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Originally Posted by Athena I think there is a bit posted by Inter on belief systems, I didn't read into much of the links, so I can't talk here. Just don't be so sure to doubt.(I understand your personality I think Fable, you'll read it if it's in front of you) This thread has scratched the surface for me of defining the lines between true believers and some kind of hyped-up following, I think. NHF no hard feelings It think I'm signing off for now.  |
Oh, no hard feelings at all!
But I've read through his posted documents, and I see nothing that goes into how his personal beliefs and wishes translate into a religion. It is a fair question for me to ask, you know.
Nor is it simply a matter of defining true believers, etc. Simply put, there are some qualifications that are used to determine whether something is a religion, just as there are whether something is a government, or a currency, or a book, or a piece of music. And while we can arbitrarily define, say, a few seconds of silence as music, that just ignores the definition rather than answering it.
Meanwhile, many people who have wish fulfillment fantasies will (and have) insist that they are followers (or starters) of religions, and they will become outraged when anybody asks for further details. But the definitions enable us to discuss these matters, and tossing them out is not a good idea unless we wish to doom all discussion and reside in uncritical acceptance of everything anyone claims.
Which is not a reflection on Inter. He may be a follower of a religion, or he may not. It hasn't been established yet, and I for one am genuinely curious.
Personally, I hope he is. Finding a new wrinkle on the age old search for spiritual knowledge about the universe has always fascinated me.