What is the goal of Religion?

[Jonathan Rex]

What is the objective of individual religions?

Islam - To submit to Allah and do good
Christianity - To follow Yeshua's (Jesus) words, worship God and do good.
Judaism - To follow the law of Moses, worship God and do good.
Buddhism - To follow the teaching of Guatama, become a Buddha and do good.
Hinduism - To follow Krishna, and do good.
Zoroastrianism - To do as Zoroaster taught, and do good.
Taoism - Become one with the Tao, and do good.

There is a pattern here. This pattern has been ignored for thousands of years and has been replaced by dogmatic religious politics. The purpose of all religions was to establish a code of ethics by which the civilization lived unanimously and to take care of one another.

Whether you are Taoist, Confucian, Zoroastrian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jew, Christian, or a Muslim (or one of the many minor religions/cults around the world) the purpose of your belief system is to take care of other human beings and serve humanity by giving something back to the earth, while you are here.

What good is faith if your actions are dead?
What does it mean to believe in God if you do not take care of your brothers and sisters (other human beings)?

Even an Atheist or Feminist can agree on this objective, so what is holding us back?
Why can people not believe in God in their various different ways and worship in the privacy of their own home, in their various different ways and live their faith by taking care of each other instead of discussing their faith?

Anybody who has to convince another person of their beliefs, whether they be Christian or Atheist, is really trying to convince their self. They want other people to accept their views because they are not comfortable practicing their religion alone.

There are flaws in every religion and as long as human beings continue debating the flaws, we as a world will never transcend the nonsense and achieve World Peace.

 

[James the Persian]

You do realise that you appear to have just come to a religious discussion forum in order to tell us that we shouldn't discuss religion, don't you? Somehow I don't see that working too well here. Now, I think you mean that we shouldn't be proselytising, playing at oneupmanship etc., but rather that we should be understanding of and live with one another's different faiths. The thing is that I think that you'll find that that's what real religious discussion is about. It's certainly the norm, rather than the exception, here.

I would like to pick up on your worship in your own home point, though. You do realise that most of us probably have corporate worship which, necessarily is in public not private don't you? In my case my faith affects everyday life, my public life, in more ways than that too. You sound as though you disapprove of religion being expressed in public. Do you, and if so why (bearing in mind that public expression of one's belief need not imply condemnation of those wih differing beliefs)?

James

 

[michel]

Hi Jonathan,

As I noticed that this is your first day here, I thought I would take the opportunity to WQelcome you to Religious Forums;

You might like to consider posting an introduction of yourself to the other members on:- Are you new to ReligiousForums.com?

James seems to have answered your post pretty much as I would have;

I hope you get to like it here, and enjoy your stay with us.

 

[Valjean]

What does it mean to do good? Down through history lots of questionable actions have been declared good and in accord with the precepts laid down by X religion or religious founder.
What if following the will of Allah, Yeshua, Mosaic law, &c. as clearly described in the relevant religious text, is clearly in conflict with the general consensus of "good" conduct?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

What is the goal of Religion?

To score.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I am sure that the Goals of individual religions.
And the Goals of God are not the same.

Religions are the result of man's attempts to make sense of the revelations from God, in a tangible way.
The problem is we are not very good at it.
We are looking for perfection in an imperfect framework.

We should acknowledge our imperfect understanding for what it is.
and give the same acknowledgement to other faiths.

We should acknowledge Change, and growth as being basic truths in God's world.
We should acknowledge that every thing we believe contains error.
we should acknowledge that God will reveal other truths to us as we grow and change.

As God' creatures, it is our duty to work together and with the guidance of God, to increase our understanding and learn how to serve him together as one people.

 

[wizanda]

Christianity - To accept that Christ died for you?
To place your self under authority of man and government (as appointed there by God?)?
To convert others to be the same as you?

Follower of the word's of Christ – To not have anything to do with Pharisee teachers, to give up wealth, to understand all you live for is God and to help others through this….

Not the other way around as Pharisee (John, Paul or Simon).
led everyone to believe, which are the ones directly opposed to Christ and made Christians; as they state it is good he should die for them (swear by a sacrifice, so guilty; also of making temples for dead prophets), so they do reverse from his own words and follow Pharisee or Balaam teaching according to the Bible.

 

[michel]

What is the objective of individual religions?

To allow people of the same faith to worship in harmony.

 

[Jonathan Rex]

You do realise that you appear to have just come to a religious discussion forum in order to tell us that we shouldn't discuss religion, don't you? Somehow I don't see that working too well here. Now, I think you mean that we shouldn't be proselytising, playing at oneupmanship etc., but rather that we should be understanding of and live with one another's different faiths. The thing is that I think that you'll find that that's what real religious discussion is about. It's certainly the norm, rather than the exception, here.

I guess I should back up a little bit and see what this site is all about.

