by Fernando 77 Replies latest watchtower bible
When I was little, my Mom emphasized to me very clearly that Jehovah's Witnesses were NOT a 'religion', they were a 'sect'. But that all changed once they were going to be taxed. Then they became a religion.
Religion is just another money making venture, attempting to control the masses with guilt and fear, offering up a false hope of some future prize if you behave now. Oh, and they don't WANT your money, they NEED your money.
From The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce (early 1900's) : " Religion : A daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the nature of the Unknowable".
Another succinct definition is "Belief in, worship of and obedience to a deity or deities".
So Bhuddism, in its original form (Theravada), Jainism and Confucianism for example are Philosophies, not religions.
My Mum told me Heaven, that JW's were not a sect, as they came out of all religions and none, not being a breakaway from another single church. She told me they were a religion, but not just "a" religion, the true one ! How wrong she was on the last count, and on the first not strictly historically true.
The WT/JW set-up has now become indistinguishable from any other money-grubbing scamming religion.
Religion = unnecessary
My personal definition is formalized spirituality combined with culture. Any tighter the definition and certain religions would start slipping through the definitional net.
Something Man made to control ppl and give them a hope for something.
I think that definition could also apply to politics.
George carlin said it best.....................
"Biggest bull sh&t story ever told!"
A religion is simply man's interpretation of God's silence.
I really liked your great definition Giordano.
Personally I might add to it as follows:
A religion is simply man's interpretation [and exploitation] of God's [supposed] silence.
Religious men mostly exploit the situation by appointing themselves as God's representatives, presuming to speak for him, gathering followers, and controlling them to suit their myopic, legalistic, moralistic, and powermongering agenda.
In a word: "Pharisaism".
Or simply: "GB" and "elders".
Its theory based upon theory, based upon other theories. Theology is the ornate embroidery of all those thories. Its easy to destroy the lot if a person stops believing one or a group of those theories. After the loss of some beliefs, a rework of the knots and whorls of the work must be done w lots of mental effort, in order to keep it from unravelling.
Its a mental contruct, at any rate. Contrast it w spiritual practice. W one spiritual experience, you can toss all of your theology. If you are the kind of person who cannot have a spiritual experience, then you can toss your theology and your spiritual, if you want.
S
