LOFTON / Re: Defamation of Religion

[JOHN LOFTON]

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: RJLipkin at aol.com
To: religionlaw at 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/
Essentially Contested America,?Editor-In-Chief http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/

?


In a message dated 7/31/2008 5:38:45 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jlof at aol.com writes:

ALL government is "religious." The only question is: Which "religion" will a government be based on. 



Ratio Juris, Contributor:? http://ratiojuris.blogspot.com/
Essentially Contested America,?Editor-In-Chief http://www.essentiallycontestedamerica.org/

?


In a message dated 7/31/2008 5:38:45 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jlof at aol.com writes:

ALL government is "religious." The only question is: Which "religion" will a government be based on. 






?


In a message dated 7/31/2008 5:38:45 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jlof at aol.com writes:

ALL government is "religious." The only question is: Which "religion" will a government be based on. 







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