so many people in here say they're not religious, but they believe in god and live by the bible, and worship jesus, and pray, all the same things that religious people do.
doesn't this mean you're religious or belong to a religion?
2007-05-31 02:22:33 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
re·li·gion noun
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.
2007-05-31 02:23:10 · update #1
lol - i was hoping to have some answers from the people who tell me their not religious when they actually are
2007-05-31 02:27:24 · update #2
Yes.
They fail to see that religion of all kinds is also a way of life. All religions have a set of moral, traditions, celebrations, and beliefs. No one needs a church for any religion, they choose to go for the sense of community and inspiration. I'm Pagan but attend a Unitarian Church for that reason. Faiths have more in common then they have differences.
2007-05-31 02:27:31 · answer #1 · answered by ~Heathen Princess~ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have used two words here: Religion and Religious. Religion is usually a set of beliefs maintained by a group of people. I myself live by what I know in my heart, not a particular set of beliefs held by others. It is my own religion that I hold most dear.
Religious refers to a person's faithful devotion to a deity or a particular set of beliefs. So, if you believe in God with an unwavering attitude then you must be religious.
So, to answer your question...I must be religious, but I don't believe in religious rituals and I don't agree with all the varied sects of religion. Therefore, I don't belong to a group that claims certain observances that classify the sect as a religion.
2007-05-31 02:42:29 · answer #2 · answered by Soul Shaper 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like with so many other words, the general definition is changing. Like calling a Christian a Fundie... Fundie used to meant a Christian who followed the Fundamentalist sect... it didn't have anything to do with fanaticism, but it does now. So, I think, when one claims they aren't religious, they're saying they don't follow the mainstream idea of what religious means.
But you're right, the basic definition of religion is a belief in a higher power/god
2007-05-31 02:35:38 · answer #3 · answered by River 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it means they are religious.
What most people mean, however, is that they are not into ORGANIZED religion. Organized religion has developed a really bad name for itself in the past, oh, let's say thousand years. Too many churches are telling too many people what to do in too many different ways. Who do you believe? For many spiritual people, they find the best answer to that is to believe God directly. They look for their spiritual health themselves, instead of asking a Pope or preacher who may or may not know what they are talking about. The word "religion" has developed a negative connotation from right wing Church philosophy, and it is that which these people are rebelling against.
So, in a manner of speaking, they are still religious. But you yourself show here that religion has more than one meaning. It ultimately depends on which definition you are using.
2007-05-31 02:28:00 · answer #4 · answered by Mr. Taco 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Without salvation in God, just believing there is a god is not a religion. It's not hard to believe that there is a God that must have created all that we are and see. Some people have other god's, "false idols", that they believe in. They call their god's, "god's of their religions". The one true God is merely more than a false idol that can transform my next life into something more than being reincarnated into another animal, let's say a cow!
2007-05-31 02:51:08 · answer #5 · answered by anjoek5859 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The key word here is Beliefs; any system of Beliefs could be referred to as a Religion, whether the subject of the Beliefs is God or not. Our Government would be a good example, it even has its own Trinity!
Do you realize that your Ego could easily (and accurately!) be classified as your Personal Religion? Ego is a system of Beliefs we have about ourselves, so why not? And just like any other system of Beliefs, it can be accepted or rejected, but either way, it would be extremely difficult to prove we don't exist; we just don't exist the way we Believe ourselves to exist.
2007-05-31 03:30:41 · answer #6 · answered by Champion of Knowledge 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, religion is any set of beliefs in the existence of a god.
When they say they have a relationship, not a religion, they are really just trying to distance themselves from the more obvious religious institutions in favor of a personal religion. Of course, there is good reason to do this, considering the attrocities that religions have done.
However, it is still just superstition.
2007-05-31 02:25:04 · answer #7 · answered by nondescript 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Many times, you'll see Christianity referred to as a "relationship, not a religion," because religion doesn't always mean there's a personal relationship with God. True Christianity always means that.
2007-05-31 02:32:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To me, anyone believing in some sort of "god", is religious. To belong to a certain religion, you must go by their rules and beliefs.
2007-05-31 02:28:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes
2007-05-31 02:25:31 · answer #10 · answered by Don W 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