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It's hard to pinpoint a definition for religion. Does that imply some kind of practice ? Does that imply veneration ? Does that imply you hold something sacred

It's hard to pinpoint a definition for religion. Does that imply some kind of practice ? Does that imply veneration ? Does that imply you hold something sacred ? Does that imply you have dogmatic principles ? Does that imply you have a mythology ? Does it mean you need a crowd ? Do you have an external reference driving your conduct, your view of the world, your morality ? And most importantly, should they all resolve around the same source ? Having a life phylosophy doesn't seem to be attached to most of those, and doesn't limit itself to one source. And a lot of those don't seem to necessarly imply a life philosophy. Besides, there is a huge difference between religion as it's designed, and religion as it's lived. Not to mention people of the same religion disagree on the living AND on the design part. But I do agree with you on one point: religion used to answer to those pesky deep life questions for everybody. Now that our source of points of view is much broader, we do miss the easy sense of purpose that was provided by many religions.

fipple 8y ago
My working definition of religion is a system that produces easy answers to tough questions. These tough questions can eat away at a person so religion has an important “damping” function in a society, especially with the 90% of the population who need an answer to these questions to stay mentally healrhy
- sametmax 8y ago
  When I read deep religious thinkers works, I find that those questions are only easily answered by those who didn't scratched the surface. The honest ones are full of doubts. People use religion for the purpose of getting easy answers, but does it mean that the purpose of religion is to give easy answers to people ? Religion can be seen as a cultural phenomenom, or a tool, and it doesn't look like the same thing at all depending which you choose. I'm pretty sure that any tool you give to humans, they will turn it into a cultural phenomenom.
- tomp 8y ago
  > My working definition of religion is a system that produces easy answers to tough questions Wow, this is really useful. It implies that people who believe in religions, are people who prefer to have an answer, even if it's wrong (even obviously so), rather than be in the ambigous and confusing limbo state of seeking for the correct answer. Similar to how Nigerian Princes intentionally write bad grammar in order to target low-educated people who are more easily scammed.
jumpman500 8y ago
Yea good catch I phrased my comment wrong. Saying religion and life philosophy are the same thing is definitely incorrect. Religion usually has life philosophy incorporated in it. But life philosophy definitely doesn't have to have religious features to it.

fipple 8y ago

My working definition of religion is a system that produces easy answers to tough questions. These tough questions can eat away at a person so religion has an important “damping” function in a society, especially with the 90% of the population who need an answer to these questions to stay mentally healrhy

sametmax 8y ago
When I read deep religious thinkers works, I find that those questions are only easily answered by those who didn't scratched the surface. The honest ones are full of doubts. People use religion for the purpose of getting easy answers, but does it mean that the purpose of religion is to give easy answers to people ? Religion can be seen as a cultural phenomenom, or a tool, and it doesn't look like the same thing at all depending which you choose. I'm pretty sure that any tool you give to humans, they will turn it into a cultural phenomenom.
tomp 8y ago
> My working definition of religion is a system that produces easy answers to tough questions Wow, this is really useful. It implies that people who believe in religions, are people who prefer to have an answer, even if it's wrong (even obviously so), rather than be in the ambigous and confusing limbo state of seeking for the correct answer. Similar to how Nigerian Princes intentionally write bad grammar in order to target low-educated people who are more easily scammed.

jumpman500 8y ago

Yea good catch I phrased my comment wrong. Saying religion and life philosophy are the same thing is definitely incorrect. Religion usually has life philosophy incorporated in it. But life philosophy definitely doesn't have to have religious features to it.