I haven’t been able to read the comments as often as I should, but I gather that Eric MacDonald and Ben Goren are at each other’s throats about whether religion has value apart from its truth claims, whether it’s a “way of knowing,” and, whether religion is a “superstition.” Eric maintained that religion wasn’t a superstition, which prompted me to look up “superstition” in the Oxford English Dictionary, largely seen as an authority on meaning. (Yes, I know, à la Pinker, that usages change.)

Now I know this is largely a semantic issue, but have a look at the following definitions—every one that pertains to this issue—and decide for yourself. Then vote below (of course nobody’s gonna say “yes” or “no”: there will be explanations and qualifications.

I’ve cut and pasted them directly from the dictionary.

JAC: note how, in the last definition, religion is given a pass, but the exception is telling: