how "necessary" is alot of organized religion

[Shorty]

Yes I know there are many more religions than Catholicism, but that's what I was raised on and forced to learn about in school.

Basically, why is tradition so important that the meanings behind many practices are lost just so that the practices don't change. It took the catholic church plenty of time to get rid of speaking latin, and removing all the "mystery" from the mass. Not eating meat on fridays during lent is one thing. From what I understand, the tradition of eating fish (or cold blooded animals) was because fish was very cheap, and even the poorest of men could afford the meal. As most people know, fish and seafood are now much more expensive than warm blooded meats, but catholics still continue the practice. Is the meaning not lost? Is tradition more important than congruity and practices making sense? What good is practicing tradition if there is no longer meaning?

[72Comet]

I think alot of people miss the meaning of the new covenant, that Jesus came to bring about. Once I really started to study what Jesus said [read the red writing] I noticed that though he followed the Jewish custom and traditions to the letter, he was pretty much anti-relgious. The story of the man with the crippled hand he healed on the sabbath and afterward rebuked the crowd for being more concerned with traditions than for someone suffering, was an example for us. In the old covenant[before Christ] traditions where a sign of devotion with sacrifice's of various kinds. In the new covenant God says he doesn't want our sacrifices he wants our love, for him and one another. A friend of mine went to Mexico and visited a Catholic church in a some town. He said the church was inlaid with gold everywhere and outside the doors, the people where living in utter poverty. He hasn't been back to a mass since.

[Pro Trash]

Originally posted by 72Comet
I think alot of <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=people&v=55">people</a> miss the meaning of the new covenant, that Jesus came to bring about. Once I really started to study what Jesus said [read the red writing] I noticed that though he followed the Jewish custom and traditions to the letter, he was pretty much anti-relgious. The story of the man with the crippled hand he healed on the sabbath and afterward rebuked the crowd for being more concerned with traditions than for someone suffering, was an example for us. In the old covenant[before Christ] traditions where a sign of devotion with sacrifice's of various kinds. In the new covenant God says he doesn't want our sacrifices he wants our <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=love&v=55">love</a>, for him and one another. A friend of mine went to <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=Mexico&v=55">Mexico</a> and visited a Catholic church in a some town. He said the church was inlaid with <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=gold&v=55">gold</a> everywhere and outside the doors, the <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=people&v=55">people</a> where living in utter poverty. He hasn't been back to a mass since.


I concur with that rationale as for going to church no more makes you a christian than standing in your garage saying beep beep makes you an automobile. In the end you have to have a personal relationship with god in which you love him and do your best to live by his rules and have total faith.