right now my religion that i live by, is basically trying to be kind and just.
It’s very simple. The second part is metaphysics and cosmology but that is
not very important. Golden rule stuff.
Can that be classed as religion?
I think it counts as one.
That’s cool with me - if you want to call it that, I’d just be wary in using the word when describing your perspective. I suppose it’s quite a broad word, but ‘religion’ always connotes god as the main element.
Maybe it’s just me.
Is it heathen?
That’s an odd question.
I just watched one of your videos.
You’re basically saying that skepticism is good, and that we should apply it to almost everything.
But “good” wouldn’t be your word for it. Maybe you’d call the good that which is most pragmatically applicable.
Do you wish you were famous ?
Skepticism is good, and we should apply it to almost everything.
Phwoar, I suppose it’s another pretty broad word. Do you mean goodness in regards to your OP, ie justice?
Maybe more to the point classified as “ethical”?
I mean your own version of morality.
I think that in the truer sense of the word, a heathen is someone who has no religious beliefs, at least no organized religion beliefs. Not such a bad thing except maybe through the viewpoint of a christian - maybe.
Aside from that, the word "religious/religion pertains to something that can bind us to us…religare. Like nature can, et cetera.
From what Dan is saying he would be living by a certain ethical code, which is not necessarily religious at all. A word for it might be “humanist” or someone who cares about/ is interested in human values, justice and acts on that. Like Schweitzer though I don’t know if he was religious.
Oh right. Well I like to be idealistic when discussing morals, it’s a topic which still has many tricky areas. I suppose that’s where philosophy helps.
Also though I recognise it’s a bit naive to try and act on morals in an entirely pragmatic way, as there are various other factors that play a factor, emotional bias for instance.
2op
The best religions are the ones which speak the least. There is something to having a simple golden rule for life, complexity is merely an attempt at persuasion.
- as is repetition.