Lateralus es Helica
Basilia Ann E
I have access to documents (real historical archives) that self-taught guru's don't have access to. My views are based on the rare, and often hidden, documents.
I'm just curious what in the world those are. The argument here is that your classifying any spiritual or ritual expression as a religion, even going so far as to include being a fan of sports. I'm trying to figure out what documents might possibly say that religion, atheism, and agnosticism are anything other than what they actually are.
We'll start with religion since it's the biggest one.
Quote:
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
4.
the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5.
the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.
6.
something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.
7.
religions, Archaic . religious rites.
8.
Archaic . strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one's vow.
—Idiom
9.
get religion, Informal .
a.
to acquire a deep conviction of the validity of religious beliefs and practices.
b.
to resolve to mend one's errant ways: The company got religion and stopped making dangerous products.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
4.
the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5.
the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.
6.
something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.
7.
religions, Archaic . religious rites.
8.
Archaic . strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one's vow.
—Idiom
9.
get religion, Informal .
a.
to acquire a deep conviction of the validity of religious beliefs and practices.
b.
to resolve to mend one's errant ways: The company got religion and stopped making dangerous products.
Atheism
Quote:
1.
the doctrine or belief that there is no god.
2.
disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.
the doctrine or belief that there is no god.
2.
disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.
Agnosticism
Quote:
1.
The doctrine that certainty about first principles or absolute truth is unattainable and that only perceptual phenomena are objects of exact knowledge.
2.
The belief that there can be no proof either that God exists or that God does not exist.
The doctrine that certainty about first principles or absolute truth is unattainable and that only perceptual phenomena are objects of exact knowledge.
2.
The belief that there can be no proof either that God exists or that God does not exist.
Notice as I pointed out before all agnosticism and atheism does is make claims regarding the existence of God/Gods. They don't have moral codes. They don't answer questions concerning creation of the universe. They don't have ritual observances. They aren't religion.
Now once again we come to all spiritual expression being religion. You'll have to remember to start with that my definition of spirituality in and of itself was conjecture but at the very least I defined my terms of it. Going off of that and not necessarily any formal definition spiritual expression or expression of the self doesn't necessarily have to be religious expression. Indeed, religion is all about conforming the self to a specific set of guidelines. So unless that expression happens to fit into the specific guidelines outlined by whatever religion you buy into, it's not necessarily religious.
Example: Me, agnostic, sitting on a rooftop watching streams of people traversing the streets and feeling a keen connection to them as a fellow human, a sense of 'we are all one'. I'm not doing it as a mode of religious expression, indeed I follow no religion. Remember, agnosticism is just stating that the existence of God is unknown and is in no way a religion. Even if you wanted to try that here, the connection I'm feeling has absolutely nothing to do with conjecture on whether or not God exists, it just has to do with my fellow man, it's outside of agnosticism.
Now, if I were Christian and I sat there and suddenly was hit by the glory of part of God's plan for all of us, that would be a religious expression of spirituality. The former and the instances I do actually express however are not considering I'm an irreligious individual.
Irreligious, for the record, is
Quote:
1.
not religious; not practicing a religion and feeling no religious impulses or emotions.
2.
showing or characterized by a lack of religion.
3.
showing indifference or hostility to religion: irreligious statements.
not religious; not practicing a religion and feeling no religious impulses or emotions.
2.
showing or characterized by a lack of religion.
3.
showing indifference or hostility to religion: irreligious statements.
This much I can concede though: Ritual expressions are referred to as 'religious' such as religiously watching a television show, but 'religious' in this sense of the definition is a pun, a satirical comment pointing to the similarities the fanatical expression between ritual within a religion and the ritual that's being pointed out as 'religious'.
/rant That's really all I had a problem with, using 'religious' in the satirical sense and trying to impose it as actual definition. That, and you wouldn't be the first person that mistook what agnosticism actually is.
Hell rmcdra is technically an agnostic according to the first definition of agnosticism as he's stated over and over again God by nature cannot be proven through science or by empirical means. Believing in God is a matter of faith. In this case, if we go strictly by the first definition, he is an agnostic with theist leanings in contrast to me being agnostic with atheist leanings. He still has faith in God's existence even if he doesn't believe God's existence can be proven through any empirical means. I use that example just to show how broad the spectrum of ideas and beliefs concerning agnosticism really is.
Same goes for atheism, hell if you want an example of how much they differ just look at the ethical and moral codes that different atheists set for themselves. Some believe that they can do whatever the hell they want because there never will be consequences. Some believe that morality in and of itself is reason enough to act in a moral and ethical matter and they don't need any threat of eternal punishment to behave.
xd i honestly love you! i hav emet a person as much a Geek as myself! heart how awesome.
