Theism vs Religion
- Thread starter S.A.M.
- Start date
OK, if you’re going to be like that, a couple of points;
1) If all that is needed to qualify to be a religion is one’s own conscience then we have approx. 7,000,000,000 different religions in the world. Reductio ad ridiculum
2) The topic of the thread is “Theism vs Religion”, it is not called “what is the dictionary definition of Religion”. If SAM had wanted to know that I am sure she would have looked in a dictionary herself. The idea is the topic is to be discussed.
3) Are you suggesting that the remainder of this thread is discussed within the parameters of River Wind’s 6 golden definitions of religion (which, by the way have no reference). And I’ll deal with those 6 below.
1) If all that is needed to qualify to be a religion is one’s own conscience then we have approx. 7,000,000,000 different religions in the world. Reductio ad ridiculum
2) The topic of the thread is “Theism vs Religion”, it is not called “what is the dictionary definition of Religion”. If SAM had wanted to know that I am sure she would have looked in a dictionary herself. The idea is the topic is to be discussed.
3) Are you suggesting that the remainder of this thread is discussed within the parameters of River Wind’s 6 golden definitions of religion (which, by the way have no reference). And I’ll deal with those 6 below.
You missed the word "devotedly".
And until those two words are defined then any discussion on what (if any) difference there is would be null and void, neh?
No, but it might be pertinent to actually have everyone come to some sort of agreement on what constitutes each of the two terms.
This states “body of person” so stands in direct contradiction to statement no 6
monk (mngk) noun
“A man who is a member of a brotherhood living in a monastery and devoted to a discipline prescribed by his order”
So by simply throwing a random definition up as river wind does, a monk doesn’t have to be religious
Not all religions are faith based so that doesn’t qualify as a definition.
Where does this come from I have never heard of a religion of fighting prejudice, it is certainly not in common usage and has nothing whatsoever to do with theism vs religion.
OK I'll give you these last two.
Agreement yes, which would be the purpose of discussion. So just repeatedly copying someone else’s 6 definitions from some unknown source would hardly help that would it?
You missed the word "devotedly".
.
So if I devotedly follow my conscience, I am a religion.
But if I only half heartedly follow my conscience, I am what? nothing..:bawl:
sorry this defintion is ridiculus.
Also for phrases such as religiously showering in the morning, yes this is common usage. Absolutely irrelevant to Theism vs Religion though.
Not all theists are religions, and not all religions are theistic.
Theism is a theological position that claims that a deity or deities exist(s). Religion is a system of practically-applying philosophy.
river-wind
Valued Senior Member
Just to be clear, the items I listed were not so much random as the common definitions of the word per dictionary.com It seems I failed to include the attribution, which was my error.
Common usage would consider "by his order" to apply to religious orders. However, there could be atheistic (non-religious) monks (I was one for 6 years in fact, as part of the Shaolin Temple), though they seem to be less common.
The western use of the concept of religion depends on the theism as a starting point. Elsewhere, religion does not demand theism. In western terms, Buddhism is not a religion because it rejects theism. However, there is absolutely Buddhist religious followers across the globe; both theistic and non-theistic.
It is an example of word usage; per my earlier follow-up post, it has nothing to do with theism, but is a descriptor akin to "doggedly". i.e.: "I religiously shower every morning before work" means I do so regularly and with purposeful intent. I don't praise a spiritual being while doing it.
If you define a dogma based on your conscience, then refuse to deviate from your written dogma, then yes, you are a religion.
In this case, you don't follow a defined dogma, so you are not a religion.
Agreed. I included it for the purposes of thoroughness.
river-wind
Valued Senior Member
Interesting definition, and generally not in line with Western usage of the term religion.
However, I think I like it better, as it makes the difference between belief and the application of actions due to those beliefs clear.
Right. I am going on the way the terms are used, regularly, by both lay people and professionals.
It's one of the few words where I deviate sharply from the conventional definition. I find the standard, dictionary definition of the term to be woefully inadequate.
I could take one single color and fill in the entire map with just one word in the legend; science. Funny how that works, eh Sam?
A fine line? Hilarious. Yes, Muhammad and all the other so-called prophets and messengers were "geniuses" LOL!
I did. They are both forms of mental derangement and nothing more.
You're kidding, right? :bugeye:
Oh, I see, you're trying to distinguish that there are two types of insane irrational belief systems, one is theism and the other is religion.
Oh yes, my bad, I had no idea that semantics played such a huge part with beliefs in gods and reality. LOL!
Theism is the belief that God exists.
Religion is a set of God definitions.
All Praise The Ancient Of Days
Big Chiller
Registered Senior Member