A Philosophical Question

[SAINTAN]

When is life worth a religion? I mean, what is the point of placing yourself within a moral purgatory your entire life? I understand the purpose of moral code and I can judge for myself what is right and wrong without some God hanging over my shoulder all the time, saying if I don't obey I'm going to hell. Why live in such a condition that everything that does not comply with religion is the work of the devil?
Really, outside of religion there is no omni-malevolent spirit coercing me into sin; but when I step into religion, not only do I have to fear God but now I have to fear the devil. It doesn't make sense to me, why would men place burdensome stones upon their shoulders--seeking self-righteous causes that no one wants to adhere to--not the simple minded, the peace loving people. Everything is Satan in the work of Christianity, saying that the enemy is always at the gates, when in truth there is no enemy lurking in the shadows. You're all looking at God's reflection of his image of purity and behind you you see your shadows and call it the work of the devil. It truly is not the work of the devil but the work of men's hands, if man could be called the devil.

When is life worth a religion? As to go as far as if I do not believe in one man, one god then I could expect that life should be hell. Now, people are going to say that I am pagan; but that is far from the actual truth--the pagan type I am is the elements of nature, a natural world and a natural perception do I seek, not confined to any other man's reality but one of my own creation; where I found it un-necessary to worship anything. To take life as granted, as in spirit and in truth as should be granted every soul; for every soul, I believe, has a right to life, void of the conflict and resolution that a brick of religion brings. Enough of that said.

When if life worth a religion? To say, that my path that I have chosen is the correct path because it is narrow and straight path that leads to life. Not really, it is the divine and twisted-beaten path that a Christian chooses to live. To say that the bible or church is correct in all of it's teachings and feasts and morality and rituals. It is truly a divine and twisted beaten path that leads you to your destination which is Jesus, I give you that; but there are in reality differing paths that we can choose to lead us to happiness; and yes, granted, some of those paths do in fact lead to destruction. But I don't understand why I have to eat a piece of bread and drink some wine to inherit eternal life. If I live a good life then why is all the ritual and code necessary to my salvation, ever think about that?

When is life worth a religion?

 

[quatona]

When is life worth a religion?

Do you want a general rule?

I´m inclined to think that from the fact that a person holds a religion we can conclude that he feels it improves his life (or something in his life).

 

[LostFound1986]

Hello Saintan,

I would like to respond to your question, but firstly, a couple of comments.

1. Satan - I think this area of Christian belief may have been misrepresented to you. Christians believe God is the only deity, a spiritual being with every perfection and power, thus all other beings, including the character Christians call the devil, are firmly under his power. Rather than there being a 'battle' as such, the freedom God gives to his creation means creatures have erred badly from moral goodness. While we believe Satan is a force working against God, we do not believe there is any real contest. The majority of human suffering in the world is caused by humans; we should not blame our own dysfunctions on invisible demons, we should stand up and sort things out ourselfs.

2. A large part of Christianity is the knowledge of Christ's mercy and forgiveness, hence there are no 'moral purgatorys' except those which we make for ourselves. We try to act in moral goodness, but no one is perfect and no one expects to be. The forgiveness of God is such that no Christian need get into a state about it.

3. We believe God to be a loving and merciful God, far more just than us. Thus, though we follow Jesus as the way to the Father, we refrain from making judgement on the salvation of others. Its enough to know that God is a loving, rather than wrathful God.

Anyway, to awnser your question properly:

Life is worth a religion when a religion is worth your life.

In the case of Christianity, we believe we are headed to a better place, a place of healing, immortality and perfection. When taken to logical conclusions, this life becomes rather insignificant, and the sole point appears to be to spread our gospel message. Thus, life is well worth it.

This sounds life-denying, and it can indeed be interpreted as that; but as Christians we see our immortal and perfect life with our God as starting now, so we seek to live life to the full, enjoying the splendour of creation and all of God's gifts on earth as we make our pilgramage towards an even happier tomorrow, asking people to join us on our way, and trying to spread the love and freedom offered to us by our living deity, Christ.

I'm aware that's not a philosophical awnser at all, but its too late in the evening for that! Its my awnser none the less!

 

[The Nihilist]

Mercy and forgiveness are not necessary except to those who feel that they are wretched. Christianity alone is hell-bent on making its followers feel worthless. This is why they insist that even looking lustfully at a woman is a sin, as if any man with blood in his veins could do otherwise. Keep your mercy, the rest of us have no use for it.

