Sanchez,+Juan+Gabriel

__**Schisms**__
Are schisms the result of different interpretations of the same religious texts, or are they born of more basic, less idealistic desires?
 * __Research Question__**

__**Introduction**__ Schisms emerge throughout various religions for a wide variety of reasons. Often, different interpretations of texts contribute to the schisms, but even within this principle, an underlying cause exists. Specifically, people's interpretations depend on their culture or their values. If a culture values strict hierarchies within the family unit, then that culture's interpretation of religious scripture and ideas will take on a very strict attitude. This text will interpret and analyze a variety of sources, including sacred texts and religious histories, to first describe various religious schisms and interpretations, and to then show how these differences in interpretation might develop.

" code LEV 19:12 "'Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
 * __Quotes #1__**

22:32 Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who makes you holy

24:11 The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name with a curse; so they brought him to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.)

12 They put him in custody until the will of the LORD should be made clear to them.

13 Then the LORD said to Moses:

14 "Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him.

15 Say to the Israelites: 'If anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible;

16 anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.

DEU 5:11 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. code -Quoted from the Bible, text found at: http://www.biblebb.com/files/tniv/BLASPHEM.TXT

__**Interpretation and Analysis #1**__ These Bible quotes describes a cause for violence. Specifically, it states that God wills that any blasphemers should be put to death through stoning. It claims that God will "not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." Essentially, this quote suggests that any person who blasphemes - or "misuses" the name of God - should be put to death. Clearly, this was written in a different time. Furthermore, it is unclear whether or not people at that time actually believed this text literally. Just because it is anachronistic does not mean that even in its own era it was interpreted as the absolute will of God. Still, some people likely did and possibly still do take these words literally, which hints at at least one reason for the development of schisms. Quite simply, different people interpret sacred texts differently, and if the issue is serious enough, such as here in cases of life and death, then people would likely be all to willing to break apart into different groups.

Furthermore, I don't believe that most modern people would agree with this quote. As the time passes, people change, and their relationships with religions change. In America, we debate even the morality of the death penalty, and religious leaders such as Catholic clergy often defend murderers on death row. They would never agree with the idea that a person should be put to death for blasphemy, whatever the Bible might say. And yet they speak for the largest religion in the world. One piece of text can lead to myriad interpretations. Different interpretations can lead to disagreements. Disagreements have the potential to break apart groups. Finally, different interpretations can also lead to abuses of the religious text for a variety of purposes. These abuses can also lead to the dissolution of religious bonds that might otherwise hold people together.

"Others worship him as Pashupati, the lord of all creators who shelters and nurtures all who follow him. Still others worship one of his fierce forms, such as Bhairava." "His devotees, however, see through this and venerate him as a powerful protector." "Each of these, in turns, has numerous sub traditions." (referring to one branch off of Hinduism) "And in still other groups within the Vaishnava tradition, Krishna is the wise counselor and guide." "Shaktism... may be linked to the [|Indus Valley civilization], which placed particular emphasis on female figures."
 * __Quotes #2__**

__**Interpretation and Analysis #2**__ It's unclear how a lot of the Hindu sects and schisms developed. What is clear is that many of the groups have different interpretations of the same gods and ideas. The same god might be interpreted in different ways - as a nurturer, as a "fierce form", as a "powerful protector" - but as far as why this is the case, the answer is unclear. That different interpretations exist is obvious, but this article only offers hints as to why.

The articles links Shaktism to the Indus Valley civilization in their "emphasis on female figures." This reference is one of the few that might explain why people have different interpretations. Essentially, the culture seems to have developed first, and the religions second. The religion was then filtered through the various regional cultures that people throughout India have developed over several thousand years. In the case of Shaktism, it descends from the Indus Valley civilization. Other religious subgroups may have descended from other cultures.

This is similar to Christianity in that separate cultures seem to interpret the same religion in many different ways. Either that, or the religion has changed over time, and since it exists throughout diverse lands, the interpretations of the religions have likely also changed.