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originally posted by: DiaJax
a reply to: namelesss
Are you enticed by these elements?
originally posted by: madmac5150
I need no "go-between" to contact the Almighty.
originally posted by: DiaJax
a reply to: madmac5150
So your saying that religion is a physical institution, the buildings, books, and people. Whereas faith is your personal conviction to what you believe.
did I get that right?
I never really thought of faith as a separate element outside of religion.
So I just glanced through gnostic. This Is very interesting, I have never heard of this before.
I'll have to read some more
Religion
Definition: A form of worship. It includes a system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices; these may be personal, or they may be advocated by an organization. Usually religion involves belief in God or in a number of gods; or it treats humans, objects, desires, or forces as objects of worship. Much religion is based on human study of nature; there is also revealed religion. There is true religion and false.
Why are there so many religions?
A recent tabulation concluded that there are 10 main religions and some 10,000 sects. Of these, some 6,000 exist in Africa, 1,200 in the United States, and hundreds in other lands.
Many factors have contributed to the development of new religious groups. Some have said that the various religions all represent different ways of presenting religious truth. But a comparison of their teachings and practices with the Bible indicates, rather, that the diversity of religions is because people have become followers of men instead of listening to God. It is noteworthy that, to a large extent, teachings they hold in common, but that differ from the Bible, originated in ancient Babylon. (See pages 50, 51, under the heading “Babylon the Great.”)
Who is the instigator of such religious confusion? The Bible identifies Satan the Devil as “the god of this system of things.” (2 Cor. 4:4) It warns us that “the things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God.” (1 Cor. 10:20) How vitally important, then, to make sure that we really are worshiping the true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and that our worship is pleasing to him!
Are all religions acceptable to God?
...
BEWARE OF ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER
...Satan uses similar tricks in his attempts to divide and conquer...
...Test your defenses against satanic propaganda. Ask yourself: ‘What governed my thinking the last time I faced such a situation? Was it the world’s spirit or God’s spirit?’—Gal. 5:16-26; Eph. 2:2, 3.