I have heard Mohammed took inspiration from this religion as some of his relatives were followers of this religion and that he copied the 5 prayers from this religion? Do you agree, is there anything else you can tell me about what you believe in etc?
Hello everyone! I’ve recently been looking into multiple religions and I somehow found Mandaeism!
There are alot of aspects about the religion I really enjoy, I’m no longer religious but when I was I found the life of John The Baptist really peaceful and kind! I’m a vegetarian, I think running water being holy causes us to prioritise the environment (as well as having other benefits), the afterlife makes sense (no ‘carnal’ desires but instead peace, sinners won’t be tortured but will be cleansed although you can’t be too heinous on Earth or else you will die a second death - which perhaps is still more merciful then eternal torture). (There’s even more things but let’s leave it here for now :P)
Now…onto my questions!
What if someone believes in Mandaeism / follows Mandaen values but doesn’t convert or follow the teachings (it’s impossible to convert into the religion anyways and neither of my parents are Mandaens, although even if one could convert I’m unsure if I would feel comfortable taking part in the religious traditions - I always found it strange why just being ‘a good person’ wasn’t enough and never enjoyed or felt comfortable taking part in religious activities - although that could be from some religious trauma).
Do you guys fear if another religion is true e.g. Islam or Christianity or even perhaps Jainism etc? I struggle the most with the Abrahamic because unlike other faiths they say not following can lead to punishment. I’ve never liked that and it can arguably be a fear tactic to get you to stay…
From what I know you can’t be gay and Mandaen - or well you can be but you can’t act on it. Honestly, I don’t like this thought process at all for many reasons, however
Is there a given reason why aside from it being a ‘perversion’ etc (for example, why can’t two men or two women marry, not have sex aside from marriage and just not engage in certain sexual acts - why must everything be not allowed?)
What if I simply choose to ignore the sexuality aspect and still act on these desires - while still adhering to the faith where I can?
I haven’t been able to find why God has made man in this faith? Also do you believe in evolution / the other human species - how?
Honestly I currently am only prioritising being a good person - do to others what you would want for yourself, don’t kill things, be vegetarian (and hopefully vegan one day), take care of the environment, donate, etc. Is that good enough for Mandaeism? Will I suffer after death?
Sorry for talking a lot :( I do that and I really wanted to share all my thoughts. I really appreciate any and all replies! 😁 Thank you!