U of Chicago poll: core American values plummet, tolerance, patriotism, religion, kids, hard work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

Someone forgot their colonial history. Several states were founded as religious colonies.

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel01.html#:~:text=The%20New%20England%20colonies%2C%20New,way%20they%20believed%20to%20be

Here's the library of congress's position:

The New England colonies, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were conceived and established "as plantations of religion." Some settlers who arrived in these areas came for secular motives--"to catch fish" as one New Englander put it--but the great majority left Europe to worship God in the way they believed to be correct. They enthusiastically supported the efforts of their leaders to create "a city on a hill" or a "holy experiment," whose success would prove that God's plan for his churches could be successfully realized in the American wilderness. Even colonies like Virginia, which were planned as commercial ventures, were led by entrepreneurs who considered themselves "militant Protestants" and who worked diligently to promote the prosperity of the church.

People forget that the 1st amendment wasn't binding on the states at the time of the founding. Many states had different established state churches that eventually were disestablished by the 1840s.

Sounds more to me like money and greed was the core value and religion was used as a tool to gain power and placate the commoners. Religion and commerce was always intertwined in this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

“In God We Trust”

Sound familiar?

Dates back all the way to 1956

This quote is a bit older: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." But it's from some dusty document

And where does it say that the aforementioned Creator was the God of the Christian right? Jefferson’s “God” is the same as the God of the Quran and people lost their minds in this country over the idea of “sharia law”.

I haven’t seen much deference paid to the Creator of Native people before land was appropriated and destroyed.

So your quote isn’t quite as on point as you seem to think.

I have lost track of the goal posts. Is the standard that I prove we are a Christian nation or a nation with strong religious beliefs? The article said religion not Christianity. People came and still come to America to practice their religion. America has religious freedom not freedom from religion.

Freedom from religion IS religious freedom. I am free to be non-religious.

It is not. All A are B does not mean all B are A.

I am free to be non-religious and the constitution gives me that right because the state is not allowed to establish a religion.

You are correct, but what you believe is still a religion and you are free to believe it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

“In God We Trust”

Sound familiar?

Dates back all the way to 1956

This quote is a bit older: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." But it's from some dusty document

And where does it say that the aforementioned Creator was the God of the Christian right? Jefferson’s “God” is the same as the God of the Quran and people lost their minds in this country over the idea of “sharia law”.

I haven’t seen much deference paid to the Creator of Native people before land was appropriated and destroyed.

So your quote isn’t quite as on point as you seem to think.

I have lost track of the goal posts. Is the standard that I prove we are a Christian nation or a nation with strong religious beliefs? The article said religion not Christianity. People came and still come to America to practice their religion. America has religious freedom not freedom from religion.

Freedom from religion IS religious freedom. I am free to be non-religious.

It is not. All A are B does not mean all B are A.

I am free to be non-religious and the constitution gives me that right because the state is not allowed to establish a religion.

You are correct, but what you believe is still a religion and you are free to believe it.

DP...it almost sounds like you are out here telling a non-religious person that their lack of religion is a religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

Someone forgot their colonial history. Several states were founded as religious colonies.

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel01.html#:~:text=The%20New%20England%20colonies%2C%20New,way%20they%20believed%20to%20be

Here's the library of congress's position:

The New England colonies, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were conceived and established "as plantations of religion." Some settlers who arrived in these areas came for secular motives--"to catch fish" as one New Englander put it--but the great majority left Europe to worship God in the way they believed to be correct. They enthusiastically supported the efforts of their leaders to create "a city on a hill" or a "holy experiment," whose success would prove that God's plan for his churches could be successfully realized in the American wilderness. Even colonies like Virginia, which were planned as commercial ventures, were led by entrepreneurs who considered themselves "militant Protestants" and who worked diligently to promote the prosperity of the church.

People forget that the 1st amendment wasn't binding on the states at the time of the founding. Many states had different established state churches that eventually were disestablished by the 1840s.

