In the Book of James, in the Bible, James says that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
He says nothing about receiving Jesus as your Savior, or being baptized, or going to church. Could it be that Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jew, Athiest, Spiritist, Agnostic are merely labels and not true religions? Could it be that helping people who need help and not giving in to the corrupt practices of the world are what God honors?
Or is James wrong?
2006-11-20 06:21:34 · 18 answers · asked by Guvo 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
My mistake...I know athiesm and agnosticism are not religions...bad wording on my part. Sorry about that.
2006-11-20 06:29:30 · update #1
The verse is James 1:27
2006-11-20 06:42:00 · update #2
Just as a heads up, I have been a Christian for almost 19 years, and raised in church for 12 years before that. I have read the Bible many times over. I'm merely seeing different ways in which it could be interpreted to fit with the observations that are rampant in the world around us, rather than accepting the meal that a given pastor has placed before me to eat. Because...which pastor? Which set of Biblical teachings? Which set of universal good of mankind?
2006-11-20 06:48:14 · update #3
No body is wrong, we all try to work from our hearts but we get
it wrong a lot and that's just being human. I try to do good and be
good but I often mess up as I'm sure you also do. we can only
do our best and hope someone else well take our efforts and
polish them up a little, have good holidays.
2006-11-20 06:27:39 · answer #1 · answered by royce r 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You need to read the whole book of James not just one verse. If you read the verses before and after that one you will see James is giving just one example of Christian practice.
In chapter 1 verses 19 - 27 (including the verse you quote) he is saying that whilst a Christian must listen to the word of God in order to know Christian values they must also act on what they have heard in order to be a good Christian, the verse you quote is just one example of this.
In the next few chapters he deals with other aspects of Christian life. He is writing to other Christians so he does not talk about being saved but how to live a Christian life.
2006-11-20 14:43:05 · answer #2 · answered by THOMAS S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only ones who are close to being the true religion are Jehovah's Witnesses. Proof?
1. They have not joined wars, so they have not made widows. Too, they are well known for caring the elderly and the widow amongst them.
2. They shun the immoral ways of this world.
For that I salute, and respect them. Having said that I do not agree w/ some of their teachings like the 1914, etc.
But, they are sincere. They did make a lot of mistakes, but so did the early Christians.
2006-11-20 14:28:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You (and James) are 100% correct. Most religions have lost site of this. If an atheist helps people in need, fights poverty, and makes this world a better place they are doing God's (or the "Universe's") work. THAT is what matters. If this is the case I care less what they say they do or do not believe. I wish more people like you would "get it".
2006-11-20 14:27:42 · answer #4 · answered by clueless_nerd 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, he was not wrong but he did not give the complete definition. If you were to believe that one single part of the Bible, why not the rest? Because reading the rest tells you exactly what to do. So not only what James said but other things as well.
2006-11-20 14:33:33 · answer #5 · answered by kclr16 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
James is not wrong but neither is that all that is said in the Bible. The point he is making is that those things are very good, not that that is all you needed to know. If it was, the Bible would be a much shorter book.
2006-11-20 14:24:53 · answer #6 · answered by snowgoose8 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
James is talking about religion, Jesus is talking about Eternal Life.
2006-11-20 14:30:26 · answer #7 · answered by Oshalla 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Rev. Carlton Pearson considered whether salvation was really limited to Christians, and he decided the answer was no.
You can listen to the full story here:
http://www.thislife.org/pages/descriptions/05/304.html
2006-11-20 14:25:13 · answer #8 · answered by STFU Dude 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Atheism isn't a religion- its the lack thereof.
Agnostic doesn't follow religion.
To answer your question- yes, they are all labels. If that is what that god honors, there are a lot of religious people who're getting it all wrong!
2006-11-20 14:26:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is a book written by 40 people, where parts were omitted, and lost in translation. Live by good morals, not out of fear.
2006-11-20 14:23:58 · answer #10 · answered by Jon C 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