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The history of religion

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
The supernatural stuff is the work of theologians.

What organized religion preached that rocks have spirits?
Even before we were homo sapiens, we sensed in the awe of creation that there was something more. This is the foundation upon which religion is built. It has nothing to do with theologians.

Religion does not need to be organized to be religion. But to answer your question, the Temple Gobekli Tepe is an example of organized animism.
 

Trimijopulos

Hard-core atheist
Premium Member
I'm going to let you in on a little secret that most of us already know...

Respect is something that is earned, not something you're entitled to just because you create a [questionable] post on a message board.
Respect is something that can be forced on uncivilized persons who call people names because they do not agree with their religious beliefs.

So, those who do not behave, get no replies from me and they are thus taught to respect me. ;)
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
can you give an example of something that is religious but has no element of the supernatural?
I can. There is no element of Advaita Vedanta that is considered to be supernatural. There are other Dharmic religious philosophies where the primary purpose is self-inquiry that have no element of the supernatural; much of Buddhism, for example.
 
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Trimijopulos

Hard-core atheist
Premium Member
Even before we were homo sapiens, we sensed in the awe of creation that there was something more. This is the foundation upon which religion is built. It has nothing to do with theologians.

Religion does not need to be organized to be religion. But to answer your question, the Temple Gobekli Tepe is an example of organized animism.
Pity that the Bible does not agree with you. :)
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
I can. There is no element of Advaita Vedanta that is considered to be supernatural. There are other Dharmic philosophies that have no element of the supernatural, much of Buddhism, for example.
I am completely unfamiliar with Advaita Vedanta. You will have to explain it to me, in order for me to understand your example.

I do not consider philosophies to be religions. For example, Confucianism is not a religion.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
I am completely unfamiliar with Advaita Vedanta. You will have to explain it to me, in order for me to understand your example.

I do not consider philosophies to be religions. For example, Confucianism is not a religion.
Advaita Vedanta is a Hindu philosophy, but since you don't consider philosophies to be religions, explaining it to you would probably be an exercise in futility. There are many philosophies within religions, so I'm not sure your consideration would be accurate.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Advaita Vedanta is a Hindu philosophy, but since you don't consider philosophies to be religions, explaining it to you would probably be an exercise in futility. There are many philosophies within religions, so I'm not sure your consideration would be accurate.
Sure, one can have a belief in the supernatural and include a lot of philosoophy in one's religion. But philosophy without supernatural beliefs is not religion IMHO.
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
For those versions of Buddhism for whom the buddhas are supernatural beings (and there are many) they are religions. For the form of Buddhism where the Buddhas are simply dead and buried, it is a philosophy.
Well, Siddhartha Gautama was a human who lived and then died on a permanent basis. His teaching is the basis for what is, numerically, the world's fourth largest religion. As a constituent part of the religion there is a philosophy but it is not the be all and end all of the religion.
Shall I tell you that Judaism is not a religion?
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Well, Siddhartha Gautama was a human who lived and then died on a permanent basis. His teaching is the basis for what is, numerically, the world's fourth largest religion. As a constituent part of the religion there is a philosophy but it is not the be all and end all of the religion.
Shall I tell you that Judaism is not a religion?
If you are going to try to pretend that there are no variations of Buddhism that believe in buddhas as supernatural bneings, then I have nothing to say to you. Not all opinions are equal, and some things are just common knowledge. People PRAY to Quan Yin, for example. See you later, gator.
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
For those versions of Buddhism for whom the buddhas are supernatural beings (and there are many) they are religions. For the form of Buddhism where the Buddhas are simply dead and buried, it is a philosophy.
Religion and philosophy aren't mutually exclusive terms. I'd go as far as to say all religions qualify as philosophies. And I don't see why supernatural should need to be required for the term religion. And I certainly wouldn't say to someone who says "My religion is LaVayan Satanism" "actually that's just a philosophy," which is both incorrect and rude.
 
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