What fun <GRIN>!
A belief in god is not necessary for a religion. Buddhism specifically
says belief in god is irrelevant. In fact Siddhartha Gautama did a
little 4 element truth table to prove that logically.
My argument with Tom C. would be that most atheists do not believe they
are god, in fact think that idea is even more stupid than the idea of a
supreme being. However, I can see where you are coming from, to a true
atheist the whole concept of religion is silly, but not something to
argue against anymore then you would argue with someone who truely
believed the world was flat. That said, there are many people in the
world who think of and practice atheism as a fanatical religion.
graywolf
http://www.graywolfphoto.com
"Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof"
-----------------------------------
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
