Nontheistic Religions

[Insipidipity]

I was just wondering what your thoughts were on religions without God or even gods(yes they exist). I mean, even though countries that practice them tend to have gods, its not considered part an intrinsic part of the religion. I think most Western world countries seem to forget about these they they think of religion and would hesistate to call them a religion. I mean, some of you may know I'm a Buddhist, but I like the fact that although I don't believe in the gods my mother does, I can be just as religious as she, maybe moreso.

Also I was wondering on your thoughts on how they compare/relate to "Western religions"(it feels weird saying Western and not be talking about cowboys).

[Insomniac43]

Budhism is really the only nontheistic religion I can think of .As an atheist, it is perhaps the only relegion I would consider following, as it doesn't condemn other religions. I wonder if that has to do with the fact that it doesn't have a central deity.

[fr33dom]

Budhism is really the only nontheistic religion I can think of .As an atheist, it is perhaps the only relegion I would consider following, as it doesn't condemn other religions. I wonder if that has to do with the fact that it doesn't have a central deity.
Scientology. I don't like making fun of other peoples religions, but this one is just weird.

[Trias]

In the world of the olds, Paganism, which esspecially believed by norse people, was one of biggest non-theistic religions... It basically says that there is no such thing as a God who is totally self-concious and have a personality... It says that life, earth and living beingsthemselves are/is the god, or an ultimate conciousness... Which called also "Gaia conciousness" (Gaia's most ancient meaning is from Ancient Greece, it means "Earth")

[AestheticizeAnalog]

Budhism is really the only nontheistic religion I can think of .As an atheist, it is perhaps the only relegion I would consider following, as it doesn't condemn other religions. I wonder if that has to do with the fact that it doesn't have a central deity.
The only other religion I can think of that does not condemn others is shintoism. However I am not sure if it is nontheistic, someone enlighten me if they know.

[Insipidipity]

The only other religion I can think of that does not condemn others is shintoism. However I am not sure if it is nontheistic, someone enlighten me if they know.
I believe they worship spirits/gods. The word is Kami and I've heard it used in both contexts so I'm not sure.

[Subito]

To be perfectly honest, I consider "religions" without higher gods or dieties to simple be philosophies. I believe that in order to constitute a religion, a belief system needs to hold faith in a higher power, rather than just follow the teachings of a man like Siddhārtha Gautama or Confucius.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with this. There's such a small difference between a religion and a philosophy that it really doesn't matter.

[Insipidipity]

To be perfectly honest, I consider "religions" without higher gods or dieties to simple be philosophies. I believe that in order to constitute a religion, a belief system needs to hold faith in a higher power, rather than just follow the teachings of a man like Siddhārtha Gautama or Confucius.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with this. There's such a small difference between a religion and a philosophy that it really doesn't matter.
I think the key difference between philosophy and religion is the set of practices. While both are sets of beliefs, philosophy doesn't have a defined set of practices, only beliefs which can guide one to certain practices. For instance, the attainment of Enlightenment, working towards such a goal would be hard to define within the constraints of a pure philosophy.

I tend to see the western idea of religion as adding connotations of theism. I think people are simply unaware of the word "theism" and given their only source of understanding about "religion" happens to incorportate theism and thus see it as one entity. It is somewhat akin to only knowing "Americans" in the caucasian sense, so encountering someone outside that definition might suggest to one that that person is "not American". Let me further this analogy. A white person born in America(monotheistic JudeoChristian) can be easily seen as "American" with maybe 2-3 generations back. Now a black person(in the religious equivalent would be polytheistic) would be harder to see as merely "American" and at most "African American" despite no ties to Africa within 5 generations but possibly "American" due to "common knowledge". Now a person(nontheistic religion equivalent) with all Asian ancestors of 8 generations back is pretty much impossible to call oneself simply "American" and would invariably have to be called Thai/Chinese/Japanese/etc. It would be hardpressed to find someone who would be willing to simply say such a person is completely and simply American even with an ancestry in America stretching further than other people called American. It is simply a case of generalization of a term to incorporate all common traits currently known under that name.

What I think is indicative in terms of the difference is atheism and nonreligious is the terms themselves. While some see atheism as the opposite of religious, it should be easy to see that the opposite of atheism is in fact theism. If the true source of religion was meant to be a belief in a higher power, said atheism would probably be referred to as "areligious".

[rimpelcut]

to me buddism is not a religion, buddha wouldn't have liked that.

[Insipidipity]

to me buddism is not a religion, buddha wouldn't have liked that.
Well its not that he wouldn't have liked it, I think he wouldn't like the way people have modified it.
1. Deification, did not want that to happen, yet some treat him as such
2. Blind faith and "going through the motions" of Buddhist life are definitely not for it
3. To claim one is, but not practice it.

I think a lot of places that believe in "Buddhism" just took the shell of what Buddhism is and put it around their bodies parading as such. While some of the basics are still around.

It seems like it was created to be a religion of "mindfulness" while in order to appeal to the masses, its been transformed into one of mindlessness and modified it to fit their ideas of religion. I know people who claim to be Buddhists that used to practice other religions that basically just practice their old religion just replacing the word Buddha with God when thats not what it is.

[mr_shadow]

Well, North Korea pretty much has Kim-ism as their religion. They more or less worship Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong II, althoug they were/are real people.

Regular communists also tend to speak of Marx and Engels almoust as if they were gods, and fundamentalist marxists regard the Communist Manifesto as some sacred writing, where every word is true and not open to interputation. Lenin would be the equivalent of the messiah, Stalin would be Judas, and Trotsky the anti-crist

[Razgriez]

Well, North Korea pretty much has Kim-ism as their religion. They more or less worship Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong II, althoug they were/are real people.

