Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site pyuxd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!pyuxww!pyuxd!rlr From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Professor Wagstaff) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: Different sets of assumptions - response to Laura Message-ID: <630@pyuxd.UUCP> Date: Tue, 5-Mar-85 09:59:14 EST Article-I.D.: pyuxd.630 Posted: Tue Mar 5 09:59:14 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 6-Mar-85 05:06:31 EST References: <589@pyuxd.UUCP> <5135@utzoo.UUCP> <617@pyuxd.UUCP> <5227@ucbvax.ARPA> Organization: Huxley College Lines: 53 >>And I've repeatedly stated that the understood definition of the word religion >>implies (as all definitions in my dictionary do) a "belief in and reverence >>for a superhuman power recognized as the creator ... of the universe". Other >>life-philosophies and/or belief systems (like Ubizmatism) get *labelled* as >>religions, but they are not. (Just as certain disciplines get called sciences >>when they hardly qualify for the term.) We've been through this before.[RLR] > From the Pocket Edition of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: [WALLACE] > religion (n) 1: the service and worship of God or the supernatural, I'd guess that's a point in favor of my definition. > 2: devotion to a religious faith, 3: an organized system of faith > and worship; also: a personal set of religious beliefs and practices, Obviously this is a cross-referential definition, pointing to 'religious'. We'll have to look below. Also, the word "worship" directly implies worship of SOMETHING, presumably being a supreme existing entity. > 4: a cause, principle, or belief held to with faith and ardor. e.g., "It seems like posting to the net is his religion." > religious (adj) 1: relating or devoted to the divine or that which > is held to be of ultimate importance, I'd call that a pointer to a divine entity. > 2: of or relating to religious beliefs or observances, Well, obviously that relates back to (1). > 3: scrupulously and conscientiously faithful, > 4: FERVENT, ZEALOUS. These, admittedly, have nothing to do with a deity. However, these are definitions of "religious" and not of religion. > Sorry, Rich. Maybe all the definitions of religion in your dictionary imply > a "belief in and reverence for a superhuman power recognized as the creator > ... of the universe," but not all the definitions in my dictionary (above) > seem to. Include, yes, but imply, no. I'd say Laura wins this round. I'd say that 1) the primary definitions of both religion and religious support my point, and 2) I was wrong to say "all". Still, given the direct implication of the primary definitions I'd say that my point is still valid. -- Otology recapitulates phonology. Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr -- Anything's possible, but only a few things actually happen. Rich Rosen pyuxd!rlr