Sounds more to me like money and greed was the core value and religion was used as a tool to gain power and placate the commoners. Religion and commerce was always intertwined in this country.

Someone ignored the first part of the citation.

This is likely why Americans have a higher participation rate in Christianity than their peers in Europe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

“In God We Trust”

Sound familiar?

Dates back all the way to 1956

This quote is a bit older: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." But it's from some dusty document

And where does it say that the aforementioned Creator was the God of the Christian right? Jefferson’s “God” is the same as the God of the Quran and people lost their minds in this country over the idea of “sharia law”.

I haven’t seen much deference paid to the Creator of Native people before land was appropriated and destroyed.

So your quote isn’t quite as on point as you seem to think.

I have lost track of the goal posts. Is the standard that I prove we are a Christian nation or a nation with strong religious beliefs? The article said religion not Christianity. People came and still come to America to practice their religion. America has religious freedom not freedom from religion.

Freedom from religion IS religious freedom. I am free to be non-religious.

It is not. All A are B does not mean all B are A.

I am free to be non-religious and the constitution gives me that right because the state is not allowed to establish a religion.

You are correct, but what you believe is still a religion and you are free to believe it.

DP...it almost sounds like you are out here telling a non-religious person that their lack of religion is a religion.

DP
If you go by the dictionary definition that statement would appear to be true. You have no belief is a belief, vs agnostics.

[Anonymous]

A lack of belief is not a belief. I don’t believe there is anything supernatural that exists because there is no evidence of its existence. If someone wants to show proof, I’d be happy to reevaluate my position. I don’t want to insult believers, but the insistence that lack of belief is a religion is like saying believing there is no big foot is its own religion. There’s no dogma. More than half the world believing in one thing or another doesn’t make non belief a religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

“In God We Trust”

Sound familiar?

Dates back all the way to 1956

This quote is a bit older: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." But it's from some dusty document

And where does it say that the aforementioned Creator was the God of the Christian right? Jefferson’s “God” is the same as the God of the Quran and people lost their minds in this country over the idea of “sharia law”.

I haven’t seen much deference paid to the Creator of Native people before land was appropriated and destroyed.

So your quote isn’t quite as on point as you seem to think.

I have lost track of the goal posts. Is the standard that I prove we are a Christian nation or a nation with strong religious beliefs? The article said religion not Christianity. People came and still come to America to practice their religion. America has religious freedom not freedom from religion.

Freedom from religion IS religious freedom. I am free to be non-religious.

It is not. All A are B does not mean all B are A.

I am free to be non-religious and the constitution gives me that right because the state is not allowed to establish a religion.

You are correct, but what you believe is still a religion and you are free to believe it.

DP...it almost sounds like you are out here telling a non-religious person that their lack of religion is a religion.

DP
If you go by the dictionary definition that statement would appear to be true. You have no belief is a belief, vs agnostics.

Since you brought up the dictionary definition (skipping the obsolete definitions)... https://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/161944
1. A state of life bound by religious vows; the condition of belonging to a religious order.
2. Christian Church
3. Action or conduct indicating belief in, obedience to, and reverence for a god, gods, or similar superhuman power; the performance of religious rites or observances.
4. A particular system of faith and worship
5. Belief in or acknowledgement of some superhuman power or powers (esp. a god or gods) which is typically manifested in obedience, reverence, and worship; such a belief as part of a system defining a code of living, esp. as a means of achieving spiritual or material improvement.

I don't see anything here that would apply to a non-religious person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

“In God We Trust”

Sound familiar?

Dates back all the way to 1956

This quote is a bit older: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." But it's from some dusty document

And where does it say that the aforementioned Creator was the God of the Christian right? Jefferson’s “God” is the same as the God of the Quran and people lost their minds in this country over the idea of “sharia law”.

I haven’t seen much deference paid to the Creator of Native people before land was appropriated and destroyed.

So your quote isn’t quite as on point as you seem to think.

