"religious"

[muses_nightmare]

I am religious. I am also not Christian, nor am I part of any of the major world religions. This is something that bothers me, that to say you are "religious" automatically makes people assume you are Christian. I have nothing against the vast majority of Christians, but it is such an all encompassing thing, their religion that is. It's hard, if not impossible to escape it. I've actually been told that I wasn't religous because I'm not Christian. What? So the definition of religious is Christian? I'd like to see the dictionary these people are reading.

Being religious isn't a bad thing, it doesn't mean you are some evangelical preachy person, it simply means you are devoted to your faith, to your religion.

That is all, thanks for hearing me out!

[Boozy]

If you don't adhere to the doctrines of any of the major world religions, you might be better off describing yourself as "spiritual" to avoid misunderstandings. "Religious" is well-accepted in the US to mean Christian or Jewish. Strict dictionary definitions aside, words take on assumed meanings in certain areas of the world. Using it differently than everyone else can cause confusion.

[Slytovhand]

But.... 'religion' and 'spirituality' are 2 different things.

Religion is the formalised name of what you believe. Spiritual is actually trying to have something to do with some version of non-material existences.

You can be 'religious' without being 'spiritual', and, to an extent, vice versa (ie, desire or attempt to connect to things you believe manifest in alternate realities... but not be 'religious'). I'd say, one is the form, the other is the function.

Also, I'd say that "this is what we do here" is just another form of "-ism"... trying to differentiate and segregate people who don't conform. It's the best way to ostracise people currently known to humanity - change the meaning of the words to what is 'acceptable' and what's not.

[Sylvia727]

I wouldn't say that "religious" in most people's minds automatically excludes other religions, but it certainly seems as though they jump straight to Christianity. Which makes sense; I don't have the numbers on me, but off the top of my head I believe 70% of the USA identifies as Christian. Now, when somebody introduces himself as "religious" I assume he's a member of an organized religion. It's possible to be religious without reading a book or attending services, but the commonly accepted definition of "religion" seems to be "organized religion".

Of course, the people in the OP are being offensive and close-minded about it all, especially if they're declaring that Christianity is the only religion (most Christians know how to read a dictionary, by the way). The sorts of people I discuss religion with are generally politer about everything, and their assumptions are not intended to offend.

[muses_nightmare]

I will not change my terminology just to appease people who feel my use of the word is not right. For the record, I only really call myself religous when asked whether I am or not, I don't go around calling myself that to random strangers. I generally don't talk about my faith outside of specific conversations pertaining to it, or any other reasons that come up.

This is just something that annoys me, I understand why it happens, but I still don't think it's right. I also think that saying you are "spritual" automatically makes people think of less structured faiths, not that those are a bad thing, but my faith does have guidelines, it has a spiritual leader as well, so it is organized religion, it just happens to not have the numbers that the main world religons do.

I have met some pretty ignorant people, christians and non-christians, even a good friend of mine has shown some ignorance in this matter (though, me and her rarely discuss religion). I do know that not all Christians are ignorant, and I know quite a few that aren't. Unfortunatly it's the ignorant ones who seem to be the most vocal.

[Seshat]

My niece (at age 11), when asked to name some world religions, responded with denominations of Christianity. It's pretty pervasive, even in Australia.

Being me, naturally, I prompted her. "What religions are there in Japan?" (She's studying Japanese in school.)

Comparative religion 101. I heartily recommend it. :angel:

[muses_nightmare]

I'm in Canada, BC to be specific. I still get that reaction from people. I'm not a member of a largely recognized religion. While it does have members world wide, it's numbers are probably still in the hundreds, maybe low thousands. I don't expect people to know what it is when I tell them, or expect them to guess what it is.

I don't really like to specifically say which religion I am part of online, just because I don't want people assuming I know everything about it. I do know some (of course) but I am not an encyclopedia, and I certainly can't speak for all members. I wouldn't expect that of anyone in any religion on my side of things.

I also don't go around telling people I'm "religious", or even talking about religion in general, but if the question is posed asking whether or not I am religous, I always answer that I am.

[hecubus]

Not only does "religious" seem to mean "Christian," but, according to the media, "Christian" always seems to equal "Catholic." In our area, there was a big deal made about a bishop from Milwaukee being made Archbishop of New york. For two weeks or more, you would hear about it night after night after night. However, think about how many times you've ever heard a big media report on someone from the Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, etc church being given a new position. I can't think of a single one.

Actually, what I should say is that, in the media, "Christian" tends to mean one of two things. It means either Catholic, or hardcore, intolerant fundamentalists.

[AdminAssistant]

Depends on the region, hecubus. In the South, "Christian" usually = "Southern Baptist".

[PepperElf]

to me "christian" does not specifically mean "catholic". I am catholic and yes, catholics are christians but... i tend to see 'christian' as encompassing off of the various christian faiths.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

The fact of the matter is that most people tend to classify the 'small religions' as cults, factions, sects of etc.

Being obstinate and/or stubborn isn't helping anything. It's not anyone's job to have the same concept of a word as you do, it's your job to clarify your meaning to them. Refusing to do that is not only impolite, but counter-productive.

Tell them that you have faith, that you are devoted to your faith, etc. Say what you have to in order for people to understand exactly what you mean. Expecting them to psychicly know your personal definition of any word is unrealistic.

[fireheart17]

My niece (at age 11), when asked to name some world religions, responded with denominations of Christianity. It's pretty pervasive, even in Australia.

