Where does Religion come from?

[hamishgraham]

Here is a comment from John Shelby Spong. I see a lot of truth in it, I hope you will find it helpful also:

"Every religious system the world over begins as a way of enabling people to enter the experience of transcendence and meaning. There is something about self-conscious human beings that forces us to seek to commune with the source of our life. That experience is so deep that I am not sure there is such a thing as a nonreligious human being. There are certainly human beings who reject a particular religious content but none that fail to raise the ultimate questions that create our various religious answers.

All of this is to say that the great religions of the world have codified that eternal quest into systems of thought that now dominate the various regions of the world. Christianity is today primarily the religion of the Western world and those areas that have been colonized by Western powers. Islam is the religion of the Middle East stretching into Africa in the West and Indonesia in the East. Hinduism and its child Buddhism dominate the religious landscape of the East.

Conflict arises in the world of religion when any system decides that it has captured the Ultimate Truth of God and therefore all other systems are defective or subject to conversion. I honor the pathway that Christianity has offered me since it enables me to walk into the wonder of God. This does not mean, however, that I am, somehow, incapable of also honoring the pathway that others walk. If we believe that God is one then all pathways to God are in the last analysis, journeys toward the same goal. I intend to live within my faith traditions as deeply as I can. That does not mean that I will ever allow my devotion to the God I meet in Christ to be used to denigrate any religious system different from my own. I hope that religious maturity might soon lead us all in this direction.

-- John Shelby Spong

[CWLite]

Religion comes from man, conforming God to their needs and ideas. I hate to think of Christianity as a religion, cause the laws and commands come from God. When man adds to that, then it becomes religion.

To think that all religion leads to the same God goes against the Word of God. When it comes to the Word of God, it is all or nothing. It is complete truth, or compromise lies. I believe that the Bible is the inspired written word of God, and everything that is God inspired is truth.

[searle29678]

Religion comes from man, conforming God to their needs and ideas. I hate to think of Christianity as a religion, cause the laws and commands come from God. When man adds to that, then it becomes religion.

To think that all religion leads to the same God goes against the Word of God. When it comes to the Word of God, it is all or nothing. It is complete truth, or compromise lies. I believe that the Bible is the inspired written word of God, and everything that is God inspired is truth.

Very well said....

[TheMainException]

Religion comes from man, conforming God to their needs and ideas. I hate to think of Christianity as a religion, cause the laws and commands come from God. When man adds to that, then it becomes religion.

To think that all religion leads to the same God goes against the Word of God. When it comes to the Word of God, it is all or nothing. It is complete truth, or compromise lies. I believe that the Bible is the inspired written word of God, and everything that is God inspired is truth.

:amen: Yes, totally......

My friend, I caution you.....Being a follower of Christ (aka Christianity) is MUCH different from being a hindu or buddhist or Muslim, or whatever other "religion"....as a follower of Christ, it is not a religion but a relationship that makes the whole difference complete. Religions will NOT lead you to God, only a relationship with Jesus will. God bless, praise the Father in heaven for life, yours, mine and all, Lauren:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

[rhyddid_rose]

To Life Immortal

I think religion is man's attempt to understand and reach God. I used to be agnostic/atheist as a teen. After I took chemistry and physics in college, I began to believe in a god. I searched for god in different religions from Hinduism to Protestantism to Asatru. All had their good and bad points.

I think that each person has to find their path to the Eternal. We all dont see God in the same way and that's why there are different religions. It is part of being human.


Peace and Long Life
~*~ бабочка ~*~

[hamishgraham]

Religion comes from man, conforming God to their needs and ideas. I hate to think of Christianity as a religion, cause the laws and commands come from God. When man adds to that, then it becomes religion.

To think that all religion leads to the same God goes against the Word of God. When it comes to the Word of God, it is all or nothing. It is complete truth, or compromise lies. I believe that the Bible is the inspired written word of God, and everything that is God inspired is truth.

If Christianity is really that "pure" (ie. not added to by man) - then why has so much damage been caused in the name of Christianity? Or do you differentiate Christian religious practises from true Christianity? In which case, it means something different to every believer.

Regarding the "Word of God" - is your faith in God dependent on the Bible? If yes, I would suggest that perhaps his can restrict your view of God.

When you say the Bible is complete truth (all or nothing), I'm not sure what you mean. If you mean historical and literal truth - I have difficulty with that. With two creation stories, an Ark too small for all the animals, an olive tree that survives the flood... I don't think I could even get past Genesis with that view.

However, I do believe the Bible does hold much truth. The experiences and stories told within are treasured by me. The messages go so much deeper than the literal stories. The questions asked, and struggles faced still face us today. And, while it is a battle to get through the translation difficulties, cultural differences and expanse of time - the effort is definately worth it!

