Is Buddhism a religion or not?

 Many take on the Western idea of religion in that it must have a creator/overseer being. That, however is only part of the story. If we look legally, a religion is ' a sincere and meaningful belief that occupies in the life of its possessor a place parallel to the place held by God in the lives of other persons. ' (U.S. Supreme court). So therefore, Buddhism, Taoism, Atheism, and similar thoughts/practices are not a religion.

However in legal terms The Buddha takes place of 'God' for reasons of convenience.  A Buddhist group or temple can be a non-profit religious organization in this framework.  

But a great project by Ninian Smart, a pioneer in secular religious studies out of Scotland really nailed down an explanation of religion that does not have a creator nor overseer. He outlined seven dimensions of religion which I found quite interesting. 

They are; 

Ritual- repeated actions, words, like bowing, meditation and offerings. 

Materials- which include statues, places like centers, temples etc, items used in rituals etc

Social- roles of people in the organization, monks, nuns, abbots, ministers and the laity.

Experiential- the personal experience of the processes of ritual and participation along with the common findings of that with others. 

Myth stories- the deities, gods, devas, and demons that are used to explain phenomena and give a metaphorical explanation of spirituality and psychology. 

Ethics- the rules and guidelines of the group, culture and religion.  For example, the Eight Fold Path and the Vinaya rules.

Doctrine-this is the beliefs and meanings placed on all the previous dimensions to give a sense of continuity, tradition and structure.

All of which certainly Buddhism has. All forms of Buddhism that I am aware of have these. If you take the 'God' idea out of it, then you have a great format for understanding of what a religion really offers a community/individual.

It is an argument I have seen over and over in various forums, and even in the center I run. This is a good way to bridge that gap between what is 'spiritual' and what is religious. It also shows a guide for what a religion, cult, or 'way of being' might be. Surely cults can fit here, and of course the definitions of the dimensions are up for debate and I am sure some not so 'pious' people will and have found loopholes around these for personal gain.. Interesting none the less...