Organized religion

I have recently been thinking about religion a lot lately. I have been to many different churches and tried to practice many different religions, but everytime I go to a church service and listen to someone trying to preach the Bible to me, something feels kinda off (it's hard to explain what it feels like). I have never completely read the Bible and I was wondering if anywhere in the texts it says that people should build temples and churches and gather in huge masses to worship, or if it was just something that happened when religion began to become organized.

(Sorry if this sounds kinda stupid, but I'm a newbie and this is my first time to make a post like this!)

I go to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka Mormon).

We are not an institution which has broken away from the Roman Catholic or any other church. We are not part of a reformation. We declare that this is a Restoration. The teachings and organization of the Church are as they were anciently.

Basically, we believe that we are the restoration of the Church that Jesus Christ was forming while He was upon this Earth.

Jesus Christ taught to pray in your closet. I truly believe that He would be against all of the different sects within the Christian religion. Just look at how many different divisions there are within the Protestant branch alone. I am in no way saying that these Churches are wrong, but I do not think that our Heavenly Father would want all of the divisions...

If you have any questions, leave them here or feel free to U2U me...

You don't need to go to church to be close to God.
A lot of people do it for a feeling of community. It's a personal experience and if the experiences you have while at church don't do it for you, don't worry, you don't need to be there to pray, or to be close with God.

A Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, had problems with the Danish Luterhan Church, and Christianity as an Institution. He felt that it was all a subjective feeling and the Churches were corrupt. You should read some of his stuff sometime. It's beautiful stuff, even for those non-christians.

kierkegaard


kierkegaard again

I am going to have to agree with parrhesia. Why do you need an intermediary (church, priest, rabbi, etc) between yourself and what you believe? It is like those deceptive long distance calls where you think you are calling the next state over, but it is relayed five states over and then back. The charges are wack yo!:bash:

I also agree with 'parrhesia'. Thank you for making a point which my internet connection would not allow me to make earlier (lol). Now that I am back on-line again, I would have to agree with the statement that you don't have to go to Church to be close with God. However, going to Church can be a healthy experience, especially for fellowship and the feeling of community that was mentioned.

I attended other Church before coming to the LDS, and they did not feel right to me. I feel comfortable where I am now, and with the people that I am with. However, there is no reason that you should feel that going to an institution would be required in order to get closer with God. Like I said "pray in your closet", that is where you can find our Heavenly Father without any outside influence. And if you happen to find a Church after that, then that is great. But the most important thing is the relationship with God.

Thanks to everyone for their replies. I guess because almost everyone I know is associated with one religion or another, I just felt kinda left out. But being a believer is enough for me.

Glad you see it that way. Just because many people might find comfort or acceptance being a member of a church or whatever doesn't mean it's right for you. The faith is what's important.

Hey raquel,

great first post and good question.

great link parhessia and i agree with what you saying..keep the faith and you shouldnt need to go and its good to know you are happy being a believer.

i aint religous but i agree with whats being said

rynaldo

As God is supposed to be everywhere, you don't have to go to church to worship him. You can do so in your daily tasks everyday. In fact, if God is all about love I'm sure he'd rather everyone got off their lazy a$$ whilst in church and instead go out and provide food and shelter for the poor and hungry rather than sing hyms.

Churches are probably just a device to keep things organized and everyone in check, but most organized religion is perverted, twisted and corrupt.

Hebrews 10:25 says christians should gather together. Acts 20:7 talks of how the disciples met together once a week.

Here's the scoop. If you can find a church that teaches the Bible in truth attend it. If you have some physical disability that prevents you from going, that's OK . You are saved when you trust Christ not by going to church.

But God does have people lined up for you to meet at church. You will have an influence on them and they will have an influence on you. You will need help in your life and they will need help in their's. Plus there are some churches where the church government is made up of the attendees and members. Christian's in this life right now are being prepared to serve in eternity. You can learn many things by attending church among them is faithfulness. Plus we are to be salt and light to the world. When people see you attend church it tells them God is important to you. Then God will use that thought in their head to as a tool to bring them to Christ also. You have to give yourself away in all you do.

As someone else mentioned God isn't for an hour on Sunday. He wants you 24/7. He's preparing christians to rule and reign in eternity.

[Edited on 28-7-2004 by dbrandt]

And what might you believe is our service to perform for eternity after we leave this world? I agree that we are preparing for the next life, but I am curious as to why you think that we should be knowledgeable for the next life...

The church (and I'm not talking the catholic church), I'm talking all true believers are going to be kings and priests and will rule and reign with Christ. Kings had a physical authority and priests dealt with spiritual matters. The Bible even tells us that we will judge angels. We have responsibilities as christians. We are being transformed into the "likeness" of Christ. Not that we will ever be a"god", but we will be like Him.

do you think that we will have a chance to spread the Word of God in the next life? Perhaps to those that did not recieve it during their time on this Earth.

Originally posted by petey_pongo23
do you think that we will have a chance to spread the Word of God in the next life? Perhaps to those that did not recieve it during their time on this Earth.

God tells us the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the earth then the end shall come. And it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgement. God has made sure that everyone will hear.

The word of God will be spread during the millennium, but after eternity begins and the great white throne judgement of unbelievers takes place I don't think so. Don't take me wrong Jesus and what He has done will be the cornerstone of all eternity. Jesus(God) will wear the marks of His cruxifiction for all eternity. I think the focus of erternity will be different.

Rev. chs. 21-22 tells us none who are sinful are going to be around. They refused to give their sin to Christ, but kept it themselves and are now in the Lake of Fire.