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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/21/2006 6:58:55 AM | Who said it is necessary to go to the church? How do you know - whoever in charge there- got it right? Why poison your head with wrong interpretations?
If someone got the right meaning (message) and follows it - then their house can be holier than any so-called godly house IMO. It all depends on who is running the show there.
The most important aspect of a godly house is the person in charge. If that person is secretly involved in evil acts (like so many these days) then it would be a sin IMO to follow his lead. It is everyone’s job to check them out before listening to them.
If you don’t have time to check them out then it is important to make time. If you cannot make time then it is better to stay away and do your own thing at home.
Church is like a stadium. You can watch a game at home on TV or you can go and watch it at the stadium with many people. You might enjoy it more at the stadium because many people wish for the same end result as a group. Similarly when many people pray together – it is usually more spiritually satisfying. You can feel that your prayer became louder and stronger.
But the reality is (IMO) God can listen to whispers or even thoughts of any individual. So praying at the church or at home doesn’t make any difference in my opinion.
Religion is just a tool to help us try and stay on the right track (provided you have found the true religion). An organized religion is important if the people in charge collectively do good things and help people (i.e. spread the words of God, help people in need and so on). But if the organized religion declares war on people of other faith then who needs it? In that case an organized religion should be abandoned in my opinion. People should not support those organizations and so-called godly houses if that’s the case.
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/21/2006 10:09:31 AM | | There is nothing wrong with organized religion, if that's what you choose to partake of. Do we need it? I believe some do. Some need that constant guidance and support to stay on one track, or what they'd deem as the "right" track. Others, don't. And that's fine as well. My issues don't fall with organized religion anyways, but with some of the over the top religious folk representing it. Respect is the key to everything. | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/21/2006 12:19:45 PM | Are there still weak minded people who need someone to tell them what is 'right' and what is 'wrong'? Are the masses still in need of an opiate? Beyond the whole concept of the American Dream, do we as a society still need some sort of 'eternal riches' or 'eternal reward vs Eternal Damnation' motto to keep the have nots from killing off the haves? Are the majority of people unable to use post-conventional thinking? Are there people who want to believe that they belong to the "one true path" and will try to convince everyone else to koin them? Are there going to be people who want to run a business with a product that they don't need to prove that it works, a business at best case senerio runs only one day a week, and who get all their money tax free?
As long as the answers to any of those questions are 'yes', then we will have organized religion. | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/21/2006 10:14:11 PM | | organized religion is how one sets his/her bearings with respect to everyone else.....what path you take once this takes place is up to you! | |
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Breaca
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Joined: 10/26/2005
Msg: 9 | |
| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/22/2006 12:27:28 PM |
Why is it necessary to go to church if you believe in God and the Bible?
Does every organized religion have churches, God and the Bible? | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/22/2006 6:22:00 PM | OP, you ask why it is necessary to go to church if you believe in God and the Bible. Assuming you are asking from a Christian point of view, the answer is that God calls His people to be a part of His church.
The first duty of a church is the public corporate worship of the Living God. It is the highest privilege to be among those who are in attendance at a worship service. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks in Question 1: "What is the chief end of man?" A. To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Worship is the essence of heaven. Look at all the visions of heaven such as in Isaiah six. One thing you will note is that there is always continuous worship going on before the throne of God. The angels, the 24 Elders, the Four Living Creatures, and the Saints are all worshipping, singing praises to, and adoring God forever and ever in worship.
Secondly, the church is the body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, and what He died for. He is coming back to the Church! The scriptures were given to the Church. The Church has the authority to baptise and administer the sacraments. The orthodox position for hundreds of years has been that there is NO ORDINARY POSSIBILITY OF SALVATION apart from the Church. That is to say, if you can be a part of the Church and refuse to be, we would believe that you are not regenerate because God ALWAYS leads His elect to be a part of a church. We acknowledge that there are people who are Christians and who are not outwardly called and placed in a Church. That is in God's hands. (My views are the Reformed Faith, a.k.a. Calvinism. I am Presbyterian.)
Finally, a Christian needs to be in a church so that he can grow spiritually, be under the oversight of the elders as the New Testament commands, and enjoy the communion of the saints. God intends that our Christian life be full and rewarding and that we share our faith we like-minded believers. We need one another in good times and bad times. We need to pray for one another and help one another as well as enjoy get togethers and fellowship. When you refuse to be a part of a church, you cut yourself off from this valuable source of encouragement and friendship.
This is a vast topic, and I have only made a few points.
I met my best friend at church. We have so much in common that we are like two peas in a pod. The most important thing is that we share our faith! | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/22/2006 7:23:53 PM | I agree with Ceediff. Especially her last paragraph of "Finally, a Christian needs...".
People are under the impression that organized religion began with man. It began with God and was given to mankind to use to form a collective conscious of thought and faith from the old testamnet to the new testament.
It is not a matter that you "have" to belong to an organized religion. But if you would like to share your thoughts and faith with people of a like mind and recieve strength in what you believe through the unifying belief of others, an organized religion can be beneficial to your spiritual needs.
I think what Solitude said is so comparable to the post. Why marry and have kids or why marry at all when you can just live together or live together and have kids.
There is a structure to everything from the cells were made of to the way the seasons come and go. There is structure in spirituality also. You can find it if you seek it. | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/23/2006 11:04:46 AM | | Until man recognizes his actual potential, we will need organized religions and politicians and police and armies. We are so very very afraid of ourselves, of our aloness that we continue to have groups and affilations and so on anything to prevent us from being alone. | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/24/2006 2:57:29 AM | Oh boy , the topic of religion lol. Well I think religion is very confusing at times. I have studied on some different religions recently. It is funny, the majority of the world actually mocs the religion known as the Jehovah's Witness's by calling them a cult. They also get criticized for not being able to celebrate man made holidays. Aww poor people! U have so much fun in the world, and just cuz it is not okay to celebrate holidays u deny and defy everything eles the religion says! Now myself? I am not sure if I believe in the Jehovah's Witness's religion, although I have to give them credit! They are one of the most faithful religions in the world! I have been to their church meetings too, and they do not pocess qualities of a cult, except for the possible brainwashing element, but u know? Almost all religions r like that! People think we r supposed to have guidance from the priests of church so we can better ourselves, u know what I say? I say F*** the priests! These guys can't wait to get their filthy pedafiliac hands on poor innocent children! Religion is good if we all accept eachother as equal, but when there is a " high ranking person " in the group such as a priest, I think that is bs! We should seek the truth and us our own minds! Ask ourselves what is right! We all have instinct! When u r 7 years old and u and your friends see a dog being beaten mercilessly by his owner, u instinctively know it is very wrong! God gave us these traits! Along with the capabilities to love and hate. I truly believe if u are a great person. Help the weak(homeless/submissive) and love your friends and family to the fullest, and also accept your creator, u are being a very good person and god will embrace u for that! Love is such a powerful thing. It is almost like the aww of god itself. It's funny, I have even heard theories of talk about sex and the spiritual element in it. Some people believe the split seconds of people first reaching climax is the spiritual element of sex. Others, like me, believe when u are both breathing heavy, hugging eachother, staring into eachothers eyes and knowing their significant other completes u, is the way to know of a spiritual existence. This world is barbaric though. I do believe there will be some event(armageddon) occuring in the world. I also believe that it is coming pretty soon. After the 3rd world war occurs, and yes it will occur, it is fact! I know it is my opinion, but u know what? it is also fact! The world governments are creating their plan right now, and they are simply laughing to near death, becuz the public is so blind! It is really a shame. Oh well I guess only the few will realize the truth of the world. Hope u found this interesting. Take care all. Let peace and love shine in your lives! It is what the world needs bad!!  | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/25/2006 3:58:52 AM | There is no need for organised religion in any way shape or form, but if it helps some people i have no objection to it, although do not think children should be forced to chose to follow their parents religion before they are 18 and mature enough to do so.
What annoys me most is people who state they are a particular religion but break every rule the religion sets down.
A lot of my friends are Catholic because their parents were and they have subsequently forced their children to be christened and go to catholic schools (even though they hated attending them) because they think it makes them superior to others.
All of my friends have had sex outside of marriage with more than one partner, use contraception, some are racist and homophobic (love thy neighbour and all that). Could someone explain how you can call yourself something whilst breaking all the fundemental rules.
They have actually said to me that you can not be a moral person unless you believe in God, but then admit that I am much more moral than them, but i am the only exception to the rule. |In fact so moral they thought i was the best role model in their childrens life that they asked me (knowing I was a Athiest) to be their childrens godparent, which i obviously could not do without being a hypocrite. | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/25/2006 9:42:17 PM | | You ask a fair question Happy. Of course a person can have high morals and not be a religious person. In fact, some people never had problems with "bad" behavior at all until they became a Christian. Kind of leads one to believe that there is a foe out there who targets Christians to stumble. I cannot speak for Roman Catholics as their beliefs differ from basic Christianity, but the whole point of Jesus becoming a sacrifice for our sins is because we are not moral. Many deceive themselves into thinking Christianity is about keeping the 10 Commandments when it is not. The whole point is that we cannot keep the 10 Commandments and trust in Jesus who is the bridge between God and man. | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/25/2006 10:09:15 PM | Now, science is starting to explain things that we thought God would do. For example, they use to say thunder was when angels were bowling up in heaven, but then we found out it was positive and negatives charges.
