Tell The Whole World Now Christianity Is Not A Religion!!!

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Animus27

[bolded mine] Such generalizations about 'religion' are rarely accurate. I think some Westerners are too attached to the assumption that religion = Christianity and The Church™ (and even then only a particular form of it, at times), when it in fact does not.

That's fair, my understanding of religion is primarily Christianity. I'm sure all religions have different problems because we're all human, but I'm just seeing it from a Western perspective.

Ever feel like you're in a circle that's going nowhere?

[Triner]

Originally Posted by Seawolf

The personal part of religion, where we love God and have hope and joy inside seems to be a contrast of what we see on the outside, in religious groups and in ourselves.

Religion seems to be ok with judging ourselves and others, feeling guilt and blaming, and then thinking we have God in our lives. In our flawed thinking we show this hateful behavior, which is in contrast to the peace, joy, and kindness we experience with God personally in our hearts.

I think part of the problem is our dualistic way of looking at life. It teaches us to fear and hate what's inside and forcing us to put on a mask of holiness for fear of judgment.

In churches I noticed everyone looked and acted their best to fit in. The dark side was always hidden. One of the best things I learned is to try to remember to love all parts of me equally, not to hate the 'sin' inside, but to totally accept it, which integrates and allows God to wash the sin. The truth is that sin is just thoughts inside of us, it's not bad or evil and there is no such thing as God's righteous judgement of sin.. The punishment is that it keeps repeating. It repeats because we never allowed God to love and accept that part of us.

I want to quote this just because I really like what you said...

[Lightspirit]

To me religion is a set of practices and traditions.

Yeah its a religion, but not always..Look at my signature. I don't think it started out to be one.

Originally Posted by TeeHee

Shame, because based on the criteria given, I'd hardly think that I'd believe either. I do appreciate that you shared how you were lost by "the Bible is inspired" perhaps you can give definition and meaning to what exactly inspiration of the Holy Texts is? I asked this question in a different post and nobody successfully answered the question, but some spewed out personal dribble onto the internet without concern for wasting bandwidth!

The book "From God to us," goes into the process by which God gives His revelation. Touches on the false books and false writings, and introduces external, internal, and bibliographical tests. This is recommended reading for a college level hermeneutics course that I am currently under taking. In the next following weeks we will also subject a book such as the Gospel of Thomas to a "lab" in finding why the book was rejected.


Tons of great information are found within the pages of this book. It was just a recommendation, and I could not care less to go into why anyone accepts or rejects the Bible at this time, or gives credence to any other books, articles, or Tv documentaries (there must be a level of "faith," or a process used to determine whether historical or scientific facts support the Bible's authenticity or credibility)-- with all due respect, I am merely pointing to a book that goes into what determines canonicity.

Don't we all "spew(ed) out personal dribble" in our own way? Kind of the point of forums, no?

In this case the phrase "the Bible is inspired" simply means it's actually a message from god or the demigod character which in this case is Jesus.
Rather than just copied from previous mythology.
The circular logic is saying "it must be inspired because it says so".

Obviously most mythology also claims to be divine text so under that logic most mythology would have to be true. For a Christian reader that logic would work fine because they already assume Christianity is true. But for someone just interested in historical fact it wouldn't work.

Just the same if you saw a book that said it could prove Norse mythology is true. Then inside the book it says "We know Thor was actually a son of a god because it says so in the Norse scriptures".

We do not actually know what actually determined canonicity. You would have to go back in time at the LEAST to the Council of Nicea and find out the real reasons why they chose certain text over others. Roman history doesn't say why, they just declared what they wanted to be canon and the rest was made heresy, illegal, destroyed and that was it.
In 12 AD thr Roman Catholic church was founded and they made a creed that basically said "we are just going to assume the scripture Rome chose is the exact and only truth and we will never track down all the other stuff or give any consideration to the fact that there were many other versions of Christian mythology"


Or are you asking me what I think inspired the creation of Christian scriptures? The question you ask can be interpreted in a bunch of ways so it's confusing to me.

The religion that is loving God, others, self, and our enemies and loving as Christ loves us has nothing to do with judging.

God showed me Sin (that is, sinful orientation,not any particular misdeed) is a spiritual sixkness. I loved my little children when they were sick just as much as when they were well. I loved them, but hated and tried to cure the illness.
I see no reason God should love our Sin sickness. Though he loves us in spite of our sickness. He shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Mary Baker

The religion that is loving God, others, self, and our enemies and loving as Christ loves us has nothing to do with judging.

God showed me Sin (that is, sinful orientation,not any particular misdeed) is a spiritual sixkness. I loved my little children when they were sick just as much as when they were well. I loved them, but hated and tried to cure the illness.
I see no reason God should love our Sin sickness. Though he loves us in spite of our sickness. He shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

Thanks for sharing that. The part that doesn't make sense to me is, I would never say to a child 'I love you in spite of your sickness'. I feel sorry for any child was talked to that way and the parent as well. Actual love would say something more like 'I love all of you, nothing could ever make me stop loving you.'

Of course I never said to my children that I loved them in spite of thier sickness nor did God say that to me. He simply made me aware of his unconditional love and his sorrow that I was ill and offered me salvation. It is difficult or impossible to verbalize spiritual awareness in human "noises" we use for language. God showed me my spiritual illness as a sore devouring my flesh. He saved me and gave me a healthy heart. Much too simplistically, I chose to eat the green apple, God cured my indigestion. :>)

Like a good parent Our Father hates sin but loves the sinner enough to die for. Jesus is the Great Physician who came to heal sin sickness., As he said, the well have no need of a physician.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by Mary Baker

Like a good parent Our Father hates sin but loves the sinner enough to die for. Jesus is the Great Physician who came to heal sin sickness.,

I agree there's a problem in me that's like a sickness, and believe in the willing Physician... the love that is willing to sacrifice, to do anything for someone is very powerful. I think Psychoslice understands it really well.

To me there's nothing that can separate us from the healer because he/she is inside of us and part of us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. It's like the love of a parent for a child. The Father, Mother, the parent, child, and the sin are all inside of us. I think that's a really good thing because I don't have to go far to find anything.

[Morpheus]

Originally Posted by ciel_perdu

I agree that Christianity as Jesus taught it was not, and is not, a religion. Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. A spiritual Kingdom that rules in the hearts of those who follow Christ.

Many people today constantly confuse the two. When one hears of Jesus or his teachings, they think ''ah, just more religion''. But really, they couldn't be further from the truth.

It is however convenient to see Jesus' teachings as just more religion in a ocean of religiosity, because then people can just operate on a 'my opinion vs. your opinion'' level.

There really is truth out there, real truth that we all can follow. It's not a religion, it's a spiritual Kingdom, that we have a responsibility to find and submit ourselves to.

Actually, when one studies, one will find that all religions agree in their essence. Things tend to go awry in the interpretation though, having to do with imperfect humanity.
They all, at their essence teach Truth.
In the Judeo/Christian faith, Jesus Christ is the incarnation of Truth.

God is Truth.