 

[HumbleUnderdog]

If a personaly relationship with God is a religion, then life is definately worth religion. You say that you don't need God to know what is right and what is wrong. Perhaps you are right. But can you actually always and I mean always do what you know or think is right, and can you always not do what is wrong? What I see in your post is a common misperception about christianity, that it is a religion just the same as all the other world religions. That you have to believe the right stuff, and that you have to emotionally feel a certain way in certain situations, that you have to do this and do that. That you have to do certain rituals such as eat bread and drink wine in order to receive eternal life. Actually, this is completely false according to the bible. It was the relgious ppl during Jesus' days who taught this same thing, that you have to do all these rituals and perform all these traditional routines and believe in the traditions of man in order to be with God. It was these people that Jesus had the hardest time with, and these ppl that handed Jesus over to the Roman Governor to be crucified. And this is because you can't receive eternal life by works. Christianity isn't about religion or ritual, it's about a relationship with God. All other religions are about doing deeds, but christianity is about the done deed. The only thing you really have to do for eternal life as accept Jesus into your life personally, the same way that you'd accept a family member or a bf/gf, and because Jesus already suffered death on your behalf and trampled over death by resurrecting, He has given you the victory over death so that you will live eternally, and in the full presence of a loving God. That's why life is worth a personal relationship with God.

 

[SAINTAN]

Do you want a general rule?

I´m inclined to think that from the fact that a person holds a religion we can conclude that he feels it improves his life (or something in his life).

Perhaps it is a false sense of security. They say, I have Jesus just because they speak his name and say wonderful things about him. That is a sense of illusion that I would not be able adhere to.
Why is God with the Christian and the Christian only? Why can't I have a sense of God in a natural state? Point blank, why does God have to be jewish?
I want a natural God who doesn't plague me with moral purgatory.

 

[SAINTAN]

Hello Saintan,

I would like to respond to your question, but firstly, a couple of comments.

1. Satan - I think this area of Christian belief may have been misrepresented to you. Christians believe God is the only deity, a spiritual being with every perfection and power, thus all other beings, including the character Christians call the devil, are firmly under his power. Rather than there being a 'battle' as such, the freedom God gives to his creation means creatures have erred badly from moral goodness. While we believe Satan is a force working against God, we do not believe there is any real contest. The majority of human suffering in the world is caused by humans; we should not blame our own dysfunctions on invisible demons, we should stand up and sort things out ourselfs.

2. A large part of Christianity is the knowledge of Christ's mercy and forgiveness, hence there are no 'moral purgatorys' except those which we make for ourselves. We try to act in moral goodness, but no one is perfect and no one expects to be. The forgiveness of God is such that no Christian need get into a state about it.

3. We believe God to be a loving and merciful God, far more just than us. Thus, though we follow Jesus as the way to the Father, we refrain from making judgement on the salvation of others. Its enough to know that God is a loving, rather than wrathful God.

Anyway, to awnser your question properly:

Life is worth a religion when a religion is worth your life.

In the case of Christianity, we believe we are headed to a better place, a place of healing, immortality and perfection. When taken to logical conclusions, this life becomes rather insignificant, and the sole point appears to be to spread our gospel message. Thus, life is well worth it.

This sounds life-denying, and it can indeed be interpreted as that; but as Christians we see our immortal and perfect life with our God as starting now, so we seek to live life to the full, enjoying the splendour of creation and all of God's gifts on earth as we make our pilgramage towards an even happier tomorrow, asking people to join us on our way, and trying to spread the love and freedom offered to us by our living deity, Christ.

I'm aware that's not a philosophical awnser at all, but its too late in the evening for that! Its my awnser none the less!

The sense that I get from Christians is that they beat people into submission through force of the use of the fear of God--into the alignment of Jesus Christ; and they do this by introducing a moral purgatory for those they ingest. For instance let's say a homosexual wants to become Catholic. First he is called a sinner. Then he beaten into submission by clergy for his homosexuality, leaving the man to fend for himself against the will of God. If that's not a moral purgatory then I don't know what is. I can give more examples if you like.
And since when has the strive for immortality remained within humble lines?

