Is there a word similar to patriotism that refers to one's religion? (Rather than love for one's nation.)
Jihadist groups believe that their movement is backed by ________, just as the Sons of Liberty back their movement with patriotism.
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Not in the way you ask, there isn’t. The alternative to patriotism could be substituted for patriotism. You seem to seek a word which wholly differently, might in another context follow the same rules as patriotism. Could you ask yourself what patriotism did for the Sons of Liberty? What you seem to be looking for is understanding of both patriotism and religious fundamentalists, in this case Jihadist groups. While it’s true the dictionary or thesaurus you need will be on steroids, it will still be a dictionary or thesaurus that you need.– Robbie GoodwinCommented Dec 14, 2017 at 20:48
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1I’m voting to close this question because though it gives us an example sentence, it does not give us information about the word's connotation, which I'd consider an important aspect of the question.– HeartspringCommented May 14, 2023 at 20:47
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3The word is religion. Something being one's nation does not logically entail that one is particularly devoted to it, and that's why we have a distinct word, patriotism, for devotion to one's nation. On the other hand, if something is really one's religion, then it follows that one takes it seriously, that it plays an important role in one's life, etc. (Yes, I know that this should be posted as an answer, but the question is closed, in spite of being reasonable, and deserving a reasonable answer.)– jsw29Commented May 14, 2023 at 21:34
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Roughly: Patriotism is the love of and devotion to a nation; Religion is the love of and devotion to god. The question is therefore ill-posed, paralleling religion with nation rather than with patriotism. Although in this way I reach the same conclusion as @jsw29, I do not see it as a reason for re-opening.– AntonCommented May 15, 2023 at 7:22
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Agreeing with jsw29 here. Besides, from the context I think the intended meaning is clear enough to allow for meaningful answers.– JoachimCommented May 15, 2023 at 9:37
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2 Answers
In the context of the sentence, I think 'religious faith,' 'religious devotion,' and 'divine command' work. 'Piety' is also a word analogous to patriotism.
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Piety is a good start in the thesaurus, or something like devoutness. Zeal is also commonly used of religion but is a bit more general. Without knowing exactly what the OP wants, it's hard to be preciser.– Stuart FCommented May 15, 2023 at 10:24
The answer is, to put it somewhat paradoxically, religion.
Patriotism is a set of emotions and attitudes, which involves devotion, loyalty, and support, towards one's own nation. Let's abbreviate that, for the purposes of this answer, by saying that it is devotion to one's own nation. The question then seeks a word for a similar devotion to one's own religion.
There is, however, a difference between a nation and a religion in what makes each of them one's own. What makes a nation one's own is a combination of facts regarding one's birth, upbringing, and citizenship. One can readily acknowledge such biographical facts about oneself without feeling any devotion to the nation. Identifying a nation as one's own on some bureaucratic form, or presenting its passport, is compatible with having lukewarm feelings, complete indifference, and even hatred towards it. Because all that is possible, we have a distinct word, patriot, for those whose who do feel devotion to their nations.
If a particular religion is one's own, that, on the other hand, means that one believes that its teachings are true. Now, religious teachings, by definition, concern matters of tremendous importance; it is in their nature that one cannot accept them as true and be indifferent to their truth. If one accepts that a particular religion is true, that is bound to play a significant role in one's life. Being religious involves both accepting it as true and being devoted to it; these two aspects of being religious are not distinct in the way in which a devotion to a nation is distinct from acknowledging it as one's nation. Because of that, there is no need in the case of religion for a distinct word that would be analogous to patriotism.