Do I have to be apart of religion to know God?

I hear from all sides about the right path, or following the right rules.

The Christians will tell you Jesus is the only way.
The Muslims will tell their way is the true way.
And then various other sects all in between.

Is is possible I can know of God by going to him directly, without religion?

If I follow religion, I have to be holy to their standards, and not what I feel in my heart.

Is it possible to make it into the gates or hereafter, while having a one on one with God?

Of course not.

reply to post by jhill76

If I follow religion, I have to be holy to their standards, and not what I feel in my heart.

Change that to "My religion is what I feel in my heart" and yours is just as good, if not better, than any other religion.

Absolutely not. I don't believe that God is this person sitting on a cloud saying that some will be saved and the rest are screwed. God is something that you think is above you. It's that thing that allows your mind to have some comprehension above yourself. It's a higher entity.

Just my two cents

Yes, but they don't want you to believe that.

You cannot cut out churches and priests and areas of worship. They don't want to cut the middle man out.

reply to post by jhill76

Do I have to be apart of religion to know God?

Nope. Just look in the mirror.

Know thyself, and to thine own self be true.

reply to post by jhill76


All you need to know god is to believe, and have a good imagination. Like in Peter Pan.

I go through mother nature to talk to god. She will relay my message. Jesus was born of the virgin mother, the mother being a representation of the earth itself. Seems to me that this means I can pray to god through the earth. If I'm wrong, I'll wind up in hell where my friends are

reply to post by jhill76


You know, I've been pondering this very thing a lot lately. I am not religious. I don't really know if I can say I believe in God because I certainly don't believe in personifying God as a being with powers he or she can use to punish or reward us. But I am not atheist or agnostic either. I don't really know what I am. But I do know that I am increasingly disturbed by the fact that people who can say they adhere to a specific religion have their beliefs protected by the law; whereas, my personal beliefs aren't simply because I don't put them in a box and label it. But I digress...

Of course, a religious person would tell you that you HAVE to have a religion to know God. Otherwise, how would they justify their own system of beliefs? Next, they would probably tell you you have to belong to the RIGHT religion (which of course would be their own) to truly know God.

I think God is just as diverse as all of existence. God IS existence. Since we exist, we are part of God. Dare I say, we ARE God much like a cell in our body IS us. But this is just my own belief. I acknowledge they could be wrong. Of course, the religious would never acknowledge such a thing.

Originally posted by rickymouse
I go through mother nature to talk to god. She will relay my message. Jesus was born of the virgin mother, the mother being a representation of the earth itself. Seems to me that this means I can pray to god through the earth. If I'm wrong, I'll wind up in hell where my friends are

I just do not see how God will punish you for having good intent. Maybe I am wrong.

reply to post by nunya13

I think God is just as diverse as all of existence. God IS existence. Since we exist, we are part of God. Dare I say, we ARE God much like a cell in our body IS us. But this is just my own belief. I acknowledge they could be wrong. Of course, the religious would never acknowledge such a thing.

I think that is the biggest fear, is fear of being wrong.

If God put us all down here and made each of us different, I believe he will come to each in their own way.

Originally posted by jhill76
Is is possible I can know of God by going to him directly, without religion?

Yes!

I grew up "slightly" (sounds odd... hahahah! But I grew up surrounded by a Lutheranian community, with my family being atheists) Christian.

I kind of found my own God/Creator/Force, call it whatever you wish. I used to see God in nature, it was amazing. Sadly the last few years either I have lost God, or he's lost me... either which way the magic's not there anymore. I'm jealous of how I used to feel. And I so desperately want that feeling back... to feel protected, loved, that life is so incredibly precious, so see "glory" in nature. I want that again. I still enjoy nature, but something's missing.

If you got that feeling - without having to sit through boring sermons, or having people tell you where you're going wrong - then stick with that!

reply to post by aspiechick

If you got that feeling - without having to sit through boring sermons, or having people tell you where you're going wrong - then stick with that!

Yes, I think that is a big turn off, telling people that they are wrong. It would be of better use to show that person solutions to what they perceive as wrong, instead of putting fear into others.

reply to post by jhill76


Actually, the major religion will tell you to follow their saviors, most other "religions", esp eastern ones, does not.

Eastern "religions" strengthens spirituality, while Western/Middle eastern, i really don't know what they do.



So... yeah no you don't need Religion to find "God"

No one has the right to tell you what you can or can't believe. It is free will that gives us the ability to seek and choose what we think is right, wrong, true, or false.

I am a non denominational Christian. I believe in the Holy Trinity, (God, Jesus,Holy Spirit r one). I dont have to go church to seek him out if i dont want to. We can seek him out whenever and whereever we want to. This is why he sent His son to die on the cross for us. Because Jesus created that bridge we need in order to be in Gods presence after we die. God is pure Love and cannot be with sin therefore if he didnt send his Son we would all be going to hell after we die. All God wants is for us to a personal relationship with him, and we dont need to have rosarys, priests, pray to a certain direction,speak in tongue, be baptized, to do that. Religion seperates people, God does not want this. I found a church that is non denominational but i dont have to go, its there for fellowship of other believers like myself. Its a location, where people go to worship and give praise together. But i can do the same in my own home, minus all the other people tho. Its very simple, he just wants to be your friend, your Father...just talk to Him.

Gods word is in life itself. The kingdom is within (that is the most truthful and deepest statement in the whole bible).

You do not need someone else to save you. Just be willing to open your heart and mind to the Holy Spirit and Thee will show you.

You really dont need to know a bunch of history or even stories about any certain land or people. The important wisdom's can be found in life itself, with a true heart and honest seeking.

The whole idea about being saved by a blood sacrifice actually holds back many people from further spiritual growth.

The Christians will tell you Jesus is the only way. 
The Muslims will tell their way is the true way. 
And then various other sects all in between.

Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life. Separate it out from what Christian churches tell you, for many have their own dogmas and doctrines. 

Is is possible I can know of God by going to him directly, without religion?

Of course, I did. I prayed with a heart ready to seek. And it is He that teaches and guides and reveals. If you are feeling a draw and a pull, then seek. 

Jesus said "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up on the last day.'' (John 6:44)

If I follow religion, I have to be holy to their standards, and not what I feel in my heart.

Again, separate out religion and what you feel in your own heart. The Jews added thousands of man-made rules to the laws given them through Moses. The Son of God told them they'd made the law of Moses of null effect. God has His standard of holiness and it is He that never changes - only man does. It is sin that separates us and it is the love of wickedness and evil deeds that keeps us in the darkness. Man wants to be his own god and his own creator, defining his own good and evil, and to that end does NOT want to obey nor bow to his Creator. It is therefore man who keeps himself in the darkness.

Is it possible to make it into the gates or hereafter, while having a one on one with God?

Of course. 

I feel you believe what speaks to you. If you need the community involvement of church, then by all means that's what you should do.
But me, I follow my own path. Me and God/ Goddess have our own relationship. I do not need a church to tell me when I have done something wrong or right, I usually know by how I feel. I don't need to make a show of talking to them, that is a private conversation. I don't need story time , I research , read and learn about all the paths and I think that is honestly the only way to find what you want or need to believe. It must speak to you otherwise you are just going through the motions.
Too many people use church as a crutch. They feel as long as they go to church once a week they can be a$$ hats the rest of it.

So, now that I'm done rambling...No I don't think you need it.

I truly believe you are far more likely to find god by staying well away from those who used to burn people at the stake.