h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Though I cannot speak on behalf of our friend, I think Art meant that we lie to ourselves, regularly, for no better reason than expediency.

He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

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"Who cares, wins"

Stealth Kamanchi
U206500
Applying for the Head of Department at the Bureau of Circumlocution.

Hello! Welcome!

Yes indeed - welcome!

C'mon then, SK, what're your beliefs, if any? Anything we can rubbish .... oops! ... discuss at great length and in great detail?

I don't suppose you could be a Satanist? I've always wanted to chat with one.... Or perhaps you follow Shinto?

Just natural curiosity - I hope you don't think I'm prying!

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When I was 6 I though Maggie Thatcher was the Queen...
I think that one got rubbished some time ago now... only just though

Thanks for the welcome guys...
It has only just dawned on me that freedom from faith is different from freedom from religion in a very fundamental priciple that being that a faith is any philosophy or way of life that acknowledges a creative force and eternal soul/spirit/energy...
where as religion is the dogma that dictates how an individual must live there life and the standards by which they judge those around them...

Is that quick summation suitable for tearing to shreads...
enjoy...

This is one reason why I'm not entirely sure that the title of this organisation is accurate. I'm a Wiccan, after all.

I always took that faith in the sense of "blind faith", which is reasonably different, and I think we'd all agree that it's unfavorable.

As to believing things... ok. If you like. I'm flexible.

I would say that "faith" is having something to believe--be it a history textbook, a creative force and spirit, the roundness of the earth, an eternal soul/spirit/energy, the number of stars in a galaxy--that one has not proven for one's self but rather is taking another's word for, or else that one "knows" intuitively. We all have faith; we can't function properly without it.

"Religion", then, is when a group of people take a faith or group of faiths (of the spiritual sort, not the round earth ones) and write them down as not personal statements but set-in-stone laws. The laws are passed around and one is told to believe all-or-nothing. (Or else just start a new sect...)

Any alternate opinions? (C'mon, I'm playing devil's advocate here...or maybe not, you'll never know. )

s and s,
~Wes

I've always thought that the Freedom From Dogma Foundation would be a more accurate title for our community. Between us, we believe (or not ) in all sorts of things. We seem unanimous in our distaste for The One And Only Exclusive Truth, no matter which one it is! I think we are also in general agreement that everything is up for discussion: no exceptions.

<...a faith is any philosophy or way of life that acknowledges a creative force...>

Too restrictive, I think. Make like Descartes, and cut it down until you're certain of what's left. Oh, it's all gone. Oh well. Perhaps "a faith is a philosophy or way of life" will do for most practical purposes?


[Also see (agc)Ben's ongoing project on belief: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A853751.]




of Darkness? Yeah, me too.

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<...and write them down as ... set-in-stone laws.>

I think you'l find that there are religions who aren't quite as dogmatic as this. Thank the Goddess!

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howdy.

can i join the freedom from faith foundation?

i love this place.

i'd be interested in being
the dean of the fundamentalist and proselytising schools of atheism.

just off to look at your site some more,

b

* shudders *

Now there's a concept I'm not quite ready to deal with. Door-to-door proselytising orders of Atheists...

OK, ELD, here we go:

Faith is what we have (or exhibit?) when we choose to believe something for which there is no proof or disproof. Normally, it concerns matters for which proof or disproof is not (and never will be) available.

Religion is a set of beliefs that, taken together, provide a spiritual and moral framework according to which you can run your life.

How's that?

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Works for me! It's nice, because it includes the religions which aren't necessarily tied up in dogma (although I'm sure from one angle any religion would look like that), and it also incorperates religions which don't necessarily have much to do with a Deity - i.e. Buddhism.

<...it includes the religions which aren't necessarily tied up in dogma (although I'm sure from one angle any religion would look like that), and it also incorperates religions which don't necessarily have much to do with a Deity...>

Glad you noticed that, MaW! It *was* intentional.

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Ahh, so do we all accept that Toaism and Buddhism etc...
regardless of the followers own views are part of religious movement and not observers of a philosophy...

and if so would that have wider implications...

gg.

Yes, I think they probably are.

<...regardless of the followers own views...>

Meaning that they might prefer not to be labelled 'religious'? I think we're just broadening the scope of the word, not trying to force people into a category they don't belong in.

Would you care to expand on the difference between being and ? Other than the details of what they believe, what is the difference between (say) a Christian , a Taoist and a committed Manchester United supporter ? All navigate through life according to their beliefs....

So what are these ?

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OF course, this is why Atheism is a religion - it's a committed belief in the non-existance of a deity such as God.

However, it seems one can be atheist and something else at the same time, if we consider that a dedicated Manchester United fan could be considered to be religious, what if they're an Atheist as well? Or a Christian? Or a Druid? Is it possible for someone to belong to multiple religious categories - say one deity-related category (Christianity, Wicca, Islam, Atheism), plus an assortment of other categories (Manchester United, Linux user)?