Religion? Good or Bad?

[The Punisher]

What are your opinions of organized religion? Are you for it or against it? What do you think the pro's are and what are the con's.

[Monsoon X]

As long as the focus is always on God and Jesus not on the person. As long as the Church produces financials for the members to see, I have no problem with religion.

The problem comes when people start making their traditions some type of law that is important to salvation. And the members stop studying their bibles and take everything the preacher or leaders says as Bible.

There are PLENTY of churches out there don't do that kind of stuff but, most people use the bad things to convince themselves that they can gain salvation by their own way rather than by God's

[speedpro50]

The NT, ACTS, the birthday of the church is all about organized religion. Now "organized religion" means different things to different people. Most people would say the Catholic Church is what organized religion is and others would adhere to all denominations being organized. I adhere to the biblically based teaching of a local church and the universal church.

There is the universal body of Christ where all who are saved have been grafted in to His body. Christ is the head of the church (local and universal). We are all brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus.

Then there is the local church, a body of believers committed together in their local area to do the work of the Lord. If a minister, evangelist, pastor, teacher, missionary, etc. is to do the work of the Lord they MUST be attached (committed) to a local church body. It burdens me with all These MINISTRIES (ex. MY NAME MINISTRIES) doing their own thing with no covering in a local church body. You will find that this is not a biblical thing to do. Paul and Silas or Paul and Barnabas in Acts were great men of God going out evangelising the lost throughout Asia, but you will read that there local church sent them out to do the work of the Lord. They were accountable to their local church. Throughout the NT you will see the church at Ephesus, the church at Rome, etc. These are all examples of how it should be today! Organized local churches accross the world working to serve the Lord. Chirst was very ORGANIZED in all He did throughout His ministry. An unorganized church would not be an effectiveone.

[Frogger]

I have nothing against organized religion. I think in many ways its a positive influence in many peoples lives.

I just feel its not for me. I was raised with a Southern Baptist father and a Buddhist mother. I was given the freedom in my youth to have experiences in both religions. I have just chosen a path of worship that doesnt include me attending an organized service. I am intuned with my lord and feel my spiritual needs are being met without organized attendance to a service.

[speedpro50]

List of why church is a MUST...
(not a list of why denominations is a must because I don't feel it is)

1. Fellowship with other Christians
2. Support and Prayer by and for other believers
3. Jesus said at the last supper we are to partake of His body
4. Wherever 2 or more are gathered in My name there will I be!
5. Hebrews says, "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together..."
6. Jesus said the gates of Hell could not prevail against the church
7. Jesus is the head of the church, the chief cornerstone
8. The Holy Spirit lives in the church (not a building) - in its members
9. the church is a body of believers serving the Lord in their local area
10. YOU NEED THE WORD, THE GOSPEL PREACHED AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!!!
11. Church is where you should biblically take the Lord's Supper 12. Today's world this is where baptisms take place
13. Nobody knows it all so we should all pitch in and learn from one another (in a body by teaching, preaching, fellowship, etc.)
14. God builds the church and we are to join Him in His work!

This is just a few reasons, as there are so many more. You can't love the Lord in your heart and not be involved in a healthy local church. Jesus Christ died for the church, so you slap him in the face by accepting Him and not His work!

In Christ,

Lee

[Kris]

Originally posted by speedpro50
List of why church is a MUST...
(not a list of why denominations is a must because I don't feel it is)

1. Fellowship with other Christians
2. Support and Prayer by and for other believers
3. Jesus said at the last supper we are to partake of His body
4. Wherever 2 or more are gathered in My name there will I be!
5. Hebrews says, "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together..."
6. Jesus said the gates of Hell could not prevail against the church
7. Jesus is the head of the church, the chief cornerstone
8. The Holy Spirit lives in the church (not a building) - in its members
9. the church is a body of believers serving the Lord in their local area
10. YOU NEED THE WORD, THE GOSPEL PREACHED AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!!!
11. Church is where you should biblically take the Lord's Supper 12. Today's world this is where baptisms take place
13. Nobody knows it all so we should all pitch in and learn from one another (in a body by teaching, preaching, fellowship, etc.)
14. God builds the church and we are to join Him in His work!