 

[SAINTAN]

If a personaly relationship with God is a religion, then life is definately worth religion. You say that you don't need God to know what is right and what is wrong. Perhaps you are right. But can you actually always and I mean always do what you know or think is right, and can you always not do what is wrong? What I see in your post is a common misperception about christianity, that it is a religion just the same as all the other world religions. That you have to believe the right stuff, and that you have to emotionally feel a certain way in certain situations, that you have to do this and do that. That you have to do certain rituals such as eat bread and drink wine in order to receive eternal life. Actually, this is completely false according to the bible. It was the relgious ppl during Jesus' days who taught this same thing, that you have to do all these rituals and perform all these traditional routines and believe in the traditions of man in order to be with God. It was these people that Jesus had the hardest time with, and these ppl that handed Jesus over to the Roman Governor to be crucified. And this is because you can't receive eternal life by works. Christianity isn't about religion or ritual, it's about a relationship with God. All other religions are about doing deeds, but christianity is about the done deed. The only thing you really have to do for eternal life as accept Jesus into your life personally, the same way that you'd accept a family member or a bf/gf, and because Jesus already suffered death on your behalf and trampled over death by resurrecting, He has given you the victory over death so that you will live eternally, and in the full presence of a loving God. That's why life is worth a personal relationship with God.

I go with my instinct to live as I want. Can you always do what is right, even with God? I go with my instinct to live as I want. No burden of guilt.
And that's not true. Then why is the church so insistant that you go to church every sunday to receive the sacrament?
You don't have to accept Jesus Christ into your life to be saved and live eternally. That is a blatant lie. To live eternally is to have desire fulfilled as in dreams and wishes and hopes. Eternal life is like feeling the dirt between your toes as you lay upon some river bank listening to birds chirp and the trees gather the breeze--that is eternal life, a restful peaceful place without worry or care. Not wondering if Jesus Christ is looking over my shoulder every second. You don't need to accept another man or God into your life to be saved. Salvation is found in the small moments of peace and gratitude such as I described, absent of any God.
Really, do you really believe that when you die that you are going to dwell Jesus, face to face, in paradise. You and every other living Christian on the planet; which makes me wonder how much time Jesus Christ has on his hands to dwell with a million of you all at once. Really, this is ridiculous assumption.

 

[MedicMan]

When is life worth a religion? I mean, what is the point of placing yourself within a moral purgatory your entire life? I understand the purpose of moral code and I can judge for myself what is right and wrong without some God hanging over my shoulder all the time, saying if I don't obey I'm going to hell. Why live in such a condition that everything that does not comply with religion is the work of the devil?
Really, outside of religion there is no omni-malevolent spirit coercing me into sin; but when I step into religion, not only do I have to fear God but now I have to fear the devil. It doesn't make sense to me, why would men place burdensome stones upon their shoulders--seeking self-righteous causes that no one wants to adhere to--not the simple minded, the peace loving people. Everything is Satan in the work of Christianity, saying that the enemy is always at the gates, when in truth there is no enemy lurking in the shadows. You're all looking at God's reflection of his image of purity and behind you you see your shadows and call it the work of the devil. It truly is not the work of the devil but the work of men's hands, if man could be called the devil.

When is life worth a religion? As to go as far as if I do not believe in one man, one god then I could expect that life should be hell. Now, people are going to say that I am pagan; but that is far from the actual truth--the pagan type I am is the elements of nature, a natural world and a natural perception do I seek, not confined to any other man's reality but one of my own creation; where I found it un-necessary to worship anything. To take life as granted, as in spirit and in truth as should be granted every soul; for every soul, I believe, has a right to life, void of the conflict and resolution that a brick of religion brings. Enough of that said.

When if life worth a religion? To say, that my path that I have chosen is the correct path because it is narrow and straight path that leads to life. Not really, it is the divine and twisted-beaten path that a Christian chooses to live. To say that the bible or church is correct in all of it's teachings and feasts and morality and rituals. It is truly a divine and twisted beaten path that leads you to your destination which is Jesus, I give you that; but there are in reality differing paths that we can choose to lead us to happiness; and yes, granted, some of those paths do in fact lead to destruction. But I don't understand why I have to eat a piece of bread and drink some wine to inherit eternal life. If I live a good life then why is all the ritual and code necessary to my salvation, ever think about that?

When is life worth a religion?

You talk as if God and Satan only exist if you believe. Wrong. They exist regardless of your belief, constantly fighting over you. God will judge you in the same manner whether you accept Him in your lifetime or not.
Communion is not necessary - I do not take Communion, as I feel that ritual has little place within the church. See the quote in my signiature - the important bit is to have faith in Jesus and trust in His sacrifice.

