'What religion are you?' poll discussion

MothballsWallet

What about the Gnostic Gospels, and where do they fit into all this considering the early Church decided they didn't want them to be included in their accepted edition of the bible?

Fifer

adrian_clark wrote: »

However, for the Christian, the Bible we have is God breathed and good for teaching. It's authoritative and a faithful report of God pursuing man in love.

You might choose to believe that, but that is also an act of blind faith.

adrian_clark wrote: »

The fact that 66 books by over 40 authors written over a period of around 3000 years fits together is a remarkable testimony to the fact that it cannot be the work of man. Can you imagine a committee or a group of men working together in such unity?

But they don't fit together particularly well. They contradict and differ in their accounts of the same stories. It's not the work of a man, but the work of at least 66.

MothballsWallet

According to an Ask Jeeves search, there are only 2 books in the bible named after (and probably written by) women (Ruth and Esther).

If memory serves, there was at least another book of the Gnostic Gospels written by a woman.

marleyboy

Although I have gone for "C" as in Catholic, I am actually Roman Catholic, I am surprised you have not included this in the poll.

adrian_clark

Soubrette wrote: »

And yet, God abandoned their religion and set up a new convenant.

Sounds more like people machination than an eternal all-knowing God expecting his people to abandon their religion, the one he set them up with in the first place.

That's an accurate summation, cool thank you. God has relentlessly pursued his rebellious people all through time. All they ever did was become really unpleasantly religious, adding rules to HIs loving rules, and making a mess of their lives and the lives of their neighbours. That's why He came into human history. Jesus Christ denounced religion, he called religious people hypocrites, vipers and wolves and warned them that their awful, ugly piety was a one way ticket to hell.

Religions with all their laws that say, if you follow this rule our god will love you, you can earn your salvation by obedience to our laws are hypocritical lies leading people to their destruction. God promised a Messiah and when he came he came in humility and poverty, he loved the marginalized, poor, lonely, addicts and prostitutes. He named and shamed all the religious crowd and was betrayed, abandoned and tortured before suffering an excruciating death nailed to a tree.

That's what we did to God when he came to love us, we murdered him. It should not be surprising that so many people are ready to reject him today. However, the good news is that, as history records, he conquered sin, death and hell, resurrecting and speaking and meeting hundreds of people. He came to love all people, tongues, tribes and ethnicities, to connect them to the living God so that our eternal souls can rest in His just love.

God doesn't want your religion, morality or good deeds he just wants a relationship like any loving father would want. He came to love you not because you are lovely but because he is love. He died for us on that cross to take the punishment we deserve so that there is nothing more to be done but turn and accept his unconditional offer of love.

People are right to detect a spiritual realm. In that realm a cosmic battle for the souls of mankind is taking place. Eventually God will call a halt but in the meantime he is patient. He gifted us our conscience and will with which to freely accept his offer and love him with passion and sincerity or reject his offer and live alone with the world's decaying comforts, obscurity and eventual cold, lonely, emptiness. You have a soul and eternity is a long time.

dojoman

None...................................

adrian_clark

dojoman wrote: »

None...................................

Unless we accept the classic definition of religion as being those foundational beliefs that are accepted as truth that provide meaning and purpose to life. In that case we all follow a religion of some kind. That being something in our lives which is at the centre; where we invest our time, treasure and talents, in other words which we value most or 'worship'. For me it's a poor construction worker from Galilee who was abandoned, betrayed, tortured and murdered for His claims to be God come into human history. History records he rose on the third day conquering death and hell for all time. Others worship money, success, sex, self awareness, food, comfort or any other good thing that is allowed to rule their lives as the sum and centre. Even great things such as family, charity deeds, intellect or morality can be worshipped and be turned into a bad thing because it becomes an obstacle between mankind and a loving God who died on a cross to take the punishment we all deserve for our lies, deceipt, idleness and greed. So there doesn't need to be a religious catagory; it's more about what you worship not if you worship. :T

tbourner

adrian_clark wrote: »

dojoman wrote: »

None...................................

Unless we accept the classic definition of religion as being those foundational beliefs that are accepted as truth that provide meaning and purpose to life. In that case we all follow a religion of some kind. That being something in our lives which is at the centre; where we invest our time, treasure and talents, in other words which we value most or 'worship'.

The classic definition is usually something along the lines of: "A specific fundamental set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe." I don't think anyone's stupid enough to worship sex and money thinking they created the universe. You're right in that you must have some belief structure though, whether it be big bang theory and evolution, or creationism in it's many forms.

adrian_clark

tbourner wrote: »

The classic definition is usually something along the lines of: "A specific fundamental set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe." I don't think anyone's stupid enough to worship sex and money thinking they created the universe. You're right in that you must have some belief structure though, whether it be big bang theory and evolution, or creationism in it's many forms.

I agree. But people will make stuff that exists within that universe the sum and centre of their existence, their purpose for living, in other words an object of worship.

stevemcol

Wow, I can't believe this thread is still live. All very interesting views though.
Clearly our lives are very important to us as individuals. As a bigger picture, the earth and everything on it is effectively a pin !!!!! on the universe. Doesn't it all seem a bit trivial to have an all powerfull entity looking over it?
A bit like a lab experiment in a biology class.

I guess I'll just never understand the need for a god as an explanation for things.