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Yes. I understand what you are saying.
I think though that we should help each other with this -
not look to something otherworldly and certainly not look to organized religions that use sin, heaven, hell or virgins to get people to do what they consider "right".
This IS sinful. It's pretend and it perpetuates fear and guilt.
We can teach each other without the use of a diety.
We already ARE what we are striving to find in a diety.
We can slow down and appreciate life and treat each other with respect.
Look into a baby's eyes - hug a dog - kiss your kids - meditate.
Love is in everything.
I do understand what you are saying.
What I am saying is take it out of the magical.
We ARE already magical.
Originally posted by dr annunaki
reply to post by Alienmojo
Are humans weak and stupid?
Why do we need religion to help and guide us? Please god help with this and that. Please god don't let this and that happen. Do you honestly think he's up there pulling at strings of life.
The bible is made up of 66 books that have been re-written many times!! And changed here and there to suit.
Religion can be used to manipulate to easy, it holds us back and dumbed down. It's a weakness. end of.
Originally posted by Alienmojo
reply to post by spinkyboo
Thanks for your input Spinky. I think we'd make great neighbors
Originally posted by rihred0
she knew that she would only be able to help a few of them in her life, so instead of helping a hundred in her lifetime, she sat down to pray every night.... Let me just guess something here - she will help no other than her self in her lifetime. That's a selfish choice to make, which is the direct in opposite of what she believes in, in the first place.
It's not just the nun, it's every christian I've met so far, every muslim, jew etc. Religion is in my eyes the most selfish and decadent way of life someone can choose.
Originally posted by Alienmojo
Originally posted by John Matrix
Originally posted by Alienmojo
Originally posted by John Matrix
Sorry I never said anything about True Religion. True religion does not proceed from the fallen nature, it proceeds from the Holy Spirit. Those who accept the Spirit understand what I said is precisely what true religion consists of: because all that the scriptures say concerning true religion is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit which transmits the divine nature of God to us and through us. So all acts of love, charity, looking after widows and orphans, etc. is a manifestation of the Divine Nature by the power of the Holy Spirit working through us.
[edit on 24-12-2008 by John Matrix]
[edit on 24-12-2008 by John Matrix]
Hey John, I like what you said. I may not understand it completely, but I like it. Let me ask you something. Could Christianity, in its most basic form, be a true religion that proceeds from the Holy Spirit? I consider myself a Christian... not Catholic, not Luthern, etc... I just follow Christ and try to live a Christ-like life...though I fail horribly, but I keep trying. Thanks for your post and input my brother.
The answer to your question is yes.
Rebirth, regeneration, redemption, spiritual baptism, sanctification, enlightenment, transformation, and illumination is the work of the Holy Spirit: all made possible by what Jesus accomplished on the cross, which he also did by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the incarnation of the divine nature of God. By submitting to the divine nature, one is by necessity obeying the Holy Spirit and showing faith in Christ, worshiping him, and demonstrating love for him.
Originally posted by JustInCase101
Religon causes wars, wars are fought in the name of religon to reliquish and turn people of other religons. anyone remember the crusades? catholic/christians against muslims/islamic people? i bet they still remember and its probably preached to them thats why they constantly yell holy war.
Originally posted by ZeroGhost
Religion does not necessarily have anything to do with spirituality. Religions are generalized agreements between people, who are not all spiritual. Some are politically or socially connected and assume the spiritual image as part of the "general" package.
Many a large church who found people would give their last dollar to help or support gods work would take advantage of these giving souls, and then took more for nothing but greed, a deadly sin! I know large churches who do good work and have helped me, and I help back. That is as it should be maybe.
We are still dealing with many weak links in the chain of man. We need much growing in our hearts and in our knowledge.
With all the deaths from "religious wars" outnumbering all the deaths of political and other wars, your statement might be contradictory.
With god in our hearts we can grow to our potentials. But God is everywhere, and not just in a church or a religion. Look in your heart. I would rather say;
"If mankind is to survive then God in our hearts should grow."
ZG
[edit on 12/24/2008 by ZeroGhost]
Originally posted by caballero
the unfortunate side effect of religion however is people tend to take it too seriously and use it to run their lives instead of guide it. Then they also try and force it to run others lives.
And yes world leader use religion to drive policy, for abortion good god fearing republicans are against it and prolife, evil atheists are for abortion. Religion has leaked into almost every facet of our daily lives, and the reason why thats a bad thing is because with religion it is never enough just to be living and trying to find your own path, you have to be following gods path only.
God cant just be, he has to be all. And that stops us from doing a lot of things we could do if god werent a problem, like stem cell research and smoking some cannabis. Stem cells could possibly solve a ton of human maladies but god has made it to were we will never know.
Its not god that we need at this point its spirituality. Open mindedness that will let us evolve and travel our own paths, instead of restricting us to one drull pathway that we've already been down.
[edit on 24-12-2008 by caballero]