The Parable of the Sower (Mark 13: 1-8)
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

You are like the path in the middle of the field. You have listened to the word of Jesus, that much is evident. However, you have not allowed it to take root at all - you have not paused to understand the meaning of it, simply taken it at face value, combined it with your own prejudices, and regurgitated it. It is man's interpretation of the Bible that Communion is a vital means of salvation. Jesus never tells us this.

Life is not 'worth' religion no more than religion is 'worth' life. Life is religion, just as religion is life.

~MedicMan~

 

[quatona]

Perhaps it is a false sense of security.

If you ask me, all sense of security is false.

They say, I have Jesus just because they speak his name and say wonderful things about him. That is a sense of illusion that I would not be able adhere to.

You don´t have to.
What sense of illusion would you be able to adhere to?

Why is God with the Christian and the Christian only?

Because that´s what floats the boat of those who believe in such a god.

Why can't I have a sense of God in a natural state?

You can, if that is what floats your boat.

Point blank, why does God have to be jewish?

We can ask the same question about literally every god concept. And the answer is: Because that´s the god concept that the respective believer finds beneficial for his life.

I want a natural God who doesn't plague me with moral purgatory.

Then what keeps you from believing in such? That´s the great advantage of god: everyone can conceptualize god as they see fit.

 

[HumbleUnderdog]

I go with my instinct to live as I want. Can you always do what is right, even with God? I go with my instinct to live as I want. No burden of guilt.
And that's not true. Then why is the church so insistant that you go to church every sunday to receive the sacrament?

Yes you can always do right with God, but no one chooses to always do right. Everyone in their christian walk chooses to go astray at some point, and that is no one's fault but their own. If no burden of guilt is what you want, then why not ask God to erase the burden of guilt? That's what Jesus died for. And I don't know what church you've been to (it doesn't sound like a healthy one) but going to church to receive sacrament is a load of crap, that's not why you go to church, to perform rituals in order to be right with God. I suggest you try a church that is focused on relationship, and not religion and ritual.

You don't have to accept Jesus Christ into your life to be saved and live eternally. That is a blatant lie. To live eternally is to have desire fulfilled as in dreams and wishes and hopes. Eternal life is like feeling the dirt between your toes as you lay upon some river bank listening to birds chirp and the trees gather the breeze--that is eternal life, a restful peaceful place without worry or care.

Interesting theory. But there are no reports or documents reporting that someone continued to live on past the age of 120 or came back to life and continued living because of this person's desires, hopes and dreams fulfilled. The only person in all of history who reportedly lived on after death was Jesus, because His Father had His desire and hopes fulfilled through His son.

Not wondering if Jesus Christ is looking over my shoulder every second. You don't need to accept another man or God into your life to be saved. Salvation is found in the small moments of peace and gratitude such as I described, absent of any God.

What does this salvation save you from? A small moment of piece is still a small, temporary moment of peace. If it truly was salvation then there wouldn't be a small moment of peace, but an everlasting peace, which would require an everlasting life, which hasn't been found ever except in Jesus.

Really, do you really believe that when you die that you are going to dwell Jesus, face to face, in paradise. You and every other living Christian on the planet; which makes me wonder how much time Jesus Christ has on his hands to dwell with a million of you all at once. Really, this is ridiculous assumption.

Nowhere does anyone or any bible verse say that heaven is a small crowded room where Jesus sits on a throne or something. Heaven is the full presence of God, timeless and spaceless. Heaven on earth will come when Jesus comes, and Jesus will dwell with those who chose to dwell with Him.

It looks to me Saintan, that you grew up in a church that was full of religious ritual and performing deeds in order to be right with God. The fact is that the bible that they teach from contains eyewitness reports that these religious ritualistic hyprocrites (called the Pharisees) were the ones that Jesus had the hardest time with. They were the ones who handed the only truly innocent person to be crucified. So if your belief is that you don't need religion and ritual in order to have eternal life, then you my friend are absolutely correct, and are much smarter than the religious folk.

 

[SAINTAN]

You talk as if God and Satan only exist if you believe. Wrong. They exist regardless of your belief, constantly fighting over you. God will judge you in the same manner whether you accept Him in your lifetime or not.
Communion is not necessary - I do not take Communion, as I feel that ritual has little place within the church. See the quote in my signiature - the important bit is to have faith in Jesus and trust in His sacrifice.

