I've already put the theory out there that the I Ching is inherently a religious book

I've already put the theory out there that the I Ching is inherently a religious book — Gregory

Justify it. I've put the theory out there that you are a religious person, justified by your obsession with religion as evidenced on this thread. What does the I Ching say that is religious?

Wikipedia says the I Ching is an "inspiration to the worlds of religion, philosphy," ... It also says right at the start that it is partially a cosmological text! Therefore it should be studied with the scientific method, which people on this thread have tried to do

Gregory. I asked what the I Ching says that is religious, not what wikipedia says that is religious. It's not a hard question, because it is quite short and well out of copyright and numerous translations are available. If you are interested in the topic, at least have the decency to clarify what you mean by 'religious' by quoting the text we are discussing. If you are not interested in ancient texts or Chinese traditions, by all means don't discuss them. Other topics are available.

You've been very defensive on this thread. My sole point in the post earlier is that modern people are accused of being overly rationalistic, when in reality religious people try to rationalize every thing too, the I Ching being a perfect example. (I only consider it a religious text because it seems plagued with apophenia)

I don't discourage you from reading those books though. If there is something to it, maybe you'll be the one to figure it out

You've been very defensive on this thread. — Gregory

When I have studied something a little, and have a certain respect for it, I like to defend it, quite unnecessarily, from people like you who think they know better without having even looked at the text. I have no ambition to be the one who figures anything out. I accuse "modern people", including you and other contributors here, of of a complacent arrogance that presumes to pronounce on things they know nothing about on the basis that anything old is bound to be superstitious nonsense. I'm not defensive at all, I'm attacking ignorance.

Mang (hexagram4) (indicates that in the case which it presupposes) there will be progress and success. I do not (go and) seek the youthful and inexperienced, but he comes and seeks me. When he shows (the sincerity that marks) the first recourse to divination, I instruct him. If he apply a second and third time, that is troublesome; and I do not instruct the troublesome. There will be advantage in being firm and correct. — I Ching

(Legge translation)

Well I'm sorry if I did anything wrong. I have a very religious side and a very secular side. Jungian psychology might say my Ego is somewhere in the middle

It's All Connected:What links creativity, conspiracy theories, and delusions? A phenomenon called apophenia.

Good read.

The want of good understanding between the (different classes of) men in Phi, and its indication as unfavourable to the firm and correct course of the superior man; with the intimation that the great are gone and the little come:'—all this springs from the fact that in it heaven and earth are not in communication with each other, and all things in consequence do not have free course; and that the high and the low (superiors and inferiors) are not in communication with one another, and there are no (well-regulated) states under the sky. The inner (trigram) is made up of the weak and divided lines, and the outer of the strong and undivided: the inner is (the symbol of) weakness, and the outer of strength; the inner (represents) the small man, and the outer the superior man. Thus the way of the small man appears increasing, and that of the superior man decreasing. — 12 distress, obstruction

Legge translation.

That's life (that's life), that's what all the people say
You're ridin' high in April, shot down in May
But I know I'm gonna change that tune
When I'm back on top, back on top in June — Frank Sinatra

:fire: