Doctrine of reception

Have you ever played a game of telephone with your friends, where one person whispers something to the next person and it goes down the line? Well, sometimes even though the first person says one thing, by the time it gets to the last person, it's something completely different!

Similarly, the doctrine of reception is a concept in religion that suggests that even though a message or teaching may originate from a higher power or authority, the way it is interpreted and received by the people can be different, and sometimes even completely opposite from the original message.

For example, let's say a religious leader preaches about compassion and kindness, but some of the people listening interpret that message in a different way, such as being kind only to people in their own community and not to outsiders. This would be an example of the doctrine of reception in action.

In essence, the doctrine of reception recognizes that human interpretation and understanding can shape and influence religious teachings, and that it's important to be aware of these differences in order to truly understand a religion's message.