A BudgieTweet Debate: Do you agree with this philosophy: faith vs. religion?

Question

Do you agree with the following line: "Religion can tear apart, but faith unites". I.e; I had a hard time being Catholic because of all the "one true faith" and "Protestants are traitors" business, while the hypocrisy of some priests and popes made me cringe. Then I realized a FAITH in God is much richer. Do you agree? 10 points to the most thorough, polite, unbiased respose.

Answer 1

I agree that faith in God is much richer than religion. I would suggest though, that religion is a form of faith. The problem is that religion is faith in men instead of faith in God.

Religion is a product of the natural, very human, desire to understand the rules of whatever game we choose to play. In my role as a teacher, I've witnessed first hand how students react when I tell them to prove to me that they learned something without teling them how to do it! For want of a better word, many of them freak out. How many pages does it need to be? As many as you need to prove what you learned. Do I need references? Depends on what you decide to do. Not fair, how do I know what to do? Why not talk to me about it...after all, I'm the one that's going to assign the grade!

God's instructions to us are pretty simple...love me and love one another...and not at all unlike the students in my classes, we want to know the specific requirements for acheiving that goal. God is quite willing, even eager, to tell each of us exactly what he wants us to do but we have to be willing to seek his will with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. Unfortunately, it is much easier to rely on someone else to do the work and share the results with us.

This is the essence of religion...it is a product of our desire to avoid the hard work and dedication required to seek the answers from God. I'm frequently shocked at the number of students that ask another professor, another student, or even their parents to interpret my instructions instead of taking the time to seek my advice (the person that will actually GRADE their assignment). We do the same thing to God...we go to church and let the priest/pastor tell us what God wants us to do then we go home and go our own way believing that as long as we don't do something the priest/pastor told us not to do, we are fine.

With these nicely defined rules in place, we can expend our time and effort trying to define the precise line we can't cross so we can run right up to it without breaking the "law". However, in doing so, we're forgetting that Jesus came to abolish the law. NOT, as some people claim, because the laws of the old testament were stupid, outdated or invalid but because our our tendency to seek loopholes in laws that someone spells out for us. If I tell students I want an eight page paper, far too many of them will find a way to write a paper that is EXACTLY eight pages long...they play with margins or spacing or font, they add some irrelevant quotes or information, they make it more wordy instead of focusing on the basic objective of the assignment!

The message of the Old Testament is pretty clear in this respect. When we look to other people to spell out the rules and enforce the laws, we (humans) will find a way around those laws. A "one size fits all" law doesn't result in righteousness or the achievement of the basic objectives...that we love God and love one another! God's plans for each of us are individual not collective...only by putting our faith in God and seeking his will directly do we have any chance of doing what he would have us to do.

...sorry for jumping off topic here at the end, but YEAH ROCKIES (former Denver resident here and they just won the National League Championship *smile*)

Answer 2

Well... To some extent, yes. But, philosophy could also be said to be made by those who think, but don't want to pay the price of faith, which is not something I fully agree with, either. I think we see too much of people trying to say that religion is bad, or philosophy is a cerealbox religion, or whatever. There are plenty of religions who have a theological statement, as well as a philosophical one. Being too general in making an overview can lead to misinformation and, thusly, ignorance of a truth.

Answer 3

I do agree that faith in God is richer. Religion is a group of people that believe pretty much the same way. But faith is a personal walk with God. By personal, I mean your own relationship with God. Which does make it a much richer experience then religion. But religion also has its place. When you find a religion that believes as you do, they can be your support as well as some one to guide you. But you will find people in all religions that make that religion look bad. But there are also some people in every religion that follow their faith and do good for their religion. So just trust in your faith in God and He will never lead you wrong.

Answer 4

I see what you're saying, but what you call 'FAITH in God' is very much within the definition of religion. You can't just give words different meanings like that and expect everyone to go along with it.

Answer 5

I dont believe that God would exist, create us for no real purpose, throw us on the earth and then just say well you are all on your own now. The god I believe in has organization in all things, including his plan and his creation. So I cant subscribe to the notion that religion is not important. I wouldnt be in my religion if I didnt believe it was literally the correct organization of Gods church.
I think that because my church doesnt believe in the traditional concept of heaven and hell and we dont really believe anyone is going to burn in agonizing misery that it makes more sense to believe that God would create a sense of organization for his children to learn of his plan. It isnt a place to tell his children believe or go to hell. I believe that heaven is progression. I believe we are here on this earth to prove ourselves worthy to have the knowledge of god so that we can progress to have our own spirit families and to continue the same plan of salvation that our God, or literal father of our spirits, followed. It is a continual life cycle.
Given that belief I cant believe that God wouldnt have organization and a way for us to really understand this plan and fulfill it.

I could never believe in a God that would condemn good people to hell. That makes no sense to me. I couldnt believe in a God that didnt make allowances for different circumstances we were born into.
I believe that if the religion does more good then harm and brings people closer to truly believing and having a real faith in God then it is a good thing. I believe all religions have truth in them.
If the religion so blinds its followers to become judgemental arrogant prideful people and causes them to close their hearts to the true nature of God and Gods plan then I think it is a bad thing.

I would rather a person be nonreligious but spend their entire life to the service of others and devoted to their families and communities then a person spend every waking hour of their life in church and buried in the Bible condemning other people and never really lifting a finger to help anyone.
The God I believe in would rather that be the case as well because that nonreligious person obviously has a heart and a desire that will eventually lead them to see the truth and accept Gods plan.