What is a religion.

[lesliedellow]

But as soon as He attempts to answer questions about the purpose and meaning of life, He becomes religious ... correct?

And if so, what is the name of this particular religion?

Are you trying to allude to John 14.9 or Acts 4.12?

 

[bhsmte]

Science is an excellent example of religion.

Science adapts to new evidence. Science welcomes questions and skepticism. Religion, when it involves the worship of gods, doesnt adapt too well and is not too welcoming to skepticism.

 

[lesliedellow]

Science adapts to new evidence. Science welcomes questions and skepticism. Religion, when it involves the worship of gods, doesnt adapt too well and is not too welcoming to skepticism.

Science proceeds by investigation, religion by revelation. Each to its proper methodology.

 

[bhsmte]

Science proceeds by investigation, religion by revelation. Each to its proper methodology.

Sure, personal revelation is a tad hard to pin down with any evidence though. Scientific investigation produces empirical evidence, which another scientist can test, with further investigation. Faith beliefs, cant be independently verified and is why we have so many different faith beliefs, even within one religion. Could be why it is called faith and could explain, why certain beliefs dont welcome skepticism all too well, in an effort to protect the belief. Comparing science and how it works to religion, involves many clear differences.

 

[lesliedellow]

Sure, personal revelation is a tad hard to pin down with any evidence though.

Not that it makes any difference to you, but I was thinking of the Bible when I said "revelation". Unless the Bible is normative for Christian theology, it really is just a matter of whatever somebody dreams up for themselves, and then christens a "revelation".

 

[Meowzltov]

Science is an excellent example of religion.

Oh puhleeze

 

[Meowzltov]

So what religion is God?

God doesn't have a religion. He is the object of religious worship.

 

[Meowzltov]

The Bible says God parted the Red Sea.

Belief in the Bible is an item of religious faith. Those who are not Christian or Jewish are not going to care that the Bible says Moses parted the Red Sea.

 

[AV1611VET]

Oh puhleeze

I suppose it depends on your definition of religion.

 

[Meowzltov]

I suppose it depends on your definition of religion.

No it doesn't. You don't get to personally define words. You have to use the common definition of words in the English language.

Definition of religion

1. a : the state of a religious a nun in her 20th year of religion b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
2. a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
3. archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness
4. a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faithhttps:

//www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion

 

[AV1611VET]

No it doesn't. You don't get to personally define words. You have to use the common definition of words in the English language.

Is Christianity a religion?

 

[lesliedellow]

Is Christianity a religion?

Yes.

 

[Nihilist Virus]

Just as weight occurs when gravity is resisted, religion occurs when the Bible is resisted.

James 1:27

 

[Khalliqa]

You have deliberately ignored the rest of that post.

Just want to say I'm learning that it's quite futile to discuss anything with someone who cherry picks responses and avoidance as a result of cognitive dissonance:-/

Some fundamental ideas about reality have to be acknowledged for a cogent worthwhile discussion to take place otherwise if someone believes leprechauns are the supreme authority in the universe governing all human thought and activity and you ask for evidence and they say " the leprechaun says in his book that... and this proves..."

Waste of time mayne..


To be a good member and answer the question though

Religion is belief in an infallible supreme deity practiced from varied understandings (e.g. Panentheist, polytheist, monotheist etc)

 

[ViaCrucis]

Religion is belief in an infallible supreme deity practiced from varied understandings (e.g. Panentheist, polytheist, monotheist etc)

As noted earlier, not all religions are theistic; so defining religion theistically is problematic and renders a number of religious traditions and practices non-religious even though they are; certain forms of Buddhism, or Taoism for example. There are even atheistic schools of Hinduism. I think the following definition works better as a more broad statement:

"A particular system of faith and worship."

This is the 4th definition given by the Oxford English Dictionary (religion, n. : Oxford English Dictionary)

I would even suggest a further modification, rather than "faith" perhaps use "belief" and rather than "worship" use the word "practice"

"A particular system of beliefs and practices" Would be, I'd think, the best definition of "religion" that covers the most bases.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Nihilist Virus]

As noted earlier, not all religions are theistic; so defining religion theistically is problematic and renders a number of religious traditions and practices non-religious even though they are; certain forms of Buddhism, or Taoism for example. There are even atheistic schools of Hinduism. I think the following definition works better as a more broad statement:

"A particular system of faith and worship."

