Mark A Mandel <mam at theworld.com> writes: > Before we get started in on name-calling in earnest, let's just check > somewhere, like the American Heritage Dictionary, 4th edition, s.v. > "religion": > > 1a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded > as creator and governor of the universe. > b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and > worship. > > (2 omitted, irrelevant) > > 3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a > spiritual leader. > > ==== > > I think the Buddha's teachings qualify him as a spiritual leader. Is > there any disagreement on that? > > Hearing no dissent, the chair rules that Buddhism is a non-theistic > religion, though not an atheistic one insofar as the nonexistence of any > divine power is not a tenet of Buddhism. Sounds right to me. What's the date of that dictionary? I wouldn't wonder if older ones might not have anything equivalent to #3. The OED is...complicated on the subject. But really only two definitions seems to bear on the particular meaning we're discussing, which are 4. a. A particular system of faith and worship. and 5. a. Recognition on the part of man of some higher unseen power as having control of his destiny, and as being entitled to obedience, reverence, and worship; the general mental and moral attitude resulting from this belief, with reference to its effect upon the individual or the community; personal or general acceptance of this feeling as a standard of spiritual and practical life. Interestingly, 4a has citations back to 1300, whereas 5a kicks in in 1535. -- David Dyer-Bennet, dd-b at dd-b.net / http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/ John Dyer-Bennet 1915-2002 Memorial Site http://john.dyer-bennet.net Dragaera mailing lists, see http://dragaera.info