Religion is a system of beliefs, and teachings that are established surrounding God or gods, and that govern how men should worship said entities, or perform in life.
When you say God is not found in religion, what does that mean?
Religion is a system of beliefs, and teachings that are established surrounding God or gods, and that govern how men should worship said entities, or perform in life.
When you say God is not found in religion, what does that mean?
He is not found in the way that men practice the religion we see on this planet. He's just not in it. He desires personal, intimate relationship with each of His children. Religion hinders that.
I disagree. God can be found in religion. James 1 talks about religion that is pleasing to God.I disagree. He turned the world upside down, spiritually. Man seeks religion, but God is not found in it.
Why do you say religion hinders one's relationship with God?
Man has a tendency to become enamored with pomp and ceremony, ritual, the letter. It draws him in. Jesus has come to cause us to break free of that.
Can you show me where in the Scriptures it says that Jesus came to abolish religion?
He came to set people free from religion---He made more than one harsh accusation to those who were religious leaders---the Pharisees and scribes. They and all the numerous man-made dogma they believed stood between people knowing the truth---including themselves, as their religion blinded them to the simple truth standing right in front of them.
Take note of the many encounters He had with these people.
Why do you see these passages as an abolition of religion rather than addressing corrupt religion? Which passage does Christ condemn religion altogether?
Was Christ a religious Jew or did he condemn Judaism as well?
Huh? Are you joking?
I see the passages where Jesus speaks against the Pharisees and the scribes as allowing religion to become their god, much as people do today. It's idol worship at its very basic.
Jesus was not a religious Jew. He taught about true worship without all the trappings of religion. He was regular in His expression of Judaism, but was always mindful of the Father and how He Himself was fulfilling each aspect of Judaism, and freeing His followers, Jews, from the burden of the letter of the law and introducing real faith to them.
You said quite a lot, but I'll start with one at a time...
Why do you think Jesus was not a religious Jew?
Or maybe I should be asking why do you think religion contradicts worship? What is religion?
Is it that you're against corrupt and religion of man or are you against all religion including the religious acts commanded to us by God?
Part 2 of that the question is is religion relative?
No way am I against the things the Lord asks of us. I am against the kind of religion that vaunts itself as something in itself to be admired for its own sake, and those religious institutions that claim to be the One True Church, etc.
I'm not sure what you mean in your question, "Is religion relative?" Can you flesh it out for me?
When I say is religion relative, I mean is it subjective. Is religion non-objective?
I don't think anyone for false religions. What if we ARE talking about the one, true Church...would that Church be wrong for devoting itself to Christ through what Christ institutionalized?
Oh, I completely agree. The Church Christ founded, like man, is physical, but not just physical. In fact, it's more important aspects are invisible. Just as the soul of man is more important than body, so is the Church's.Tell me, what is institutionalized about following Christ? The one true Church is not an earthly institution.
We follow Christ through His mission and commandments to us. And he founded a Church in which we do this.
Did Christ found a magisterium, one Church?
He did not found the RCC, if that's what you mean.
I didn't ask that -- perhaps we'll discuss that another time. What I asked is did Christ found one magisterium, one Church? We can, for argument's sake, say it was not the Catholic Church. But did He still found A Church?