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Define Religion

Does a religion require a belief in a supreme being? Is Buddhism, or Scientology a reDoes a religion require a belief in a supreme being? Is Buddhism, or Scientology a religion? The web site Dictionary.com defines Buddhism as a religion and Scientology as a non-denominational movement. Why aren't they calling Scientology a religion too? The definition of religion on dictionary.com seems vague. It appears that they don't know how to define religion, but know one when they see it which is why Buddhism counts as a religion but Scientology doesn't. Maybe it has to do with how long it's been around. The idea of Buddhism being an atheist religion seems like B/S to me.

Tags: Atheism, Phylosophy, Religion, Spirituality, Words

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Permalink Reply by Madhukar Kulkarni on January 19, 2012 at 10:56am

In a nutshell, a religion is a philosophycal belief system.

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Permalink Reply by paul babcock on January 19, 2012 at 2:56pm

If you are looking for a good definition of religion, then I recommend Dan Dennets "Breaking The Spell".In it he has just a few simple clearly defined criteria that seemed to me anyway of doing an excellent job of clarifyinge precisely what was and wasn't a religion.

How long they had been around and how many practitioners there were might have minor criteria. But the main one, as I recall, was a belief in the supernatural.

Belief that Elvis is still alive did not quite make it, as it did not make one of the more minor criteria. But mostly belief in supernatural qualified something as a religion, and it was not a religion w/o this.

So like Jason Fleming explained, some forms of Bhudism are a religion, and those that deal only w training ones mind towards certain goals thru meditation are not.

One of the primary aspects of Scientology is training ones mind to become "clear". And , I think, they employ some type of brain scan to help w this. Possibly Scientology was not considered a religion as only these traits were considered. More likely tho, it did not make the cut simply because whoever made t decision not to include it simply did not afford it t respect he gave other religions for no reason more valid than that it has not been around as long as most religions.

Also while Scientology is filled totally w beliefs utterly ridiculous, I don't know that too many of them qualify as outright supernatural. This tho is probably due mostly to my ignorance regarding scientology beliefs. I know they believe certain alien races came to Earth long ago and that the conflict these aliens were having has affected mankinds destiny somehow,along w something about a huge volcanic eruption.

I don't know of any evidence to support any of these beliefs. But I don't know either that any of their beliefs are beyond natural possibilities.

But again, I know only just so much about Scientology. I think Dan Dennett classified it as a religion. And, I think, he would know more than me on the matter.

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Permalink Reply by Greg LeGore on January 20, 2012 at 6:22am

And don't many religions have rules about sex and money. My wife and I joke we should start a religion as a 'retirement' activity...everyone has to give the founders all of their money and 'free sex' with the founders is mandatory.

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Permalink Reply by Madhukar Kulkarni on January 20, 2012 at 4:09pm

Why should we take advice on sex from the pope? If he knows anything about it, he shouldn't!
George Bernard Shaw

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Permalink Reply by Dustin Martin on January 20, 2012 at 10:17am

Dictionary.com? You might as well get the definition of religion from Conservapedia. I checked, it's a hoot.

When in doubt, check an encyclopedia like Britannica.

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Permalink Reply by Chris G on January 28, 2012 at 9:09pm

Britannica does educate about religion rather than attempt to define it. This is the first time I heard of Conservapedia.

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Permalink Reply by SecularCortex13.x on January 30, 2012 at 12:16pm

LOL; encylopedia's the worst enemy of jehova's homies
they're all 'end of the world bs talkers
meanwhile you have pages of disasters and dates to boot. go figure.. we're still here
yet the climate surely is off schedule .. or.. yeah the petrol done heated up the earth

njoi!