What is the role of religion in our modern secular world?

Discussion in 'Religion' started by Magical Realist, Jun 12, 2013.

  1. leopold Valued Senior Member

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    google it and find out.
    i've had dreams where people would be driving to my house, get out of the car, then knock on the door at the very instant someone was indeed knocking on my door.
    i'm sure other people have had similar experiences in regards to dreams.
     
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  3. Balerion Banned Banned

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    So you don't actually know, then?

    And I've had dreams that the phone was ringing, only to wake up to the sound of my phone ringing. Why would you assume that your dreams are predictions of the future rather than reactions to outside stimuli--such as the sound of someone knocking on your door?
     
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  5. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    If religion was exactly how YOU refer to, why are there objection to how YOU refer to it?

    Is it too much to ask for an open-minded discussion?

    jan.
     
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  7. Sarkus Hippomonstrosesquippedalo phobe Valued Senior Member

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    Yet your OP referred to teachings of "yesteryear", which would include all previous religions as well.
    All I'm suggesting is that you try to be more precise and qualify things up front, so as to avoid such disagreements.

    By the way, do you include Scientology?
     
  8. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    Yes..I'd include scientology as well as other cultish modern renditions of religion like Mormonism, Jehovah's Witness, and Christian Science. And ok..I'll try to be a little more specific in my references.
     
  9. Yazata Valued Senior Member

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    Not just all the organized religions, but personal religiosity as well. It's entirely possible, and even common, for people to chart their own personal course in religious matters. (So-called 'New Age' religiosity often takes this individualistic form.)

    And as I wrote earlier in this thread, I think that MR himself is a good example of this kind of free-lance religiosity.
     
  10. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    Another advantage of defining religion into the vaguest of generalities: Anybody can be called "religious", even a diehard physicalist monist.
     
  11. Balerion Banned Banned

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    I don't know why you object to being called religious when you yourself include Scientology as a religion.
     
  12. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    From Scientology's own website:

    "."Since the forming of the first Church of Scientology in 1954, the religion has grown to span the globe. Today, more than 10,000 Scientology Churches, missions, related organizations and affiliated groups minister to millions in 165 countries. And those numbers are constantly growing; in fact, Scientology’s presence in the world is growing faster now than at any time in its history."---http://www.scientology.org/faq.html
     
  13. AlexG Like nailing Jello to a tree Valued Senior Member

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    What they don't say is that it was founded as a joke on a dare by a second rate science fiction writer.
     
  14. leopold Valued Senior Member

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    in my dream someone left their house and drove to my house.
    they get out of the car, walk up to the house and start to knock on the door.
    i was awakened at that time by a knock on the door.
    coincidence? probably, but it's interesting to say the least.
    i'm sure others have had similar experiences.
     
  15. Balerion Banned Banned

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    How does this address my post? My point was that Scientology isn't mystic by any means, yet you have no qualms about classifying it as a religion. Meanwhile, you complain that the only way you--a self-proclaimed physicalist--could be classified as being religious is in the broadest, most generic sense of the word. You see how this is a contradiction?

    That's probably just how you remember it. What most likely happened is your brain built a dream scenario around the external stimuli of the knocking sound. This is why you'll dream about things playing on the television if you fall asleep with it on, or dream about the phone ringing only to wake up to the very same thing. Haven't you ever had the dream about someone calling your name to find out it was someone in the real world the whole time?
     
  16. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    First I never claimed religion had to be "mystic". I'm simply showing that based on its own claims it IS a religion. As far as claiming to be physicalist, no. I was referring to Yazata since he was referring to me as religious simply because I have a dualist view of reality.
     
  17. Balerion Banned Banned

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    I'm not saying you did. But your inference--or at least what I perceived to be your inference--was that the term "religious" had to be used in its broadest and most generalized sense to include you. If I'm wrong about that, my mistake.

    Again, I have no idea how that's relevant to my post. And since when do personal claims amount to fact? I can call myself a mulberry tree, it doesn't mean I actually am one.

    I...don't get it.
     
  18. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    I'm saying people generalize religion so that they can call non-religious people like me religious. It's a disingenuous strategy of turning the tables on atheists such as myself designed to aggravate them. Cuz afterall nothing would steam an atheist quicker than being called religious. Yazata does this all the time with me. I'm just exposing the tactic for what it is.
     
  19. Balerion Banned Banned

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    No, what you're doing is conflating religion and theism. If he said you were a theist, or "being theistic," I could understand your anger. But he's saying you show a high degree of religiosity, which is accurate. You don't simply believe there is an afterlife, you desperately want it, at the expense of your personal integrity. You even believe in an objective moral system.

    He's got you pegged, and you're pissed about it.
     
  20. Magical Realist Valued Senior Member

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    The tactic is what it is. And now you're resorting to it too. Ooo..I'm SO pissed now! lol!
     
  21. Balerion Banned Banned

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    It's a tactic when a theist tries to call atheism a type of religion. And not because it resembles an adult version of "I know you are, but what am I?" Rather, it's a cheap tactic because it has no merit; atheism is not a religion in any sense of the word.

    What you believe, and how you behave about it, however, can be called religious in nature. It doesn't have to involve a god. (Though I'm certain you're only a few short years away from making that final leap) This is why I say you're confusing religion--which doesn't require belief in a god--with theism--which does.
     
  22. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Neither is theism.

    It may surprise you but descriptive words aren't anything other than words that describe.

    jan.
     
  23. Jan Ardena OM!!! Valued Senior Member

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    What? Do you think people get a kick out of calling you ''religious''?

    I take it by ''turning the tables on atheists'' you mean that your strategy IS to aggravate theists?

    jan.
     

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