Non-theistic religion

[Crunchy Cat]

It's because you're not listening... or don't want to:

"...A bunch of people get together, do their little traditions, play pretend..."

 

[one_raven]

I still think your definition is lacking.
It could also apply very easily to people getting together to play role playing games.

 

[Crunchy Cat]

I still think your definition is lacking.
It could also apply very easily to people getting together to play role playing games.

Games are competitions. It's not the same.

 

[one_raven]

Games are competitions. It's not the same.

Role playing games are not competitions - not for most that I know.
Nobody cares if anyone wins.

People get together socially to play pretend, escape reality for a while and bond socially.

Religion necessarily implies worship and reverence.

 

[Crunchy Cat]

Role playing games are not competitions - not for most that I know.
Nobody cares if anyone wins.

I disagree. Players want to up their stats, gold, weapons, etc. They are competing for resources and power.

People get together socially to play pretend, escape reality for a while and bond socially.

And to do the above.

Religion necessarily implies worship and reverence.

How about worship and reverence being replaced with deep appreciation, conceptual pleasure, and sense pleasure?

 

[spidergoat]

He also spoke of the realms of Hell as if he assumed they existed.

How is that really any different from a man named Jesus who acknowledging the Gods and concepts of his day and placed his philosophy within the confines of those ideas?

I see no real difference between Jesus and Siddhartha.

They are convenient metaphors. He didn't teach faith in them as a core belief. Back then, they could be considered as forces of nature, they didn't even know what lightning was, for instance. Buddhism has been described as the "religion of no-religion".