How to become religious?

[SabbathWolf]

Originally Posted by THEPALADIN

Just letting you know I'm still out (if anyone actually cared),

You put your finger on it and I think i delt with you on that level earlier. Religion is practice...not belief.

I speak about Christanity because I'm a Christian. "It" is about relationship. As for the thread here, I'll help if I can, but I see no point is "pointless" arguments. I went through my own time of rebellion and attitude. I have been in a cult, I've lived for "physical sensation", there was a time I couldn't stay out of trouble. I've been in fights (in jail among other places) and beaten by as many as 12 men, and I have looked over whether I believe in God, which god and so on. I'm here now and I give God the credit for where I am He's the one who actually awakens and pulls us out of the mess of confusion we all live in. I'd say more but life stories tend to be boring to people who haven't lived them.., and I don't want to bore you.

Well, enjoy, and if there is a serious question I'll try to answer, if I can.

I took post #105 seriously. Nobody responded to it really.

[GeneC]

Originally Posted by nkluksda

...... I realized that I wasn't as important to the functioning of the universe as I'd thought.....

You found humility, the very beginning of the path to enlightenment.

[GeneC]

Originally Posted by SabbathWolf

I don't see Jesus and God as being the same person.When Satan tempts Jesus in the desert, Satan says something like "If you are the son of god, jump of this cliff." "God will save you or something." Then Jesus says "Don't tempt God." Indicating that Jesus is referring to God as another person.I forget the exact vs right now.

Well the part that ties this together is that at one time Satan was the most high Angel in Heaven, but was cast out for mutiny so he knew quite well who God is and knew quite well who he was talking to on that mtn. Jesus was God born into the flesh of a human (so in that sense, it's a father/son relationship), so Jesus took on another entity because he had ...what....FREE WILL.

See, I was raised in a strict Southern Babtist family (on both sides) and began to have my doubts when I came of age, but was fortunate anough to be able to travel around the world and study religions, 'cause I decided that I'd study as many as I could and find similarities and part of the problem with Christainity and other religions is that, like with Christianity, the Whole King James version of the Bible is based a few scrolls that were found in a cave and written in Sanskrit and Hebrew. Ancient languages like that and Chinese,etal, are prone to mis-interpretation ( which explains why there's so many different religions and even variations of the same religion). A single word can mean several different things. So I believe that some the passages in the Bible were mis-interpreted (for instance , we Westerners like to believe Eve tempted Adam with an apple, when in fact it's the Hebrew word for Manna, meaning food of life, so it could have been a banana, mango or something we don'teven know about, but we settled on apple). Espcially since the fact is , they didn'tfind all the scrolls (many books are missing) and the folks who found the ones we did get ahold of, kept some the scrolls, so they didn't get translated and into the Bible, so the King James version of the Bible is incomplete.

My point is to not put too much emphasis on anything written by man, just get a feel for the overall meaning, which all religions share- BE good, DO good, BE charitable, BE humble, KNOW there is higher power. How 'bout this- the Universe (and all things) consists of a balance between negative energy and positive energy, so maybe it's a simple matter that if you exude positive energy all your life, you flow into the positive energy in the Universe and vise versa.

Btw, religion is definitely a belief, not a practice. One practices a religion BECAUSE one believes in it. Practicing vices and sin('cause one doesn't BELIEVE in God) does not make it a religion, it just makes one an agnostic. It definitely doesn't become a religion until one believes in (meaning have faith in) something.

[fal_shooter]

1. My original question did not really have anything to do with Christianity. It didn't "exclude" Christianity either. When I used the term "religion," or "religious," I meant it as an all encompassing term to include everything from Christianity to Satanism to Wicca to Islam to Judaism to Paganism to Buddhism to Scientology to Shintoism to Shamanism to etc...etc...etc...

Good start. Religion can be defined as man by mans efforts trying to impress god. religion is also a way to control people and get them to do what you want them to do. Religion can involve Christ or budda or a tree or a rock or any thing you want to believe in. Christianity is its purest form does not involve religion at all. Christianity is a direct one-on-one relationship with God.


2. I have circled the world 4 times now so far in my lifetime (and will embark on a 5th time next summer)...and have lived in multiple various cultures. In many ways, I feel I have learned so much about life itself and the human condition as a whole, that I'd never trade the experiences for anything in the world.

Christanity teaches that the ruler of the world is Satan (until Christ returns to kick butt). He took the title from Adam at the fall in the garden. Since this is his world and he is having some problems controlling the occupants he uses a number of methods to bring humans in line. One method is religion. Satan is trying to counterfit Gods plan and he is failing. Because Satan designed or influenced all of the world Religions you will see comonality throughout the world.

At the same time however, I feel it has hurt me too in some ways...
I have become cynical.

When I was a kid, it was simple at first.
This is your mom. This is your dad. This is your family. This is your house. This is your neighborhood. This is your school. These are your friends. This is what you are supposed to believe in order to fit it and not cause trouble.

