David Dyer-Bennet wrote: > "Gametech" <voltronalpha at hotmail.com> writes: > >> Religions : >> >> 1 aBelief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers >> regarded as creator and governor of the universe. >> bA personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief >> and worship. >> 2 The life or condition of a person in a religious order. >> 3 A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a >> spiritual leader. >> 4 A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious >> devotion. >> >> I'd use example 4 to best describe the broad scope of religions, >> which IN *no* way asserts the existence of a non-material >> world and I'd do so because some religions do not assert the >> supernatural, for benefit below is zeal and conscientious. > > This definition exists to cover phrases like "a religious devotion to > fine wine", and has nothing to do with the sort of religion we're > discussing. > err wouldn't that make the word like an adjective then? I think purely you've decided that anything that interferes with your ability to believe religion means only what you think it means is irrelevant It HAS EVERYTHING to do with the *kind* of religion I'm discussing, sorry if I like a duller knife to describe religion than you do. >> zeal n. >> Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless >> diligence in its furtherance. See Synonyms at passion >> >> conscientious adj. >> 1. Guided by or in accordance with the dictates of conscience; >> principled: a conscientious decision to speak out about injustice. >> 2. Thorough and assiduous: a conscientious worker; a conscientious >> effort to comply with the regulations. >> >> I'd say that the Atheists whom are part of an atheist organization >> are by that very nature religious. > > Not any more than members of a wine-tasting club.