not religious like their parents

[navi tasan]

1) They are not religious like their parents.
2) They are not religious, like their parents.

I think '1' could mean:
a) Their parents are/were religious, but they are not.
or:
b) They are not religious in the same way/to the same extent as their parents are/were.

Is that correct?

I think '2' only means:

c) Like their parents, they are not

Is that correct?

If I am correct, then the comma changes the meaning completely.

 

[Tarheel]

1. Are their parents religious? Probably.
2. Are their parents religious? Maybe. Maybe not.

The comma makes a difference. It leads me to change my approach somewhat. However, I still don't know enough to confidently draw any conclusions.

 

[Skrej]

I would interpret #1 only as option a). I agree with you on #2. It's not so much that the comma actually changes the meaning, it just restricts the meaning and removes ambiguity.

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you very much, Skrej,

I thought #2 meant that their parents were not religious and they weren't either!!!

PS. In my original question I had written:
c) Like their parents, they are not

it should have been:

c) Like their parents, they are not religious.

 

[Kontol]

I would interpret #1 only as option a). I agree with you on #2. It's not so much that the comma actually changes the meaning, it just restricts the meaning and removes ambiguity.

Hello, Skrej. Why don't you use "will" in "I  would interpret #1 ..."?

 

[Skrej]

Hello, Skrej. Why don't you use "will" in "I  would interpret #1 ..."?

See the answer teechar gave you in post #3 here.