Regular communists also tend to speak of Marx and Engels almoust as if they were gods, and fundamentalist marxists regard the Communist Manifesto as some sacred writing, where every word is true and not open to interputation. Lenin would be the equivalent of the messiah, Stalin would be Judas, and Trotsky the anti-crist
Communism sure is fucked up.

[rimpelcut]

no people are.
buddha wasn't the one that made the religion, the people after him did. Acording to legend buddha didn't want to teach people in the first place only if they really really wanted did he say well okk.

[mr_shadow]

Communism sure is fucked up.

Not any more than christianity. The difference between Jesus and Lenin is that we know for a fact that Lenin existed, since his embalmed body is on display in Moscow

[skunkworks]

Not any more than christianity. The difference between Jesus and Lenin is that we know for a fact that Lenin existed, since his embalmed body is on display in Moscow

Even if he did exist, Christianity today is just a whacked out version of his supposed preachings.

[Razgriez]

Not any more than christianity. The difference between Jesus and Lenin is that we know for a fact that Lenin existed, since his embalmed body is on display in Moscow
COnsidering both have nothing to do with me Ill agree both are fucked up.

[Insipidipity]

no people are.
buddha wasn't the one that made the religion, the people after him did. Acording to legend buddha didn't want to teach people in the first place only if they really really wanted did he say well okk.
What are you talking about? He was consciously trying to spread Enlightenment. Its even part of his 8 fold path in "good action". Withholding such teachings would've been against his own plans. There's never been a legend where he didn't want to teach it to my knowledge. Not in any history books, wikipedia, or even the monks at my temples or anyone in Thailand.

Not teaching the path to Enlightenment would've contradicted everything he was about. He sought enlightenment to find out how to end suffering. That would've been meaningless if he didn't spread it.

He created the teachings that became the basis of the religion, but only because forming a religion was the only way the teachings would be passed to future generations.

[Sesha]

In the world of the olds, Paganism, which esspecially believed by norse people, was one of biggest non-theistic religions... It basically says that there is no such thing as a God who is totally self-concious and have a personality... It says that life, earth and living beingsthemselves are/is the god, or an ultimate conciousness... Which called also "Gaia conciousness" (Gaia's most ancient meaning is from Ancient Greece, it means "Earth")
Umm, Paganism is what's perhaps the best example of a body of non-monotheistic religions. The polytheistic religions of pre-Christian Europe springs to mind (Norse paganism and the ancient Greek religion and hero cults being the two prominent examples). However, Paganism is very much a blanket term for many different religions. However, the "general" definition of Paganism shouldn't be confused with Shamanism and the like.

[Pinkaugust]

I was just wondering what your thoughts were on religions without God or even gods(yes they exist). I mean, even though countries that practice them tend to have gods, its not considered part an intrinsic part of the religion. I think most Western world countries seem to forget about these they they think of religion and would hesistate to call them a religion. I mean, some of you may know I'm a Buddhist, but I like the fact that although I don't believe in the gods my mother does, I can be just as religious as she, maybe moreso.

Also I was wondering on your thoughts on how they compare/relate to "Western religions"(it feels weird saying Western and not be talking about cowboys).
Do you consider Buddha being your god?

[Paracetamol Boy]

I make fun of Giant Spaghetti Monsterism. I cannot help it.

Anyway, this has been said before, but Scientology and Buddhism are technically nontheistic.

[Sesha]

I make fun of Giant Spaghetti Monsterism. I cannot help it.

Anyway, this has been said before, but Scientology and Buddhism are technically nontheistic.
Well, Flying Spagetti Monsterism is a mock religion, so you're technically supposed to make fun of it...

[Paracetamol Boy]

Would it make more sense if I say I mock the concept?

[Dionysus]

I make fun of Giant Spaghetti Monsterism. I cannot help it.
You say that now, but you'll be wishing the pirates were here when you're sweating like a dog. :(

[Sesha]

Would it make more sense if I say I mock the concept?
Maybe... :D

Do what thou wilt, that shall be the whole of the Law is pretty much the only specific comment I'll leave...

[Negative-Ion]

Why are you associating communism with christianity? communism is not a religion. In communism you have no rights, you are bound by the government by rules and laws that you are not suppose to break. In chrisianity you can ask forrgivness for your sins. There are so many other religions that have so much more in common with communism is not even funny.

Having experience communism first hand, i can tell you a lot of stuff about it that you can only understand if you live it. Being a distant viewer makes communism much worse than it seems. For example, has any of you researched communism? check the unemployment rates, the crime rates, the poverty line, the corruption etc etc.

I was old enough to understand what was going on then and i can tell you this, my parents never had to worry about losing their jobs, never had to worry about how much money they were making because bills didnt exist much. And they never had to worry about debt or anything finacial. They also never had to worry about property. The government provides you with housing, medical care and so many other stuff.

Of course all these depend on which country you are experiencing the communist government, becaue not all are the same, just as capitalizm isnt the same in many countries. by the way im talking about Albania, check the Albanian history prior to 1990, and check the history after 1990 there have been so many murders, killings, wars, drug dealing, etc etc its not event funny and why? because of captialism and so called free democracy.

[Dionysus]

Would it make more sense if I say I mock the concept?
The concept that the GSM has as much physical, reproducible evidence supporting it as ID (and creationism, and all gods as well)? You can mock that concept all you want, but it's still true.