17 Dec '06 14:56>
Originally posted by whiteroseFrom Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary:
Well, I suppose I would agree with the Buddhists in that they consider themselves religious because they have faith in something that they cannot prove scientifically, rather than because they have faith in something supernatural. But I suppose the dictionary definition of religion does say "supenatural" so maybe there needs to be a better word for the spiritual beliefs of people like me and the Buddhists.
re·li·gion
1 a : the state of a religious 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 : CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
4 : a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/religion
re·li·gious
1 : relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity
2 : of, relating to, or devoted to religious beliefs or observances
3 a : scrupulously and conscientiously faithful b : FERVENT, ZEALOUS
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/religious
So it doesn't have to do with the supernatural, that's just one possible definition. As it has so many different meanings, it's hard to know what people mean when they talk about religion or being religious.