Organized religion

I am not really interested in organized religion. I believe it can be very dividing and I'm all about uniting. I have seen so much hypocrisy in the name of religion. Knowing scripture or going to services does not make one religious. I believe it's all about respecting our fellow humans equally. If there is a God, we can each find our own way to connect with Him or Her. Just sayin'........

 

Question: Are you ready for what's behind this door you're about to open??

 

I am ready because. I truly respect eveyones beliefs. Just sharing mine.

 

As do I, but some may not respect yours.

 

I'm perfectly ok with that. Woulnt life be boring. If we all thought the same way?

 

Very interesting sir. Although I'm not a super religious person, I do like to think that prayer has a place and a purpose...even if it's just to make me feel better by getting things off my chest.

P.S. I love algorithms! Doesn't matter the content, my brain understands things so much better when they're mapped like that. :smt023

 

Let me be clear. I am not against religion per say. I'm saying that I cannot believe in something, anything, just because I'm told to. Many religious people I know believe simply because they are scared not to. I need to understand things in order to believe in them. One of my biggest problems is that someone like Osama Bin Laden Or Adolf Hitler could be forgiven all their sins if They accepteded Christ in the end. This just makes no sense to me. I don't mean to be disrespectful. I'm just trying to get answers. Isn't it more important how we live our lives as living human beings?

 

That's a perfectly valid function. The pic was more oriented toward the question of whether or not there's a father figure/personality responding to an individual's wishes. As a meditative tool to focus one's consciousness, it's much like a chant. I think it's more about what it does for the person praying than whether or not there is a being answering the prayer itself.

 

Absolutely :smt023

 

If you think you're a lone nonreligious, atheist/agnostic person on here...think again.

*Points to me*

I'll help you navigate the Doors of Religiosity.

 

Far more people would accept, practice and support religion if it was about spirituality and finding a true inner peace.

 

I agree.

 

C-SPAN2 has a great talk on Book TV right now featuring author Jerry DeWitt discussing his book "Hope After Faith: An Ex-Pastor's Journey From Belief to Atheism"

 

Thanks. I will check it out.

 

Ms. Restless Rita,
For years, I blindly followed traditional Christian and the popular non-denomination churches. When I began to study YESHU HA NOTZRI OR YESHUA BEN YOSEF aka Jesus Christ, in original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic text, I discovered a lot of inconsistencies and errors, while removing my ego and arrogance, in order to have unconditional love and forgiveness. Also, I am taking a great interest in the study of Islam, Hinduism, and the Buddhist faith. Also, I study a lot of philosophy.

Now, my faith is more Messianic Jewish in nature. I follow YESHU HA NOTZRI, not because someone tells me I should do this. I have studied and I continue to study and question my faith and beliefs. True Jewish and Christianity encourages people to challenge their faith, while not judging others who have different life experiences and beliefs. On many occasions in the bible, YHVH/YAWEH/ADONAI, passed harsh judgement and punishment on the Jewish people, because of their arrogance, defiance, and harsh treatment of the poor and needy. DEMONSTRATED UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND FORGIVENESS is the second most important command in the Judeo-Christian faith. It is much easier to accept the lies of religion, academia, and government and follow blindly, than to question religion, academia, and government, and be different. Why was YESHUA crucified? Because HE did not follow the majority! All martyrs of faith were different from the majority and confrontational! Most people do not know what they believe. Whether Atheist, Agnostic, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or religious zealot, most people do not study their faith and beliefs, because there will be a lot of spiritual, mental, and physical discomfort, Shlomo Ha Melech (King Solomon) stated it best "With more wisdom comes more vexation. With more knowledge comes more sorrow." Inquiring into one's soul and spirit will cause anger, frustration, sadness, joy, and peace. Unfortunately, joy and peace are the last to be discovered. Also, this is a lifelong process.

When Christians evangelize to traditional and Orthodox Jewish, in order to get them to convert to Christianity, they fail miserably, because most do not study scripture. Does the bible really state we can accept YESHUA BEN YOSEF, as our "Lord and Savior", or is this some 20th and 21st century phenomena? I humbly request someone to present original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic text stating this 'fact'.

In order to exist, churches must make money. Teaching true Judeo-Christian scripture does not put bodies in seats in churches; therefore, much of scripture is not discussed and avoid. For example, easter and christmas are original pagan practices that were adopted by the Roman Catholic church, in order to bring pagans to Christianity and make money. YESHUA never celebrated his birthday. YESHUA could not have been born in December. YESHUA celebrated Chanuka (Festival of Lights) and Passover. Churches earn the most money, during christmas and easter. Jewish business people love easter and christmas!

I encourage you to take the time to inquire of your soul and spirit, with study, meditation, and prayer. This process will be challenging, for I have shed many a tear; yet, you will find the result ongoing and rewarding.

"Life is short; therefore, we must move slowly." Talmud

"Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks. Also learn from holy books and wise people. Everything - even mountains, rivers, plants and trees - should be your teacher." Morihei Ueshiba

 

THIS ^

 

You will hear religious men and women preach again and again that humanity is born with a God shaped hole, they are only half right. I do believe that somehow we are born incomplete and one of the challenges of life is to make ourselves whole. How you do this is up to you but I do strongly think that if we had more positive interactions with the people around us life would be better for all of us.

 

This is a great question! Initially, I served my CREATOR for selfish reasons. For example, I wanted "GOD" to protect me from disease, divorce, and poverty, because I was told and instructed to pray to "GOD", and he will answer your prayers. Now, I serve my CREATOR for HIS glorification and the edification of other human beings. If I am to experience pain, disease, divorce, poverty, and a myriad of other challenges, in the process serving HIS children, then I am prepared to do so. I am not a person who believes because I serve the FATHER of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, my life is supposed to be free of challenges. I believe because I serve the FATHER of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, my life was created to be full of challenges, and I am to find love for others; peace of mind, and serenity, during times of challenge.

My end goal in life is not to go to heaven or find nirvana, because such a goal is beyond my control. My end goal in life is to serve humanity, with my best efforts, while striving to reach my full human potential, because this is within my control.

 

I consider myself a spiritual person. Not overly religious because I think if I were that way, I would be limiting myself. I would not even be accepting or tolerant. Religion has a place, though. My mom(because she was afraid) had us go to church every Sunday. She had been raised in the church and because my parents were seperated, she had to rely on her faith and the church to help her in her time of need. As I got older, I got saved at a christian rock concert when I was in high school. Again, at another concert while I was in college. But, then things had changed. I found myself wanting to stay clear of these passionately religious people wanting to change me and see their point of view and contribute financially to their church. I worked for a ministry and learned that there are three types of people who go to church; 1. Christians. Those people who are servants and worshippers of God. 2. Church Folk. Those people who dress very well, like to show off and think that they have the favor of the Pastor. They can do no wrong and are the most irritatingly pretentious lot I've ever encountered. 3. The Business Associates. Those men and women who need the Pastor's good name and support for their business projects. They are there only for that purpose and they pray that the Pastor will give them that support. The Pastor is an honorable fellow. For his ministry to live, thrive and survive, he needs these people. I had not set foot in a church since quitting in 2010. I still believe in and love the Lord God and Jesus Christ. I still pray. I just believe that anytime a person prays to God, no matter where it is; in your car, the workplace, the battlefield, etc, when one prays to God, wherever they are, that is HIS church. God is omnipresent. God is everywhere. My relationship with God is my business and no one else's.