The Parable of the Sower (Mark 13: 1-8)
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

You are like the path in the middle of the field. You have listened to the word of Jesus, that much is evident. However, you have not allowed it to take root at all - you have not paused to understand the meaning of it, simply taken it at face value, combined it with your own prejudices, and regurgitated it. It is man's interpretation of the Bible that Communion is a vital means of salvation. Jesus never tells us this.

Life is not 'worth' religion no more than religion is 'worth' life. Life is religion, just as religion is life.

~MedicMan~

Yea, God and Satan does exist but I don't really care for them. It is not my place in life to be some piece of rope between two beings playing tug o war with my soul.
Life is not religion buddy, if it were then men would have been born with knowledge of it from birth. Just like Jesus says, the sabbath was made for man. Not man for the sabbath. In otherwords, life is not religion. Religion is just a stepping stone into higher thought; however, most of us can't overcome our fear of God (the unknown) therefore fear is our only bridge unto God or higher knowledge, obscuring truth to the point of supersticious fallacies.

 

[SAINTAN]

If you ask me, all sense of security is false.

You don´t have to.
What sense of illusion would you be able to adhere to?

Because that´s what floats the boat of those who believe in such a god.

You can, if that is what floats your boat.

We can ask the same question about literally every god concept. And the answer is: Because that´s the god concept that the respective believer finds beneficial for his life.

Then what keeps you from believing in such? That´s the great advantage of god: everyone can conceptualize god as they see fit.

The sense of illusion that I wish to adhere to is one without need. Complete and total power over my own life.
O I believe in a natural God, one that lives without false delusions of prayer and deceit of ritualized ambition. One that has actually tasted the open air. One that has no pretension to judge or justify his glory. One that doesn't care to be called Father or have authority over mens' lives; but a giving spirit who gives power to those who deserve it, respectfully; so that these types of men may have power over their own lives without asking to receive...

 

[SAINTAN]

Yes you can always do right with God, but no one chooses to always do right. Everyone in their christian walk chooses to go astray at some point, and that is no one's fault but their own. If no burden of guilt is what you want, then why not ask God to erase the burden of guilt? That's what Jesus died for. And I don't know what church you've been to (it doesn't sound like a healthy one) but going to church to receive sacrament is a load of crap, that's not why you go to church, to perform rituals in order to be right with God. I suggest you try a church that is focused on relationship, and not religion and ritual.




Interesting theory. But there are no reports or documents reporting that someone continued to live on past the age of 120 or came back to life and continued living because of this person's desires, hopes and dreams fulfilled. The only person in all of history who reportedly lived on after death was Jesus, because His Father had His desire and hopes fulfilled through His son.



What does this salvation save you from? A small moment of piece is still a small, temporary moment of peace. If it truly was salvation then there wouldn't be a small moment of peace, but an everlasting peace, which would require an everlasting life, which hasn't been found ever except in Jesus.



Nowhere does anyone or any bible verse say that heaven is a small crowded room where Jesus sits on a throne or something. Heaven is the full presence of God, timeless and spaceless. Heaven on earth will come when Jesus comes, and Jesus will dwell with those who chose to dwell with Him.

It looks to me Saintan, that you grew up in a church that was full of religious ritual and performing deeds in order to be right with God. The fact is that the bible that they teach from contains eyewitness reports that these religious ritualistic hyprocrites (called the Pharisees) were the ones that Jesus had the hardest time with. They were the ones who handed the only truly innocent person to be crucified. So if your belief is that you don't need religion and ritual in order to have eternal life, then you my friend are absolutely correct, and are much smarter than the religious folk.

I don't have a burden of guilt, I told you that. I go with my instinct to live as I want. It's not suggestive of maybe, what if, it is what I do anyhow.
I can't go to church unless there is some good music to listen to. I'm sick to death of bible hymns. I want some real music. Rock and Roll, if I'm going to church.
Salvation for me comes in small moments. I don't want to feel good all the time. I want conflict within my life, so I can always get a sense of overcoming obstacles in order to appreciate life more. Who wants to live in bliss all their life, it sounds like brainwashing to me and a place of forgetfulness. Bliss is a sense of loss and peace is the place where one loses their soul to the tantalizing touch of bliss.
Jesus says whoever is close to the fire is close to me and whoever is far from me is far from the kingdom. Does it sound like a blissful fire that we must remain close to or is the nature of fire to consume through conflict and division--that is what I want in my life always, conflict and division; but the strength to overcome through the endurance of the fire. If you are at peace all the time then you will lose your mind to bliss. I don't want an orgasmic bliss. I want to feel as I do now. And I'm not going to no purgatory, theres nothing wrong with my thoughts or deeds. I refuse to believe in a religion that wants to kill me in every respect to my natural state.

