Help me understand being religious

[JSF]

Atheism is a crutch for people that cant own up to their sins.IMO

-Jeff-

 

[Sapper740]

Religion is a crutch for weak people. IMO[/QUOTE If God makes his presence obvious to you, then what would you call ignoring him? Being strong?

 

[Dawico]

Religion is a crutch for weak people. IMO

On the surface this statement shocks me. But with a deeper look I see that I actually agree.

Religion is a way for people to show their beliefs with help and guidance from others. Strong people don't really need the help. They may use it, but would be okay without it also.

Religion and spirituality are two different things. Each individual must decide for themselves and follow their own path.

The Catholic church is a good example of religion gone wrong. On the other hand I have known a few Catholic priests that embody the true spirituality that a person should strive for. But honestly, it is like finding an honest used car dealer.

On a side note, IBTL.

 

[benenglish]

On a side note, IBTL.

OT Warning -

The discussion has been civil for more than 4 hours. Once again, the denizens of this forum have shown they are able to discuss things about which they disagree without being little whiny tantrum-throwers who must be placed in a time out. That's why I like this place.

A lock may come later but that doesn't change the fact that on most forums the trolls, idiots, and griefers would have forced a thread like this to be locked hours ago.

There's a better quality of people around here.

 

[itchin]

Religion is a no no. Please lock this thread.

 

[vmax]

I can offer some comments about being a follower of Jesus Christ or a Christian. Not as a name plate on a form, but in your heart or hearts.
Martin Luther the German Monk, wondered himself how a man can be justified before God. He honesty saught answers in the scriptures and it was revealed to him. "The just shall live by faith"

Faith in Christ and that alone is what saves a man from his sins and from a devil's hell.

You don't even need to produce the faith, if you ask , God will give you the faith.
The Salvation of a man comes down from God. All the man has to do is ask for and accept it.


When Nickodemus came to Christ in John chapter 3, Jesus told him "Ye must be born again"
if you search that out, it also means. "You must be born from above"
Jesus Christ was the sacrifice for all the sins of mankind, past present and future. If you come to Him honestly, He will meet you in a split second. You can't bring along with you anything you have done yourself to merrit favor, because your best works add up to filthy rags, the Bible says.

When a man ask Christ to save him, his soul is regenerated instantly and your are indwelled with the Holy Spirit. The Spririt will comfort and guide you into all truth. After this takes place it is God's will that you be part of a body of belivers and that you work together to spread the message and teach others and make other believers.

Sometimes a small child can understand savation better than an adult, because the older we get, the more complicated we want to make it out to be.

No religous label like Baptist, or Cathoic can save a man. You will be judged on whether you know Christ as your saviour, not the church you attended on Easter and Christmas. There are alot of people who attend a church on a regular basis who are not true believers. Some are playing games with God.

 

[benenglish]

Religion is a no no.

I don't see that here: http://www.texasguntalk.com/forums/code-conduct/64-forum-rules-code-conduct.html

Is it somewhere else?

BTW - If you really want a lock, feel free to hit the little triangular "Report Post" icon. I've found the mods to be very responsive.

 

[vmax]

There's a better quality of people around here.

yes there is

 

[Dawico]

OT Warning -

The discussion has been civil for more than 4 hours. Once again, the denizens of this forum have shown they are able to discuss things about which they disagree without being little whiny tantrum-throwers who must be placed in a time out. That's why I like this place.

A lock may come later but that doesn't change the fact that on most forums the trolls, idiots, and griefers would have forced a thread like this to be locked hours ago.

There's a better quality of people around here.

Oh, I agree completely.

We used to have a religion section but it got nixed because of bickering turning into personal attacks.

I hope the thread stays civil but some topics just tend not to.

 

[Sugar Land]

It was a no no with the old management. Hopefully it will continue with the new management.

 

[breakingcontact]

It was a no no with the old management. Hopefully it will continue with the new management.

Why? You dont like it...dont participate in it.

You've got to know when to use a Bible and when to use a rifle.