Being me, naturally, I prompted her. "What religions are there in Japan?" (She's studying Japanese in school.)

Comparative religion 101. I heartily recommend it. :angel:

That is actually really cute. And being a bit off-topic here, the Japanese do not identify one set religion. Many of them identify as Shinto and Buddhist. Shintoism I believe is the belief that everything has a spirit (known as "kami?") in it. People usually make offerings to them (such as Cygnata's infamous story about the woman who fed her computer rice).

And yeah, Christianity is pretty persuasive in Australia. One example I may be able to point out is with Churches. Adelaide is known as the City of Churches and the street directory has about 4-5 pages of it. Many of them are various Christian denominations, with a mix of Buddhist temples, Islamic mosques and even a Hindu temple somewhere...along with about three synagogues. Those are a tiny minority to the several thousand Christian churches around.

[anriana]

http://www.customerssuck.com/board/showthread.php?p=480712

if anyone else gets curious and wants to read it.

[DesignFox]

http://www.customerssuck.com/board/showthread.php?p=480712

if anyone else gets curious and wants to read it.

Thank you. That was an entertaining story. And I had not seen it before you posted the link! :)

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I really kind of painted someone on another message board into a corner using this exact same phenomenon. She was laughing about how she and a friend made a point of pissing on religious properties whenever they went by one after hours or whatnot. Basically, trying to defile churchyards and whatnot.

Now, while she never said "Christian churches", that's what she meant. I steered the conversation in an entirely different direction by asking her if she singled out any one religion or did she do it to any church related property.

Of course, being the idiot that she was, and sensing that the conversation had veered into dangerous waters, said "Oh, we do it to any, we're equal opportunity." Which was crap, and we both knew it. She was singling out a single religion, but didn't want to admit that. Because she was at least smart enough to realize that that made her look like a bigot, and she sure didn't want to look like a bigot.

So I then asked her how many synagogues and temples she'd defiled.

Before I was done, even the atheists were busting on her for being an asshole bigot.

People do get a bit full of assumptions when they hear words like "religious" or "devout" or what have you. Sometimes it works in your favor.

[Flyndaran]

...
I don't really like to specifically say which religion I am part of online, just because I don't want people assuming I know everything about it. I do know some (of course) but I am not an encyclopedia, and I certainly can't speak for all members. I wouldn't expect that of anyone in any religion on my side of things.
....

Now that's one thing about followers of organized religions that I will never understand. If X is a feature of religion A, and you identify as religion A, how can you not know everthing about X. To me that sounds like saying you believe in X through F without knowing what they are.
I have a friend that is a devout christian, but sadly she knows jack squat about even the most basic aspects of christianity. I simply can't understand how she can call herself that branch of christianity.
Of course I don't say that, but I still don't get it.

[Flyndaran]

...
Before I was done, even the atheists were busting on her for being an asshole bigot.
....
Hey, hey. That "even" part is probably a bit more insulting than you meant.
I can identify bigots with the best of them.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I understand what you mean, but no insult intended. On this board, busting on the Christian religion while not condoned, was not exactly frowned on by most to the members, either. Up until I made my point, there was a few snickers or nods of amusement from other people who hadn't thought the thing through, either.

A lot of the folks on that board WERE athiests who had been chased off from their Christian churches due to their church doing something stupid. I'm a Christian and even I know that that happens all too often.

All I meant was that people who normally would not be sympathetic to my point were when I laid it out like that.

[anriana]

Now that's one thing about followers of organized religions that I will never understand. If X is a feature of religion A, and you identify as religion A, how can you not know everthing about X. To me that sounds like saying you believe in X through F without knowing what they are.
I have a friend that is a devout christian, but sadly she knows jack squat about even the most basic aspects of christianity. I simply can't understand how she can call herself that branch of christianity.

How long has your friend been a Christian? All you have to do to be considered a Christian by most denominations is sincerely pray the sinner's prayer, at which point you become a baby Christian and are supposed to grow up by studying the Bible/attending church/other Christian things.

[muses_nightmare]

I think I get the wrong idea accross about me online, I will generally correct people when they use religious to mean christian, but the conversations actually don't come up that much. I will inform them that I am part of a fairly organized religion*, and no, I'm not christian or XYZ. If they wish to talk further, I'll tell them about what I believe.

*(I say fairly because we don't actually have temples or churches all over like Christians or other world religions do, but we do have a priesthood and a spiritual leader)

[Flyndaran]

How long has your friend been a Christian? All you have to do to be considered a Christian by most denominations is sincerely pray the sinner's prayer, at which point you become a baby Christian and are supposed to grow up by studying the Bible/attending church/other Christian things.

Probably her entire life as something she just accepts without much thought.
She was horribly ignorant about non-christians before she met me.
She actually thought atheists couldn't be moral, roleplaying games were evil, and a whole host of other things that I can't remember.

[guywithashovel]

Probably her entire life as something she just accepts without much thought.
She was horribly ignorant about non-christians before she met me.
She actually thought atheists couldn't be moral, roleplaying games were evil, and a whole host of other things that I can't remember.

I can identify with this.

I actually know more about the Bible now than I did back when I was still a Christian. I'm not saying that I qualify for a Ph.D in Christian Theology, but I do know more about it now than I did back then.

[Boozy]

Christianity is one religion that just asks its devotees to try to learn as much as they can, and do their best to follow the teachings of Christ. It doesn't demand you be an expert.

I don't think one needs to know absolutely everything about a religion to consider oneself a member.