Since Christianity is a relationship and not a religion it is also very simple. Religion always complicates things. Your last paragraph perfectly describes what the study of Christianity is like. Christianity is the simple uncluttered life if you are doing it properly.

3. I have never seen "faith" and "religion" as being the same thing. They are not. But they "are" connected in the human psyche at an emotional level.

Opinions always vary, but to "me"...
"Faith" is the belief that a higher power does exist (when talking spiritual things)
"Religion" is the path you take and the system you follow to come closer to the Higher Power you have faith in.

Excellent points. I can see that you do have a great understanding of the issues here.

4. I know I haven't answered all your questions yet...but does this make sense so far?

You are doing great. I can tell you put some time and thought into this.

How would you like to proceed? I could spend years discussing this but that is not what you want so it may be better to let you drive the discussion. I suggest we take things one step at a time to focus in on the answers you are looking for.

[GeneC]

Faith and religion are married.

[SabbathWolf]

Originally Posted by fal_shooter

1. My original question did not really have anything to do with Christianity. It didn't "exclude" Christianity either. When I used the term "religion," or "religious," I meant it as an all encompassing term to include everything from Christianity to Satanism to Wicca to Islam to Judaism to Paganism to Buddhism to Scientology to Shintoism to Shamanism to etc...etc...etc...

Good start. Religion can be defined as man by mans efforts trying to impress god. religion is also a way to control people and get them to do what you want them to do. Religion can involve Christ or budda or a tree or a rock or any thing you want to believe in. Christianity is its purest form does not involve religion at all. Christianity is a direct one-on-one relationship with God.

2. I have circled the world 4 times now so far in my lifetime (and will embark on a 5th time next summer)...and have lived in multiple various cultures. In many ways, I feel I have learned so much about life itself and the human condition as a whole, that I'd never trade the experiences for anything in the world.

Christanity teaches that the ruler of the world is Satan (until Christ returns to kick butt). He took the title from Adam at the fall in the garden. Since this is his world and he is having some problems controlling the occupants he uses a number of methods to bring humans in line. One method is religion. Satan is trying to counterfit Gods plan and he is failing. Because Satan designed or influenced all of the world Religions you will see comonality throughout the world.
At the same time however, I feel it has hurt me too in some ways...
I have become cynical.

When I was a kid, it was simple at first.
This is your mom. This is your dad. This is your family. This is your house. This is your neighborhood. This is your school. These are your friends. This is what you are supposed to believe in order to fit it and not cause trouble.

Since Christianity is a relationship and not a religion it is also very simple. Religion always complicates things. Your last paragraph perfectly describes what the study of Christianity is like. Christianity is the simple uncluttered life if you are doing it properly.
3. I have never seen "faith" and "religion" as being the same thing. They are not. But they "are" connected in the human psyche at an emotional level.

Opinions always vary, but to "me"...
"Faith" is the belief that a higher power does exist (when talking spiritual things)
"Religion" is the path you take and the system you follow to come closer to the Higher Power you have faith in.

Excellent points. I can see that you do have a great understanding of the issues here.
4. I know I haven't answered all your questions yet...but does this make sense so far?

You are doing great. I can tell you put some time and thought into this.

How would you like to proceed? I could spend years discussing this but that is not what you want so it may be better to let you drive the discussion. I suggest we take things one step at a time to focus in on the answers you are looking for.

Wow. Great reply!
I am going to take my time with this one a little bit.
This thread seems to have actually taken a turn for the better.


I think my biggest question of all would really be...
"How" and "why" do people choose one specific religion over all others? And "what" makes them so sure that they picked the correct one?

[SabbathWolf]

Originally Posted by GeneC

How 'bout this- the Universe (and all things) consists of a balance between negative energy and positive energy, so maybe it's a simple matter that if you exude positive energy all your life, you flow into the positive energy in the Universe and vise versa.

Btw, religion is definitely a belief, not a practice. One practices a religion BECAUSE one believes in it. Practicing vices and sin('cause one doesn't BELIEVE in God) does not make it a religion, it just makes one an agnostic. It definitely doesn't become a religion until one believes in (meaning have faith in) something.

I was with you up until these two statements. Now I have more questions...

I agree that there is both positive and negative balance of all things. It makes sense. And science tends to support the idea too.
So if that is in fact the case, then why would one purposely choose to attempt to only associate with just one side or the other? It would seem that associating with "both" sides equally would apply more to our understanding of the universe, and our hope of fitting into it better. Without both, the whole is not complete.

On the second part...
Wouldn't it be fair to say that religion is BOTH a practice and a belief combined?
Your personal belief would dictate your preference of religions, and your religion would dictate the practices?
At the same time, you must have faith in your belief to begin with, or it's all for nothing.
Wow. This is getting confusing.