(February 6, 2010 at 3:55 pm)Darwinian Wrote: That's a false syllogism isn't it? Religion may not necessarily be exclusively a belief in God but a belief in God and to follow, say, scripture is a religion and would make you religious.
Well if you try and sort of lump anyone that believes in the power of the supernatural with anyone else who believes the same thing it can become somewhat like assuming that someone who believes in the power of the vote is the same regardless of political affiliation. If a person feels compelled to distance themselves from "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith" (Merriam's 4th definition of religion) that doesn't necessarily imply a specific veneration or religious affiliation. I think that is the sort of distinction being made. By a simple definition of religion, based upon common usage, we are religious, but take care not to make any assumptions from there.
So, to some people anyone who believes in God is religious and to others anyone who believes in anything is religious if there is, in an archaic sense a "scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness."
