“We Hate Religion, just as much as you do…” Wiat…What lol

This thread is inspired by my recent interaction I had (or I’m having) in this thread …

Now I don’t mean to single out that Christian poster…as this is something, I hear fairly regularly by Christians on these boards…as well as in real life…But by all means, feel free to check out that conversation so far…

Anyway, I keep hearing Christians say the following phrases…

“We hate Religion, just as much as you do…”

And…

““Organised Religion is Evil”…

And…

“Jesus hated Religion too…”

And another well-known line from Christians is…

“We don’t have a Religion…we have Jesus etc…”

Now the last time I checked…Christianity IS! a Religion…It clearly fits the definition of what a Religion is…

Definition of religion

1a : the state of a religious
//a nun in her 20th year of religion

b(1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural

(2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2 : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

3 archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4 : a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

Source

Any Christians care to throw in their 2 cents…?

- JC

a reply to: Joecroft
I didn't meet this usage until I saw it on ATS. I'm wondering if it's an American thing.

a reply to: Joecroft

Like I said in that thread

But I guess it was somewhat inherently, after Jesus made Jews break their bond with God it was probably bound to happen that there'd be a snowball effect towards the end.

It's kind of the logical consequence of Protestantism "be your own priest" next level "be your own church".
Evolution at work
Ironically

Many have a connection with their concept of Jesus but see the church as contradictory to that concept.

When you codify a religion and create Dogmas you are creating barriers.

Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life. Not churches or dogma.

Relationship with Jesus.

So many Christians like myself shun organized religious institutions and view their religious experience as a relationship with God.

Yes it is a religion.

God and I don’t need a middleman.

Religion is the social aspect of spirituality.

a reply to: Joecroft

I was trying to figure out what you meant but clicked on the link in your OP and saw a poster saying they didn't believe in organized religion. Which is understandable. Nevertheless the Bible shows that Christianity is an organized religion. It has structure and organization just as much as did the Isarelites when they were God's people.

In the Christian Bible you read about elders and ministerial servants, and congregations where fellow believers are commanded to gather together to build one another up in love.

The Bible is quite clear about the Christian congregation as a whole being united. It refers to it as a body, some members are more prominent than others but all are vital. Members of the Christian congregation have the same beliefs and are told to be united in love. They help each other out when needed and the the focus of their congregations is to preach and teach and baptize people and then the end will come.

If you are a "lone shark", or pick and chose what you want to believe, not a part of the organized structured Christian congregation then you are not a Christian.

The Christian Bible commands the Christian to confess their sins to the elders of the congregation and to be submissive to the elders taking the lead in the congregation.

There is no way you can be by yourself and be a true Christian. Others have to have the same beliefs as you, practice the same true faith founded in the Bible, a faith based on the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins, and have a belief, true faith, in Jehovah God, the Creator of all things. The Bible calls this "faith without hypocrisy."

Here are just a few references from the Bible showing that the Christian congregation has structure, it is organized, it is unified, it is a group of people that all believe the same things and teach the same things, and meet together to worship:


(Hebrews 10:24, 25)  And let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking our meeting together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.


(1 Timothy 3:2) . . .The overseer should therefore be irreprehensible, a husband of one wife, moderate in habits, sound in mind, orderly, hospitable, qualified to teach. . .

(1 Timothy 3:8, 9) . . .Ministerial servants should likewise be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in a lot of wine, not greedy of dishonest gain,  holding the sacred secret of the faith with a clean conscience.


(Colossians 2:2) . . .This is so that their hearts may be comforted and that they may be harmoniously joined together in love . . .

(James 5:14) . . .Is there anyone sick among you? Let him call the elders of the congregation to him, and let them pray over him, applying oil to him in the name of Jehovah.


(James 5:16) . . .Therefore, openly confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. A righteous man’s supplication has a powerful effect.

There are many other scriptures that teach God's people are united as an organization and that Jesus Christ is the head of the Christian congregation.

a reply to: Joecroft

If you look to the early church in Christianity,

It was home groups, no buildings, overseen by a few apostles traveling and writing letters.


it was a community that supported itself, with creeds and a universal belief.


The religion came into play, as in organization, with Buildings, defined rules, mandatory sacraments, etc.


It started as an ideology, and turned into an organized religion around the time of the advent of the Roman Empires adaption of it, and further split during the fall of Rome, and eastern Orthodoxy /Roman Catholic.


Often, they mean Organized Doctrinal structures, but forget many are in those very structures themselves. Its never supposed to be what it currently is in most Denominations.

in my opinion at least. The point they are trying to make, is in the Christian Faith, God cares only about the individual and his relationship with them, not a building, not a denomination.


The name for the CHURCH, literally means called out ones, and in that context, is what they often refer to while falling along organized relgion themselves.

originally posted by: benrl
a reply to: Joecroft

If you look to the early church in Christianity,

It was home groups, no buildings, overseen by a few apostles traveling and writing letters.

Well, if you look at early Kentucky Fried Chicken, there weren't many franchises (i.e. buildings) either. It takes a while for anything to grow at the start. That probably had a lot to do with what you said.