 

[quatona]

The sense of illusion that I wish to adhere to is one without need.

That´s easily doable: Just define the I/me/self accordingly.

 

[SAINTAN]

That´s easily doable: Just define the I/me/self accordingly.

Not so easily doable, not while in the flesh--I still have need. Perhaps, when I'm untied from the living-flesh, then I will be able to pursue a life without need. However, I do wish to have wants and desires fulfilled; but I want the power over my own life to fulfill life's ambition.

 

[HumbleUnderdog]

I don't have a burden of guilt, I told you that. I go with my instinct to live as I want. It's not suggestive of maybe, what if, it is what I do anyhow.
I can't go to church unless there is some good music to listen to. I'm sick to death of bible hymns. I want some real music. Rock and Roll, if I'm going to church.
Salvation for me comes in small moments. I don't want to feel good all the time. I want conflict within my life, so I can always get a sense of overcoming obstacles in order to appreciate life more. Who wants to live in bliss all their life, it sounds like brainwashing to me and a place of forgetfulness. Bliss is a sense of loss and peace is the place where one loses their soul to the tantalizing touch of bliss.
Jesus says whoever is close to the fire is close to me and whoever is far from me is far from the kingdom. Does it sound like a blissful fire that we must remain close to or is the nature of fire to consume through conflict and division--that is what I want in my life always, conflict and division; but the strength to overcome through the endurance of the fire. If you are at peace all the time then you will lose your mind to bliss. I don't want an orgasmic bliss. I want to feel as I do now. And I'm not going to no purgatory, theres nothing wrong with my thoughts or deeds. I refuse to believe in a religion that wants to kill me in every respect to my natural state.

Quite interesting how you have a different definition of "bliss" and "Brainwashing" and many other words, not to mention that most of these arguments are out of emotion.

Again with the salvation thing, what are all these little moments of bliss n stuff, what does this salvation save you from?

You want conflict and division in your life, so that you can overcome them for a sense of honour it sounds like. I know you don't exactly believe in the bible but that sounds a lot like what God's reward is. He gives honour and appreciation to those who conquer the greatest conflict and division of all, death, through Jesus. Jesus shares his honour with us if we choose him.

If you want a confict to overcome, then may I present to you, life...and death. See if you can somehow conquer death. Another conflict that you might consider solving is to give your life to Christ. Letting God change you is quite the conflict to a lot of ppl.

And here's a conflict that I really wish ppl would understand. Christianity is not a religion. It is a relationship with God, relationship.

There are things wrong with your thoughts and deeds. If you disagree with that statement, then you would be the first person I've ever known who has claimed to be perfect. The truth is that you are not perfect, otherwise there'd be a whole religion based on you. Because you are imperfect, there is division and conflict within yourself. I challenge you to overcome this conflict.....

I refuse to believe in a religion that wants to kill me in every respect to my natural state.

. Good luck!

 

[Gusoceros]

When is life worth a religion?

I would say any life worth living, is worth living right, to get the absolute most out of life one can get for all concerned.

G

 

[MedicMan]

Yea, God and Satan does exist but I don't really care for them. It is not my place in life to be some piece of rope between two beings playing tug o war with my soul.
Life is not religion buddy, if it were then men would have been born with knowledge of it from birth. Just like Jesus says, the sabbath was made for man. Not man for the sabbath. In otherwords, life is not religion. Religion is just a stepping stone into higher thought; however, most of us can't overcome our fear of God (the unknown) therefore fear is our only bridge unto God or higher knowledge, obscuring truth to the point of supersticious fallacies.

Life is religion, because one cannot become a Christian by simply going to Church on Sunday and taking Communion. One must live a Christian life, live the faith in every second, to be true to God. I fear my God, because He has the power over my life and death, but I also love Him because of what He has promised me for being faithful. He has given me strength when I have needed it most.

~MedicMan~