Religion can defined as a set of common beliefs and practices generally held by a group of people, often codified as prayer, ritual, and religious law. Religion also refers to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction.
According to my own opinion if a new potential scripture is discovered and approved to be authentic, such a scripture would not get into the scripture canon of religion. This is because
Changing people’s belief and culture is the difficult activity a person can ever do.
Christianity is centered on the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. Christianity was developed to counteract the growth and development of Judaism. The followers of Christ are known as Christians.
Christians belief in the Ten Commandments, which all the Christians should strive to follow. The greatest commandment as a taught by Jesus Christ was, “to love the Lord your God with all your heart soul, mind and strength.” Therefore by trying to change any of his teachings as laid down would mean blasphemy which is highly condemned. The bible teachings should be followed without any alteration.
People’s mind have been set to the existing teaching so withdrawing their minds from their beliefs is very difficult for example Christians fully belief that Jesus is the son of God. The Christians would not accept any new teaching that Jesus is not the Son of God. Teachings of the birth of Jesus are found in the Bible and every Christian belief that the Bible is a holy book. Even many governments usually use the bible for making oaths. Bible is also used in the law courts for a person to testify that he is telling the truth.
Children try to follow their parents since its childhood; a child is exposed to a given religious teaching. For instance Christians get engaged in their teaching right on their childhood in Sunday schools. During this tender age the students get teachings which stick to their minds up to their late ages.
Christians belief that their teachings which are from the bible where written by God’s inspired men. These men died long time ago. Therefore no one should come over with new teachings. It clearly says that no one should add or deduct anything from the bible. They belief that what was written is enough to guide a person live a happy and prosperous life on earth.
The religious teachings have been recorded and changing it would not be possible. Many of the bible teachings are taught in school and colleges. There teachings are examined. This makes the learners fully understand and practice what they learn in class. Tutors should be true follower of the religion they teach. The tutors also should exhibit good example to those they teach.
In order to ensure that there is strong mastery of religious teachings, religion should be taught in the public schools. I would propose a one semester course, taught by non-credentialed community volunteers. Let’s say 5 days each for Catholicism, “fundamentalist” Protestantism, “mainline Protestantism,” Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and even secular humanism. Each week should be taught by a person who is a “believer/follower” of the religion in question. The curriculum should be standardized and approved by the local boards of education. It should be academic/historical/factual in nature, but it is recognized that believers/followers will inevitably convey, at least subliminally, their own beliefs.
Religion is so important in today’s world that every educated person should understand the world’s most prominent religions. Christians belief that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Active participation in Christian has dropped over recent years. Declining recruitment for the priesthood and monastic life has contributed to decline in active participation in Christian religious life. Also dismissing attendance to church.
Christianity which teaches about Jesus Christ has the greatest growth by numbers. It is spreading rapidly in Far East and Northern Africa.
Many religious teaching like Christian are taught by use of parables. The parables insist a teaching thoroughly without going directly. It requires one to interpret and make conclusions. For example the parable of the sower in the Bible.
Budhism, which is also known as Buddha Dharma or Dhamma, means roughly the “teaching of the awakened one”.
S.Gantama in Lumbire, Wepal, developed Budhism. Due to the respect and honor of its founder, the followers of Budhicism tend not to alter any of his teachings. Such an act would mean blasphemy which is highly condemned. Religion has been supporting most community-based activities for example sponsorship and bursary awards to the orphans and poor children. Also religion has been providing relief foods to the poor families in the society. By so doing, it becomes very hard for a beneficiary to try to change the existing beliefs. Christianity has been considered as a belief of the poor and destitute in the society. Therefore it provides consolation to the oppressed and weak in the society.. Any person trying to change it will be seen as a social misfit.
Religion usually provides jobs to those who provide teachings. Therefore they will be reinforced to work hard abiding to the teachings and trying to follow it to the letter. Any attempt to change the teachings would mean being expelled from the job hence loosing their means of livelihood.
Every religion has some council establisher, which overlooks the activities of the religion. Such councils get reports of whoever tries to provide different teachings from the established ones. Severe punishments may be reveled to those who try to go against the expectations.
May governments in different countries have provided freedom of worship. This has necessitated the establishment of different denominations with their own rules and regulations. Government has been withdrawn.
Religion members normally have social gathering whereby several teaching are taught. This gathering acts as a bond that unites the followers of that religion. In Christianity Bible studies are normally organized. During these studies the leader is bound to teach as per the doctrines of the religion. Missionary schools have been established whereby the students are taught based on the religion. The students are supposed to be true followers. Sessions of worship are normally provided. The students are “fed” with spiritual nourishment whereby to deviate would be very hard.
Theological and Bible schools have been established whereby students are taught the fear of God and how to deliver the Bible teachings to their audiences. This has made them have a strong mastery of the Bible teachings hence it becomes very hard for them to bring in new ideas or deviating from the teachings they received from class.
Christians belief that God is omnipresent and if they try to bring new teachings, God will punish them. Christians belief that God’s punishment is severe although it may take a large long for it to be effected.
There is a belief that there is a direct reward for the true believers. Those who truly follow the teachings will be rewarded for their obedience. There is a strong belief that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life.
Christians belief that those who defy the Bible teaching will perish in eternal fire with the devil at the close of ages. Therefore they follow to the letter the Bible’s teaching to avoid eternal fire.
Those who bring new teachings or new scriptures are considered as false prophets who have been prophesied in the Bible and would be shunned by the other members of the religion. For example the Bible has prophesied that there will come false prophets towards the end of time.
Confucius was born in a noble family in 551 BC during spring and autumn period. His followers see him as the greatest master. The greatest teaching of Confucius may have been the spuriously of personal exemplification over explicit rules of behaviour.Confucius is considered a great proponent of conservatism. Therefore, altering any of his teaching will be considered not rightfully. Confucius teaching gained wide acceptance because he championed strong familial loyalty, ancestors worship and respect of elders by their children. Children are taught to be loyal and respectable to their elders. Once they grow up they are supposed to abide to those teachings. An attempt to bring in new teachings will be seen as an act of disloyalty.
In conclusion trying to bring in new scripture or any teaching in any religion will not get into the scriptural canon of its religion.
Works cited
Confucius. Lun yu, (In English the Analects of Confucius). Translation and notes by Simon Leys. New York: W.W. Norton,1997
Confucius. Confucius: Analects With Selections from Traditional Commentaries,2003.
Molloy M.K.Experiencing the World’s Religion McGraw Hill Higher Education. 2006;
Translated by E. Slingerland. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing. (Original work published c. 551–479 BCE)