A Mighty Vision

I don't see how reinvented pagan beliefs are atheist. That's a contradiction. Since all religions are ritual and mythos imposed on peoples desires for reassurance and communal spirit - literally none have any reality to them, no matter what they demand or suggest - and often represent an individuals control over society by manipulation, atheism is merely a rejection of anyone else's world-view that does not offer anything superior (essentially any atheist with a smug attitude about knowing better than the faithful is no different to a believer being smug that their faith will prevail)

Now that might sound odd since I have a form of spiritualist belief myself, but then many would assume I'm atheist. Or a devil worshipper mwuahahahahaaaaaaaa!!!!! Of course I'm not. It's all superstition and emotional control.

All religion is belief in some invisible being thought by believers to have immense powers. That some people will be taken in by the rhetoric of so-called spiritual leaders is an indication of the leaders charisma and powers of persuasion.

But, maybe you think that that is all there is to religion.

organised religion is an exercise in social conformity and control, either for communal continuity, societal morality, or merely to exploit the faithful. It has always been that way. Even with less organised religions there is a tendency to emphasise these traits, as shamans and witchdoctors often discover how much influence they have. Simple socities tend to suffer less from this - it is the presence of potential reward and profit that encourages human failings.

Organised religion is one supported by an official hierarchy, so I doubt your friend is being entirely objective, or is one of the large number that pay lip service to religion whilst not engaging in it. Many label themselves as belonging to one faction or another without active interest, or sometimes, even active empathy of conformity. If he didn't believe in orgainsed religion - why does he classify his beliefs as conformal to part of the organisation of Christianity?

Edited by caldrail - 30 Apr 2016 at 00:40

Orthodoxy is a disorganised religion? Nonsense. Orthodoxy, by definition, described conformity, and conformity can only occur until a membership agrees or is coerced into adhering to a standard, which requires organisation. He might convincingly claim his views are relatively orthodox in nature, but the grammar is important. The word 'orthodoxy' implies organisation. Again, by definition, the use of the word 'religion' as opposed to the phrase 'religious beliefs' implies organisation too.