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Philosophy and Religion - it's all about perspective

I've always been intrigued by the relationship between philosophy and religion. Philosophy is frequently referred to in Sanskrit by the term darshan, which means a perspective or point of view. The goal of darshan is to grasp tattva or truth (literally, "that-ness" or what makes something what it is).

A philosophical discussion can be compared to two guys talking about cars. "My Z4 has better handling than your Z-28," says one, and quotes figures to prove it. They argue and may argue passionately because it is all about the darshan or point of view that makes one car better than another.

A religious discussion is about the type of emotional relationship we establish with the greater whole. Even atheism is a type of belief system, if we categorize it as a systematic unbelief - perhaps "choice system" is a better term than "belief system." A religious discussion is more like the same two guys talking about their mothers. One guy tells the other guy something bad about his mom, and the other guy reacts by punching him. There is not only passion but a relationship established with the object of discussion (mom). It is this sense of relationship, and the other person's different or absence sense of relationship, that produces a conflict.

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