This is just a few reasons, as there are so many more. You can't love the Lord in your heart and not be involved in a healthy local church. Jesus Christ died for the church, so you slap him in the face by accepting Him and not His work!

In Christ,

Lee

Well stated!

[DarkWolf]

Originally posted by Frogger
I have nothing against organized religion. I think in many ways its a positive influence in many peoples lives.

I just feel its not for me. I was raised with a Southern Baptist father and a Buddhist mother. I was given the freedom in my youth to have experiences in both religions. I have just chosen a path of worship that doesnt include me attending an organized service. I am intuned with my lord and feel my spiritual needs are being met without organized attendance to a service.

Ditto that.

I've tried. I've tried many times to attend church, but each and every time, I feel nothing while I'm there. I feel disconnected. It's very uncomfortable.

I don't have anything against people attending church, or involved in organized religion. It's just not something for me.

[MadKat]

Try going to church for to worship your Creator, instead of going to get something out of it for your yourself. You can kill 2 stones with one bird.

[DarkWolf]

Originally posted by MadKat
Try going to church for to worship your Creator, instead of going to get something out of it for your yourself. You can kill 2 stones with one bird.

Ummm ... that's what I was saying. When I go to church, I feel disconnected from my Creator. I don't feel a connection with God, and it's very uncomfortable.

[JohnStang]

"You can't love the Lord in your heart and not be involved in a healthy local church. "
i am not sure that is intirely true. i agree that one should go to church, but to make a statement concerning ones love for Lord so general i don't. you can't judge someones relationship and love with God, because of the fact that they don't go to church.

john :)

[MadKat]

Originally posted by DarkWolf


Ummm ... that's what I was saying. When I go to church, I feel disconnected from my Creator. I don't feel a connection with God, and it's very uncomfortable.

quiet time usualy makes me feel more connected.
Praying about stuff and expecting an answer also helps.
Another thing I found out, God can't come dwell in sin.
So I found out, that if thats where I was, it put distance between us.
So I had to clear up some lies, and be willing to drop anything that I put in front of God. Also let go of things I valued more.
You can say, "God you are number one in my life" but if your heart and your actions say other wise, then it doesnt mean anything to Him.

Kind of like a gf who says " I love you so much" and never calls.

He says, " come closer to me I will come closer to you."

[Monsoon X]

Originally posted by DarkWolf


Ummm ... that's what I was saying. When I go to church, I feel disconnected from my Creator. I don't feel a connection with God, and it's very uncomfortable.

How to feel connected:

Believe in God
Believe in Jesus as his son
Believe that you can be saved through his Son
Join a Christian church with basic good Christian people whom you can tell are sincere.
Pray and thank God for all your blessings, thank God for the hardships that teach you how to deal with things and make you stronger.
Hang out with Christian folks and share in their testimonies

You'll start to feel connected.

[DarkWolf]

Originally posted by Monsoon X
How to feel connected:

Believe in God
Believe in Jesus as his son
Believe that you can be saved through his Son
Join a Christian church with basic good Christian people whom you can tell are sincere.
Pray and thank God for all your blessings, thank God for the hardships that teach you how to deal with things and make you stronger.
Hang out with Christian folks and share in their testimonies

You'll start to feel connected.

I've been to many churches, big ones that would hold a small towns population in the auditorium, small ones that would barely pass as a one bedroom house ... and numerous ones in between. I've been to churches in small towns, and big cities. I've been to catholic churches, baptist churches, protestant churches, lutheran churches, and a mormon church. I've been to churches in different states, and even in a different country.

And in no case, do I feel connected. It's not the people, it's the buildings. I can be outside of the church, and within the same group of people, and feel connected. As soon as I walk back in the church, whether the people come in or not, I no longer feel connected.

My church contains no walls. It is within no building. I benefit from the fellowship of others, but I don't require the fellowship of others.

[Monsoon X]

claustrophobia maybe? LOL ;)

[DarkWolf]

Originally posted by Monsoon X
claustrophobia maybe? LOL ;)

Hehehe, might be :D

[JohnStang]

maybe you should join an outdoor church.:) j/k.