Yea, what starts as a mom and pop, ends in a corporate franchise with no soul...

a reply to: TrulyColorBlind

Thank you , you are correct.
You beat me to it.
My pastor told me many years ago that a relationship with God is all that is important.
The bible and rules that the church puts on people is from man.
Eat the meat and spit out the gristle he would say.

reply to: Metallicus

a reply to: MidnightHawk

I have a sneaky you are a Jehovah Witness Midnight Hawk, would I be correct?
Yours is truly a religion if I am right, not denying that your beliefs demand door knocking and social media bombing these days evidently

a reply to: Joecroft

i just dislike christians.

they love to cherry pick their own sacred text to fit whatever they want to do.

slavery? yep, scripture to back it up.

homosexual? more scripture.

my favorite is how they justify gun ownership.

Luke 22:36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.

Luke 22:37 It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."

christians take the one verse to condone ownership of weapons, ignoring the fact that the second verse shows weapons are nothing but props to fulfill prophesy.

ive never met a true christian, but i have met a lot of cherry pickers.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: Joecroft

Like I said in that thread

But I guess it was somewhat inherently, after Jesus made Jews break their bond with God it was probably bound to happen that there'd be a snowball effect towards the end.

It's kind of the logical consequence of Protestantism "be your own priest" next level "be your own church".
Evolution at work
Ironically

Umm two or more christians meeting together to worship is a church.

My thread was about proving the Roman Catholic church has pagan practices within its church, like Easter:

Pope Anicetus of Rome REFUSED to observe the Lord’s resurrection in the way Apostle John and his disciple, Polycarp, do because he said he had to follow his ROMAN TRADITIONS. Polycarp refused to participate in the Roman way of celebrating the resurrection which leads you to think there was some form of paganism creeping into Rome at the time when the Apostle John was nearing the end of his life.

IRENAEUS, 177 – Fragment 3
When the blessed Polycarp was visiting Rome…..Pope Anicetus (second bishop of Rome) could NOT persuade Polycarp to forgo his observance. For these things have always been observed by John, the disciple of the Lord, and the other apostles with whom had been conversant. Nor, on the other hand, could Polycarp persuade Anicetus to keep Passover rituals instead of Easter rituals for Anicetus maintained that he was bound to adhere to the usage of the presbyters who preceded him.

At the time of Pope Anicetus who was Pope of The Roman Catholic church from 76-88 CE fell under three different Emporers of Rome:

1. Vespian 69-79 CE
2. Titus 79-81 CE
3. Domitian 81-96 CE

The above emporers are well known for their cruelty against Christians and it is this time era when Pope Anicetus changed Christ's annual resurrection celebration from rising on the third day to Easter; which changes when Christ actually rose from the dead. Changing this day is blasphemy directed to both the Father and son.

My point.... do NOT celebrate the pagan holiday - Easter and understand Christ did NOT die on Good Friday (Roman Catholic church doctrine) and HE did NOT rise on Easter Sunday (Roman Cathoilc doctrine) but three days after HIS death on the cross.

DS

originally posted by: Joecroft
This thread is inspired by my recent interaction I had (or I’m having) in this thread …

Now I don’t mean to single out that Christian poster…as this is something, I hear fairly regularly by Christians on these boards…as well as in real life…But by all means, feel free to check out that conversation so far…

Anyway, I keep hearing Christians say the following phrases…

“We hate Religion, just as much as you do…”

And…

““Organised Religion is Evil”…

And…

“Jesus hated Religion too…”

And another well-known line from Christians is…

“We don’t have a Religion…we have Jesus etc…”

Now the last time I checked…Christianity IS! a Religion…It clearly fits the definition of what a Religion is…

Definition of religion

1a : the state of a religious
//a nun in her 20th year of religion

b(1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural

(2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2 : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

3 archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4 : a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

Source

Any Christians care to throw in their 2 cents…?

- JC

originally posted by: stormson
christians take the one verse to condone ownership of weapons, ignoring the fact that the second verse shows weapons are nothing but props to fulfill prophesy..

Again, this is an American thing. You musn't share in the mistake of assuming that America is the whole world.

a reply to: Joecroft

Well. To feed the poor for example. You need to organize, collect resources, and have a way to distribute resources.

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’(AB)

www.biblegateway.com...

Mark 12:41-44
New International Version
The Widow’s Offering(A)
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put(B) and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”(C)

www.biblegateway.com...

Jesus is definitely not, nor has preached against going to temple (church] and tithing. The Bible calls to tithe. Is that false.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

biblehub.com...

There is nothing wrong to form a “church” to do God’s work. Such as feeding the poor.

a reply to: stormson

36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

38 The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”

“That’s enough!” he replied.

www.biblegateway.com...

Shrugs.

a reply to: Joecroft

Bottom line. The Bible calls to serve God by doing God’s work.

Again...

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’(AB)

www.biblegateway.com...

If you are “concerned” with the “spirit” of Jesus. How have you served God today.....