 

[breakingcontact]

Religion is a no no. Please lock this thread.

Why are you so eager to silence people? Dont like the thread...dont read it.

You've got to know when to use a Bible and when to use a rifle.

 

[breakingcontact]

God desires for us to have faith no be "religious".

You've got to know when to use a Bible and when to use a rifle.

 

[breakingcontact]

I didn't grow up in the Church. So I understand how some dont "get it". I didnt either for most of my life. But once that switch was flipped there is no shutting it off.

You've got to know when to use a Bible and when to use a rifle.

 

[rsayloriii]

God desires for us to have faith no be "religious".

You've got to know when to use a Bible and when to use a rifle.

Which is why I said there's a difference between believing and being religious. Believing just means that you have faith that something else is there even if it is not tangible. To be religious, however, you have to have a religion, which is a standardized way of believing. You can believe without being religious, but you cannot be (truly) religious without believing. Of course there are those out there that are "religious" but don't truly believe in order to persuade you into doing something or out of something ($).

 

[breakingcontact]

Which is why I said there's a difference between believing and being religious. Believing just means that you have faith that something else is there even if it is not tangible. To be religious, however, you have to have a religion, which is a standardized way of believing. You can believe without being religious, but you cannot be (truly) religious without believing. Of course there are those out there that are "religious" but don't truly believe in order to persuade you into doing something or out of something ($).

Not what im saying but understand your point.

You've got to know when to use a Bible and when to use a rifle.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

.The Catholic church is a good example of religion gone wrong.

I would say it's the opposite. It's a good example of everything's that right about religion. People may disagree with the beliefs but we don't sway with the wind. Right and wrong are right and wrong, not a public opinion poll.

 

[atticus finch]

On the surface this statement shocks me. But with a deeper look I see that I actually agree.

Religion is a way for people to show their beliefs with help and guidance from others. Strong people don't really need the help. They may use it, but would be okay without it also.

Religion and spirituality are two different things. Each individual must decide for themselves and follow their own path.

The Catholic church is a good example of religion gone wrong. On the other hand I have known a few Catholic priests that embody the true spirituality that a person should strive for. But honestly, it is like finding an honest used car dealer.

On a side note, IBTL.

What the Catholic church is a good example of is people who failed to live up to the standards or guidelines of that particular faith. It's an incorrect viewpoint to judge a given faith by the failures of the people who ascribe to it. Nowhere within the Catholic faith or Christianity in general, do the tenets of Christianity allow or condone the moral failures of the people within that faith as exemplified by the actions of those priests and those who covered those things up.
Judge Christianity by it's tenets, not the human failures of it's adherents. Father Kolbe, mother Theresa, Albert schweitzer, those are three examples of people who adhered to the tenets of Christianity. Those priests who engaged in perversion and those who covered (lied in essence <which is specified against in the 10 commandents) for them are not a good example of the tenets of Christianity.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

Some terminology is confused here I think. Different "religions" aren't just different ways of worshipping God. Different religions have different beliefs/faiths.

There are varying commonalities but they actually all have different "platforms" for lack of a better word. In the Catholic Church we have the catechism and canon law. It very specifically lays out what it means to be Catholic. Other denominations have similar platforms.

People get caught up in earthly things like the music or what the people look like or any multitude of other things that don't matter at all. The other difficulty is when you meet people who claim to be a certain religion but don't live it.

We've had some people in leadership positions not living the Catholic faith. Those people are not examples of what's wrong with Catholicism; they're examples of hypocrites who claim to be Catholic but ARENT (e.g. Pelosi, pedophile priests, etc). Other denominations have had similar "fallen leaders."

These people drive folks away from what could otherwise be a great way for them to know God through the church. That's why excommunication is taken so seriously.

I'm Catholic because I believe the catechism of the church is right, not because I like the way the church looks or what kind of music is played.

Being religious isn't about feeling good on earth once a week. It's about knowing what you believe and putting it into action as were asked to do.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

Well said. Our posts crossed paths.