Religion
Related: About this forumAsk the Religion Experts: How do you define religion?
Ottawa Citizen April 13, 2013 11:04 AM
KEVIN SMITH is on the board of directors for the Centre for Inquiry, Canadas premier venue for humanists, skeptics and freethinkers.
A casual observer of my weekly posts might conclude that I have a religious zeal for atheism. Its a definition of my character that I accept with pride.
Some people will go further, arguing that this apparent obsession with Gods non-existence must be a kind of neo-atheist religion. While the definition of religion is open to interpretation, there are basic characteristics that differentiate it from atheism.
Religion will often be based on stories central to ones belief system, such as the Virgin birth in Christianity or Siddharthas enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Buddhist mythology. Non-believers reject supernatural myths for a rational, scientific explanation of our human condition. Religious morals are made-to-measure sets of rules that adherents must remain faithful to, and in some sects risk eternal damnation if they dont.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Religion+Experts+define+religion/8239383/story.html
The other seven comments at the link are from a Catholic priest, a Muslim, a Sikh attorney, an Anglican priest, a Baháí scholar, a Pentecostal pastor, and a Rabbi. (Sorry, there's no punchline.)
Phillip McCleod
(1,837 posts)rug
(82,333 posts)This newspaper does a good job of getting a wide range of responses from different perspectives on religious issues. I think it's a weekly feature but I haven't been following it regularly.
Phillip McCleod
(1,837 posts)..some food for thought. the snarky geek in me wants to settle on some definitions or call psychology a soft science, but the fact remains that human beings are complicated critters. several non-contradictory meanings for religion.. or even contradictory meanings.. cannot surprise anyone who has ever referenced a dictionary.
i always kind of like these multi-POV pieces when i see them.. thx for the read.
here's another excellent quote. from the rabbi..
In that vein, it may be best to think more in terms of what the office should protect from, rather than for. The office should be a protector, assuring to whatever extent possible that all religions are free from oppression, and therefore never free to oppress.
longship
(40,416 posts)Many atheists would characterize religion differently. But I am comfortable with these responses (as long as they do not characterize atheism as a religion, that is).
Laochtine
(394 posts)I would classify Religion as cults. Members that follow traditions and rituals.
Members that are willing to overlook their hierarchy's many disgusting cover ups
and still tithe to feed their preferred beast, but that's just my opinion.