I would like to pick up on your worship in your own home point, though. You do realise that most of us probably have corporate worship which, necessarily is in public not private don't you? In my case my faith affects everyday life, my public life, in more ways than that too. You sound as though you disapprove of religion being expressed in public. Do you, and if so why (bearing in mind that public expression of one's belief need not imply condemnation of those wih differing beliefs)?

James

"When you pray, go into your room and close your door and keep your prayers between you and God. Do not be like the Pharisees who love to stand in their fancy robes and give long speeches for men to hear." - Jesus

 

[angellous_evangellous]

"When you pray, go into your room and close your door and keep your prayers between you and God. Do not be like the Pharisees who love to stand in their fancy robes and give long speeches for men to hear." - Jesus

Jesus was a religious teacher who taught in public. Using a quote about prayer as an argument against all public displays of religion not only contradicts the nature of Jesus' teaching, but is inconsistent and sophomoric.

 

[Jonathan Rex]

Jesus was a religious teacher who taught in public. Using a quote about prayer as an argument against all public displays of religion not only contradicts the nature of Jesus' teaching, but is inconsistent and sophomoric.

Teaching (preaching) and praying are not the same.

Yeshua went off by himself to pray. At no time does he pray in the public (as far as we know of). Public displays of your religion are not necessary. If you worship God then that is what matters. Displaying it in public is nothing more than a show for other people to see. True worship is done within. "A time is coming and has now come when the true believers will worship neither on this mountain nor in the temple. God is spirit and the true believers must worship in spirit." - Yeshua (Jesus)

Worshipping in spirit internally ("The kingdom of God is not some far off place to be found, nor will any say to you, 'Here it is!' or 'There it is!' for the kingdom of God is within you.")

Shekinah is that place in which God dwells in Hebrew. Those who worship through the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) must worship in Shekinah (spiritual dwelling place of God). In Greek that phrase was: Basilieia tou Theou (Kingdom of God) . . . in Hebrew it is Shekinah (Dwelling place of God).

The Holy Spirit is not masculine, it is feminine in Hebrew. Ruach HaKodesh is not masculine. God is called the Father. The Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh) is the divine feminine spirit) and the Son (or Child) of God is one who is born of the Holy Spirit (The Virgin Mother). Many things have been confused. In the Gospel of Thomas, Yeshua says: "My earthly mother gave me death. My heavenly mother gave me life."
Why would he say this? When you are born you are destined to die. When you are born again you will never know death because death cannot conquer one who transcends it.

There are different forms of worship. One can worship God through actions ("I'll show you my faith through my deeds." - James), or one can worship God through prayer and meditation. But you cannot be focused entirely on God while praying or meditating if you are also speaking and trying to convince people. It is not God that you are concerned with at that point, it is the other people.

If you know the truth then you will live it and you won't have to try to convince anybody of anything because they will see it in you and ask you questions instead of you needing to convince them that you know.

My use of the word you is rhetorical of course. It doesn't necessarily mean "you."

 

[Green Gaia]

What is the objective of individual religions?

Islam - To submit to Allah and do good
Christianity - To follow Yeshua's (Jesus) words, worship God and do good.
Judaism - To follow the law of Moses, worship God and do good.
Buddhism - To follow the teaching of Guatama, become a Buddha and do good.
Hinduism - To follow Krishna, and do good.
Zoroastrianism - To do as Zoroaster taught, and do good.
Taoism - Become one with the Tao, and do good.

There is a pattern here. This pattern has been ignored for thousands of years and has been replaced by dogmatic religious politics. The purpose of all religions was to establish a code of ethics by which the civilization lived unanimously and to take care of one another.

Whether you are Taoist, Confucian, Zoroastrian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jew, Christian, or a Muslim (or one of the many minor religions/cults around the world) the purpose of your belief system is to take care of other human beings and serve humanity by giving something back to the earth, while you are here.

What good is faith if your actions are dead?
What does it mean to believe in God if you do not take care of your brothers and sisters (other human beings)?

Even an Atheist or Feminist can agree on this objective, so what is holding us back?
Why can people not believe in God in their various different ways and worship in the privacy of their own home, in their various different ways and live their faith by taking care of each other instead of discussing their faith?

Anybody who has to convince another person of their beliefs, whether they be Christian or Atheist, is really trying to convince their self. They want other people to accept their views because they are not comfortable practicing their religion alone.

There are flaws in every religion and as long as human beings continue debating the flaws, we as a world will never transcend the nonsense and achieve World Peace.

I disagree!

You forgot UUs. The goal of our religion is a world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.

 

[Mathematician]

Interesting thread.

 

[Ernestine]

The goal of any true religion is first and foremost sanctify God's name. The name of the only true God is "Jehovah" (Yahweh). Next it would be to acknowledge the ransom sacrifice of his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Finally, to preach the word to tell the uninformed that the only hope for mankind is the establishment of God's Kingdom on earth. Read the Lord's Prayer. It is a model prayer and a good basis for understanding what the goal of religion should be.

