When we accept doctrinal applications of our very meaning and purpose in life, is this only at forfeiture of some of our independence, of our personal, spiritual security?
After all, to accept theology is to accept a definition of our life's purpose and ultimately its result, is it not? Man seems to have a need to answer questions that perhaps were never meant to be challenged, considered, debated, or even thought up in the first place......only accepted.
After all, the concrete facts of life and our existence are all too readily apparent; it would seem that religion addresses questions that were never in existence--or meant to exist--until someone with too much time on their hands took the time and thought them up.
What do you think? If we lose the precepts of our various religions, do we encounter loss of equilibrium, fear, a sense of hopelessness....or do we encounter liberation?
Is the Pope really any freer than any of us, or does he just have
his private jail cell?
2007-12-20 15:13:05 · 15 answers · asked by Jack B, goodbye, Yahoo! 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Pope is a spiritual pimp. Own car, private jet, own little European kingdom. But pimps are slaves to their jobs just like the rest of us.
2007-12-20 15:23:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, but you seemed to ramble on in the latter part of your question, and perhaps you should have broke all this down with about 3 or 4 different questions. However, I will try to provide an answer and information for you. I do know and understand the Catholic religion and the protestant religions as well and various religions. You are never made free by any organization that seeks to control your life, and that is what religion is all about. If religion cannot control the lives of its members, then that religion will soon end up on the religion junk pile where all the very old religions have gone. When you accept any religion dogma you are accepting something that is not truthful and that will eventually control your life and your money, too. The really sad thing about this is that there is nothing that religion can do for anyone, nothing at all. In all my research about religions and who wrote various religions dogma, I have yet to find where man needs religion, quiet the contrary, because religion is really nothing but at its best a crutch for the weak who think that they cannot live without someone or something directing their lives. This is what I call a crutch, and only a cripple needs a crutch. Yes man has a need to find the answers to many things, and the more we learn the better our lives will become. To not learn the answers to difficult questions is to give up and become a slave to whatever will control you; in your case that seems to be a religion that you have gotten yourself mixed up with. I am not sure if I understand what you are saying in your 3rd para. Religion is mademade, just as that bible is manmade, and by some very smart persons. Religion is the reason that royalty was able to continue to keep the masses in slavery and uninformed for thousands of years, and at this time the masses are beginning to learn things they never had a chance to learn before. We do not need religion to live our lives, and it is the one most horrible thing that has hurt more people in this world than any other single thing known to man. Yes, if religion was banned the world would surely encounter total liberation. The pope knows the truth but is never going to tell the followers. Sure he is free but not the church members; they are nothing but pons and slaves to the church so that the pope and all the other high level individuals of that church live in splendor. Sure he has his on cell, but it is not a jail, it is a number of persons waiting on him hand and foot and he receiving anything that he wants. The last thing I will leave you with is that the RCC is really nothing but the continuation of the Roman Empire, and remember many years ago the RCC pope was part of the rule of that empire.
2007-12-20 23:41:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religion is a man made institution. Accepting Jesus as Lord is a voluntary submissive status that sets us free to become all that God had intended.
God gave us all free will - and He has us use it in most day to day activities and decisions. There are decisions that are really too big for us to make, and make well, and feel that we've made the right decision - so God took it upon Himself to make those decisions for us (His children). God is not fallible like our earthly parents are. Sometimes I make decisions for my kids that they could have done themselves - sometimes I allow them a choice that I should have decided for them. God ALWAYS knows what He should leave to us and what He should decide.
To use an earthly example, lets look at a baseball team of 6 year olds. For them to do their best, there are certain things that they should just obey the coach, and do it his way. A good coach will also allow the players to make some decisions on their own - a great coach will know WHAT decisions to leave to the little tykes.
God is a perfect coach. Do what He says and you'll play your best.
2007-12-20 23:34:31 · answer #3 · answered by teran_realtor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religion is man's sad attempt to reach up to God.
Or in some cases, alright, many, make it so that only a few can find God.
What you as an individual has the right and frankly, duty to do is with your heart and in your mind, seek out God for yourself.
But, you must understand, you are just a man, God makes the rules; and He will not be held by your restrictions.
