I believe in God, Angels but question organized religion?

Question

Organized religion presents man as overflowing with sin and unworthy of God's grace. Humans are portrayed as worse than animals since we have a choice to not sin and yet we do so anyway. We must get on our knees and ask for forgivenss for our souls being put into these human bodies.

I am in no way a hedonist, but it appears organized religion has usurped the concept of God, i.e., if you don't believe in X, you will go to hell. Does anyone else feel this way?

Agnostics: I was also once agnostic when I was young. God, Angels of course do not make logical sense. However, I have heard testimonies from enough people over a lifetime to have turned my disbelief into belief in an afterlife, God and the Angelic relm. I base my beliefs on primary evidence from countless witnesses. It is true. God is real. And no, I am not crazy.

Answer 1

Yes, I do. Too many differing interpretations, but the underlying theme is my fabric of belief.

Answer 2

You are right to question organized religion, but while you're at it, why not get complete closure?

Would an all powerful God allow his house to be exploited?

Can freewill excuse using the church to control the minds of his flock, thus NEGATING freewill?

If you really want to know "God" then are you not on a quest to find the REAL TRUTH?

I assume you've read the Bible (I have, and consequently, I'm a Radical Atheist...) So, without a preconceived notion of what you will expect to find I suggest you investigate further... Read Richard Dawkins' "The selfish gene," and or "The Blind watchmaker," and check out this video, http://www.thegodmovie.com/

Whatever you find, I'm sure it will help you solidify your faith one way or the other...

Added response to "...Primary evidence..."

Primary evidence means you, personally, and with repeatably verifiable tests against other possible circumstances that could conspire to fool your senses into false beliefs, witnessed and confirmed the existance of God, angels and the afterlife... However, you clearly state that you consider the word of people who "experienced" vague impressions and feelings of God, angels and the afterlife (when these witnesses are obviously still alive, and therefore INCAPABLE of witnessing an "afterlife" because of the clear and simple fact that they DID NOT DIE,) as "primary evidence," this is very clearly irrational thinking. What you are describing is "secondary INFORMATION," it cannot even qualify as EVIDENCE, much less "primary evidence" what you are suggesting is if enough people say something is true, then reality itself will warp and shift to accomodate the OPINIONS of people, as long as HUNDREDS of them agree on the same story. If this is true the the world would be flat. People didn't agree to the spherical shape of the Earth, it did not come to pass because a group of people DECIDED it was so. The idea was originally rejected my the majority, when the facts became more apparent, society grudgingly accepted that the Church might not be the best standard of scientific knowledge...

Literally MILLIONS of parents tell their children that Santa Clause is coming to town, and millions of children bear "witness" as to "what Santa brought them last year"... I would like to think that you can figure out that no matter how many children state that Santa Clause "is watching you," it doesn't and can't make it so.

Answer 3

A good start but you now need to gather your wits together and question ALL aspects of religion. Belief in an invisible and silent paranormal entity that does nothing to protect his devoted worshippers is ... let's say slightly crazy?
It's probably not your fault. The chances are that you were drilled with cuddly jesus stories when you were a toddler and the ideas ARE attractive.Yeah! Who doesn't want to live forever sitting next to a superhero in the sky? Me for one.
If you take all your thoughts just a little further and understand that ALL gods have always been an invention of weak mankind, the rest is easy and all these weird questions will fall away from your life and trouble you no more.

Answer 4

There are some denominations that think that way. In a way, mine does.

I am a reformed presbyterian. I hold to a Calvinistic perspective that starts with the concept that Man is, by his nature, tainted by sin. As a result, there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. That is why it is a free gift from God. On the flip side, it also means that since it is a free gift from God, we also cannot lose our salvation from sin. To me, this is the only perspective that makes sense considering the world I see around me.

The big problem I find in organized religion is that the human element within it can and sometimes does corrupt the doctrine. We see this for example in the way the Mormon church sends auditors to make sure people pay enough in tithes or how Imams call for holy war against those that do not believe as they do. Of course, this problem exists in any organization, be it religious, political, commercial, or ideological.

Answer 5

If you really know Jesus and His personality then you have known God. Jesus has come to fulfill all the 10 commandments. God has never asked men to fulfill them as He knows men don’t have the ability to do that. The purpose of 10 commandments is to let men know that they need a Savior. So if “organized religious” request you to follow rules then that is against the principles’ of the Bible. God wants you to rest in Jesus.

10 commandments are like a mirror that shows your sins. There is nothing wrong with a mirror when you see a pimple on your face. So you know you need a pimple cream. Get it? Right believing in the real Jesus of the Bible will lead you to right living. Don’t try it yourself, you will fail.....just let Him do the work. Rest well in your heart and the peace of God will guide you. “Organized religious” is not needed to guide you, Jesus is needed to guide you.

Answer 6

Organized Religion has a lot of flaws, your thoughts and concerns are valid. Even the early Churches were getting off track as we can find in Galatians with Paul trying to correct them. Often times a small part is taken from the Bible and ran with. Making a false teaching. What you have to do is find a Church that follows the early Church and the whole Bible's teaching.

Answer 7

You seem to have made a generalization of your view, dear one. I attend a non-denominational fellowship, which is quite large and continuing to rapidly grow. We aren't anything like what you depict. Could it be that you haven't really given God a chance and only judged Him by what a particular denomination does?

God bless!

Answer 8

The important thing is you believe in God.. The road to God is not instant. There are many paths and we all take a different one. None is right, and none is wrong. What guides me down the path, may not guide you at all.. Ask God to make it crystal clear for you.. He does hear you.. Remember that where any two gather in his name it is Church..

Churches have become clubs. "You can`t be in my club if you wear make up" , " you can`t be part of my club, If you eat meat on Fridays" , "You can`t be in my club if you have long hair and a tattoo". They have so lost contact with God it is amazing.

God is NOT Catholic, Or Baptist or Methodist. He doesn`t care what club you belong to. He cares about your essence (your inner person).. He love you and wants to have a personal relationship with YOU.. He doesn`t need you to be perfect. He never asked for perfection.. He just asks that you love him and believe Jesus lived and died to cover your sins.. That is it, in a nutshell..


I wish you Peace, & God bless from Texas <><

Answer 9

Organized religion is all about serving humans, not God. To make people unworthy makes them dependent on organized religion for redemption. I think most dogs are treated better.

Answer 10

Many religion,s have made their on way to Heaven and
forgot that God has showed the way,yet they go on their
own trying to go the easy way,but there is but the way
of God and those who try other than his will fall by the way.