I have lost track of the goal posts. Is the standard that I prove we are a Christian nation or a nation with strong religious beliefs? The article said religion not Christianity. People came and still come to America to practice their religion. America has religious freedom not freedom from religion.

Freedom from religion IS religious freedom. I am free to be non-religious.

It is not. All A are B does not mean all B are A.

I am free to be non-religious and the constitution gives me that right because the state is not allowed to establish a religion.

This. It's sad how many people completely ignore the establishment clause because it's the opposite of what they think the First Amendment should be.

I suppose I will be extraordinarily precise. Freedom from religion is NOT sufficient for religious freedom. It is only a part. The rest of religious freedom is freedom to practice your chosen religion. We have countries with freedom from religion, but I wouldn't say they had religious freedom.

That's great, but does it make religion a core American value? The First Amendment also gives us the freedom to peacefully assemble...but just because we're free to do so, does that make it a core American value too?

The Bill of Rights are core American values. Those are the rights granted to American citizens. The Constitution said little about individual rights until the Amendments. Without it we would be just another banana republic where citizen rights depend on the mood of the current government and whatever state of emergency is currently in place. I gather you are suffering from a modern public education where all good flows from federal largesse.

I gather you are one of those parents who thinks they should be able to tell teachers how to do their jobs. Maybe while you're at it you should tell your surgeon how to operate or your pilot how to fly the plane.

Can the government tell teachers how to do their jobs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

“In God We Trust”

Sound familiar?

Dates back all the way to 1956

This quote is a bit older: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." But it's from some dusty document

And where does it say that the aforementioned Creator was the God of the Christian right? Jefferson’s “God” is the same as the God of the Quran and people lost their minds in this country over the idea of “sharia law”.

I haven’t seen much deference paid to the Creator of Native people before land was appropriated and destroyed.

So your quote isn’t quite as on point as you seem to think.

I have lost track of the goal posts. Is the standard that I prove we are a Christian nation or a nation with strong religious beliefs? The article said religion not Christianity. People came and still come to America to practice their religion. America has religious freedom not freedom from religion.

Freedom from religion IS religious freedom. I am free to be non-religious.

It is not. All A are B does not mean all B are A.

I am free to be non-religious and the constitution gives me that right because the state is not allowed to establish a religion.

This. It's sad how many people completely ignore the establishment clause because it's the opposite of what they think the First Amendment should be.

I suppose I will be extraordinarily precise. Freedom from religion is NOT sufficient for religious freedom. It is only a part. The rest of religious freedom is freedom to practice your chosen religion. We have countries with freedom from religion, but I wouldn't say they had religious freedom.

That's great, but does it make religion a core American value? The First Amendment also gives us the freedom to peacefully assemble...but just because we're free to do so, does that make it a core American value too?

The Bill of Rights are core American values. Those are the rights granted to American citizens. The Constitution said little about individual rights until the Amendments. Without it we would be just another banana republic where citizen rights depend on the mood of the current government and whatever state of emergency is currently in place. I gather you are suffering from a modern public education where all good flows from federal largesse.

I gather you are one of those parents who thinks they should be able to tell teachers how to do their jobs. Maybe while you're at it you should tell your surgeon how to operate or your pilot how to fly the plane.

Can the government tell teachers how to do their jobs?

The federal government? Not really. That's up to state and local governments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

“In God We Trust”

Sound familiar?

Dates back all the way to 1956

This quote is a bit older: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." But it's from some dusty document

And where does it say that the aforementioned Creator was the God of the Christian right? Jefferson’s “God” is the same as the God of the Quran and people lost their minds in this country over the idea of “sharia law”.

I haven’t seen much deference paid to the Creator of Native people before land was appropriated and destroyed.

So your quote isn’t quite as on point as you seem to think.

I have lost track of the goal posts. Is the standard that I prove we are a Christian nation or a nation with strong religious beliefs? The article said religion not Christianity. People came and still come to America to practice their religion. America has religious freedom not freedom from religion.

