A Site for All Spirituality Forum Debaters

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
What in your mind constitutes a religious belief such that it can be distinguished from a non-religious belief?

I can only speak for myself and in my case a religious belief is something directly associated with or from God or the bible.

Originally posted by wittywonka
In that case, I ask now with all posts forgotten, all angers aside.

Dr. S.,

Do you think that people across the world should "extend religious freedom to people of all [genuine*] religious traditions, even though [they] may well disagree with their beliefs and/or practices"?

*By genuine, I am specifying again: religious practices, not practices in the name of religion.

What constitutes a genuine religious practice, distinguishable from a practice in the name of religion?

Is the slaying of your child a religious practice, if God endorses it?
Is forcing children into sex a religious practice, if God endorses it?

Until you clarify this, then my answer to your question is No, I do not think such religious freedom ought to be extended.

Originally posted by Crita
I can only speak for myself and in my case a religious belief is something directly associated with or from God or the bible.

So, believing that God has commanded you to exterminate Jews would be an example of a religious belief?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
What constitutes a genuine religious practice, distinguishable from a practice in the name of religion?

Is the slaying of your child a religious practice, if God endorses it?
Is forcing children into sex a religious practice, if God endorses it?

A genuine religious practice according to the fundamental beliefs and texts of those religions.

Originally posted by wittywonka
A genuine religious practice according to the fundamental beliefs and texts of those religions.

Which religions?

What if I invent a new one today, like the followers of Jesus did many years ago?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
So, believing that God has commanded you to exterminate Jews would be an example of a religious belief?

Hitler never believed that and God has certainly never said that to me so I fail to see the relevance to this discussion.

I can see what you are trying to get at though and yes, there are some whacky beliefs out there that people claim are from God. Is you question what would I do about them?

Originally posted by Crita
Wrong according to who?

Wrong according to my evaluation of any pertinent evidence available to me.

Originally posted by Crita
Is you question what would I do about them?

No, my question is merely whether you would categorize them as religious beliefs.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Which religions?

What if I invent a new one today, like the followers of Jesus did many years ago?

Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Daoism, Atheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Confucianism, Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism.

What else must I specify? Yes or no?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Wrong according to my evaluation of any pertinent evidence available to me.

What if your evaluation of that evidence is wrong?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
No, my question is merely whether you would categorize them as religious beliefs.

That's a tough one. I could only say for my own beliefs.

Originally posted by wittywonka
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Daoism, Atheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Confucianism, Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism.

How about Mormonism?
How about Jehovah's Witnesses?
How about Scientology?
How about Satanism?
How about the various Native American religions that don't have traditional texts?

If I invent a new one today, is it entitled to the same religious tolerance as the others?

Originally posted by Crita
What if your evaluation of that evidence is wrong?

It will be right more often than wrong, due to its very nature, so in each instance, I would prefer to adhere to my evaluation rather than reject it.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
It will be right more often than wrong, due to its very nature, so in each instance, I would prefer to adhere to my evaluation rather than reject it.

So you think it's the right thing to do to force your 'right more often than not' onto someone else?

Originally posted by wittywonka
Same question from me.

I wasn't following it that closely; I just noted how the Doctor was proceeding.

Dr. S. has raised this before. I believe that his position is that one has an ethical duty to oppose beliefs that are dangerous, irrational, or just plain wrong from one's own point-of-view.

This does not entail hacking off heads.* It does entail being willing to expose one's beliefs to this kind of debate (as well as continual self-examination).

*Of course, if one's beliefs dictate hacking off heads, one is being inconsistent if one does not follow through on them.