Well you're still equivocating, but now you're throwing ad hoc definitions in from any source you can find, just to try and make atheism a religion. That's a bit desperate isn't it? What gives social scientists any special privilege when it comes to defining religion? The fact remains that this discussion has been about religion as a belief specifically in God, and obviously atheists don't hold this belief.
-- Cheers, Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: P. J. Alling [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 18 October 2005 22:28 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: More Texas Photo Issues > > Religion is defined by social scientists by behavior and > outcome. By that definition atheism is a religion. > > Bob W wrote: > > >Maybe, but that's equivocation. The whole discussion centres around > >phrase 'under God', so we're not talking about belief systems in > >general, but about a specific belief in God. By definition atheists > >don't hold this belief, so atheism is not a religion. > > > >-- > >Cheers, > > Bob > > > > > > > >>-----Original Message----- > >>From: Tom C [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>Sent: 18 October 2005 21:50 > >>To: [email protected] > >>Subject: RE: More Texas Photo Issues > >> > >>I made the statement, in part at least, because of the following > >>definitions. -ism definitions 3a & b and religion definition 4. > >> > >>Main Entry: -ism > >> > >>Etymology: Middle English -isme, from Middle French & Latin; Middle > >>French, partly from Latin -isma (from Greek) & partly from Latin > >>-ismus, from Greek -ismos; Greek -isma & -ismos, from verbs > in -izein > >>-ize > >>1 a : act : practice : process <criticism> <plagiarism> b : > >>manner of action or behavior characteristic of a > (specified) person or > >>thing <animalism> c : > >>prejudice or discrimination on the basis of a (specified) attribute > >><racism> <sexism> > >>2 a : state : condition : property <barbarianism> b : > >>abnormal state or condition resulting from excess of a > >>(specified) thing <alcoholism> or marked by resemblance to > >>(such) a person or thing <giantism> > >>3 a : doctrine : theory : cult <Buddhism> b : adherence to > a system or > >>a class of principles <stoicism> > >>4 : characteristic or peculiar feature or trait <colloquialism> > >> > >>Main Entry: religion > >> > >>Etymology: Middle English religioun, from Latin religion-, religio > >>supernatural constraint, sanction, religious practice, perhaps from > >>religare to restrain, tie back -- > >>1 a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of > >>religion> b (1) : > >>the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : > >>commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance > >>2 : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious > attitudes, > >>beliefs, and practices > >>3 archaic : scrupulous conformity > >>4 : a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and > >>faith > >> > >> > >>Tom C. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>From: "Bob W" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>Reply-To: [email protected] > >>To: <[email protected]> > >>Subject: RE: More Texas Photo Issues > >>Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 21:19:08 +0100 > >> > >> > -----Original Message----- > >> > From: Tom C [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 18 > >>October 2005 19:27 > To: [email protected] > Subject: > >>Re: More Texas Photo Issues > > Come on. :) Atheism is itself a > >>religion. Each person is > their own personal God, is that not so? > >> > >>No > >> > >>Bob > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > -- > When you're worried or in doubt, > Run in circles, (scream and shout). > > > >