 

[wizanda]

Ok since we are not in Christian I find that offensive and seriously wrong, Christ is not a sacrifice (Balaam teachings), that is Christian (Pharisee) ideology and not that of Christ, yet anti-Christ.
The true name of God is all names, so I find that blaspheme to label God with an image.
Since all them points goal is to bring war and fighting, then yes I would like the kingdom of God here also, as then people whom speak such as that, will find they no longer exist.

 

[Bishka]

What you have mentioned is defiantly a goal of Christianity in general; as well as in the LDS Church. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have a three-fold mission:

• Perfect the Saints
• Proclaim the Gospel to the World
• Redemption of the Dead

We also believe in serving others as found in Mosiah 2:17

"17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

 

[wizanda]

Well in which case I am starting a new religion based on The Never Ending story as that is all made up also, as is most of what the Pharisee taught everyone...Don't people realize i was sent to help people get into heaven?
Christianity does not and will not....you break almost every commandment in more then one instance....

You swear by sacrifice all over the place (as if something good, it is Sick!) so making your self’s guilty and what the Bible deems workers of iniquity; as Christ him self said, with all these people using his name, yet the master of the house doesn't know you.
You get no inheritance for proclaiming your self a follower of the Pharisee being John, Paul and Simon….
yet regardless of what Christ told all, they follow it blindly to hell….
Heaven is oneness and while you proclaim you are separate, chosen, etc… you choose EGO over oneness….
As Christ said wide is the road, and narrow is the gate….well it got narrower due to Pharisees input and in fact closed up the way, yet still people follow them and not Christ why?

 

[Valjean]

OK, let me dangle this one in front of you:

The goal of some religions is to induce temporal status epilepticus, ie: a permant seizure centered in the temporal region.
Temporal lobe seizures are associated with a mystical consciousness.

 

[Jonathan Rex]

The goal of any true religion is first and foremost sanctify God's
name. The name of the only true God is "Jehovah" (Yahweh).

You do not have the authority to speak the name of The LORD. Neither Jehovah nor Yahweh is the LORD's name. Use YHWH. That is good enough for now. When the time comes, you will know the LORD's name.

Show a little respect.

Next it would be to acknowledge the ransom sacrifice of his only begotten son, Jesus Christ.

Ransom Sacrifice? Oh please.
God does not need a human sacrifice, you foolish man.
We do not worship Molech, we worship YHWH.

You believe that Yeshua was a Jew.
You believe that to be a Christian you must follow Yeshua.
Yet you are not a Jew. Why? Is the religion which he lived not good enough for you?
You are not a follower of Yeshua. If you were a follower of Yeshua then you would be like Yeshua. One cannot follow a climber up a mountain without becoming a climber himself and if both reach the peak of the mountain and stand looking out over the land, is one over the other? It doesn't matter who got there first, so long as they both got there. And you're not there, are you?

Do you observe Sabbath? Or do you go to Church?
Do you celebrate Passover? Or do you celebrate Christ-Mass (Christ-Death)?
Do you eat kosher food? Or do you fix pork and shell fish?

If you answered second to ANY of those questions . . .you are not a follower of Yeshua. Yeshua was more strict than modern Orthodox Jews are. He was a Nazarene. He didn't even eat meat.

You are a follower of Paul.

Finally, to preach the word to tell the uninformed that the only hope for mankind is the establishment of God's Kingdom on earth.

Who will do this? Jesus? Iesos Christo?
Certainly not!

There is only one who will accomplish this and it isn't Yeshua. Yeshua did not come to bring peace. That was not his purpose. The Counselor will fulfill that. King Moshiach.

Read the Lord's Prayer. It is a model prayer and a good basis for understanding what the goal of religion should be.

That is not religion. That is Christianity. Yours is not the only religion.
The goal of religion is to unite the world and serve God together.
That was the answer to the question. Not to worship Christ or to pray to some fantasy in the sky.

God is within you.
The Kingdom is within you.
No man is your God.
There is only ONE God and you belong to God.
We are the infinite in finite forms.

Take a step back please and realize that your religion is not the only one. Your arrogant approach to others must stop. This is a Christian disorder which caused the death of millions and millions of people. Tortures, burnings at the steak, witch hunts, Native American Mass slaughters, rape, pillaging . . . everything Christians accuse Muslims of doing, they have done and much much more.

Stop preaching! You are not a teacher. You are not a priest.

 

[Jonathan Rex]

OK, let me dangle this one in front of you:

The goal of some religions is to induce temporal status epilepticus, ie: a permant seizure centered in the temporal region.
Temporal lobe seizures are associated with a mystical consciousness.

Sounds like a smart answer.
Is it the right answer?