So what exactly is Religion?

[font style="font-family:'Georgia','Baskerville Old Face','Helvetica',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]We have had countless discussions/wars over the nature of religion in this forum, but I can't help but wonder have we ever discussed what actually makes a religion a religion?

Looking up the word in 5 different sources I seem to get 5 different definitions...sometimes within a single source![/font]

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/religion
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/religion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion

[font style="font-family:'Georgia','Baskerville Old Face','Helvetica',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]What is it that makes a religion different from a cult? Is there a difference? Or are they the same thing?

Does a religion have to have gods? Or, conversely does believing in gods make a religion? Does it have to have stories/myths about how the universe came into being? What about religions that can exist without gods like Buddhism and Taoism? Are they real religions? Or something else?

Does religion have to have a set of rules or guidelines for how to live one's life or at the very least how one should experience life? Does it have to have rituals?

Personally, I think of religion as a way of living or experiencing life based upon some perceived revelation or "revealed truth" about the nature of the universe.

Maybe the revelation is that there is a supreme deity who created the world and if you please him by living life according to his/her/its wishes you will be rewarded in the afterlife. Or maybe, the truth is that said god is a gigantic jerk and knowing that allows you to experience life the way it really is. Or maybe there is no gods, but a rhythm to existence and if you follow it, you can reborn to a better life, or end the cycle of rebirth, or maybe by following the rhythm you will have a more fulfilling and enjoyable life.

I think that all organized religions are cults and vice versa, and that simply believing that gods exist or don't exist, or believing in one or two myths about how things came about, or having a ritual or two on their own is not sufficient to be called a religion. Otherwise things like football could be called religion.

What about all of you? What is religion to you? [/font]

*Note1: I try not to post too much to my own threads as I don't want to be seen as "bumping" my own threads. Just because I don't reply much does not mean I am not keeping track of the thread.

**Note2: Yes this is in response to some replies in the Scientology thread.

Fear of Death

Blasphemy

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Japanese woman celebrates 100th birthday, boggles netizens’ minds with unusual name

[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#dcdcdc; padding-bottom:5px; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-bottom:none; border-radius:0.4615em 0.4615em 0em 0em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Rocket News 24[div class="excerpt" style="background-color:#f0f0f0; border:1px solid #bfbfbf; border-top:none; border-radius:0em 0em 0.4615em 0.4615em; box-shadow:3px 3px 3px #999999;"]Turning 100 years old is indeed a great achievement. Not only can we appreciate and look up to those who seem to follow the correct path to a ripe old age, but it’s always a shining example of how far we have come as a people to extend our lives so much over the years.

And so, it’s with great honor and reverence that we here at RocketNews24 would like to wish a happy belated birthday to Ms… erm… Mxy…zptlk Sugahara!

Apparently we weren’t alone in not being able to read this woman’s name. Netizens came out in droves shrugging their shoulders and figuring a cockroach got into the printing press. A chosen few however, scolded their peers for not being cultured enough to decipher it.


The woman’s last name “Sugahara” (菅原 ) was easy enough to understand. Her given name though, caused people to ask “Is it Korean?” and “I can’t read it. How were they able to print those characters?”

More at link...


[font style="font-family:'Georgia','Baskerville Old Face','Helvetica',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]And just when I thought I had kana down pat, I learn of Hentaigana!

Oh well, this kind of variety is part of what I find fun about studying Japanese.

Anyway Happy Belated Birthday to Sugahara Tomi San!

And, if anyone else is interested in Japanese calligraphy and letters I found an even bigger list of hentaigana [/font]