On the definition of 'religion', I am on the side of Erich Fromm:
Excerpt from: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Have or To Be: Religion, Character, and Society:
"To clarify, "religion" as I use it here does not refer to a system that has necessarily to do with a concept of God or with iols or even to a system perceived as religion, but to any group shared system of though and action that offers the individual a frame of orientation and an object of devotion. Indeed, in this broad sense of the word no culture of the past or present, and it seems no culture in the future, can be considered as not having religion. ...
Their religion may be conducive to the development of destructiveness or of love, of domination or of solidarity; it may further their power of reason or paralyze it...
The question is not one of religion or not? but of which kind of religion? -- whether it is one that furthers human development, the unfolding of specifically human powers, or one that paralyzes human growth....
Thus our religious attitude may be considered an aspect of our character structure, for we are what we are devoted to, and what we are devoted to motivates our conduct. Often, however, individuals are not even aware of the real objects of their personal devotion and mistake thier "official" beliefs for their real, though secret religion. If, for instance, a man worships power while professing a religion of love, the religion of power is his secret religion, while his so-called official religion, for example Christianity, is only an ideology.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My 'Walk Their Talk' 'Practice what they Preached' Fundamentalist Priests on:
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REF. COPY:
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Secondhand Smoke: Your 24/7 Bioethics Seminar: Science as Religion #11:
On the definition of 'religion', I am on the side of Erich Fromm:
Excerpt from:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Have or To Be: Religion, Character, and Society:
"To clarify, "religion" as I use it here does not refer to a system that has necessarily to do with a concept of God or with iols or even to a system perceived as religion, but to any group shared system of though and action that offers the individual a frame of orientation and an object of devotion. Indeed, in this broad sense of the word no culture of the past or present, and it seems no culture in the future, can be considered as not having religion. ...
Their religion may be conducive to the development of destructiveness or of love, of domination or of solidarity; it may further their power of reason or paralyze it...
The question is not one of religion or not? but of which kind of religion? -- whether it is one that furthers human development, the unfolding of specifically human powers, or one that paralyzes human growth....
Thus our religious attitude may be considered an aspect of our character structure, for we are what we are devoted to, and what we are devoted to motivates our conduct. Often, however, individuals are not even aware of the real objects of their personal devotion and mistake thier "official" beliefs for their real, though secret religion. If, for instance, a man worships power while professing a religion of love, the religion of power is his secret religion, while his so-called official religion, for example Christianity, is only an ideology.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My 'Walk Their Talk' 'Practice what they Preached' Fundamentalist Priests on:
'Liberation' and 'alienation' and;
'Freedom' and 'justice''.
JMCSwan
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