139513