Can I believe in God and not have a religion?

Question

I was never given a religion as a child and nor was God spoken about much in my house and if he was brought up it was usually in the curse form. A few years back I decided to believe and have faith in God but because of my lack of knowledge about God and religion found it very hard to choose what religion I should choose with all the different meanings of each religion and conflict with each, I ended up throwing in the towel and walked away feeling I had to have a religion in order to believe or worship. Well here I am a few years later finding myself wanting and needing God in my life but again am faced with the conflict of what religion I should choose. Do I have to have a religion to believe and have God accept me or is the fact I read the bible and try to follow his teachings to the best of my ability good enough?

Seriously it's like a weight has just been lifed off my shoulders reading these answers, part of my problem with the decision process is that these religions seem to be so false if that makes sense.

Answer 1

I am familiar with your story. you may need to realize that religion per say-churchs are of the earth. = people's laws.So many religions/churchs, interpret God's word differently If you beleive in God, he is your true faith in your heart. With speaking with God you develop a personal relationship with him. this I add, is our foundation, to truth, Love,Faith,andTtrust.Thru this we developeknowledge, sight and the ability to hear the things we are unable to audibly hear., but we must maintain a true heart,and love of Jesus... I found that the book of Mormon's,-(Later Day Saints) ,as it is in teaching,the only book that truely is of Jesus in truth, without misrepresentation. It purely is of God.
I strongly recommend this faith in teaching.

Answer 2

There is a difference between religion and spiritualism. Most people have some sort of spiritual beliefs, but not all subscribe to an organized religion. Religion is really a set of rules and rituals, or a proscribed way to worship.

It is your faith and worship that count, not showing up in a church every week. If you are a Christian though, it wouldn't be a bad idea to identify some sort of spiritual guide that can help answer questions. Maybe this is the pastor of a local church, or an online group, or just some friends that also have strong beliefs.

Answer 3

Religion is a belief in God, or some godlike being(s). You are really asking, " Do I have to choose/attend a church in order to believe in God?" Again, the answer is no. Religion is internal. Some like to express it externally. Neither is incorrect. I believe in God but not the bible or organized religion. I don't believe in prayer or miracles. I believe that free will stems from a lack of predestination, and that we are given all we need at birth. Man can cure almost all the problems associated with life. Indeed, man causes almost all the problems associate with life. I guess that makes me a Deist if you have to put a name on it.

Answer 4

No you don't need religion, it's just the opposite.
Religion needs you!
Your own beliefs and your own personal relationship with what you perceive as your creator, will be much better for you than all the dogmatic, recycled ideas trying to dominate the planet.
God and you, and all of us, are one! We are inseparable! Isn't it strange that all organised religions always tell us that we are separate and fall short of whatever expectations god has of us? Such "human" ideas! Organised religion created a small, petty, neurotic and tyrannical god that fits within our own stunted model of life. And it uses blanket responses like "have faith!" when confronted with any of the multitude of in consistences that continually crop up as people try to reconcile their beliefs with common sense.
Why the world is addicted to the idea, fabricated in another era, of a god that is a composite of all the defects of human character, is beyond me.
I long for a time when more people like you begin to question the traditional beliefs, and have the courage to question and perhaps entertain the idea that, maybe god is so much more wonderful than that, and there really is nothing to fear, because there is no judgement, only learning.

Answer 5

From an Islamic point of veiw no you don't need a religion, a faith in God is the most important thing:[4:25]" GOD knows best about your belief, and you are equal to one another, as far as belief is concerned"
"[2:256]Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. "
Do what you feel is right and what you are comfortable with. you don't need to be Muslim in Islam to enter paradise (although Christianity does have a condition of religion for salvation). Religion are branches of the same tree, which is God. Good Luck, i hope you find peace of mind with whatever you choose.

Answer 6

God bless you! No you don't have to have a religion to believe in God, I don't think God intended people to have one. He has one church and that's the church of believers. Along the way people grouped together with like ideas and different churchs formed. Today it is especially hard cause so many churchs are falling apart. It's good to find one thats true to God tho cause they give you the support you need and are there to help you out and encourage you.

Answer 7

Your search for truth is the same man has faced in all of time. It is noble that you seek true peace and love in God, and wish to follow his path over the world's. I would say to follow your heart and always remember religion is about uplifting the spirit to greater union with God, while joining in solidarity with all His earth. For myself personally, I have found that the Catholic Church is a beautiful and eternal church, given authority by God, and which seeks to always uplift man to his greatest heights while preserving the world's most basic truths. I would highly consider studying the Catholic Church and the process of communion with it, the love and unity within it is overwhelming. Visit a local Catholic Church and ask for information, there will be no pressure. Peace in your search

Answer 8

It is not possible by only believing in God but staying away from the religion. As a true God's believer , one must devote him/herself to the God and accept his commandments. Let me remind you when chosing a religion, God will never forgive a sin on multiple faith. It is rather hard for you to make a choice regarding religion.But I think what i am going to tell you might be of assistance to you.
During the preliminary stage of the descending of Ten Commandments by the God, it was very unfortunate that people at that had turned a deaf ear towards the commandments. As from here you can clearly see that God doesn't want to put so much restrictions on us because of his mercy and tenderness upon his creations but yet people can't even obey only Ten commandments. As years gone by despite of the disobedience , people started to create more and more sins, what choice does the God have, besides descending more and more commandments and sending one prophet after another to guide us , the holy bible was descended with Jesus as the prophet and yet people had created mistakes after mistakes to the extend of declaring Jesus as the son of God. Christians instead of praying to the God , they bow to Jesus and consider him as a Saviour. As I mentioned earlier God will never forgive
prayer other than him. It is the people that who cause God to descend even more and more commandments , one religion after the other. God had finally descended the Final and the most complete holy book of the Quran which contains 6,666
commandments and prophet Mohammad as the last messenger . Let me remind you the difference in contents of the holy books had created so much misunderstandings between religions. It is not God's fault it is ourselves to be blamed...... Amen

Answer 9

One does not need to affiliate themselves with an organized religion to believe in a higher power.The word you are looking for to describe yourself is a Deist.It means you belive in God, but not religion.Websters defines a Deist as "One who believes in the existence of a God or supreme being but denies revealed religion, basing his belief on the light of nature and reason."

Answer 10

I don't think you need a religion. Personally i have no religion but i do believe in a source stronger than i am. Lucky for me, i live my life with facts. And i can tell you there is a more powerful force out there. But i don't think the religions have that concept right. They made up their own rules and misguided people. lol so welcome to the club.