Insisting there is no religion--it doesn't exist--but "religion" can nevertheless be used intelligibly (as a bracket term). suggests that one has an elaborate argument that no matter how much it might vary from ordinary intelligent discourse, he or she wants to impose on you. I think I'll pass on examining that argument, but go right ahead and articulate anyway.
Bobby Robert Justin Lipkin Professor of Law Widener University School of Law Delaware Ratio Juris , Contributor: _ http://ratiojuris.blogspot.com/_ (http://ratiojuris.blogspot.com/) Essentially Contested America, Editor-In-Chief _http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/_ (http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/) In a message dated 8/1/2008 10:33:28 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: In point of fact, strictly speaking, there is no such thing that actually exists that is called "religion." That's why I put it in quotes. "Religion" is an abstract category that no one actually practices any more than someone plays "sports" or eats "food." Thus, I do not believe you can "trivialize" that which does not actually exist. As for creating "conceptual and practical confusion," I believe this happens when one talks about unreal things as if they are real. In any event, if someone denies that all governments are "religious" in origin, and based on some kind of "religion," let's test what I say. Name me a government that you say is not "religious" and I'll show you how it is. Thank you. John Lofton, Editor, TheAmericanView.com Recovering Republican "Accursed is that peace of which revolt from God is the bond, and blessed are those contentions by which it is necessary to maintain the kingdom of Christ." -- John Calvin. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu Sent: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 6:52 am Subject: Re: LOFTON / Re: Defamation of Religion This certainly trivializes the concept of "religion." A government that persecutes theists, defames religion in general, and so forth is religious? I suppose the argument is that such a government simply adopts the "wrong" religion. I suppose similarly each individual is religious no matter what that person's view is about the existence of God or the practice of religion. Taking this route, however, creates both conceptual and practical confusion, but one is, of course, free to take it. To what end? Bobby Robert Justin Lipkin Professor of Law Widener University School of Law Delaware Ratio Juris , Contributor: _ http://ratiojuris.blogspot.com/_ (http://ratiojuris.blogspot.com/) _ Essentially Contested America, Editor-In-Chief _ (http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/) _http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/_ (http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/) In a message dated 7/31/2008 5:38:45 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: ALL government is "religious." The only question is: Which "religion" will a government be based on. (http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/) ____________________________________ Get fantasy football with free live scoring. _Sign up for FanHouse Fantasy Football today_ (http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020) _._ (http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/) _______________________________________________ To post, send message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] (mailto:Religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu) _ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change options, or get password, see _ (http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/) _http://lis ts.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/religionlaw_ (http://lists.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/religionlaw) _ Please note that messages sent to this large list cannot be viewed as private. Anyone can subscribe to the list and read messages that are posted; people can read the Web archives; and list members can (rightly or wrongly) forward the messages to others._ (http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/) ____________________________________ The Famous, the Infamous, the Lame - in your browser. _Get the TMZ Toolbar Now_ (http://toolbar.aol.com/tmz/download.html?NCID=aolcmp00050000000014) _!_ (http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/) _______________________________________________ To post, send message to Religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change options, or get password, see http://lists.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/religionlaw Please note that messages sent to this large list cannot be viewed as private. Anyone can subscribe to the list and read messages that are posted; people can read the Web archives; and list members can (rightly or wrongly) forward the messages to others. **************Get fantasy football with free live scoring. Sign up for FanHouse Fantasy Football today. (http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020)
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