Re: Definition of Religion? Christianity's Power! Straw Man? NO! The Vatican!

["Dale Courtney" <dmcourtn@moscow.com>]

Ted Moffett wrote:

> First off, I think you are exaggerating your claim that everyone has a
> Religion.  To make this claim you must define Religion in a way that really
> strips the word of any strength or definiteness of meaning.

One of the Webster definitions of religion is "Religion is a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith." -- no mention "god", "the bible", etc.

 

It is in this sense that the word "religion" is used -- the basic sense of meaning. It is a narrowing of the meaning to apply it only to "faith-based groups" -- as if all of our presuppositions were not faith-based.

 

Would you be willing to deny that you have a system of belief that you hold with ardor and faith? 

 

Some thoughts:

• John Dewey described Humanism as our "common faith."
• Julian Huxley called Humanism "Religion without Revelation"
• The first Humanist Manifesto spoke openly and repeatedly of Humanism as a religion. http://www.jjnet.com/archives/documents/humanist.htm
• Many other Humanists could be cited who have acknowledged that Humanism is a religion. In fact, claiming that Humanism was "the new religion" was trendy for at least 100 years
• In the 1950's, Humanists sought and obtained tax-exempt status as religious organizations.
• Even the Supreme Court of the United States spoke in 1961 of Secular Humanism as a religion.

My point: everyone has a "cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith" -- even pagans.

 

Dale Courtney

Moscow, ID