Religion pt3

Thanks for your great response. I must admit that I was somewhat surprised at your definition of "religion". I guess I was expecting something a little different, but I am not sure what.
I think your definition is well thought out and very clearly explained in what you said. As you anticipated I do have a different idea for the definition at a few points as I will try to make clear. One thing is certain, the definition you began with is a good building point.

I certainly agree with your first phrase that religion is "a subset of worldviews". Now I take the term worldview to mean "a network of presuppositions which are not verified (or verifiable) by the procedures of natural science regarding reality, knowing, and conduct in terms of which all human experience is related and interpreted." In other words, worldviews are our preexisting beliefs by which we understand and interpret reality. In your original post I believe you used the term "metaphysical", which leads me to believe that you would agree with me on this definition of a worldview.

Now I think where we might begin to differ, though only slightly (or possibly more than that) is the latter part of your definiton where you say it is a subset of worldviews "that involve some sort of worship as being integral to its structure." Now, let me first say that I would also completely agree with this given my definition of "worship", but I know that this is where we differ. Let me explain.

I firmly believe that "all of life is worship". That means that every moment of every day I am worshipping something, and that every other human being is also doing the same. Worship is the acting out or the manifestation of my beliefs. Whatever my highest allegiance is to at any given moment, that is what I am worshipping at that moment.

So let me put this into the context of the illustrations that you used. I would agree that Christianity, Communism and Animism all all forms of religion because they include worship. Each of these worldviews establish something as the object of highest allegiance. For Christianity it is Christ. For animinsm it is many different objects, for Communism it was the state. But I would also include philisophical naturalism because every naturalist still has an object of highest allegiance in their life. It might be nature, it might be their own intellect, it might be themselves or something else, but they still have that allegiance which compels them to act as they do. This allegiance and action is worship.

The actions might manifest themselves differently. For Christians it includes (but is by no means limited to) bowing, praying and singing, the same for animists, and, as you mentioned, in some part for Communists. But this is only very small parts of the time in each of these peoples lives. Communists act out their belief in their lifestyle too. In their learning and teaching, in their relationships, in their thinking and every other activity. And so do Christians and animists. And so do philisophical naturalists. Though a part of their worship does not include activities such as prayer and singing, they live out their lives according to that which is most important to them. This is worship too, only manifesting itself in different forms like all of the others manifest themselves in different forms. My point is that it is all still action motivated by ones greatest allegiance.

So back to your original definition, I could use the same wording as you used without much problem, but I think where we vary is in the idea of worship. Perhaps I would change the wording a little to say "a subset of worldviews which determines ones actions".
Now it is I that have rambled on for too long.
I am sure this will not be our consensus definition, but hopefully it will help us work a little closer to it.
I look forward to hearing from you again.