are God and religion like apples and oranges?

Question

can you answer without quoting the bible or spouting pointless dogma? if not, GO AWAY and answer someone else's question!

christians, spare me the "relationship" nonsense. i consider christianity a religion, no matter how "true" you say you are. also i have a right to use a capital G when talking about the Creator. Other religions also use a capital G, so don't bother pointing that out.

Answer 1

Yes. No.
Well, humans really don't know. GOD has not changed. Humans have changed so much, to fit different conditions and locals as we moved around the planet. The religions usually reflect trying to get along where the humans are in the daily activities. (food, water, strangers, holy rites for days/nights, etc.)
The older religions were started so long ago, that we have no way left to verify how this faith started, accurately. Now this "oldness" is showing, it's harder to fit together with other religions. (Thus the conflicts - due to misunderstands by the leadership.)
The newest religions are so easily debunked that they can't take hold. (they are usually a mishmash of two or more older "real" religions.)
Basically religions set the morals for the community of humans in a region. As religions were the only brain trust, for the regions for food safety, medical knowledge, etc. religious leaders were very powerful. These leaders can make or break a people by how they set up the rules to follow GOD. If the leadership of two religions can't get along - watch out. Human insecurities will kick in - and you've got a war.
GOD gifted humans with free will, and set the rules of this dimension, and is waiting for us to determine how we get along with each other. GOD may have been curious how people are doing - no one knows - so he talked to people, thus making holy places. GOD is very patient, more so than any human, and his timetable and ours will always be different. (Those that follow Jesus, know this because - he flat out told us only GOD knows when the end of the world will be.)
So, GOD has nothing in common with much of the religions made by man, We desperately are trying to understand GOD.
BUT WE NEED GOD SO MUCH, THAT WE FOLLOW RELIGIONS. So many mix the two, (an apple with an orange peel) to find comfort. We know that GOD made everything, and want to be with him forever, as opposed to being alone. (Having faith that there is more to being here than just getting by like the bugs - which there is, we are very special to GOD.)
Trust in GOD, not humans, for an eternal source of happiness.
Ha, I could not answer your question, sorry to waste your time.
Peace.

Answer 2

Yes, they are; and by that I mean, they are both in the Garden of Eden.

I know that may sound a little corny, so let me elaborate.

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Throughout my lifetime, I have had several experiences that I would consider valuable spiritual lessons.

These lessons did not come in the typical form of bible scriptures, or a church sermon. But rather they came in a form that was more subtle, sneaky, and deceptive.

For example, when first encountering the experience I would describe it as oranges; but after some time has past, and I had an opportunity to learn & understood more about the experience, I would describe it as apples.

Having approached the experience in this manner, I would come to realize that these two descriptions are accurately describing the same thing. Two sides of the same coin, if you will.

Day vs night
Good vs evil
etc...

You must have both sides, for either side to exist.

The best example that you may be able to relate with, is in the movie "Jacob's Ladder."

Throughout the movie, Tim Robbin's character keeps coming into contact with, what appears to be, demons trying to hurt him.

However, it is not until the end of the movie, that you realize that the demons are actually angels trying to get him to let go of the physical world because he has died.

Once a soul has been in the material world, it has a sense of self, or selfishness, where it does not want to let go of the earthly pleasures felt in the physical world.

But once the soul lets go of this world, and is returned to the spiritual plane, it also lets go of all the pain and suffering experienced in the physical world.

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So now I try to keep these lessons in mind, and use the wisdom gleaned from the experience to help me better understand, learn, and grow from the times when life seems too hard to handle.

Answer 3

God is the Creator of all things. Since He created, He must have a purpose in His creation. Having a purpose, He most likely would desire to tell His creation of that purpose. The testimony of a multitude of witnesses over several millenia point to that God as the God of Judeo/Christianity.

Religion can be summarized one of two ways: a) It is either man's attempt to reach out to God, or (b) it is man's attempt to live out those things which God has revealed.

Many Christians dislike the stigma attached to the title of 'religion' because it infers a negative connotation (as noted to me at another time by an atheist discussing what religion really is), and therefor prefer to ascribe the Christian 'religion' in it's purest form to 'relationship', the unique identifying factor of Christianity from all other faiths.

Answer 4

Well if I ve got the question right I would say no. I m not very good in religion matters (I dont believe in god or God or whatever). So the way I see it is:
If god is a fresh apple & orange juice, religion is the mixer or
If god is the chamionship then religion is the coach or
If god is "I want sex", religion is "have a shower, get dressed well, go to the bar and smile to the woman you like", in general
If god is What, religion is how.
An additional "bonus" thought is if we prove using scientific facts that god does not exist, then will religion stop to exist or it will turn more human-oriented and advance humans to another level?
P.S. I m not in drugs

Answer 5

Very good question, my Son! Yes, God and religion is indeed like apples and oranges (or apples cleverly disguised as oranges) It all comes down to personal POV. It all depends on what one chooses to believe. I choose to believe that God is good and loves me. It's very simple (at least for me and God) so therefore my apples equal apples (because right now oranges are way too expensive!!) For someone else however my apples do not equal their apples and therefor they equal oranges; mostly because those "apples" are a type they have either never seen or don't want to see never mind taste. For some odd reason I think I've just made sense. This is sometimes unusual for me. Blessings on you!

Answer 6

When someone says God to me with a capital G, usually they are referring to the Christian god. There are many religions out there, and christianity is only one of them.

So, yes, they are like apples and oranges. Both fruits, but different.

Answer 7

Yes they are. God never calls us to get religious, but instead He calls us to have a relationship. God doesn't want us to simply look at Him from afar. He wants us to be with Him, to talk to Him, to interact with Him just as we do with eachother. Most true Christians will tell you that what they have with God is a relationship. Religion is going to church every Sunday, maybe praying every now and then, doing church like things w/o having any true connection with God. It is doing it for the simple sake of doing it, maybe because they were brought up that way.

Answer 8

yes, i think that you can believe in god or be very spiritual without having to be religious. they are two very different things which aren't comparable, like apples and oranges. god is like the apple and religion is like deciding what's the best use of the apple for the majority of a subculture of people (with particular common values)maybe some sects think apples should only be in pies, or some think its best eaten raw in its more natural state, or perhaps never eaten like sacred cows in india...but its not about whether God=Religion, not comparable, so i'd agree.

Answer 9

Great question my friend!! To give you an answer from a Christian viewpoint!!

Yes: 'God' & 'Religion' are as different, as 'Apples' & 'Oranges'!!

God is God:

One God is revealed in the Scriptures (Bible) as Father, Son (Jesus), & Holy Spirit. Within the one "essence" of the Godhead, there are three persons: who are co-equally, & co-eternally: 'GOD'!! And the only way to God/Heaven: is through His son: Jesus Christ.

Religion:

Religion on the other hand was conceived & created in the pit of hell to cause division: strife: anger: bitterness: war: & confusion etc, between: & for man!! And it is doing this, with more haste: and more venom, as time goes on!!

Answer 10

No, man. God and religion are like peaches and cream. You can't have one without the other. Some people call thier beliefs religion. Based on WHAT? What they want to hear is what. You know better. Do the right thing.