You can't say something like, "Alright, God. if you're real, turn this glass of water into wine."
You MUST, come to a point where all you want to know is if He's real or not. Does He care about you or not.
Open your heart and say, God, I just want to know the truth."
2007-12-20 23:22:31 · answer #4 · answered by Linda J 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jehovah Gd gave us Free will a special gift from him but it doesnt mean we made free by religion... Theres only one true Religion and thats with us if we will give importance and look for that one true Religion or not...
How Can You Find the True Religion?
Are all religions pleasing to God, or is just one? (1)
Why are there so many religions that claim to be Christian? (2)
How can you identify true Christians? (3-7)
1. Jesus started one true Christian religion. So today there must be just one body, or group, of true worshipers of Jehovah God. (John 4:23, 24; Ephesians 4:4, 5) The Bible teaches that only a few people are on the narrow road to life.—Matthew 7:13, 14.
2. The Bible foretold that after the death of the apostles, wrong teachings and unchristian practices would slowly come into the Christian congregation. Men would draw away believers to follow them instead of Christ. (Matthew 7:15, 21-23; Acts 20:29, 30) That is why we see so many different religions that claim to be Christian. How can we identify true Christians?
3. The most outstanding mark of true Christians is that they have real love among themselves. (John 13:34, 35) They are not taught to think that they are better than people of other races or skin color. Neither are they taught to hate people from other countries. (Acts 10:34, 35) So they do not share in wars. True Christians treat one another as brothers and sisters.—1 John 4:20, 21.
4. Another mark of true religion is that its members have a deep respect for the Bible. They accept it as the Word of God and believe what it says. (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17) They treat God's Word as being more important than human ideas or customs. (Matthew 15:1-3, 7-9) They try to live by the Bible in their everyday life. So they do not preach one thing and then practice another.—Titus 1:15, 16.
True Christians love one another, respect the Bible, and preach about God's Kingdom
5. The true religion must also honor God's name. (Matthew 6:9) Jesus made God's name, Jehovah, known to others. True Christians must do the same. (John 17:6, 26; Romans 10:13, 14) Who are the people in your community that tell others about God's name?
6. True Christians must preach about God's Kingdom. Jesus did so. He always talked about the Kingdom. (Luke 8:1) He commanded his disciples to preach this same message in all the earth. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) True Christians believe that only God's Kingdom will bring true peace and security to this earth.—Psalm 146:3-5.
7. Jesus' disciples must be no part of this wicked world. (John 17:16) They do not get involved in the world's political affairs and social controversies. They avoid the harmful conduct, practices, and attitudes that are common in the world. (James 1:27; 4:4) Can you identify a religious group in your community that has these marks of true Christianity?
2007-12-21 00:06:36 · answer #5 · answered by Mikaella 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jack, organized religion is a very convenient and easy way to control the masses. It has done so for centuries and will continue to flourish. Unless the minds of people will open up to all the possibilities that surround us at every turn. Unfortunately I dont see this happening as a good portion of the worlds population seems quite content to be led along like mindless sheep.
You know this my friend.
2007-12-20 23:31:39 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think we're truly made free by atheism. But we like praying to magic Gods because that way we don't have to make up our own minds what we need to do with our lives. But mainly because we can't accept our own death, so we need to make up a place to go afterwards. People feel more comfortable in a jail cell where everything is provided for them rather than surviving out in the cold by themselves.
2007-12-20 23:24:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The quest for certainty is a plague on all pursuits for knowledge, not just religion. Philosophy has the same problems in many cases. It's just that philosophers are much more willing to change their minds, even if they're unable to abandon their quest.
2007-12-20 23:23:23 · answer #8 · answered by Sophrosyne 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Religion is a reality, its knowing GOD's WORD. Not what some man says.
Mar 13:5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:
Mar 13:6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
They say they are a Christian preacher teacher but come with deception and lies.
2007-12-20 23:25:09 · answer #9 · answered by Theophilus 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Religion is enslaving, not liberating: it is deliberately abandoning one's ability to think, in favor of being led down some garden path by a charlatan. See:
2007-12-20 23:25:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