Israel, you're OT. But you seem to not care since you post the same into other threads as well...

Re questions:

> Do you believe in the absolute historical accuracy and authority of your religious text(s)?

Yes besides passages in Vedic scriptures identified by acaryas as inaccurate.

> Is it just a cultural thing for you, something you were raised with and identify yourself as, but otherwise don't care much about?

No.

> Do you participate in your religion because it gives you comfort and strength? Or maybe a sense of community and belonging?

Out of necessity, realizing my position as the eternal son of Sri Krsna. Participation is like a family gathering.

> Do you feel like you're fulfilling a destiny of some kind by carrying out the teachings of your religion?

No, performing a freewill choice. Sri Krsna tells Arjuna that he can be His tool (BG 11.33), i.e. to serve Him voluntarily. Everyone has this choice.


Hope this helps. Hare Krsna

Your servant, bh. Jan, a candidate for becoming a Vaisnava

http://www.vrindavan-dham.com
http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz

kAmyopAsana yArthayanty anudinaM kincit phalaM svepsitam,
kecit svargam athApavargam apare yogAdi yajnAdibhiH,
asmAkaM yadunandanAMghri yugala dhyAnAvadhAnArthinAm,
kiM lokena damena kiM nRpatinA svargApavargaizca kiM?

"Those who waste their time for the attainment of celestial joys or
liberation are fools! I do not want any of that! I only desire to remain
engrossed in the sweet remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. What
is the need for heaven or mukti to prema bhaktas of the Lord?" (Adi
Sankaracarya, Prabodha sudhakara, Anugrahika prakaranam 150)


Namaste gorm sionnach,

> There are tales and accounts of the Gods and heroes which are not understood to be historic, but are understood to be true.

I guess more readers than just me wonder about this. Could you please elaborate?

Afaik, all traditional lore gets its authority from being  factual and remembered as that.

In Vedic tradition, which is quite close to the Celtic one, the scriptures are classified into two groups - shruti ('that which is heard ') and smriti ('that which is remembered '). When understood directly and literally (mukhya vritti), which is the primary and major way to understand them (the other way, metaphorical, gauna vritti, being supplementary), they are considered historical but not in the modern sense, as recorded by some human erring historian. They are called apaurusheya ('of nonhuman origin', i.e. revealed).

Your servant, bh. Jan

www.vrindavan-dham.com
www.veda.harekrsna.cz

kAmyopAsana yArthayanty anudinaM kincit phalaM svepsitam,
kecit svargam athApavargam apare yogAdi yajnAdibhiH,
asmAkaM yadunandanAMghri yugala dhyAnAvadhAnArthinAm,
kiM lokena damena kiM nRpatinA svargApavargaizca kiM?

"Those who waste their time for the attainment of celestial joys or
liberation are fools! I do not want any of that! I only desire to remain
engrossed in the sweet remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna. What
is the need for heaven or mukti to prema bhaktas of the Lord?" (Adi
Sankaracarya, Prabodha sudhakara, Anugrahika prakaranam 150)

