[MD] Demanding Evidence From Theists

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Steve]
I would draw the line between spiritual and religious 
differently--along the same line as Rorty's public-private 
distinction, where spiritual is a private concern whereas religion is 
a public one.

[Arlo]
Not familiar with Rorty, but its a decent distinction. I was thinking 
more in terms of "identity". From my, albeit limited, conversations 
with Buddhists over the years, one thing I've noticed is a lack of 
concern with labels. "Are you a Buddhist?" "I am just me." Whereas 
the primary impetus in fundamentalism is that the 
association-via-label is *very* important. Without belaboring the 
Buddhism-Christianity distinction, I think back to seeing Cadillacs 
pouring out of one of our local churches every Sunday, after being 
taught that morning that Jesus was a champion of the poor and downtrodden.

Maybe it was the height of irony one week when one of the wealthier 
members of our community delivered the guest sermon that happened to 
focus on Matthew 19's discussion of how we should be to gain eternal 
life. Aside from not committing adultery, or stealing, or lying, and 
the other of Moses' Big Ten, the passage contains this: Jesus said 
unto him, if you will be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and 
give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven (King James). 
I don't think it even phased him (the guest speaker) when he shook 
some hands after church, got into his Caddy, and drove back to his 
gated mansion on the hill.

Right there I'd say is someone very concerned with being labeled a 
"Christian", with having that as his "identity", but aside from that 
not giving the ideas much thought. Meanwhile I also knew a poorer 
family down the road who, although not churchgoers, volunteered and 
did much charity work for the community. Someone concerned with the 
meaning, I'd say, but with no concern for labels. This was more or 
less the distinction I was aiming for.

[Steve]
Someone who is spiritual but not religious is someone who does not 
identify with any such communal practice but has a private practice 
or concern with relating to a higher power or integrating one's own 
life into a wider order of existence.

[Arlo]
I can buy it. Okay.