Worldviews arbitrarily named "religious"?

 

I made this "band" myself after 7Gypsies' Christmas scrapbook paper, on which different Christmassy words were printed - I suppose it was the dictionary definition of the words. I wrote on it some of the words I associate with Samhain:
- Joy, Mirth, Fun, Frolic, Merriment, Glee, Cheer
- Mischief, Prank, Trick, Surprise, Thrill
- Treat, Sweet, Candy, Pleasure, Feast, Feat, Party, Dainty
- Lantern, Light, Glow, Candle, Fire, Lamp, Torch, Beam, Flare, Shine
- Warmth, Hospitality, Kindness, Friendliness
- Courage, Protection, Ward
- Veil, Curtain, Guise, Mask, Screen, Shade, Shroud, Dim, Spirit, Soul, Disguise, Drape, Mantle, Wrap
- Tradition, Heritage, Legend, Lore, Myth, Tale, Story

You might associate other words to Samhain, like ghosts, pumpkins and divination.


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"I personally feel that there is a double standard when separation of Church and State is examined in the school system. Worldviews that are arbitrarily named "religious" are not allowed in the school system, yet kids can hear advocacy for every other worldview, like empiricism, rationalism, skepticism, materialism, monism, secular humanism. Just who is to say that truth cannot be found in, or even may be limited to one of the religious worldviews?"
- A Christian man about not teaching religion in school

Empiricism is a theory of knowledge that asserts that knowledge arises from sense experience.
Rationalism is a method or a theory "in which the criterion of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive"
Skepticism is an approach to accepting, rejecting, or suspending judgment on new information that requires the new information to be well supported by argument or evidence.
Materialism is a theory which holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena (including consciousness) are the result of material interactions.
Monism is any philosophical view which holds that there is unity in a given field of inquiry.
Secular humanism is a humanist philosophy that espouses reason, ethics, and justice, and specifically rejects supernatural and religious dogma as the basis of morality and decision-making.

None of these was taught to me at school.

None of these is a religion, "a specific fundamental set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs, generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects", and the US Supreme Court has interpreted religion to mean "a sincere and meaningful belief that occupies in the life of its possessor a place parallel to the place held by God in the lives of other persons".
There is nothing arbitrary in the definition of what is religious.

You teach your spiritual beliefs to your children as much as you like at home, JUST AS EVERY OTHER PERSON IN THE WORLD IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, and allow the community to function according to the freedom of religion - meaning that ANY religious belief - even yours - is not to govern the whole society, that every pupil in school must be able to receive the information without having their beliefs violated. Biology doesn't violate anyone's beliefs. No-one demands that you BELIEVE in the "theory of evolution", only that you KNOW it.

"Just who is to say that truth cannot be found in, or even may be limited to one of the religious worldviews." That is not the question here... the question is: just who is to say that YOUR truth is THE truth, and mine is not? God? You mean YOUR God? >;->