“Religion” as conventionally used is already so broad that it includes examples that lack almost every individual feature we typically associate with the category. It hardly seems coincidental that the OP chose Soto Zen, which manages to reject a lot of the components of other religions that are more problematic.
Some religions lack gods. Some lack moral laws. Some lack a consistent set of claims about the universe at all. Some lack worship or prayer. Some lack priests or other intermediaries.
If we start from words being defined extensionally instead of by dictionaries, then this is fine. But if you try to find any vaguely natural seeming intensional definition at all, I think it’s going to include a lot of extra stuff we don’t usually think of as religious. Some of that stuff is good, and it might add up to a net good.
“Religion” as conventionally used is already so broad that it includes examples that lack almost every individual feature we typically associate with the category. It hardly seems coincidental that the OP chose Soto Zen, which manages to reject a lot of the components of other religions that are more problematic.
Some religions lack gods. Some lack moral laws. Some lack a consistent set of claims about the universe at all. Some lack worship or prayer. Some lack priests or other intermediaries.
If we start from words being defined extensionally instead of by dictionaries, then this is fine. But if you try to find any vaguely natural seeming intensional definition at all, I think it’s going to include a lot of extra stuff we don’t usually think of as religious. Some of that stuff is good, and it might add up to a net good.