Okay. I’ll play.
Statement:
Belongs to: (all religion, my religion, other people’s religion, something other than religion)
My view of this aspect of religion is: (favorable, neutral, unfavorable)
Religion is a sense of humility in the face of a world too wonderful/complex/awe-inspiring to fully understand or even fully cope with on a rational level.
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: favorable
Religion is a set of external (non-personal) moral standards toward which we should sometimes aspire.
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: favorable
Religion is a set of absolute moral standards toward which we should always aspire:
Belongs to: all religions
My view is: neutral
Religion is a way of knowing things that cannot be known through careful empirical observation and reasoning:
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: negative
Religion is a positive way of relating interpersonally with a community of people:
Belongs to: my religion
My view is: favorable
Religion is a way of having relationships with incorporeal entities with whom physical interaction and ordinary means of relations are impossible.
Belongs to: my religion
My view is: favorable
Religion is any non-rational or irrational set of notions that influences behaviors, whether associated directly with a religious community or not.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is negative
Religion provides us knowledge of a future life after our our current life ends, which can be known by no other means:
Belongs to: other people’s religion
My view is: negative
The dictates of religion should override moral reasoning and/or the dictates personal conscience.*
Belongs to: other people’s religion.
My view: is negative.
Religion serves as a needed reminder to listen to our moral reasoning and/or conscience.
Belongs to: my religion
My view is: positive.
Religion is a good way to know about history.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: negative
Religion is a good way to know about the natural world.
Belongs to: something other than religion.
My view is: negative.
Religion is a good framework for becoming a more productive and helpful member of a community.
Belongs to: my religion
My view is: favorable.
Religion is a good source of personal, financial, or emotional support for people in distress.
Belongs to: my religion
My view is: favorable
One should protect one’s religion from anyone who seeks to persuade its members to leave it
Belongs to: other people’s religion
My view is: negative
Religion can exist without a belief in the supernatural.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: neutral
Religion can exist without compromising careful reasoning and good intellectual habits.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: neutral
Religion can be good poetry.
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: positive
Religion (practiced such that it does not cause direct harm or abuse) should be protected from state interference.
Belongs to: all religion
My view is: positive
Religious people who are empowered in some way by the government office should be able to express their religious views as part of that state-sponsored function.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: negative
Religion contains or provides knowledge that can be held with great certainty.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: negative
Religion can be uplifting, fun, and challenging.
Belongs to: all religions
My view is: positive
Religion requires much effort on the part of the adherent.
Belongs to: all religions
My view is: positive
Some religions are better than others.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: positive
Religion is good or bad depending on how it is practiced.
Belongs to: all religions
My view is: positive
Religion should be treated with special deference.
Belongs to: something other than religion
My view is: negative
Religion should be tolerated.
Belongs to: all religions
My view is: positive
Religion is one hell of a broad topic with varying definitions for everybody and it is amazing to me the fine line that exists between a positive and a negative view is some cases. I am just confused as to how you can have a religion without God and if you have God how exactly have you avoided the supernatural?
When it comes to religion I am very libertarian on the issue. I don’t give a damn what you believe or what you don’t believe and the last thing in the world I want to do is try and make you believe what I believe when what I believe is something I constantly struggle with.
Also. Too.
And Ricky you need to start blogging again.
For now, I’m calling what I got religion, even though it lacks gods or other elements of the supernatural. But, maybe if there was something to call it other than religion that would fit all the statements I identified as “mine” – I’d call it that instead.
Thanks for playing the meme – I would have guessed your answers a tad differently than what you gave, but not much. And, I like them. I especially like that the favorable response to the humility expressed in the first one is coupled with humility in your answers to the other points: “great certainty”, “knowledge that can’t gotten through empirical reasoning”, “absolute” or “overriding” moral values and reasoning.
Oh Lord it is easy to be humble when you’re imperfect in every way.
And I am very interested in this thing you have that you call religion. We do need to come up with some other word for it.