Why Religion?

[PoetPhilosopher]

I did find this helpful, even if some may argue it's "rhetoric":

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Well, I'll be so bold as to suggest some souls are more advanced than others. And I learn from those I believe are more advanced than me.

So how can one distinguish an "advanced" soul from a "non-advanced" soul?

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

God is unknowable. Any connection we have with God is via Gods chosen Messenger.

How do you distinguish a "God chosen Messenger" from a con-man or someone who's just mistaken?

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

That is up to each of us.

Regards Tony

Is there perhaps a better and more objective method that doesn't depend on someone's own subjective and personal whims?

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Learning about scripture (at church) improves my relationship with God as I believe he communicates with humankind via scripture

And a good worship service makes me feel closer to God

"I believe because I believe, as a result of believing"

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

The Message given from God always includes a Covenant and Laws that we must Follow in the age the Message is given. It is an elixir that would cure the ills of humanity. As God is all knowing, God knows what humanity is about to face and thus the Messenger comes to give us what is required to avoid the calamity to come.

This is also a good way to recognize them, think of what humanity now faces and has a solution to this problem been given?

Regards Tony

So was JFK a "god chosen messenger" because he defused the whole Cuba missile thingy?

 

[siti]

To a Baha’i God is the ‘unknowable essence’

I imagine so.

so any imagined form of God would be just worshipping our own imaginations.

I imagine so.

 

[siti]

These Mediators such as Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad are Baha’is believe, Perfect Beings Who pre-existed and are All Knowing and possess both innate and infallible knowledge and wisdom.

They are sent by God to OFFER solutions for problems mankind faces especially during times of high corruption in both religion and politics

By God! There must have been millions of 'em by now!

 

[Tumah]

Group worship, group prayer, group self-affirmation, that sort of thing.

I'm not sure I understand how doing things as a group directly relates to being told by others what to do.

 

[JJ50]

If a god exists it shouldn't expect to be worshipped. Anyone or anything expecting people to bow down before them is too far up their own backside for their own good. There is a certain human who thinks he is god and other world leaders should worship the ground on which he walks!

 

[PureX]

If you believe in god, meaning that you have a personal relationship with god, what need do you have for religion?

Isn't it essentially other people telling you how you should have a relationship with god?

Religions are collections of platitudes, traditions, and practices that help people to hold onto and maintain their relationship with their God, and to live by it in their actual lives.

 

[joe1776]

Well religion could be looked at as following the teachings of more advanced souls that came before.

Perhaps in very modern times with the advance of education and worldly exposure more people are thinking for themselves and not following the traditional religions. But they are typically influenced by spiritual thinkers that came before and not totally inventing the wheel.

Can you offer an example or two to illustrate how they are influenced?

 

[Lionel Refson]

God is unknowable. Any connection we have with God is via Gods chosen Messenger.

The Messenger gives the Laws and Teachings for the age we live in. Thus Faith unfolds in the practice of the Message brought by the Manifestation of God.

Regards Tony

Completely disagree. Why would an All-Seeing God pick a messenger that would further split humanity. Perhaps God could not see that God's messenger would only achieve further divisiveness??

 

[shunyadragon]

If you believe in god, meaning that you have a personal relationship with god, what need do you have for religion?

It depends on what you define as religion. It is a matter of fact of human nature that what we call 'religion' has been a part of the culture of humanity since any record and archaeological evidence going back to before the Neanderthals. Just because some do not believe in God(s), does not negate the fact that religion is an intimate part of the nature of being human. You can present a case that in reality God(s) do not exist, and 'religions' are simply a natural part of human evolution, or believe that God(s) exist, but neither view negates the fact of the nature of being human with or without the belief in God(s).

Isn't it essentially other people telling you how you should have a relationship with god?

The evidence indicates that beliefs we call religions involve more than that regardless of whether God(s) exist or not. Some religions, of course do not involve the belief in God(s).

 

[shunyadragon]

Okay, but what need is there for religion?

Need? It is a matter of fact that beliefs are a part of the human nature. The question of need or no need is a human anecdotal subjective determination. If your religion believes there is a need, ok that belief system believes it is so. If your religion believes that are no God(s) and there is no need, ok that belief system believes this is so.

I believe your questions are superficial and reflect your personal belief only, and do not consider the depth of the human nature of 'beliefs' throughout human history.

 

[SalixIncendium]

God is unknowable. Any connection we have with God is via Gods chosen Messenger.

These two statement appear contradictory.

If God is unknowable, how can a messenger know God?

 

[shunyadragon]

I did find this helpful, even if some may argue it's "rhetoric":

View attachment 29942

I consider this arbitrary classification and definition as 'rhetoric' focused on 'someone' trying to define their belief by artificially partitioning their belief separate form other beliefs.

 

[Fool]

If you believe in god, meaning that you have a personal relationship with god, what need do you have for religion?

Isn't it essentially other people telling you how you should have a relationship with god?

thank you. where ever I go there I AM


Ezek 48:35 KJV It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.

 

[Jedster]

These two statement appear contradtictory.

If God is unknowable, how can a messenger know God?

eeeer, possibly because the messenger said so in the writings !?!
It's a bit like 'the book is true because it says so in the book'.

IMO, it is better to seek one's own experience, rather than rely on hearsay.

 

[Lionel Refson]

Time to tear up the crusty old books and just be with God and not before time. God went out of God's way to say something to us all as represented by the sons of Noah ie all the peoples of the world.
"Be fruitful and multiply" Nothing else matters. there is no sin, there is no redemption, There IS human wickedness but as God said Gen 9:6 Whoever sheds the blood of man through man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God He made man.
This means that we are to deal with any wickedness ourselves.