Andrew Byers:

The Spiritual/Not Religious category is not only insufficient for our sin-streaked realm; it is also grossly unoriginal. A spirituality divorced from communal life and eviscerated of a deep tradition is a predictable product of secular American consumer culture. It’s custom-made, says Daniel, for a “bland majority of people who find ancient religions dull but find themselves uniquely fascinating.”

Firstly, you’ve gotta appreciate a good zinger. Secondly, while a lot of SNR themes tend to reflect bright-sided rationalism too much for my taste, I think it might be too early to dismiss it as insufficient. Time will tell. I think the neither-fish-nor-fowl, hybrid nature of the phenomenon indicates the fact that many people still have yet to fully grasp the significance of Jefferson’s razor.