"The big problem with all these sorts of discussions is that there's a basic failure to define terms. What is meant here by "religion"? Is religion defined primarily in terms of a Tylorian "belief in Spiritual Beings," or maybe ritual practices, or communal identity and solidarity, or even prescribed, authoritative codes of conduct? The notion that religion is a human universal is usually made meaningless by the fact that "religion" is understood so vaguely and intuitively as to render the claim empty. If we're talking about belief in spiritual forces, does that mean that someone who doesn't subscribe to any traditional religious tradition but who takes horoscopes seriously, or who thinks crystals have healing powers, is "actually" religious without realizing it? If we're talking about the existence of enduring institutions, traditions, symbols, codes of conduct, and authoritative identities, is the military a religious institution? Why don't we consider the Pledge of Allegiance to the..." - Nathan Rein