Christianity is a religion

[Not David]

They represented the Kingdom, not an institution of man.

So do you think the Kingdom is just spiritual and not material? You know that's Gnosticism?

 

[greenguzzi]

Yeah, but there were a lot of books that people considered "Scripture" like the Apocalypse of Peter but the Church was the one who compiled the books.

Yeah, but that's not what you said before. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Tone]

What? Who?

Churchianity...I mean, Christianity...I guess it depends on if one is wheat or tares.

 

[☦Marius☦]

Most of the Bible was written before the Church came into existence. So no, the Church didn't write the Bible.

Lol in what world? Christ founded the church, the gospels weren't even written until about 50 years later

 

[Not David]

Hiding behind a woman's lack of skirts.

Don't hate Wonder Woman, please.

 

[timothyu]

Well, I agree that there are man-made religions

Christianity was made into a man made religion. Constantine even went as far as militarizing it.

 

[Ashley755]

Hello!
Sorry to hop into this conversation randomly, but isn't religion just a word? People assign it to differing beliefs about existence and thus the practices that are part of those beliefs. But does it actually matter whether we consider our Christian faith a religion or not? What I mean is, religion is a technical sounding word the world uses to describe Christianity (and other belief systems besides atheism). And in a technical way, a Christian might consider themselves part of a religion and mean nothing by it. They might just be trying to be "technical". At the same time, that exact Christian could have a wonderful and close relationship with God and be a genuinely saved convert.
My point here is this: Religion is a word used by man, and yes, sometimes even by Christians. But it is a word. What really matters in the life of a Christian, to me, seems to be whether or not their Christianity is characterized by legalistic religious works or a genuine relationship with God the Father-whether they're trying to earn their way into heaven, or know with confidence that they are saved by grace through faith and live in freedom and service of the King they love.

 

[timothyu]

So do you think the Kingdom is just spiritual and not material?

Oh no, the Kingdom is alive and physically well in earth within those who follow the will of God and shun the will of man.

 

[Yarddog]

Christianity is a religion, but following Christ isn't.

Sure it is.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

There! I said it, and you can't get mad at me since my avatar is Wonder Woman smiling.

Yes in the secular world anyone who believes in a god is in a religion. Which makes Buddhism not a religion since there is no god involved. So we Christians would not want to be in that category right?
So, rather than say that Christianity is a religion,that is, in it's purest form without made made doctrine, it can be classified as "other" which I believe sits well with those not involved in institutional Christianity.

The Parable of the Sower

4 And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirty fold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

 

[Foxfyre]

There! I said it, and you can't get mad at me since my avatar is Wonder Woman smiling.

Certainly the liturgy, rules, requirements, Scriptural interpretations that billions of people have adopted or made up in order to be the Church as they see it is a religion. No way to get around that.

But if you strip away all the buildings, pomp and ceremony, liturgy, rules, requirements, Scriptural interpretations etc. etc. etc. out of the equation, we are left with just ourselves and God who loves us enough to live among us, suffer, and die for us to point us to the eternal life that he offers us. Once we do that we have not a religion, but a relationship. Which is what ultimately separates Christianity from all other religions.

 

[timothyu]

Don't hate Wonder Woman, please.

If Jesus came as a woman would his teachings and Kingdom have been more accepted or would He have just been idolized like WW?

but the Church was the one who compiled the books.

With a heavily gentile leaning.

 

[greenguzzi]

Sure it is.

I've been following Christ for over 40 years, and I'm not religious at all, and I don't follow any religion. So either you are wrong, or I am a liar.

 

[greenguzzi]

I've been following Christ for over 40 years, and I'm not religious at all, and I don't follow any religion. So either you are wrong, or I am a liar.

Correction: I did follow a religion for a short time in the early 1970's. I was a member of the Mormon church for a little while. Maybe that's why I hate religion now.

 

[Yarddog]

I've been following Christ for over 40 years, and I'm not religious at all, and I don't follow any religion. So either you are wrong, or I am a liar.

It's not that you are wrong but that you fail to know what the word religion means.

 

[timothyu]

It's not that you are wrong but that you fail to know what the word religion means.

Jesus and His early immediate followers had the same scriptures as the Pharisees/Saudacees but had no problem with the Torah, just a problem with those of the priesthood who abused their position for their own gain creating their own institution within. The same applies against Christianity and those who govern it's institutions.

 

[jacks]

Until this thread I didn't even know that this was controversial. When I'm asked what religion I am, I say "Christian". Everything else seems like denomination to me.

 

[Tree of Life]

There! I said it, and you can't get mad at me since my avatar is Wonder Woman smiling.

What do you believe we gain by saying that Christianity is a religion?

 

[Yarddog]

Jesus and His early immediate followers had the same scriptures as the Pharisees/Saudacees but had no problem with the Torah, just a problem with those of the priesthood who abused their position for their own gain creating their own institution within. The same applies against Christianity and those who govern it's institutions.

What does that have to do with the meaning of the word religion.

 

[greenguzzi]

It's not that you are wrong but that you fail to know what the word religion means.

No, it's just that you have a different definition than I do. I think that - for me - my definition is more useful than yours. This is because my definition is more in alignment with that of most of the people I spend time with. But you live in a different country with (possibly) a different culture. So maybe where you are, your definition is better suited.

Having said that, I can't help thinking that if having a relationship with a person (Christ) is a "religion", and a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices is also a "religion". Then the word "religion" is doing an awful lot of ambiguous heavy-lifting. No, sorry, I think my less ambiguous definition is better. But feel free to disagree.