"religion, human beings’ relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, absolute, spiritual, divine, or worthy of especial reverence. It is also commonly regarded as consisting of the way people deal with ultimate concerns about their lives and their fate after death. In many traditions, this relation and these concerns are expressed in terms of one’s relationship with or attitude toward gods or spirits; in more humanistic or naturalistic forms of religion, they are expressed in terms of one’s relationship with or attitudes toward the broader human community or the natural world." https://www.britannica.com/topic/religion
a fair response bruce.... substitute the word "god" with Party and the systemic definition remains fitting.
I define religion as a belief system that relies on dogmatic doctrines to which believers subscribe that relies on faith and loyalty to the over-arching principles. the words "doctrine", "faith" and "loyalty" are key to all religions.
"doctrine" can be scripture or Party platform/policies which detail the belief system which does not rely on evidence or facts but are an article of "faith".
"Faith" is a belief in the righteousness and the ability of the beliefs to save the religion, disciples (believers) as a group and/or the "world"/'nation". evidence for such faith may be granted by consensus or doctrine, but this is not compulsory as the greater "faith" is blind, or total belief, contrary to evidence.
"loyalty" is the binding cohesion of the community of believers/disciples ("Us"). this includes rejection or exclusion of others ("them") and uses "other" to bind believers under a threat of persecution.
can you see the corollaries bruce?
in the Libs, for example, we are told the left are the enemy of everything the right stand for (and vice versa). that dominance of the "other" will lead to ruin and loss of wealth (threat). they have established doctrine, but like all deity derived religions, such doctrine can be challenged from within and may change over time...
"faith" and "loyalty" can be seen under the terms used by many to denigrate others, such as the reference to echo-chamber and virtue signalling respectively to faith and loyalty. If such is lacking the doubter will be excluded.
does this make sense?
PS my seat is traditionally Nats.... a massive margin was whittled back but inadequate to cause any change.
