Pseudoreligion

Pseudoreligion or pseudotheology is a pejorative term which is a combination of the Greek prefix "pseudo", meaning false, and "religion." The term is sometimes avoided in religious scholarship as it is seen as polemic, but it is used colloquially in multiple ways, and is generally used for a belief system, philosophy, or movement which is functionally similar to a religious movement, often having a founder, principal text, liturgy, or faith-based beliefs. It is also used for movements or ideologies which are not ostensibly religious but have qualities identified as "religious" qualities such as extreme devotion among adherents. The term quasi-religion has also been used, sometimes synonymously and sometimes distinctly from the term pseudoreligion.

Difference with religion

There is no legal definition for "religion", which makes it difficult to legally define a "pseudoreligion". This has led to inconsistencies in laws around the world, and has sometimes led to courts making rulings over "acceptable" and "unacceptable" religions. In the United States, all beliefs are protected equally, but illegal conduct cannot be excused by religious beliefs, and the law must be upheld even in morally complex situations. In other countries, such as China, different groups are treated differently, and labels such as religion or pseudoreligion can be lead to persecution.

The term pseudoreligion derives from the Greek word pseúdos, meaning "lie" or "falsehood", and religion. Religious scholar Hartmut Zinser notes that the phrase is often applied both to movements which claim a religious quality, such as new religious movements, and those which are not related to religion, such as political movements, which nonetheless have been identified as having a religious quality or "fascination" to them. According to Zinser however, terms such as pseudoreligion "should be avoided by religious studies, since ...