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@ryan

> There's a distinction between following a formal Religion, and being religious. The latter is about conviction of faith and worshipping something larger than yourself. The former involves associating yourself with a formally defined group of people who organize around religious principles.

YEs agreed. Though the term "formal religion" would more appropriate be "organized religion" as you can beleive in a formal religion (like say Catholicism) but not be part of the organized religion (the church itself and its organization).. but yea, more or less agree.

> Most "atheists" satisfy the latter definition of being religious, but still claim to atheism because they don't generally follow a formal religious organization.

Well yea atheists are religious, not a member of an organized religion. Though one could argue atheism is "formal" in the sense that it has a strict interpritation everyone shares, it just isnt organized.