irreligious vs. areligious persons

Great Debates
1

Technically this may be a General Question, but because it includes three controversial topics – religion, politics, and U.S. Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas – I’ve started it here, although the moderators may see fit to move it elsewhere.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court released a religious school funding decision. The newspaper included the following quote from an opinion written by Justice Thomas: “If the religious, irreligious and areligious are all eligible for governmental aid, [snip]”.

I cannot figure out what he didn’t just say “religious and non-religious”, but went out of his way to differentiate between the “areligious” and the “irreligious”. As far as I can tell, these terms are synonyms, and have been used as such on this message board.

Could somebody tell me how to tell the difference between someone who is “areligious” and someone who is “irreligous”? And is this a common distinction in, say, fundamentalist thought?

2

I believe “irreligious” refers to people without religion, whereas “areligious” refers to people against religion.

3

Actually, I was thinking that it’s the opposite. Atheist means not a theist – it doesn’t mean against theists. “Areligious” does not appear in my dictionary. “Irreligious” is defined both ways: “1 not religious; adhering to no particular religious belief 2 indiferrent or hostile to religion 3 not in accord with religious principles; profane; impious.”

I suspect, given Thomas’ leanings, that he was trying to make a statement about those who are AGAINST religion (in his opinion, which is usually whatever Scalia says).

4

I agree with David B (hey! maybe we’re long-lost relations!) on this one. Amoral means not moral, so areligious means not religous. I think irreligious in this context might mean irreverent toward religion.