Why do we refer to the religions as NOUNS? Why don't we refer to our faith traditions as VERBS? (See details.)

Question

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

By referring to faith/non-faith as a NOUN, we think we know something about someone simply because we can give them a name, when in fact we know very, very little. By turning the faith/non-faith into a VERB, we get an idea about what they do rather than with which group they like to associate. For example:

Rather than "Christian," why not call fellow believers as those who follow Christ or behave as Christ?

Instead of Buddhist, it could be those who practice Dharma.

Muslims could take the term Islam (meaning "submission) and become those who submit to God.

And Atheists could be those who value rational thinking.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

PrairieChicken: Wiccans could be those who seek God in Nature. Wicca has such a varied belief system right now. It will take time for it to develop some consistency of thought. Revel in the ambiguity. It won't last long.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

(Sorry, Prairie Crow. Yahoo doesn't divide names well any more, with the new layout. I took my best guess from "PrairieC..."

Answer 1

I think that is very sensible ( a little out there ) but, true. I mean it is true about all the religions you mention. Atheists do believe in rational thinking and they make it very obvious. I agree completely.

Answer 2

Hmm yes I get tired of the "He/she is a good Christian"
Like it is suppose to make me jump for joy as I just found the only honest group of people in the world.
Last I heard that statement...it actually got messy...maybe cause I was not.
Funny thing is the comment was made in regards to a witness in a trial....a witness that another jury member swore not to have known before.

Call it those "non-believer ethics" or whatever but I called it out and it resorted in a mistrial.

Ironic to me that one "good christian" thought he was doing another "good christian" a favor by breaking the law...costing much more in taxpayer money for another trial. It seemed harmless at the time I am sure...

Answer 3

Because it sounds stupid to say that someone is Christianing... and Christian is one word definition that is intended to explain someones value and religious set without going through all the verbiage to say exactly what you said.

Also, To behave as Christ means that you walk everywhere in a robe and sandals teaching the gospel and to follow Christ is a belief, not a lifestyle, such as Christianity is a lifestyle.

Christian says volumes without any more than one word...

Answer 4

Sounds pretty precise to me. Non-non secular: Wicca, pagan paths, buddhism, and so on and so on. not all interior those sects have self belief in some thing (which includes buddhism) yet those paths have not got alot of dogma and creed, basically a undemanding awareness of what the religion is approximately. In my case I do have self belief in some thing, its in basic terms not that of an prepared faith which includes Christianity. I belong to 3 pagan agencies that are based on paganism and consequently some persons are faith based and it may symbolize the completed company as faith based. If stated company receives church status which includes Church of Wicca in NC or mom Grove (i think of they are nonetheless attempting to income church status) they are then seen a faith based company. The term isn't totally used for Abrahamic religions.

Answer 5

And Wiccans could what... Wiccate?

;-)

Seriously, we could be those who follow the Rede.

EDITED TO ADD: Ah, but other forms of Paganism seek God in Nature. If you want to distinguish Wicca from those other forms, I think you'd have to use the Wiccan Rede as the defining characteristic.

And it's PrairieCrow... unless you were trying to insult me?

(in which case, *cluck cluck*)

Answer 6

That is a fantastic way of perceiving religion however it still results in generalization. Action (verbs) proclaim no more truth than subjects (nouns) and neither are symbolic of the state of being. It would be better to do away to do away with thinking in either form and instead to teach being.

Answer 7

I'm offended. :) I value rational thinking very highly, thank you, and I'm a Christian. In fact sometimes I feel that atheists are irrational in their desire to disprove the existence of God. (I'm not trying to start anything, I just wanted to point that out) You could call atheists people who value humanism, or something like that, though. (feeble attempt) And I think the noun thing has come about because we like to label people and using nouns is the most linguistically convenient way to do so.