I’m writing to help clarify in my own mind at least what I mean by Natural Religion.

Some earlier philosophers, like Hume and Locke, wrote a little about Natural Religion.   They approached Natural Religion as philosophers trying to understand natural truths.  Their writings were interesting, but didn’t lead to an actual spiritual religion.

The problem with having a philosophical natural religion as a actual spiritual religion is that spiritual religion is supernatural.  Spiritual Natural Religion is not a a natural philosophy, rather it is a spiritual religion with a natural theology.  When philosophers try to create a natural religion they usually end up with a religion of science or something that isn’t quite what we think of as spiritual religion.

For Natural Religion to affect individuals and society as a real spiritual religion, it must be based on those aspects of human nature that form spiritual religion.  For it to be natural, its theology must remain in the context of natural truth.  Western Natural Religion doesn’t exist in practice.  It does exist in Japan in the form of Kannagara, which is part of Shinto.  Shinto doesn’t really translate into Western religion because Shinto is associated with a specific culture.

From a Western perspective, what are those aspects of human nature that would form natural spirituality?  What constitutes religion?

After doing some reading, I couldn’t find a clear definition of what constitutes religion.  It’s one of those “I know it when I see it” kind of things.  Even though I don’t see a clear written understanding of religion, when I look around me at the world around me I can see some patterns.

[Update:  Here is a good discussion defining religion: <http://religionencyclopedia.info/>    ]

I say “spiritual religion” because religion is not necessarily spiritual.  We can be religiously devoted to a football team for example.  Generally speaking, religion is devotion, not necessarily devotion towards things spiritual.

Spiritual religion is about devotion to things spiritual or supernatural.  If our religious devotion is limited to things in the natural world, we are religious but not spiritually religious.

Spiritual religion is about devotion to something supernatural.  Spiritual religion has a theology, and a model of the supernatural universe or mythos.

Religion provides a moral direction for the believers.

Spiritual religion is a spiritual and moral guide.  Spiritual religion usually has a symbolic mythology.

Symbolism is necessary in spiritual religion because it speaks to the spiritual mind in a way that logical rationale can’t.  The spiritual mind and the logical mind have different languages.  Spiritual religion is necessary because it helps to contain and sometimes restrain the actions of the non-rational spiritual mind.  Spiritual religion speaks to the non-rational mind in a way that rational ideas can’t.

Atheism is not a spiritual religion because it does not incorporate the supernatural in its beliefs.  It incorporates a belief about the supernatural (that it doesn’t exist).  It does not incorporate a belief in the supernatural.  Atheism is a religion because it has devotees, but it is not a spiritual religion.

Agnosticism is not a spiritual religion.  It is a lack of spiritual religion, even though some people calling themselves agnostics do believe in a spiritual realm.

Natural Religion is a spiritual devotion that arises from human nature.  We are religious because our nature is to be religious.  Spiritual religion does not exist in human society because aliens are projecting religiousness into our heads, or because of great conspiracies to make us religious to control us.  Spiritual religion has always been a part of human culture because spiritual religiousness is part of our human nature.

The mythos of today’s Western Natural Religion, such as it is, holds that God is the source of one’s self, and the universe.  In Natural Religion, human society is guided by God’s Natural Law.  God endows us certain Natural Rights: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.  Each person in the their natural state, stripped of social dressing, is equal to all other persons.  God, not the church or state or a  prophet, is the Supreme Judge of right and wrong.  Sacred honor is of the greatest worth.

Natural Law is the order that results when reasonable people make reasonable judgments about others.  For example, three guys walk into a bar, each one carrying a gun.  The first guy says something and shoots the bartender.  The second guy, being a reasonable guy, sees the first guy as a threat to his well being and shoots him dead.  The third guy watches the whole thing and, being a reasonable guy, does not shoot the second guy.  A natural order comes out of the scenario:  It’s OK to shoot someone if they are a threat to your right to live, and if you aren’t a threat to someone else’s life they won’t shoot you.

Morality is society’s way of keeping its members under control.  Good behavior is awarded, bad behavior is punished, if not in  this life, then in an afterlife.

Natural Religion incorporates a system of natural morality which comes from culture and from human nature.  Natural morality ultimately originates from God. When morality comes from human manipulation, such as through religious cult mind control, it is not natural morality, and therefore not really morality.  Natural morality is morality moderated by rationality, and respect for Natural Law and Natural Rights.

Natural morality is based on natural truths, or a natural sense of right and wrong.  It doesn’t look to divination for guidance.  Some of our natural moral sense is instinctive.  Some is cultural.  Some is rational.

Natural morality comes from love of others and love for God.  Love for others leads us to desire the best for others.  Love for God, and the religion associated with that love, helps us to moderate our expression of love for others so that it does not lead to harm.

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