Religion & Philosophy, what's the difference?

[namenotpickedyet]

I mean religion is a belief system, philosophy is a belief system. I really don't see the difference. Why don't they just call philosophies religions or religions philosophies, why are they listed in different categories?
I've heard people say some of things that you'll are saying but, there's always an exception, i mean there's always a religion that doesn't make mention of an afterlife, or didn't at one time. And there are many philosophies that mention a god or creator in them. Also many religions are thought about for a long time by prominent members of that religion before dogmas were made or an official consenses is made concerning articles of faith in that religion ect. So the idea that in religion answers are just given to you doesn't hold any water. If that were the case then religions would not have discussions & arguements concerning articles of faith for centuries usually before there's an accepted view. Also philosophies do have text & leaders. And philosophies make assumptions without knowing for sure whether it's a fact or not, the same way religions do. I've also seen philosphies that do discuss how one should live their life & not just how they view it.

[MrgLvWsdm]

Because reason can lead you to acknowledge that something must be a mystery, and Faith allows you to embrace that mystery.

Reason has as its first duty to know its limits.

[Dave44]

Good question. The biggest reason is probably because a philosophy doesn't deal with religious text or leaders but general principles of life. For instance some Christians and Atheists might hold the views of Kants philosophy. The Christian will see God as unprovable but believe in God anyways while the Atheist will say its unprovable and see it as justification not to believe in God.

Also Philosphy is a science. Once you make certain basic assumptions you logically build a system of understanding the world. Religion says things are a certain way but doesn't go into the principles of how things are the way they are.

For instance: Aristotle believed that the relationship between the body and soul is that of form and matter. There is an incomplete essense when the form is detached from the matter. The Bible teaches that the soul will be seperated from the body at death. Both say that the person is incomplete without a body, but one explains it and the other just says it.

[Drew]

I wouldn't call philosophy a belief system.

To me, the main differences are this...

Religion- Answers are given to you and you spend your time trying to comprehend them.

Philosophy- You contemplate if there even are answers

[Yaoi Shonen-ai]

The best of philosophy dispells faith, and is opposed to the lay theology of Boethius, founder of the Scholastics, who taught Christians to "join" their faith to reason.
The best of philosophy keeps its powers of reason separate from faith. As William of Occam, the Franciscan theologian said, faith is faith and is all one has to connect people with their god.
Religion is the practice of acts of faith.
Philososophy is the practice of reason, because that is epistemological. In faith there is no epistemology.

[Studier Alpha]

Religion discusses how one should LIVE their life while philosophy discusses how one VIEWS life.

[mommymanic]

Technically religion leaves no room for questioning. You are taught and you believe. Philosophy allows the needed room to question before believing and requestion when confused of the beliefs.
Although they are both forms of belief... one belief system (religion) is more concrete, no room for alteration, set in stone.

[danny]

Although there are similarities, I think the main difference would be this. Everyone has a philosophy & it may include religious view. Mainly it is personal opinion. There is only one true religion. It may be debated which one that is, but that doesn't change the fact that their is only one what to God & that is through His Son Jesus Christ.

[bebendum]

I learnt that when Philosophers study religion(s), it's from an exterior point of view, so when a theologist (who is nearly always religious) studies God, a philosopher studies the evolution of human following the evolution of religion. Religious evolution is studied by anthropologists, psychologists, sociologists : a philosopher tries to do these three tings at the same time, that's why he is interested in religion.

[mentos]

they are in fact similar especially when you think of the life lessons given in both, but most philosophy's,don't talk about a higher power or an afterlife etc.,but rather concentrate on how one should view the world and it's experiences be it in a positive light or a negative one