Do you remember when you werea kid and you believed in the easter bunny, but then you found out it wasnt real. Then the same thing with the tooth fairy, then it was santa clause. Who do you think is next, it could be God. | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/26/2006 11:16:11 AM | | Mosher, do you want to tell us where at in the Bible it states that thunder is angels bowling? I cannot recall reading this. | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/26/2006 11:32:10 AM | | thanks for you reply, I dont have any problem with religion, just hate hypocrisy and always being condemned for not conforming to what all my friends believe and people thinking I am in a mad cult. Friends have told other friends I have been brainwashed because i made my own mind up and did not follow the religion of my family. If I can accept other peoples decison to believe i just expect the same tolerance for chosing not to. | |
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obliq
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Joined: 6/16/2006
Msg: 23 | |
| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/27/2006 9:17:59 PM | Turn your cereal bowl 180 degrees and it says oooooooooo. Freaky.
Everybody should know that to get real messages from God and/or the devil you have to eat Alphabits.
Mao Tse-dung said that religion was the opiate of the masses. Television then must be crack cocaine.
Organized religion is entirely unnecessary. Even Jesus in the New Testament said so. He advocated a personal and private communion with God. Organized religion equates to control of the uneducated masses by an elite (religious and/or otherwise). | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/28/2006 6:11:30 AM | | I believe organized religion has too much dogma in them especially the bible.I believe in God and Jesus but not what it says in the bible.God and Jesus don't have egos.If religion is supposed to be about Love and peace why does it have so much fighting,hate and jealousy.Why aren't people working on peace.Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.What is in the bible today was changed to control us all.Jesus did not die to save us all.Him dying for us will not save us.He came here to teach us about love and peace.He came here to tell us what God wanted us to do and that is not in todays bible.God and Jesus don't want us to worship them.The just want us to love and help each other.Most of the things written in the bible Jesus never said.Everything he said was passed along orally.Jesus didn't wand what he said written down and be misinterpreted.Jesus was just Gods messenger and all the holy people that were here before Him and after Him.He never believed in sacrifices either.In Genesis in the bible about Adam and Eve when they dosobeyed God He sent them out of the garden of Eden they lost the light that God gave them.It says that He made them like Him.God is Light and that is what he made them like.They became humans after he made them leave the garden of Eden.After awhile while Adam cried about the darkness God had pity for him and created the sun.God promised Adam that he was going to visit them in the flesh of his seed and teach them the New Way so they can go back to the Garden where there would be no darkness anymore.When Jesus came this is what he came for.To teach us how to get our souls back to where we started.Jesus said follow me to the light.Jesus taught the people that were ready how to use the Sun to get the spirit back to the original light which is God.When Jesus came to earth He came here to teach the Secret Teachings.He was with the Essenes who taught him natural physics.The Essenes where persecuted by the Jews and the Romans.After Christ was crucified they hid their knowledge that was written down in symbols that were only understood by them.Most of what they taught was done orally and passed down through history by the few that were left behind.It is still kept a secret among them and taught only to the ones that are ready.Some of this info was found in Peru.There are digs going on there still.The last one I know about was done in 2001.Explorations have been done about this for over 30 years now. | |
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| Do We Need Organized Religion Today?
Posted: 6/16/2009 12:05:52 PM | Why is it necessary to go to church if you believe in God and the Bible?
The Bible suggests "Fellowship." I tried to go to church but didn't find any fellows.
I believe in my God, and my interpretation of the Bible. If I find any "like minded fellows," we would start an Ecclesia. I haven't found any who understand the metaphors, so I became a Shaman, ie. a spiritual man without an ecclesia.
I found a bunch of Hucksters trying to push a trinity and articles of faith on me, IMO. Go to church if that is what you want. A bunch of people saying "do unto others" and then looking down their noses at everybody who doesn't march to the beat, IMO. Jesus supplied all of the rules of morality in two laws. Just follow those two, and you can't go wrong, IMO.
Big Secret of my faith: He said "Love Thy God" not "Love the Catholic God, or Other God", not "The god of the old testament" but "THY GOD" | |
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