Hedonism is more of a lifestyle than a religion, yet it can be applied to religion. You can be a hedonistic Christian (which is technically blasphemous because of CHristianity's mistrust of earthly pleasures). But there are many modifiers to religion. You can be agnostic, and still have very real and self-righteous beliefs in a theist-ism. Hedonism and agnosticism may not be the best examples, but why aren't modifiers used more often, to better classify the people who dont follow derelict and clear definitions of religions?
Religion modifiers
- Thread starter Arietta
- Start date
Well, we could start with ideas like "heretic" or "apostate Christian," and I don't think it's particularly difficult to understand why people don't want those words applied to them. Given that some animosity exists between sects within various individual religions, it's pretty clear that the apostate doesn't wake up and think, "Let's go out for an apostasy," some Wednesday in March, but rather, either comes to hold others in apostasy or else ceases to care aobut such issues altogether.
And really, to modify your religious title is a little different from say, modifying your vegetarianism. Ovovegetarian? Wonderful, at least I know that much about what I should feed you under my roof. But ... in the end, this is why we have Lutherans and Episcopalians and Baptists and Witnesses, among others. In naming something, you possess it in an abstract way. To call your faith by any name is to declare your mastery of it and choice to invest it as such. And who wants to go by a title like, "Extraneous Christian," or "Apocryphal Jew"? At that point, they just call themselves mystics, faylasufs, philosophes, &c.
"Hi, the Palestinian Brotherhood for Liberty wants you!"
or
"Hi, the Palestinian Confessionally-Invested Anti-Civilian Corps wants you!"
Suicide bombers aren't committing murder, remember, they're demonstrating their faith.
Something about rosy glasses and mirrors, I suppose. People tend to romanticize their own selves, inflate superfluous aspects, and ignore the difficult realities of what they choose.
We have trouble describing bodily functions or masturbation without tittering in American society, at least; and I simply love that old Python sketch about being embarrassed and being British. I would expect, though, that people are much more sensitive about what they are that makes them consider themselves unique or special. And who wants their specialness to be "Adulterous Christian," or "Sanctimonious Evangelical"?
Megaphone.
Megaphone.
And really, to modify your religious title is a little different from say, modifying your vegetarianism. Ovovegetarian? Wonderful, at least I know that much about what I should feed you under my roof. But ... in the end, this is why we have Lutherans and Episcopalians and Baptists and Witnesses, among others. In naming something, you possess it in an abstract way. To call your faith by any name is to declare your mastery of it and choice to invest it as such. And who wants to go by a title like, "Extraneous Christian," or "Apocryphal Jew"? At that point, they just call themselves mystics, faylasufs, philosophes, &c.
"Hi, the Palestinian Brotherhood for Liberty wants you!"
or
"Hi, the Palestinian Confessionally-Invested Anti-Civilian Corps wants you!"
Suicide bombers aren't committing murder, remember, they're demonstrating their faith.
Something about rosy glasses and mirrors, I suppose. People tend to romanticize their own selves, inflate superfluous aspects, and ignore the difficult realities of what they choose.
We have trouble describing bodily functions or masturbation without tittering in American society, at least; and I simply love that old Python sketch about being embarrassed and being British. I would expect, though, that people are much more sensitive about what they are that makes them consider themselves unique or special. And who wants their specialness to be "Adulterous Christian," or "Sanctimonious Evangelical"?
Megaphone.
Megaphone.