Is religion about beliefs or behaviour?
Which matters more?
Is religion about the meeting of and association with like minds or the indoctrination of all to one way of thinking?
Does it matter what a person believes if they behave in an acceptable and social manner?
Does it matter who first declared that we should
“Do unto others as we would have them do unto us.”
Which is found in some form in every known culture or religion.
It seems to me that people seem more concerned with promoting, defending or recruiting people to their way of thinking than they are with actions and behaviours.
People also seem to use the notion of salvation by faith as an excuse to ignore any sort of good deed even up to refusing that any good deed is possible without their faith.
Christ called people to follw HIm, but He limited it t a favoured few because He knew that the role of Teacher or preacher is exceptional and involves a dedication not required of the normal person. Anyone not prepared to leave everything was not a candidate, But the world could not survive if it was full of nothing but preachers.
As I see it, what matters is the behaviour in this life rather than treating it as a trial or passage to the next. Concentrating on Heaven or Hell is of little use to the needy of this world or the sustaining of natural resources and conditions. Perhaps people should worry more about actions than the motivation behind them or the possibility of a human sickness or predilection for sinning?
So to answer my own question.: I see religion as gathering together people of a like mind to worship and act in harmony with both themselves and the world around them rather than a group of people determined to take over the world and rule it in the manner they believe to be correct.
Do you disagree with my assessment of what religion should be, or that it isn’t this in practice?
Perhaps you would prefer no religion at all?
There will be hypocrites in any group just as there will be genuine believers sucked into cults and so-called “pseudo-Christian” churches. You cannot (should not) judge a church by its extremist or over Zealous members, You judge a church by its beliefs and its stated codes of behaviour.
No organized religion would be preferable in my view yes
Then that means that the beliefs of these churches are not genuine since their believers are not and they see that belief as a “reward” to claim.
I can’t imagine why would people pretend something that they are not. Especially religion. Just say you are an atheist why would it matter? It’s not like you are gonna get persecuted or something. Why play the good Christian while you are not that? I don’t get the point. If you generally believe just stfup and obey the stuff. If you don’t want to don’t. Simple
That is false logic. You know you are biased. There is no need to express it.
A faith is neither validated nor condemned by its members. The assessment is on the beliefs alone. Whether the members adhere to that belief is not the point.
Because you have been (proverbially) burnt.
Do not place me with those who have hurt you or not been there for you. I have tried my best to be fair but you are trying my patience. Keep your prejudices away from me. I am not your enemy, in case you hadn’t noticed.
The mind reasons, the spirit compels,
Neither love nor anger cares about the reason.
Spirit is not mindful.
The condition of man is
Error done out of good intent receives mercy.
Good acts done out of ill intent still deserve punishment.
It is not the act that decides innocence or guilt, but the intent behind it.
[quote=“RichardG, post:5, topic:48800”]
faith is neither validated nor condemned by its members. The assessment is on the beliefs alone. Whether the members adhere to that belief is not the point.
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A lot of political parties will say the same. I don’t like this view. It’s a scapegoat in my opinion.
By any means sorry if what I said above made you think I’m attacking you. Although I don’t go well with Christians it wasn’t my intention
Yes, through His promised Spirit. But if that sounds disturbing then I refer to our legal law being the spirit of the law rules over the letter of the law.
But God knows my requirement and it is not because it sounds right, but that I know it is right. The confusion most have in the area of judgment is their sloppy definition of it.
Plainly, judgment is about punishment. To error with good intent does not deserve punishment.
In error,
good intent deserves mercy
only ill intent deserves punishment
So I repeat, There is nothing to judge that has not already been judged
Helping someone is not a crime, but doing the exact same act out of deceit is. Cop shows talking about finding the motive. Because that is what decides.
Which is why we should not do it. Criminal law aside.
Jonah is the biblical model for righteous judgment (or rather not) He thought he knew better than God and had them judged, convicted, and sentenced to death.
You keep thinking of a trial, judging, sorry the trial is over.
You can put something I did on trial, but as soon as I admit I did it out of anger, or vengeance, the trial is over. Anger, vengeance, or any ill intent towards others are already judged, We don’t put hate or vengeance on trial as if it could be innocent.
And when the trial is over, we don’t put it back on trial, we proceed to sentencing. Such as “I won’t debate with you, I don’t allow anger in my house, get out!” has nothing to do with what they said or did. I did not judge, anger is already judged allowing me to go straite to sentencing. There was no trial, no debate because anger has already been judged.
There is nothing to judge, except that which is already judged. Ill intent towards others.
Here is ethics
good intent deserves mercy
ill intent deserves punishment
Everything else is commentary in my eyes.
Because no one is lol!!This world is anarchy. No one cares for nobody.Everything is for personal gain.There are no pernament friends or enemies only pernament interests
Its a hard pill to swallow.The hardest i think. And i dont want anyone to try swallow it,It is the ultimate nihillism .But its the truth