"Practice" religion?

[Brian37]

Let me try another approach:

John is a lawyer.  He spent a lot of time and trouble learning the law.  He graduated from a very tough school for lawyers.  He has, over the years, built up a successful law practice.  During his career, he has kept abreast of changes in the law, so he is better able to serve his clients' needs.  We can say, without fear of contradiction, that John 'practices' law.

Jim is a priest.  He spent a lot of time and trouble learning about his religion.  He graduated from a very tough seminary.  He has, over the years, built up a sizeable congregation.  During his career, he has kept abreast of changes in the doctrines of his religion, so he is better able to serve his congregants' needs.  We can say, without fear of contradiction, that Jim 'practices' religion.

Boru

No, John practices law. Jim follows a religion.

Law, at least in the west is intended to protect pluralism equally. Jim follows a religion because he think he got it right.

Sure you can get degrees in theology, but to me that is like being an expert in Star Wars or Harry Potter.

"Follow" a religion is an honest word. "Practice"  a religion, is merely a dodge to justify your own personal bias when it comes to thinking your label is the origin of human behaviors.

Certainly someone can spend tons of time absorbing a religion, but that is still following. 

John can practice law being a Jew or a Christian, and Mustafa can also practice law in America and practice law. But a priest or Rabbi or Cleric are following a religion.  

The word "Practice" as used by holy people or followers, isn't an honest admission that they merely like what they believe. Follow is an honest word.

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I never claimed all musicians, doctors, sports stars, lawyers always get it right.

I am merely arguing usage of the word in the context of religion. 

Certainly there are crappy doctors, crappy lawyers, crappy sports stars. You can practice music and still suck at it sure.

But with religion, you are only following, not practicing.

I think Buddhist monks and all kinds of other religious people have a standard, and they attempt to move closer to the standard. 
They practice religion in the same sense that professionals practice, AS WELL as attempting to live up to an ideal they have in their own heads. 
Are baseball pitchers "following" when they try to get better ?

Buddhism doesn't get a pass from me either. 

"Getting closer to that standard" 

Unfortunately that striving for a "higher standard" is the very thing that causes division in our species when it comes to religion. 

If one can accept there are good people in every religion, that says to me that the "standard" isn't in a label, not even in Buddhism. Asia's entire history all the way back to antiquity has also never been 100% violence free. 

Humans are doing it, both good and bad, labels have no magic powers. Asia also has prisons too.