Blessings!

[hamishgraham]

:amen: Yes, totally......

My friend, I caution you.....Being a follower of Christ (aka Christianity) is MUCH different from being a hindu or buddhist or Muslim, or whatever other "religion"....as a follower of Christ, it is not a religion but a relationship that makes the whole difference complete. Religions will NOT lead you to God, only a relationship with Jesus will. God bless, praise the Father in heaven for life, yours, mine and all, Lauren:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

What about Abraham, Moses and all the pre-Jesus God-followers? Was their relationship with God not real?? I agree that God wants relationship with humans - and there is a inner drive in humans towards God. This has always existed, and God has made himself available to those who seek - including those outside the Judeo-Christian tradition (e.g. Melchezidech, the pagan king whom Abraham pays homage to as a holy man).

Jesus is a wonderful 'signpost' to God, and led a life truly worthy of following. However, God is bigger than can be contained in any single life - even that of Jesus.

Blessings.

[StevenL]

What about Abraham, Moses and all the pre-Jesus God-followers? Was their relationship with God not real?? I agree that God wants relationship with humans - and there is a inner drive in humans towards God. This has always existed, and God has made himself available to those who seek - including those outside the Judeo-Christian tradition (e.g. Melchezidech, the pagan king whom Abraham pays homage to as a holy man).

Jesus is a wonderful 'signpost' to God, and led a life truly worthy of following. However, God is bigger than can be contained in any single life - even that of Jesus.

Blessings.



Colossians 1:15 He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

I'm afraid you are mistaken.

[Lynn73]

It's dangerous to listen to Bishop Spong in my opinion. There are not many pathways that people can choose to come to God. There is only one and to say anything different is a lie. Sounds like he's trying to be PC and find a way to approve all religions. Religion is man trying to follow a path he thinks is the right one to God, being good or whatever. God has provided one, single way to Himself and one way only and that is Jesus Christ. This is just more apostasty creeping more and more into Christianity. Listen to the Bible, not Spong. He is wrong, period.

[Stinker]

Conflict arises in the world of religion when any system decides that it has captured the Ultimate Truth of God and therefore all other systems are defective or subject to conversion. I honor the pathway that Christianity has offered me since it enables me to walk into the wonder of God. This does not mean, however, that I am, somehow, incapable of also honoring the pathway that others walk. If we believe that God is one then all pathways to God are in the last analysis, journeys toward the same goal. I intend to live within my faith traditions as deeply as I can. That does not mean that I will ever allow my devotion to the God I meet in Christ to be used to denigrate any religious system different from my own. I hope that religious maturity might soon lead us all in this direction.

-- John Shelby Spong




Who has not heard someone say; "Anyone who thinks they have the market cornered on a particular Bible subject, is not being truthful." This Sprong fellow is making pretty much the same assertion.

What does the Old and New Testament have that none of the other world religions have? The answer is......... ancient Historic Reliability!

Compare ANY of the other World Religion's texts to the Old and New Testament's, and you will see mythology as their basis.

At one time, all the world held the truth about God, and if it weren't for God bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, we would not have the historically reliable truth that we do have today. (More acurately...we wouldn't be here today)

The result of what has occurred since God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and what had happened to the rest of the world after that is recorded in (Romans 1:21-25)

[Lynn73]

I repeat, there is only one path, one way, one door, etc. to God according to the Bible.

[Vigil]

If Christianity is really that "pure" (ie. not added to by man) - then why has so much damage been caused in the name of Christianity? Or do you differentiate Christian religious practises from true Christianity? In which case, it means something different to every believer.
Blessings!
Simple answer:
Did thier actions mirror the teachings of Chirst and God, or did they use "Religion" as a "reasion" to do excatly what the religions says not to do.
Simply Put, the Horrors man inflicts upon Man in the Name of God, one needs to look at their actions and what God sais, and see if they are in conflict. If they are, Then it could never have been done in the Name of Christanity, it was done it was done because Man desired to Do It, and chose "Religion" as a shild to try and justify these actions.
They are worst Kind of Scum.
God Bless
Vigil.

[BarbB]

IMHO, Spong has done more damage to Christians' spiritual life than anyone other than Satan. My step-daughter reads and believes him when her faith is short and lo and behold, her faith decreases more.

[Lynn73]

IMHO, Spong has done more damage to Christians' spiritual life than anyone other than Satan. My step-daughter reads and believes him when her faith is short and lo and behold, her faith decreases more.

Bingo. I've read enough of his statememts that people haves shared on message boards to know that he's not telling the truth. If people listen to him and take his words as gospel, they will wind up on the broad road that leads to destruction, not the narrow road that leads to life...and few there be that find it. The man evidences by his statement that he doesn't believe what the Bible says.