Except that relationships and communities don't require religion ...
Of course not, but nor do words or belief. There are religious and non-religious relationships, communities, words and beliefs. It seems really arbitrary to decide that religion = religious words/beliefs but not religious relationships/communities.
Similarly, why do you single religion out as a 'middleman', but not teachers, parents, media, gut instinct etc.? It seems unreasonable to give it a special, lower status.
As for 'our own good sense about what hurts and doesn't hurt people', doesn't that come out of all the intermediary things we've been listing, sometimes including religion?
no subject
Of course not, but nor do words or belief. There are religious and non-religious relationships, communities, words and beliefs. It seems really arbitrary to decide that religion = religious words/beliefs but not religious relationships/communities.
Similarly, why do you single religion out as a 'middleman', but not teachers, parents, media, gut instinct etc.? It seems unreasonable to give it a special, lower status.
As for 'our own good sense about what hurts and doesn't hurt people', doesn't that come out of all the intermediary things we've been listing, sometimes including religion?