How do you define "Religion" ?

[Sabio]

After participating in several threads I'm amazed at the diversity of religions and beliefs represented here on Religious Forums!

So I thought we might have a go at defining "Religion", as I'm sure that there is great diversity of opinion and belief on this topic.

Does religion have to do with God, is it all about man, or is it only about the animals and nature?

So express your opinions, provide your proof, argue your position, polish your debating skills, this one should be very informative and great fun!

All done in love and respect of course...

Cheers

Sabio

 

[michel]

Well, the dictionary quotes religion as being "the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or any such system of belief and worship".

Where do you want to go to from there?

 

[Green Gaia]

Religions are man made and not revealed by God, but rather inspired by the creator and it's creation. At RF.com we define religion as any specific system of belief and/or/without worship, often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy. I have to say I like that broad definition.

My personal religion has to do with how to live and be peaceful with one another. Worship of a deity is not required, although I do believe something created this mess.

Deut has a great definition of religion, I hope he posts it.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

See here.

 

[Sabio]

Well, the dictionary quotes religion as being "the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or any such system of belief and worship".

Where do you want to go to from there?

So can Atheism be called a religion, since they do not believe in God?

Sabio

 

[Sabio]

Religions are man made and not revealed by God, but rather inspired by the creator and it's creation. At RF.com we define religion as any specific system of belief and/or/without worship, often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy. I have to say I like that broad definition.

My personal religion has to do with how to live and be peaceful with one another. Worship of a deity is not required, although I do believe something created this mess.

Deut has a great definition of religion, I hope he posts it.

What about a system of belief where there are no defined rules, you can do as you please, believe as you want? Is this still considered a religion?

Sabio

 

[michel]

So can Atheism be called a religion, since they do not believe in God?

Sabio

No, one who practices Atheism is someone who believes that God or gods do not exist. Having said that, from Maize's definition,"My personal religion has to do with how to live and be peaceful with one another. Worship of a deity is not required" - I don't quite know what Atheism means, to Maize; perhaps you can define atheism Maize, ?

 

[Green Gaia]

What about a system of belief where there are no defined rules, you can do as you please, believe as you want? Is this still considered a religion?

Sabio

I would say so, if someone wanted to call it such. But usually those who don't believe in rules of any kind don't like the word religion attached to their belief system.

My religion allows me to believe what feels right to me. We have few defined rules, which are mostly just be nice to one another and to the Earth, otherwise what you do is your business.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

No, one who practices Atheism ...

Huh? How does one practice the absence of a belief?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

[font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]I only know What I mean by Religion, so I had a hunt and I am still confused. But try this link where I found this extract.[/font]

http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_defn.htm





[font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Problems with definitions:[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]The English word "religion" is derived from the Middle English "religioun" which came from the Old French "religion." It may have been originally derived from the Latin word "religo" which means "good faith," "ritual," and other similar meanings. Or it may have come from the Latin "religãre" which means "to tie fast."[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Defining the word "religion" is fraught with difficulty. All of the definitions that we have encountered contain at least one deficiency:[/font]


Terry
__________________________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.

 

[Sabio]

Do you have to express faith in something or someone in order to practice religion?


Sabio

 

[Green Gaia]

No, one who practices Atheism is someone who believes that God or gods do not exist. Having said that, from Maize's definition,"My personal religion has to do with how to live and be peaceful with one another. Worship of a deity is not required" - I don't quite know what Atheism means, to Maize; perhaps you can define atheism Maize, ?

Atheism is the absence of belief in the existence of deities.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

So can Atheism be called a religion, since they do not believe in God?

Sabio

I do not believe atheism in and of itself can be called a 'religion', in any sense of the word. Nor do I believe it would be accurate to call theism a 'religion'. Atheists can, however, subscribe to a religion (like Unitarian Universalism, Buddhism or Taoism). Even philosophical naturalism (which many atheists subscribe to) could be called a religion in some sense.

 

[Sabio]

[font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]I only know What I mean by Religion, so I had a hunt and I am still confused. But try this link where I found this extract.[/font]

http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_defn.htm





[font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Problems with definitions:[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]The English word "religion" is derived from the Middle English "religioun" which came from the Old French "religion." It may have been originally derived from the Latin word "religo" which means "good faith," "ritual," and other similar meanings. Or it may have come from the Latin "religãre" which means "to tie fast."[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Defining the word "religion" is fraught with difficulty. All of the definitions that we have encountered contain at least one deficiency:[/font]


Terry
__________________________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.

So according to that definitiondo you believe a "set of rituals" could be a religion? This could be a fraternity pledge, boyscout oath, etc....

Sabio

 

[Green Gaia]

Do you have to express faith in something or someone in order to practice religion?


Sabio

That word Faith gives me a lot of problems. I believe in certain things, so I guess you could say that I have faith in them, but I am also aware that I could be wrong. Or maybe the fact that I am aware of this, means I have no faith, because the faithful person would continue to believe even in the face of evidence that contradicts their belief.

No expression of faith is required in Unitarian Universalism... good thing for me I suppose.

 

[Sabio]

I do not believe atheism in and of itself can be called a 'religion', in any sense of the word. Nor do I believe it would be accurate to call theism a 'religion'. Atheists can, however, subscribe to a religion (like Unitarian Universalism, Buddhism or Taoism). Even philosophical naturalism (which many atheists subscribe to) could be called a religion in some sense.

So are you saying that an Atheist can be religious by practicing a set of beliefs outside of a belief in God? Example; Science could be your religion, or Finance?

Sabio

 

[Sabio]

That word Faith gives me a lot of problems. I believe in certain things, so I guess you could say that I have faith in them, but I am also aware that I could be wrong. Or maybe the fact that I am aware of this, means I have no faith, because the faithful person would continue to believe even in the face of evidence that contradicts their belief.

No expression of faith is required in Unitarian Universalism... good thing for me I suppose.

What about worship? Is that required for your system to be considered religion?

Sabio

 

[Green Gaia]

The definition we used in my Anthropology classes is from Raymond Scupin: "A religions is a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic."

That fun with that one.

 

[Green Gaia]

What about worship? Is that required for your system to be considered religion?

Sabio

No. Buddhism is a religion. What does the Buddhist worship? Many Buddhist are atheists.

 

[jewscout]

how to define "religion"...call the IRS and see who qualifies as one.