Define Religion

[firedragon]

(Religions have been losing ground in the First World since modern forms of communication ─ cell phones, internet, and so on ─ have made possible new forms of community and in the process created fragmentation and bled authority from the old forms ─ governments, churches, expert opinion, newspapers and so on. )

Do you have statistics for this? Interesting.

 

[pearl]

I would say that Jesus had God given faith because Jesus based his faith/confidence, Not in man-made expressions, but on his religion based on the old Hebrew Scriptures (OT) inspired by God as Author of the Bible - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God.
And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. 1Cor 2:11-12

 

[The Hammer]

Something along these lines:

Humans evolved to live in tribes, and to enjoy the benefits of cooperation and organization.

For reasons not demonstrated with certainty but likely including the human instinct to require answers to questions (such as natural phenomena, good and bad luck, sexual attraction, childbirth and fertility, death, and so on), humans in just about every known culture have evolved beliefs in supernatural beings, and stories about them ─ and perhaps also as an integrated reinforcement of tribal identity, along with language, customs, territory, folk history, stories, &c.

This trait has evolved into many forms, including organized views of the beginning to the world, the beginning of humans and animals, the power of supernatural beings, the appeasement and control of such beings, and so on.

Such forms, once they reach a certain level of popularity and organization, are regarded as religions. Priestcraft as a profession appears to be at least as old as civilization.

It's usual for them to acquire other social functions as well, such as forms of observances for birth, coming of age, pairing, childbirth, and death.

Historically it's been found convenient to include religious expressions in statecraft and politics, which may be a normal phenomenon given that politics are very usually tribal as well.

(Religions have been losing ground in the First World since modern forms of communication ─ cell phones, internet, and so on ─ have made possible new forms of community and in the process created fragmentation and bled authority from the old forms ─ governments, churches, expert opinion, newspapers and so on. )

Personal one sentence definition per the OP please.

 

[The Hammer]

(Religions have been losing ground in the First World since modern forms of communication ─ cell phones, internet, and so on ─ have made possible new forms of community and in the process created fragmentation and bled authority from the old forms ─ governments, churches, expert opinion, newspapers and so on

Afaik the world is becoming more secular, but the numbers of those people that are spiritual or religious has not changed too much.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God.
And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. 1Cor 2:11-12

...and as verse 13 continues..... Not in words taught by human wisdom but taught by the spirit as to explain spiritual matters with spiritual words (aka Scripture).
1 Corinthians 2:16 concludes with... who has come to know the mind of God,...... but we do have the mind of Christ.
Keep the same mental attitude that Christ Jesus has - Philippians 2:5; John 13:15

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Afaik the world is becoming more secular, but the numbers of those people that are spiritual or religious has not changed too much.

We can expect change 'religious waters' (people) to dry up spiritually speaking - Revelation 17:1: Revelation 17:15.
Few will be on the narrow road of Matthew 7:13-14.
MANY will call Jesus as Lord but prove false - Matthew 7:21-23

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Do you have statistics for this? Interesting.

As far as 'Christendom' (so-called Christian / weed/tares) they are MANY but proving false - Matthew 7:21-23

 

[lukethethird]

Define Religion
Organized superstition.

 

[pearl]

...and as verse 13 continues..... Not in words taught by human wisdom but taught by the spirit as to explain spiritual matters with spiritual words (aka Scripture).

There was as yet no Christian Scripture for Paul to refer to, only the Holy Spirit.

 

[blü 2]

Personal one sentence definition per the OP please.

Just substitute semicolons for the full stops and paragraphing in what I said.

 

[blü 2]

Afaik the world is becoming more secular, but the numbers of those people that are spiritual or religious has not changed too much.

It's my impression that in most of Europe now, religion is either irrelevant or just part of good manners and life ceremonies.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

There was as yet no Christian Scripture for Paul to refer to, only the Holy Spirit.

At random this is what I found at chapter 15 of 1st Corinthians of Paul's referring to Christian Scripture.
I find 1 Corinthians 15:4 refers to Matthew 27:59; Matthew 28:7; Luke 24:46
I find 1 Corinthians 15:5 refers to Luke 24:33-34; Matthew 10:2
I find 1 Corinthians 15:6 refers to Matthew 28:16
I find 1 Corinthians 15:40 refers to Matthew 28:3; Luke 24:4

Matthew wrote around year 40+ and Paul around the year 55+ for both 1st and 2nd Corinthians.













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[URAVIP2ME]

It's my impression that in most of Europe now, religion is either irrelevant or just part of good manners and life ceremonies.

I'd like to take the liberty to say Most of Europe before now.
In England in 1972 I found people to be irrevevant
In the 90's a woman from Poland said the church/chapels makes a good background for weddings and pictures.
She'd only go for weddings, baby baptism, and funerals.
She found it otherwise odd church-going here.

 

[blü 2]

I'd like to take the liberty to say Most of Europe before now.
In England in 1972 I found people to be irrevevant
In the 90's a woman from Poland said the church/chapels makes a good background for weddings and pictures.
She'd only go for weddings, baby baptism, and funerals.
She found it otherwise odd church-going here.

1972 ─ coalminers' strikes and demonstrations in England and Wales, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, a lot of civil unrest.

As you say, the churches of most of Europe, not least the great cathedrals and the very ancient, are tourist attractions before they're anything else. I was greatly saddened when Notre Dame de Paris was damaged by fire; I though its great hall was one of the most serene spaces I've found. Of course the French government is helping to finance the rebuilding, probably from the tourisme budget.

 

[firedragon]

As far as 'Christendom' (so-called Christian / weed/tares) they are MANY but proving false - Matthew 7:21-23

Thats not the question I asked U.

 

[pearl]

Matthew wrote around year 40+ and Paul around the year 55+ for both 1st and 2nd Corinthians.

Don't agree with your dating at all.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Don't agree with your dating at all.

Don't agree because ___________________________

 

[pearl]

Don't agree because ___________________________

Following many experts in the field have led to questioning the dating of the Gospels. Mark and not Matthew is the first, followed by Matthew and Luke who had a common source "Q" plus Mark. The
original ending of Mark was chapter 16, the following a later addition. Paul's earliest Epistle was to the Thessalonians, possibly by the end of 52.

 

[blü 2]

Don't agree because ___________________________

Paul's letters are dated between 50 and 58 CE.

The first gospel is that of Mark, c. 75 CE, datable by its mention ("prediction") of the sack of Jerusalem 70 CE, and by its author's use of Josephus' report of the trial of Jesus son of Ananias in Wars, published 75 CE, as the template for Mark's trial scene of Jesus.

Matthew and Luke borrow passages wholesale from Mark, hence are later, mid 80s.

And John is last, mid or late 90s.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Following many experts in the field have led to questioning the dating of the Gospels. Mark and not Matthew is the first, followed by Matthew and Luke who had a common source "Q" plus Mark. The
original ending of Mark was chapter 16, the following a later addition. Paul's earliest Epistle was to the Thessalonians, possibly by the end of 52.

Yes, originally Mark ends at Mark 16:8.
After verse 8 the verses are spurious.
The style of writing changes after verse 8.
There aren't the corresponding verses as there is with the rest of Mark.
Even Jerome and Eusebius believed Mark ends at 16:8