Okay, but.....?

Question

Is there a point where you "wiggle" yourself right out of the religion you claim?

If you say you are a follower of the faith but disregard its doctrine, is that not hypocritical?

Should you not find a faith that better suits your reality?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ap7hYSva8gKZi1sSUvINl5fd7BR.?qid=20070118103522AA4jook

Answer 1

Yeah it's supposed to be pure.

People draw lines in the sand. Like, divorce is cool and sex before marriage is cool as long as it's hetero, but those homosexuals aren't cool. See, that's a line in the sand.

Some religions have escape clauses. Once saved always saved. I guess that means you can do what you want!

Predestination. Some are EVIL and some are GOOD, but there's nothing evil with social drinking or casual sex.

You are forgetting, however, there are a lot of faithful out there that, if you'll excuse the phrase, religiously follow their faith!

There are Jewish people who have two sets of dishes, one for meat and one for milk products. They actually purge their homes of leavening for Pesach. There is even an official document that allows them to "loan" their leavening items to the Christian next door for two weeks.

Then there are those in Israel who durring passover sneak through back alleys and duck into Arab shops to buy Pita Bread for their ham and cheese sandwich.

I have yet to meet a Saint in this world.

To KNOW the way is one thing to LIVE the way is another!

Answer 2

Chicky

As a Christian I'm saved by my faith, not by my works.

No this is not hypocritical, I do 6 days a week as the same as I do on Sunday.

If I want a beer, I drink. If I take a woman it is her gift to me, or I don't want it.

Don't let some right wing religion nut tell you want you can do or not do.

Read some of the life of David. I'm no where close as a righteous man. I try... I work on my faith. however my sins have been paid for. That debt has been paid.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Faith does not exist to fit individuality. Doctrine is different from religion. Docterine is breaking down exactly what that church believes. Religion is what you do to uphold said doctrine.

Yes, I suppose you could wiggle right out. But isn't it wonderful that we have such a graceful God who will take us back into His arms when we ask Him?
Romans 8

Answer 4

Its very common. But of course finding a faith that suits your reality is really not a faith at all. Its the god of your own making. You get the answers you want to here. Therefore, you have egotistical guidlines and anything goes rules. Your basically a super dummy.

Answer 5

I come from a liberal protestant background, and I know a little bit about Christian history, and an even smaller bit about world religions, so I'll use the little bit I know to explain what probably sounds like a vague answer: it depends.

"wiggling" around doctrinal claims has often caused the breaking off of smaller religious communities from larger ones. The Protestant Reformation is perhaps one of the best examples. Or an even more dramatic example might be the breaking off of the early Jesus movement from first century Judaism. The belief that Jesus was somehow divine was incompatible with Judaic belief, and while most of the early Jesus folk considered themselves Jewish, their new revelation did force them to break ties.

In contemporary society--particularly in American religious life, we've contextualized much of our religious belief so it works with our culture, i.e. Catholics who use birth control, (to cite your example). There are plenty of religious communities who see many of the rules of their faith as belonging to particular historical contexts (kosher laws, prohibitions against same-sex relationships, roles of women in worship, etc.), and either disregard them, interpret them differently, or wiggle around them.

the fact of the matter is religious life is always the act of living out an interpretation, and even those who claim that they are following everything that written in a literal, absolute way, are "wiggling" around things. For example, how many fundamentalist mega-churches that deride same sex marriage as unbiblical are also advising their members to drop their families, give away their riches, and wander the earth, as Jesus orders his disciples?

It's not hypocricy as much as it is just hard work to figure out what it means to be faithful in our contemporary world.

Answer 6

For some people, the sum of the parts is greater than the individual ingredients--the over-all value of the faith overrides their disbelief of certain doctrinal points. I don't think that's hypocritical. What's hypocritical is to pretend that you adhere to the religion's standards of conduct, while secretly deviating.

Answer 7

Why do you need to follow someone else's "doctrine" to be faithful? The Bible, the Koran, or whatever holy book you use is simply meant to be a reference, a tool you use to be spiritual and lead life on the right path.

Answer 8

It depends on the doctrine your following. But the teachings of Jesus states. Its only by faith your saved, and this faith must be manifested in love. Thats it.

Answer 9

pretty much is really my only answer. if you aren't following the doctrine of your religion it is technically being a hypocrite. a lot of people do that now a days. and you don't necessarily have to find another religion that suits you, you could just have none if you choose not to follow any doctrine.

Answer 10

Everyone is a hypocrite in one area or another. The key is to not be afraid to admit it and acknowledge that you are trying to live the best life you can live.