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From: tim@cmu-cs-k.ARPA (Tim Maroney)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Response to Laura - what is a religion? (off the topic)
Message-ID: <304@cmu-cs-k.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 13-Mar-85 16:14:34 EST
Article-I.D.: cmu-cs-k.304
Posted: Wed Mar 13 16:14:34 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Mar-85 02:12:04 EST
References: <657@pyuxd.UUCP>
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, Networking
Lines: 28

Look, Rich.  Several dictionary definitions of "religion" have been pointed
out that do not mention deity in any way.  Would you care to respond to
them?  So far, all you've done is pointed out that they do not EXCLUDE
deity.  That is not sufficient to show that they necessarily INCLUDE deity,
and in fact Buddhism meets several of them while remaining completely
atheistic.

I've got a fun idea.  Is there a university near where you live?  If so, how
about going down to the admissions office and telling the person there that
you want to study Buddhism but you aren't sure what department such classes
would be in.  After the laughter subsides, go down to the university library
and see what classification books on Buddhism are filed under.  Then I
suggest contacting Chogyam Trungpa and asking him how he got tax-exempt
status for his organization.  When you're done with all this, buy any book
on the "World's Great Religions" and see if Buddhism and Taoism are listed
there.  After you do these things and report the results on net.religion,
then I will be happy to continue this discussion with you.

Of course, you are free to use a definition of "religion" different from
that of virtually every expert in the field if (for some emotional reason)
you so wish.  But language is based on consensus, and if you flout the
conventions, you can't expect much communication to happen.  Still, if it's
any solace, I WAS once criticized by another ceremonial magician for calling
Magick a religion...
-=-
Tim Maroney, Carnegie-Mellon University, Networking
ARPA:	Tim.Maroney@CMU-CS-K	uucp:	seismo!cmu-cs-k!tim
CompuServe:	74176,1360	audio:	shout "Hey, Tim!"