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Permalink Reply by Michael Brice on July 19, 2012 at 9:39am

I think you posed a question and used available resources ( dictionary ) to answer said question. Now thanks to your post we all know the definition of piety, thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on July 19, 2012 at 10:45am

If there are not gods, is piety a valid concept? 

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Definition #3 involves dutiful respect for parents or homeland.  If the homeland is abusive, corrupt, and has unjust laws and society, it piety towad that homeland a virtue or a vice?  If parents are abusive, selfish, do not nurture their children or prepare them for a successful life, is piety toward those parents a virtue or vice?

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Permalink Reply by DarkBlack on July 20, 2012 at 7:06pm

The word might not be valid outside of religion, but the concept may apply.

Could it maybe be about being true to your values or ideals, e.g. religion for some (hopefully fewer), humanism, objectivism or being ethical?

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Permalink Reply by Pat on July 20, 2012 at 7:58pm

The virtue of a citizen faced with government injustice is dissent. Dissent is the highest form of patriotism. NYC Mayor John Lindsey (mis-attributed to Thomas Jefferson).

The Mosaic admonition to "honor thy father and mother" have more to do with inheriting real estate than it does with familial harmony. Exodus 20:12. Funny how there's no mention of raping, physically abusing, or mentally torturing your children. Guess it was getting close to the 7th day, he needed his rest, and just slipped his mind.

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Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on July 20, 2012 at 7:13pm

Piety generally means respect for and observance of the usages and practices of religion.  Religion is involved with that which is sacred and a whole group of words including: sacred, holy, reverend, et cetera are little more than code words for DO NOT DISTURB and particularly DO NOT QUESTION.

Someone who is pious either buys into that noise or wants others to buy into it, an obvious non-starter with us.  Piety is bullshit, Q.E.D.

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Permalink Reply by Hiram on August 13, 2012 at 11:37pm

I do think that familial piety, respect for one's elders and parents and ancestors, is a humanist virtue.  Older people tend to have more wisdom and we live in a society that devalues the elderly oftentimes, youth don't listen to or care for or respect their elders.  This does not mean that we must share their views, values or beliefs, but the sacrifices that my parents made for me make them, in my eyes, worthy of a VAST reservoir of admiration and respect that is well-deserved.

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Permalink Reply by Jerry Wesner on August 19, 2012 at 9:58am

Hiram, I both agree and disagree with your comment.  Some older people have amassed wisdom; others have spouted idiocy blindly for decades and will continue until death ends their foolishness. We should listen to them only if they have something of value to say.   My mother was a wonderful woman, and I cared for her emotionally and materially until she died.  But that was only in part because she was my mother; she had earned my care for her by her care for me.  If she had abused me throughout life, I might have seen that she was fed and sheltered, but I wouln't have "cared" for her.  (And my belief system is vastly different from hers.)  So I'd say admiration must be, as you say, deserved.

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Chang on August 19, 2012 at 3:39am

Piety is an insurance policy before insurance companies existed. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with religion at all.

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