This is the 4th definition given by the Oxford English Dictionary (religion, n. : Oxford English Dictionary)

I would even suggest a further modification, rather than "faith" perhaps use "belief" and rather than "worship" use the word "practice"

"A particular system of beliefs and practices" Would be, I'd think, the best definition of "religion" that covers the most bases.

-CryptoLutheran

Simply being nice to people would be a religion by your definition, since, generally, nice people practice such behavior due to the belief that it is good.

So while the belief in a deity is not necessary for a belief system to qualify as a religion, belief in the supernatural is universal to all religions (which, incidentally, is what makes every single religion literally unreasonable by definition) and so we can define religion as "A particular system of supernatural beliefs and structured practices."

 

[TLK Valentine]

Dear atheists here, I was having very enjoyable attempts to get to exchange ideas with you on how to prove God exists.

Well, I am leaving that thread now: because atheists there are not anymore receptive to talk on how to prove God exists - from their part, of course, how to disprove God exists.

I am starting a new thread, "What is a religion."

Again, I am into getting atheists to talk with me.

Here is the background of my interest now on what is a religion, read the Annex below.

There you will get to know what I have for a definition of religion.

Please contribute your comments, and of course, tell me what is your idea of religion.

See you guys tomorrow, again.

Annex
What Is Your Religion?
Yesterday at 3:49 AM #5 Pachomius wrote:

Well, that is very interesting to me, What is your religion?

So, just tell me if you all here notice that I am in any ways and means into any infraction of the rules, regulations, etc. of this board and generally of CF.

Here goes, my first contribution to the conversation here.

First and foremost, I like us all to work as to concur on what is religion.

Here is my concept of what is religion:

Religion is the belief in a superior being or beings resulting in affections and actions intended by the believer to influence the superior being or beings to help him the believer in everything in which he the believer is in need of help.

Now, what is my religion?

My religion is the Christian faith, as proclaimed in The Apostles’ Creed; here is my memory of The Christians’ Apostles’ Creed:

“I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten son, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell, the third day He rose again from the dead, He ascended unto heaven seated at the right hand of God, the Father almighty.
From thence He shall come back to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”

There, that is my religion, I could have gotten some words not so correctly written by me from memory.

I can recite also the No. 1 prayer of Christians, The Lord’s Prayer which is the Our Father, here goes, the Our Father:

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil.
[For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.]

There that is my from memory the recitation of the No. 1 prayer of Christians.

Shall I now go into the recitation of The Ten Commandments, the list of moral rules Christians must live by, otherwise they will not ever get to heaven, but will land in hell when they die?

What about you guys, fellow Christians, what is your concept of religion?

[End of Annex]

Personally, I consider "religion" to be an interactive mythology.

Since ancient times, people have constructed myths in order to make sense of those things which they could not explain. natural phenomena, mysteries of life and death, etc. People have populated their world with gods, heroes, and assorted creatures... and from this population springs a wealth of stories, art, and moral teachings.

Religion occurs when those who believe in a particular mythology attempt to insert themselves into it. It's one thing to believe in a sky-god who punishes evildoers with bolts of lightning, but you take to it the next level when you attempt to appease that sky-god so that he won't smite you... or better still, that he will smite your enemies.

Mythology stems from our desire to understand the world; religion stems from our desire to influence it.

...at least, that's my opinion.

 

[TLK Valentine]

That's their problem.

The Bible says God parted the Red Sea.

If science is putting a gag rule on that, then I submit science is a religion.

Science isn't putting a gag rule on it... science welcomes any and all attempts to substantiate the claim.

The religionists clam up of their own volition, not by force.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Simply being nice to people would be a religion by your definition, since, generally, nice people practice such behavior due to the belief that it is good.

So while the belief in a deity is not necessary for a belief system to qualify as a religion, belief in the supernatural is universal to all religions (which, incidentally, is what makes every single religion literally unreasonable by definition) and so we can define religion as "A particular system of supernatural beliefs and structured practices."

As far as I know Raelism does not adhere to a belief in the supernatural, so the supernatural isn't necessary for religious belief.

If one establishes a system of beliefs and practices which, essentially, say "be nice to people" I don't see why that wouldn't qualify as a form of religion. But it is at such a point that we can probably recognize that the concept of "religion" isn't really a rigid one, it is fluid and fuzzy; and it is entirely possible for the boundaries between "religion" and "philosophy" and "ethical system" are rather permeable.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[variant]

Science proceeds by investigation, religion by revelation. Each to its proper methodology.

Calling revelation a methodology is hilarious, it would imply an organized and systematic study of any given problem.

Please outline the methodology of religious revelation for me.