I would argue the label of religion being applied to Taoism. Even more than NA Naturalism it is more of a worship of process. That worship is based on a universally equalizing and organically significant idea which makes Taoism more of a practice. In the same way that one would be serving law by being a Lawyer but with nicer intentions.

@rainmanjr I disagree.

@barjoe Then Atheism is also a religion, by your own definition.

@rainmanjr Atheism is a lack of belief in gods.

Not all philosophy is bullshit. It is a search for some kind of meaning. Religion tries to employ philosophy. But it couples that with directives to accept certain things on faith. It turns to ritual and appeals to authority figures and uses community pressure for conformity. All that can be bullshit. The philosophy part may be, but is not necessarily. For that reason, there can be some wisdom within a religious teaching(co-existing with the "bullshit" parts) if there is merit in the underlying philosophy.

Taoism, Native American Belief ( actually a Philosophical system of thinking and Living in fact), etc, are NOT classified as a Religious Belief System EXCEPT by the Religious Belief Systems themselves.
Like Atheism, they too are a Philosophic Though system just as was the Buddhist system when it first became known.
Modern Religions ALWAYS seek to DEFINE everything that does NOT fit neatly in to their little system as being a System of Belief that requires the follower to hold to there being numerous FALSE Gods, Deities, etc, etc, BECAUSE it, in their tiny minds, JUSTIFIES completely the ARROGANCE of their own beliefs.

@Triphid Atheism of not a philosophic anything. It's not an organized belief system. It's a rejection of belief. It's not the arrogance of religion that's the issue, it's the fact that they are false.

@MikeInBatonRouge There is no meaning.

@barjoe we find our own. Philosophy is a discussion on that process.

@barjoe And may one enquire as how long your cranial cavity has been so firmly wedge between the two mounds of your Backside cheeks?

@Triphid Being an atheist is an individual thing. Life is basically meaningless when all said and done. It's a temporary consciousness. When we cease to exist it's as of we never did. If my head's up my ass it doesn't matter and if it does now it won't later.

@barjoe But is not the Concept/Ideology of Atheism, which I have been an Atheist since I was approx. 9 years of age btw, a form of Philosophical Thought/Thinking?
I.e. A person reads, hears, etc, etc, about this Ideology that a Supreme Entity (God) exists SOMEWHERE in the Skies, it is Invisible, Unheard, Intangible BUT it EXISTS because others say it is so.
So that self-same person sits, thinks, questions, cogitates and, believe it or NOT, that is what REAL Philosophy is and how it comes about.
Now I am, here, referring to the Ancient Philosophers of Greece and how their style, the TRUE style btw, of Philosophy worked and came into being, NOT what has been erroneously labelled as Modern Philosophy.

@Triphid Greek philosophy is fine if you're interested in that stuff. It has nothing to do with disbelief in supernatural nonsense.

@barjoe Sorry but many an ancient Greek Philosopher ran afoul of their own fellow Greeks by merely questioning, i.e. philosophising as to whether or not the Gods of Olympus actually existed or not.

@Triphid I'm sure that many Greek philosophers were atheist. That doesn't mean study of Greek philosophy is protocol to have zero beliefs. It's not.

@xenoview More specifically, atheism is disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings. I suppose it can be said that Tao is a supreme entity and that would be theistic.

@xenoview, @Gwendolyn2018 They do have a difficult time. I am trying to make it better known as I better understand it because that's just what I do. However, I do think it is benign and one of our nation's biggest problems is a unifying belief in anything.

@rainmanjr In actual fact, IF you were to fully read up on Taoism and the concept/s of it you would find that there is NO Supreme Entity as such, but ONLY the Universe, or the Cosmos in other words, to which the Taoists believe that the spirit inhabiting every living thing eventually return and re-joins with after corporeal death .
Within the Doctrines it is also stated that to gain Tao one must learn to live in harmony with ALL other living things, both the Great and the Small.

@barjoe And, may one honest enquire what educational experience/s you have with the Study of Philosophy perchance?

@Triphid We say inquire here in the states. Are you a pompous ass perchance?

@Triphid I have read that. There is no "Doctrine" other than The Tao te Jing and the Universe itself.

@rainmanjr Technically speaking ANYTHING either given in wring, verbally, passed in any type/kind of documented form is a Doctrine.
Ergo, the bible is a BOOK of Doctrines for the Christian Church, the Koran is ALSO a book of Doctrines for the Islamic Faith, and so on and so forth.
And, btw, so I your Constitution, so is the Constitution of my country and that of almost every other country as well.

@barjoe No Oh wise Knuckle-dragger and Fuck-Knuckled One, I am an Australian, born, raised and living here.
Yes, I fully realise that you Seppos THINK you are standing up against England and the English Language by your, imo, RIDICULOUS spellings, etc, BUT instead you are litle more than an International Laugh Stock, a very Piss Poor Joke amongst the rest of the world, including those who hate the U.S.A. the most.

@Triphid Yet you, as a wannabe Brit, still live here Champ.

@barjoe No, you've barked up the wrong Gum tree yet again Oh wise and well practised Fuck-Knuckled One.
Australian through and through, no time at all Mother Pommie-land, the Queen and her Brood of In-bred Parasites, my opinion of them of course, just the same stands for self-righteous Seppos like yourself as well btw.
Oh, and for your Edification, SEPPO/s is an AUSTRALIAN slang DEROGATORY term for those who hail from the Untied State of Absurdity, it is derived from the words Septic Tank, aka, a Seppo tank, meaning NOTHING good goes in and NOTHING good comes out of it as well.
Have nice life Seppo, don't forget to wipe, shit sticks even to numb-nuts with pink skin in their Profile photos btw.

@Triphid Your anger must be an indication of your brilliant educational background into the study of philosophy.

@barjoe Guess what, I kicked her OUT for being unfaithful NOT the other way around.
Now, it Bye Bye to Knuckle-dragging barjoe, live long live trouble free and enjoy being yourself as the Ancient Chinese curse goes.