Freedom from religion IS religious freedom. I am free to be non-religious.

It is not. All A are B does not mean all B are A.

I am free to be non-religious and the constitution gives me that right because the state is not allowed to establish a religion.

You are correct, but what you believe is still a religion and you are free to believe it.

Doubtful. I’m an agnostic so basically I have no beliefs one way or another and don’t think about it. Is there a god? Shrug. Is there an afterlife? Shrug.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

Someone forgot their colonial history. Several states were founded as religious colonies.

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel01.html#:~:text=The%20New%20England%20colonies%2C%20New,way%20they%20believed%20to%20be

Here's the library of congress's position:

The New England colonies, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were conceived and established "as plantations of religion." Some settlers who arrived in these areas came for secular motives--"to catch fish" as one New Englander put it--but the great majority left Europe to worship God in the way they believed to be correct. They enthusiastically supported the efforts of their leaders to create "a city on a hill" or a "holy experiment," whose success would prove that God's plan for his churches could be successfully realized in the American wilderness. Even colonies like Virginia, which were planned as commercial ventures, were led by entrepreneurs who considered themselves "militant Protestants" and who worked diligently to promote the prosperity of the church.

People forget that the 1st amendment wasn't binding on the states at the time of the founding. Many states had different established state churches that eventually were disestablished by the 1840s.

Is slavery a core American value then, too? Sounds like you are making an argument that would support such a claim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

Someone forgot their colonial history. Several states were founded as religious colonies.

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel01.html#:~:text=The%20New%20England%20colonies%2C%20New,way%20they%20believed%20to%20be

Here's the library of congress's position:

The New England colonies, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were conceived and established "as plantations of religion." Some settlers who arrived in these areas came for secular motives--"to catch fish" as one New Englander put it--but the great majority left Europe to worship God in the way they believed to be correct. They enthusiastically supported the efforts of their leaders to create "a city on a hill" or a "holy experiment," whose success would prove that God's plan for his churches could be successfully realized in the American wilderness. Even colonies like Virginia, which were planned as commercial ventures, were led by entrepreneurs who considered themselves "militant Protestants" and who worked diligently to promote the prosperity of the church.

People forget that the 1st amendment wasn't binding on the states at the time of the founding. Many states had different established state churches that eventually were disestablished by the 1840s.

Is slavery a core American value then, too? Sounds like you are making an argument that would support such a claim.

My ancestors were Quakers who were forced out of the "city on the hill" and had their ears cut to show they weren't part of the religious establishment there. They fled to the more accepting colony in Virginia. https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/ngier/Quakers.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

“In God We Trust”

Sound familiar?

Dates back all the way to 1956

This quote is a bit older: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." But it's from some dusty document

And where does it say that the aforementioned Creator was the God of the Christian right? Jefferson’s “God” is the same as the God of the Quran and people lost their minds in this country over the idea of “sharia law”.

I haven’t seen much deference paid to the Creator of Native people before land was appropriated and destroyed.

So your quote isn’t quite as on point as you seem to think.

I have lost track of the goal posts. Is the standard that I prove we are a Christian nation or a nation with strong religious beliefs? The article said religion not Christianity. People came and still come to America to practice their religion. America has religious freedom not freedom from religion.

Freedom from religion IS religious freedom. I am free to be non-religious.

It is not. All A are B does not mean all B are A.

I am free to be non-religious and the constitution gives me that right because the state is not allowed to establish a religion.

You are correct, but what you believe is still a religion and you are free to believe it.

DP...it almost sounds like you are out here telling a non-religious person that their lack of religion is a religion.

DP
If you go by the dictionary definition that statement would appear to be true. You have no belief is a belief, vs agnostics.

