If you don’t have faith and don’t believe the stories – then in what way are you “religious” that I, an atheist who does things like volunteer in the community and have loving relationships, am not?
I love this question! I too am an atheist. I consider myself religious because I participate in a religious community. I am devoted (religious) to their mission to serve the poor in our community, perform rituals that bind us together and affirm our values, and serve each other when in need. It is the consistent, scheduled, and ritualistic devotion to this community and its values that identifies me as religious. Maybe under this definition, you’re religious too!
Read my post again. I don’t have faith.
If you don’t have faith and don’t believe the stories – then in what way are you “religious” that I, an atheist who does things like volunteer in the community and have loving relationships, am not?
I love this question! I too am an atheist. I consider myself religious because I participate in a religious community. I am devoted (religious) to their mission to serve the poor in our community, perform rituals that bind us together and affirm our values, and serve each other when in need. It is the consistent, scheduled, and ritualistic devotion to this community and its values that identifies me as religious. Maybe under this definition, you’re religious too!
Don’t you think it’s weird and culty to pretend shit that isn’t real as some kind of necessary social facade?
Like if we all gathered to talk about the Teapot around Saturn and its father Dexter, would that be just as okay?
Especially when people really do believe this nonsense. Even if you don’t.
Gather and talk about great movies. It will be much more satisfying and may actually encourage moral development.