"Religion is the belief ABOUT the existence of a superhuman power."
(As opposed to IN the existence of a superhuman power.)

No, it's not. By your definition, if I'm a Protestant, and I don't
believe in Thor, by virtue of that belief about Thor, now I'm a beliegver
(believer) in Norse mythology. That's simply silly.

There is a difference between saying, "I believe there is no god,"
and "I do not have within me the belief in the existence of a god." The
latter is not a belief in, or about, any kind of power; it is the total
absence of belief. You cannot turn that into a religion, no matter how
many times you repeat your thesis.

jms

Sorry, Kristin, I won't be put into your box. You say some
comparative religion studies include Dianetics. A professor can choose
to include or exclude anything he or she wants. What's it to me? And
yes, parts of Shinto don't involve god, but parts do.

Most significantly, howver, ALL the examples you cite to me DO
believe in a superhuman power...specifically, a soul, which is reborn in
one way or another in all the beliefs you named. So the definition still
applies.

jms