Since you brought up the dictionary definition (skipping the obsolete definitions)... https://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/161944
1. A state of life bound by religious vows; the condition of belonging to a religious order.
2. Christian Church
3. Action or conduct indicating belief in, obedience to, and reverence for a god, gods, or similar superhuman power; the performance of religious rites or observances.
4. A particular system of faith and worship
5. Belief in or acknowledgement of some superhuman power or powers (esp. a god or gods) which is typically manifested in obedience, reverence, and worship; such a belief as part of a system defining a code of living, esp. as a means of achieving spiritual or material improvement.

I don't see anything here that would apply to a non-religious person.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/religion

a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects:
the Christian religion;
the Buddhist religion.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices:
a world council of religions.
the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.:
to enter religion.
the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.
something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience:

The first and last most certainly do apply to the non-religious. This is why I made the distinction for agnostics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

Someone forgot their colonial history. Several states were founded as religious colonies.

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel01.html#:~:text=The%20New%20England%20colonies%2C%20New,way%20they%20believed%20to%20be

Here's the library of congress's position:

The New England colonies, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were conceived and established "as plantations of religion." Some settlers who arrived in these areas came for secular motives--"to catch fish" as one New Englander put it--but the great majority left Europe to worship God in the way they believed to be correct. They enthusiastically supported the efforts of their leaders to create "a city on a hill" or a "holy experiment," whose success would prove that God's plan for his churches could be successfully realized in the American wilderness. Even colonies like Virginia, which were planned as commercial ventures, were led by entrepreneurs who considered themselves "militant Protestants" and who worked diligently to promote the prosperity of the church.

People forget that the 1st amendment wasn't binding on the states at the time of the founding. Many states had different established state churches that eventually were disestablished by the 1840s.

Is slavery a core American value then, too? Sounds like you are making an argument that would support such a claim.

At the time until the 1860's, sure I would agree. Slavery was considered a natural state for some peoples which had existed for 1000's of years until industrialization rendered it useless.

Religion was fundamental to the English colonies, and one would be blind to notice how the Christian religion in particular has effected US culture to this day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since when is religion a core American value?

“In God We Trust”

Sound familiar?

Dates back all the way to 1956

This quote is a bit older: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." But it's from some dusty document

And where does it say that the aforementioned Creator was the God of the Christian right? Jefferson’s “God” is the same as the God of the Quran and people lost their minds in this country over the idea of “sharia law”.

I haven’t seen much deference paid to the Creator of Native people before land was appropriated and destroyed.

So your quote isn’t quite as on point as you seem to think.

I have lost track of the goal posts. Is the standard that I prove we are a Christian nation or a nation with strong religious beliefs? The article said religion not Christianity. People came and still come to America to practice their religion. America has religious freedom not freedom from religion.

Freedom from religion IS religious freedom. I am free to be non-religious.

It is not. All A are B does not mean all B are A.

I am free to be non-religious and the constitution gives me that right because the state is not allowed to establish a religion.

You are correct, but what you believe is still a religion and you are free to believe it.

DP...it almost sounds like you are out here telling a non-religious person that their lack of religion is a religion.

DP
If you go by the dictionary definition that statement would appear to be true. You have no belief is a belief, vs agnostics.

Since you brought up the dictionary definition (skipping the obsolete definitions)... https://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/161944
1. A state of life bound by religious vows; the condition of belonging to a religious order.
2. Christian Church
3. Action or conduct indicating belief in, obedience to, and reverence for a god, gods, or similar superhuman power; the performance of religious rites or observances.
4. A particular system of faith and worship
5. Belief in or acknowledgement of some superhuman power or powers (esp. a god or gods) which is typically manifested in obedience, reverence, and worship; such a belief as part of a system defining a code of living, esp. as a means of achieving spiritual or material improvement.

I don't see anything here that would apply to a non-religious person.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/religion

a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects:
the Christian religion;
the Buddhist religion.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices:
a world council of religions.
the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.:
to enter religion.
the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.
something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience:

The first and last most certainly do apply to the non-religious. This is why I made the distinction for agnostics.

OED > dictionary.com